tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15356350282706757822024-03-14T06:58:09.210-06:00TriumphguyTriumphguy is a husband and dad who is trying to live out his Catholic faith. He likes riding and working on motorbikes.
TG spent a few years in formation with the Franciscans, and has been a prison chaplain, Catholic school teacher and administrator, and a self employed insurance broker.
TG has also been accepted into his dioceses diaconate program and attends sessions one weekend in four with his wife.Triumphguyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07503680918119143157noreply@blogger.comBlogger89125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1535635028270675782.post-79599302940372482792014-02-02T22:51:00.001-07:002014-02-02T22:51:16.879-07:00Well, as is typical with diets - I fell off the wagon. Put most of the weight back on. Just couldn't face another green drink!<br />
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I have taken a break from the diaconate program since it moved 300k away.<br />
<br />
I've changed my MTS final paper from<i> diakonia in the writings of Francis</i> to <i>New Evangelization and Youth.</i><br />
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I've basically given up on CAF Catholic answers and rarely go there, never mind post. I tend to spend time on the Grauniad (Guardian) commenting on articles from a catholic point of view which upsets it's mainly middle class leftist/elitist atheist members.<br />
<br />
And I've swapped my Bonnie for a Tiger 955i!<br />
<br />
I'm sure God is speaking in all this.Triumphguyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07503680918119143157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1535635028270675782.post-17760567127138201192013-02-14T10:33:00.004-07:002013-02-14T10:33:51.986-07:00My weight loss so far!Jan 6 [B]305[/B]lbs, Jan 11 295, Jan 12 294, Jan 15 294, Jan 16 293, Jan 18 293, Jan 19 292, Jan 20 291, Jan 23 290, Jan 26 288, Jan 29 287, Jan 30 286, Feb 6 285, Feb 8 284, Feb 12 283, Feb 14 [B]282 lbs<br />
<br />
So on Jan 6th I was 305lbs.<br />
On Feb 14th I am 282lbs.Triumphguyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07503680918119143157noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1535635028270675782.post-74627189715305489862013-02-03T21:51:00.000-07:002013-02-03T21:51:06.362-07:00I feel like I've stalled!I need to check my diet, because when I started I felt full of energy, now I'm dragging my butt.... and I'm down with a bad head cold and sore throat.<br />
<br />
Maybe it;s just because I'm under the weather.Triumphguyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07503680918119143157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1535635028270675782.post-22278625270996428582013-02-02T09:25:00.002-07:002013-02-02T09:25:43.973-07:00Got a bit lazyI've gone up a pound and a half in the last couple of days.<br />
<br />
I'm trying to figure out why.<br />
<br />
Well I know why - I shared 2 bottles of wine this week with my wife, and I also ate too many carbs in the last couple of days.<br />
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I need to get back on the veggies slushies!Triumphguyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07503680918119143157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1535635028270675782.post-65296014179628369222013-01-30T17:09:00.002-07:002013-01-30T17:09:56.308-07:00286lbsI haven't been 286lbs for years!<br />
<br />
I remember thinking I was 286 and when I checked I was 306!<br />
<br />
So I'm enjoying the feeling of relative freedom of movement and lightness.<br />
<br />
And what a difference nearly 20lbs makes!<br />
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I'm going up stairs easier - I even caught my self taking 2 steps at a time today without thinking! I used to be very active, but I've suffered from strained Achilles and plantar fasciitis problems for a few years - all due to weight related stress on my feet I have no doubt. My usual walking mode has been a slow hobble when injured, and a cautious stride when uninjured.Triumphguyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07503680918119143157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1535635028270675782.post-39504244009805543652013-01-27T20:03:00.000-07:002013-01-27T20:03:28.828-07:00Enthusiastic about food again.<br />
I've become more enthusiastic about food again.<br />
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Dropping meat gives me an excuse to learn a bunch more about food and food prep.<br />
<br />
A year ago I got into bread making, vegetable growing and slow cooking. I even built a chicken coop to grow heritage breeds for their eggs (except the city passed an ordinance outlawing chickens!). <br />
<br />
So I've been evolving in my food "journey." However, I enjoyed my food more, but wasn't getting any healthier.<br />
<br />
Then my riding buddy had a triple by pass, my father in law died of esophageal cancer, and I realized that I was literally a "cheeseburger away from a heart-attack." But I didn't know what to do about it.<br />
<br />
The only vegan I know is a hypochondriac, negative, anti-social person and I've gotten used to arguing against her point of view, and I'm shocked to find that her information may have been right, even if her methods got up my nose.<br />
<br />
So, one night during the Christmas season, suffering from what they called in Dickens' time a "bilious attack" I decided to change my life.... and I'm loving it!<br />
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I'm feeling better, and I'm feeling successful!<br />
<br />
And I'm looking forward to new recipes, tastes and textures.Triumphguyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07503680918119143157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1535635028270675782.post-48529165295524589052013-01-18T12:59:00.003-07:002013-01-18T13:00:11.803-07:00What have I learned so far?1. I feel better on this diet. I'm no longer so sluggish in the mornings. I seem to be sleeping better. There's no heartburn or hemorrhoids. I don't feel so stretched and bloated. I seem to have more energy.<br />
<br />
2. It does take more effort and conscious thought to prepare my food. But I'm AM taking the time and effort and it doesn't seem too burdensome.<br />
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3. I do get sick of drinking stuff that looks like it's been hosed off the underside of my lawn mower!<br />
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However, a little ginger, paprika, garlic etc helps spice it up. In my opinion DON'T put turmeric in it. It's far too bitter. I love it in curries, but not my green sludge drinks!<br />
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4. I'm losing weight. It was faster at first, but it's still happening.<br />
<br />
5. I'm not going to focus on losing weight. There's a ton of other bonuses to changing my diet and weight is just the natural conclusion.<br />
<br />
6. Two "movies" moved me. "Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead," and "Forks Over Knives." FSND was a personal account of an obese millionaire businessman and a morbidly obese trucker he meets in Winslow Arizona and subsequently helps. Both their lives change, but the truckers change was far more moving, since he was just an ordinary guy suffering (literally) under a heavy load, and a burden of sickness and depression.<br />
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The second movie, Forks Over Knives wasn't as moving, but was a very convincing documentary on the underpinnings of the whole food revolution. Very convincing - and made me angry.<br />
<br />
I was actually angry at both sides of the debate. The veggies for their tactics which have often failed to convince me in the past, and which have just as often turned me away; and the food industry for perpetuating a sick diet. I should have known this stuff 50 lbs ago, when I was only 30 lbs overweight!<br />
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7. I know I want my kids to benefit from my knowledge. Our families diet is about to change radically. We love ham and bean soups, slow cooked stews, roast lamb, roast chicken, and home made pizza so that's going to be sad -really sad. So we're going to have to learn some new favourites!<br />
<br />
8. Finally - for now! I know I can do this. I can go from a high of 326 to 210 lbs! I can do it and I can live longer, happier and healthier. I'm already planning birthday and Christmas menus so that our family can feast without feeling they have given anything up.Triumphguyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07503680918119143157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1535635028270675782.post-30137403629166577702013-01-17T08:23:00.002-07:002013-01-17T08:24:45.165-07:00Forks Over Knives<br />
I was recommended the documentary Forks Over Knives by someone on the Catholic Answers Forum (Thanks 4elise)<br />
<br />
I only got through 1/2 of the Forks and Knives last night, and I have to say I was literally blown away. I wish I had seen this 20 years ago.<br />
<br />
I want to ask - if this medical knowledge was so obvious and so well tested how come there hasn't been an absolute tidal wave of dietary change in the western world?<br />
<br />
However, I know the answer: people love their salty meat, and big business wants to make money (either by feeding them or medicating them).<br />
<br />
The fact that you can eat yourself healthy seems crazy (crazy good that is) to me, because I always saw food as the enemy, and one that had beaten me.<br />
<br />
I've been on so many mad diets - Atkins, Stop the Insanity etc, but my weight has always trended upwards.<br />
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My hope and my prayer is that finally I can become well again, and be around for my wife and kids.<br />
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I'm in my 50s with young kids - and I want to be a "young" dad for them.<br />
<br />
BTW when I was in formation with the Franciscans back in the 80's I was vegetarian for a few years out of solidarity with the poor in the 3rd world, so I know I can do it. I just didn't realize that the peasant diet (too poor to eat much meat, but lots of beans and veggies) is the best diet!Triumphguyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07503680918119143157noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1535635028270675782.post-62371492996382072462013-01-15T19:01:00.000-07:002013-01-15T19:11:43.396-07:00bread....So I came home from work today and thought I'd try some of my wife's lovely home-baked bread. It all hand made, whole wheat, all natural, looks and tastes great!<br />
<br />
I thought why not - another day of oatmeal for breakfast, chick peas and salad stuff all juiced up for lunch - so I deserve a treat right?<br />
<br />
I'm also trying certain foods one by one to see their effect on me after my fairly strict diet.<br />
<br />
Well.... 10 minutes after chowing down I felt a band across my chest followed by gas and heartburn for an hour!<br />
<br />
I also felt unpleasant in general.<br />
<br />
Do I take this as a reaction against bread, and that therefore I shouldn't be eating bread?<br />
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Is nature telling me that the veggie diet is good for my body!<br />
<br />
Thoughts?Triumphguyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07503680918119143157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1535635028270675782.post-54667888398025545092013-01-14T11:14:00.002-07:002013-01-14T11:14:32.096-07:00Didn't lose any weight on SundayThough I was serious about the veggie drinks.<br />
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I did have a can of sardines to give me some protein.<br />
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However I feel better and less bloated than Saturday.Triumphguyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07503680918119143157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1535635028270675782.post-41968530593999825282013-01-13T16:35:00.001-07:002013-01-13T16:35:34.147-07:00Motorbike stuffIt's winter in Canada so no riding is possible.<br />
<br />
However: some bike stuff.<br />
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Bonnie needs either a new pick-up coil or a new CDI ignitor.<br />
<br />
Sprint needs a new engine! I'm looking for a daytona engine to shoehorn in there if I can get a good deal on ebay. If I cannot get a new to me engine the bike is worth less then $1000 in parts.<br />
<br />
Thinking of selling the bonnie (once I fix the spark problem) to fund the engine for the sprint and pay off some debts. :(<br />
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<br />Triumphguyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07503680918119143157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1535635028270675782.post-68889622074371715472013-01-13T15:15:00.001-07:002013-01-13T15:15:44.978-07:00So I've lost another 1/2 pound.But didn't think I would.<br />
<br />
<br />
Yesterday I had two teeny little bbq'd ribs with my kids. I had made supper for them and thought that eating a couple would not hurt.<br />
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Well later that evening I felt bloated and uncomfortable. It's like my body was rejecting the meat. My pulse rate went up, and I felt my face flushing. Even though I kept to the game plan throughout the day I felt I was actually going to put weight on.<br />
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In the end I did lose some weight, but my body gave me a message. Or at least I think so. It wasn't happy with bbq'd ribs.<br />
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So back on track today.Triumphguyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07503680918119143157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1535635028270675782.post-29385043368118766422013-01-11T09:16:00.004-07:002013-01-11T13:38:36.936-07:00Losing weight!!!Lost 2lbs yesterday!<br />
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Now I know that you are only "supposed" to lose 2lbs a week if it is to be sustainable.<br />
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However, I find it easier to stick to a "strict"diet like this, than a diet which closely resembles my normal one, except with "less" on the plate.<br />
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The making of the meals is a kind of discipline, 'cos it takes deliberate preparation.<br />
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So far I have dropped from 305 to 295 -that's 10 lbs and I feel much better already.<br />
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<br />
It;s weird that when you are at 295 lbs but on the way up you feel like crap, but at 295 lbs and on the way down you feel great!<br />
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I don't look any different yet, but even carrying round an extra 10 lbs is tiresome.<br />
<br />
I hesitate to add some of the details, but if you are obese like me you may want to know some of these things - if not then don't read!:<br />
<br />
My ankles are less swollen at night now, and I am peeing more like a garden hose than a leaky faucet!<br />
My number twos are more satisfying - less hard, less stinky, and more "full."<br />
I am more alert when I wake up - which is good because I say the Morning Office right away with my wife.<br />
I'm not as tired mid afternoon, and I don't have the raging need for snacks.Triumphguyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07503680918119143157noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1535635028270675782.post-10353309003190775832013-01-10T16:32:00.001-07:002013-01-11T13:40:11.121-07:00Losing weight!Well I was a naughty boy over Christmas!<br />
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Turkey, pie, cookies, duck, lamb, roasted potatoes, cake, panini, minced tarts, wine, scotch, and brandy all contributed to me going over 300lb again.<br />
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But did I ever have a good time cooking, eating, and feeding family.<br />
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The duck was a bit of a waste of time though, but the lamb was a hit.<br />
<br />
Anyway - I want to lose, need to lose a ton of weight. I watched Vegucated on Netlflix and it kinda got me interested in going vegetarian, but then I came across the movie "Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead." this follows the story of Joe an Auzzie businessman who "looks like I ate a sheep" and has an autoimmune condition and needs to lose approximately 70 pounds. He decides to "juice" his way across America.<br />
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Juicing is a way to condense a ton of veggie nutrition into an easy to drink format. And it worked for Joe while he was on his TransAmerican journey. On his trip he met Phil Staples a morbidly obese truck driver who looked like he just wanted to give up and die. Phil asked for help, and to his credit Joe helped him - got him on the diet, and got him proper medical supervision. It;s no exaggeration to say that Phil changed his life while losing the weight - and lose it he did, about 200lbs of it!<br />
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So: I'm on a similar diet. I'm not juicing - I don't personally buy into the fasting thing - but I am blending a ton of veggies every day and consuming it (I say consuming because it's neither drinking nor eating really). I've lost 6lbs this week and feel really alert, less sluggish, and I'm actually sleeping better.<br />
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I've also got to say that I find this kind of meal replacement easy, 'cos I spice the drink up with ginger and hot pepper and it's filling.<br />
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So I started out the week |(Monday January 7th) at 305lbs.<br />
I'm now 297lbs.<br />
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I suppose I should post a pic of what I look like right now.<br />
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A bit like a gorilla on a tricycle!</div>
<br />Triumphguyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07503680918119143157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1535635028270675782.post-41501388402620787952013-01-10T16:15:00.002-07:002013-01-10T16:15:46.926-07:00Wassup?So that was an interesting 3 months.<br />
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School has been an adjustment - though I enjoy teaching and the kids. Getting up and actually going to work is tough though! I've been used to being self employed for the last 12 years!<br />
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I have some great kids in my TA (homeroom) - they've been through all kinds of turmoil, and are definitely far from perfect but they are open in a way many kids their age are not.<br />
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I have some aboriginal kids who have been in "conflict with the law", kids busted for drugs, and others who are chronic absentees, but we're building a good sense of team in the TA.<br />
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Teaching religion has been fun too. Most of the kids are uncatechized - almost "godless heathens" many of them! But I figure that no matter what the curriculum my job is to tell them the following:<br />
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You were created good by a good God.<br />
You are loved.<br />
You are made for eternity - in fact you are already eternal and this life is transitory.<br />
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As long as they hear that on a daily basis I reckon I've done my job. One day, in the far distant future, close to death one of them (more hopefully) will remember that they are loved by God.Triumphguyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07503680918119143157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1535635028270675782.post-40716809977223489082012-09-04T22:18:00.000-06:002012-09-04T22:40:59.483-06:00Father Calloway - The Journey Home<b><span style="font-size: large;">"<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jt9R2agiDAA&feature=g-vrec">The Journey Home" Click here</a></span></b>Triumphguyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07503680918119143157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1535635028270675782.post-53913874699486120072012-09-03T22:15:00.002-06:002012-09-03T22:26:42.306-06:00Support a Catholic Speaker Month<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
I have the honour of supporting Father Donald Calloway MIC during support a speaker month.<br />
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Here is a link to "Support a Catholic Speaker Month."<br />
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<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
this project is designed to do three things:<br />
<ul style="background-color: white; color: #0d0301; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; list-style-type: circle; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 15px;">
<li style="list-style-type: circle; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;">Promote great Catholic speakers, who are so important to the life of the Church.</li>
</ul>
<ul style="background-color: white; color: #0d0301; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; list-style-type: circle; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 15px;">
<li style="list-style-type: circle; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;">Introduce new and unfamiliar speakers, who deserve a bigger platform.</li>
</ul>
<ul style="background-color: white; color: #0d0301; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; list-style-type: circle; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 15px;">
<li style="list-style-type: circle; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;">Help bloggers connect with their favorite speakers, blog about them, and build traffic to their own websites</li>
</ul>
Matt Warner, who came up with the idea <a href="http://fallibleblogma.com/index.php/support-a-catholic-speaker-month-and-favorite-catholic-speaker-2009-results/" style="color: #1f789c; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">back in 2009</a>, says it best: "The goal is to create a rising Catholic tide on the Internet that lifts all boats, including speakers, bloggers, Catholic websites, and more."<br />
A couple weeks ago we welcomed nominations and <a href="http://brandonvogt.com/speakerlist/" style="color: #1f789c; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">built a list</a> of more than 250 Catholic speakers. From there, <strong style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a href="http://brandonvogt.com/scsmvoting/" style="color: #1f789c; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">over 11,100 people cast more than 82,000 votes</a></strong> to narrow our list down to 100.</blockquote>
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Father Calloway and I have not "e-met" yet, but here is a link to his website: <a href="http://www.fathercalloway.com/index.php">http://www.fathercalloway.com/index.php</a><br />
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I will be connecting with Fr. Calloway soon and hopefully introducing him to a wider audience in the very near future.<br />
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<br />Triumphguyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07503680918119143157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1535635028270675782.post-3047422352282707422012-08-28T13:33:00.002-06:002013-01-11T13:41:17.660-07:00How having your bike break down is like being a catholicSo I'm riding along - to confession as it happens - and my bike loses power and I'm stranded on the side of the road.<br />
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How is that like being a catholic?<br />
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Because sometimes in my faith journey something is just a little bit off and it brings me to a halt. That's why I've been going to confession frequently recently: I have lots of screws loose, bolts that are corroded, spokes that aren't tight enough. I need regular maintenance in other words.<br />
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I got to confession, thanks to my wife rescuing me from the side of the road, but I still don't have my bike fixed: :(<br />
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<br />
Seeing the bike in the back of the van kinda reminds me of the confessional!Triumphguyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07503680918119143157noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1535635028270675782.post-6345569767315952032012-08-25T21:39:00.000-06:002012-08-25T21:39:04.621-06:00Subscribe to the Vatican's Youtube channel<a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/vatican?feature=watch">Link to the Vatican's Youtube channel</a>Triumphguyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07503680918119143157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1535635028270675782.post-79263089300760598342012-08-12T18:25:00.003-06:002012-08-12T18:41:00.241-06:00I've had Olympic fever!<br />
<a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/video/2012/aug/12/olympics-team-gb-sing-queen-video">Don't Stop Me Now!</a>Triumphguyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07503680918119143157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1535635028270675782.post-67898786916936230402012-08-03T18:39:00.001-06:002012-08-03T18:39:48.094-06:00Five Ways To Stop Worrying TODAY!<a href="http://www.followingthetruth.com/five-ways-to-stop-worrying-today/#.UBxvToMMNok.blogger">Five Ways To Stop Worrying TODAY!</a>Triumphguyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07503680918119143157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1535635028270675782.post-26306186985150032622012-07-30T16:52:00.003-06:002013-01-15T21:09:36.181-07:00Health Benefits of Motorcycle Riding<a href="http://motodirect.com/Health_Benefits_Of_Motorcycle_Riding.php">http://motodirect.com/Health_Benefits_Of_Motorcycle_Riding.php</a>
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For a biker, there's nothing more exhilarating than a ride on their motorcycle. Whether it's just a quick run to the store or a cross-country road trip, they love the feel of the open air and the sensation of the engine's vibration as it courses through their body. No other mode of transportation even comes close to their beloved motorcycle.</div>
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If you enjoy riding your motorcycle, there's a high probability that non-riders tell you how dangerous it is. Many people will say that it's not a matter of if you'll be involved in an accident, but when. The next time you receive another lecture by someone who doesn't understand the joys of a motorcycle trip, you will be able to surprise them by offering a few pearls of wisdom in return. Most people don't realize that riding a bike can actually improve your health and well-being.</div>
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<b>Motorcycle Riding Promotes Healthy Brain </b><br />
Ryuta Kawashima, developer of the Brain Training software that is used in the Nintendo DS Brain Age game, is an avid motorcycle rider. At forty-nine, Kawahima not only credits his bike riding activities for helping to keep his brain functioning at a peak level, but also set out to prove that his idea. His theory is based on the fact that motorcycle riders must be more aware both physically and mentally while they are riding to avoid potential hazards when compared to drivers of four-wheel vehicles.</div>
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<a href="http://thecurrentaffairs.com/riding-motorcycles-can-keep-you-young-study.html" style="color: #256fa9; text-decoration: none;">Kawahima's first study</a> randomly divided twenty-two men into two groups. All of the men were in their 40s or 50's and possessed motorcycle licenses that had not been used in at least ten years. One group began riding motorcycles on a daily basis for the next sixty days, while the other continued to drive their cars, trucks, or bicycles. At the end of the trial period, cognitive tests were given to both groups. The motorcycle riders scored higher on the tests than the non-riding participants.</div>
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In another test with the same men, Kawishima asked the men to remember a set of numbers in reverse order. The men were tested before and after the sixty-day trial period. The scores of the active riders increased by more than 50% after riding for just two months, but the scores of the non-riders showed a slight decline.</div>
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<b>Get Your Daily Exercise from a Motorcycle Seat</b><br />
Anyone that's ridden a bike knows that it takes a lot of effort when compared to the sedentary pace of riding in a car. Controlling a motorcycle requires the frequent use of almost every muscle in your body. Even the lighter bikes weigh several hundred pounds, and your body will get a total workout as you maintain the bikes balance, steer safely, and avoid obstacles. If you ride on a regular basis, you may find that it <a href="http://theglobeandmail.com/life/health/get-your-motor-running/article1203576/" style="color: #256fa9; text-decoration: none;">improves your muscle tone </a>more than those infrequent trips to the gym.</div>
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In addition to better toned muscles, exercise can benefit your body chemistry. Some diabetics report that they are able to <a href="http://goodworkswellness.blogspot.com/2010/06/diabetes-art-of-motorcycle-riding.html" style="color: #256fa9; text-decoration: none;">reduce their insulin usage on days that they ride </a>. The gentle but steady exercise that is experienced during a long ride tends to stimulate their system and can provide the same benefits as other forms of exercise. Of course, if you're a diabetic, it's best to be safe and pack a few snacks, as well as your medication, to make sure that your blood sugar levels remain stable.</div>
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<b>Motorcycles Mean Instant Companionship</b><br />
Whether you ride a Harley or a Honda, your first trip down the highway will open your eyes to the family that you joined when you decided to climb on a bike and rev the engine. Almost all bikers will wave to each other when passing, and they will automatically group up with other riders if they are traveling in the same direction. When you stop for a break or a bite to eat, most other bikers will usually join you as if you were a long lost friend. It appears that there are no strangers in the world of motorcycles.</div>
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While these casual relationships are nice, most bike riders also develop deeper relationships with other motorcycle owners as they seek out riding companions for longer trips. Studies show that healthy friendships reduce your stress levels and lead to longer, healthier lives. <a href="http://behavioural-psychology.suite101.com/article.cfm/best_friends_forever" style="color: #256fa9; text-decoration: none;">People with a good support network </a>generally have lower blood pressure, stronger immune systems, and more positive attitudes.</div>
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<b>Riding Improves Your Mood</b><br />
Most motorcycle owners love their bike and wouldn't give up riding for anything in the world. Is it because they think the bike makes them look cool? Could it be that they love the adrenaline rush that comes with a fast ride just inches from the asphalt? Maybe it's the feeling of freedom that comes with packing light and just going off on a whim? The reason might be a little bit of each of those things, but the core reason is that the motorcycle makes them happy.</div>
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<a href="http://www.webmd.com/balance/news/20080829/happiness-satisfaction-boosts-health" style="color: #256fa9; text-decoration: none;">The importance of happiness </a>to your health should not be minimized. Happy people live longer lives and experience less illness than those who suffer from anxiety or depression. Some doctors even think that happiness may be a bigger factor in living a long, happy life than smoking. Depressed moods or feelings of dissatisfaction increase stress levels and weaken the immune system. In time, sadness can bring about physical illness in addition to mental stress. If feeling the wind on your face from the seat of a bike instantly lifts your mood, your health will thank you for it. Your road trip could actually be part of your journey towards a healthy lifestyle.</div>
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<b>Be Safe While Riding</b><br />
Even though motorcycles can improve your physical and mental well-being, you can quickly negate the benefits if you neglect to take the proper safety precautions. Whether or not your area has helmet laws, you should always give strong consideration to riding with appropriate safety gear such as a motorcycle helmet and protective clothing and gloves. Taking the time to protect yourself could mean the difference between walking away from an accident, a stay in the hospital, or worse.</div>
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Additional resources:</div>
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<a href="http://nabernet.com/mainfiles/files/738.pdf" style="color: #256fa9; text-decoration: none;">Characterizing the Physical Demands of Offroad Motorcycling</a></div>
Triumphguyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07503680918119143157noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1535635028270675782.post-78243076332444583942012-07-28T14:54:00.002-06:002012-07-28T14:54:50.439-06:00How riding a motorbike is like being a CatholicRiding my bike helped me re-orient myself back to the Church.<br />
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How?<br />
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Because as I hit the open road I would pray that I came back alive and healthy to my family, and that I would cause no-one to lose their temper attention while driving.<br />
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After a while this morphed into praying the rosary while riding (attentively I might add).<br />
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After a while I began to see parallels between riding and being a faithful/faith-filled Catholic.<br />
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God can work in mysterious ways.Triumphguyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07503680918119143157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1535635028270675782.post-20090023583316789412012-07-28T14:50:00.003-06:002012-07-28T14:50:34.592-06:00I asked<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">I asked...<br />
<br />
I asked God to take away my habit. <br />
God said, No. <br />
It is not for me to take away, </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA">but for you to give it up. <br />
<br />
I asked God to make my handicapped child whole. <br />
God said, No. <br />
His spirit is whole, his body is only temporary <br />
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I asked God to grant me patience. <br />
God said, No. <br />
Patience is a by-product of tribulations; <br />
it isn't granted, it is learned. <br />
<br />
I asked God to give me happiness. <br />
God said, No. <br />
I give you blessings; </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA">Happiness is up to you. <br />
<br />
I asked God to spare me pain. <br />
God said, No. <br />
Suffering draws you apart from worldly cares <br />
and brings you closer to me. <br />
<br />
I asked God to make my spirit grow.. <br />
God said, No. <br />
You must grow on your own! , <br />
but I will prune you to make you fruitful. <br />
<br />
I asked God for all things that I might enjoy life.<br />
<br />
God said, No.. <br />
I will give you life, so that you may enjoy all<br />
things. <br />
<br />
I asked God to help me LOVE others, as much as He<br />
loves me. <br />
God said... Ahhhh, finally you have the idea</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA">(I've googled but am not sure who to attribute this too. If you know please tell me so I can do so)</span></div>Triumphguyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07503680918119143157noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1535635028270675782.post-65761224286946984782012-07-25T21:52:00.003-06:002012-07-25T21:52:52.071-06:00Extracts from new article in today's (26 Jul 2012.) L'Osservatore Romano,<br style="background-color: #f3f3ea; font-family: arial, helvetica, tahoma, verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13.63636302947998px;" /><br style="background-color: #f3f3ea; font-family: arial, helvetica, tahoma, verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13.63636302947998px;" /><a href="http://www.osservatoreromano.va/portal/dt?" style="background-color: #f3f3ea; color: #444433; font-family: arial, helvetica, tahoma, verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13.63636302947998px;" target="_blank">http://www.osservatoreromano.va/portal/dt?</a><br style="background-color: #f3f3ea; font-family: arial, helvetica, tahoma, verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13.63636302947998px;" /><br />
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<tr><td class="alt2" style="background-color: #e0e0d0; border: 1px inset; font-size: 10pt;">First of all, it is not pointless to recall that the pastoral motivation of the Council does not mean that it was not doctrinal – since all pastoral activity is necessarily based on doctrine.<br /><br />The Second Vatican Council did not define any dogma, in the sense that it proposed no doctrine with a definitive act. However, even if the Magisterium proposes a teaching without directly invoking the charism of infallibility, it does not follow that such a teaching is therefore to be considered "fallible" - in the sense that what is proposed is somehow a “provisional doctrine” or just an “authoritative opinion”. Every authentic expression of the Magisterium must be received for what it truly is: a teaching given by Pastors who, in the apostolic succession, speak with the “charism of truth” (Dei Verbum, n. 8), “endowed with the authority of Christ” (Lumen Gentium, n. 25), “and by the light of the Holy Spirit” (ibid.).<br /><br />This charism, this authority and this light were certainly present at the Second Vatican Council; to deny this to the entire episcopate gathered to teach the universal Church cum Petro and sub Petro, would be to deny something of the very essence of the Church (cf. Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Declaration Mysterium Ecclesiae, 24 June 1973, nn. 2-5).</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: #f3f3ea; font-family: arial, helvetica, tahoma, verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13.63636302947998px;">1. Vatican II re-emphasised pre-existing Church teaching, and these</span><div style="background-color: #f3f3ea; font-family: arial, helvetica, tahoma, verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13.63636302947998px; margin: 5px 20px 20px;">
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<tr><td class="alt2" style="background-color: #e0e0d0; border: 1px inset; font-size: 10pt;">naturally require the assent of theological faith, not because they were taught by this Council but because they have already been taught infallibly as such by the Church...</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: #f3f3ea; font-family: arial, helvetica, tahoma, verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13.63636302947998px;">2.</span><div style="background-color: #f3f3ea; font-family: arial, helvetica, tahoma, verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13.63636302947998px; margin: 5px 20px 20px;">
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<tr><td class="alt2" style="background-color: #e0e0d0; border: 1px inset; font-size: 10pt;">The Council’s other doctrinal teachings require of the faithful a degree of assent called “religious submission of will and intellect”. Precisely because it is “religious” assent, such assent is not based purely on rational motives. This kind of adherence does not take the form of an act of faith. Rather, it is an act of obedience that is not merely disciplinary, but is well-rooted in our confidence in the divine assistance given to the Magisterium, and therefore “within the logic of faith and under the impulse of obedience to the faith” (Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Instruction Donum Veritatis, 24 May 1990, n. 23).</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: #f3f3ea; font-family: arial, helvetica, tahoma, verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13.63636302947998px;">3. Vatican II also contains elements that are not doctrinal (eg., where the Pope talks about the state of the world, or how electronic media is changing the way we communicate)</span><div style="background-color: #f3f3ea; font-family: arial, helvetica, tahoma, verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13.63636302947998px; margin: 5px 20px 20px;">
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<tr><td class="alt2" style="background-color: #e0e0d0; border: 1px inset; font-size: 10pt;">Documents of the Magisterium may contain elements that are not exactly doctrinal — as is the case in the documents of the Second Vatican Council — elements whose nature is more or less circumstantial (descriptions of the state of a society, suggestions, exhortations, etc.). Such matters are received with respect and gratitude, but do not require an intellectual assent in the strictest sense (cf. Instruction Donum Veritatis, nn. 24-31).</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: #f3f3ea; font-family: arial, helvetica, tahoma, verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13.63636302947998px;">Furthermore we are exhorted to see any "innovations" in light of a hermenuetic of continuity with prior doctrine, rather than looking for proof that such teaching breaks with tradition.</span><br style="background-color: #f3f3ea; font-family: arial, helvetica, tahoma, verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13.63636302947998px;" /><br style="background-color: #f3f3ea; font-family: arial, helvetica, tahoma, verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13.63636302947998px;" /><div style="background-color: #f3f3ea; font-family: arial, helvetica, tahoma, verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13.63636302947998px; margin: 5px 20px 20px;">
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<tr><td class="alt2" style="background-color: #e0e0d0; border: 1px inset; font-size: 10pt;">The interpretation of the innovations taught by the Second Vatican Council must therefore reject, as Benedict XVI put it, “a hermeneutic of discontinuity and rupture,” while it must affirm the “hermeneutic of reform, of renewal within continuity” (Discourse, 22 December 2005). These are innovations in the sense that they explain new aspects which have not previously been formulated by the Magisterium, but which do not doctrinally contradict previous Magisterial documents. This is so even though, in certain cases — for example, concerning religious freedom — these innovations imply very different consequences at the level of historical decisions concerning juridical and political applications of the teaching, especially given the changes in historical and social conditions. An authentic interpretation of Conciliar texts can only be made by the Magisterium of the Church herself. Therefore, in the theological work of the interpretation of passages in the Conciliar texts which arouse queries or seem to present difficulties, it is above all necessary to take into account the sense in which they have been interpreted in subsequent Magisterial interventions.</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: #f3f3ea; font-family: arial, helvetica, tahoma, verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13.63636302947998px;">Finally</span><br style="background-color: #f3f3ea; font-family: arial, helvetica, tahoma, verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13.63636302947998px;" /><div style="background-color: #f3f3ea; font-family: arial, helvetica, tahoma, verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13.63636302947998px; margin: 5px 20px 20px;">
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<tr><td class="alt2" style="background-color: #e0e0d0; border: 1px inset; font-size: 10pt;">As Benedict XVI wrote recently: “the essential content that for centuries has formed the heritage of all believers needs to be confirmed, understood and explored ever anew, so as to bear consistent witness in historical circumstances very different from those of the past” (Benedict XVI, Motu Proprio Porta Fidei, 11 October 2011, n. 4).</td></tr>
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