I've migrated my blogs to the NEW version of Blogger. I'm going to spend some time looking at all of the new features, and it is likely my template(s) will change. Now I can go through all of the e mail tips I've been saving to see which ones I want to use.

We've been inundated with rain (5 inches on Saturday), sleet, ice...and snow is forecast for tonight and tomorrow, into Wednesday. Passing strange, in this part of the country. I did not go to work today, and may work at home through Wednesday, depending on how fast the weather clears. Bill Engvall has a comedy routine about how the State shuts down when ice and snow occur in places where it is unusual. And he's pegged it: schools close, businesses shut down, people stock up on all kinds of necessities in the event of power outages. If this were Chicago, it would not be news; it would just be winter. Down here, it's major news coverage. The news calls this "Ice Storm '07." My goodness. I just call it c-c-c-cold!

Lauren has just five more weeks until the baby (to be named Ryan, which I think is a wonderful choice) arrives. I worry about her driving on icy roads, so I hope things warm up quickly.

The induction phase of the South Beach diet is almost over. On to Phase Two in just a couple of days. That will last as long as it takes to lose the desired amount of weight, then Phase Three will maintain weight loss.

Many people make New Year's resolutions. I do not; I gave it up a long time ago. But this year, Jay and I are embarking on a change in our lifestyles. We both need to lose weight for health reasons and because it's just time to do so. I was at the doctor's office a short time ago, and noticed a handout he put together that has a variant of the South Beach Diet's induction phase. I asked him about it, and he said the South Beach Diet is medically sound and was created by a cardiologist. My doctor did recommend the South Beach Diet. Rather than use the handout, I went out and bought the book. Jay and I agreed to begin the diet right after the holidays, according to the guidelines in the book.

We started with dinner last Monday night, so we have about another week to go on the induction phase which is stage one of the plan. We have radically cut our use of fat and sugar, and have had no soft drinks at all. For someone who was accustomed to drinking soda several times per week, it hasn't been nearly as bad as I expected. In fact, if I never drink another soda, it wouldn't bother me a bit. We are eating fish, seafood, some lean beef, skinless chicken breast and lots of fresh vegetables. No breads, pastries, baked goods, rice, pasta, corn, potatoes or carrots. We are using small amounts of olive oil for broiling and for salad dressing, along with a balsamic vinegarette.

The most surprising thing about this diet is that I plan to stick to it indefinitely. Sure, there are times when I'd like a sandwich, but the carbohydrates will be reintroduced later in the plan, in moderation. I have had surprisingly few times when I have "missed" the foods not allowed in this stage of the diet. It is a mind-shift and a lifestyle change in the best sense. I already feel more alert, and energetic. The weight loss will be an added benefit; I'm in it for the long haul.