Update Season IX - "CAD, Kenya, CAD, Kenya, CAD, Kenya, CAD"

[WalterMitty]

bushie i have two questions ive been wondering about recently:

1.  you seem to eat out a lot for an unemployed poor.  actually you seem to eat out a lot period.  where does this money come from?  either your parents are footing the bill or youre racking up more credit card debt.

2.  is your brother a religious?

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

Cheddarland was the name of the restaurant? What on earth?

[Joe Biden 2020]

Walter, my mother gave me $20 to go out to eat last night as her and Dad were going to a dinner and theatrical show with their Sunday School class at church.  She told me to go out and enjoy myself, as well.  Of course, she didn't expect me to be so stupid as to get the monster cake as its called on the menu, but oh well.  That chocolate cake while part of her twenty was my responsibility.  Thankfully, it didn't hurt me as bad as I thought it would.  Normally, chocolate gives me migraine headaches instantly before I finish swallowing the cake.  This time the headache was a slow build up and it got marginally severe briefly, but stayed at a moderate level all evening.  I had to take some medicine before I went to bed for it, but not my migraine pills.  I would have been totally fine, and better off, had I just had the Bacon Cheeseburger and fries that preceded the cake.  Oh well.  You only live once, right?

My brother is a religious man, but not to the extent I am.

[Joe Biden 2020]

Cheddarland was the name of the restaurant? What on earth?

Cheddars was the name.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

Cheddarland was the name of the restaurant? What on earth?

Cheddars was the name.

Yes, that's much more benign than Cheddarland. 

[Joe Biden 2020]

Major changes are about to come to this house.  We just found out some startling news this morning regarding Dad.  He went to take a physical this morning, and it turns out he has diabetes.  This makes both Mom and Dad diabetic.  So, I can probably expect major changes to come to this house in the short term.  Most of the sweet stuff in the house will probably not return once it is consumed.  Sugar free syrup may become a staple at breakfast.  We'll have to sit down as a family and discuss the changes.  Since Mom and Dad are both diabetic, I had better watch myself closely as it may become inevitable no matter what I do that I become a diabetic since I am, in effect, surrounded by it.  Dad's not near as big as I am, either.  He's about 70.5" tall and weighs in the very low 200's.  He is a lot more physically active than I am as he works out in the shop doing carpentry work and stuff like that whenever the weather will allow him.  On one hand, it is sad that he is now diabetic, but on the other hand the changes about to be made are long overdue.

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

I just wish you would listen to us, Bushie. No one wants to hear all of this bad news, but it will keep coming so long as you keep "treating" yourself like you did last night.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

Coming from a family of bad diabetics, and being spared myself, fortunately, so far, it's not just sweets.  It's a balanced diet with a balanced carb intake. 

A diabetic diet /=/ just eliminating sweets.......you either eat well, or you shoot yourself up like a junkie and die.

You ALL need proper dietary counseling.....please get it.

[Joe Biden 2020]

Well, I can't do anything about last night.  It was the first such escapade in quite a while.  I don't regret going out to eat, but I do regret eating the cake.  All that aside, it is now time to focus on the future.  I didn't weigh myself this morning, because I was "afraid of the scale" after the cake.  I'll weigh myself again tomorrow morning after I try to have a good day today nutritionally.  The best thing we can do is make these changes and move on.

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

It's not about your weight or your calories, it's about WHAT you are eating. You can eat 800 calories in a day, but if that 800 is cake and ice cream, guess what? You're still hurting yourself. That's what you don't seem to understand, and I don't think you ever will.

[Joe Biden 2020]

Coming from a family of bad diabetics, and being spared myself, fortunately, so far, it's not just sweets.  It's a balanced diet with a balanced carb intake. 

A diabetic diet /=/ just eliminating sweets.......you either eat well, or you shoot yourself up like a junkie and die.

You ALL need proper dietary counseling.....please get it.

Yes, you are absolutely correct.  Sweets is not the only change that will be made.  There will be wholesale changes.  I'm sure he will see a nutritionist soon and get ideas on how to make the changes and I am going to bring what I learn from my dietitian to the table and start making a conscious, concerted effort to make these wholesale changes.  I wish we could go to a dietitian appointment together as a family.  That would help more than anything right now as all three of us would hear the same information and less of it would be "lost in the car" between the dietitian's office and relaying it to the rest.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

Coming from a family of bad diabetics, and being spared myself, fortunately, so far, it's not just sweets.  It's a balanced diet with a balanced carb intake. 

A diabetic diet /=/ just eliminating sweets.......you either eat well, or you shoot yourself up like a junkie and die.

You ALL need proper dietary counseling.....please get it.

Yes, you are absolutely correct.  Sweets is not the only change that will be made.  There will be wholesale changes.  I'm sure he will see a nutritionist soon and get ideas on how to make the changes and I am going to bring what I learn from my dietitian to the table and start making a conscious, concerted effort to make these wholesale changes.  I wish we could go to a dietitian appointment together as a family.  That would help more than anything right now as all three of us would hear the same information and less of it would be "lost in the car" between the dietitian's office and relaying it to the rest.

Excellent idea, assuming you all want to get through this.

[Joe Biden 2020]

Coming from a family of bad diabetics, and being spared myself, fortunately, so far, it's not just sweets.  It's a balanced diet with a balanced carb intake. 

A diabetic diet /=/ just eliminating sweets.......you either eat well, or you shoot yourself up like a junkie and die.

You ALL need proper dietary counseling.....please get it.

Yes, you are absolutely correct.  Sweets is not the only change that will be made.  There will be wholesale changes.  I'm sure he will see a nutritionist soon and get ideas on how to make the changes and I am going to bring what I learn from my dietitian to the table and start making a conscious, concerted effort to make these wholesale changes.  I wish we could go to a dietitian appointment together as a family.  That would help more than anything right now as all three of us would hear the same information and less of it would be "lost in the car" between the dietitian's office and relaying it to the rest.

Excellent idea, assuming you all want to get through this.

When we have our "family meeting" about all this, I am going to bring up that idea.

[Joe Biden 2020]

On another front, I am also considering going back to a "modified Plan A" as it relates to Kenya.  The more I think about it, 2015 may be too soon and too unfeasible at this point.  Plan A if you'll remember was get a job in Fort Worth right after I get my CAD certificate and work for about 4-5 years before moving to Kenya in 2018 or 2019.  I'm thinking about bringing that plan back to the surface now that I've had a chance to think about it.  The modified part of that plan may be that it might be Kansas City instead of Fort Worth.  It's still close (6 hours), but a lot less hectic than the DFW area.  Plus, I have family in Kansas City already and I would basically be on my own in Fort Worth.  I know I change my mind a lot, but at this point, I can.  I'm just trying to find the most feasible avenue to get me down to Kenya at some point.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

You might want to delete you fb posting if you're not going to disclose your family's health problems.  All your friends will quiz you and be more concerned at what you're hiding.

[Joe Biden 2020]

I'll see what kind of response I get.  So far, I only have one like and one comment on that particular post, so its not drawing a huge crowd, yet.

[memphis]

Perhaps the Great Physician can cure the Brown Family Diabetes.

[Lief 🗽]

Well Saturday's dinner is "grilled pizza" (no idea what that is) and Sunday's dinner is grilled hamburgers, apparently, so I'm not really holding my breath as far as dietary changes go.

On the other hand, Papa Bushie seems a lot more focused and responsible than Bushie, so we'll see.

[Mr. Morden]

On another front, I am also considering going back to a "modified Plan A" as it relates to Kenya.  The more I think about it, 2015 may be too soon and too unfeasible at this point.  Plan A if you'll remember was get a job in Fort Worth right after I get my CAD certificate and work for about 4-5 years before moving to Kenya in 2018 or 2019.  I'm thinking about bringing that plan back to the surface now that I've had a chance to think about it.

How old will your sponsor kids be in 2018?

[tmthforu94]

I would be happy to answer any questions folks have. Overall, it was a very enjoyable visit - Jeff is an extremely nice person.

We started off the evening by eating at Braums, an amazing regional fast-food joint here in Oklahoma (we also have some in southern Kansas). I got a third pound bacon cheeseburger, while Jeff got a double third pound cheeseburger. We both chose to get a malt with our order (per his advice) - I got strawberry, though I am honestly unsure what he got.

We had a nice conversation - the Atlas forum came up, as did African geography, the beauty of OKC, and our opinion of Mary Fallin (both have positive feelings). After our conversation, we drove to his church for a Wednesday evening service. Bushie drives a little slower than I do, so I was easily able to keep up with him.

The folks at his church were extremely friendly, I must say. I was very impressed by the reception I got from the folks there - probably one of the best experiences I had. We sang a hymnal - Jeff, I'm sorry to say this, but you need to stick to just singing the basic parts, rather than the alternate. It would be tough to praise your vocal abilities without lying. I was also able to meet his cousin, who was very nice.

Following church, we took our picture and I said, goodbye, as I had to get back to the church I was staying at for disaster relief. I'm really happy to have met Jeff, and I look forward to seeing him again. I will say, from seeing pictures from before, I can tell that he has lost weight.

[DC Al Fine]

How tall are you & Jeff?

[Joe Biden 2020]

Tmth, it was a real pleasure meeting you, as well.  You are a genuine person and I enjoyed my time with you.  As far as the malt, mine was a plain Jane vanilla malt.  I don't get too fancy.

The conversation was really pleasant.  I normally drive at or about 2-3 miles over the speed limit, but when I have someone following me who is new or unfamiliar with the area, I drive slower so they can keep up.

As far as my musical abilities, I'm not great and I would be laughed at on American Idol, but I like to sing the bass parts with the piano.  Sometimes, I'll sing the bass on the first verse or two, then the melody on the last verse, or some variation like that.  Would you believe, I was the assistant music minister at my other church before we closed down!  That goes to show the musical abilities of the church...  Oh well, a joyful noise is all that Jesus requires.  My cousin is probably my best friend.  Being cousins, we have known each other since we were real little.  I have been there for her and she has been there for me.  We have always been extremely close to each other and most of the time, we've been close geographically.  Only a few times have we been separated too far.  She came to my college graduation when she was in her 8th month of pregnancy with her second child a full three hours away from her home.

DC, I can't speak for Isaac, but without shoes I am 67.5", with shoes I am 68".  I always list my height at 5' 8 because there is rarely a spot to put a half inch, so I just round up.

[tmthforu94]

I'm 6'4'' in socks.

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

Dude, I'm pretty hammered right now but you all need to stop eating pizza and burgers all the g*ddamn time. You have these chronic diseases and yet it's like you have no idea how to handle them. If you don't figure it out, I, yes, I will make a trip to the godforsaken midwest to teach you how to eat properly. The only thing worse than an alive Bushie is a dead Bushie, even though your family dead would be lighter on our collective wallets. #businesssense #justsaying #realtalk

[Joe Biden 2020]

I'm home from a great night of Bible Study with my cousins.  Tomorrow, I'm looking forward to breakfast as a family for breakfast and then grilled pizza for supper.  Grilled pizza uses homemade pizza mix like you would put in the oven, except the crust is grilled and the toppings are applied before being melted onto the crust on the grill.  It creates a very crispy and delicious pizza.  We had some startling news and wholesale changes will probably come, but we're going to continue to enjoy ourselves even in the food department.