| I think the words, "temptation" and "peer-pressure," can | | | | and one of her legs was amputated! The same thing |
| be two of the most dangerous and evil words in the | | | | happened to a neighbor of my parents...and both were |
| English language, and like it or not, all of us are going to | | | | in their early 50's. |
| have to deal with them for the rest of our lives, etc. | | | | After I saw the dietician at the VA Medical Center in |
| And, it's going to take the person, who has the | | | | August, 2007, things changed for me. I used to have |
| discipline and the will-power, to stay on track, to avoid | | | | candy, ice cream and sweet things around me all the |
| additional problems in their lives. | | | | time...but no more! All of that is out the window! |
| Temptation: (definition); the desire to have or do | | | | Life-style changes were in order here. |
| something that you know you should avoid; "he felt | | | | I did some research on diabetes (type 2), and I learned |
| temptation as his will-power weakened." | | | | that 65% of the people who have pre-diabetes, go on |
| "It's not the greatest temptations that ruin us...it's all the | | | | and get full-blown diabetes! I'm determined not to be |
| little ones." John DeForest. | | | | one of them. My doctor issued me a meter, to check |
| And for me, all the little ones consist of the following... | | | | my blood sugar every day. I have no intention of using |
| Quitting smoking: I have zero tolerance for smoking | | | | it, because I am determined NOT to get full-blown |
| and smokers! I quit smoking in 1970, while I was in the | | | | diabetes! It took discipline and will-power to lose the |
| Air Force, and in 2008, I have not touched a cigarette | | | | weight and to quit smoking...and it's going to take the |
| in 38 years, and don't plan to. I have not touched any | | | | same to do battle against diabetes. |
| other tobacco products such as cigars; pipes or | | | | Diabetes is so serious, that I was not happy about only |
| chewing tobacco as well. | | | | one opinion at the VA. Because I am eligible for |
| For those of you who want to quit smoking, I can tell | | | | Medicare, I joined a health plan at a local hospital, to get |
| you from experience, that quitting smoking is the easy | | | | a second opinion. The bad news, was that the second |
| part. Next, comes the mess you've created...inside your | | | | doctor agreed with the first doctor about the |
| body by smoking, etc. All the sludge; the pollution; the | | | | pre-diabetes. But, the good news was that there was |
| tar and no telling what else you put into your body | | | | improvement since my last blood test. Things have |
| probably for years...all that has to be cleansed! | | | | leveled off and one number has even gone down...so |
| Because your body is now so weakened by smoking, | | | | that's an improvement! At this time, I'm taking no |
| you are now vulnerable to disease; bacteria; and | | | | medication, and I have another blood test scheduled |
| viruses, etc. All this is going to take time...probably | | | | for mid-December, 2008. I hope to see more |
| years. | | | | improvement. But, when it comes to sweet thngs, |
| Next...comes the temptation factor, to go back to | | | | temptation will be my number one enemy and my |
| smoking again, after you struggled to quit in the first | | | | constant companion!peer-pressure; (definition); a term |
| place! Millions of people across the United States fail | | | | describing the pressure exerted by a peer group, in |
| here, as they go back to smoking months or years | | | | encouraging a person to change their attitude; behavior; |
| later! They didn't have the discipline or will-power it took | | | | morals to conform; |
| to quit for good, which is a shame! | | | | Peer-pressure is not just for teen-agers. The ugly face |
| "No one is as poor as the ignorant person." Hebrew | | | | of peer-pressure, will follow us all to the grave, by |
| proverb | | | | those who want us to change direction in our lives for |
| Weight loss: I lost 40 pounds in 2001, and in 2008, I | | | | the negative! So, find the discipline and the will-power |
| have not gained the weight back. The hardest thing for | | | | you will need, to stay on track in your life and in a |
| me, was the patience I needed to succeed. I had to be | | | | positive way. |
| patient...to lose the weight slowly...as to not gain it back | | | | Criminal activity: How are eight (8) educated people, |
| again, and it took me about a year to do the job. In the | | | | tempted to get involved in criminal activity? I live in |
| year 2008...many people don't have patience. They | | | | Albuquerque, New Mexico (USA), and I've been |
| want to throw down a bottle of snake-oil at bedtime, | | | | following this case for the last two years. It's |
| and expect to be 40 pounds lighter when they wake | | | | unbelievable to me, how some people, who make a |
| up in the morning! We're talking about the dreamers of | | | | good living, can ruin their lives, and it all starts with |
| the world! | | | | temptation. |
| Having a little experience in this area as well...losing | | | | "Opportunity may knock only once...but temptation |
| weight was the easy part...after all...it took me about a | | | | leans on the doorbell." Author unknown |
| year to do the job. Next, comes the temptation factor, | | | | It all started several years ago, with the construction of |
| which is a life-long ordeal, in which I have to deal with. I | | | | the new county courthouse building. Eight people had |
| have a sweet-tooth like my mother, and that makes it | | | | their hands in the cookie jar, to bilk the taxpayers of |
| doubly worse! There isn't a week that goes by, that I | | | | 4.2 million dollars! As of the middle of October, 2008...7 |
| would like to back up a truck, and empty the shelves | | | | of the 8 people pleaded guilty...which include an |
| at the donut store down the street...but I can't! | | | | ex-Mayor of Albuquerque; an attorney; an engineer; an |
| (sob-sob!) | | | | architect, a courthouse administrator, etc. All await |
| If I want to stay at 170 pounds, I'll have to have the | | | | sentencing be the judge in the case later in 2008. |
| discipline and will-power it's going to take to fight off | | | | Aside from greed...what could possibly motivate or |
| temptation for the rest of my life. I'll have to fight off | | | | tempt somebody to do something like this...right under |
| temptation, not to gain the weight back...just like I had to | | | | the noses of the court system; the Legislature and the |
| fight temptation not to start smoking again, etc. This is | | | | taxpayer's. What? The attorney is Hispanic, and grew |
| a life-long adventure...or miss-adventure as the case | | | | up in the poor side of town; went to college and got an |
| may be.will-power; (definition); control of one's impulses; | | | | education and practiced law for over 35 years and |
| self-control | | | | was respected in the community. He was also a |
| Pre-diabetes: In 2008, I have been battling with | | | | Senator in the N.M. Legislature and a president of a |
| elevated sugar (glucose) for about three years now, | | | | small university. But, things changed for him rather |
| and two doctors have told me that I have something | | | | quickly... |
| called pre-diabetes. This will be another challenge for | | | | Now, he stood in front of a federal judge...not as an |
| me, and it's going to take discipline, will-power and | | | | attorney...but as a small nickel/dime thief...a crook and a |
| life-style changes to win this one. As I said earlier, I | | | | felon...who tried to cheat the taxpayers! He betrayed |
| have a sweet-tooth like my mother, so winning this | | | | the trust, not only to his family...but to the taxpayers as |
| one will be tough! In the area of sweet | | | | well. |
| things...temptation is everywhere...at the grocery store; | | | | Would you give up your freedom for many years; |
| the donut shop; the drug store, etc. And, I also have to | | | | your reputation; your trustworthiness; your honor; your |
| deal with the foods, that the body turns naturally into | | | | respect; your kids; your grand-kids; and your dignity for |
| sugar for the body, etc. | | | | a measly $600,000? It is true what they say about |
| Diabetes is a horrible disease, and it is the #3 killer | | | | money..."it's the root of all evil." And, crime almost |
| behind heart disease and cancer! One of my aunts | | | | always starts with temptation! |
| died from diabetes, but before she died, she went blind | | | | |