Field Trip Lesson
About once a month, each of my grade-schoolers has a field trip. About 3 weeks beforehand, their teacher sends out a permission form and puts up a sign-up sheet for chaperone volunteers. The chaperone list generally fills up very fast. Especially for fun outings.
I decided to take a break from work and sign up for a community service field trip. Actually, I must confess the truth; I gave in to my eldest daughter's persistence. The sign-ups were a bit slow for this one. My daughter was very polite and determined. When I volunteered, the first question the teacher asked me was "How many kids can fit in your car?". The silent warning bells went off... But by the day of the outing there were 4 parents signed up and with the teacher we had plenty of seats and watchful eyes.
The trip was yesterday. It reminded me of my own charitable school outing experiences at about the same age. Plus, it is always good to see some of that youthful enthusiasm and energy applied towards good causes. I was the sole dad with the group. Most of the kids brought donations of clothing or food. But the most valuable contribution was their effort and what they learned.
We went to a downtown community outreach center. The staff was very gracious and explained a lot to the kids. It gave the kids (and myself) a lot to think about when one of the guys explained just how much food, clothing and shoes they give out each day. They explained how they have to think about what they give out and can't assume that the person who gets the item has even as much as a closet to keep it in. Some of the needy carry all of their stuff with them in backpacks or bags and share housing with many other people.
My charges and I were put to work greeting the people bringing donations. Clothing went in one door and food went in another. While we were there, a nice woman brought in a full set of bedding in a bag and was concerned that it stay together. It was in great condition. I asked one of the staff what to do with it. Now that the weather is colder there is more demand and it went right to the front. It came in and was given out within about 10 minutes. Another group of schoolgirls with an adult dropped off about 20 children's Halloween costumes, new in bags, along with about 50 pounds of bagged candy. I'll bet it will make for a happier Halloween for a bunch of parents and kids. When things got slow in the back we got to help sort food or sort and hang up clothes.
By helping alongside the kids, I was reminded of how fortunate I am and how valuable it is to share good fortune. It was good seeing the kids get a good dose of this as well. Plus, I think that all that exuberant youthful energy the kids provided had a rejuvenating effect on the staff. The staff was certainly plentiful with their praise and thanks at the end.
My lesson from taking part in this? Charity isn't guaged by what you give, but by how you give. Charity isn't what's in the bag, it's what's in the person. I have my eldest daughter to thank for twisting my arm to go.
Sox Cheer
Congratulations to the Red Sox and their fans. They won the world series very convincingly!
In doing so, they managed to undermine one of the fatalistic underpinnings of New England sports culture. The curse. But I'm sure they'll learn to survive without it.
Thursday, October 28, 2004
Friday, October 22, 2004
Super Sized Responsibility
I've been reading Whizgidget's Blogs about the movie Super Size Me with interest. They bring up the question of where does corporate responsibility end and personal responsibility begin? I've seen the movie once, and recommend it as a way to reaffirm why we shouldn't be eating fast foods.
So why do people eat so much fast food? Compulsion? Addiction? Time pressures? Conditioning? Indifference? It is not hard to understand how unhealthy it is. The cause and effects. There's a reason we call it fast food and junk food. But who's fault is it when we do eat it? Or when we eat too much of it?
The movie cites the case of two young girls and their parents who sued McDonalds for their obesity. For knowingly causing them harm. Eventually the judge threw the case out (twice). But it does bring up a good point.
Successful business is about creating and capturing opportunity. And you must admit McDonalds has been remarkably successful at that. They are often used as a case study of growth and innovation. Capturing business opportunity means capturing as many target market dollars as you can without getting into trouble. Sometimes that means walking a very fine line. But it also shows what the corporate motivation is. Healthy or unhealthy doesn't matter unless it can make you more money. The profits matter. Fast food, convenience food, and snack food companies spend a lot of money to get the right look, feel, smell, and appeal in their foods. If more salt or sugar or fat gives them a competitive advantage, they will pour it in. Or chemicals... Then the more you buy the better.
In other words; the behavior of fast food companies is driven by demand. If there were no demand there would be no supply. So of course they are going to target cravings, impulses, and appetites. To get you drooling whenever you see or smell their products. They know that people buy with their eyes and noses. They strive to give you what appeals to your desires, not what you need. And then: "Do you want to Super Size that?".
With such a symbiotic relationship between consumer and company, it is impossible to place blame solely on one side or another. They behave the way they do because we behave the way we do, and vice versus.
In my High School science class we did a nutritional experiment. They brought in about 30 baby white mice which we divided up into pairs in cages. We had 2 basic groups of around 8 pairs of mice. One group was fed junk food. Potato chips, french fries, candy, soda ... that sort of stuff. We fed the other group fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, and fresh water. We weighed and measured them and the foods regularly so we could keep track of how much they ate. We assessed their strength, stamina and level of energy in different ways. By the end of the quarter the differences were very obvious. The junk food group had less stamina, were less active, were shorter and pudgier, and even their fur looked worse. Only the diet was different, albeit dramatically different.
In that case it was clear. Their diet was our fault.
So far, all of this touches on the tip of a bigger problem that has spent years developing. Fast foods, convenience foods, processed foods. People will pay more to spare themselves time and effort. Then they will pay less and sacrifice quality, substance, or freshness. It becomes quite easy foregoing the more nutritional or healthy diet to save time and money. Stores are stocking more and more prepared foods. For lower costs and improved profit margins they will sacrifice whatever is not needed.
60% of Americans are overweight or obese and that number has doubled in the last 25 years. Woah ... you can't blame all of that on fast food, but they are an obvious contributor...
I've been reading Whizgidget's Blogs about the movie Super Size Me with interest. They bring up the question of where does corporate responsibility end and personal responsibility begin? I've seen the movie once, and recommend it as a way to reaffirm why we shouldn't be eating fast foods.
So why do people eat so much fast food? Compulsion? Addiction? Time pressures? Conditioning? Indifference? It is not hard to understand how unhealthy it is. The cause and effects. There's a reason we call it fast food and junk food. But who's fault is it when we do eat it? Or when we eat too much of it?
The movie cites the case of two young girls and their parents who sued McDonalds for their obesity. For knowingly causing them harm. Eventually the judge threw the case out (twice). But it does bring up a good point.
Successful business is about creating and capturing opportunity. And you must admit McDonalds has been remarkably successful at that. They are often used as a case study of growth and innovation. Capturing business opportunity means capturing as many target market dollars as you can without getting into trouble. Sometimes that means walking a very fine line. But it also shows what the corporate motivation is. Healthy or unhealthy doesn't matter unless it can make you more money. The profits matter. Fast food, convenience food, and snack food companies spend a lot of money to get the right look, feel, smell, and appeal in their foods. If more salt or sugar or fat gives them a competitive advantage, they will pour it in. Or chemicals... Then the more you buy the better.
In other words; the behavior of fast food companies is driven by demand. If there were no demand there would be no supply. So of course they are going to target cravings, impulses, and appetites. To get you drooling whenever you see or smell their products. They know that people buy with their eyes and noses. They strive to give you what appeals to your desires, not what you need. And then: "Do you want to Super Size that?".
With such a symbiotic relationship between consumer and company, it is impossible to place blame solely on one side or another. They behave the way they do because we behave the way we do, and vice versus.
In my High School science class we did a nutritional experiment. They brought in about 30 baby white mice which we divided up into pairs in cages. We had 2 basic groups of around 8 pairs of mice. One group was fed junk food. Potato chips, french fries, candy, soda ... that sort of stuff. We fed the other group fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, and fresh water. We weighed and measured them and the foods regularly so we could keep track of how much they ate. We assessed their strength, stamina and level of energy in different ways. By the end of the quarter the differences were very obvious. The junk food group had less stamina, were less active, were shorter and pudgier, and even their fur looked worse. Only the diet was different, albeit dramatically different.
In that case it was clear. Their diet was our fault.
So far, all of this touches on the tip of a bigger problem that has spent years developing. Fast foods, convenience foods, processed foods. People will pay more to spare themselves time and effort. Then they will pay less and sacrifice quality, substance, or freshness. It becomes quite easy foregoing the more nutritional or healthy diet to save time and money. Stores are stocking more and more prepared foods. For lower costs and improved profit margins they will sacrifice whatever is not needed.
60% of Americans are overweight or obese and that number has doubled in the last 25 years. Woah ... you can't blame all of that on fast food, but they are an obvious contributor...
Wednesday, October 20, 2004
Curves For Guys?
My dear wife was snickering when she saw that next door to one of the many Curves fitness clubs in our city they are opening a similar club for guys. A place called The Blitz. Below the "Opening Soon" sign was another sign touting "20 Minute Total Fitness for Men".
"You can't get a good workout in 20 minutes" was my wife's quip. I would have to respond, with all due irreverence, that for too many guys and gals around here 20 minutes would be a good start...
Lets see... For a good workout your body needs to get warmed up. They say a good warm-up takes about 15 minutes. Plus you don't get aerobic benefit until you've exercised continuously a little below your maximum capacity for more than 15 - 30 minutes. So, I'm in agreement with my wife. But if the sign said "20 Minute Total Warm-up" it just wouldn't have the same selling appeal, would it? In my opinion a good workout takes at least an hour.
Ah, but who has the time?
It is easy to see the convenience appeal of Curves. Quick in, quick out. I'm told they don't even have showers. It is the least you can do and still say you exercised. Literally. There are over 8000 Curves in the U.S. which indicates remarkable success. It makes sense that something similar would appeal to guys. Especially when they throw in heavy punching bags to knock around.
Wait! In a local drug store I saw some wooden cubes in a box by the checkout. They had "Exercise Block" in bold black letters printed on one side. Being curious, I picked one up. Attached to the cube was a tag with more instructions. In short, it said to put the block on the floor in the middle of the room. Next walk around it twice. Congratulations, now you can tell everyone you walked around the block twice today! The ultimate in convenience fitness?
But I do have to recognize and praise the results that Curves members have achieved. Curves has lowered the barriers to getting started in a fitness routine and any start is better than none. Fitness results are a reflection of persistent effort which often involves overcoming motivational hurdles. Curves helps women get over the first hurdles. Hopefully The Blitz will do likewise for men.
"Health, vitality and long life are the goals that everyone would wish to aim for. These are not, however, achieved automatically. Because the 'civilized' habits of Western Life do more to diminish health than to increase it, fitness is something that has to be worked at.
...
Exercise, above all, makes you look and feel well. Few adults who have taken the trouble to get fit will ever allow themselves to become unfit again. You owe it to yourself to get your body fit and to maintain that fitness for as long as you possibly can."
- The Complete Manual of Fitness and Well-Being by Dr. Robert Arnot
My dear wife was snickering when she saw that next door to one of the many Curves fitness clubs in our city they are opening a similar club for guys. A place called The Blitz. Below the "Opening Soon" sign was another sign touting "20 Minute Total Fitness for Men".
"You can't get a good workout in 20 minutes" was my wife's quip. I would have to respond, with all due irreverence, that for too many guys and gals around here 20 minutes would be a good start...
Lets see... For a good workout your body needs to get warmed up. They say a good warm-up takes about 15 minutes. Plus you don't get aerobic benefit until you've exercised continuously a little below your maximum capacity for more than 15 - 30 minutes. So, I'm in agreement with my wife. But if the sign said "20 Minute Total Warm-up" it just wouldn't have the same selling appeal, would it? In my opinion a good workout takes at least an hour.
Ah, but who has the time?
It is easy to see the convenience appeal of Curves. Quick in, quick out. I'm told they don't even have showers. It is the least you can do and still say you exercised. Literally. There are over 8000 Curves in the U.S. which indicates remarkable success. It makes sense that something similar would appeal to guys. Especially when they throw in heavy punching bags to knock around.
Wait! In a local drug store I saw some wooden cubes in a box by the checkout. They had "Exercise Block" in bold black letters printed on one side. Being curious, I picked one up. Attached to the cube was a tag with more instructions. In short, it said to put the block on the floor in the middle of the room. Next walk around it twice. Congratulations, now you can tell everyone you walked around the block twice today! The ultimate in convenience fitness?
But I do have to recognize and praise the results that Curves members have achieved. Curves has lowered the barriers to getting started in a fitness routine and any start is better than none. Fitness results are a reflection of persistent effort which often involves overcoming motivational hurdles. Curves helps women get over the first hurdles. Hopefully The Blitz will do likewise for men.
"Health, vitality and long life are the goals that everyone would wish to aim for. These are not, however, achieved automatically. Because the 'civilized' habits of Western Life do more to diminish health than to increase it, fitness is something that has to be worked at.
...
Exercise, above all, makes you look and feel well. Few adults who have taken the trouble to get fit will ever allow themselves to become unfit again. You owe it to yourself to get your body fit and to maintain that fitness for as long as you possibly can."
- The Complete Manual of Fitness and Well-Being by Dr. Robert Arnot
Tuesday, October 05, 2004
The Garfield Gene
Garfield. You know ... the cartoon cat that loves lasagna. Not that we're related to the cat, but there must be some hereditary trait involved.
On Sunday my wife made a lasagna. From scratch. It took a while to put it together, and once it was in the oven the house smelled delicious. There is magic in a good lasagna. And this turned out to be a good lasagna. She made a large one assuring plenty of leftovers.
My wife admits that lasagna is one of her comfort foods. Although she may claim to make a lasagna for me, I know it is for us. A comfort food. What a concept... A food with the ability to make you feel better, contented, happier, relaxed, or some other beneficial emotional feeling. Yep, it must mean magic.
The second test of a good lasagna comes a day later. A good lasagna tastes as good, or better as a leftover. This lasagna had a healthy dose of garlic and the right blend of cheeses to help with that magic. Not too wet nor too dry. Honestly, after 2 dinners of that lasagna, this morning I asked our girls what kind of sandwich they wanted for lunch and one of them said "lasagna". So that's what she got. Not a sandwich, but a tupperware tote full. Hmmm, it must be lunch time. I'm thinking she had a good idea...
Garfield. You know ... the cartoon cat that loves lasagna. Not that we're related to the cat, but there must be some hereditary trait involved.
On Sunday my wife made a lasagna. From scratch. It took a while to put it together, and once it was in the oven the house smelled delicious. There is magic in a good lasagna. And this turned out to be a good lasagna. She made a large one assuring plenty of leftovers.
My wife admits that lasagna is one of her comfort foods. Although she may claim to make a lasagna for me, I know it is for us. A comfort food. What a concept... A food with the ability to make you feel better, contented, happier, relaxed, or some other beneficial emotional feeling. Yep, it must mean magic.
The second test of a good lasagna comes a day later. A good lasagna tastes as good, or better as a leftover. This lasagna had a healthy dose of garlic and the right blend of cheeses to help with that magic. Not too wet nor too dry. Honestly, after 2 dinners of that lasagna, this morning I asked our girls what kind of sandwich they wanted for lunch and one of them said "lasagna". So that's what she got. Not a sandwich, but a tupperware tote full. Hmmm, it must be lunch time. I'm thinking she had a good idea...
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