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Sep 012010

Today was an outstanding day for me. Finally.

As I’ve mentioned as of late, life has thrown me a few curve balls lately including divorce, unemployment and potential bankruptcy. I’ve wallowed in self-pity. I’ve hit rock bottom. So what’s a guy to do when he has nowhere to go? I don’t know about you, but I find the best way to make myself feel better is to shift the focus from myself and move it on to others. No matter how badly any of us have it, we always possess the ability to make someone else’s life better. Am I right? YES I AM!

All of this came together in my life recently when I was reading Tony Hsieh’s new book, Delivering Happiness. Unless you live under a rock, Tony is the CEO of the online shoe and apparel company, Zappos. His highly successful life has culminated in the recent purchase of Zappos by Amazon to the tune of over $1 billion dollars (insert the famous Dr. Evil laugh here). While the book talks about the rise of Zappos and how it was built on the importance of culture, customer service, profit, passion and purpose; the last chapter kicked me in the Primal pants.

In the last chapter of the book, Tony challenges the reader by asking the question, “What is your goal in life?” Many of us Primal folks might say our goal is to be healthy, right? Well, that particular answer is actually in the book. But why do we want to be healthy? We might answer so we can lift so much weight, so we can run a certain distance, so we can stay away from hospitals and doctors and bills, etc. But why do we want to do that? When it all comes down to it, research shows that regardless of our various goals in life, they all come back to one thing – we do these things in the pursuit of happiness. Our end game when you strip it all away is our search for happiness.

The book goes on to explore more explanations of happiness and I’ll leave that to you to read. It’s a great book and one I highly recommend. In the meantime, is it safe to say being happy is Primal? Within a nanosecond of asking this question, I’d say being happy and making others happy is about as Primal as it gets.

Why did early man hunt/gather? Why do we “hunt/gather” today? Well, we want to eat, right? We want to provide for our families. We want to…make our stomachs “happy,” wouldn’t you agree? By eating healthier, by fighting the good fight against corn based substances, and by exercising, wouldn’t you also agree you’re a happier person because of it? And when you’re 80% Primal eating is on track, don’t you feel better about yourself and this then rubs off on those closest to you so they are happier people, too? I rest my case. To further accent the link between Primal life and Happiness, put on your Vibram Five Fingers tomorrow (or today). If simply putting them on doesn’t make you happy, the sight of them is bound to make someone else happy and laugh.

This court has ruled that Delivering Happiness is a great book, a great initiative and worthy of pursuit. This court has also ruled that Tony Hsieh should read the copy of Caveman Resurrection I gave him this morning (what a cool opportunity!) and he should consider making it available to his customers and employees so they can lead happier lives. (Yeah, that’s a shameless plug, but it’s my blog so it’s perfectly legal!) In the meantime, our best to Tony and his staff that I met today (Angela, Holly, Laura, Angela, Ryan, Joey and Glenn). Tony introduced me to Laura (on my right) and we had the chance to talk Primal – go figure! I hope you all get the chance to check out the book I provided you, cook up some of the recipes Laura was checking out and pass on the good word. You guys rock and your pursuit of happiness couldn’t come at a better time. Grok On!

If you’d like the chance to see Tony and crew in person, like I did this morning in Omaha, check out this link to see when they will be coming to a city near you. You won’t regret it.

Have you read Delivering Happiness yet? If so, what did you like about it? Hey, what makes you happy?

Special Offer for Caveman Resurrection E-book - Limited Time Only

Primal Philosophy 1 Response »

Aug 292010

A few months ago I really enjoyed writing my first book and major Primal project, Caveman Resurrection. It took me several weeks to put together, but I learned a lot along the way and it allowed me to “preach” about one of my favorite topics. I feel that eating the Primal/Paleo method is a life changer and one that provides many medical and health benefits. These benefits I’ve seen from both sides in a Before/After methodology as well as an After/Sliding Back to Before methodology.

I’ve made no bones about my current situation and bout with unemployment. It’s been tough not having the money you’ve grown accustomed to earning to do the things you want to do. But more than ever I have been able to apply many of the concepts I have mentioned in Caveman Resurrection that are non-food related. I’ve also been able to see the world in a new way. And so now it’s time to merge the words.

There is a lot of good info about the Primal method of losing weight, but there is also a lot of false info as well. To ensure you are able to have access to my book without breaking the bank, I am lowering the offering price of Caveman Resurrection for just one week. During this week by clicking on the button below you can have your own copy of Caveman Resurrection for only $5.00.

When you purchase your copy, you will receive a zip file of various formats of Caveman Resurrection so that you can view this on most mobile devices quite easily, not to mention your computer. I hope that you can take advantage of this limited time offer. Many great comments have come from reading this ebook including such dignitaries as Julien Smith, co-author of the NY Times best seller, Trust Agents. He’s a Caveman Diet/Cross-Fit kind of guy who enjoyed the contents of Caveman Resurrection and I bet you’ll enjoy it too.

Order your copy today and start a new chapter in your life. Resurrect the Caveman in you!

What's the Worst That Could Happen?

Primal Philosophy 15 Responses »

Aug 242010

It’s been more than a month since my last post. For that matter it’s been more than that since I’ve really weighed in on any good Twitter conversations. “Where’s PrimalChat?” was mentioned a few times and I was even given the mythical tagname “Twitsquatch” or something like that by @Paleotron (thanks buddy!). It’s hard to put into words what all has gone on in my life, but I thought it might be good therapy if I at least try now rather than wait later.

Imagine what is the worst that could happen to you. Think about it long and hard. Then attempt to see it come true. Without further ado – that is exactly what happened to me starting in March of this year. So, let’s back up.

What’s the worst that could happen in a job situation? Yeah, that happened to me. I joined the unemployed workforce, more than 10% of the American crew by my own estimations. I know the news reports 9.5% unemployment, but the government admits by their own hand they do not include those who have already given up on their hunt and moved on to seeking more education, etc. I think 10% is at least what is out there. From that perspective I know that I’m not alone in my hunt for a job. Lord knows I’m not alone since I’ve had reports of up to 150 others applying for the same jobs I’m applying for. I’ve sought jobs before in very competitive situations. This time is different. Not only is it different because I’m still on the hunt after close to six months. It’s also different because of other “stressors” in my life. Losing my job wasn’t just the worst that could happen.

What’s the worst that could happen when it comes to your marriage? Yeah, that happened to me, too. A few weeks after the job situation in March, my marriage came to a screeching halt. I’m not here to point fingers, mind you. Despite the dire situations in any marriage gone wrong, it does take two to tango. I have moved on but while the separation continues and the divorce paperwork has not been finalized, the emotional consequences have taken their toll. For those of you who have endured divorce you know what I’m talking about. For those who have not been divorced, consider yourself lucky. Take a rusty knife, stab it in your heart. Then wiggle it around. OK, now leave it in because as you view pictures or see everyday things like couples holding hands or families laughing, grab the handle of the knife and stab yourself some more. Then when you think the major pains are over, the rusted metal has had time to enter your bloodstream and it permeates into every part of your being. (For Primal folks, you can use a rusty spear – the outcome is still the same.) Lost job and lost marriage – that’s the worst that could happen, right? If only that were true.

What’s the worst that could happen with your house and income situation? Yeah, that’s happening, too. The dissolution of the marriage has caused us both to move out and the house has literally sat on the market for 4 months with no offers. An offer is finally on the house now but it will either short sell or go into foreclosure. Bankruptcy also appears to be on the horizon. My severance package is long ago spent trying to stay current on the mortgage and for the first time in my life I’m on unemployment.

What’s the worst that could happen with your feelings of self-worth, value and confidence? Yeah, those are pretty much taxed to their limits within me as well. I do my best to hang my head high, but when you are suddenly relying on government programs that you’ve never used before, you’d be a special kind of person not to have it impact you. Any of the topics I’ve mentioned are enough to make me feel low, but when you combine them, I’m a metaphorical bum on the streets who’s been kicked plenty of times and will likely get kicked some more.

What’s the worst that could happen to my kids has luckily NOT happened. My kids are both healthy, vibrant and everything is done to shield them from this time of despair. With no cable TV, we now enjoy what we should have enjoyed in the first place. You probably have one, too – it’s called the library. One of the librarians is on a first name basis with us because we are regulars borrowing DVD’s and books alike. Who needs Netflix or Blockbuster when our local library has a pretty good selection? The park system is pretty good as well, so we enjoy time there, using sidewalk chalk, blowing bubbles and simply enjoying each other’s company. Obviously my time is cut in half with them compared to where it was. I have always been a full-time Dad and very active in my kids’ lives. It crushes me to split time with them and that actually takes a bigger toll on me than the divorce, truth be told. My kids means the world to me as I’m sure yours do as well. That is why it hurts me when you add in the divorce. I pray for a transition to occur that they will accept since they are still relatively young. But there will come a time when Dad won’t be there or Mom won’t be there during a bike accident or small tragedy. That crushes me, too.

I put these other pieces on a smaller scale compared to the big picture, but my health has diminished as a result including my diet. I gladly divert income normally slotted for high quality foods to ensure the kids have plenty to eat. I incorporate intermittent fasting (myself, not the kids!), which is a great way to save money as you might imagine. I’m sure my cortisol levels are through the roof and I see evidence of that in the mirror. The offset of SAD omega 6 fatty acids from lower quality foods has resulted in a few pimples I had once seen disappear. I’m lethargic, beat up and looking for a miracle or two to appear. “What Would Grok Do?” is an inappropriate question in this case since I’m guessing Grok never lost his home or endured a divorce. He probably died before that happened – or he simply relocated to a new cave.

Does God read blogs? Even if he did, I’ve not left much out that I haven’t already prayed about to Him. This situation has been risky in my relationship to Him. I have admitted to my pastor that I have shaken my fist at Him more than a few times. I know they say that God does not put us into situations that are more than we can handle. If that is the case, I had no idea I could handle so much. At least I don’t live in the Gulf and no one has died close to me. For that I’m thankful, but it seems like everything else has blown away.

Where has PrimalChat gone? Well, now you know. I’ve applied to more positions than I can count. I have had the time to read many good books and I’ve certainly learned the meaning of minimalism and could author a book on that in the near future. Of course I wrote my own Primal book, Caveman Resurrection, that you are welcome to purchase. Julien Smith, co-author of Trust Agents tweeted me that he enjoyed it. Not bad considering his book was a NYTimes best-seller! I also had the occasion to appear twice in the local paper touting my enjoyment of the Primal way as well as running in my Vibrams, so not all has gone south. I do miss my Primal peeps, but my ability to connect is hampered for the time being.

Grok, our Primal caveman friend that Mark Sisson created, no doubt endured some tough times. Harsh winters, droughts, times of no food and the death of loved ones were part of his life I’m guessing. I’m nothing special. As they say, this too shall pass. I’m sure it will. While it continues, it’s devastating. When it does blow over and I’m able to get my job back and enjoy life a little more fully, I’ll be making a few changes that I have learned from this time.

Value the time you have with loved ones, especially your kids.
Read more – there is so much knowledge to be gained and it’s as close as your library (sorry Amazon!).
Don’t take life for granted; enjoy the little things all around you everyday.
Connect with people. Online relationships are OK, but making real connections with real people in real time can not be substituted.
Keep your faith close. Yeah, yeah yeah – religion is a crutch some say. I’m not talking about religion though. I’m talking about a relationship. Thank God for what you have.

Sure there are many more lessons I have learned, but this blog post has gone on for long enough. I have faith that this tide will change. Sooner than later. Although I have found multiple phrases, quotation or scripture to keep me sane, it’s your turn. What do you find comforting during tough times?

It All Started Here...(I Fooled Ya!)

Primal Philosophy 3 Responses »

Jul 132010

It was just a joke.

Yesterdays blog post discussed a reality show concept that I had come up with that would deal with primal concepts. As I stated, I really do love TV and I really have met John Lithgow, but everything else was made up. Fabricated. The comments poured in, congratulations were given through Facebook and I sat there waiting. Waiting for someone to decrypt my secret messages. After seven hours or so, the comments continued to come in and no one had discovered my post was in reality a hoax.

In the past, Mark Sisson has written some pretty good post jokes. Once he wrote about healthy cigarettes even and while a few people believed him, most quickly uncovered he was joking tongue in cheek. I thought I was overdue for some fun, too. To the degree of seriousness everyone took me, apparently I don’t joke around as much as I thought. That’s kinda sad because I love a good laugh. So my apologies to those who come here and find dry material day in and day out. That was never my intention. Shame on me!

If you look back at yesterday’s post on Primal going to reality TV, you’ll see items highlighted in orange. The first letter in each paragraph was clue one. As you decipher each paragraph, you’ll see it spells out a phrase: “ITS A JOKE.” The other clue was in the body of the post where I highlighted words sequentially in each paragraph. When you do this, you’ll see another phrase: “Will anyone really believe this blog?” From the responses I received, the answer was a resounding yes. Like it or not, I fooled you all!

With that said, the comments that came in were great reminders to both those new to the Primal way and those well versed. Those who were for the reality show concept appeared to enjoy it from a challenge perspective. To these people I applaud you. I’m with you on the love of a good challenge. Socrates said, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” These people obviously share this concept and are willing to be challenged in the name of fun and perpetuating the Primal ways. I even had folks email or message me on their willingness to participate. Hats off to the free spirited among us who saw this as a fun opportunity.

Those who were against the idea, hats off to you as well. The ideas that skewed people against the show were mostly those who did not want the Primal lifestyle trivialized or pushed to stereotype us as cavemen wackos. Anyone new to the Primal lifestyle, take note of these comments.

This is a terrible idea. The paleo/primal lifestyle is about eating real food and exercising to obtain optimal health. Evolutionary principles and modern science support the lifestyle. It’s not about being primitive, eschewing all modern conveniences and returning to the cave. A reality show set up as you have described feeds into the incorrect accusations made about paleo lifestyles in the mainstream media. (Ron)

I think Ron and BestSelf pretty much summed up my feelings on the idea of reality program like the one you described. The media would skewer the entire movement to look like a bunch of fools doing foolish things and trying to be cavemen. I would much prefer a travel/food/lifestyle show that was the TV equivalent of any one of the blogs we follow in the community. It would showcase how to shop for the right foods, what to ask the butcher for or how to find local farms to get grass-fed meat. Another episode could focus on easy activities that everyone can do that would improve their quality of life. That is the kind of show I could get behind and be proud to have associated with the primal/paleo community.

Other decent reality show ideas would be to take a realistic and healthy twist and make variation of other successful shows. Replicate Biggest Loser but with a healthy diet and teach the people a way to get their lives back without spending 8 hours in a gym and trying to eat small portions throughout the day. Or ride on the success of Jamie Oliver and make a show where you go into a town or a single family’s home and stay with them for a week or two, give them the tools and show them how to live healthier, then watch them on their own for a while and grade them at the end. (Jake)

What endears me the most about this community is within the comments themselves. There are few people who poo-poo’d the idea without adding their opinions. And there in lies the magic. I agree with most everyone’s comments, good or bad, but I think Jake is on to something. Imagine a show that follows a family, introduces them to the Primal/Paleo way, shows them the right way to eat and workout, how it’s not so hard and at the same time demonstrates the TRUTH behind the approach. I think Jake is on to something. If Jake could find one big guy and start with him, it could even be titled “Jake and the Fat Man”… Oh wait! That titles been taken, huh?

Going Primal/Paleo isn’t about emulating the caveman, dressing like them, etc. It IS about learning what they did right, how they ate and how we would be in much better shape all around the world had we taken better note of those who went before us.

Should Jake or any of us take these ideas to the next level and make a documentary or what have you, you can say it all started here. In the meantime….GOTCHA! In the immortal words of Maximus from the movie, Gladiator, “Are you not entertained?!”

My Primal Reality Show Idea Gains Momentum

Announcements, Barefoot, Primal Philosophy, contest 19 Responses »

Jul 122010

I love TV. It’s a guilty pleasure I’ve had ever since I was a kid. I can recall several times we would sit around the TV area on a Saturday night and watch the Love Boat and Fantasy Island. Those were the days where anything was possible. Captain Stubing or Mr. Roarke could make the impossible very possible and by the end of the show most wrongs had been righted and the Doc had added a new girlfriend to his black book. You’d ask youself, “Will they conquer evil?” and they always did. This and more is the kind of magic only television can bring to your home. Back in those days there was little to no profanity, so the entire household could watch, endure the commercials and spend time together. Perhaps numbing at times, but with only three TV stations to choose from back then, you made your choices count.

The one area of my life that I’ve never been able to totally fulfill is to have my own TV show. I recall many a Friday night watching the Donny and Marie Osmond Show and think if they could get up there and get a TV show, why can’t I? I’d choose not to sing of course. That’s just not my thing. But I could toss a mean frisbee, ride my bike pretty fast and I could show people how to use their imagination. Unfortunately those show ideas never made it to the networks, but who needs them these days? That’s what YouTube is for, right? Seriously, not just anyone can get up and have their own show, right?

So many people have talked to me about my ideas. That may seem hard to imagine, but it’s true. Maybe not my frisbee or bike riding ideas, but I’ve really had the chance of speaking to a few celebrities in my time. Once while in California, I had the chance to talk to John Lithgow on the set of Third Rock from the Sun. He seemed captivated by my present ideas for all of 30 seconds and then he had to sign some other autographs. But I know that if I had been able to get just fifteen more minutes of his time, I would have had him.

As you might imagine, I never am one to pass up on an opportunity. So these days as I use my network to seek out possibilities, I continue to look for a movie or TV opportunity. Now that I’ve been Primal/Paleo for several months, I’m convinced there is a TV hook. I believe in my ideas, as should you. With the variety of failed reality shows, I’m convinced I can properly suggest my ideas for a Primal/Paleo reality show. I think it would be a big hit. And surprise of surprises, my ship has come in!

Just a few weeks ago I was on the phone with a friend of mine who has a friend that is a TV producer. One thing led to another and we started talking about the whole Paleo/Primal lifestyle. He tells me that his friend/producer has been looking for some new ideas for TV and thinks this is the ticket. He had read my e-book, Caveman Resurrection, and he saw some real potential in a modern day caveman diet. My heart’s been pumping at the excitement this has given me. Since that time we have had the chance to talk many times. The key, this producer tells me, is that people enjoy a good competitive show, but they like lots of twists and turns. They like the unexpected. They like originality, even if it is sometimes based on an earlier idea. One of their initial ideas is to target the younger audiences they struggle with gaining attention from, so they’re looking at combining a caveman idea with “street slang” and calling it “This is How I Roll.” Clever idea, but I told Dan the producer to let me take a few stabs before they work on too many other ideas.

One thing we were talking about is how we want this reality show to be really different from the rest. Being Primal/Paleo lends the show to be Survivor-esque from the get-go, but it has to have something more. We’ve talked about whether or not to have tribes or make it individualistic throughout. Having contestants go barefoot is a given. No shoes on this show. We’ve talked about providing contestants organic and grass fed foods (or so they think). One group gets the good stuff, the other group gets the bad stuff and then their health histories are compared from when they started. Luxury competitions would be had with the winners receiving extra goodies in the jungle including bacon, extra sleep, and hunting paraphernalia and perhaps getting the chance to blog their experiences, even if that is neolithic. More ideas include a forced fasting for 24 hours at least once a week, making loser contestants eat processed foods following a failed competition or entertaining fitness celebrities at their camp including Jillian Michaels and Tony Little. It would be great! We could also get the Geico Cavemen to host the show or even have Mark Sisson and Professor Cordain host or judge the competition.

Knowing your limits is one thing, but this show looks to really push the envelope. The past reality shows end up being about popularity. This show would be based on work and knowledge. If the caveman survived by hunting and gathering, then this show should follow suit. Each week the contestants will bring what they have contributed in baskets. The most amount of food in pounds gets the big gatherer additional luxuries like flint, spears, and camouflage gear. Although other shows make it appear as though the contestants have it rough, this show will pull no punches. There will be no shampoo, no soap, no deodorant and no toothpaste. It’s roughing it to the extreme. Forget about any showmances! In the first week, contestants are allowed to wear an outfit they bring with them, but they must hunt/kill and tan the hide of an animal with which they can fashion a loincloth from. The ladies will get extra time since they have to make a top and bottom, but they will get bonus points for being first among their gender. From time to time if disagreements crop up, the contestants can challenge their adversary to a special competition and the loser gets exiled or forced to give up their belongings only to start fresh with gathering food all over again that week.

Everyone should enjoy a show like this. Don’t ya think? Ideas for considering the winner include a visual comparison (before/after) of how they fared, how quickly they can pick out organic vs. non-organic foods, how much overall food they have hunted/gathered and even more points by deathmatch debating the fitness celebrities. What other ideas do you think could work on my show idea? Would you volunteer as a contestant? I could use a few of you to offer up yourselves just to show the producer there is interest in this idea. So please add your comments if you are willing or have a great idea. I’m eager to see what you come up with so I can update my producer friend and get started on this concept.