Define: Statesman

Sitrep: 1x Arms, 1x Abs
Goal: 2x Arms, 2x Abs

Instead of blogging yesterday I felt the need to shake up my blog a bit. After several hours of frustrated attempts to modify one blog layout to fit my desires, I switched to this one and tweaked it. My apologies to those of you who might have checked in yesterday during the "experimental" portion of the "design". I like this, although the orange is already getting to me. Too fall-ish, I expect. So don't be surprised if it changes up this weekend.

Around 4 am this morning I blundered onto a show about Lincoln on the History Channel. It was different than any I've seen before, and painted quite a different picture of Lincoln and his wife, etc, than I'm used to. Not necessarily bad, either. Just more detailed, and a more human view. As in Lincoln, the Man, then Lincoln the President. Not just Lincoln the President. It made me admire him that much more and think to myself that I really need to read up on this extraordinary president.

It also reinforced for me that politics have not changed all that much. Twenty-four hour television and always on Internet just make it seem so. Everyone is so inundated now, there's this constant barrage of information we have no time to really process or think about things as they occur. Different, I really think, that when information was limited to newspapers and a few radio stations.

Last weekend my sister and I spoke on the phone for quite awhile, and we got to talking about the upcoming presidential elections. With Obama's speech on race occurring just that week, naturally we got to talking about it, and Obama himself. Why are so many people responding to him the way they are? Is it just the message of hope? But there have been others with messages of hope that weren't received this way. Is it that he comes across so differently? Not part of the status quo? More dignified, more distinguished, somehow? Fresher? It's hard to express. And yet I'm not blind to his reported shortcomings; although the melee about his Pastor doesn't upset me as it has some. But that's a post in and of itself, so I'll save that for another day. I've read about his connections to that land thing. (Can't remember the guys name off hand). I've been reading up on his campaign style, tactics, ads. It's not that different from the others. And yet there's still this little something that keeps me going "hmmm." And looking at him some more.

Regardless of all that, I thought the speech was extremely impressive. I haven't heard anything so well written or well spoken by a politician in a long time. I'm still torn between him & Clinton, but was very impressed by the speech. It occurred to me during our discussion that that speech made him come across almost as a Statesman, not a Politician.

Statesman: a person who exhibits great wisdom and ability in directing the affairs of a government or in dealing with important public issues.*

Politician: a seeker or holder of public office, who is more concerned about winning favor or retaining power than about maintaining principles.**

"Politician, statesman refer to one skilled in politics. These terms differ particularly in their connotations; politician is more often derogatory, and statesman laudatory. Politician suggests the schemes and devices of a person who engages in (esp. small) politics for party ends or for one's own advantage: a dishonest politician. Statesman suggests the eminent ability, foresight, and unselfish patriotic devotion of a person dealing with (esp. important or great) affairs of state: a distinguished statesman." **

I can't think of anyone really that I would call a statesman. At least, not anyone current. President Carter comes to mind, but more for his actions after leaving office than during. I don't know much about his years in the Oval Office. What does that say about my government? Or about us as a people?

* statesman. Dictionary.com Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) Random House Inc http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/statesman (accessed: March 28, 2008).
**politician. Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1). Random House, Inc. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/politician (accessed: March 28, 2008).

Define: Ironic

Sitrep: 1x Abs Beginner workout

So I'm watching TV last night, and this commercial comes on with 2 models talking about their new clothing line (or lines) at Target. I think they were models, they said their names like the viewer should recognize them. They described the clothes as inspired by 1930's florals, but more 1970's, and "flirty", "fun", "ironic"...

Did I miss something? Is it those girl-genes I was born without? How can clothing be ironic? I understand flirty. (Sometimes). I understand fun. But ironic?

ironic
adjective
1. humorously sarcastic or mocking; "dry humor"; "an ironic remark often conveys an intended meaning obliquely"; "an ironic novel"; "an ironical smile"; "with a wry Scottish wit" [syn: dry]
2. characterized by often poignant difference or incongruity between what is expected and what actually is; "madness, an ironic fate for such a clear thinker"; "it was ironical that the well-planned scheme failed so completely"

Are they saying if I'm wearing the "flirty, fun, ironic" dress, I'm actually not flirty or fun? I'm confused.

I think it's more ironic that that SOB Mark got back on the Biggest Loser last night. Or that Ali (a girl!!!) BEAT HIM to be the Biggest Loser of the night. :) That made my evening. Although there wasn't far to go for it to get better, because it ticked me off when he got back on the show. It's more ironic that every Tuesday this year I stuff my face while watching the Biggest Loser. Now that's ironic. I think. Like I said. I'm confused.

However, I did realize something last night. I've been bemoaning the fact that I can't seem to get myself exercising again. All told, I've spent hours over the last 2 months thinking about why I can't seem to get moving again. Is is the fact that Alden no longer posts? Is is the slow down in Gator Patrols? Is it that it seems no one else is still working out? Well, Alden's posts weren't supposed to go on forever. Really. The man has a buiness, family, a life. And the Gator Patrol? I could start some of those myself, but I don't. No one else working out? Not true. I get glimpses of it now and then, in a post or two on the BB. What it really comes down to is this:

I've got to be able to sustain this myself, in the long run. That is the only way this will become a life-long habit. I've shifted tracks, moved onto a new phase in this journey of self-improvement and better health, mental & physical. I need to do this for me, because of me. Oh, that's not to say that having support from others isn't good. It is. It just can no longer be the only motivator to keep me going. I am the motivator. Me, and only me. Just like I am the only reason I've stopped. I am the only one being disappointed or hurt by my lack of action.

It hasn't just been lack of exercise either. There's been significant backward action in these areas:

1) Daily water consumption (some days are negative!)
2) Morning & afternoon snacks (amazing the difference that made!)
3) Controlling portion sizes
4) Choosing healthier ingredients/foods
5) Lack of journaling/tracking food & activity (on here, on SparkPeople)

All these tools I've thrown away. Well, no more. Isn't it ironic (stop singing, please) that my biggest stay-sitting-down-don't-move addiction, television, has given me such a big eye opener? It was Ali, on The Biggest Loser, that made me sit up and go "oh" last night. She was voted off in week 4, yet came back in week 11, having lost more (% of weight loss) than all the other eliminated females. Frankly, she's lost more than the women that made it through to week 11. She lost more than them, even though she was on her own for the last 6 weeks! 6 weeks in the real world, without Bob or Jillian, without her whole day at the campus focused on exercise and eating right. How ironic is that?

Modern Language Association (MLA):
"ironic." WordNet® 3.0. Princeton University. 12 Mar. 2008. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/ironic>.