Tuesday, September 30, 2008

~The Meaning Of Life~


You will never be happy if you continue to search for what happiness consists of. You will never live if you are looking for the meaning of life.

~Albert Camus

Friday, September 26, 2008

~Happy Birthday~



~Staci Lynn~



My sister Staci is turning 22 today. I miss her tons. I wish I could be there with her in the COLD state of Iowa as opposed to the near scorching heat of Arizona... I'm feeling a little melancholy.

So... I decided to celebrate her birthday with her, all the way over here! I whipped up a delicious cake, poured it into the pans and licked the scraper clean. Goodness, It is SO YUMMY! I baked her a Betty Crocker Devils Food Chocolate cake with DARK Chocolate icing and topped it off with a trillion little sugar balls that are white, pink and purple. Too much fun! I had a small cyberspace conversation with her as she caught me on facebook while I was checking out all the CUTE pictures of my ADORABLE Nephew, James Addison.


Now, I admit, I am a comfort eater. I miss her to pieces and I haven't had the chance to meet James yet... The chocolate cake will be of great comfort later. I just have to wait for the OTHER sister to come home from her DATE tonight to gorge myself! Ok... Not gorge but enjoy my sister Staci's birthday cake. Hopefully Staci will be off work and awake so we can chit chat later.

I love you Ms. Staci! HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Make sure to give Mr. James an extra special hug from Auntie Jen tonight when you tuck him away for dream land! Don't forget to whisper in his ear that I love him too... *hugs*

~So, I'm researching the heart for a presentation.~

Here are some interesting facts that I've cut and paste for your enjoyment...

*Your system of blood vessels - arteries, veins and capillaries - is over 60,000 miles long. That's long enough to go around the world more than twice!
*The adult heart pumps about 5 quarts of blood each minute - approximately 2,000 gallons of blood each day - throughout the body.
*When attempting to locate their heart, most people place their hand on their left chest. Actually, your heart is located in the center of your chest between your lungs. The bottom of the heart is tipped to the left, so you feel more of your heart on your left side of your chest.
*The heart beats about 100,000 times each day.
*In a 70-year lifetime, the average human heart beats more than 2.5 billion times
*An adult woman's heart weighs about 8 ounces, a man's about 10 ounces
*A child's heart is about the size of a clenched fist; an adults heart is about the size of two fists.
*Blood is about 78 percent water.
*Blood takes about 20 seconds to circulate throughout the entire vascular system.
*The structure of the heart was first described in 1706, by Raymond de Viessens, a French anatomy professor.
*The electrocardiograph (ECG) was invented in 1902 by Dutch physiologist Willem Einthoven. This test is still used to evaluate the heart's rate and rhythm.
*The first heart specialists emerged after World War I.
*Women's hearts beat faster than men's.
*Three years after a person quits smoking, there chance of having a heart attack is the same as someone who has never smoked before.
*The human heart weighs less than a pound.
*The human heart can create enough pressure that it could squirt blood at a distance of thirty feet.
*The first open heart surgery was performed by Dr. Daniel Hall Williams in 1893. (Have you seen medical instruments from the 1800's?!?!)
*Scientists have discovered that the longer the ring finger is in boys the less chance they have of having a heart attack.
*The human heart beast roughly 35 million times a year.
*Olive oil can help in lowering cholesterol levels and decreasing the risk of heart complications.
*In a lifetime, the heart pumps about one million barrels of blood.
*In 1967, the first successful heart transplant was performed in Cape Town, South Africa. (South Africa?!?!)
*People that suffer from gum disease are twice as likely to have a stroke or heart attack.
*Most heart attacks occur between the hours of 8 and 9 AM.
*At one time it was thought that the heart controlled a person's emotions


Amazing, ain't it?
Now, onto deeper research...

Thursday, September 18, 2008

~I think I can. I think I can.~

So, I went running with my old but new running partners last night. One of the girls in particular and I ran a lot in high school. We kept each other motivated and in check, if you will, as we were very competitive not only with us, but with the entire WORLD! We have a lot of fun together. We are a lot alike. We are cousins. Should've been sisters. Best friends.
I have been telling her that I REALLY need to be working out and she informs me that she did just that yesterday with her newest running partner. She told me to 'just come over and do it' last night so I could get my fitness on. I took them up on the offer thinking the new girl would be a little slower so that I didn't have to feel like a TARD running next to my wonder woman cousin.
We lace up our shoes and off we go. As we were jogging I was thinking, "Not bad.... good pace. I can do this." As we rounded the quarter mile, we stopped for a small breather. Now mind you, I HATE running these days as I'm probably the most out of shape that I've ever been in my ENTIRE life. Shortly we were all challenged by the 'new girl' to pick back up the pace...
Alright! Here we go! I'm now thinking that soon enough she'll get tired, I just know it!
We slow it down again...
We run again.
slower...
RUN!
Now.... This whole time I'm thinking that I HAVE to beat the new girl! I can't stop before her!! I'm feeling the burn... I'm feeling a small pain in my side... in my foot... in my EVERYTHING.
Did I mention that I HATE running these days?!
So the new girl is starting to feel a little tired but the run is now over. My cousin turned over the dog leash to the new girl and cautioned her not to run as the dog will eventually run her. Why, you ask? Because she's all of 30 pounds.
She's my Sarah... My darling... My 4 year old niece!
Watch out London 2012! Here comes Sarah Wood!