Well we are finally getting to around hands on skill in Culinary. I've been in class for going on two months. A lot of book studying.

We starting to work on our knife skills. We learn how to do the chiffonade, rondelles, diagonals, oblique, lozenges, dice, julienne, batonnet, bruinoise, , and paysanne.

Interesting part was the learning to dice an onion. So many tears in so little room. LOL

I have decided to join Delta Epsilon Chi, which is a chapter similar to DEECA in high school. I also will be joining Skills, USA. Which is another club to aid those who are studying to become professional in a skill trade. We will be doing competitions. Part of these two programs will also give me an edge when it comes to job hunting and resumes.

My name is David Parker, I'm 35. I was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes on May 21, 2008. It's a day I'll never forget. On this day my life was changed my life forever. A day I found realized how important life is...:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

I was doing a karate demonstration, along with my Sensei Eddie Sellers. Between shows I stopped by a booth doing free glucose test. Well being from a family that diabetes runs in I wanted to be sure. When the nurse lanced my finger and stuck the tiny strip from the Bayer Acsenia Contour, I never knew in 5 seconds my life would change. It did. My result was 520 mg/dl. Whoa!! NOT ME!!! Yes it was me. She tested it again…514 mg/dl

She asked if I was alone. I told her my wife was with me. She told me to get to ER "NOW!!"

Looking for Beth, my wife all I could think about how. Was the triple cheese burger, large fries and 24 oz. chocolate milkquake I had from Krystal's?  (Ok it was). I found Beth and told her.

I decided to finish up the karate demonstrations then go to the Dr.

We went to the Dr. the nurse tested it there. It was 470 mg/dl. I was like see its falling lets go home and don't worry. The nurse didn't like my plan. She wanted to stick me with a need and insulin. Needles I don't think so. I was planning my escape. I got a fast muscle car. Then all the sudden I felt like someone hit me across the head. The insulin was doing its job. It was fighting to return my system to a better state.

The Dr. put me on glyburide and metformin. The next two weeks I was a nervous wreck. Not knowing what was going on. Well it went by fast. I had my follow up. Yep it was Diabetes. The Dr. asked me what kind of exercise program I was on. I told him I take karate. I work out 2 days a week. How can this be? I lost over 80 lbs. I felt fine. This can't be. I keep telling myself.

I met with a dietician. She explained the carbs we eat or take in it becomes sugar. How we eat affects us and our health. Plus we need more than 2 days of exercise.

I got my A1C it was 13.9 % over 390 mg/dl. WOW!!

Now I'm getting a hang of testing my glucose and I try to eat right. The good news my glucose stays in a good range. Every now and then I get to splurge.

Of course this road hasn't been easy and cheap. In July I was diagnosed with depression. My anti-depressants along with my other meds started to hit hard in the pocket book. Sometimes we have to set aside bills or rent payments so I can have my medicine. Sometimes we have to skip groceries and eat hotdogs. With today's economy it's hard to make it. Our pay took a dive bomb. Being my living comes from tips. I will be lying if I tell you this is an easy road. I make too much money to receive help. I don't make enough to cover our expenses.

 However I feel I am the richest man alive. I have a great marriage. I love my family. Back in August I found out I'm going to be a daddy. My hopes and prayers have been answered. I also came to realization I need to take a lot better care of myself. Now I'm hitting the gym 4-5 days a week. I want to see my baby grow up. I want to make a good life for my wife and family.

God has really blessed me.

This is my story. How I found out my diabetes. I want to share this story. Honestly there is not an ending. However there is a happy life.

All About YOU: How to Eat More and Weigh Less

Want to lose a few before the upcoming holidays? Fill up with fiber.

It's no news that boosting your fiber intake is good for your health. But boosting it at breakfast may be the key to staying lean, say RealAge doctors Michael Roizen and Mehmet Oz. In their new-this-week book, YOU: On a Diet, they suggest putting fiber-rich foods like oatmeal, whole-grain toast, or a veggie-packed omelet on your morning menu to curb afternoon binging on Cheetos or cookies. That's because fiber acts like a speed bump in your gastrointestinal tract, slowing everything way down, so you stay fuller longer.

This is one way you can use your body chemistry, not willpower, to curb cravings and get to your ideal body size. Learn other science-based strategies like this from Roizen and Oz's YOU: On a Diet plan.

Believe it or not, enjoying a fiberful diet -- especially at breakfast -- can reduce your calorie intake for up to 18 hours a day. And it helps control blood sugar and lower insulin levels. Although you should aim for 25 to 30 grams of fiber a day, avoid adding it all at once or you'll produce more gas than a Saudi oil field, say the doctors. Start with an additional 1 to 2 grams of dietary fiber -- the amount in a slice of whole-grain bread or 1/2 cup of green beans -- at and between meals and slowly increase from there.

RealAge Benefit: Eating 25 grams (make that 38 grams if you're a man under 50) of fiber per day makes your RealAge 2.5 years younger than eating 12 grams of fiber per day.

The Green That KOs Blood Sugar Damage

Like going a couple of rounds with Tyson, high blood sugar can do a number on your vital organs. But eating this may give it a one-two punch right back: broccoli.

The tasty green florets are ripped with sulforaphane, a compound that seems to help keep high blood sugar goons on their best behavior, so they do less damage.

Pass the Antioxidants, Please
When your blood sugar is chronically high, it can damage the cells of your heart, eyes, kidneys, and nerves. But in a recent petri-dish study, adding sulforaphane to a mix of blood vessel cells and glucose cut oxidation (read damage) by as much as 73 percent. More research is needed to see if sulforaphane in the diet is as protective. But we already know that the compound is a super cancer fighter. So down the hatch -- make this EatingWell.com broccoli dish tonight for extra sulforaphane: Corn and Broccoli Calzones. (See Below)

Corn & Broccoli Calzones

Makes 6 calzones

OK....here is a new but great thought. I'll give the answer at the end.

Why do we make mistakes?

I remember back when I was testing for my yellow belt in karate. I kept messing up. I failed. Only to come back two weeks later and passed. As I stepped up to take off my white belt and accept my new rank of yellow, my Sensei Eddie Sellers asked me "David, do you know why you failed?"

I answered, "Cause I made a misake?"

He said," No. You failed so you can become better."

I had to think that over. He's right. Everytime we make a mistake, we learn a lesson. It is often best to find out where we go wrong. Then work on making it better. So there for you failure will become your success.

I remember a line in the movie Batman Begins. Bruce Wayne's or Batman's father asked him "Why do we fall Bruce..So we can learn to pick ourselves up."

So why do we make mistakes....So we can become better.

David

The GMAU Crest. You'll find it all over myspace page. I've decided to let you in an our secret meaning for it.

Color Scheme:

Crimson Red
The color red on the GMAU crest has deep emotional and spiritual connotations. Spiritually, when we consider the color red, we think of the blood sacrifice of Christ our Savior. Our sin, too, is represented in the Bible by the color red.

Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
Isaiah 1:18, KJV

Emotionally, red is an indication of raw energy, force, vigor, and intense passion and courage.

Royal Blue
The color blue on the GMAU crest symbolizes truth and wisdom, heaven and eternity, devotion and tranquility, loyalty and openess.

Gold
The gold on the GMAU crest reflects our spiritual rewards, heavenly crowns, and richness. Furthermore, it serves as a reminder that our treasures should be built in heaven and not on earth.

White
The color white on the GMAU crest represents that through the washing of Christ's blood we have received purity, perfection, peace, innocence, dignity, cleanliness, awareness, new beginnings, and renewed life.

Black
The color black on the GMAU crest symbolizes depth of knowledge, deep mystery, and faith in God in the midst of the unknown.

Design Layout:

Cross
Central in the GMAU crest design is a cross which represents the Cross of Christ. The cross has, for many centuries, represented the sacrificial death of our Savior.

Holy Bible
Sharing the central design focus on the GMAU crest is the Holy Bible. The scriptures are THE authority by which all human life is ruled. It symbolizes God's eternal covenant with mankind. Furthermore, the placement of the Bible on our patch reminds us that the GMAU is at its core a Christian ministry and not simply a martial arts association lead by Christians.

Kyohkai
The word "kyohkai" means "temple association" or "church." Unlike the term "dojo," which simply means the place in which someone studies the way, "kyohkai" suggests a deeper, spiritual place in which someone studies the way of life. The kanji on the GMAU crest is "kyohkai" and is written in the specific form used when describing a Christian or Christ-faith church.

Globe
The section of the globe on the GMAU crest symbolizes our desire to reach all of the world with the Gospelthe good news of Jesus Christ. The globe also represents the positive, wide-reaching "global" effects of the Christian martial arts. Furthermore, the globe symbolizes the diversity represented within the Gospel Martial Arts Union membership.

Five Stars
The five stars on the GMAU crest represent many things both openly shared to all and heavily guarded within the martial arts system.

Mental/Spiritual/Physical
These words included on the GMAU crest represent the GMAU mission. The primary goal of the GMAU is to cultivate mature Christian students. This goal is attained through spiritual discipleship, mental discipline, and physical development.

Shield
The shape of the GMAU crest was carefully chosen to represent a shield which refers to a characteristic of God.

Our soul waiteth for the Lord: He is our help and our shield.
Psalm 33:20, KJV

Today I was at work. Just standing around waiting for a guest to sit and play. An old co-worker and a terrific friend passed by and said hello.

Jack (This is his real name) over a year ago had a stroke. This stroke left him paralyzed one side and unable to speak clearly. He said hello in his strong voice, that was often heard saying, "David knows". I wanted to jump for joy. Though many didn't comprehend the inside joke we often holler at each other just to stay awake.

His stride wasn't that of a man who had a stroke and his voice was as strong and clear of that of a Independent Baptist preachers.

I asked him what happend they said you wouldn't be able to come back to work. He said I won't be back. Not that I can't do the job..The stress is too much and no one deserves the stress from this casino.

Then he added can't wasn't an option. He wanted to prove with the will and with God anything is possible.

Upon closing the word can't should be taking from our dictionaries. In realitiy can't is the word can and not. Put together. Cause someone whio didn't have the will power made it look like they were unable to complete the task just was unable to complete.

With God in our life anything is possible. So the word can should  be a word we use. However not is a term used for NO. When someone say they can't they really saying I can but no. I know there are grammer nazis out there will agrue with me let them. I CAN'T hear you. ( I can but I'm not).

In closing try. the worse could happen is you discover your unable to do it. Please keep in mind..you can.

I know I was going to said I was going to finish my study on "What is a husband". Instead I just wanted to share afew thoughts on something little closer to home.

My wonderful mom..if you look at my friends list she is the first person there. Not only she has been a wonderful mom and grandma (nana). She has been my very best friend. She sent me some pics of the kids my neices and nephews. Which soon I'll hosted up and served hot and fresh. For everyone to adore.

As looking at this once was tiny babies. Only a few days ago I seen 3 very beautiful young ladies and some which I havent had i confirmned but i think one of them was my nephew, James Michael and I know for sure the other was little Justin. I couldn't help to wonder what whappen. I get so caight up in my work I missed out on those babies growing up.

All I have is memories. James Michael throwing up on my nice green shirt.At my Grannie Holt's funeral. Rebecca while she still was a baby when she came and stay a summer with my aunt. Lil Austin horseing around im  my moms hotel room. Slipping and falling cutting her eye open. I never met lil Justin. But I have a pic of him saved on my computer from when he was born.

Of course the Justin my brother and Michelle my sister. All the hi-jinks we got into as kids. My sister slaped me so hard one time I saw stars. My brother..well always starting something and when I tried to finished I got in tropuble cause I should know better. Our childhood. Wasn't that bad. I pray everynight just cause I'm never around they know I love them. I really miss them so much