Goodwill Carlos

Tis the season to give...

2011-12-12T15:11:00.002-07:00

This Friday is the last day to donate your Gently Used Sporting Equipment to the Children in need this Holiday season.

Some of you have already made a donation, some of you are looking for items to donate around your house, and for those minutes invested in finding those items I, and MINI Deeds, Thank You!

Remember that for every item that you donate, your name gets entered into a Draw to win a $1,000 Shopping Spree at CrossIron Mills Mall! These items will help make the lives of young Calgarians in need that much brighter this holiday season!

This Friday, we'll be at SportChek in the Crowfoot Shopping Centre in the NW between 1 and 4 pm collecting your donations.

MINI Deeds, an All4 All-Wheel Drive MINI Countryman Perfect for the Calgary Winter Weather, can hold a lot of items and is our goal to Stuff it to the point that I have to put items on my co-pilot's seat!

Safe without a Safety Net: MINI Driver Training

2011-12-12T14:53:00.008-07:00

There’s a lot to be grateful for if you’re driving a modern MINI. Thanks to the electronic assistance systems, driving really is safer and more relaxed nowadays. For example, when a big rock suddenly tumbles into your way, right in the middle of the curve, do you brake? Of course, instinctively. But what if the distance is much too short to fully stop in time? No need to worry — the antilock brake system maintains unflappable control and applies maximum braking in the MINI. In the process you only feel a slight vibration under the sole of your right foot. Evasive maneuver? You might be more likely to tear out the steering wheel from fear. After all, everything happens within the fraction of a second. Out of the corner of your eye you might still see the DSC lamp in the display briefly flicker, but by that time, the dangerous situation has already passed and the MINI has rolled on to safety. The short activity of the stability control system has prevented worse things from happening. After an experience like that, you can roll along unharmed to the next parking lot and tend to some important needs — like breathing deeply.

© MINI

Some say the old days were better. But after the initial moment of shock, this statement has to be rethought considering the life-saving technology of your car. How would the whole thing have been run through in a less modern vehicle? Differently. While in today's cars the electronic assistants quietly do their job, on classic cars without electronics it depends a lot more on the abilities of the guy or gal behind the wheel. Situations have to be assessed in the blink of an eye and the appropriate action taken. Otherwise, there lies threat of disaster. Does this mean that driving a Classic Mini is dangerous? Of course not. You should just carefully test your own abilities behind the wheel and then practice, practice, practice. Carefree driving fun comes with good experience.

© MINI

Where to practice carefree exploration of the limits of the driver and the vehicle without a net? Where in the world can you get an opportunity to make a controlled error without having to pay the consequences with your own MINI… or worse — your health?

© MINI

At MINI! Following the success of the first Classic Mini driver training courses last year, the MINI Clubs International Office has done it again by adding a course for advanced drivers. Here participants are playfully introduced to these kinds of situations at high speed with their own classic Mini. And that looks like this:

And since no one can expect to get it right the first time, the participants are not kept on a short leash during the spectacular exercises, but instead are provided with excellent advice by experienced instructors on how to stay on track even without modern assistance systems.

© MINI

Interested? Then why not send an email right away with the subject "Classic Mini Driver Training" to miniclubs-international-office@minispace.com. You'll automatically receive information right away on the MCIO driver training courses. However, there is one restriction. These training courses are currently only being offered in Germany.

*Source: MINI Source

How much load can a MINI Countryman Hold?

2011-12-12T14:40:00.004-07:00

Take a look at this picture...

Here's what you should see:

1) 1 Table
2) 2 Station Pull-Ups
3) 1 Mountain Bike
4) 2 Skis
5) 2 Ski poles
6) 2 Ski Boots
7) 1 Chair (the second one was a loaner chair from the Calgary Farmers' Market)
8) 2 Station Flags (set-up outside of the Calgary Farmers' Market)
9) 2 Station Flag Stands
10) 2 45 lbs weights to hold down the Station Flags
11) 1 Boom Box to play the KooL Tunes
12) 1 Draw Box for Prince Concert Tickets
13) 4 pairs of Ice Skates

and it all fits without a problem in MINI Deeds... And I still had room for more!

We still need your help! Go to www.minicalgary.ca and MINI Deeds & I will come over to your house or work to pick up all your genlty used sporting equipment for kids in need!

To all my friends & neighbors...

2011-11-30T14:44:00.007-07:00

By now, you've probably heard on the radio or seen on my facebook page that we're trying to stuff MINI Deeds, an All4 All-Wheel Drive MINI Countryman, with as many gently used sporting goods as possible for young Calgarians in need of a brighter and more fun holiday season.

Some of you have already made a donation, some of you are looking for items to donate around your house, and for those minutes invested in finding those items I, and MINI Deeds, Thank You!

But, we're not done yet! Start sorting out thru all your things and get ready. MINI Deeds and I will be at the Calgary Farmers' Market this Friday from 8am to 1pm taking all the Gently Used Sporting Equipment that you wish to donate. And if you're amongst the first 50 people to stop by to drop off your donations, The Main Dish will supply a small meal of Chilli or Medium Salad!

Take a look around your house, in the garage, or that closet that everyone is afraid to open and look for any gently used sporting equipment that is lying around not being used. We'll be more than happy to pick those up from you at home, or at work!

All you have to do is fill this form and we'll be more than happy to pick those up from you! Or, if you want to stop by MINI Crowfoot and drop them off in person you can do that too! But I highly encourage you let the Winter Driving to us...

Don't forget about the best part! For each donation that you make, we'll have your name entered into a draw for a $1,000 shopping spree at CrossIron Mills Mall! How's that for a Holiday financial relief!?

Everyone loves a good video...

2011-11-30T14:32:00.004-07:00

This one is kinda funny & mean at the same time.

This one shows how I feel about Winter Driving in the MINI Countryman... Winter, Bring it on!

This one... Well, this one is just too good not to share if you ask me.

Winter Clean-up!

2011-11-22T15:31:00.007-07:00

You've probably heard that we're trying to stuff MINI Deeds, a MINI Countryman with a heart-of-gold, with as many gently used sporting goods as possible for young Calgarians in need of a brighter & more fun holiday season.

Take a look around your house, in the garage, or that closet that everyone is afraid to open and look for any gently used sporting equipment that is lying around not being used. We'll be more than happy to pick those up from you at home, or at work!

All you have to do is fill this form and we'll be more than happy to pick those up from you! Or, if you want to stop by MINI Crowfoot and drop them off in person you can do that too!

View Larger Map

And the best part is, that for each donation that you make, we'll have your name entered into a draw for a $1,000 shopping spree at CrossIron Mills Mall! How's that for a Holiday financial relief!?

Start sorting out thru all your things and get ready. MINI Deeds & I will be at the Calgary Farmers' Market on Friday December 2nd from 8am - 1pm taking all your donations. If you stop by during your lunch hour to drop off your donations, The Main Dish will supply a small meal (lasagna) for the first 50 people that stop by and make a donation!!!

Every MINI has a story to tell...

2011-11-22T15:13:00.007-07:00

The Story of a MINI Cooper S Called Mile-Eater

It's always the same, isn't it? At the start things can't go quickly enough. You nervously shift your weight from one foot to the other, waiting impatiently until the bothersome formalities have been taken care of just so the dealer can finally do it - give you that coveted and long-awaited key. Then you only hear "drive carefully" way in the back of your head, because it's finally time. There it is, our MINI. Now it's time to unlock the car, open the door, get in, adjust the seat position, briefly pause, experience joy, buckle up, check briefly the mirrors you've just adjusted, insert the key in the ignition, start the engine, engage the gear and roll off. The "mile-eating" can begin, because regardless of whether it's a new or a used MINI, for the first time it's all your own, and now the identity of your very mobile self. It's part of your life—part of a car life.

But wait. How long does a car life actually last? 30,000 miles, 60,000 miles or even 120,000 miles? And in what amount of time can these distances be covered? In three, seven, or even 10 or more years? These are questions that some MINI owners might not have ask themselves when buying their Hatch, Clubman, Convertible, Countryman, Coupé or Roadster. And why would they? After all, it's ultimately a matter of collecting as many miles of entertainment as possible in order to experience as much as possible with your MINI.

And that's also how our friend Michi saw it. When he picked up his brand new MINI Cooper S at the dealer in the summer of 2002, the young man from Switzerland would have hardly believed it possible that it would be just under 10 years and no less than 162,263 miles before he would pass on his dream car to a new MINI enthusiast. Of course, the MINI fan from Winterthur experienced a lot in this time with his Electric Blue Cooper S—far too much in fact to describe all the details here. But fortunately, our Michi is a true Swiss citizen and they are, of course, said to possess a certain degree of meticulousness. It therefore came as no surprise that our Michi was able to present very special statistics on his mile-eater, which both amazed us and on more than one occasion elicited a grin. But read for yourself.

- Countries traveled: Switzerland, Italy, France, Austria, Germany and the Netherlands.
- Pit stops for fuel: 469
- Tire wear: 12 sets
- Changed to winter tires: 8x
- Changed to summer tires: 7x
- Trips to the bakery for weekend breakfasts: 632
- Parking in front of the supermarket: 567
- Police inspections: 4
- Speed limit exceeded unpunished: countless
- Speed limit exceeded punished: 3
- Killed insects: 6,201,557
- Times slept in the MINI: 3
- Scraped ice from the windows: 125 frosty mornings
- Waved to another MINI: 5,641
- Moved with the MINI: twice

Of course, it was painful for Michi when he sold his MINI to another pair of good hands at the beginning of 2010, but he remained true to his favorite brand and has already clocked over 50,000 miles on the odometer of his new companion. However, what's left of his beloved mile-eater are the many memories he collected together with the miles in the MINI. Whether they are good or bad memories, only Michi knows. But one thing is clear: For most of us, a MINI is not just a car, but much, much more. And that's why you should tell us your story. We're looking forward to hearing it. What kind of miles have you eaten with your MINI?

*Source: MINI Space

Let's get 'stuffing'!

2011-11-07T14:55:00.004-07:00

We're trying to help make the lives of young Calgarians in need brighter & more fun this holiday season. It's for that reason that we're taking all your gently used sporting equipment that is lying around your house, not being used.

MINI Deeds and I will are accepting donations throughout Calgary. You don't have to come to us! We'll come & pick them up from your home or office!

We spent a few hours at Talisman Centre this last Friday, November 4th & we had a good response from both Talisman Centre and people that we talked to in regards to this event! If you live in the North West of Calgary, you can also drop your donations off directly at MINI Crowfoot!

If you wish to schedule a pick-up of donations, contact MINI Deeds and I by filling out this form and we'll be more than happy to pick them up!

And the KooL thing about this is that for very item you donate, your name gets entered into a draw to win a $1,000 Shopping Spree at CrossIron Mills Mall!

On behalf of MINI Deeds, myself, KooL 101.5, & MINI Crowfoot thank you for helping make Calgary a better place to live.

How smart is your Car?

2011-11-07T14:27:00.013-07:00

Any MINI equipped with MINI Connected allows the driver to simply tuck an iPhone into the built-in USB port making it one with the MINI hi-res cockpit display. That's just the half of it -search for places nearby using Google Local SearchTM, monitor your driving efficiency and even update your Facebook and Twitter status on the move. See MINI Connected in the new film and get an overview of all the current and up coming functionalities.

Our new film shows just how intuitively and safely this game-changing feature works. A powerful tool for communications and social networking, MINI Connected unites trailblazing in-car technology with a groundbreaking app that can be downloaded to the driver's iPhone, turning the MINI into a thoroughly wired telecommunications and infotainment control center. The technology takes car-smartphone integration to an unprecedented level, and promises to deliver an ever-growing list of features in the form of app upgrades and extensions as available technologies and social networking capabilities develop.

Because the new technology required a film quite unlike any other that MINI has done before, the MINI Connected Team searched out a crew that could bring the groundbreaking technology's intuitive, powerful and polished feel to the screen. What they found was a crew of passionate pros at Red Gate Films who live for bringing cutting-edge gear like this to life. We had a chat with David Bousquet, director and cinematographer on the project to get a feel for what went into the project.

The work of his team really brings the world of MINI Connected into the cockpit. Carefully crafting 3D models and introducing them seamlessly both into and outside the cabin of the MINI Countryman required a great deal of patience, time - and a full film crew tiptoeing around in their socks (apparently 3D models and pitch black studios are pretty sensitive environments).
Ok, so what can it do? Eight features are currently available today with more exciting features to come this summer!

Connectivity: MINI Connected lets you stay synched to local news sources via customizable RSS feeds and your social network 24/7 by receiving Facebook and Twitter status updates as text on the dash display. Post your destinations, estimated arrival times and more to Twitter with preset tweets. You can even watch video podcasts uploaded to your iPhone right in-dash.

Navigation: Need to find the nearest gas station? Laundromat? Mexican restaurant? Just use Google Local SearchTM as simply as you normally would when using your iPhone to get around, or use the Google Send-to-CarTM function, allowing Google MapsTM to link up with the in-car navigation system of your MINI to give you detailed driving directions to wherever you need to go. Friends can even send you directions - right to the car.

Driving Efficiency: The MINIMALISM Analyzer records driving data that will personally help you environmentally streamline your driving style in a way that's as fun to use as it is earth-friendly. This function will record a range of data from your drive - like acceleration, gear changes and braking - displaying it in real time, ranking your stats with a star system. You can then assess the efficiency of your road technique from journey to journey, comparing online and competing with other users in your quest to become the world's greenest MINI driver.

Vehicle Interaction: Coming this summer the Mission Control** module will give you the ability to interact directly with your car. Your MINI will let you know outside air temperatures, or give you a friendly reminder to fasten your seatbelt and other situation-dependent messages. You can finally give your MINI the character and personality you always knew it had with options like, a choice of language versions and driving modes.

Music: MINI Connected can also use your iPhone to stream webradio stations from anywhere in the world - utilizing the familiar controls of the MINI audio system - giving you a prime opportunity to get acquainted with the four pre-programmed MINI Sounds Webradio stations. You can download the app and use it for webradio even if you don't have a MINI. US drivers will be able to customize their favorite Pandora* stations by directly controling the Pandora iPhone app. This summer you'll be able to rock out with an innovative new feature called Dynamic Music**. Taking the audio interactivity of MINI Connected one step further: specialized songs will allow the music coming out of your car stereo to respond directly to your driving style, so you can mix your own soundtrack as you drive. Step on it to kick up the BPM, or relax your driving style to hear more chilled-out beats.

*Source MINI Space

Want some cake... Better yet, Want a REALLY GOOD CAKE?

2011-10-31T11:03:00.007-06:00

This weekend I made a "Pastel de Tres Leches" or "Tres Leches Cake" for a friend's birthday party & it was all gone by the end of the night, I guess that's a good review. It's named for the three milks in the soaking liquid (Leche means milk in Spanish.) The three milks in the soaking sauce for Tres Leches are sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk and heavy cream. The heavy cream is also whipped up to use as the topping. Due to the rich ingredients and that it is soaked in a creamy syrup, Tres Leches Cake is extremely dense and moist, almost like a custard.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour, 5 minutes

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups cake flour
1 pinch salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/3 cup oil
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 large eggs
1/2 cup whole milk

Preparation:
Combine flour and baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, combine the oil, sugar, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Add the eggs to the sugar mixture one at a time until well combined. Stir in the 1/2 cup of milk, then gently fold in the flour mixture a little at a time.
Pour batter into a lightly greased cake pan or baking dish and bake at 325 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until it feels firm and an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Let the cake cool until it feels room temperature. Turn it over onto a platter with raised edges. Pierce cake throughout with a fork or chop-stick about 20-30 times. Let it cool in the refrigerator for an additional 30 minutes.

Cream Syrup

12 oz. evaporated milk
14 oz. sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon rum or brandy (optional, but I like to use rum)
Whisk together the three milks and the rum or brandy if you are using it. Slowly pour the liquid over the cooled cake. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Occasionally, spoon the milk runoff back onto the cake.

Whipped Topping

3/4 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon sugar
In a chilled mixing bowl add heavy cream, vanilla and sugar. Beat on high speed until peaks form. Spread a thin layer over the cak & add toppings. In this case I used Peacans & Cajeta (almost like dulce de leche but better)

Enjoy.

We want your, gently used, Sporting Equipment!

2011-10-28T15:49:00.003-06:00

We need your help. We, MINI Deeds & I, want to help make the lives of young Calgarians in need that much brighter this holiday season. It's for that reason that we need you to donate any/all gently used sporting gear lying around your house, not being used.

MINI Deeds and I will are accepting donations throughout Calgary & we'll even come, to either your home or office, and pick them up!

We'll be at the Talisman Centre on Friday, November 4th. If you have the time, please stop by and drop off your items. You can also drop them off directly at MINI Crowfoot in the North West or contact MINI Deeds and I by filling out this form and we'll be more than happy to pick them up!

On behalf of MINI Deeds, myself, KooL 101.5, & MINI Crowfoot thank you for helping make Calgary a better place to live.

Remember! See you at the Talisman Centre on Friday, November 4!

Take all your friends out for Halloween...

2011-10-28T12:09:00.007-06:00

Of all the members of the holiday family, we all know Halloween is the artist of the bunch. Once a year it casts a spell of mischief on us all, and as we dole out fistfuls of confectionary delights, it doles out liberal doses of creative license in the departments of evening garb and household décor. Everyday things like hairspray, forgotten old clothes, and even the white sheets off your bed have their routine function usurped as they are tossed together in creative ensembles to become the trappings of disguise and entertainment. We don masks and adopt aliases, and we give ourselves up wholeheartedly to the command of our wayward creative spirits.

Being the imaginative community that you are, we suspect you’ve got some clever ideas up your sleeve for this Halloween. What are you dressing up for? But most importantly, how are you getting there? Let your drive down to your friends’ house for Halloween be a fun drive. Get there in a MINI, but don't go alone. Now, you can take all your friends with you.

MINI Reef for the Turtles!!!

2011-10-26T09:41:00.009-06:00

Look at this picture... I'll explain shortly "How did we get here?"

Koh Tao is an island off the coast of Thailand whose name literally translates to "Turtle Island." The aptly named tropical paradise of white sandy beaches shaded by towering palm trees is surrounded by waters positively teeming with some of the world's most fascinating marine life. Hawksbill turtles, barracudas, sting rays, clownfish and whale sharks are just a few examples of the colorful fauna great and small that drift happily through the beautiful coral reefs that characterize Koh Tao's surrounding sapphire seascape.

Not surprisingly, the idyllic spot has become known as a hot destination for expert and amateur divers alike. But the influx of tourism to the area poses a real threat to the equilibrium of Koh Tao's delicate ecosystem, and local conservationists face the perpetual challenge of giving visitors the chance to interact with this island's thrilling array of subaquatic treasures without destroying them in the process.

The cement MINI prepares to leave dry land and begin its aquatic journey.. Enter MINI Thailand and their unique MINI Artificial Coral Reef Project. On August 26th, together with a team of about 30 professional divers, they sank a playful, MINI-themed landscape below the waves at the diver training site of Suan Olan. The project, which was carried out in cooperation with Koh Tao Marine Conservation Group and the local Department of Marine and Coastal Resources, will have the double benefit of providing a habitat for the island's wildlife while giving novice divers a place to practice without interfering with the natural reefs that lie clustered just beyond the coastline.

Just about to launch.. With the help of highly specialized equipment like crane ships and air balloons, the carefully engineered structure was built using cement, a material chosen for its suitability as a base for coral to grow securely. Experts estimate it will remain in place for about 10 years, serving as an unusual attraction for visiting divers and a message for posterity about the importance of protecting the natural beauty we too often take for granted.

Nothing but the great blue above, and many colorful years ahead.. On the following day, their hard work done, everyone who lent a hand in this innovative and special project celebrated into the night with an after party featuring live music and fire dancing. The theme was simple: "Thank You For Loving Koh Tao." Simple, but right on the mark, since in the end what MINI Thailand and all who participated on that day had proven was that when it comes to building a brighter future for sea turtles and other marine life, a little love can go a long way.

*Article taken from the MINI Source

Let's Stuff MINI Deeds!

2011-10-26T09:24:00.003-06:00

We're calling out to all of the Community Heroes out there to donate any gently used sporting goods lying around your house, taking up space and simply not being used. These items will help make the lives of young Calgarians in need that much brighter this holiday season.

There's plenty of schools, charities and other organizations that will most definately give these items a good use. We want to make sure that kids in need live fun, healthy, active lives. Until the holiday season ends, MINI Deeds and I will be accepting donations throughout Calgary.

Find our next location here on our blog and drop off your items wherever you find us on location. You can also drop them off directly at MINI Crowfoot or contact MINI Deeds and Carlos by filling out this form and we'll be more than happy come to your office or home to pick them up!

On behalf of MINI Deeds, myself, KooL 101.5, & MINI Crowfoot thank you for helping make Calgary a better place to live.

Find us at the Talisman Centre on Friday, November 4!

What do I do for a living?

2011-03-18T21:26:00.003-06:00

When I came to Calgary as an exchange student from the Universidad Autonoma de Baja California. I left home as Carlos A. Cuevas C. My first day of College at Mount Royal College my soon to be best bud gave me the name that I was known for throughout my college years. Carlos From Mexico.
Things happened and time took it's course. I started working for CKCE FM and 9 months after I started working for them I became an on-air personality amongst other things. I take care of remote broadcast, social media, some of the image content for our website, public relations & what ever other little thing that needs to get taken care of.
Soon after I became a full time employee as the Goodwill Ambassador for CKCE FM I had to get a new on-air name that tied in to my tittle, Goodwill Carlos came to light... I know, genius!
When I go home back to Mexico, my friends & family ask me what do I do for a living?! It's kinda complex. I go to events that we plan at the radio station, I meet lots of people. Sometimes I change a tire for compete estrangers, buy random people coffee at the drive thru lines, give away random items depending on the time of the year or just give away hugs & I talk about it on the radio... I guess that the easiest way to explain it, is... I make people happy or at the very least, try to brighten up their day....
I'm very lucky that I get to do this for a living. I'm very lucky to call myself, Goodwill Carlos and to work at KooL 101.5

My Dog?

2011-01-24T12:08:00.002-07:00

People asked me a few times, what would my Dog be when I get a Dog... Akita is the Dog I want.

Here is why.

In the early 1900's two events occurred that focused positive attention on the breed. One of them was the story of Hachi-Ko, one of the most revered Japanese Akitas of all time. Hachi-Ko was owned by Professor Eizaburo Ueno of Tokyo. Everyday the Professor would commute to work on the the train from Shibuya Station. Hachi-Ko would accompany his master to the station each morning and meet him and accompany him home each night.

On May 25, 1925, when the dog was 18 months old, he waited for his master's arrival on the four o'clock train. But he waited in vain; Professor Ueno had suffered a fatal stroke at work. Hachi-Ko continued to wait for his master's return. He traveled to and from the station each day for the next nine years. He allowed the professor's relatives to care for him, but he never gave up his vigil at the station for his master. His vigil became world renowned, and shortly after his death, a bronze statue was erected at the train station in his honor.

Thanks to Mike Shannon for passing on this story after our little chat about dogs early this AM

Do you want a MINI for a Weekend?

2010-10-27T11:19:00.005-06:00

We are currently playing Where is Charlie! Is the easiest way to win a MINI for a weekend!

Spot MINI Charlie around town and you could be our next winner!

Ever heard of "Where's Waldo?" Play our game called "Where's Charlie" and you could win a MINI for a weekend plus a candy bouquet from Bloom'a'licious valued at over $100 dollars!

Here is how it works:

1. Spot MINI Charlie anywhere - motoring around town, parked on the street, at a mall - if you spot him it counts!

2. Fill out the form located at adoptamini.ca and include your snapshot, the date and the location you spotted Charlie.

I'm even giving out clues on where and how to spot him! :)

From Twitter:

@Darlinglilred to @Goodwill_Carlos when I was driving home from work on Friday I drove by you in your KooL MINI Charlie headed onto Crowchild from 11

@JohnCornegge to @Goodwill_Carlos I saw your mini 1 minute ago! Crowchild taking the exit to Garrison Green :-)

From Facebook:

Lisa Gayle Hey Carlos! Make me a mini driver....do you think Minnie Driver drives a MINI? Happy Friday!

RE:
Carlos Cuevas Hi Lisa! You can win a MINI experience for a weekend from Mini Crowfoot all you need to do is play Where's Charlie! Spot him around the city at any time at any place on any day, take a picture and send it to adoptamini.ca for your chance to win! The MINI Experience for a weekend also comes with a Gift Basket from Bloom'a'licious!

-----

Carlos Cuevas Taking MINI Charlie to his first scary movie tonight. We're at Chinook Mall watching Paranormal Activity 2. He is right outside the theaters.

RE:
Ivy Tristan Hint hint hahaha im going to find him
Carlos Cuevas Good luck... He's easy to spot...

*Must be 18 years or older to win.

This is my idea of how your picture should look... it doesn't have to, but it would be nice... :)

Topless!

2010-10-19T16:02:00.002-06:00

Oh, man! It seems like almost yesterday when we got all the donations to our adopted family from the McMan foster care program, and it seems like making people happy is what MINI does best! Weather you are the proud (and happy) owner of a MINI or if you are the one receiving a small gesture of gratitude from a MINI owner, we are always trying to make people happy.

Lately I’ve been driving into downtown with MINI Charlie and I can’t help drive with the top down. Yes, the temperature outside marks 3.5ºC but if you drive a MINI Convertible you want to take advantage of the littlest ray of sun you can find in the sky. My wife is not a big fan of driving around with the top down because it messes up her hair. So, I got her a small portable hair brush for her to carry around in her purse. I thought that would allow me to take advantage of the MINI convertible, but it didn’t quite worked out the way I planed.

So if you see MINI Charlie & I driving around the city quickly reach for your cell phone and snap a picture email it to Charlie@adoptamini.ca or loaded up to our website www.adoptamini.ca with the day, time and location you saw us. You could win a MINI experience for a weekend.

Where's Charlie?!?!

2010-10-19T15:35:00.001-06:00

I have to say that I’m really grateful for my friends, my wife had to go to Vancouver for the thanksgiving weekend and I was left home alone. First on Saturday of the thanksgiving weekend my friends “The Dew’s” invited me over to spent thanksgiving with them alongside “The Coleman-Smith”, Brett & Cameron and then on Sunday I went to momma Wilde’s house for thanks giving and met more people from her family. I have to come clean… on both days I had the turkey sweats and I think at some point I had to loosen my belt… and it wasn’t until I got in to MINI Charlie that he kinda hinted at me oh so subtle with an audible alarm that I should probably try and loose some of that turkey weight… So we thought that I wasn’t the only one in the city with that problem after the long weekend. We talked to the guys at Bikram Yoga NW in the community of Varsity and we gave away for the day session passes for people to try Hot Yoga.

MINI Charlie also wanted to try it. I have to say I never thought he would actually be able to do some of the movements that yoga requires, but that’s to show that MINI will fit any active lifestyle. It doesn’t matter if you wanna go snowboarding or play soccer or hockey… you can fit all your gear in the MINI, he showed me as I drove home from a friends house this weekend with my wife, my sister-in-law and my snowboard!

If you see MINI Charlie driving around town or at an event, take a picture and email it to Charlie@adoptamini.ca or simply take it to our website www.adoptamini.ca to play Where’s Charlie with us… you could win a MINI for a weekend and a basket from our friends from Bloom’a’licious… That’s KooL and Sweet!

Gobble, Gobble!

2010-10-19T14:41:00.003-06:00

I have to say that I’m truly grateful for the last couple of weeks for 2 things. We had awesome weather and we got good donations for MINI Charlie’s foster family. During the first week we where down at Silverado and I remember a lady (teacher by the name of Melanie) stopped by and made a Big Donation. 2 Full Shopping bags, one with clothing and one with non-perishable food items for our family, also, one smaller gift bag with a few toys and a couple of GC’s and this was all from her! I was really grateful and I thank her a lot for taking the time for gathering this donations and stopping by to drop them off. At the end of the donation drive we got our MINI family around $500 dlls worth of donations! Between the personal donations from our listeners, the CrossIron Mills Mall and store gift cards, the Safeway gift cards, Subway, McDonald’s and Tim Horton’s donations I was really happy with the result and I’m sure that our foster family was really grateful.

Hotmail on iPhone/iPod Touch???

2010-10-12T15:20:00.009-06:00

YES!!! It only took a little time of playing around here and there with the options and with the Magic of the internet to find a way to make this work!

I just got my own @hotmail.ca account :) and I wanted to set it up on my iPhone 4... it is possible even if the option is not right there when you try to add a new email account... just follow this easy steps and you are good to go...

Simply go to settings on your iphone

Go to settings, create a new mail account.

Enter your basic information
Name - First & Last Name
User Name - YourEmail@live.ca or YourEmail@live.com
Your Password - *******
Description - Name

Now in the next page, Select POP not IMAP

POP account information
Name - First & Last Name
Address YourEmail@live.ca or YourEmail@live.com
Description - Name

Incoming mail server
Host Name - pop3.live.com
User Name YourEmail@live.ca or YourEmail@live.com specify the email! wont work with just the username!
Password - *******

Out going mail server
SMTP.live.com
No need to add username and password here!

save it- it will ask you "wana proceed without ssl?" Say no, then save & save again.

Then go to Outgoing Mail Server> Primary Server> SSL ON. Port must be 587

Then go to advanced >incoming settings> SSL ON> Server Port 995

Please Check with your service provider to make sure you have the right data plan to avoid surprise overages in you bill.

Let me know how it goes... Good Luck!

Carlos

Adopt a Family...

2010-10-05T10:48:00.002-06:00

Earlier in the year I adopted a MINI Cooper from MINI Crowfoot and named him Charlie after my own name - Carlos translates to Charlie, Chuck or Charles in English - We have become inseparable. I like to believe that he is having a life just as awesome as I am and that his MINI brother & MINI sisters are really excited for us.

Thanksgiving is just around the corner and MINI Charlie told me he wants to give back to the community. After all, Calgary has given him so much over the past 6 months. In the spirit of giving, Charlie found out that nowadays there were still lots of families that needed a bit of TLC, too. So... Charlie and I came up with a plan. "We're going to adopt a family for this thanks giving!"

We enlisted the help of McMan Charlie & I are collecting donations until Friday for a special foster family, and we need your help Calgary!

This family has 6 Children (5 of them are foster children) that range between the age of 6 - 19 years of age. And trust me when I say this, they will appreciate any donations you can muster. From a Gift Card for any grocery store to a Gift Card from any other house hold store like Walmart, Zeller, Co-Op. It would be helpful because they can be used for everything from household good to children's toys & School Supplies.

How can you help out? Go to adoptamini.ca and fill out our donation form and schedule a pick-up date. Charlie & I will drive out and pick-up all the donations to help this family have a Thanksgiving like no other. Please know that your contribution will make a significant difference for one family in need this Thanksgiving.

MINI Blizzards for everyone!

2010-09-23T09:36:00.004-06:00

It all started with MINI Charlie having a craving for a MINI Blizzard! "They are the perfect size" he said. So we decided to treat as many people as we could in Calgary to a MINI Blizzard!

Being in the south part of the city was great! I was really unsure about how big of a reaction we would have based on the weather. Man, did we ever pick the right location! I decided to follow Charlie's suggestion and make a few extra GC's just in case. Probably 20 minutes before 4 I was out of GC's!

The interaction with the people is amazing! Charlie love's getting his picture taken with everyone, and people love Charlie!

"We saw Charlie at the corner and we where sure you where here."

But people, please be aware that MINI Charlie isn't pretty, he isn't Cutre. Sorry let me elaborate. A listener walked up to me and told me:

"Wow, Charlie is so Pretty!" and I had to reply... "He's not pretty, he's AWESOME!"

This Friday we'll be on Stephen Ave hanging out with the rest of his friends from the Dilawri Automotive Group, and we'll have tons of prizes to give away. Make sure you stop in by between 11 and 4 to get your hands on some Free SWAG and to take a look at MINI Charlie!

PS. MINI Charlie's Blizzard Flavor... Strawberry with Golden Oreo Cookies... Delish!

MINI - Tailgate Part-A!

2010-09-07T13:31:00.004-06:00

MINI Charlie and I where hanging out at MINI Crowfoot with all his MINI Friends and even his Uncle Matt. MINI Charlie wanted to help some people a great time over the long weekend and he decided to throw his first ever MINI Tailgate Party and give away 2 pairs of Tickets to the Labor Day Classic with some Stamp Bucks to use at the stadium the day of the game but how good is a Tailgate party without Burgers??? So Charlie decided to Keep it MINI and had a buuuunch of gift cards to give away for Mc MINI's!

We got to MINI Crowfoot shortly before 11 am and being the ladies man he is he wanted to get all dolled up and got him self a MINI Spa to look good for all the ladies as he was ready to throw the best MINI Tailgate party ever!

Thanks to everyone that entered thru our site on adoptamini.ca and to all of you that came on down to MINI Crowfoot for some food and to enter to win your Stampede Tickets for the Labour Day Classic. MINI Charlie and I saw the game on the big screen at home and we had a blast! I hope that Penny Covey and that Trevor Zaharechuk, our Draw winners, had a blast at the game!

See you all this Friday on Stephen Ave, as MINI Charlie will be hanging out at the Dilawri Detour. Make sure you stop by and say hi to Charlie. He loves pictures and trust me when I say, you want to get your picture taken with him, you'll thank us in a few weeks. Spot MINI Charlie anywhere, take a picture and tag your self on it on Facebook.

Hot.... Yoga with Bikram Yoga

2010-09-07T13:27:00.004-06:00

Welcome to Erin's Hot Yoga Journey. I’ve recently started attending classes at Bikram Yoga Northwest (located in Varsity). They have three locations…the other two are located in Marda Loop and Midnapore respectively. Before the month of September is through, I’ll be attending classes at all three locations. We’ll wrap things up with a Hot Yoga Party on Saturday October 2nd-your only way “in” is to “win”! You can enter online… hit up kool1015.ca or you can win by listening to my midday show, 9am-3pm weekdays.

The day of my very first Hot Bikram Yoga Class, I was a big bundle of nerves. I’d been told to get myself very hydrated throughout the day-so I drank lots of water. I was also advised NOT to eat a heavy meal prior to the class. In fact, they recommend not eating anything an hour before. About 90 minutes prior, I had a small tin of tuna. A high protein snack is the smart way to go….cottage cheese, peanut butter, etc.

The yoga part of it didn’t scare me……it was the “heat” part of it that had me all worked up. The average room temperature during a Hot Yoga class averages 40° Celsius which is 104° Fahrenheit. HOT!! I was thankful to have our KooL Promotions Director Sonya with me for my first class. She had already attended four hot yoga classes-and was addicted! While patiently waiting outside the HOT yoga room, I met two young women who were also new to the hot yoga experience. They proceeded to tell me that their friend had attended the day before and “had to run out of the room in the middle of the class to puke”. Great. What they had failed to tell me was that their friend had had a huge meal right before their class. Remember?!... that’s a big “no-no”!

For my first class, Cheryl was my instructor (she’s awesome). I placed myself at the back of the class along with the other “newbies”. I immediately was put to ease when Cheryl welcomed all of the new hot yoga participants to the class and added “your challenge for today, is to stay in this room for 90 minutes… even if you don’t do any poses and just lay here, that’s all I ask”. Works for me!

In the middle of the class I did feel like “I can’t do this”… but I put the thought out of my head and soldiered on.

I’m proud to announce that in the end, I did in fact stay in the room for the full 90 minutes AND I attempted every single pose. I will also say, that hot yoga is intense… challenging BUT amazing. For me, it’s a workout for the body AND the mind. I admittedly surprised myself with the thought of being super excited about getting back in that hot room again.

I look forward to experiencing all the hot yoga benefits I keep hearing about… better sleeps, less anxiety, weight loss!! I’m also excited by the support of my co-workers. Our KooL Goodwill Ambassador Carlos (Me!) has already attended two hot yoga classes. KooL afternoon host, Zack will be joining me for a class next week… as well as our KooL Production Director, Rob! Strength in numbers!

Thanks for joining me on my journey… and don’t forget kool1015.ca to find out how you can join me for your Bikram Hot Yoga VIP Experience!

Oh what a ride!!!

2010-08-30T11:07:00.005-06:00

MINI Charlie and I finally got a chance to go on a Day Trip! We wanted to make sure we had some time to reward some kids from the Kids Up Front Program. We wanted tot ake them out to the Calgary Corn Maze and man was the wait worth every minute!

What can I say, Charlie loves ridding with his top down when ever he gets a chance, and last week wasn't the exception. Perfect gorgeous weather and sunny skies.

I love feeling the wind blowing thru my hair when we are on the road, and he knows I love it. If we get stuck in traffic, it's really not aq big deal. We can wait and relax taking some sun and listening to some tunes as loud as we can, sing and have fun on the road.

I know that the kids from Kids Up Front loved seing MINI Charlie because as soonas we got to the Calgary Corn Maze they wanted to get around him and have some pictures taken.

rememeber that you can always go to adoptamini.ca to get all the information you need about Kids Up Front and the Calgary Corn Maze.

Blackberry Bold 9000 White Screen of Death!!!

2010-08-01T01:04:00.004-06:00

Tongiht I had a small panic attack... I did some research and I found the solution for the Blackberry White Screen of Death... at least, it worked on my phone... if it happens to you, give it a try. It might work for you too...

The problem comes from the SD card (for my it was that)

- make a hard reboot (holding ALT + right SHIFT + DEL)
- once the red light off
- open the SD card slot and remove the card
- the system autoboot and the white screen desepears
- Welcome back to the world ...

ps: This happened to me offen when the weather is hot, or when the BBB stays under heavy sun a few minutes

Thanks to "spegase" from crackberry.com

Who would like a Spa GC???

2010-07-29T13:26:00.009-06:00

I finally set aside some time to temporarily leave my Calgary family (MINI Charlie) and went to visit my family in Mexico. As hard as it was to be away from my beloved MINI, it was about time for me to see my family and friends. I knew that the distance away from him for a whole week was going to be hard, and driving another car just wasn't as fun and it felt sort of...wrong... like Cheating!.

During July Charlie & I had a lot of fun. We did crazy things and cool things, helping kids around the city and we ate a lot of pancakes. He even got a new haircut, hari color and New Tattoos! We made a ton of cool memories together that I cherished while I was away. I just couldn’t wait to get back to jump in my MINI , put the top down and ride topless around the city no matter the weather.

While I was down in Disneyland with my wife enjoying our anniversary, I couldn't stop thinking about him. I even found this cool store down in Downtown Disney District called Ride Makerz and I'm not going to lie, I took a picture of one of their MINI's and looked at it for a while... it made me really excited to come back to Calgary and Jump in on my Charlie to go out for another drive.

When I was away I made sure Charlie had the best care possible. I called his Uncle Matt from MINI Crowfoot and I know they had a lot of fun. I just wanted to make sure he was safe and having a good time. His Uncle Matt took great care of him; he even treated him to a MINI Spa! Charlie and I thought it wasn't fair for him not to share this with you Calgary, so he is still giving you a chance to enter to win 1 of 2 Spa GC's. We made it sooo simple! Just go to adoptamini.ca and enter to win. No catch, No Charge! It's Free!

Tomorrow Friday July 30th we are going to be on Stephen Avenue with some of his friends from MINI Crowfoot. Stop on by and say Hi! He loves being where the party is, loves having his picture taken and would love to meet you.

Taking advantage of the long weekend he invited our friends from Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) and we'll be handing out some cool swag for you to show your support. Come visit and say Hi! We'll be there until 4.30!

Fore!

2010-06-24T12:52:00.005-06:00

"Fore!" is shouted as a warning during a golf game when it appears possible that a golf ball may hit other players or spectators. The mention of the term in an 1881 British Golf Museum indicates that the term was in use at least as early as that period. The term means "look ahead", and it is believed to come from the military "beware before", which was shouted when a battery fired behind friendly troops.

I just thought it would be a nice idea to add that little factoid. This last week MINI Charlie and I went to Nevada Bob’s in Signal Hill and because of Fathers day weekend Charlie, being a guy, wanted to make sure we reminded people of the importance of getting checked for prostate cancer. We had the guys from the Prostate Cancer Center join us with the Man Van to give free PSA testing’s to men over 40. We also held the MINI Putt for Prostate fundraiser where we invited people to join us for their chance to win a Loaded Taylor Made Golf bag valued at over $2,000 dlls! We want to thank everyone that came down and donated their time and money and specially all of those guys that got their test done.

While on location people where asking me if it was possible to even fit loaded golf bag in the MINI.

Oh man did I show them!

But of course if you actually put in the golf bags in the MINI the right way you can fit 2 of them! So you and a friend could be ridding the MINI on the Course! Your own Golf Cart! (please do check with your golf course allows you to take the MINI on the course)

I guess they didn’t hear about my Costco and IKEA trip with my whole family story… that day it’s when I cleared out all mi doubts about how much I can fit in a MINI.

This weekend Charlie and I are going to be at Spruce Meadows cheering for all the riders that are joining the Ride to Conquer Cancer. If you want to help the ride but don’t think that you can make the 200 kilometers ride check out our website and you can also check out the Dilawri's Website to find out more ways you can help the ride. Also if you spot us on site make sure you stop by and say hi. Charlie is very giving and doesn’t like to hold back on any of the stuff he has with him at all times!

If you want to help out the Prostate Cancer Centre please check out their website.

Great party, Good food!

2010-06-24T12:00:00.001-06:00

I remember that for my wife’s birthday party we booked the owner’s lounge at our condo building. I wanted to have the authentic Mexican tacos and Salsa’s, but my wife asked me not to do that, she wanted me to have fun and not cook all night for our guests. So I had to come up with a quick and simple plan for food… Best/non-expensive thing I thought of serving was Pizza from Costco! Just heat/bake in the over for 6 minutes and they are done! But, you know pizza has been the hardest thing for me to quit so I had to come up with a plan b for myself. I made myself a whole pizza from the Herbal Magic cook book and before I knew it, people from the party wanted me to let them in on the secret of the Herbal Pizza!

I promised them that I would give them re recipe. So, here it is. You can always tweak it and make it with your own favorite ingredients. I know that this is by far one of my favorite things to make from the cook book. Make it your own and have some fun. That is one of the things I like about Herbal Magic, you get the guidelines and you get to have fun and experiment with your own favorite ingredients.

Ingredients:

1 Flat-Out Wrap
100 gr. Fat Free Deli Meat (Jamón)
1 oz of Cottage Cheese (Queso)
½ cup of Pineapple
1 Cup of Healthy Choice pasta sauce (Salsa de spaguetti marca Healthy Choice)

- Cooking Instructions:

Preheat the over at 400º
Add pasta sauce to your wrap
Slice and then add the deli meat on to the wrap
Slice and then add the pineapple to your wrap
Shred and then add the cheese to your wrap
Slide into oven until the cheese has melted (8 – 10 minutes)

You will enjoy it!

Surprise, Surprise...

2010-06-16T15:59:00.006-06:00

On June 9th I wanted to treat my wife to some nice things due to her 28th birthday, her first birthday together since we got married. If you know me, I mean, really know me. You’d know that I'm the worst at keeping a surprise from my wife. I'm the one that gets too excited and I'll end up giving her hints here and there just so she can guess what it is, and if she can't guess what it is, I'll just bluntly tell her what the surprise is before I have to give it to her.

I woke her up by singing Happy Birthday (Las Mañanitas) and giving her a little cake for her that morning. Then I proceeded to give her her actual gift. Then I made breakfast for her. Later that morning I surprised her at work with a flowers from Modern Petals and Mini Cupcakes from Crave for her to share with her girl friends during her lunch break. Later that evening we went for supper to SKY 360 with my in-laws and I left the most exciting surprise of them all for Saturday night. We hosted a birthday party at our condo’s Owners Lounge and she invited all her friends. I made my wife believe I’d forgotten to buy her birthday cake. Little did she know that I ordered her cake 2 months in advance and I managed to keep it a secret from her!

I contacted Rose Sen and asked her to make a giant version of her favorite Crave Cupcake, the Crave-O-Licious and she knew exactly what I was talking about. We met a few times after I placed the order to polish ideas and to make sure we had everything covered for the surprise. She even got the flavor of the cake to match the flavor of the cupcake!

If you have some time to spare at work, you can always check out more of her cakes on her blog. I’m sure you won’t be disappointed. Just don't see if you are hungry.

7,447 feet above ground

2010-06-16T15:50:00.002-06:00

Have you ever wanted to do something but never actually where able to do so? Over 1 year ago I thought I’ve been hiking before. Man was I wrong! I didn’t realize what I was missing on until a few weekends ago. My in-laws where visiting from Mexico and we went to Banff for the weekend. My wife wanted to take them up the Gondola to the top of Sulphur Mountain and we did, I just decided to take the longer way up the mountain. I actually hiked it. It didn’t take me 5 minutes. It took me close to 3 hours but when I got to the top of that mountain, I was actually able to say I did it.

I’ve been doing Herbal Magic weight loss almost 9 months and I’ve lost 116.4 lbs. Not only was I able to do the Sulphur Mountain hike but then we went to Lake Moraine and then Lake Louise and still went swimming at the hotel pool!

Now, I’m only a few lbs away from my goal of loosing 120 lbs and stampede is just around the corner. I wonder how a pair of wranglers would look on me now. I guess we’ll find out in a month!

I wanted to share this picture with you. While hiking around Lake Louise I was jumping on some rocks along the lake. I don’t recall when was the last time I had this much energy. I’m great full I’m able to share these moments with my wife.

Just Chilling

2010-06-16T15:46:00.004-06:00

There is nothing better than a nice hot day and a patio; well, MINI Charlie would disagree. He loves having his MINI Spa treatments at MINI Crowfoot. After spending the night before playing out in the rain I had to take him for a MINI Spa day at MINI Crowfoot before we hit up Stephen Ave and chill outside Milestone’s.

As usual, he loved being out in the public. He had tons of people sitting in the driver’s seat and lots more pictures taken. He also had a minute to admire the Calgary Tower.

MINI Charlie wants to remind you that you too can take your picture with him next time we are out and about. This Friday, make sure you join us at Neveda Bob’s in Signal Hill as we are hosting the Putt for Prostate from 10 am – 5 pm for your chance to win a fully loaded Taylor Made Golf bad for your dad on this father’s day.

Being a guy, he knows the importance of getting checked and he wants to make sure we raise awareness about prostate cancer.

From 52” to 36”

2010-06-03T16:40:00.000-06:00

When I first started Herbal Magic weight loss back on September 18th 2009, I weighed 340 lbs and my jeans were size 52”. Looking back, I feel sad that I managed to do that to myself. I think that the worst part of it all is that I didn’t want to accept that I was out of control, that I had the solution in my hands and that it wasn’t going to go away on its own. Being overweight didn’t happen overnight. It literally took me all my life until September 18th to get to the point I was. If a healthier, better looking, happier me was going to happen I had to do it on my own and take my time to learn the right steps to get to a point where I felt comfortable looking at myself naked in the mirror.

When I went into Herbal Magic weight loss in September my personal coach told me based on medical charts, age, and height that my ideal weight was anywhere between 170 and 190 lbs; to me, that seemed too much. I have a big frame and I honestly don’t believe I’m supposed to weigh less than 200 lbs. They totally supported my decision and asked me based on the information I was given if I had a number in mind; I decided that 220 was the perfect number for me.

I’ve officially donated all my old clothes to the Diabetes Society except for but one pair of jeans, one shirt, one pair of boxers, and one undershirt. I have nothing else of the OLD CARLOS. I’ve started to do some shopping again and I’m taking advantage of as many sales as I can find. I started a few months back when I discovered I fit into Banana Republic Clothes, then Gap Clothes. At the recommendation of all my friends at the station, I finally bought new pants. I went to Gap Generation in Deerfoot Meadows and bought 2 pairs of jeans that I honestly love. I no longer wear 52” waist size. I bought 36”. That’s a number that I can’t recall when the last time I wore it or bought it for myself. I have one side of the closet taken by my wife and a bunch of empty hangers on my side that I will start stocking back up with time.

I’m happy to share my experience with Herbal Magic weight loss with you. I know that if I’m able to go through all these changes, you are able to also. I’ve said it a bunch of times and I’ll say it again, we can do this, Together.

He is family...

2010-06-03T14:59:00.003-06:00

MINI Charlie & I wanted to show some of the less fortunate kids from the Kids Up Front program that a great time is possible no matter what kind of day. Charlie and I met up with the MINI Crew at Heritage Park in the morning. Despite the poor weather we had a great time - Charlie even got them all new MINI hats!

We spent a whole day enjoying Heritage Park. This made me realize that MINI really is the perfect family vehicle. If you have kids of your own and wondering if they would all fit in the car, guess what? They do! Currently I have my In-laws visiting and I thought I was probably going to have to make a lot of trips back and forth to get us to our destinations. Man, did Charlie prove me wrong! On Sunday I took my wife and in-laws to do some shipping at the GAP in Deerfoot Meadows and take advantage of their last day with 40% off on all their items. I bought some really needed new pants that actually fit me they way pants are supposed to fit. Then we all went to Costco to stock up on groceries that we would need for the time visiting, pretty much piling up the shopping cart.

Believe it or not, we fit 4 grown adults, shopping bags from GAP, and the groceries from a fully stocked-up shopping cart from Costco in MINI Charlie. I was pretty impressed. Charlie just doesn’t stop amazing me. Every now and then I find another thing that makes me say “That’s Awesome!”

This weekend we are going to Banff and Charlie is more than excited to go and spent a few days in the mountains being one with nature and maybe taking a plunge in the hot springs. I’ve asked him to keep his big bright eyes open for wild life. I know I have nothing to worry. People ask me why name my MINI? The best answer I have for them is that Charlie is not a car, he is Family. I’m positive that everyone that owns a MINI has named their MINI’s. It’s the MINI thing to do.

Are we there yet?

2010-05-27T13:16:00.005-06:00

Back in April My wife and I had a few days off from work over the weekend and we decided to make a little vacation to enjoy a place we’ve both never been to and we both really wanted to see.

We decided to rent a car and drive down to Seattle, Washington. I have to say that I was really blown away by this city. I knew from conversations that I had with friends that it was a beautiful place. But even then, after seeing it with my own eyes, I think it was an under statement.

We decided to do all the touristy stuff we could do in the mere 3 days we where there. We stayed at the perfectly located Holiday Inn Express in Down Town Seattle. First thing we did on Friday; we went straight to the Seattle Premium Outlets and I’m thank full I decided to bring my Alberta ID Card with me because I found out that if you show your Alberta ID in Washington, pretty much any shopping place won’t charge you for taxes. So, the price you see on the tag, it’s pretty much what you pay! So, if a wallet at the Coach Outlet, for example, says 19.99, you really only pay 19.99! After noticing how much we where saving, we decided to buy a little more!

On Saturday we really where tourists in Seattle; I followed the suggestion of one of my friends on Facebook and went to Ride the Ducks! At first when she told me I wasn’t sure what to expect, but as soon as I saw them ridding around Seattle I told my wife that we had to do it! They take you on a trip around the city and they point out some of the spots that have been featured on cool movies like Sleepless in Seattle and 10 Things I Hate About You and unlike any other tour this one is really funny, kudos’s to all their Wacky Captains/Drivers, they now how to put the show on the road! When the tour finally came to an end right across the street from Ride The Ducks where the 2 places I really wanted to check out; Experience Music Project & Science Fiction Museum. You can’t miss it, it looks awesome on the outside and it’s just as cool on the inside. If you are a music fan you should go and see it with your own eyes and if you are a geek at heart you really should check out the Science Fiction Museum. The convenient part of it all is that they’re attached to each other; you don’t have to go outside to go to the other one.

On Sunday I promised my wife to take her to all the malls so that she can shop at all the stores she can’t find her in Canada. I’m a very, very poor planner and forgot that Sunday was Easter Sunday in the States and pretty much every mall and any other thing in the city was closed. I felt like the I was worst that day, it was never my intention to not give her a chance to enjoy her shopping spree. I even whore my runners that day because I knew I was going to do a lot of walking. We found out that the place that didn’t close for the day was Pike Place Market and we went for a walk there and we found The First Starbucks! I was looking and hoping to find the rumored Trenta Size Cup but I had no luck, then we went for a walk along the pier.

On Monday I had the plan of leaving Seattle no later than 10 am so that we get home no later than 10 pm, get a god rest and back to work on Tuesday, but I wasn’t able to leave Seattle without giving my lovely wife her shopping experience. So we went to a couple of malls bright and early and we got on the road by 4 pm that day. A lot of coffee cups and red bull cans later we got to Calgary. It was a crazy experience. But well worth the almost 12 hours driving each way. I’m happy I got a chance to go and see that beautiful city and that I had a chance to do and visit all the places I had a chance to see. I would go back to Seattle any time, or even maybe buy a summer getaway condo there and do the rest of the things I missed out on.

Sorry Mom...

2010-05-24T01:28:00.002-06:00

I had all the intention of flaying down to Cancun, Quintana Roo then jump in the bus for 4 hours to get to Chetumal, Quintana Roo then jump in a Cab and go to my mom's house for mother’s day on May 10th (in Mexico, mother's day is always on May 10th) but unfortunately due to some problems with my work permit and finances I wasn't able to go see you and give you the best surprise I could've ever imagined to give you.

I know that it's been over 9 years since I spent a mother’s day with my mom, but it's not that I haven't been trying. It just hasn't been possible. but maybe things happen for a reason. on July 20th it's my mom's birthday and on the 25th it's my anniversary. My wife and I have been planning on going back to Mexico for our anniversary, but we just weren't sure if we were going down to her hometown of Culiacan, Sinaloa or my hometown of Mexicali, Baja California or to my mom's hometown which is also where I was raised and my friends there in Chetumal, Quinata Roo. We had options, but we just where not sure on what to do.

Now based on the current situation, I've agreed to meet my mom up in Mexicali, Baja California for her birthday. That way I can still be with my mom and rest of my family, friends and still give my wife a few days in Disneyland like we want to for our anniversary.

I just hope that it all goes as planned and that this time we are able to do what we want to. Also, I finally did it. I donated all of my old clothes to the Diabetes society. I went from using up half of my closet to one quarter of the space. Now I really have to do some shopping. I know I won’t be able to replace everything over night. But I will get new nicer things as time goes by and as finish taking care of all the legalities of status in this country. Herbal Magic weight loss has most definitely changed my life and I’m certain I wouldn’t have been able to do so by myself. I just can’t wait until I’m able to show my mom what I’ve been able to accomplish in just 8 months. 110 lbs down and only 10 more to go.

Meet MINI Charlie!

2010-05-24T01:08:00.003-06:00

I can´t believe we already got a name! MINI Charlie it´s pretty darn cool. Not a lot of people know this but Carlos in English could be: Chuck, Charles, Charlie or Carl. So having a listener nominate Charlie as the name for my MINI was crazy! But the funny thing is that she had no clue that Carlos meant any of those names in English. She said that the name just came to her and I couldn't have chosen a better name for someone that is part of the family. My MINI.

For the last couple of days we’ve been hitting the streets pretty hard. Making sure you can find us in any place you can imagine. Deep in the south, or way out there in the north, we want to make sure you get a chance to see us and get your hands on some of the cool MINI freebees we have to pass on to you.

Sometimes I get a message on Facebook asking how much does it cost to get some of the stuff I’m giving away. I’m giving it away! So, it’s Free! Have no fear to wave me down and say hi next time you see me driving, MINI Charlie and I are always packing lots of freebees and we want to make sure you get your hands in some.

MINI Charlie was visiting this last weekend his friends at MINI Crowfoot and we had a chance to see all the options they offer to suit him up for this summer season. I’m personally more of a bike rider more than a camper over the summer. I saw the bike racks that they have and how easy it makes loading and unloading your bike because of the height of the vehicle. I won´t have a problem with my back because of lifting the bike over my head. And the best part of it all is that he still looks cool and I don’t have to worry about hitting everything on top of him while driving into park aides. And if unique-ing is more of your thing, the sky is the limit. Your MINI will be the only one of its kind and I can guarantee you there will be no other MINI like your MINI.

No, that is not MINI Charlie, it's one of his cousins that already has a Bike Rack on. and he is ready to hit the mountains.

Thank You Calgary. Now, Let's MINI!

Is that really me?

2010-05-12T23:05:00.003-06:00

So close, but yet so far. That's how I currently feel but I understand why. I went to Herbal Magic weight loss today after work and got on the scale I'm only 10 lbs away. I have to accept that I´ve plateau. It's hard to accept, but it's all part of the process. I've lost so much weight and so fast that I have to give my body size (inches) a chance to catch up with my weight loss.

Also, since I'm working out I'm starting to lose inches in certain parts of my body (my belly) but gaining a few inches in other parts (my leg muscle) Since I'm running 2 miles a day. My leg muscle is starting to grow. I've lost 110 lbs so far, and I've lost 103 inches overall. My size loss is finally catching up to my weight loss. I know I will get to my goal before I even know it.

This weekend I have a wedding to go to and I was planning on getting my old suit fix. I thought it would be an easy fix, but then again, I'm not a tailor. I went to visit my tailor with my old suit in hand and my tailor laugh when I asked him if it was possible for him to fix it. His answer? “it would be easier for me to make you a new one from scratch, you've lost so much weight that this has chance for repair” I felt bad, because I bought that suit a while ago and I really liked it. Look at it, I looked good in it!

I had to accept that I had to buy a new suit and I went on a Suit mission. I ended up at The Bay, I asked if Bonnie Brooks was in the building I was really disappointed. I asked one of the guys there if he could help me find a suit. I had no clue of what size I had to buy now since my last one was my tux for my wedding. He measured me and pulled the one I liked from the rack. I tried it on and to my surprise and for the first time ever NOTHING had to get altered, it's like Perry Ellis used me as a Model for that suit. I don´t recall when was the last time I was able to wear a suit and didn't had to get any alterations! And I have to admit that a suit makes anyone look good. I couldn´t believe that was really me reflected in the mirror.

I will show you pictures of me in my new suit next wee after we get back from my friends wedding. You'll be the one to tell me if it looks good or not.

Tomorrow, I go again to Herbal Magic weight loss, and whatever the number in the scale is I know it's a better number than the one I saw 8 months ago. It is not and will never be 340 lbs ever again! One step closer to the real me. I'm finally getting a chance to look the way I feel. Bring it on summer!

Room and lots of it!

2010-05-12T22:25:00.005-06:00

This past Friday MINI and I decided that because of Mothers Day we had to do something to celebrate some very special Mom´s that probably weren’t expecting anything at all. We went to visit the Mom´s at the YWCA Mary Dover House but we could´t show up empty handed.

We made a few calls and brainstormed with the rest of the gang at the Energy Studios and decided to get flower arrangements for the Mom´s and our friends at Modern Petals (@ModernPetals) gave us a hand and donated all the MINI Themed Flower arrangements in 2 tone Pink Color. They were beautiful!

I had people say to me that there was no chance I was going to be able to pack all the flower arrangements in my MINI, but I decided I was going to prove them wrong. Once I got to Modern Petals (Dalhousie Station, #147 5005 Dalhousie Dr NW, Calgary, Alberta, T3A 5R8) I folded the back seats down and realized that I actually had room to spare! Check it out.

I still remember the look in some of the mom´s faces and to me that was priceless. I was unable to spent Mother´s day with my mom, but I knew that I had the chance to help some mom´s celebrate this special day in a way that I hope they don´t forget.

This week MINI get´s his name! If you still haven’t submitted a name you still have time to do so, go to adoptamini.ca and submit your name idea for my MINI and you could win the MINI experience for a whole weekend with a night stay at the Stoney Nakoda Resort. It would be an experience like no other.

Hurry!

2010-05-04T08:55:00.010-06:00

This last week we were taking donations for the Calgary Food Bank and it made me realize that my MINI it's only MINI by name because, man can it pack a lot of things! Even during my weekend events, when the station is broadcasting from a live location around calgary, I was surprise I was able to pack all our gear, both promotional and broadcasting gear, into my MINI...

When people ask me: how cool is the car? I have no better way for them to realize how cool it is than by actually getting in and seeing it with their own eyes and I think I just found the perfect video for it. You honestly have to see it, and if you get goosebumps just like I do, you really should be driving a MINI.

This Friday MINI and I will do a little visit to the mom's at the YWCA, we are excited to help them celebrate and remimd them how special they really are.

I can't wait for the next MINI Club of Calgary get-together. We are hitting the roads to go to Banff, It'll be like: WOOHOO!!! I will keep you updated what the route will be for you to take a few minutes and see the caravan of MINI's around Calgary.

You still have a few days left to help me find the right name for my MINI, I'm starting to wonder what would his name be... I think that his name should be something cool, something catchy but at the same time fun... I know, I'm not making this any easier for you. Go to adoptamini.ca and nominate your name. You might win the MINI experience for a weekend. It'll be a weekend you will never forget.

Life Happens...

2010-05-04T08:50:00.002-06:00

I feel HORRIBLE! For the last couple of weeks I’ve been super busy with projects at the station… by the time I get to go home my Herbal Magic weight loss clinic is already closed. And instead of being there by my usual 3 or 4 times a week I’ve only managed to go there once this week!

I’m not usually this busy but the girls at Herbal Magic weight loss understand that life happens, and even though I haven’t been in for my consultation I try my best to stay on track with my meals and my water intake.

So far in seven and a half months I’ve lost 112 pounds. 112! I’m only 8 lbs away from my weight goal. I don’t weight 340 lbs any more, I’m no longer wearing 52 inch pants; I’m no longer using XXL shirts! I honestly feel on cloud 9 - So many changes happened so fast, it seems like this is all a dream.

I get to go to Herbal Magic on Saturday and if I’m not closer to my goal weight I know it’s not the end of the world; I just have to be patient and keep doing what I’m suppose to be doing. Just focus, eat healthy, the right portions, work out and drink lots and lots of water.

How is your journey going? Remember that a bump on the road is just that, a bump on the road. It might slow you down but it won’t stop you. It takes more than that to stop us, especially when we are doing this together.

I just want to drive!!!

2010-04-26T13:51:00.004-06:00

Since getting my MINI from MINI Crowfoot I look for a reason just to drive! Prior to getting my MINI, I was looking for excuses to just stay at home and not leave my house after both my wife and I got home after a day of work. Now, I don't care what it is... We need limes?! I'll go get them! We need apples? I'm on it! What? No gum! No problem! I even started trying different grocery stores; I found myself shopping at Zellers in Sunridge Mall on Friday even though there is a Zellers just a few blocks from my place.

Everyone asks me how is the MINI? I can only tell them "It's Awesome, so much fun to drive!" I had to get gas for the first time on Sunday Morning! I got the MINI on Friday at 4 pm and I've done A LOT of driving and didn't have to get gas until Sunday! I was blown away!

I was invited to be a honorable member of the MINI Club of Calgary and on Sunday we went for the first drive of the season around town then making a final stop at Cochrane for Ice Cream at MacKay's. I was impressed to see that they are all just people like you and me, with kids, jobs, and come from all walks of life. A MINI is a right fit for everyone, doesn't matter if you're in the computer biz, or if you are still going to school or just an employee. If you own a MINI or know someone that owns a MINI tell them to check the MINI Club of Calgary - they are fun people and I'm glad they welcomed me into their club.

This past week I went around the city introducing the MINI to listeners and people at different locations handing out cool prizing from the guys at MINI Crowfoot, and I still have plenty more to go around. Make sure you flag me down, I’ll pull over and hand some out to you.

Also, remember that you still have a couple of weeks left to get your Name suggestion for my MINI, so its personality can shine! Submit your name suggestion to adoptamini.ca and you could win a MINI experience for a weekend!

This week I want to see how many times I can pack my MINI, so I’m taking donations for the Calgary Food Bank. This is going to be a lightning round of donations, one day and one day only. It doesn’t matter if it’s one grocery bag or a box of donations, remember that every little bit counts.

I leave you all thanking you in advance for your kind donations, and I look forward to seeing you on Friday!

10 More Baby!

2010-04-26T09:23:00.005-06:00

I can’t believe I’ve lost officially 110 lbs! I honestly have no words that could express how I feel. I’m still in disbelief that 7 and a half months ago I was weighing 340 lbs! If you have no clue on what 110 lbs looks like or even feels like, try this:

The last time Justin Bieber and I talked, and by “I” I mean Chelsea Handler, he said on her show that he weighs 110 lbs! So I’ve officially lost a Justin Bieber!

Like I said in one of my Mini Blogs, on Friday I went out shopping to Zellers at Sunridge Mall for new undershirts and socks. I was shocked when I realized the size I had to buy. Seven and a half months ago I was wearing XXL. This Friday I bought LARGE; I took 2 X’s off my size! And to my surprise they’re not even snug! I can’t remember when was the last time I bought a Large ANYTHING!

Seriously I don’t know where would I be if it wasn’t for Herbal Magic weight loss. I know that I’ve added years to my life, years that I’m using to be with my family. I have energy now that I didn’t have before, energy that I will use once my wife and I have kids.

Let me know how you are doing on your journey, my road trip is almost getting to the point I want to get to and I’ve never felt better.

Name my Mini

2010-04-16T17:05:00.004-06:00

Hey Calgary, this challenge goes out to you. I need your help to find the perfect name for my Mini. go to adoptamini.ca and nominate your best idea for the name of my Mini. If we choose your idea. We'll name it just like that and you will get to The Mini Experience for a Whole Weekend!

A new addition...

2010-04-14T18:12:00.002-06:00

My wife and I have been doing a lot of thinking recently... I mean, we've been married for almost a year now and we're think it's time for a new addition... Except I think we're going to adopt. Friday we're going to get the papers work started... Friday will be a big day.

Mmmm Pizza!!!

2010-04-14T17:43:00.002-06:00

Oh My God!

It's hard to believe that only 7 months ago I was joining Herbal Magic weight loss and I got on the scale and saw a number that I've promised not to see ever again. 339.4 lbs.

Over the long weekend my wife and I drove down to Seattle and did some serious damage in the outlets. I actually enjoyed shopping! I can't recall when was the last time I actually walked into a store and had fun shopping! I walked into Kenneth Cole and bought a couple of shirts. What size? LARGE! I'm not longer using XXL! I don't know if how else to say how excited I am. I wish you can feel and see my excitement.

This hasn't been easy, but it really hasn't been hard either. Herbal Magic weight loss has given me all the tools that I need to help me get to my goal. Today I don't weigh 339.4 lbs. I weigh 233 lbs. 233!!! I've lost 106.4 lbs in 7 months!!! A friend of mine told me that these last 15 lbs where going to be the hardest, and I can see that he was right, but with my determination and with the help of Herbal Magic weight loss and their coaches and most importantly their recipes I know this is possible.

I'm a big BIG fan of Pizza so big that when I was younger (7 years old) and lived in Toronto for a month they are only two phone numbers I remember: 967-11-11 and 241-0-241. If you recognize these numbers, you probably are a BIG fan of pizza too and I'm actually high-fiving you right now! :)

I've been able to eliminate this craving thanks to the Pizza recipe that they have on the Herbal Magic cook book, and I'll share it with you, it’s easy to make and it takes 20 minutes to get it done:

- Ingredients:

1 Weight watchers tortilla wrap
¼ Cup of Healthy Choices Pasta Sauce
½ Cup of pineapple
50 grams of Fat Free Deli Meat
1 Oz of Cheese

- Cooking Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350ºF
Pour the pasta sauce over the tortilla wrap
Cut the Fat Free Deli Meat into squares and toss it over the tortilla
Grate the cheese and toss it over the tortilla
Cut the Pineapple into bite size pieces and toss over the tortilla.
Just bake for 10 - 15 minutes and you have a great, healthy personal pizza!

If you want to make it "ala Carlos" just add Jalapeño slices over top or if you feel BOLD add Habanero Pepper Salsa to it. Give this recipe a try and let me know how you like it.

This recipe is for one serving and all the ingredients count as a daily intake of ½ Protein, 1 Dairy, 1 Fruit, 1 Starch and ½ of your free exchange.

Be Fearless, accept the change

2010-03-30T15:59:00.003-06:00

The weather is changing, that means it’s time to do some Spring Cleaning! I started on Sunday by gathering shirts (size XXL) and pants (size 48) that I don't use anymore and put them into a bag for donations, and then I ended up bagging winter coats. In one way it was hard to say goodbye to my old stuff, but it was just one more step in realizing that I’m not the guy that I used to be six and a half months ago.

Sometimes it’s hard to accept that we are actually changing, but its all part of the Herbal Magic Process. They help you see and accept the changes you are making to a healthier new you.

This week’s recipe is the Fearless Chicken Fingers, it’s easy to make and it takes 25 minutes to get it done:

- Ingredients:

4 oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts (Pechugas dehuesadas y sin pellejo)
½ Cup Corn Flakes (Corn Flakes)
1 Large Egg White (Yema de Huevo)
2 tbsp Fat-Free Salsa (Salsa baja en Grasa)

- Cooking Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350ºF
Cut chicken breast into strips
Coat chicken strips in egg white then roll in Corn Flakes crumbs. To make the Corn Flakes into smaller crumbs I bought a cheap coffee grinder at Wal-Mart for 10 dollars and I granulate my Corn Flakes for my chicken fingers. You’ll see that you won’t use all of the crumbs, but you can still eat them, I put them on top of my vegetables, or you can mix it in with you salsa to get the consistency of a dip.
Arrange chicken strips on a nonstick baking sheet and bake for 20 – 25 minutes. Serve with Salsa for dipping.

This recipe is for one serving and all the ingredients count as a daily intake of 1 Protein, 1 Starch and ½ of your free exchange.

This is a picture of how my Fearless Chicken Fingers ala Carlos looked like at the end with a side of vegetables portions that I was saving for supper, its ala Carlos just because of the Jalapeños that I added to my veggies and to make the Fat-Free Salsa taste even better, I added Habanero Pepper Salsa to it. YEAY! It’s like a Spicy Explosion in my mouth and I Love It! Give this recipe a try and let me know how you like it.

Herbal Magic’s Italian Chicken Bake.

2010-03-23T11:47:00.004-06:00

Back in September when I just starting rolling on the healthy lifestyle I thought I wasn’t going to be able to quit fast food. With 16 pounds to go and entering the home stretch of my program, I’ve noticed that I really don’t miss it they way I thought I would. Herbal Magic has taught me that there are ways to still eat all the food that I love, but made in a healthy way.

I’m going to share with you my top recipes for healthy items, items that I love and still taste just as great as the regular fast food items you would get at any other place.

Today’s choice: Italian Chicken Bake:

This recipe is really easy to make. It actually serves 4 portions so you will basically make supper for 4 nights, or if you are cooking for your significant other, you’ve made supper for 2 nights.

- Ingredients:

4 - 5 oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts (Pechugas dehuesadas y sin pellejo)
Black pepper to taste (Pimienta negra)
Garlic powder to taste (Ajo en polvo)
Thyme to taste (Tomillo)
Basil to taste (Albahaca)
1 Cup of Healthy Choice pasta sauce (Salsa de spaguetti)
4 oz shredded mozzarella cheese (Queso Mozzarella)

- Cooking Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375ºF
Place chicken breasts on a baking sheet, sprinkle with black pepper, garlic powder, thyme, and basil.
Bake for 10 minutes and then flip them over.
Sprinkle same spices over the other side and bake for an additional 10 minutes.
Pour pasta sauce over chicken breasts.
Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese over and heat up until cheeses melts.

Like I said earlier, it serves 4 and all the ingredients count as a daily intake of 1 Protein, 1 dairy and ½ a free exchange per portion.

I can’t stress enough that we all need to start reading the nutritional value on the food that we eat. Everything that we learn of the food that we put into our bodies will make us a little more conscious on making better decisions that are going to help us in the long run.

Based on the Nutritional Value of food I really encourage you to start eating Healthy Choice Pasta Sauce you can find this at any grocery store.

This is a picture of how my Italian Chicken Bake ala Carlos looked like at the end with a side of vegetables portions that I was saving for supper, it's ala Carlos just because of the Jalapeños that I added to my veggies. Give this recipe a try and let me know how you like it.

I made a promisse that I was going to add this at the end of this blog. Rob Kealy is Awesome.

The Carlos Steak & Veggies on a BBQ

2010-03-16T12:03:00.003-06:00

Last night I went back to Herbal Magic and I got the best news ever! I've lost 102 lbs! That means I'm only 18 lbs away from my goal weight. I can't believe that what I tried so many times before without results is finally working.

For the last few days I've been actually taking advantage of the gym in my building, and I'm really enjoying it. I get to work out with the same people, make each other laugh, and we encourage each other. I'm trying to get into the habit of getting on the treadmill, setting it up at a steady pace of 6 miles/hour and running like my life depended on it. I've been running 1 mile a day without stopping and to me, that's a huge accomplishment. I remember that last summer when Meg and I used to go running I wasn’t able to run for a while without stopping to catch my breath and because my joints hurt. My knees and ankles are not hurting anymore!

After working out I got home I posted on Facebook and Twitter: “Just ran a mile. A mile a day, keeps the doctor away… And supper looks great!” and then, one of our listeners, Sonia, asked what’s for supper? Herbal Magic gives us the daily planning option to plan out what we want to eat each day, and we get to make it fresh! Last night I had "The Carlos Steak & Veggies on a BBQ" Special. There is really nothing special about it, I just think it sounds cooler.

- Ingredients:

BBQ
4 oz Steak
¼ cup of Onion (Cebolla)
¼ cup of Carrots (Zanahoria)
¼ cup of Yams (Camote)
½ cup of Beets (Betabel) [I actually had to look this one up, I forgot its name in Spanish]
1 Jalapeño (this is completely optional, I do because I LOVE Spicy food)
1 pinch of Pepper
1 pinch of Oregano
Pam
Tin Foil

- Cooking Instructions

Turn on and warm-up for 15 minutes at full blast you BBQ
In the mean time you can go ahead and peel and chop the Beets and Yams, then chop the Carrots and Onion.
Using a piece large enough that will allow you to wrap the vegetables place on your counter and add a light coat of Pam.
Add the chopped vegetables and wrap them securely to avoid any spillage.
Once you’ve placed the veggie wrap in the BBQ wait for about 5 to 8 minutes before you flip them over. Please remember to keep the BBQ Lid closed to help keep the heat inside and cook your veggies throughout.
Season your steak with Oregano & Pepper. The secret to a good tasting steak is, the simpler, the better… Less is More!
Then just time out to cook your steak to your liking. I like my steak medium rare, so I wait another 5 minutes after I’ve flip my veggies over and then I add my steak on the BBQ and cook for a few minutes on each side. Don’t close your lid while cooking your steak to avoid overcooking your steak.

Serve on a plate and Voila!

If you think this is all I had for supper, let me tell you that I also had:

1 apple with ½ tbsp of peanut butter and 1 Chocolate Jell-O pudding and I was pretty much done!

Let me know how you like this little recipe, I hope it works for you as well as it does for me.

Herbal Magic "Cooking 101" with Carlos

2010-03-09T12:54:00.002-07:00

I will start posting some recipes that I’m sure anyone can do, your kitchen/cooking skills do not matter. The recipes are simple, fast, delicious and last but certainly not least, healthy!

I like to make these burritos every morning and the cool thing is that you can always change them up to fit any craving you have. I’ll give you the basics and then you can change it accordingly.

I usually buy my groceries at Safeway and Superstore. There are some items I can only get at one place, for example I get Flat Out Wraps (120 calories per) at Safeway. Fat Free Deli you can find it at any market or deli store, vegetables are always great at Superstore. This is how I like to do it just because it helps the morning routine feel like a breeze.

- Ingredients:

1 Flat-Out Wrap
1 Egg (Huevo)
50 gr. Fat Free Deli Meat (Jamón)
¼ Cup of Onion (Cebolla)
¼ Cup of Green Peppers (Pimiento Verde)
¼ Cup of Cottage Cheese (Queso Cottage)
½ Jalapeño
Ground Black Pepper (Pimienta)
Pam

- Cooking Instructions:

Heat up a frying pan
While the pan is heating up chop up your veggies
Add a thin coat of Pam and saute your vegetables just to take off the raw onion taste and to make them a little juicier
Add the Deli meat and keep tossing it around to avoid burning
Add the Egg and then just scramble around with everything in the pan.
Add pepper to taste and Voila!
Just add it to the Wrap and add the Cottage Cheese

For fun and to take further advantage of my time, while my vegetables are cooking I drop to the floor and do 30 crunches and 10 pushups…

That way I do a little something to get that blood flowing early in the AM.

Give it a try and let me know what you think.

E-mail me a picture of your final product to carlos@1015energyfm.com

Did you know ...?

2010-03-02T14:58:00.004-07:00

Mother’s Day in Mexico is always on May 10th

I want to give my mom the surprise of a lifetime. Since I was a little Mexican boy I’ve always been a bigger guy, the Big Kid on the Block, and my mom always tried to help me get into a healthier life style. Now, at the age of 29, I’ve manage to do this - thanks to Herbal Magic and the encouragementof my wife.

On May 10th, I'm thinking about flying down home to Chetumal, Quintana Roo, Mexico (4 hours south of Cancun, Quintana Roo, Mexico) and surprising my mom on Mother’s Day. I haven’t spent a Mother’s Day with my mom in over 9 years. I first moved away from home at the age of 17, that’s back in 1998. Fast forward to today and I’m in Calgary.

Through the years, I used to justify not being with my mom on Mother’s day with “I’m away, she gets it” and I forgot the most important thing of it all, she’s My Mom, and we only get one of those in our lives! This year, I want to do things the right way. I want to be with my mom and hug her and let her hug me all the way; it’s been probably over 15 years since she’s been able to put her arms all the way around me.

If this is the first time you’ve read my blog, then I should probably fill you in. I started Herbal Magic back in September of 2009. At the time, I weighed 339.4 lbs. Six and a half months later, I weigh 244.4 lbs - I’ve lost 95 lbs!!! This also means I’m only 25 lbs away from my goal weigh of 220 lbs. I know that I never would’ve imagined myself to weigh this little ever in my life and I’m really looking forward to this last little stretch. I’ve been told many, many times that it would be the hardest one, but I love a good challenge. If losing weight was easy, there would be no one overweight in the world.

I’m not sure if I’ll be able to go home, but as Mother's Day approaches, I'm sure thinking about it.

The Canadian thing to do.

2010-03-01T14:22:00.002-07:00

On Thursday I went to Chinook Centre with my lovely lady and one of her friends. The girls made two huge mistakes when they took me to the mall: they left me alone, and they left me with money in my wallet!

I really wanted to get a new gym bag that I had seen in Lulu Lemon previously. It must have been my lucky day - I found the very last one in store. Without any hesitation I bought it. As I was paying I noticed that the little compartment that it had for water bottles wasn’t going to fit mine, so that only meant one thing: I had to buy a bottle from there too.

I asked the young lady at the till to hold off on my payment as I was going to shop around for a bit longer for a new water bottle. After finding the one I wanted and making my way back to the till, I paid and walked away. As I got to Banana Republic, I added up in my mind how much I should’ve paid and compared it to how much I actually paid. At this point I realized they mischarged me, and I had to go back and notify them of their mistake.

I walked in, got the attention of one of the girls from the floor and told her, “I think you mischarged me”. She was very apologetic and asked if they had over-charged me. I just giggled and said, “No, you didn’t charge for my water bottle. I just want to make sure I do the right thing and that the girl who helped me doesn’t get into any trouble because she’ll probably have to pay for it”. The clerk looked me in the eyes and said she was surprised that I came back, when most people would’ve walked away. She then asked me for my receipt and for the water bottle. I gave them to her and I pulled out my debit card to pay the difference. She was punching buttons on the till, then handed both the water bottle and my receipt back to me and said “Thank you for your honesty”. This caught me off guard; I asked her again “how much do I owe you for the water bottle?”. I got an answer I wasn’t expecting: “It’s free. Thank you again for your honesty”.

I walked away in disbelief. A happy surprise! I guess that nice actions are rewarded.

Would you walk away or would you go back and try and do the right thing? I'd like to think that what I did was the Canadian thing to do.

Wow there, Take it easy!

2010-02-23T08:28:00.003-07:00

I was wondering for the last couple of days what was going on with my journey, am I supposed to be sitting on 250 lbs for good?! Is that supposed to be the ideal weight of my body?! Was I ever going to get to my goal of 220 lbs?!

Then, the girls from Herbal Magic told me the truth, I was probably getting too comfortable, I had to go back to square one, measure everything, weigh everything and eating the right portions, no slacking on drinking my water portions... I was getting a little too comfortable eyeballing everything I was eating...

Good news - I've gotten back on track and just by following their instructions and keeping to my actual portions I've dropped a few pounds, I'm down today a total of 93.2 lbs! I tried carrying 90 lbs with my hands and I never realized the amount of strain I was putting my body through. I have to accept that it was hard trying to carry that now, I still don't know how I managed to function for over 28 years with that much weight on me.

Today, I sit back and look at pictures of the old me, the pre-Herbal Magic Carlos and I have to admit I'm lucky I found my wife and that I have a great personality, because God knows she didn't like me for my looks. I still can't believe I allowed myself to get to that point where a simple walk around the corner made me feel out of breath! I'm thankful for all the support I get from the girls at Herbal Magic, I know that I wouldn't be here at 246.2 lbs, just 26.2 lbs away from reaching my goal of 220 lbs... It seems like yesterday when I got on the scale for the first time and I felt so happy for dropping my first 10 lbs.

It took one of my best friends, Meg Tucker from the Chris & Meg Morning Show, to convince me to take that first step that it was much needed. Not for looks; looks would be one of the perks, but for my own health.

I would like to thank the following people: Meg for the encouragement, for the butt kicks and for all the support.

Amanda, Jamie, Kalli, Jessica and Christina, My Herbal Magic Coaches down at Lincoln Park (if you are around the neighborhood stop and say hi to them, they are amazing and super funny), and last, but most certainly not least, my adorable wife, who has to put up with me, and who has to pick me up when I fall down, when I feel that I won't be able to do it she is the one picking me up at home.

I Love You baby.

What would inspire you to take that first step? Call Herbal Magic (403) 246-9629 they will help you land on your feet when you decide to take that first step.

Yet... Another Update

2010-02-22T08:07:00.001-07:00

Good Morning Meg & Carlos,

It has now been 2 weeks since I checked in with you. I am now down 20 lbs and 19.25 inches. Those size 12 jeans that I bought 3 weeks ago are now loose. OH MY GOD what a good feeling. There have been days when I haven’t lost much or even added a few ounces. I try hard not to let those days get to me, after all they don’t happen all that often. I try to look at the bigger picture, like how I am going to look in my wedding dress come October. My cravings have dropped considerably and I find that I can actually hang out with friends at a pub and let them eat all the “old good stuff” and not be bothered by it. The support I have received from both of you and from the Ladies at Herbal Magic is unbelievable. Thanks for believing.

Angie

--

Angie, I knew you had it in you all the time! Congratulations and keep up the good work! We will get to our goals before you even realize!

Carlos

Bumpy Ride...

2010-02-09T08:54:00.001-07:00

Back in September 18th, 2009 when I joined Herbal Magic I knew that losing 120 lbs wasn’t going to be easy. I knew there would be ups and downs - and this week was one of the "downs". I’m still sitting on 254.4 lbs; I’ve officially lost a grand total of 85 lbs, but I still feel like I failed this week, like I’m not doing what I’m suppose to be doing - even though I am.

I remember that when I was on the fence about joining or not (it took me 5 months to join and in that time I managed to put on close to 30 lbs in five months!) I’m thankful for the 85 lbs that I’ve lost, and I promise that I’ll do everything I can to lose the last 35 lbs. I’m almost there; I can feel my goal getting so close I can taste it!

For now, I need to maintain a clear mind and focus on what I need to do to get there. If I feel like I’m getting off track, I know the girls at Herbal Magic will steer me straight. That’s why I’m so thankful to them - they always manage to find a way to remind me of my goal, commend me on my determination, and help keep my focus in regards to the new me.

I have to focus on the fact that I’ve lost 85 lbs in 5 months, that’s an average of 17 pounds a month - over 4 pounds a week! There is no way I would’ve been able to do this without the help of Herbal Magic.

Trust me, whether you want to lose 20 pounds or 200 pounds, give Herbal Magic a call and book an appointment, it will be the best call you’ll ever make. It’s a hard decision to accept that we need help to take back the control of our life, but once you make that decision everything just gets better. (403) 246-9629

Lifes are changing in the best way possible

2010-02-04T10:29:00.003-07:00

Good Morning Meg & Carlos,

As promised I am keeping you updated on my Herbal Magic Journey.

I Started on Jan 9th, weighing in at 183.6 lbs.

As of yesterday I have lost 15.2 lbs and 17.75 inches. I am now below the 170 lb mark, weighting in at 168.4

I actually went shopping on the weekend and “GASP” was able to fit into a size 12 (down from a size 16). I actually picked size 14's off the shelf and my fiancé told me to try the 12’s, am sooooooo happy that I listened to him.

I am actually buying clothes that I want to, that look good. Instead of buying what fit and what would cover up the rolls.

Thanks again for being the inspiration for me to start this.

Angie

Do I really?!?!

2010-02-02T10:18:00.008-07:00

Not that you have to know this but I have one huge guilty pleasure: I've become a fan of Desperate Housewives. My wife has been watching that show for a long time, so I gradually started following the show, and I have to admit it's good!

I was talking to Chris and Meg and they where saying that before I know it I will hit my goal weight of 220 lbs, and that by then I will probably look like Carlos from Desperate Housewives. I mean, the name is already there, and he is also Mexican, so that's 2 out of 3 right there!

I have to agree with what most women say, he is good looking, but I'm not so sure if we really look alike. I asked my wife if she thought there was a resemblance and she said: "Yeah, I can see that". I'm sure it was meant it as a compliment but I'm still unsure, so I'll let you be the judge.

Since I started Herbal Magic I've lost a whopping 85 lbs. Do you need visuals?! YES!!!

After spending a few minutes on the Net researching I've found that:

The average Bicycle build for 2 weighs 85 lbs

An average 42" Plasma Flat Screen TV weighs 85 lbs

This Solid Brass World War II Ship's Bridge Pedestal Telegraph weighs 85 lbs

Oh yeah! the one that shocked me the most was that Lindsay Lohan, this time last year, she weighed 85 lbs! So, basicaly, I lost a Lindsay Lohan!

But, back to the question in hand, do I really look like Carlos from Desperate Housewives?!

You tell me:

Who knew that clothes shopping could be fun!?

2010-01-26T13:32:00.003-07:00

Before I started Herbal Magic I was buying all my clothing on a need-to basis, based only on size - not necessarily things that I liked. I used to walk into a store (usually the Big and Tall) and if I found something that fit me I’d buy it. I was thankful just to have a choice at all. The last pair of jeans I bought were a 52 waist size. Do you know exactly how long 52 inches is?! Well, allow me to illustrate.

Svetlana Pankratova is the woman with the longest legs on Earth! Her legs measured 52” long! That’s He Pingping in the picture with her, the shortest man on earth able to walk. *source: wikipedia.org

My waist didn’t look as good as her legs… Trust me on that one; I don’t want to illustrate this one for your own mental health.

Growing up, my brother was always able to walk into Banana Republic and pick a shirt and walk away - something I always wanted to do. Then, on September 18th, 2009 I decided to start working towards that goal. I joined Herbal Magic after being encouraged by our very own Meg Tucker. Flash forward 4 months - on Friday I went to the BR factory store in Deerfoot Meadows and decided to walk in and see where I was standing to get to that silly, personal achievement, that little milestone.

I decided to try on an XXL and see how that felt. To my surprise it fit me. I couldn’t believe it; it took me a few seconds to realize it actually fit me. One of the staff at Banana Republic walked up to me and said: “that looks good on you, are you thinking of buying it!?". I replied: “you know what, I am…” . He made the suggestion that I should probably try on an XL, because the XXL looked kind of big. I was a little hesitant about it, still happy because I was able to fit into an XXL and I didn’t want to get disappointed by trying on an XL and having it not fit. Eventually after a few seconds of us exchanging thoughts I said: “You know what, you are the expert here, let me give it a try”. I went into the change room, put on the XL, started doing up my buttons, and as I was going further down on my shirt I was getting more and more stoked… I got out of the change room, looked at myself in the mirror and it literally took me a couple of minutes to realize that Yes, that was me standing on the other side of the mirror with an XL shirt on from BR. I couldn’t believe it, so I tried on another one thinking it was probably a shirt that wasn’t cut to the proper size. And it happened again, it fit me.

I was so happy. I decided to send a picture message to Meg, to thank her for encouraging me to join Herbal Magic. I can’t say what I wrote on the MMS because it’s not nice for me to say in public but it went something like: “Dude! I’m wearing an X (insert swear word here) L… an XL!”

Today, I’m wearing my shirt and new pants. It felt nice to actually have choices on what to buy in a store. It’s a feeling that I’m glad I’ve had the chance to experience. And I know that I have to thank first of all: Meg Tucker, then the ladies at Herbal Magic, and last but certainly not least my wife, she’s been my biggest support.

This doesn’t mean that I’m done with my weight loss, I’m almost there. I know that these are the first of many happy moments that I get to enjoy thanks to making the right choices. I’ve lost 81.8 lbs, and my goal is to lose 120 lbs so that leaves me with 38.2 lbs to go. Almost there, and I know that I can make it, Yes I can.

Oh yeah, this is are the new shirt and pants I just bought:

If you want to start your journey, please e-mail me, I will help you!

carlos@1015energyfm.com

I couldn’t have said it better myself Mr. Burgundy!

2010-01-19T09:08:00.002-07:00

I got asked by Chris and Meg this morning- “Hey Carlos, do you notice a change in how you look?” It made me come to this conclusion:

“Mmmmm... I look good. I mean really good. Hey everyone come see how good I look.” – Ron Burgundy

Honestly, it just started hitting me a few days ago. Last night I bumped into a friend Michael Morrison at Olympic Plaza. We were both waiting to see the Olympic Torch go by when he said to me “you look good Carlos… Seriously, you look really good”. That made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside, it also made me realize that maybe I wasn’t the only one noticing the changes to my body, definitely what I need to push for the last 47 lbs.

Since I started doing Herbal Magic on September 18th, 2009; I’ve lost 72.4 lbs and it feels great! Chris even asked me if my wife was feeling a little uncertain about leaving me home alone now that I’ve lost all this weight! HA HA! He was kidding of course. (She’s going to Mexico on Thursday) Let’s be honest, I’m not only doing this for me, she is also the reason why I’m trying to be a little healthier.

GOOD NEWS: The Mrs. and I just moved to a new condo and we have a gym as part of our amenities! Am I crazy?? For some reason I just feel like working out now that I’ve lost all this weight, I guess it is true that you get more energy when you lose weight. That is CERTAINLY the new me!

I’m thankful for all the comments that I’ve received over the last couple of months, for all the “likes” I’ve gotten on my status with my Herbal Magic countdown every Tuesday, it really helps me on this journey of becoming a better, healthier me.

If you want to join Herbal Magic and you think you’re ready to take the first step, you can e-mail me to carlos@1015energyfm.com and I will help you get on t he right path to a whole new you.

This will change your life forever.

Who's the guy in the picture with my wife?

2010-01-12T11:04:00.001-07:00

September 18th seems to be so long ago…I just can't believe I weighed 339.4 lbs less than 4 months ago. Sadly, that was what I weighed when I got married, I just wish there was a way for me to change all those pictures. When I got those pictures back from the photographer I looked at my self and yes, that was in fact me. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I was and still am the happiest man ever, but just couldn’t believe I really looked like that. I never saw myself in the same way that the pictures showed me to be. It was a big reality check for me. I didn’t like the me that I was looking at in my wedding pictures.

Fast forward to this past Saturday night. I went to a pub to celebrate Ian’s birthday for a little while- Erin Wilde was there along with our very own Chris Shine. So, as the night went on, Erin wanted to take a picture of Mr and Mrs Goodwill (that’s my wife and I). Once she was finished, she showed me the picture to make sure I was fine with it before she posted it on Facebook, I heart you Erin, I looked at the picture and it took me like half a second to realize that was ME staring back.

I’m having a hard time getting used to looking at the new me every morning in the mirror, but I’m loving it, I’ve never felt better with myself, I pay more attention on the way I dress and the way I look, I now want to make sure that I look on the outside the way I feel on the inside.

While packing our stuff and getting everything ready to move to our new rental place, I saw a weird pattern. All my t-shirts are dark colors: black, dark grey, navy blue. I guess I was hiding myself behind slimming colors, but I guess that slimming colors can only help so much, I was only lying to myself and fooling no one.

I went to Herbal Magic yesterday, like I do every day (Monday – Saturday), to get weighed and measured. As of yesterday, January 11, 2009 I weighed 263.4. HELLO, THAT’S A LOSS OF 76 lbs! God knows I tried before to be healthy and to lose some weight, I knew it wasn’t going to happen overnight, it took me 29 years to get to the point where I was, but I failed many, many times in my attempts.

I’m so grateful to Herbal Magic and to the girls that have to put up with me every day, they have become a part of my life, a part of this change, and I thank them for their time and their patience. Trust me when I say that this has been a team effort. If I can do this, I’m positive that you can do this too.

If you want to start your journey, please e-mail me, I will help you!

carlos@1015energyfm.com

New Year with New Milestone's

2010-01-05T10:04:00.000-07:00

71.2 lbs down and 48.2 more to go...

Man the last couple of weeks have been a little rough, but it's been worth every single second. I thought that just because I managed to lose some weight over the Christmas Holiday break that the New Year’s long weekend was going to be a breeze, I've never been so wrong in my life!

Even with a long weekend we had a few work related events on Saturday and Sunday where cooking was out of my control, but I guess we have to make the best of them, there are always ways to make sure you make a "normal meal" into something healthy. You could request no mayo on a burger and ditch one of the buns (the top one with the sesame seeds) or Subway for example, You can request a 6 inch instead of a foot long (preferably on a whole wheat bun), ask the sandwich artist to get the inside crumbs off the bread and that way you are having even less bread, the add a grilled chicken breast, lettuce, tomato, green peppers, pepper but no salt and you get an even healthier sandwich!

So, I guess that living live on-the-go, weather you are delivery guy/girl, or if suddenly something happen and you have to leave home in a hurry and didn't get enough time to make y our own meals, you can still make some healthy choices.

The choices that I've been making since I joined Herbal Magic have lead me to lose 71.2 pounds (By the way, why is pounds abbreviated lbs?! Shouldn’t it be pds!? any way…) and to create new milestone’s in my life. Mrs. Goodwill and I were cooking supper a few days ago, she leaned over to give me a hug, she backed away and looked at me straight in the eyes and said to me: “Do you realize that this is the first time since we’ve been together that I’ve been able to hug you all the way and hold my hands?” (Actually she said: “Te das cuenta que es la primera vez desde que estamos juntos que puedo abrazarte completamente y tocar mis manos?” ha, ha, ha)

I’m never going to forget that, it is certainly worth all the little sacrifices I’ve made. I feel like a success, a step closer to my goal, a pound closer to 220.

Thank you all for your support, your e-mails and your facebook comments, I love hearing all your stories, please tell me more about how are you dealing with temptation, because God knows it’s there and we need all the support we can get. Please send your emails to carlos@1015energyfm.com.

I'm here for you to lean on me.

Holy Holidays!

2009-12-30T11:42:00.002-07:00

Wow. It's hard to believe Christmas has come and gone, and that I manage to live through it without any consequences.

This Super Long Holiday Weekend helped me to realize that I can go through all the turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy and pumpkin pie without gaining 10 lbs! Not only did I not gain even an ounce, I managed to lose 2 lbs!

As of yesterday I've managed to lose 70 lbs! Wow, 70 lbs! Do you know what 70 pounds looks like?!

I found some pictures on line from another blogger reflecting what 70 lbs looks like. Take a look.

This Polar Bear Cub weighs approximately 70 lbs

You kids out there getting ready to go back to college . . . Ya gotta have a fridge! This one's pretty small, only 70 pounds. Should fit in your room without a problem.

How 'bout this helium tank? Yeah, that's also 70 pounds.

And well, this ain't no secret, everyone knows I'm a dog lover, let's use that as an example:

This pretty awesome Bulldog is also 70 lbs; sorry Mr. Puppy, you are adorable just the way you are.

It's hard to believe that I started at 339.4 lbs. I was trying to look for something or someone that weighed 340 lbs and I found out that Shaq weighed 340 lbs back in 2007. In that case I guess It's ok to weigh that much, but I'm not 7' 1" (I'm actually 6'0") and also not a professional basketball player (I love basketball but God knows I ain't playing it for a living).

I now know that I'm ready for New Year's - that long weekend is going to be a breeze.

Just 50 lbs shy of my goal, the ladies at Herbal Magic gave me great news yesterday: as of right now, I should be at my weight loss goal (119.4) by Mid May... So, come Stampede, I will be a whole different Cowboy. So, Saddle up, We are going for a Road Trip!

I have a secret - Goodwill Carlos -

2009-12-15T00:02:00.001-07:00

I don't really know how to start talking about this. I guess it all started by taking a look at Meg's Improvement. How she was excited to be on the right path to living a healthy life. You might actually say she was my inspiration.

Meg tried to convince me to join Herbal Magic shortly after she started her Journey. I went for a consult with the lovely ladies at Herbal Magic and I still was unsure if this kind of program was for me. I wasn't entirely sure I was going to be able to make it work, both financially and emotionally. Back then I was weighing a not so bad, not so good either, 310 lbs.

Meg tried again to convince me to Join Herbal Magic, and I decided to give it a 2nd chance, this time I had to get the advice from my Wife, let’s call her Mrs Goodwill, we both went back to Herbal Magic, started to look at the pro's and con's of making an effort of living a healthy life. Then we had to put the numbers together, and then we realized, living a better healthy life has no price.

I officially started my... let’s call it a Road trip, on Friday September 18, 2009. Only 5 months after my first consultation I was weighing 339.4 lbs, those are Biggest Loser Numbers!!! (Great show to watch but that is topic of another post). In 5 months I added 29.4 lbs to myself. I was on a path to self destruction.

I decided to give it a try for a while, and after the first weekend of giving it a go, I lost 10.6 lbs. Yes, I manage to lose 10.6 lbs by day 3 of Herbal Magic. That's insane!!!

So, officially, I've been doing Herbal Magic for just shy of 3 months, and today, Monday December 14, 2009 I went in for a consultation, and I had to get on the scale like any other day.

Today, I saw numbers on the scale that I haven't seen in a loooong time. 276.8... I've lost 62.6 lbs in less than 3 months! According to Wiki Answers I've lost the equivalent of an average to large size dog!

This road trip hasn't been easy, it really hasn't, like any other road trip we’ll hit bumps here and there, we might even get a flat tire, but we will eventually get there.

Together, we will get to our destination.

My gift to You - Happy Weekend & Happy Shopping!

2009-11-13T16:30:00.002-07:00

You're Invited... We want to offer you 30% off during our Friends & Family event.

We're calling it Give & Get because for every purchase you make from November 12 - November 15, we'll give 5% of the amount you spend to our non-profit partners: Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada, Canadian AIDS Society, CARE Canada, Humane Society of Canada and The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada.

Click Here to get the Flyer.

if you can't see the link follow this link.
http://gapcanada.p.delivery.net/m/p/gap/gcan/gpjump_can_v2.asp?P=11092009_GG5_can_eng_invitation3.html&mid=1886219679&cid=780866

Have you ever tried...

2009-11-08T00:09:00.004-07:00

Googling your name (I.E. Carlos Cuevas Calgary) man! It's scary what you can find online. I found stuff that I didn't know existed but then again, I'm damn proud of them.

"Telling Our Story
Award

Albi Renova and CTV combined to renovate common areas in the shelter and their award was received by Brian Maurer from Albi Renova and Len Perry, Brigitte Rothe and Pearl Tsang from CTV. In addition, Carlos Cuevas, goodwill ambassador with Energy 101.5 radio, was given an award for his hard work and enthusiasm during the renovation project."

And I know that soon, You'll be able to watch the video that I'm making for the YWCA that is going to be viewed for the first time during our Open Your Purse fundraiser on November 20th at Hotel Arts. If you haven't bought your tickets, there is still some time. Look at which celebrities are already on board, donating their own gently-used purse, or autographing a Coach purse.

- A purse donated and autographed by Canadian singer/ songwriter Jann Arden.

- A Fergie for Kipling purse autographed by Black Eyed Peas leading lady... Fergie!

- A Coach purse donated and autographed by our Canada's Top Clairvoyant Kjarlune Rae!

- A purse donated and autographed by Canadian pop singer Elise Estrada!

and trust me, we have Many, many more surprises on who is suporting this event. Make sure you join us.

The World's Deepest Bin

2009-10-29T14:28:00.001-06:00

HAHAHA... I would probably try and figure out how that one works too...

"To throw rubbish in the bin instead of onto the floor shouldn’t really be so hard. Many people still fail to do so. Can we get more people to throw rubbish into the bin, rather than onto the ground, by making it fun to do? See the results here." - thefuntheory.com

Bottle Bank Arcade Machine!!!

2009-10-29T14:25:00.001-06:00

YEAH! This is Awesome!!!

"Many of us return our plastic bottles and cans. Noticeably fewer recycle their glass. Maybe that's because we don't get any money in return, as we do for cans and plastic. Can we change this attitude by making recycling glass fun to do? So you are not just rewarded with a good conscience, you also get a smile. See the results here." - thefuntheory.com

Stairs or Scalator!?

2009-10-29T14:19:00.003-06:00

I was pocking around on-line and I bumped with this site, thanks to my aunt the Lovely Patricia Gold. I wish we could all have more fun doing all our normal day-to-day activities. what do you think? Stairs or Scalators?!

”Take the stairs instead of the escalator or elevator and feel better" is something we often hear or read in the Sunday papers. Few people actually follow that advice. Can we get more people to take the stairs over the escalator by making it fun to do? See the results here - thefuntheory.com

Thanks to www.thefuntheory.com

Happy 8th Birthday iPod!

2009-10-22T13:01:00.006-06:00

Yes. Can you believe that on a Sunny October 23rd, 2001 in Cupertino, California the first iPod was released to Market?!

iPod is turning 8 years young this Friday and we are giving away a brand new iPod here at 101.5 Energy FM.

Here is what you have to do. Come down to the Energy Studios at the corner of 7th Ave and 5th Street SW (535 7 Ave SW) on Friday between 3:30 and 5 pm and play "Name That Tune". If you are able to name the song I will be playing you can get your name in the Draw and by the end of Friday Afternoon you might be walking (or Rocking) away with a Brand New 8GB iPod Nano!

Make sure you come on down and have some fun, and take part on a public display of Name That Tune!

*Fun Facts:

Did you know that the first iPod:
- Weight 6.5 oz (192 grams)
- Held Up To 1,000 songs

Today's iPod's:
- The lightest iPod to date weights 0.38 ounces or 10.7 grams (iPod Shuffle) and holds up to 1,000 songs.

- The Heaviest iPod to date weights 4.9 ounces or 140 grams (iPod Classic) and holds up to 40,000 songs!

*source www.apple.com

Are you getting ready for Halloween?!

2009-10-20T10:38:00.003-06:00

Take a look at this video. You might get some ideas for halloween. I think its awesome. I know for a fact that it was shot in Merida, Yucatan, Mexico. I can hear the accent.

let me know what you think.

I can see my house from here… And there, And everywhere!

2009-10-08T14:32:00.005-06:00

No, Really.

After looking up my address on google maps Street View option for Canada you can be witness that aparently I'm always Home.

And Jordan, one of our Station listeners, is not to happy with the idea of everyone in the whole wide world can see know how everything looks in her garage. Oh, yeah, did I mention she is also in this picture? take a look at he front steps.

Are you comfortable with this?

OMG Another Single Ladies... I can't compete wit this one.

2009-09-24T12:54:00.003-06:00

Please click here to watch the video direct from You Tube.

Beyonce's Beauty...

2009-09-24T11:13:00.006-06:00

I heard about this first on Twitter and then I heard about it on The Ellen Show. Chelsea is a small girl that was at her concert in Australia, She has cancer and Beyoncé pulled her from the crowd and dedicated Halo to her. I'm not going to lie, if you watch this video, be ready so shed some tears.

Please Click here to watch video direct from You Tube.

Look! a New Walpaper!!!

2009-09-17T15:11:00.002-06:00

Check it out, let me know what you think...

Top 15 Flix

2009-09-08T14:43:00.000-06:00

Rules: Don't take too long to think about it. Fifteen movies you've seen that will always stick with you. First fifteen you can recall in no more than fifteen minutes. Tag fifteen friends, including me because I'm interested in seeing what movies my friends choose.

1.- Transformers

2.- The Net

3.- The Hangover

4.- Wall-E

5.- District 9

6.- Gamer

7.- The Anchorman

8.- Super Troopers

9.- Van Wilder

10.- Heat

11.- Jurassic Park

12.- Die Hard - ALL OF THEM

13.- Old School

14.- Wedding Crashers

15.- Remember the Titans

Not a Tosser of the Week, brought to you by dontbeatosser.com

2009-09-04T10:18:00.000-06:00

Oh man! I can't belive summer is almost over! It's time to hit the books because everyone is back to school. So many changes in so little time, lets just hope al this changes are for the right reasons and for the right cause.

I know some people are still making their efford and traying very, very hard to put their 2 cents and help keep our environment clean.

I was driving around the city, as usual, and I saw Mary walking towards Safeway to get some groceries. After talking to her for a while I asked her if she needed a hand carrying her groceries, it wasn't till then that I realized she was using reusable grocery bags, not only they ar great for the envoronment and you can use them 10 times over and over again, but they are also stronger than your usual plastic bags.

I never thought about that simple detail. They are stronger! more reliable if you are going to walk home, that way you can avoid a scene like the one on Home Alone where he's walking home with groceries and everything ends up on the sidewalk. (HAHAHA, I LOVED THAT MOVIE!)

Thank you mary for pointing out a little detail that makes a huge difference. Thank for for doing your share to keep our environtment clean.

Could you be the next nominee???

Check www.dontbeatosser.com for more information on how you can help our environment and your pocket at the same time.

Not a Tosser of the Week, brought to you by dontbeatosser.com

2009-09-01T08:25:00.000-06:00

I know its back to school for almost everyone; some may have already been in school for the last couple of days (or week). The prices for some of the items that are required for this back to school season are just insane! This is one of the reasons why you should recycle. Just imagine your self taking advantage of all the back-to-school specials and paying for 1/3 of your bill with money that you got from recyclables!

I was up at Staples on 3030 - 32nd Ave NE, the corner of 32nd Ave and 29th St NE, helping them with the 4th Annual School Supply Drive and they had a ton of Specials on Back-to-School items, then I met Mary-Anne. Her and her boyfriend where picking up their computer from Staples and they where using some of their savings from recycling to pay for it.

I asked Mary-Anne, what are some of the items that she thinks people should focus more on recycling and she pointed out something that I never thought of. Try and picture how many people are buying bottles of water on a daily basis, and some of those people don't stop to think about recycling. All those plastic water bottles are just sitting there in the landfills and they sit there FOREVER!

I have to thank Mary-Anne for this lesson. I just got my self a spanking new Blue Bin from Staples to store my recyclables and make my trips easier to the bottle depot. I’m not a tosser. Are you?!

Could you be the next nominee???

Check www.dontbeatosser.com for more information on how you can help our environment and your pocket at the same time.

Not a Tosser of the Week, brought to you by dontbeatosser.com

2009-08-26T16:02:00.001-06:00

For the last couple of weeks I've been running around like crazy! Seriously! None stop, left right and centre! But it's all worth it.

Today I met with the winners for the All I Want for Back to School Shopping Spree and I have to accept that seeing Romel smile and enjoy a day shopping where it was all about him, buying everything that he needed and that he wanted for the new school year was worth every single minute of today.

On Friday I have to be at Staples on #3030 - 32nd Avenue NE for the 4th Annual School Supply Drive and while I'm there giving away free stuff to everyone that stops by and donates some extra school items or a little bit of cash I will be keeping my eyes open for people that are recycling. Remember that it's all about dontbeatosser.com

I've met some really interesting people. Some of them I've spent time with talking with right after we recorded their "on-air break" (Nat and Donna) and some of them I've talked to and had a few laughs (Colin and Joanne) and some of them I've talked to and they had to run back to their own life, but at the end, we all agreed on the same thing, and I'm sure I've said it before, but I only say it again 'cuz it's the truth. Recycling is more than gathering your stuff at home as you use them and taking them to the bottle depot. Recycling goes beyond that. Recycling is doing all of the above and going the extra mile, so, if you are walking on a park, parking lot, street, community event, on your way home, or to work... and If you see a container that is recyclable, pick it up and help it get to the right recycling bin. It really doesn't hurt to take that extra step.

Nat and Donna where helping Nat's Mom to clean her house and they took all of her recyclables over to the bottle depot.

Colin and Joanne where doing some recyclables that they've been saving for a while to help Colin with some of the expenses for his move out to UVic.

David does some recycling up in Airdrie and uses the money to take his little girl out for breakfast after teaching her the importance of recycling.

Terri-Lee and Joanne have been doing recycling for a while now and they have a bank account open for Terri-Lee's daughter and they have been depositing all the money form recycling into that bank account to use as a College Fund.

All these extra steps that people have been taking to make sure all of their recyclable items are in deed recycled and what the money is being used for are creating milestones amongst friends and family that they will cherish for a long time.

Could you be the next nominee???

Check www.dontbeatosser.com for more information on how you can help our environment and your pocket at the same time.

My Life According to The Killers

2009-08-08T21:54:00.000-06:00

Using only song names from ONE ARTIST, cleverly answer these questions. Pass it on to 15 people you like and include me (presuming I'm someone you like). You can't use the band I used. Try not to repeat a song title. It's a lot harder than you think! Repost as "my life according to (artist' name)"
Most people try to pick the most obscure indie band they can find in their iTunes to boost their hipster street cred but just go with one of your favorites that you know has interesting/funny song titles.

Pick your Artist:
The Killers

Are you a male or female:
Uncle Johny

Describe yourself:
Mr. Brightside

How do you feel:
On Top

Describe where you currently live:
Bling

If you could go anywhere, where would you go?
Where the White Boys Dance

Your favorite form of transportation:
Joy Ride

Your best friend?
Leave the Bourbon on the Shelf

You and your best friends are:
All the Pretty Faces

What's the weather like:
A Dustland Fairytale

Favorite time of day:
Midnight Show

If your life was a TV show, what would it be called:
All These Things That I've Done

What is life to you:
Glamorous Indie Rock and Roll

Your relationship:
Romeo and Juliet

Your fear:
Move Away

What is the best advice you have to give:
Smile Like You Mean It

Thought for the Day:
Everything Will Be Alright

How I would like to die:
For Reasons Unknown

My soul's present condition:
Tranquilize

My motto:
This Is Your Life

Not a Tosser of the Week, brought to you by dontbeatosser.com

2009-08-07T15:14:00.001-06:00

Oh man, this weather is CRAZY!!!

I usually carry around with me prizing from dontbeatosser.com, but this current weather is making carry twice as many things to surprise people with. But then again, if you don't like the weather in Calgary, wait 10 minutes, you might like it then.

If you are following my postings you can see the Shirts that dontbeatosser.com are giving away... They're cool! And wait to you see the Tuque!

I like it when people tell me their stories as they are. The Truth! Because I like to hear the truth (I can handle the truth!)

Take John for example. I was talking to him while he was getting back to work from his lunch break. We talked for a few minutes and I asked him if he recycled at home. I was pretty happy when he told me that him and his wife recycle everything that is recyclable and they love to use the services of the bottle depot, because, lets be honest here, who doesn't need some extra cash nowadays!?

Now, I've learned that looks can be deceiving. You could be a Construction worker, the manliest of guys, but in the end, we all go back to our wife’s for everything. Even to give the money that we get back from the Bottle Depot services.

Thanks John!

Could you be the next nominee???

Check www.dontbeatosser.com for more information on how you can help our environment and your pocket at the same time.

Not a Tosser of the Week, brought to you by dontbeatosser.com

2009-08-05T15:37:00.000-06:00

Oh Man, Does it ever feel good to be back in Calgary!

I am sooo happy to be back and to be doing what I do best, have Fun While Working!!!

I have to agree that the scenery in this city gets prettier and prettier every single day! Man I Love this City and I love it's People!

I'm glad to talk to the nominees of this week. Nice people all over the place.

First, LaRiviere Family where visiting Calgary from Devon, AB (293 km – about 2 hours 56 mins according to Google maps) MAN that must've been a nice road trip! This family where recycling even on their time off. Saving all their bottles and recyclables until they find a proper bin to put it in and after talking to Walker he was telling me that they all do recycling in his family and the money they get back from the Bottle Depot gets divided equally with his 2 sisters and him self they also take time to gather milk jugs cus the bottle depot is giving money back for that too. That is dedication to the cause, a cause that at the end is helping us all!

& then Katie, who also in the middle of working on her front yard, was using her recycling bin to deposit her water bottle after she was done using it. Like I said before, it's like a natural instinct here.

I've seen that consequences of what could happen when we don't worry about recycling and toss things out of the window of a moving car, or while enjoying a nice view from the hotel balcony you see on a river that runs through the side of the hotel and a pile of garbage sitting in the water and no one was doing anything about it. That alone, is a sad picture.

thank you all for your efforts.

Could you be the next nominee???

Check www.dontbeatosser.com for more information on how you can help our environment and your pocket at the same time.

Not a Tosser of the Week, brought to you by dontbeatosser.com

2009-07-27T00:53:00.000-06:00

Oh man, oh man. The things that make a life change.

I've been thinking a lot lately on those little things in Life that create an everlasting memory in our minds.

While I was driving around the Calgary a few days back. I was doing a lot of thinking on how My life was going to change very fast. I wasn't freaking out, I was just thinking...

Then you I see that little something that makes me go and talk to someone, a little kid was drinking water out of a water bottle while he was running around with his mom to do some last minute shopping, he was probably half way thru the parking lot on the way in to look at some clothes and he asked his mom to open the car again he wanted to save a water bottle to take it to the Bottle Depot.

All of this happened in a matter of 2 minutes... How Much Can We Learn from Kids!?!?!?
If we all took a few minutes, literally, a Few Minutes!, Can you imagine how much of a difference could we do if we all took 1 water bottle and took it down to The Bottle Depot!? If we all decided to change to reusable Water Bottle instead of buying Bottled Water every time we go grocery shopping?!

I want to think Dimpel and Dhruv for helping in this well deserved change.

It's times like this when we are not in a city where we are used to recycle when we can truly see the difference. I was having supper at a Taco Stand here in Mexico (Me Eating? hardly ever) and I asked the Taco Vender when I was done with my order if he had a recycling bin for me to deposit my pop can, he actually said "leave it there with the rest of the garbage" (I think that I should actually quote "dejalo ahi con el resto de la basura") and looked at me in a funyn way.

I think that we should all learn from the little kids. No matter where you are form, and what we do, We could all make this a better place by just doing what’s right.

Could you be the next nominee???

Check www.dontbeatosser.com for more information on how you can help our environment and your pocket at the same time.

Not a Tosser of the Week, brought to you by dontbeatosser.com

2009-07-20T23:00:00.000-06:00

I write this blog as I sit at my Hotel in Culiacan, Sinaloa, Mexico... Thinking back on the people that I've met so far that are recycling back home makes me value even more their smart choice.

I see the way people here in Mexico use and abuse the fact that recycling here is something that hasn't been picked up on by any one. Street venders, stablishments, hotels. Recycling is not even thought of. Here I am, drinking watter out of a plastic bottle, and even before I finish it, I start looking around for a Blue Bin. I asked at the front desk if they do recycling, and they look at me funny, I think they wonder if I'm even from this country.

I feel bad, looking around the streets and people just toss out of their cars plastic pop bottles, at public places I see piles of garbage just pilling up next to the sidewalks. That's why I look back on the people that recycle, like Mary Ellen Johnson who I talked to at the Fish Creek Bottle Depot, she had only one little garbage bad with some items stting around the house that could be recycled. She will take and elderly friend with her to do her recycling as well.

Or, Tim and Mike Olson, Father and Son decided to start doing recycling, to make some extra cash, the money would get splitted up amongs Mike and his brother to use to rent movies and spent more time with them selfs.

How long would it take for this easy and valuable system to pick up aroud other countries. We need to start giving more value to the efforts made by others, to recognize them for not being tossers.

Are you a Tosser?

Could you be the next nominee???

Check www.dontbeatosser.com for more information on how you can help our environment and your pocket at the same time.

I NEED YOUR HELP

2009-07-14T00:24:00.000-06:00

On Friday, at around 4.30 pm I was leaving The Station on my way to the bank to deposit my GST Check, I lost that Check, but Luckily enough it was found by someone that took the time out of the day to take it down to the postal office and mail it to my home address (Name and Address are printed on all government checks) I want to... No, Sorry, I need to find this person, I want to look them in the eye, and shake their hand, I want to be able to tell them how grateful I am for returning this check, because it couldn't come in a time that I needed it the most.

If you know of someone that found a check, around the address of #535, 7th Ave SW, in the vicinity of Chicago Chop House or 7 Resto Lounge or the New Court House Building or Belgo, Please let me know.

CLICK HERE FOR MAP

Please pass the word, Share this Posting to your profile and help me find the person to whom I'm really grateful to.

Thanks

Not a Tosser of the Week, brought to you by dontbeatosser.com

2009-07-12T23:55:00.000-06:00

It’s hard to find ways to identify the nominee of the week when you get to share stories with the people of Calgary.

This week I met with Preston & Reid Wald. I was hanging out at a park and I saw Reid running towards a recycle bin, with not one, not two, but with 8 empty water bottles. She had a huge smile in her face while she was depositing those water bottles in the recycle bin. She seemed so happy. I asked her Dad, Preston, why do they recycle, and he said that is was actually something that they started because his kids took the initiative and brought that home for him and his wife to embrace.

Then Kate Walsh that moved to Calgary from out East and has been recycling for decades just because that's what she was tough to do while growing up and decided to keep on doing it.

And then you get Wonda Heater that works for Calgary Transit, and she recycles to help keep our planet clean. And when I asked her what does she do with the money she gets back from the bottle depot she said that she donates the money to the Children's Hospital.

Seriously, when you get cases like this, where your children are so filled with joy just because they know they are making a difference in everyone else's life, or where you recycle because you think its an awesome think to do, or when you recycle because not only you want to help keep our planet but also to use the money not for self indulging but for a greater cause.

Its amazing the reasons why someone would decide to recycle.

Why do you recycle?

Could you be the next nominee???

Check www.dontbeatosser.com for more information on how you can help our environment and your pocket at the same time.

Carlos, The Real Latino, Does Calle Ocho

2009-07-10T17:27:00.000-06:00

This is just a sample on how a Real Latino would do this video. Latinos don't dance. We just look Good when we sing to a song.

Not a Tosser of the Week, brought to you by dontbeatosser.com

2009-07-02T14:04:00.000-06:00

I decided to go around the city and visit/crash a few parks and keep my eyes open for people that decided to recycle out of no where. Just a natural reaction if you wish to call it that.

Have you ever taken the time to ask your self a simple question such as "Why do I choose to recycle?" if you think about it, we make that choice. Weather it's an unconscious reaction or not. We are making that choice, but why?

we walk around Public Areas, Movie Theaters, Malls, Parks, Stampede and if we have a bottle or something that can be recycle, we'll automatically look for a recycling bin instead of just tossing it out to a regular garbage bin, and if we can't find a recycle bin, we'll make sure it's set a side so that it doesn't go to the land fill.

It's good that we are making that choice. It's like in our DNA or something. That is the Case of Jordan Sourisseau, I spotted him playing around with his friends at the park and he grabbed a couple of bottles that where on the grass and took them to the nearest recycling bin. I had to ask him why?! His answer was simple. "I'm just doing my part"

And then I noticed that when it comes to recycle, age doesn't matter. Perry Fortune is only 17, and she likes to recycle just because she knows its a good think for the environment and she likes to share the profits of recycling with her siblings (but we all share the main profit) and Jeremiah Ernhardt told me, when I asked him why does he recycle, that “it’s foolish not to”

When we have people that recycling is just part of who they are, We are all benefiting from them, why shouldn't we return the favor by also recycling. Like Jeremiah said it’s foolish not to recycle, we all have to do our part.

Could you be the next nominee???

Check www.dontbeatosser.com for more information on how you can help our environment and your pocket at the same time.

Not a Tosser of the Week, brought to you by dontbeatosser.com

2009-06-28T21:45:00.001-06:00

This week I was out in Downtown and around the city, visiting a few parks, I found that there is more than one way to recycle, let me explain.

I made a call for action, I was inviting people downtown to come and join me, while I was and about with the dontbeatosser.com street team, and bring some recyclable items in exchange for t-shirts from Don't Be A Tosser Dot Com, and a few little extra items I happened to have with me at the time, I was surprise by how fast people came from their offices and asked if I still had some prizing for recycling.

I was curious to know what do people do with the money that they get back from The Alberta Bottle Depots and I was surprise by some of the answers I got back.

Toks Bakinson and Dan Tao said that they like to save their money to treat them selves with little snacks or to buy music from iTunes, Angie Hunt is saving up all her money because she wants to buy a car some day.

Then I decided to walk thru a park and look for people that are recycling on their own by using reusable items such as Plastic food containers or Aluminum Water Bottles, people that reduce the use of containers that are hurting our planet, and I met the Seltenhammer Family.

Kids are always paying attention to the things that grownups do, and they copy everything they see from their role models, Julie and Andy, Thank you for taking the initiative and teaching the leaders of tomorrow how to help the environment and putting some extra money on their pockets, or in this case, in their bank account for their future.

We always have to remember that one action has a reaction, thankfully in this case, this is a positive action leading to a positive reaction. The Word is already out, Don't Be A Tosser, show the rest of your family, classmates, neighbors, show Everyone that you are committed to the change.

Could you be the next nominee???

Check www.dontbeatosser.com for more information on how you can help our environment and your pocket at the same time.

SoF - One month already!?

2009-06-26T12:02:00.000-06:00

Oh wow. One month, I honestly can’t believe it’s been a month already, and what a way to end this month.

I started to wonder why we only did 2 warm-up laps rather than the usual 3, and then it hit me. End of the month, we have to forget all our Limits, leave them at the office (or your car), because today we are going All Out!

We started doing our regular stretching and Private Pearson said "We are going to run to the other side of the river and on the way there we are going to do some fun stuff", the class has been over for a over a day and I'm still waiting for the fun part.

It was probably at some point between the push ups or the jumping jacks that I realized that I was doing way better than I thought I would!

Believe it or not, I am going to miss Soldiers Of Fitness, because it works for me, I do need the encouragement of having someone telling me I can do it, I do need the camaraderie of the group workout, because, if it where to be only me going out for a run on my own, I would just turn back and crash on my couch rather than actually doing something that it's not only better for me, but for those around me (I don't snore as much as I used to according to my fiancé)

For this, for all the muscle pain I went thru, for the little scrapes from rolling on the grass, for all the sweaty workout days I had, SoF, I'm really great full! (Except for the part of watching Zack's pasty body, I gotta take my step-brother down to Mexico and introduce him to a little thing called SUN)

I'm sure that now I'm in better shape that I was back when I started, and there is no doubt in my mind that after my wedding, I will be coming back. Because you guys thought me that the only thing I should fear are my own mental limits. I am my worst enemy, I choose to live a healthy life, and you guys are helping me live that life.

Thanks SoF!

Blitz Hour - I can see the Finish Line!

2009-06-23T15:14:00.001-06:00

Oh Wow!
It's really hard to explain the way I feel right now, I'm having mixed emotions, I feel Glad that I know I can finish a month of intense workout on Soldiers Of Fitness, (My own definition of Intense Workout: From not doing anything at all, to actually working out) I know for a fact that I can run 2K's non-stop at my own pace (lets face it, I'm not trying to brake speed records here, just trying to be healthy) but it's still Sad at the same time that I'm almost done, but the great news is that both Zack and I will be going back for another month... It's like someone made us addicted to working out...

I did, however, paid the price of not going to SoF on Thursday, I felt it was sooo hard to go back to that routine where you are doing something, It's like you become addicted to work out, addicted to be healthy.

I manage to hold again and ran all 3 warm-up laps, and by the time that was done, I had drank half of my water for the hour, and by the time we were done the second exercise My water was gone, so pretty much after only 20 minutes of working out I drank a full water bottle, so, close to the end of the hour I was pretty much DONE!

It will be hard to say good bye to some of our classmates that can't come back, but I'm excited to welcome the new SoF Cadets to this journey. I thought I wanted to do this because of my up coming wedding, but it wasn't till during SoF that I realized that I wanted to join and workout because I just wanted to make sure I was going to live long enough to see my own kids grow up and hopefully live long enough to go to their wedding.

I think that who ever decides to work out, they know by now that they do it because of them, not because you want to look good on a special day, at least, that's what I think and that's my reason.

HUA

Not a Tosser of the Week, brought to you by dontbeatosser.com

2009-06-19T15:27:00.000-06:00

How can someone choose who is a better recycler?!

I guess I have to base this one on the Story that they have to tell in regards to why do they recycle...

I met Colette & Kevin Klippert at the Bottle Depot in the Crowfoot Shopping Centre, I was talking to Colette and she told me that they make "recycling trips" to the Bottle depot once every one or two months. Kevin, her son, is the one that took the initiative to start saving all the recyclable items and opened a savings account to save the money form all the recyclables for a "rainy day", once they got around $200.- back from recycling! (that's a lot of dough!!!). This kind of initiative, where Mom and Son are working together to help our environment and strengthen their family bonds are worthy of a great Nomination. Thank you to the Klippert family for not being a tosser.

Could you be the next nominee???

Check www.dontbeatosser.com for more information on how you can help our environment and your pocket at the same time.

Blitz Hour Challenege... We are almost there.

2009-06-16T15:30:00.001-06:00

Is it ok that on Week 3 I was still a bit out of breath an hour after we where done working out?!

Oh man... as I'm typing I can feel my calf muscles cramp a little bit... Private Pearson says if it hurts it means that we are doing a good workout... then I think I was doing Pretty Darn Excelent Today!!!

Jokes aside I can honeslty say that my improvement level has gone up reasonably. I do have to say thank you to my class mates for helping me out when I needed it, as much as I try to make de classes a little bit more fun, ie "Private: Don't give up, think of your happy place", "Carlos: McDonald's!", "Class: GIGGLE/LAUGH!"; the time just deels like it slows down while you are doing SOF. That Hour feels like 2 Hours, and when you are told you only have 30 seconds left on a single exercise, those 30 seconds are the longest 30 seconds of your life!.

Even though we had a couple of cassualties today, Zack couldn't make it because he is sick and Khazma (Promotions/Marketing Manager) had a Last Minute Management Meeting, our team was still holding strong and poshing to their limits to make sure that we all completed the drills and that no one was left behind.

The team strenght that we've develop in the last 5 clases is amazing, we hardly know each other in a personal level and yet we are still willing to go the distance for one another no matter the weather condition or if we had a crappy day at the office. You can always count that the SOF Team will be there to help you in anyway that they can.

It's hard to belive that we are almost this months workout... I just hope I look good once I get into my tux for my wedding...

Soldiers Of Fitness - WOW Week 2!

2009-06-10T11:23:00.000-06:00

I can't believe we are already working on day 1, week 2. As I sit to enjoy a nice lunch, I think about how do I feel about today's performance.

Yeah, I'm in a little bit of pain, but its considerably less pain compared to day 1, week 1. I actually think that my body is starting to adapt to this life style again. How do I feel you still ask your self? Let's put it this way, I was pretty impressed with my overall performance during today's workout session. I manage to run non-stop 2 out of 3 warm up laps and complete 75% of the exercises successfully (the way they where meant to be done). Compared this to last week... I think the difference is overwhelming. I feel better, like I have more energy and like my efforts are actually starting to show, more on my resistance and on my state of mind and on the way I actually feel before we go to SoF, I get excited the night before just to think I have to go workout. I doubt I would've even feel anything close to that last week.

It still takes me a lot to look past the mental block that wants me to stop, that wants me to quit in the middle of, but that's where the magic of SoF comes in, we all come together as a unit to help, encourage, and push each other out. My team, its really there to push me when ever my mental block wants me to stop.
Thanks again... Talk to you guys next week...

And if you are wondering what am I having for lunch... Salad, Chicken and cottage cheese. I'm ready for the SoF Blitz Hour Challenge.

Are you ready for the SoF challenge?

Soldiers Of Fitness - Blitz Hour - Day One

2009-06-02T22:55:00.001-06:00

Oh, my!
I would've never guessed that after not doing SOF for 6 months I was going to be soooo out of shape. Going in on Day 1, Today, I was excited but nevious at the same time. I really wanted to get it going, but 15 minutes in to the workout I just wanted it to end, I don't know why. I've done it before and I've known since before we even started that this wasn't going to be an easy task. I do want to get fit for my wedding and I do think that Soldiers Of Fitness is the way for me to do so. I've tried working out at gym's and I never really felt the encouragement to go back and keep on working out.

I love SoF because if I'm doing something I want to make sure I do it the right way or I might as well just stay at home and watch some TV.

I think that having someone to guide you, telling you if you need to lower your back, to keep doing push-ups with your knees down if you can't do them on your toes, to never quit, helps out to get to our main goal the right way. without injuring our selfs, and it also teaches us, to never quit on selfs. We set our own limits and the only way we can get better at doing something to to raise our own bar each an every time we are trying to do anything, running, doing ranger kicks, push-ups.

Yes, today was a bit hard, but, I know that right now, I'm on the right track to feeling great and looking even better on my wedding day, and also, nobody said loosing weight and getting back into shape was going to be easy, but the guys from SoF are going to make sure we, all of our Blitz Hour Class, make the right choices, and that we help each other, to get to the same goal and that we tell our selfs all the time to never quit on our self or our Class.

I'm really proud of the guys at the Radio Station, I'm sure just two of us knew what we where getting our selfs into, the other 3?, not really sure if they knew how much effort it actually took... I'm also thank full and impressed with our listeners that decided to come and join us in this crusade, I'm sure all your efforts from today are going to pay sooner than you think. It might seem a little hard but, trust me, it gets easier... at the end of this week, you'll notice that your stamina, your endurance, and your willingness to keep on going and pushing the envelope will increase and you'll even be surprise...

Let's keep on going, let's keep on pushing and let's make sure we achieve everything that we want to out of this... HUA!
(Heard Understood Acknowledge)

Soldiers Of Fitness - Blitz Hour!

2009-05-27T10:18:00.000-06:00

Yesterday we made the announcement with Zack... I'm starting Soldiers Of Fitness again for one hour during the lunch hour next week... it's only going to be twice a week, but I know that I have to start doing something in order for me to get ready for my wedding... It's coming really fast and, let's be honest here, since the last time I did SoF I haven't really paid any attention to my health... I'm kinda excited again to start this life style again because I know what does it require mentally, emotionally and physically and I don't want to let people on my team down...
I decided that this time around I will take some video shots and maybe make some "short films" after every workout day... just for you guys to see and listen, rather than read, what's going on during the workouts... I think it would make it a bit more fun and you will get to see our improvement twice a week...
Excitement, and anxiety would be the better way to explain how I'm feeling right now... but the thrill of it it's what is going to get me going... and July 25th (my wedding date) is my goal to look and feel as best as possible in this Short Notice... but SoF will help out a lot...
If you decide that there is an event that you might want to loose a few pounds for and you need tat motivation, go to www.energy1015.com and click on the SoF Blitz Hour Logo and read the information there and then just send us an email to contests@energy1015.com with your name and phone number, and you and a friend or maybe 2 or 3 want to join us to get on the right path to your goals... it's that simple...
Well soldiers... See you in a few days when we report for duty...

WARNING - Adult Content - Jamie Foxx/Miley Cyrus

2009-04-15T12:53:00.000-06:00

This morning on the News I heard for the very first time something that made me feel sooo bad that I couldn't understand why would someone do something like this...

First of all, I just found out this Morning that Jamie Foxx had a show on Sirius radio, apparently anyone can get a show on satellite radio now on days... How could someone say that about anyone... Specially about someone under 18... She is only 16! At least he had to nerves to apologize...

Not Cool Jamie Foxx... Not cool...

Up For Rent - This Week in Movies

2009-04-15T12:19:00.000-06:00

I rented this last weekend a bunch of Movies Doubt, Slumdog Millionarie and Yes, Man.

First in my list of movies to watch was Yes, Man. I loved the fact that Jim Carey is still making funny movies. I needed a good laugh over this long weekend. The only down part was that after watching that movie I realized how much I was missing out in live. so I decided it was a great idea to take my fiancé out that night for a Road Trip out to Banff, oh yeah, it was 11.30 pm when I decided to go out and drive One hour out to a town in the middle of the mountains. Don't get me wrong, it was Fun and I had an awesome time, but once we got there everything was already closing, and they have very little street lights available so most of our pictures turned out with a black backgroung. I blame the Movie :)

Then I watched Doubt, I've never hated someone in my life. Meryl Streep did an amazing Job. She made me Hate her character soooo much thoughout the movie, and at the very I understod her pain where she was coming from. That weekend (easter weekend) I went to mass and paid extra attention to everythign that happends while the actual mass takes place.

Last but not least... I really procrastinated a lot to watch Slumdog millionaire, I was under the impression that his was a Musical. Then after talking with a few friends and all of them telling me that it wasn't, I decided to give it a try... Oh, My God! it was 2 am on a Sunday and I didn't want to go to bed just cus I was laughing and so in to the movie, I do have to agree that it was a great choice for the Oscars, but I still wish that Mickey Rourke would've taken the Besst Actor award.. I love Mickey Rourke.

Can't wait for Friday so I can go a rent a whole bunch more of movies... 'till next week...

Pedal to the Metal

2009-03-05T14:28:00.000-07:00

I just got an e-mail a few days ago about the traffic cameras being able to snap a picture of you

No, Not like that... I mean Speeding Vehicles and you would get a nice picture on the mail of the vehicle and the license plate of the vehicle just like this one!

So, don't be surprise and watch out your speed in general... Specially in this locations...

Macleod Tr / 162 Av SE
Macleod Tr /12 Ave SE
Centre St/ 20 Ave N
John Laurie Bv / 53 St NW
68ST /16 Ave NE
Sarcee Tr / Richmond Rd SW
4 St / 6 Ave SW
61 Ave / Barlow Tr SE
Crowchild Tr / 24 Ave NW
11 Ave / 4 St SW
11 Ave / 14 St SW
17 Ave / 44 St SE
14 St / Heritage Dr SW
14 St / Northmount Dr NW
64 Ave / 4 St NE
Anderson Rd / Acadia Dr SE
9 Ave / 11 St SW
Barlow Ttr / 32 Ave NE
52 ST / 32 AVE NE
Bowness Rd / Shaganappi Tr NW
Canyon Meadows Dr / Bowbottom Tr SE
Southland Dr / Acadia Dr SE
Fairmount Dr / Southland Dr SE
Elbow Dr / Southland Dr SW
Beddington Tr / Centre St N
Falconridge Bv / 64 Av NE
1 Street / 17 Ave SE
McKnight Bv / Barlow Tr NE
Barlow Tr / Centre Av E
Shaganappi Tr / Northland Dr NW
Blackfoot Tr / 42 Ave SE
Memorial Dr / 52 St NE
16 Ave / 10 Street NW
Edmonton Tr / McKnight BV NE
Memorial Dr / 28 St NE
Macleod Tr / 7 Ave SE
Bow Tr / 33 St SW
17 Ave / 33 St SW
Elbow Dr / Heritage Dr SW
Country Hills Bv / Beddington Tr NW
Glenmore Tr / Barlow Tr SE
McKnight Bv / Falconridge Bv NE
Macleod Tr / 25 Av SE
Country Hills BV / 14 St NW

Tim Horton's Roll Up The Rim is BACK!!!

2009-02-24T10:38:00.000-07:00

I was driving on Macleod Trail South with direction unknown as usual (I was actually following my gut) and as I was driving I noticed a girl walking on the sidewalk of The Bonavista Shopping Mall with a cup of Coffee... and the colors of the cup seemed different... then it just clicked!!! Rrrooooll Up the Rrriiiim is BACK!

I can't express how excited I am... I found the nearest Tim Horton's and I actually bought 2 XL DD (Extra Large Double Double) and a Friut Explosion Muffin (I was already there, I might as well get one) and I got this...

Then I remember that last year I had a "system"... I thought that all the actual prizing where hidden on the LARGE cups not the Extra Large (don't ask me why, it still makes sence to me) on the way back to the Radio Station I stopped to get another coffee and I forgot about my "system" and I got an XL DD... Still No luck...

This Morning while driving around I stopped at a Tim Horton's and I got a Large DD... and guess what!? I didn't win anythign... I'm starting to think that This Year might not be the year that I win one of the 35 Cars (2009 Toyota Venza) or one of the 100 Cash Prizes ($10,000.), but this is not going to stop me from trying over and over...