Had a great visit with T and Rain Wolf this week. We went on a hike up to Compton Peak in Shenandoah National Forest.

We had a fun time chillin in the hot tub, sharing stories and talking about old times.

Unfortunately, T and RW ended up sleeping on the floor because we just got rid of the bed in the spare room. The air mattress had a hole in it and would not hold air.

I'll be sure to have a decent bed for the next time..... lol

Gerbils Love Crickets

We recently got some new gerbils from someone who did not want them anymore. After doing a little research I discovered gerbils are insectivores. This is great, we bought 1/2 a dozen crickets and put them in the cage tonight. The gerbils devoured them all. Very interesting to watch.

It is that time of year again. The cold weather will be here soon. I have a lot of yard work to do before the cold does finally set in. My raw vegan diet has inspired me to put a 550 sq-ft garden in my backyard, and create an edible landscaping plan for the entire yard. This is a great deal of work. The garden is well on it's way and the soil should be ready/fertile for planting in the spring.

My plan is to remove 2-3 of our existing trees and plant 5 apple trees, some peach trees and pair trees. The rest of the plants will be bushes, shrubs, and vines for growing goose berries, grapes, edible flowers etc...

On another note, I have decided to go back to Virginia Tech and finish my masters degree starting this January. It will be a lot of work, but will be well worth it. I already have three classes out of the way.

I recently started a job with a new company (Lockheed Martin) and am currently working 2.5 miles from home. It is great being so close. I ride my bicycle every day. I may start to jog a few days per week too.

Last week I did hit a giant pothole and damaged my bike. I have to take it in tomorrow to get repaired.

Distilled Water

After reading dozens of articles and reports on public drinking water, and bottled water being unsafe, I decided to buy a distiller. I chose a distiller over a filter because the distiller seems to get more of the junk out.

Public drinking water has all sorts of pesticides, and other junk in when it comes out of the tap in your house. The thought of this makes me sick.

I have been using the distiller for about 1 week now. After you distill a gallon of water, the remains in the distiller is what was removed from the drinking water. It looks like Flem coughed up by a chain smoker. It is absolutely repulsive. Mel took one look at it and got sick to her stomach.

Detox

Now that everyone thinks I am nuts, let me say this, "I really don't care". I feel better now, than I have ever felt in my entire life. This new diet is wonderful and I have so much more energy, and feel much happier.

I was not sure what to expect. I was doubting if I would really feel any different, or notice any changes.

The first little couple of weeks suck, especially when you start going through detox. Your body dumps all the toxins into the blood stream and it can make you a little sick. I had some serious migraines for about 4-5 days. I had some other issues, as well, which I will not be discussing here......lol

Detox didn't seem to last for a long time for me, but maybe I am not through it yet. I just have to continue drinking tons of water. I think I am going to upgrade my steel water bottle so I am able to carry more water to work with me. I may also get a second 32 ounce glass container to fill and bring to work with me.

Vegan

It has been too long since I have posted to this blog. I have been posting to my backpacking blog much more often.

After doing loads of research on health, food, disease, medicine, and human history, I have decided to make another lifestyle change. Not only have I decided to become a Vegan, but I have decided to consume raw foods only.

Being a Raw Vegan has great health advantages. For example, Vegans have 65% less of a chance of getting cancer than someone who eats meat. Raw Vegans probably have even less of a chance than regular Vegans because they don't eat any dairy products. Aside from the health benefits, food prep time is much quicker, and you don't have to worry about cooking. I can grow and dehydrate my own foods too. I will only eat organic food now as well.

My plan is to start juicing, sprouting, and organic gardening. I am hoping to grow veggies, herbs, and spices all year long in the gardens. I am also going to plant some mini-fruit trees.

I never really ate much meat. However, I did eat chicken, and dairy products on a regular basis. So far it has only been just over a week since I have had dairy. I have not had any cravings, or regrets. I am already starting to feel more energetic, and healthier.

I also increased my water intake to 60+ ounces per day. This is necessary to maintain a good health. The majority of people are dehydrated on a daily basis and don't even realize it.

Webmail Encryption

I recently discovered a great encryption tool, which will work with various webmail accounts. Check it out and see what you think: http://www.freenigma.com
I have started using this with my webmail accounts and love it.