MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!
Author drstaceynaito
Christmas Is Coming…
I Am Not A Cat Person
I find it very interesting how people choose to be polarized when it comes to dogs and cats, suggesting that it is not possible to like both mammal species. Though I have cats as pets and have spent my entire adult life being owned by cats, this by no means establishes an exclusive love for cats and dislike for dogs. In fact, I adore dogs, especially the larger breeds, and truly wish my lifestyle could accommodate the needs of large dog breeds. When I visit friends who have large dogs, I become envious and find it incredibly difficult to leave them. I love the unabashed loyalty that dogs deliver to humans, and I appreciate all the characteristics of the canine species which have earned them the nickname “a man’s best friend”.
Why don’t I have dogs? Again, I love large dog breeds and simply do not have the space to accommodate a large dog. I do not have time to walk a dog daily either. Though I enjoy the company of smaller dog breeds, the idea of a small dog breed as a pet does not resonate with me at all. I have cats because they do not require daily walks or regular baths (though I do bathe my cats every other month). I also have chosen two Burmese cats as part of my three cat brood because they are so doglike. Burmese cats are lap cats, very intelligent, active, affectionate, and will follow me from room to room. As a matter of fact, they enjoy being with any of the humans in the house. My Burmese cats will approach strangers and make instant friends with them. One of them plays fetch regularly, initiating play by bringing toys to my feet and dropping them, then looking up at me expectantly, just like a dog would. Check out this video of Kazu playing fetch:
My rescue is a different story, as she is skittish, very “catlike”, and spends most of her time hiding in my bedroom. She is very choosy about the people she warms up to and is the type of cat who perpetuates the stereotype that cats keep to themselves. She is my quiet, shy, moody child and I accept her completely as part of the family.
Just because I have a household with cats and no dogs does not mean that I am a “cat person”. What it comes down to is that I love animals, period.
P28 Foods 2013 Products Overview
Blue Man Group Honors The Booty!
I finally had an opportunity to see the Blue Man Group recently, and enjoyed the show immensely. Not only was the music awesome, the visual effects were very cool and the performers were hilarious. They perform a song in which they encourage the audience to shake their rear ends, building the beat with lyrics that expand on all the euphemistic terms which exist for that part of the body. I had no idea there were so many clever terms in existence!
Whether you are familiar with the song which the Blue Man Group performs or not, you should get a kick out of the following terms which are in the song lyrics.
I hope you enjoy this list as much as I did…
hind-quarters
backside
bottom
buttocks
Your rump
posterior
heiny
keister
tush
buns
bum cakes
junk-in-the-trunk
badonk-a-donk
squash tart
fanny
double-slug
wiggle bags
mud flaps
rump rockets
flesh pot
second face
bounce house
The jiggle twins
Jar Jar Binks
bubble pop
medicine ball
sonic boom
freckle-muffin
turkey stuffin’
smiley bulldog
caboose
rump-hump
jump-pump
moneymaker
sit-biscuit
mumbler
chocolate cluster
rock tumbler
fun-cooker
subwoofer
horn section
Frodo
John Madden
launch pad
Moscow
The Outback
rotunda
The closer
The crock pot
jumbo-tron
airbags
happy walrus with no tusks
two boneless friends
George Foreman grill
dinner with André
The place where all burritos go
Minneapolis and St. Paul
giant fluffy bears
Ollie vs. Frasier
Elvis Aaron Presley
buttercup
monster truck
life’s work
waffle iron
skin smurf
wiggle cloud
air balloons
A Glimpse Into A Competitor’s Fridge
This was taken when I first began competing in 2009…
“But I Can’t Cook!”
Nutritional consultations are always interesting for me because I find out how truly weird some people’s eating habits are. Busy work and life schedules are often to blame for poor eating habits, but when I hear patients say that they are completely devoid of any cooking skills, I begin to wonder if they were ever encouraged to learn how to cook. I truly believe that every adult should have basic cooking skills. It is not that difficult to cook eggs in a skillet, throw meat on a broiler, cook oatmeal or bake a potato. It’s not as if any of those items require advanced culinary skills in order to make them tasty!
You should be able to cook different types of meat without much effort. Other than meat (and this includes red meat, poultry and fish), you can simply purchase frozen or fresh vegetables and eat them with minimal prep beforehand. Get a cookie sheet and some nonstick cooking spray. Take chicken breasts, pre-formed turkey or beef patties, or fish fillets and place them on the sprayed cookie sheet. With poultry and beef, you can broil these meats for about eight minutes, then flip over, broiling for another eight to ten minutes. If the chisken breasts are very thick, slice them lengthwise so that they cook more quickly and more evenly. Make sure the centers of the chicken breasts are cooked through and not pink. With fish, you are better off baking them at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for six to eight minutes, flipping over, then baking for another six to eight minutes. If you are feeling adventurous, you can add some light salt-free seasoning or salt and pepper.
It really isn’t that difficult to cook, so why not try cooking up some lean protein this week?
West Coast All The Way
The older I get, the more I realize that I am very set in my native Californian roots. Perhaps it is because I have been spoiled with a lifetime of glorious weather, or perhaps it is due more to the cadence of the West Coast lifestyle, but I am a West Coast girl through and through. You can go on and on about how wonderful it is on the East Coast, or how diverse Texas (or fill in the blank with your state) is, but you you could never convince me to relocate from the left coast. California is incredibly diverse, so if I was inclined to travel to the snow or see another part of the state, I could easily jump in my car and take a road trip. However, I LOVE Southern California’s mild weather and am resistant to leaving it. I know that quite a few of you are convinced that harsh seasonal weather is preferable to a potential 80 degree Fahrenheit Christmas, but I will take the latter any day!
While those of you in colder climates may enjoy the hush of falling snow while you gather around the Christmas tree, I prefer looking out the window to see sunshine. The idea of bundling up heavily just to step outside seems utterly ludicrous to me. Now, before you start assuming that Los Angeles doesn’t get cold, I will tell you it can drop to the mid-20’s F at night where I live. Weather patterns can get pretty random over here, with high temps one week in the 80’s and the next in the 60’s. When the mercury drops below 40 degrees here, I find it extremely difficult to motivate myself to step outside unless absolutely necessary. I fully admit to being a cold weather wimp and cannot be convinced that there is any benefit to battling snow, ice and sub-zero temperatures. Sorry, but I am staying put in SoCal!
New Ab Video Series On RxGirl – Exercise #7: V-Ups
Green Bikini Image From LHGFX
This was taken in August of this year…incidentally, this is the first suit I ever wore onstage…
dr. stacey naito's blog 