Media, Media, Media

      Most people know this blog is a compliment to my YouTube Channel. This is a place where I can be a bit more serious. although I seldom get serious. Today I am going to give out a little info about what I have been up to lately.
     I have started to do the news! I am no Brokaw or Williams by any means, I do however like to read ridiculous stories in the news. Dumb criminals are every where. They get caught and I get to tell everyone about it! What a good time for me!
     I am also going to start doing product reviews. Stuff that you may not know about or could use but didn't know there was such a thing! Like I recently bought an inverter that plugs into the cigarette lighter socket in the car. It puts out 175w AC power. That isn't going to run your hair dryer (you shouldn't be drying your hair on the road anyhow). It is enough to charge a laptop, portable DVD player, Nintendo DS, charge a cordless drill battery, and run the pump to inflate an air mattress! If you are camping that is nice! It also has a USB port on it for charging phones, bluetooth devices and what ever else you charge USB style.
      People may have noticed that there are adds on the Blog page. These ads are there to help me cover the cost of a website. I am on a very limited budget and the ad money will help me get it going and keep it going, so please help the Blog and Channel out by using the search box on this page.
      Next blog will be about my workout for the weight loss challenge. We have just over a month left in the contest and I am about to really turn up the pressure on everyone!
       Thanks for taking the time to read this!
Steven

Hello all!
       After all my talk, I finally got here to put up the rules and regs for the t-shirt design contest! I have been wanting to do this for a long time, since I started my videos as a matter of fact. I just don't have the skills or time to sit down and make up a design! So, I humbly ask my viewers to help me!
       First of all, if you have never seen the show, you should go see them so you can get an idea of what I am like. That should help you get a start. Second, have fun while you are doing it! I am all about having fun and want you to have fun too! So let's get on with the rules.
      Number 1: It has to be original.
      Number 2: Has to be representative of what the show is about. I don't drink and don't promote drinking so a bottle of booze on the shirt would probably get disqualified right away, just saying.
      Number 3: No cussing. It's just not necessary.
      Number 4: Once the design is submitted, it becomes my property. I hold all legal rights to the submission. That being said, if your design isn't picked at this time but is picked later, I will pay you the same fee I paid for the winner. It's only fair you get something for your effort. Just saying.
       Number 5: The submission has to be in JPEG format. If it is in another format, I may be able to convert it but we will have to discuss that between the two of us.
       Number 6: The prize is $150 Amazon gift card.
       Number 7: The contest ends February 29, 2012. Winner will be selected by votes from The Mebuzzfree Viewers. Popular vote on the Facebook page. So get Subscribed to mebuzzfree on YouTube and get on the Facebook page so you can vote for yourself!
        Number 8: send entries to: mebuzzfreefanmail@gmail.com Good Luck!
Thanks for entering! I wish you all the best!
Steven

What I Did To Lose Weight- Talking Diet Here

Hello Everybody!,

      It's been a while since I posted here a The Extra Stuff. I think in the next few months I will be doing this more regularly. I have a lot to talk about and with winter on the doorstep, time to talk!

      Many know that I recently decided to lose some weight and get healthier. Even have a contest going on with my YouTube viewers. I just want to give people some motivation to get healthy! Most people want to change their lifestyle to a healthier one, but they need a kick in the seat to get them off the couch! (I do understand you cannot kick someone in the seat when they are sitting down but you get my point, don't be so literal!) I just thought I would take some time to tell everyone what I am doing to lose weight as far as my diet goes.
      The human body is totally amazing really! Just the fact that it works is really a miracle. The body also tries to protect itself. I'm not just talking reflexes and using he senses to avoid danger, I'm talking about preserving it's food source. Fat. Stored energy. Tissue that can be used up if the body needs energy but doesn't have any coming in! When people cut ALL the fat from their diet, the body goes into a safety mode where it will save the fat it has because, well, it may need it someday. Just the body trying to protect itself! So a dieter has to have some fat coming into the body to keep this from happening! After all, we dieters are trying to get rid of that extra weight! So I keep my fat intake between 25 and 30 grams a day. The 2000 calorie diet that is what all the food nutrition labels are based on is about twice that much.
        Cutting out the obvious things from the diet is what I did first. Ice cream, cookies, candy, etc. Then I added fruit and vegetables, lots of fruit and vegetables! These things don't have a lot of fats and some have none at all.They are also low in calories. That's where I get into trouble. I don't get enough calories coming into my body! I have to count calories to make sure I get enough of them! Again, if you are burning them off, the body has to believe there are more coming in, or it will save up the fatty tissue for an emergency! I try to keep my intake at 1200 calories. This is sometimes difficult, really, not joking.The RDA allowances are based on a 2000 calorie diet. So 1200 calories is a reduced calorie diet by those standards but you still have calories coming in!

      The next big thing I cut out of my diet is sodium. Salt keeps water in, water is weight, I want less weight, I need less salt. Simple isn't it. Seeing as I cut my soda intake to get rid of empty calories, my water intake went up! Plus salt adds to hypertension and all the other heart-blood maladies, better out than in I say. ( sorry, felt the need to quote Shrek there). I find that water with lemon is the best. The body can't absorb anything if it isn't slightly acidic. Lemon juice contains citric acid, AHA! the body can get it in quicker! As gross as it may seem, a glass of warm water with half a lemon squeezed in it first thing in the morning is great for your digestion. You lose water when you sleep (moisture in your breath) and usually wake up thirsty and have to go to the bathroom. The body needs that water back! The water being warm causes parastolitic action in the intestines to start and gets the body digesting the food that is already inside you! Another great side effect of lemon water is that it kills the morning breath!
      These are just a few things that I do. I will be coming back and telling you more in the very near future. I begin the exercise portion of my weight loss plan next week. It's true, I have done no exercise this week other than a few long walks. That is about to change! Stay tuned and comment on what you have read, tell me what it is that you do exercise, Good luck at getting healthier!

Talk to you soon,
Steven

A Different Approach To Caring

      Sorry everyone, it has been some time since I wrote a new Blog. Unfortunately, most of my video subjects have not been Blogworthy! However, today is different. I didn't really have a subject to cover on today's video, so I hit the interwebs for some inspiration. I was surprised at what I found, a bit shocked, and in the end delighted.
      I found the video for Give-a-Shit.org. which I first thought was a joke of some sort. I thought that might be a funny subject to cover. When I watched the video, I realized that it was not a joke at all. They are very serious in their drive to get people to really give-a-shit! In case you didn't see the video or check the website (which I recommend you do) I'll recap for you. His Holiness the Dalai Lama has basically said that if everyone thinks of caring and kindness, whether they do anything or not, helps the world to heal and care. Although most people I know are not Buddhists, there are thoughts in the Bible that echo agreement. Like if you think of sinning then don't waste your time, you already sinned. The same could be said for doing good, as opposed to sinning. It's all in the thought, that is the parallel I am trying to draw here.
        Now the Give-a-Shit.org approach is to get you to check their site out by the name of the site, which worked in my case, and then have a Hollywood personality that has popularity with the younger crowd to relay their message. What a brilliant plan! I mean really, how well thought out is that! I really feel that it is the perfect way to reach people that can make the change. Besides, when you are sitting on the pot, with basically nothing to do, why not think of something you give-a-shit about.
      I'm not sure that I want to post to Twitter or Facebook that I give-a-shit because then in my status, everyone will know I'm taking a shit but I will probably THINK about something I care about and try to work it that way. I think that is the point that the Dalai Lama was trying to drive home. Even If you are not Buddhist, I would recommend watching a video of the Dalai Lama speaking. He is a compassionate, educated, well spoken, and kind man with a lot of wisdom. Overall, one of the most interesting orators I have ever heard.
       In closing, watch the video and check the website: http://www.give-a-shit.org. Whether you post from the toilet or not doesn't matter, but your thoughts do matter. Thanks for reading my thoughts on this.

Steven

Monthly Maintenance

       Well It's the beginning of a new month! First thing I think of is: time to clean up the computers! That's right. I use a lot of freeware. That is software, that is free for those who don't know. These utilities do a great job of keeping the nasties out! (ie:malware, spyware, etc.) The main drawback to freeware is that it doesn't scan automatically. You the user must initiate the scans! So the important thing to do is remember to do them.
      I use Microsoft Security Essentials for my primary anti-virus. As with everything I will mention here, it is free. It is also a very effective anti-virus. It was ranked last year right next to Norton Internet Security, which is $50 per year. So you are up $50 already.
      I also use MalwareBytes Anti-Malware. This program pulls out malware like trojans with ease. If you can get it on an infected computer, it can remove the bugs and save you a trip to the tech shop!
      Next is SuperAntiSpyware. This utility also pulls out a lot of bugs that are dug in deep! I have used it to pull out the Defender virus which pops up and says your infected when you are not in fact.
      For these two I always update the profile to the latest version and run the scans, in the order which I named them.Once those scans are done I run Glary Utilities to clean up any registry errors that may have appeared.
       Every other month I run WinDirStat. This program scours your hard drives and shows you which programs are hogging up space on your drives. I have cleared 15G of temporary files from a DVD copy software program! I never knew the temp file was even there until I ran this scan!
       Another tip is to use Revo Uninstaller to remove software from your computer. It will run the softwares uninstaller and then scan from fragments it leaves behind. Once the scans are complete, you can just click and clean up the little bits! Very nice program,
      All of these can be downloaded at http://www.download.cnet.com. Just type in the software name and download it! Good luck and happy computing folks!

Your friend,
Steven

Thoughts on Self-Expression

      Self Expression. Obviously it is how you want others to see you. Marking up your body with tattoos and piercings is one way to show yourself to people. I have several tattoos myself, I love each and every one of them. I can also hide each and every one of them with normal clothing.
      My tattoos are a way for me to express myself. They are permanent, that is important to remember. I will never have to worry about not liking them someday, I chose them carefully. Except one. I had my ex's name put on myself. We fell apart and the tattoo stayed. So I covered it up with a better one! I will never put a name on my body again! I can see putting your children's names in a tattoo, most likely you will never stop loving them! But I draw the line there.
      Now as I said, I can cover my tattoos and nobody would know I have them. Many people see someone with tattoos and they have a preconceived notion of what kind of person they are inside. I'm not sure if this is what draws people to get tattoos or not, maybe so people will think they are something they are not actually. Maybe those people aren't happy with who they really are inside.With tattoos covered up people can see what I'm really like by how I act and treat others. I try to be kind, helpful, and generally friendly. Traits I find to be pleasant in a person. So imagine the shock I feel when someone who knows me, finds out I have tattoos, and says "I never would have guessed." Like only bad people or people who want to be seen as bad have them.
       I say express yourself any way YOU feel is best but be aware of what others will think. If you are doing it for attention ask if it is negative or positive attention you will get. If it is negative attention, maybe you should rethink it. Or think about why you are seeking that sort of attention. Negative attention is easy to get and hard to forget. I can also damage your reputation. Which many don't care if it gets tarnished or not, yet can affect your life adversely. So be aware.
      So express yourself, put out there who you are and what you are about, just try to do it in a positive manner. Trust me, you won't regret it.

Thanks for stopping by,
Steven

Stand Up and Do Something

      Today I talked about participation. It is said that, "The meek shall inherit the Earth." and I said while the meek are waiting to inherit the Earth the Bold are going out and taking what they want. I don't mean go out and knock over a liquor store if you want some booze or rob a bank if you need money. What I'm saying is this, If you want changes in your life then YOU have to make those changes.
      Nothing ever gets done if there isn't someone to do it. As obvious as that seems, many people miss this key point in life.Sometimes we don't want to change but are affected by outside forces. This is the easy kind of changes. There is an external motivator. The hard changes are the ones where the driving force must come from within.
      Example: If a doctor says you have heart disease and have to quit smoking or you will die in six months.That change can come pretty easy. But for someone to say to themselves, I have to quit smoking or I may develop heart disease, the change is difficult. Because they don't have heart disease now, they feel the odds are in their favor when, in fact, they are not.
      This is one example, there are thousands of other examples. I don't think I need to go on with a list. Everyone knows what changes they want and what changes they need, they just don't get up and make the change. This is my point, become active. If you don't like things change them, now. Don't wait.Get a self help book if you need one to find motivation. Whatever it takes, do it.

Thanks for your time,
Steven

Oh No, No Tomato!

      Well the rhyme scheme in the title is about the funniest thing I can offer today. It is sad but I only have one remaining tomato sprout. The last man standing is spindly, weak, and not growing too fast! It seems that the directions I followed on how to plant the seeds was rather inaccurate, The directions said to plant the seed 1/4 inch below the surface on the soil. The seeds sprouted rather quick. The sprouts were up in 3 days. But they stalks are thin and weak.
       It has come to my attention that it is better to plant them deeper, more like half way down the pot or more. Being as the pots I am using are 2 1/2 inches deep, I could have put them 1/2 inch off the bottom. Now the seeds would still germinate just fine at this depth. It does however give a chance to send out more roots before the sprout breaks the upper surface and shoots for the sun! The stronger root system gives the plant better capabilities in water and nutrient gathering, thus making it possible to grow stronger. If I had only thought about it!
       The same is with bamboo. Bamboo is planted 6 feet under the surface of the ground. It is then watered and fed for two or three years, without a sprout ever being seen! Then once the chutes break the surface and climb toward the sun, there is already a solid root system! The bamboo can grow as much as 60 feet in a month!
       The roots are important. Not just in plants but in the family too. So remember your roots, it's the strong roots the make a strong family (or plant)! Plan for your future, keep your roots strong and they will keep you strong!
       Take care and talk to you on soon,
       Steven

Movie Rating Madness

      Today movies are rated by the MPAA. The rating is to let people know the movies content and use as a guideline (stressing guideline) for what they allow their children to see. I feel that for the most part these guidelines are accurate to the ages, but any way you look at it Parental Guidance is Suggested! It is the job of the parents to judge whether or not their children should view the content.
       Along with the ratings, in my house we also look at other factors, like the actors involved. For instance Jack Black. Jack has done some kid movies. Kung Fu  Panda I &II, and Gullivers Travels. These are pretty good films, wasn't impressed with Gulliver but that I think is my own opinion. School of Rock had a lot of kids in it, however, I don't know that it is appropriate for all kids. The movie studio that produces and distributes the film is also another factor. I trust Pixar and Disney. They both have good reputations. Since parents are using the television as a babysitter nowadays, they should be cautious of who they leave their kids in the care of!
      Video Games and television shows are also rated in the same manner. This is another area that I feel parents need to pay close attention. Kids spend a lot of time with these two mediums and are influenced by them. How many kids have jumped off the roof to fly like Superman? How many kids have shot their siblings playing with guns like in video games? (That is a whole different cans of worms right there). Where were the parents when these kids were watching this stuff and coming up with these ideas? I'm not saying a rating will stop all this but I'm saying if they don't see it, they are less likely to come up with these ideas. That may not be true. Maybe though if they didn't see so much violence they wouldn't be so numb to it. It is my belief parents should spend more time reviewing what is viewed.
      YouTube is another problem area. Now don't get me wrong, I love YouTube! I have a fistful of subscriptions that I view whenever a new video is posted. The Shaytards is a favorite I watch with the seven year old every morning. Never has there been a video that I thought, maybe she shouldn't see this. we also watch ReallyAnnoyingOrange a lot. Most of the videos end up with fruit getting cut by a knife at the end but it is fruit and not a human being. There have been in the past some channels we watched that changed their content. I had to watch them first to see if  it was okay for a seven year old to watch. Over time, the videos she could watch got rarer and rarer until eventually I just unsubscribed so she wouldn't ask to see them anymore. There are some that I watch like sxephil- (Philip Defranco) that I enjoy. when asked if she could watch it I simply said, "That's not okay for you to watch, you're too young." End of story, never asked again.
      I don't see how YouTube could ever come up with a ratings program and I wouldn't even try to imagine the logistics it would take. there is like 48 hours of video uploaded every minute, come on, how can you keep track of all that. Parents need to watch it first!
      I love movies. I love watching them with the family. I love that we are responsible adults and care what are kids view. Kids are smart and learn fast so teach them the right things is all I suggest.
Nice talikng to You,
Steven     

He Said What?

      Today's video was a story about a man I work with, who doesn't listen. This is a problem, even though I joke about it. Today people don't REALLY listen to one another. Many times it's not that people don't care what someone is saying to them, the problem is they are too caught up in what is going on in their lives to be able to focus on another person.
       Listening is an art. It has to be practiced to be good. Like an artist has to paint daily or a musician has to play for hours a day to be good, the same goes for listening. Some have the natural ability to listen to others and then be able to respond with advice, guidance, empathy, or perhaps sympathy. Everyone knows a good listener. That is the person you talk to when you have something important to talk about. You know that person will be there to listen and help you through whatever. Why wouldn't you want to be that person?
       By listening to others, it is possible to help yourself too. As an example, a friend tells you that they have a problem with their children. They may have a problem you haven't encountered with your own children. It would be wise of you to listen and find out how they are handling it, in the event you must do the same. Not that you will handle it the same but at least you have time to come up with a plan. Maybe you have had the same problem with your children, you can tell them how you handled it. This may be a help for them to come up with a plan. It's a chance to improve yourself as well as help them.
       Now I don't recommend eavesdropping as a method to improving your listening skills! It's just rude for starters and usually you don't get the whole story. I'm not saying that once in a while you won't pick up some good information, but how do you feel when you have to say "I didn't mean to overhear you but...". I feel terrible. Almost like I broke into their home and looked around while they were out! The conversation I was listening to was private and I broke in! Not exactly the same but I think you can see the parallels.
      So I say if you are a good listener: Keep up the Good Work! If you're not a good listener: Keep trying! Due diligence will pay off in the end, because you will be a friend. I have never heard anyone say "I have too many good friends!"
Take care all,
Steven

More Zombie apocalypse Garden Info

      Well here we are again! I have some more info on the Zombie Apocalypse Garden. The tomato seed has some special techniques that must be used in order to get a seed for the next season, as I discussed in the last Blog. The pepper is pretty straight forward. Just dry the seeds on a plate. The green beams are simple too. When the bean in the pod grows big and the pod starts to get thin and dried out, take out the beans and dry them on a plate. Not too hard.
      Then there is the carrot. Had I known what was involved, I may have waited until next year to try this one. It seems that the carrot is easily cross germinated with Queen Anne's Lace. Queen Anne's Lace is a weed that grows wild in my area, it is also a wild carrot! So it is important to inspect the root to see if it is getting a white tint instead of an orange one. I've learned that the white root is the dominant color.
      In order to get seeds that are germinated, one must keep the umbrels( blossoms that look similar to that of the dill plant, which is in the same family) covered so the insects can't cross pollinate the blossoms with weeds! Not too bad but wait, there's more. The umbrels still have to be pollinated. This is done by hand literally. You rub your hands on the umbrels of all the plants, everyday, in the morning, to spread the pollen to the other plants. Still not too difficult, oh but wait! You have options you can plant the seeds in the spring and get your harvest and let some go and use them for reseeding or you can plant in the fall and in the spring let them go to seed quickly and replant for that years harvest. Either is acceptable. The latter however does not let you inspect the roots for the color change. There's always a drawback to the easier method! I'm going to do some more research in this area so I can better inform you of the options. The way I see things right now it's about as clear as coffee.
      Another thing I found out is that many of the dried beads you can buy in the store for making soup, can be planted and grown to produce more beans. From what I understand, they too have about an 80% germination rate also. The bag of store beans is a lot cheaper than the little packets one buys from a seed store, providing you want to plant the variety that the grocery store sells! Just something to keep in mind.
      More to come next week, until then keep your dirt working!
Steven

Zombie Apocalypse Garden info

      Well everyone, Thank You for checking out this Blog! I was so nervous filming my first Vlog I didn't think anyone would ever get to this page! I thought you would be like, "Why would I want to read what that foole has to say?" I spell foole with the final "e" for two reasons: First reason that is how they spell when referring to a court jester and second it irritates some people!
      At any rate, The zombie apocalypse garden idea is a funny way to bring up a subject that is actually very interesting. Heirloom seeds are seeds that are non-hybrid. Hybrid seeds do not produce a seed that can be germinated. So you can't regrow the plant from the seeds it produces. Usually hybrid seeds are engineered in some lab to be prettier, bigger, juicier, meatier, or possess some other attribute that people desire. This is great but the seeds are useless.
      In comes the heirloom seed. These seeds can be saved and replanted from year to year to year. You may have heard that the countries of the world are sending seeds to a seed bank somewhere in Scandinavia to be locked up underground in case the world comes to an end and we need to grow more food. Great Idea countries of the world! How do I get there to get some seeds to grow in my garden?! The world has basically ended, Am I to walk there? Drive an SUV? Paddle a boat? I think not.
      That is how I came up with Zombie Apocalypse Garden. Honestly, I don't think the world is going to end in October. The book I read says there is only one guy who knows, and he's not telling anybody! The garden is however fun and practical. It does take some planning but not a lot. If you already are a gardener then it will be easier for you than me! I ordered a book from Amazon called Seed to Seed by Suzanne Ashworth. There are some important steps to saving tomato seeds that will help insure success. Here's why. The gel in the tomato that surrounds the seeds actually keeps the seeds from germinating. The gel rots away when the fruit falls to the ground, allowing germination to happen. So what the gardener has to do is ferment the seeds and gel in a bucket of water. (About one cup of water to one cup seed/gel mix). When the top of the mix is covered with mold, drain the water and wash the seeds off in a strainer. When skimming the scum off the top of the water, the seeds that are floating are no good you can discard them. Then dry the seeds on a flat glass plate, quickly so they don't germinate. (put a fan on them, no heat though). This is why I suggest getting a book, I never would have thought about that.
      I got a late start on planting my seeds. About three weeks. I bought a propagation mat on the internet to help this along. By keeping the soil warm, the germination and growing process is spread up! I had tomato sprouts in 3days! I posted the first picks on Facebook and that is two weeks after planting. This spring has been cold and wet here in Western New York and the local farmers are worried about getting their crops in the ground. The ground is too cold for the plants to really thrive once replanted outside in the garden. This may allow my plants to catch up and I may have a harvest at the same time as the rest of the people in my area. Not that I'm competing or anything but I don't like to come in last.
      The seeds I bought were about $1.50 for about 40 seeds. They say 25 but I got closer to 40. They standard is 80% germination. So that means that I should end up with about 32 of each plant. I planted 3 or 4 in each of the starter pots. I will thin out the weaker plants and keep the stronger ones after they grow some more. Fourteen plants is more than enough for what I need to eat and save for next year.
      This is a fun little project and I hope I inspired you to try it out. There is a lot more to talk about concerning heirloom seeds and I will cite some other interesting facts and articles as I go along with these blogs. I will also be planting some of these plants in window boxes to see how it will work for more urban households.
       I hope that you learned something here and want to return to find out more! Get out there and have some fun!

Steven