Controlling diabetes with oral meds, diet, and exercise

As I was complaining to my dietician of the complexity of rules for eating and exercise she gave me 3 SIMPLE rules anyone can follow:

1. WHAT--If it tastes at all good, spit it out immediately; you probably shouldn't be eating that;

2. HOW MUCH--If you feel like you had a full meal, stick your finger down your throat until you've gagged up at least half;

3. WHEN--If you've completed a half hour's vigorous (aerobic) walk and have caught your breath, get up off your ass and walk again. 



c. J.S.Manista, 2015

Review of Old Movie--Blues Brothers

OLD MOVIE REVIEW--Actually "Review of Old Movie" to be more precise. Last night I finally watched (to be truthful--slept through non-musical portion) the Blues Brothers. I'm trying finally to catch up on contemporary culture I missed when it was still contemporary. Music, choreography were super. The chase scene is way over the top and classic (the real reason I thought to watch it) must have cost millions and provided work for numerous body shops in Chicago. Akroyd's wooden acting, I felt more his lack of range than clever of styling. Seeing John Belushi again was poignant to say the least. I don't think I slept more than a minute or two. Overall a little predictable but fun nonetheless. And not a moment too soon.

c. J.S.Manista, 2015 

20150604 (honesty)

Fight with the Lord? Always

Seventy times seven? For forgiveness

You any idea how many that is

Divine love, yes, You can do that

I have a limit. That’s what “finite” means

I’m not gonna let people walk all over me

Including my ex, especially my ex

Those “least of these, My brethren”

Ever sit close to them on a bus

They stink and cough and twitch

Who knows when they bathed last

Their clothes are full of bugs

They could try to speak English 

Worst, they don’t seem to care

I could take it if I saw improvement

No wonder they end up in a ditch

With the crap beaten out of them

Like I should care. I’m not holding a gun

To their heads and making them shoot up

They could get a haircut and a job

Straighten up and fly right

Know what I mean? But this

Mercy I mete is the mercy I’ll meet

Makes no sense. They’re the ones 

Screwing up the system. I pay my dues

Why should they get the heavenly reward

When I worked every single day 

Of my life, never called in sick

Never complained about the boss’s

Attitude, never drank, or whored

Or gambled, not a day in my life

Went to church every Sunday, gave 

My buck, and sang the sappy hymns 

And they’re gonna sit in heaven 

On a cloud as high as mine

How’s that justice? I’m sorry 

You suffered. I’m sure that hurt

Which was your choice 

To save these bums I wouldn’t get 

A hangnail much less let them

Nail my hands and feet

What were you thinking, Lordy

Lord, what were you thinking

c. J.S.Manista, 2015

When you're a kid nothing is as empty

When you’re a kid nothing is as empty

As an empty cookie jar especially

When your brother and sister deny the theft

And the case points to your father

Who won’t confess the grab

Forget about William Carlos Williams

And that horrible note about the plums

These are the times that try men’s souls

c. J.S.Manista, 2015

20150603 (exegesis)

Early each Wednesday I meet 

With believers.  Together we shake

Holy texts for their insights today

Here’s my translation of Psalm 138: 

Take me seriously now, Lord of all

For I worship you, come to your holy place 

To thank you, Mightiest of the mighty

For sticking with me. When I needed you

You blessed me, O powerful One

If earthly powers had any sense 

They would praise your truth

And learn from your ways

However high You might be

You hear the groundlings

And send celebrities packing

When life calls me to complain

To the wrong-headed churlish

Who’d throw me under the bus

Your right hand lifts me from their snatching

So your will is done for the world

And your creature. I beg you not forget me

And Mark 3, 20-35:

When Jesus was being mobbed

Maybe endangered, by the eager crowd

His relatives, astonished and fearful

Not knowing what was really at hand

Said: “His enthusiasm is out of control

We know better. Let’s shut him down.”

The jealous establishment who came to belittle him 

So they might remain revered said

“If he’s got power it’s from the devil.”

Jesus replied, “Why ever would any one

Unwork the works of his fellows?

You know it’s God who does all good.

To charge God with being the evil one

Is nasty. Even thinking that

Crosses the line, you know?”

Now his family was still concerned

For his safety and sent to call him away

But Jesus, seeing a teaching opportunity

Said before them and the crowd 

“What’s more important is you all learn

Doing the will of God makes you and them

My brothers, sisters, and mother.”

c. J.S.Manista, 2015

20150602 (philosophy)

Descartes

Berkeley

Aristotle

 Aquinas

I guess it’s time to tell the truth

Dear Reader, of what’s happening here 

With titles like 20150602 and rambling

Rants pushed on my blog. A friend of mine

A Reinhold, took to posting her thoughts 

Religiously pardon the pun through 

Every day of the last Lent which challenged

Me to resume the blog instead of blowing chaff

On FaceBook where my friends could lay reply

Now after the dog walk and breffies and pills

I’ll watch what flows from my mind

Before I fill it up with others’ texts, imperatives

Or whimsies. This is so self-centered but 

What the hell that’s where we all start out

Feeling our toes and genitals and playing our 

Fingers against the ceiling while we ever so 

Gradually learn what’s me and what’s not.

The old guy hobbling across the street

His garments borrowed from the charity

On 32nd up the way, has pretty much made

The same trip as I unless he’s Bishop Berkeley

Or Descartes and isn’t quite sure there’s

Anything out there but him and his dreams

Aristotle I’m told advised against philosophy

Until one was forty-seven

Great way to cut the competition, Ari

In your day few lived that long 

Except the wealthy and yourself 

Aquinas is rumored to have said if you

Couldn’t tell reality from dreams

It was time to forsake philosophy 

For a few years of bricklaying probably 

Apocryphal but sound. So this old man

Hobbling like me is carrying his world 

And life inside his head roughly the size

Of my mother’s bowling ball 

Forgive me it came to mind from yesterday

His universe must be at least as big as mine

Where will it go when his refrigerator door is shut?

Things that big can’t just disappear


c. J.S.Manista, 2015

20150601 (disturbed sleep)

Hieronymous Bosch, detail of center, The Garden of Earthly Delights 

Insomnia is the failure to orgasm

Of the sleep reflex. Settled comfortably in 

Dog at the right, cat nestled left

The book’s weight escapes the grasp

Or the last three paragraphs seem

Puzzlingly similar. Almost there

Excuse me, Sophie, time to put the book away

Reaching to switch off the lamp

It’s clear: Ain’t gonna happen

Relax. Give it a minute. Relax

Too bad. In the dark a while rods

Wake gradually revealing the bedroom 

In almost complete detail: the doors

The table with the heap of clothes

This is just a silly turn of events

By now it’s productivity time so

I think of Chekhov who wrote at night

Of Merton keeping watch at the monastery

Noting the sights and sounds to pass

The hours from the night’s last prayers

To the day’s first as he paces 

The cloister’s worn, polished stones

The digital figures 03:33 glowing red

Confuse me. I put the book down 

At one-thirty must have slept some

In the bathroom again, proven old man

Back to bed this time no cat to cuddle

Somehow away to a Grand Guignol

That would send Freud running home to mama

I, naked in the Garden of Earthly Delights

Leaping with abandon for hours 

Between lusts and torments. Wherefrom?

I took my meds, I check on rising

Blood sugar 138. Dog walked the whole block 

I make it to City Hall for the Zoning Appeal

Moved to the 22nd but my neighbor appreciates

Me being on time. I excuse myself, return home

And with Loki on my lap fall asleep reliably

To the drone of Democracy Now!


c. J.S.Manista, 2015