Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end

Closing time.

It's time to close one chapter of my life and open another.  I look forward to the start of tomorrow and the end that I am leaving.

Last week I started this blog and just left it hanging.  In the last six days, since my 50th birthday, I had a visit to my new general practitioner doctor.  We talked about the things that 50 year old men talk about.  My weight, smoking, family history, colonoscopy, how many kids, how things are going in the bedroom, etc.  He ordered some blood work that I just thought about, I need to get that done.  He also ordered the seasonal flu shot and an EKG.

That's when things got interesting.  We hooked up all the sensors and I laid on the table while the nurse ran the machine.  She took the papers to the doctor and then he came back in.  He showed me an EKG from 2012 and one from today.  He said, " See this.  This bump from 2012 is going up.  This one from today is going down.  It might be nothing but make an appointment with your cardiologist.  And do it this week."  He gave me the referral papers and I left.

All the way home it kept going through my head.  "It might be nothing..." and, "Make the appointment this week."  Hmmm...  If it's nothing, why the rush?

So I went home and called for an appointment.  Usually it takes months but I told the receptionist my doctor said I needed to get in this week.  So Friday I went in.  Of course with the Internet I was able to find out what it might be.

Anyway, I went to the cardiologist, told him what the other doctor saw and he looked at me and said, "If that's true then that is not good.  That is not good at all.  We are going to call your insurance to make sure we can do a stress test right now."  Great!

Long story short, we did the stress test and everything came back o.k.  "You are just fine.  Now, go and get some exercise and quit smoking."

That was Friday.

Last week my family watched the movie, "When The Game Stands Tall".  In the movie the coach only wanted perfect effort from his players.  One thing he had them do each week was to write down commitments for the week.  One for extra work at practice.  One a stretch goal.  The last for game results.

I'm also drawn to self-sufficiency blogs and web sites.  One, survivalblog, had a recent post about what to focus on to be prepared for a disaster.  As this blog develops I'll post about things like that to make it useful for you, too.  It won't be just a diary about my journey.  Although I think many people will find motivation as they learn about where I've been, where I'm at and where I want to be.

So, this week's three goals:

1.  Do not smoke any cigarettes.
2.  Buy a one month membership at the local fitness center and walk 3.1 miles at 3.1 miles per hour each day this week.
3.  Post to this blog more than once, preferably each day.

So there you have it, this week's ending is smoking and the new beginning is walking 3.1 miles each day.

Welcome to Life on the Carats 'n Ranch

Carats or Carrots?

Can they be both?

My family has toyed with the idea of just going off and living off the land, living off the grid, etc.  We have spoken of living this life on the carrots and ranch.  Since that name was taken...

I'll start with this one.

I'm starting this blog on my 50th birthday as a way to document my journey and my families journey through the next year.  Why one year? Because if I can make it through this year I will make it to another.

I also want to pass along what knowledge I have gained through my 50 years on this Earth.

Lesson Number 1:  Don't smoke and if you start - stop.

That is the lesson I will live starting now.

With your help I will succeed.