The Answer Lady Comes Back

The Answer Lady has great shoes. Picture by J. Dunham

 

The Answer Lady had so much fun last time that she decided to answer a few other items that come up in the search column. There are some people who love being a font of information and some who are insufferable know-it-alls.

If the Answer Lady can make use of her knowledge acquired during her years of being an insufferable know-it-all, that is just the cherry on top of the hot fudge sundae.

Q. What is the old trick to get rid of belly fat?

A. Well, the simpliest way is to exercise and diet properly. You can read or listen to a lot of these internet ads that promise to make it happen lickety split. Most of them want you to fork over money for their colon cleanser product that is paired with acai berry.

Others tell you they have the pill that will take it all off without making changes to your lifestyle. Really? If you talk to your doctor, he or she will start talking about food intake and how much you exercise. If you eat and eat and eat but never ever exercise, sooner or later those calories turn into fat.

I recently listened to one site that talked about how some foods, even the healthy foods we are encouraged to eat will still make you fat.  At least this person had it sort of right. Isbella’s big thing that keeps us fat is processed food and foods with high fructose syrup. Those yougurts and whole grain breads still have fructose syrup which is very bad.

picture by Orchid

So she wants you to become a label reader as well as make more of your own meals so you can cut down on all of those chemicals that make the body worse not better. Oh, and she has a cookbook and a metabolism calculator and exercise diet plans to help you figure it all out. For X amount.

So if you really want to get that belly fat off, here is the old trick. Eat less, move more. Eat more fruits and veggies, make your own bread (remember that bread machine in the back) and eat less processed food. Start by dropping one bad habit at a time and replace it with a good habit.

I started with dropping soda and replacing it with iced tea. Next I replaced chips with carrot sticks.  Instead of sleeping in, I get up and do a fifteen minute walk. That is on top of the afternoon walk I do with the dog.

That is the only “old” trick to losing that belly. Once you lose 20 pounds, you will be amazed by the way you look and feel.

Q. I need an image of a brick wall.

Picture by Krumdieck

A. There are various content houses on the web. Some of these are free to use. My image of a brick wall was gained from one of these and you really need to find your own.

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Ennui

Have you ever been in a long period of ennui?

I have. Right now, in fact.

There are many mitigating factors. The loss of my job a year ago, the acceptance that some of my dreams will not be happening, my oldest one moving out, my mother having a ‘health incident,’ debt that does not seem to be going away.

I am tired all of the time. I can’t move and creating anything beyond the basics is an effort. My garden is done for the year and that is one easy blog entry every two weeks I won’t have for the next five months.

Picture by Krumdieck

I am hitting a wall. But what I really want to do is bust through.

I read blogs about other people taking a leap of faith, quitting their jobs and moving towards their dreams. I am inspired, I am fearful. I am wondering what I would do if that was me. I push myself to eat right and exercise so that I won’t slide back from the physical gains I have made in the past year. I keep wondering what is next.

What is my dream? What do I want to pursue?

The novel I started writing and re-writing is not getting done. The quilt I started that is for my room is not getting done. I thought about starting a magazine. I think about starting a artist’s colony that would also offer a variety of classes and artistic space for retreats -groups and singles.

picture by o0o0xmods0o0o

What I am really doing is running in place.

I am sewing but not completing anything. I mend the back of my couch time and time again, just to have to do it two weeks later. I clean up the same mess of dropped coats and accumulating clutter every week, every day.

So I have started asking myself what I want. First on the list is to never again have a boss like my last one whose madness was never inspiring. I spent more time wondering how to stay out of her way and being on the good side. That was never going to happen because as editorial, I was not earning money for the company. Granted, I was creating the product the sales staff was selling BUT WHO CARES THE FUCK ABOUT THAT!

I want something that allows my creative side and teaching side to come out. I want to have some status and some money so I can afford the crossover vehicle of my dreams. No matter what I dream up, I can see how it will all happen. But what I want the most from the crystal ball is to know which one would be best. What should I try for that will make money and bring happiness while being an ethical business person? Once that is decided, how do I get the money to make it all happen?

Picture by Seemann

Perhaps if I swirl the last of the coffee in my cup and read the crumbs after they settle I will figure it all out.

Or not.