Losing Weight

It is simple. Count calories. Watch what happens.

I never said you had to go on a 1000 calorie diet (1300 is popular with the stars). I started this simple and free diet program.

• 1. The first week I made up mind to do it. I purchased a cheap electronic calorie counter on eBay.
• 2. The second week I ate like I normally do (about 7500 calories a day), and I tried to learn the electronic calorie counter.
• 3. I still continued to count, but magically (because I knew what the value of food was), I started losing weight!
• 4. Now I am down to 3000 calories a day and I have lost 35 pounds.
• 5. I am considering going to 2500 calories soon, as I want to reserve one day to eat anything I feel like (within reason).
• 6. I noticed that when I exercised (I ran a 1/2 mile in the park before I got home from work) that I felt a lot better! Maybe eating right is the key to weight loss, but exercise must be the key to feeling good. And it seems to be working like a giant snowball rolling down the hill! I have to cut a new hole in my belt (it is on my to do list).
• 7. I don't worry that some days I am bad, very bad. I eat like a pig way too much. Only once in a while! Because, it takes forever to lose the weight, it also takes that much time to gain it back. One day will not ruin the diet. And of course the next day or so I try to make up for the loss.
• 8. Lastly, the scale is your friend. Why? because it will be hard to see where you are losing weight! I seem to look the same, but my clothes fit loose, and my belt requires a new hole..... so the scale it does not lie! I can look at the scale and see I really am making progress. The scale is my friend. But it is a slow process. It is a life process too.

I hope you will give this miracle diet a try. It is free. And, have you noticed that many grocery stores are stocking 100 calorie snacks? Once you start counting calories, these products can be a great help! There is a chocolate ice cream called "Fudgesicle" that only has 40 calories!

The losing weight process is like a roller coaster that goes up and down, BUT it is in a downward decline. When I saw I was at the low of 285 pounds (I am a big strong tall guy, good looking and single too) I knew that before I could reach 280, my weight would probably hit 288 or 290 again first.

I am not a doctor. So, I can only speak of my life challenges. You may have a condition that prevents you from eating less, or the foods I choose. Check with your doctor, and design a plan that is right for you.

Sincerely, Gary Ruff

Nothing ever can become real, until it is born from imagination.

-Gary Ruff 2007

(click on map to enlarge)


JFK Airport to LaGuardia Airport


LaGuardia Airport to JFK Airport



The transfer between airports can seem difficult and time challenging. I prefer the extra convenience of the taxi. But, this will be my first time to try this journey during New York City rush hour traffic.


I was informed that you cannot take the AirTrain. What I have done here, to help you decide which method of transportation to use, is to show you the map of New York City so you'll at least know what you are doing.


It is in a very easy to read format. My advice (right now) is to take the taxi if you have no more than 4 passengers. Take a certified taxi from the counter (each airport has a "Transportation Desk"... go there if you need help - after you have cleared customs and have your baggage).


What you can do for me. Tell us your story about your trip. Maybe something exciting happened. Perhaps you have some travel tips of your own? I think it's important that we all help each other as travelers, as others will help us. Sincerely, Gary Ruff from SundayisFunday Blog.


Here is the link for the Map of downtown New York City pictured above: http://www.aaccessmaps.com/show/map/nyc_area_hwy

Peace Out My Fine Friends, and good luck on your trip!

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This Map includes Newark International Airport (center-left), JFK (bottom-right), and LGA (center-right)

John F Kennedy International Airport is abbreviated JFK

LaGuardia International Airport is abbreviated LGA

Newark International Airport is abbreviated EWR

The "F" in John F Kennedy's name stands for "Fitzgerald"

TWO GLASSES OF WINE...

When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24hours in a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar and the 2 glasses of wine...

Gary Ruff stood before his music class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. ....They agreed that it was.

Gary then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. ...............They agreed it was.

Ruff next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else, he asked once more if the jar was full? The students responded with an unanimous "yes!"

Gary then produced two glasses of wine from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed."Now," said Gary, as the laughter subsided, "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life.

The golf balls are the important things; your family, your children, your health, your friends, and your favorite passions; things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.

"The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house, and your car. The sand is everything else; the small stuff."If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "There is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you."

"Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness".Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your partner out to dinner. Play another 18. Do one more run down the ski slope.There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal.Take care of the golf balls first; the things that really matter. Then the pebbles. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.

"One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the wine represented. Gary smiled. "I'm glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of glasses of wine with a friend."

When they designed the Tennis Raquet, they did not account for the fact that someday I would use it as a fly swatter.

My Tennis Raquet

There I was sitting in my chair
Nothing in the world to care
Then out of the blue!
Shoo fly shoo!
I grabbed whatever I could use
Whatever that was near

-Gary Ruff 2007

Yeah, it's a stupid poem, but how it applies to governmnet should be heeded. We make laws all of the time for intended purposes. Then when an emergency comes along, a law can fit the solution but not be what it was constructed for.

Now, in that moment of emergency, I did not say to myself, "Hmmm, I can't use the tennis raquet because it was designed only to hit rocks and tennis balls.... well, i made up the rocks part."

The proper thing to do was to go get a fly swatter. But humans do not think like robots. And we make laws with good intention, but we are humans and we misuse our laws to fit our needs.

My solution to the problem is to clearly define what the laws intent is. That is to say, when Congress makes a law (a"Tennis Raquet"), they should define what it's exact purpose is.

But I don't think that would even stop me from swatting the fly with the tennis raquet. Human nature is what it is.

Virtual Band Technology

The time is here! People from all over the world are getting their music out through MySpace and YouTube. And they are doing in their own home studios!

We can thank program makers such as Magix Music Maker, CakeWalk, Sony Acid, and so many more! They have brought the costs down so much that the average guy can start making music now!

At www.SundayisFunday.com, compusicians can go there to explore every aspect of music making. From nothing to having a CD to sell all in the same day. And what is really special, is that many people who visit the website never had an interest in music before!

"Yes, we get many DJ's too", says Gary Ruff founder of SundayisFunday.com. When musicians discover that there is a musical art created by a "Music Loop Artist" (MLA), it inspires them to investigate further.

"Right now it's the kids. The youth seem to be driving this business. Many adult males over 35 are getting involved too. It is like a revolution never seen before. And they have places to put their music online to sell, or give away. It's truly an amazing thing to see (and hear)", says Ruff.

Technology is advancing to accommodate the vocals needed in a song. Right now, it is a bit weak. But programs like "Sweet Ann", and of course the vocoders and plug-ins for vocals are getting better all of the time. Give it a few years. Soon, all music will be made in people's houses and free marketed to the world.


-Feel free to copy this article and use it for publication. Any questions can be directed via e-mail to: theCompusician@yahoo.com

A Nirvana Video, check it out!

http://evenusblog.blogspot.com/2007/09/nirvana-territorial-pissings.html