Redefine – Soil

Why am I going to the gym? Yes to redefine myself.

Prison Song – System of a Down

Have you heard this song? It pushes you. The PRISON SYSTEM!

Pathetic – Five Bolt Main

I’m feeling pretty pathetic because I have been lacking on my gym time.

Pushing Through – Mudvayne

Middle of the playlist, am I getting tired? Keep pushing dood!

Walk – Pantera

Only my favorite Pantera song. You can’t be something you’re not….RE! SPECT! WALK!

Fully Alive – Flyleaf

Ok, a chick singing with some sweet riffs. The workout is fully alive.

Black – Sevendust

The riff at the beginning at the song keeps me going. It’s a straight pump to get me through the last of my workout.

Reborn – Drowning Pool

Finishing up my workout. My day has been reborn.

Any thoughts? Suggestions? I am looking for about 3 to 5 more songs to make a 45 minute list. But I believe I have found the perfect 30.9 minute (according to iTunes) workout play list to push you through it. Enjoy.

Below you will find a note to the editor of the Columbus Packet (Roger Larson) and a note from him (in italics). All of this was posted on http://myweb.cableone.net/columbuspacket/letters.html

Roger,

Many people in Columbus and Starkville know the two people that the attached letter is about as they both lived here and in Starkville for years, which is why I found it hard to believe that Tupelo covered their deaths but not Columbus. Amanda was a graduate of MSU and her husband Brad was a graduate of MUW.

Thanks for your time,
Jennifer Smith

Ms. Smith’s e-mail was the first I had heard of the murder/suicide.

Editor:

I am writing in response to the January 10 murder/suicide of Amanda Millsaps and Brad Johnson in Corinth. Their deaths did not garner much attention here, but they had resided in the Golden Triangle area for the past two years, up until last June. While living here, Amanda worked at a Columbus bank and taught water aerobics at night at the W. Brad graduated from the W in May with a business degree. Amanda was my college roommate and best friend. The news of her death devastated me, but the resulting news coverage on WTVA angered me. It was insinuated that this came out of the blue, that no one could see this coming. That is, in fact, horribly wrong. Brad had been stalking, harassing and threatening Amanda since their separation in October. He even went so far as to follow her 120 miles from Corinth to Columbus, where he stalked her all night and then physically assaulted her when she was separated from her friends. I took her to the police station that night where she filed a report against him. I will forever feel guilty that I did not push her to press charges against him that night.

Amanda sought protection from Brad, but the system and everyone involved failed her. Amanda sought a restraining order in Alcorn County, but the judge would not listen to her—too busy on his cell phone to listen to a woman who feared for her safety. He would not grant her an emergency restraining order but instead told her to bring it to open court. This means that Brad would have to be served and then face her in open court to defend himself against the protective order. Please explain to me how it makes sense that a woman who fears for her safety would want the person doing this to her to know the exact date, time, and place (the courthouse) where he can find her? Brad’s counselor hung up on her when she called to report that Brad had threatened both Amanda’s life and his own. Her divorce attorney did not return her calls when she called for weeks seeking advice on what to do. The people in his camp (I will not name names as you know who you are and will have to live with that) told her she was a liar and that Brad would never do those horrible things when she sought for the people close to him to help her by encouraging him to seek help and move on.

I know rationally that Amanda’s death is no one’s fault but Brad Johnson’s, but I am so angry that no one with the power to help her even listened to her, much less actually tried to help. I hope in the future that judges take the time, and have the courtesy to hang up the cell phone, to listen when a woman comes to them fearing for her safety, especially as she already had a police report from Columbus where he had followed her across numerous counties and miles and physically hurt her. I hope in the future that counselors/ psychologists listen that a man has threatened his life and others. I hope in the future that attorneys take ten minutes out of their day to return a call. I hope in the future that friends and family of a man take seriously that the man is threatening harm against someone and actually get involved instead of sitting on the sidelines.

Evil presides when good people do nothing. But, most of all, I hope that women will take seriously any threats made on their life. Amanda feared that Brad would harm her, but she never believed that he would kill her. She was tragically wrong. Nothing will bring back this beautiful, warm, vivacious lady whom her family and friends loved and adored, but I hope that we all can learn something from her death. I believe that this case shows how and why we need tougher laws on domestic violence in Mississippi and more protection for the women in danger. Let us never allow this to happen again.

Jennifer Smith
Columbus

Wick's Pick Home Brew

If you have any suggestions on where to purchase home brewing kits/ingredients, let me know. I have had suggestions and am always looking for the better deal.

Have a great weekend and hopefully I’ll be around more.

Sweating in spices. My first attempt, just salt and heavy pepper.

After about 4 hours on the smoker, only 10 more hours to go!

Almost to the 12 hour mark. Wrapped in foil to limit burning and keeping meat's juices.

Here it is after 15 hours on the smoker! Good things come to those who wait.

Here is my homemade BBQ sauce. I believe this cooked about 8 hours. Needs some more vinegar, but its a good base. This will be perfected soon.

I will document more smoker action soon, I hope. Next up is a pork butt. Yessir!

Hi Jessica,

Peter Remfrey | Branch Supervisor – Darwin
0417 ### ### (I took out the #, just in case)

KI Recruitment CMYK

First of all, I’m not Jessica. This is a new name that I have seen. I have seen Jack multiple times, James a few times, but this the first instance of a female. I think this is from What is the dealio? So I thought I’d share. Maybe I’ll see if I have archived the emails and that’ll be a whole other blog.

Renewing my life through the days
A bold mystique? Not quite
Relentless needs
Perceptions are defined
The blue sky is clearly shown

Intoxicating my mind with knowledge
Nothing is natural
Going for broke mentality
Notions are labeled
The stars are shining in the black crisp night

11/5/08 Back
Wide Grip Pulldown
120lbs 15 reps
130lbs 12 reps
140lbs 10 reps

Cable Rows
100lbs 15 reps
120lbs 12 reps
140lbs 10 reps

Bent Over Barbell Rows
135lbs 10 reps
140lbs 9 reps
140lbs 9 reps

T-Bar Rows
80lbs 15 reps
90lbs 12 reps
100lbs 10 reps

Hyper extensions
2 x Body weight 15 reps

a handful of Bear Naked Banana Nut Granola
half a banana
about a tablespoon of natural crunchy peanut butter
about 8-12 oz of skim milk
heaping scoop of your favorite protein (I’m using Optimum Nutrition’s Rocky Road which is good just on its own).

Throw all this in a blender, maybe a few cubes of ice to make it all colder and what not. Its mega good.

Enjoy!