"Ralph Rubio Is Coming!"

Tonight, as on most Wednesday nights, I go to Solana Beach for Reality Changers, where high school students are preparing to be the first generation in their family to get a college degree. We have a group lesson, share a meal, and then most adults are teamed with one or two students as their tutor/mentor right after we have a speaker. This is the night that Ralph Rubio, founder of Rubio's Fresh Mexican Grill, is the guest speaker! Very Cool! Thanks, Ralph!

In addition, Sydney, manager of the Carlsbad Rubio's listed below, is providing free meals for 50 people! And, in the new year we'll have a Reality Changers night at her Rubio's that will benefit the Reality Changers program. I hope you'll join us and enjoy some yummy Rubio's food. I regularly enjoy the Fiesta Chicken Salad which is great even if you're doing a high protein/low carb regimen.

If you would like to serve as a tutor/mentor, check out the Reality Changers website. Click on the title of this post to see directions to Palomar Airport Road Rubio's (Gateway Road Rubio's).

CARLSBAD - Palomar Airport Road & El Fuerte
2675 Gateway Road
Carlsbad, CA 92010

Keep walking!

"Keep Walking On Your Mind"

Whether or not you schedule in time to walk, I strongly suggest that you give walking "space in your head" or what is called mindshare. Below are two definitions from Dictionary.com.

mindshare

the amount of attention required by something, the time spent thinking about something

mindshare

the development of consumer awareness about a specific product or brand in hopes that they will buy the product or brand

One strategy for giving walking mindshare is putting stuff related to walking in your head. One strategy for doing just that is videos. Here's a link to The Police video Walking On The Moon.

Today I weighed 271 lbs.


I have walked* 711 miles in 2009.


Keep walking!

"Walking Improves Your Bones"

Looks like a good time to get back to basics. I ran across this information at Tone Your Bones. Take a peek.

Also, I started a new blog about investing in people and getting a good return. Click on the title of this post to visit 550 Plus 50!

Keep walking!

"Time For A Quick Walk"

I put in a call to a friend earlier. Now it's time to walk with or without him. Even a little bit at a time adds up to real mileage. You can do it.

Keep walking!

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P.S. I was blown away how fast Doracy's loan on Kiva.org funded within the next week after I kicked in my 25 bucks. Check out the previous post by clicking here.

"Kiva.org Microloans Help!"

Can You Suggest Ways I Can Make Posts About Kiva.org Consistent With The BigManWalking Theme?"

I just had to get back on the blog, so...

Quick Update - I have walked 1 mile so far today.

Yesterday I weighed in at 270 lbs.

I started on high protein/low carb regimen.

Today I weighed 268 lbs.

I have walked* 633.75 miles in 2009.

Read about Kiva.org and how you or someone you know can help! You can view Doracy's profile by clicking below or on the title of this post:

Doracy - the person I helped today

Below is the email the website would send out. Let me know if you would like a reminder sent to you!

Keep walking!

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Hi!

I just made a loan to someone in United States using a revolutionary new website called Kiva (www.kiva.org).

You can go to Kiva's website and lend to someone across the globe who needs a loan for their business - like raising goats, selling vegetables at market or making bricks. Each loan has a picture of the entrepreneur, a description of their business and how they plan to use the loan so you know exactly how your money is being spent - and you get updates letting you know how the entrepreneur is going.

The best part is, when the entrepreneur pays back their loan you get your money back - and Kiva's loans are managed by microfinance institutions on the ground who have a lot of experience doing this, so you can trust that your money is being handled responsibly.

I just made a loan to an entrepreneur named Doracy in United States. They still need another $2,875.00 to complete their loan request of $4,325.00 (you can loan as little as $25.00!). Help me get this entrepreneur off the ground by clicking on the link below to make a loan to Doracy too:

http://www.kiva.org/app.php?page=businesses&action=about&id=142773

It's finally easy to actually do something about poverty - using Kiva I know exactly who my money is loaned to and what they're using it for. And most of all, I know that I'm helping them build a
sustainable business that will provide income to feed, clothe, house and educate their family long after my loan is paid back.

Join me in changing the world - one loan at a time.

Thanks!

---------------------------------------------------------
What others are saying about www.Kiva.org:

'Revolutionising how donors and lenders in the US are connecting with small entrepreneurs in developing countries.'
-- BBC

'If you've got 25 bucks, a PC and a PayPal account, you've now got the wherewithal to be an international financier.'
-- CNN Money

'Smaller investors can make loans of as little as $25 to specific individual entrepreneurs through a service launched last fall by Kiva.org.'
-- The Wall Street Journal

'An inexpensive feel-good investment opportunity...All loaned funds go directly to the applicants, and most loans are repaid in full.'
-- Entrepreneur Magazine

Las Vegas

Marianne and I are in Las Vegas at a Starbucks on Tropicana Boulevard because the internet at Emerald Suites Cameron doesn't seem to be working. We got a deal throught Priceline.com and it's nice for $49 a night - just like a little apartment across from The Orleans. Someone told me that their 1-3 No Limit Holdem game in the afternoon is the toughest in the world. I won $99 while relaxing the other day. Who knew?

It remains to be seen whether or not I will play in the World Series of Poker Main Event even though I won a satellite tournament earlier in the week. (It's complicated and I expect that most would be bored by those details.) I have walked 8.5 miles since I've been here which is easy to do in the casinos and much less so out in the heat. I can't believe my wife and I are in Las Vegas for the 4th of July!

More details soon...

Keep walking!

Friends Help

About an hour ago I got off the phone with my Wednesday 9am Warrior Group. We met at a James Ray seminar a month ago and we check in with each other every week in order to keep on track with our goals, stay positive and encourage one another. Because I have been focusing so much on my son's graduation, the graduations of friends' children (who are young adults now!) and the changes at this time in our lives (as well as attempting to win a seat in the World Series of Poker), I have not been walking as much as I have been in the past. I'm changing that. Today.

This morning Mayra, Donnie, Critter, Kevin and I were together again on the phone and as we were saying goodbye I promised to walk a mile right after the phone call. I did and just got back a few minutes ago. I took the dog and killed two birds with one stone. Because I had a little extra time I took Mellow across the street to play with a dog who was there fetching a ball. Her name was Maddie and I got to know her owner, Brad, a little bit. He and his wife are new arrivals in the neighborhood. I recommended Robert Kiyosaki's Rich Dad, Poor Dad somewhere in our conversation about graduation and jobs and the world economy and having more than one stream of income. He said he'd check it out. Because I ventured out into the world I was able to meet and connect with someone new and have a little unhurried time. There are more reasons than exercise to take a walk. For those of you concerned about productivity, I also listened to a message on my mobile phone and rescheduled an appointment with Michael Tarighati, my dentist.

A friend of mine has figured out that he likes some of what he calls "adhoc time". He likes having time where not everything is scheduled. He has also figured out that he can't have all his time be adhoc time if he wants to continue making money at his job! His solution is to schedule in his adhoc or free, unstructured time. Sounds like a good solution. What do you think?


I have walked 297.25 miles in 2009.

Hippy Dippy Do At Peet's

This morning I walked 2.5 miles before 9:30 at Peet's Coffee. I had my Ipod Nano that my sweet wife got me for my 46th birthday and had a great time listening to Rocket From The Crypt's Hippy Dippy Do and The Smithereen's outstanding version of I Saw Her Standing There, among others.

I was inspired as my blood got pumping. I googled this saying, so you can say you "heard" it here first:

Why MARCH to the beat of a different drummer when you can skip?

Or Walk? Or Run? Or Rock?

I'm sure there's a bunch of them!


Keep walking!


Walking directions from Palomar Airport Road & Melrose Drive in Carlsbad, CA are below.

Walking directions to Peet's Coffee & Tea Inc
(760) 448-1835
0.8 mi – about 16 mins

Palomar Airport Rd & Melrose Dr, Carlsbad, San Diego, California 92009

1. Head west on Palomar Airport Rd toward Melrose Dr
0.4 mi

2. Turn left at El Fuerte St
0.1 mi

3. Turn right at Gateway Rd
0.2 mi

Peet's Coffee & Tea Inc
2641 Gateway Rd
Carlsbad, CA 92009

Relay For Life

Marianne and I are just about to leave for the Relay For Life. We will walk for two hours to help fight cancer at Cal State San Marcos. You can read more or donate by clicking here. Have a great rest of the weekend!


Keep walking!

Phone Order & Walking

I had a phone appointment at 8:30 this morning with Stacey Smith-Bacon and we called Waiora and ordered my product. I'll let you know when the shipment comes in. Stacey and I have known each other for several years in our local Toastmasters group, Expressions Unlimited, and I'm glad we can finally connect as a business team. We are both past presidents of our Toastmasters club and know each other better than most people you meet in a social setting. I consider Stacey my friend and so when she told me about Waiora I was ready to listen, though I have seen my share of home-based business opportunities. For me, this is good timing as I'm ready to use Natural Cellular Defense to reduce heavy metals in my body.

In recent years I've been reading more about prevention when it comes to cleaning up the environment and our bodies. However, I seem to have missed out on how to do a more effective job cleaning out what is already in my body. Yes, I have done Jordan Rubin's cleanse twice in the last year, but I was not aware that there was a more complete way to clean your body. Also, I'm not sure how many people are ready to do a 10 day cleanse. Are you?

Stacey and I will continue to learn more about this process and I'll keep you updated. There are different strategies for achieving better health. This one makes sense to me and I'm glad I'll be able to do a better job at something I had overlooked previously. Watch and learn here:

http://tinyurl.com/BigManWalkingWaiora

Those of you who have been reading my blog have noticed that I haven't been posting as much lately. I haven't been walking as much until the last few days, but I'm back on the wagon! I walked a quick mile after getting off the phone with Stacey and tomorrow my wife, Marianne and I will be walking a couple hours for charity.

Recently decided that nearly every time I go out for a quick walk, I will be walking at least 1/2 mile. Yesterday I did three miles more than I would have done by walking a half mile 6 times when I had 10 minutes or so to spare. My goal is to beat that today.

Keep walking!

Stacey Will Call Soon!

I'm excited about a new opportunity to increase my health and fatten my wallet. My Toastmaster friend Stacey just got me involved in Waiora and I'm looking forward to getting bad stuff out of my body. We will all benefit by getting heavy metals out of our bodies. Check out this link!

http://tinyurl.com/BigManWalkingWaiora

More soon!

Keep walking!

Still No Foolin' While Walkin'

Last night my wife, Marianne, told me that her grandparents used to do gentle April Fool's humor all day long to each other. One of them might stand in the doorway looking out at the front yard and say something like, "Come look at the kitty." The other grandparent would come and see nothing in the yard and hear, "April Fool's!" I hope that if you like April fool's jokes you'll see possibilities for gentler humor.

My wife's grandparents lived into their 90's (up above Mission Valley in San Diego) and her grandfather was still chopping wood at 95. They took walks regularly as long as they felt they were able.

All who can walk can benefit from walking. I've been walking more regularly for over a year and I've had ups and downs with regard to how much walking I'm doing at a particular time. My sweet wife got me an Ipod Nano for my birthday and today I'm shopping for another pedometer. I know a pedometer helps motivate me. Will a pedometer help motivate you? Will an Ipod make the walk more interesting for you? What does it take for you to be consistently walking?

For those with Ipods and similar technology I will start giving you suggestions about what you can put in/on them. You may like what I do or maybe not, but like the saying goes, "I don't know art, but I know what I like." Just so you know, I do have an affinity for what "they" call "alternative", but I am definitely not limited to that. Below are my first suggestions. I don't claim they're new, but some of them are free. Marc Seales is good for your cool down after exercise. Let it grow on you. Look for the BigManWalking FAVORITE OF THE DAY and give 'em all a listen!

Is It True - The Pillcrushers

Highway Blues - Marc Seales (JAZZ)

I Saw Her Standing There - The Smithereens (MySpace page)

Jesus Was a Motorcycle Man - Jeff Finlin (Official Site)


BigManWalking FAVORITE OF THE DAY

It Was a Better Time - The Hermit

BigManWalking rates It Was a Better Time a 91!

I rate on a scale of 1 to 100 (like RottenTomatoes.com uses for movies, er...excuse me...CINEMA!) and I consider all recommendations at least 65 or above. Clearly, these are my opinions and you may not agree, but it gives you a point of reference.

I hope you enjoy at least one of these tracks and I hope that they keep you moving/exercising.

Keep walking!