Last weekend (over the 4th of July), James and I went to visit my family in Pennsylvania. While we always love visiting with my parents, “little” brother, and grandmother, this trip was especially special because my cousin Molly and her two girls (Rebeka and Rachel) spent some time with us too!
July 10, 2009
June 7, 2009
Natural Remedies Work
Natural remedies work. My wife was on four long-term, daily medications, some for nearly a decade. She is now on zero. All symptoms are either completely gone or much better than they were with the medications.
If you are considering trying a natural alternative to your current medical solutions, do it. If you have not yet considered natural alternatives, start seriously considering them. As you do, consider a few important guiding principles:
Progress carefully–there is as much nonsense in the realm of natural alternatives as there is truth. We tried a number of things for my wife. Some worked. Some did not. Some were spectacular. Some were unrealistic in the real world. But most of the best ones were amazingly straightforward and quite doable.
Be patient–you did not develop health issues overnight, and you will not eliminate them overnight either. But with time and proper application of good judgment, your health with natural solutions will likely be better than with mainstream solutions. It took just over six months to get my wife off all medications. It took over a year to fully identify precisely what worked and what did not.
Be your own doctor–mainstream solutions are one-size-fits all. This allows them to be used on many people in a way that is financially viable for large industries. In contrast, natural solutions must be tuned to your individual needs. Books, friends, and experts in natural remedies can help, but ultimately, no one knows you like you. You must watch what your various attempts at natural remedies do for you. Be ready to let go of those that don’t work for you. Keep doing those things that do. In the end, you must find your own collection of personal remedies.
Let’s get into how it all works…
March 5, 2009
March 3, 2009
Punta Arenas, Chile
February 26th brought us to Chile. We had another clear day for our excursion. This was the day we would (finally) get to see penguins on their own turf. Granted, we had seen several penguins on previous days, but they were all at least six decks down and who knows how many feet out from the ship. It had been joyful to see these flightless birds in their element, flying through the water and waves. Yet, I was eagerly awaiting the time when we could see them on land and in a colony. (Not to mention the fact that both James and I would likely be shot if we didn’t return to work with lots of penguin pictures!) This day would take us to a colony of Magellanic penguins.
A Geek by Any Other Name…
I am sure there is a passenger aboard this ship who thinks my name is “Geek.” Let me explain why… but first, some background…
February 28, 2009
Ushuaia, Argentina
On February 25th (my little brother’s birthday), we found ourselves in Ushuaia, which is located along the Beagle Channel on the Argentinean side. Actually, seeking solace from the stormy weather at sea, we had docked the night prior. We later learned that when the ship’s doors opened around midnight, 550 members of the crew poured out onto the dock, eager for some free time on land. 
Apparently, at 5 o’clock in the morning, there were still 100 crew members out on the town! Our day in Ushuaia (pronounced oo-shoo-I-ya) was a clear, sunny day – a nice break from the drizzle of the previous few days.
February 27, 2009
Cape Horn and Beagle Channel
February 24th dawned foggy and cool. We had successfully made the crossing of Drake Passage the previous day and anchored overnight against South America as protection against the stormy seas. The morning of the 24th, we weighed anchor and set out to circle Cape Horn as our “scenic cruising” for the day.
February 25, 2009
The Bottom of the World
Antarctica.
While we didn’t get to set foot on the continent, I feel like I can say I’ve been there. I’m sure there is a much larger experience to be had, trekking through the glaciers and the inner reaches of the ice-covered land…but we’re not *that* adventurous, and we did have some good weather days where we got pretty close to the coastline and got a taste of what Antarctica has to offer.
February 20, 2009
Stanley, Falkland Islands
In the two days at sea since leaving Uruguay, we sailed through “Rough” waters, according to the informational “From the Bridge” channel on our TV. It wasn’t worse than anything I’ve been in previously, so I can happily report that there was no seasickness experienced by either of us – just some drunken-like-walking and a nice rocking-to-sleep.
February 18, 2009
Montevideo and Juanico, Uruguay
On Sunday, February 15th, we anchored in Montevideo, Uruguay. The excursion we chose was a bus tour of Montevideo and then a wine tasting at Juanico Winery. We had a great tour guide. His name is Jorge, though he said his mother calls him “George”. He told us all kinds of tidbits about Uruguay such as how they got their independence, the four main characteristics of Uruguayans, etc.
