High-Protein Raw Vegan ... with help from Kevin James

I've been working hard putting together a high-protein raw vegan bodybuilding diet for myself and other athletes who want the benefits of eating raw but have protein and energy needs that go beyond that of the average person. The challenge is getting enough protein from sprouts, rice and peas, plus enough carbs that are not fruit sugars. Also, timing of meals and speed of digestion is important: spreading fast- and slow-burning carbs and protein through the day in a way that will prepare me for training and maximize recovery and growth afterward. It's a pile of math, but with Excel templates, the USDA Nutrient Database and other tools, I have a trial version of the diet up and running.

Then, today, I got a remarkable surprise via FedEx from my friend Kevin James Miniter. Kevin is working on the campaign for gay GOP candidate Fred Karger for President. You may know Kevin as the guy in the infamous Marcus Bachmann "Who's gayer?" picture that's circulated around Facebook, Twitter and the blogosphere recently.

Kevin knows how much I love fresh blueberries. So he and his friend, Navy Lt. Marla Jo Metz, ventured out and picked seven pounds of giant, ripe, sweet and tart Maine blueberries and shipped them here. (Apparently, he spent several hours away from his duties on the Karger campaign last weekend romping around at a farm in rural Maine.)

I can't think of a better way to kick off the new diet than with these delicious superfood snacks. One additional thing you should know about blueberries -- they freeze well, and once frozen make excellent weapons for beaning unsuspecting pets. (Sure, the pet gets hit and startled, but then they have a little snack morsel as compensation for the insult they've just endured.) Not that I've done this. I'm just speculating.

So a GIANT thank you to Kevin for the timely, heartfelt gift. And to everyone else, wish me luck with the diet!

A final note: Kevin packaged up the blueberries carefully for shipment, padding the FedEx box with a copy of the New Hampshire Sunday News.

To show my appreciation for the gift of berries, I have taken it upon myself to read that entire newspaper, memorizing the more significant passages, which I will recite in a plaintive, sing-song tone for Kevin when I next see him in person.

Everything old is new again

In our rush to new technology, as artists we sometimes don't pay our due to simpler times and the art that has come before. While it's been a staple of music remixers for a couple of decades now to take short snippets from existing work and use them in new projects, the emphasis has always been on NEW. There are many examples of new work that does not simply borrow from, but rather treasures, the past. Here are a couple of delicious ones:

Nataly Dawn is a San Francisco-based vocalist, part of the underground internet sensation duo Pomplamoose. For all of the electronic wizardry the duo display in their other work, Nataly's new iTunes/YouTube single is a straightforward, wistful take on the title song from the 1944 movie I'll Be Seeing You.

Pogo is an Australian music/video artist. He's creating exciting new material in his World Remix Project but one of the thrusts of his work is to take existing intellectual property and re-cut it in a way that showcases the original. Wishery is his homage to Disney's 1951 Snow White.

I hope you enjoy these clips as much as I have. If you'd like to support these artists, each has a presence on the artist funding site Kickstarter.

BPJ

The Best Advice You Ever Got from a High School Authority Figure?

Earlier today, I tweeted the question, "What's the best piece of advice you ever got from a Principal or other school authority figure?"


There were a flood of interesting responses -- far more than I would have expected. 


For what it's worth, here's mine: my High School creative writing teacher Mr. Podas saw my passion, and how I suffered for it. He once told me that for every great thing I might achieve in life, I should expect to be greeted not just with kudos, but with an almost equal amount of scorn, insult, and seeming disgust from those around me. He was right -- at the age of 42, I've gotten plenty of applause and been called truly horrible things so many times, little of it surprises me any longer. 


There were too many responses to post them all here, but I thought I might share a sampling of what you had to say. Some of these are optimistic, some bittersweet, others hilarious. Hope you enjoy them as much as I have:

txlonghorn_02 txlonghorn_02 

@ 

"You think all these people are your fiends? In 5 years you'll be able to count them on one hand" #truth

mrin912 Michael Rogers 

@ 

My French teacher -- Do first; apologize later. It's much easier that way!

brettteslaa Brett TeSlaa 

@ 

Christian School AP English teacher, "It is not my place to judge gay people, but I know God wants me to love them."

LilyJaquith Lily Jaquith 

@ 

Follow your own dreams, not your parents, your friends or your significant others. Be what you want to be.

auntymana Mana 

@ 

The best advice was taught by example: Example of how NEVER to act as a human being in charge of shaping young minds.

MichaelxShirley Michael Shirley 

@ 

If you're going to smoke cigarettes on the way to high school, don't let your home room teacher see you.

jossafan Joss 

@ 

From my HS counselor: "Take college seriously, but don't let your studies drain you of your creativity."

joelygabs joelygabs 

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don't get into graphic design - my guidance counselor. i should have listened.

nycdude5235 Mike 

@  

My HS principal stepped btwn me when I was bout to fight. She told me if I fought I would be expelled and all my dreams gone.

Blue_Eye28 Sarah 

@ 

a teacher once told me to always stay true to myself and I'm still living that advice :)

JFKimberley JFKimberley 

@ 

My 7th-grade teacher: "Go travel, see the world. The best education you'll ever get is to travel." And I've done just that.

SVAllie Allison D. Duncan 

@ 

don't eat glue?

PurpleOutkast Jonathan Gavaldon 

@ 

"Never pay for porn." - my high school ethics teacher

AdamSank Adam Sank 

@ 

"The higher you go on the ladder, the more your rear end sticks out, and the more people will take pot-shots at it."

MMMelissaK Melissa Kreipe 

@ 

Chem teacher Pat Anderson- "You don't HAVE to do anything. Everything in life is a choice. BUT there's always consequences"

SteveRalph1 Steve Ralph 

@ 

best piece of advice from a teacher: before you leave a club with someone ask for their ID to check their age. #400thTweet

andydrinks andydrinks 

@ 

From my English teacher who said: If you want to experience 'life in the raw' go into journalism. I did. He was right.

crookedcrack Ryan Blazer 

@ 

keep doing what you're doing and be yourself - you're going to do well

techlifter Techlifter 

@ 

"Never let someone else be responsible for your failure." Great advice from an otherwise unimpressive college English prof.

katyadotcom Kathryn 

@ 

Keep speaking your voice because your voice deserves to be heard no matter others. My HS counselor is the best!

theregards Ryan Wardana 

My 7th-grade teacher: "Go travel, see the world. The best education you'll ever get is to travel." And I've done just that.

aluminomad TrailerTrashTrez 

@ 

the higher you go on the ladder... the more people your farts will reach

BurritoElito Brian Eagle 

@ 

Invest in dot-coms, they will never go wrong.

drjosh81 Josh 

@ 

Shut up & do your work! 

AliMoonGoddess Ali McCollum 

 Quit smoking!

MadamloverOMG10 Raelyn Ddub-Girly 

"Keep smilin' always :) 

WBCVideo Rebekah Phelps-Roper 

@ 

I can't remember, but my principal *did* like my Minny Mouse shirt!

Thanks to all who weighed in!!