Healthy Junk

That is what I used to call it. Since those bike rides to the local Maverick Market on the hot summer days of South Texas in the late 70's and the early 80's do I remember buying a huuuge 32 ounce Pepsi and a 3 Musketeer's bar that would become an addiction I still hold to this day.

I remember going to the local Rialto Theater in Downtown Harlingen, Texas to see the double feature of Superman the Movie and Love At First Bite, I was introduced to the extra large 32 ounce soda, and the 7-11 later dubbed it "The Big Gulp". Eating junk is what made me happy.

Today, I start a 7 day smoothie fast, something I am solely testing for myself. Parke, my son, has offered to go along with it, but my motivation is really watching my mother improve from her cancer fighting diet.

As you might recall, I helped her around the first week in November, along with Robyn, the Green Smoothie Girl, to check in and adapt to the new lifestyle at the Oasis of Healing in Mesa. I watched what they were doing and tried to soak in what my ADD would allow me to.

What my mother has been part of is a juice fast, even though it's not totally a "fast" per se. She still does eat some things. But some people will fast with juice only to cleanse out the toxins in their body. The juice usually consists of lots of greens, apples, etc. My fast will be a little bit different as it will be more fruit based. For a while, I made smoothies every day as part of my breakfast, loaded with grapes, pineapple, oranges, cantaloupe, and lots of spinach. But I quit for a while, mostly because of time to buy the stuff and make it. That is going to have to change.

Why am I doing this? I don't have a diagnosis of cancer, but I would like to not have the diagnosis in the first place. I saw my mother for Christmas and she looked incredible. She has lost 35 pounds, she no longer has to take Prilosec, (which I have to take as well), she no longer takes her blood pressure medicine and she just plain feels good. I personally need that.

So as for myself, I just want to test this out. I could lose a few extra pounds, I could use some energy... well Ok, I could use a LOT of energy right now. Too much going on.

The other "health" thing I just did was get bifocals. If you see the picture in the previous day's entry, you will see that I now have a new black rim and thicker glass. Bifocals take a little getting used to. I guess my age is showing.

I'll give you a hint... I was born the same year one of the James Bond movies came out. (I know, that really narrows it down.)


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New Years Day... and the death of the Incandescent Light Bulb

This picture was taken last night just hours after getting my new bifocals. Can't believe I now have my "old man" glasses. I can't reveal my age, but as a hint, I was born the same year Israel changed it's borders (little political junkie moment there).

This year will be interesting. Still have not released THE LAST EAGLE SCOUT yet, but that time is soon coming. It's a little difficult because it has been soooo long. Especially for a film that is not that large in scope. It's only large in message. Having a day job has made it difficult, but I gotta keep both trains running.

Stephanie finally got the understanding to my pains when I told her its like "being 9 months pregnant for a whole year". I finished editing the film back in June, but everyone else (music, effects, etc) have been slow. Some of it is my fault. I would keep telling my post-guys "it's coming, it's coming" for like a whole year.

Anyway, the LDS Film Festival is approaching in 4 weeks and I am, thinking it is showing there, but never really heard from Christian yet as to whether he will show this political/social monstrosity or not. CPAC is currently looking at showing the film at their convention in February.

TLES is honestly the first of its kind. A social commentary that leans to the other side. When you see social commentary films of today it is usually having to do with race (whites are usually the bad guy) or big business (rich are the bad guys) or gender (the poor picked on gay guy) or the environment (evil humans picking on the poor little animals) or the Iraq War. And in many cases, these social commentary films are in the form of light-hearted entertaining pieces, many geared toward the kids.

My focus is on how political correctness runs our lives. I am tired of walking on egg shells and plan on saying it "like it is" more often. Today marks the first day that the incandescent light bulb will be banned. I personally don't care about which bulb I use, I just want the dang light. But what I care about is the concept that it took false environmental science to get us to this point. So what other false data will run our lives in the name of "saving us from ourselves"?

As far as TLES, in about 4 weeks we will have a completed film and some spiffs to boot. The whole objective is to make TLES somewhat of a movement. TLES represents a people or an idea, to live of the ideas of the past that were simple... respect, honesty, love of God and country. So the phrase "I've seen The Last Eagle Scout" will be not only seeing the film, but catching on the vision of living a more honest life like that of a Boy Scout.

I am planning a host of film gear such as shirts, hats, a backpack, bumper sticker and a comic book of the film. On the website will be a "trading post" where you can purchase these items, or we will sell them at places where we will show the film.

This will be an interesting year. I wish the best for all of you.

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Me and Elaine Murphy

Five years ago, my new wife and I move in to a new home and re adjusted to our new life of having 5 children together. Luckily, it was in familiar territory, it was near the older neighborhood I used to live in 11 years before that (during my previous marriage).

In the Mormon Church in Utah, that means I still live in the same regional congregation. Same stake, different ward. Fortunately, my new wife at the time had no problem mingling with the same people I had mingled and bonded with years before (with a two year hiatus in between), in fact, I think Stephanie became more friends with my friends then I was. What a blessing.

In my new new ward, I became a home teacher to a woman, Elaine Murphy, who is home-bound because of her health. She has an interesting history and I have had such a joy in becoming acquainted with her. She was a missionary using her nurse abilities to serve in Tonga. I have a place in my heart for the islands because of my study of Niue Island near by. She became the dean for the College of Nursing at BYU.

When we go to see her, she is always beaming with gratitude, and her sweet voice strives to recall things of the past that are slowly becoming a mystery to her. Yet I know in the life beyond she will be met by many who she influenced in her life and her memory will be refilled again with the wonderful things she experienced in her life.

I usually take my son Parke to home teach with me, giving her a short lesson, catch up on what her family is doing and an offer to help when we can. And even Parke, the impatient teenage that he can be (just kidding, Parke) has grown a certain admiration for this little lady. But for Christmas, I decided to bring my lovely wife, Stephanie, who, I feel, has the same type of heart as that of Elaine Murphy, and make home teaching a wonderful experience.

Test, test

This is a test to see how this new blogger works from my iPad.


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THANKSGIVING AND BEYOND...

Just so you know, I might be moving my blogspot to another name.  Not yet, but I will let this blog know.  I am trying to find a simpler way to make blogs from my iPad and this account seems to be problematic in hooking up with my e-mail. It's complicated.  

Anyway, just got back from Vegas (over a week ago).  My mother went home for the week from her cancer treatment center in Phoenix for Thanksgiving.  My dad, who I think can't live without mom, was missing her. So Steph and I drove down to see both my sisters and my parents. It was warm (it's 30 for a high now in Utah... winter has arrived). 

It was a wonderful time.  My mom looked great.  She continued to watch what she ate, even during Thanksgiving.  My sister Connie, who made the whole meal, made a dish just for her.  I am proud of my mom for taking the steps she needs.  I sit and think if Steph or I was diagnosed, I don't know if I could change the eating habit, but I would certainly not take chemo. 

I then got to see my sister Pam for a bit.  Her son, who has autism, is a good kid.  And one thing he has done well is play the drums.  So she got him a drum set for Christmas.  I had fun putting that together and playing on them for a short while.

Steph, my dad and I took a little road trip down to Hover Dam to see the new bridge they built.  I remember taking trips passing the dam.  It took forever because the road was a single lane.  There is now two ways to get through the dam and the engineering is remarkable. 

Now that I am home, business is on.  Steph and I are remodeling part of our home.  I have totally repainted the bed room we are moving into.  We moved Stephanie's girls around, giving them their own room. So we took their room and repainted it totally.  It looks great and nice to see what can be done.  I just wish I had more time to get it done faster.  I don't like living in the middle of messes. 

The Last Eagle Scout is almost done.  Just got a few effect shots today and waiting on the music.  Oh, these artists... they work on their own time (I know, I am just as guilty).  Hoping to make the first showing at the LDS Film Festival.  Then, on to other places (LA, Washington DC, Dallas to name a few).  We shall see.  I am eagerly writing a sequel. 

Phoenix part 2

I have been here for about 4 days and it has been interesting.  In the above picture is Robyn Openshaw, otherwise known as the Green Smoothie Girl.  She has been studying under Doctor Lodi at the Oasis of Healing while mom (on the right) checks herself in.  It has not been easy for mom, a 76 year old woman having to change her eating habits in order to save her life from the ovarian cancer she was diagnosed with 2 years ago.  She went through 3 rounds of chemo and it did nothing but make her feel crappier.

So we are now here where mom is handed a green drink every morning and a smoothie later in the day.  They do give her some kind of something to eat for dinner, but I wouldn't have the patience.  Some of it is actually not bad, and I think this is the best thing for her right now.  I am learning as much as I can in the case that Steph or I get in this situation.  NO chemo, I am dead set against it.

We have met a number of people with illnesses that are serious, cancer and leukemia.  One woman in particular, Christine is a beautiful 40 year old woman with a family of 4 children and she runs several business.  When she found a lump in her breast a few months ago, she chose to come here rather then go through chemo or radiation.  It has made her come closer to her family and to God.

The doctor gave us a great speech about his mission.  Dr. Lodi is an interesting fellow and he definitely IS on a mission. I will not be surprised his life will be made into a movie.  He told us tonight how he has no friends because he lives what he believes.  He feels doctors are living a lie (not all intentionally) and quit his own practice to focus on helping people with cancer naturally.  In his personal life, he has a fiancee who is dying of cancer herself and will not go the natural way, but is on chemo.  But she's dying of the chemo.  So his mission has become personal.

Robyn has been checked in as if she was a cancer patient herself, so she is doing pretty much everything that my mother is doing.  She understands much more how this all works (plus she is very adaptive to the food and green smoothies and juices they are providing).   She has been learning a lot and I am honored to be here filming all of this.

Oh.. and I miss my wife.  Love you Steph.

More later...

Phoenix with my Mom

Kind of a long day.  Today is the start of a new journey for my mother.  She has been fighting cancer for the past two years and made a turn around that was basically timely.  I am still working on the whole story, but here is the scoop:

I have been doing a TV Pilot show for the Green Smoothie Girl, Robyn Openshaw.  While in post now, (which I am looking for a good voice over talent to cover) Robyn came to me about a new documentary about the effect on cancer while eating raw foods.  She started meeting with these cancer treatment centers that fight cancer naturally in hopes of getting to the meat of the problem.

All at the same time, my mother has been doing chemo for the past two years with little or no results.  Actually, she was told her numbers were good at one time, then told she was going to have to get used to it for the rest of her life.  Then, she heard the doctor accidentally talk about medicine that would be given to a younger patient.  She confronted the doctor and they had no answer.  In other words, there was rationing going on. (Like I said, still piecing the story together).

Now my mother has had enough and is going to take Robyn up on her challenge to meet with the place called An Oasis of Healing in Phoenix.  I decided to be a part of this documentary on my own merit.  I flew to Vegas this morning and then drove down to Phoenix with my mother and we are now in a condo. My mom will be here for about a month, with no idea what she is getting into.  I will be here for a week as well as Robyn, filming and researching.  I also brought the editing system down with me to see if I can finish The Green Smoothie Girl Makeover TV Pilot while I am in the mind-set (Blendtec has been keeping me busy.  A new blender is on the way.  Will be for another Blog post).

So I will keep this blog updated on the events of the day.  I have shot a little video so far, mostly of myself on the iPhone talking about the drive down.