Johnaberdeen's Blog

I don't know about all of you, but I'm pretty excited about some Black Friday shopping.  I've been going out on Black Friday at the wee hours of the morning for years now.  It's funny because I don't even go out for the deals or to get any shopping done, I rarely even buy anything.  I just like the scope and event of the day.  I enjoy seeing people shell out enough to drive them to credit consolidation, and mothers fighting over Wiis and XBoxes for their kids.

However, there are so many good deals out there I am thinking about picking up some gifts for myself and others.  I know stores like Wal Mart, Target and Kohls will be hopping with excitement and good deals.  In addition, electronic stores like Best Buy and Circuit City have some pretty good deals on computers and televisions that I might take advantage of.  Who knows...maybe I'll end up in credit consolidation too!

If you're going out this Black Friday, remember to have fun!  Shopping should be relaxing and useful, not a huge stressor.  Take in the spectacle that is a major department store or superstore on the day after Thanksgiving for what it is, and enjoy yourself!

There is a fierce battle amongst a few co-workers about which coffee is the best. There seems to be 4 finalists for the best coffee around: McDonalds, Burger King, Dunkin' Donuts and Starbucks. You'd be surprised how loyal and fiery people are about their tastes in coffee.

The McDonald's and Burger King contingent have been drinking their coffee forever and I doubt have even tried the other two. They pick up their coffee (either cream and sugar or black...never flavored) through the drive-thru every morning before work. I don't think they particularly like the taste of the coffee from either of these huge fast food franchises , they just like the routine and effect.

The Dunkin' Donuts franchise fans are kind of like in between McDonalds/Burger King and Starbucks.  Most of the time, in my experiences, I find that Dunkin' Donuts patrons enjoy the taste of coffee moreso than the fast fooders.  This is why DD is so successful with its flavored coffees, lattes and cappucinos.  Also, I know a few people who go to Dunkin' Donuts because they want to avoid trendy coffee shop types.

Then there's Starbucks.  Starbucks, in my opinion, has the best tasting and best selection of coffee around.  I don't personally mind the coffee house types, and they are more than worth getting a delicious Peppermint Mocha Coffee in the morning.  The public tends to believe that Starbucks is way more expensive than Dunkin' Donuts and other coffee places, but that isn't accurate.  I only pay around $2.00 for a venti (biggest) coffee.

As far as your health goes, I believe there are some things that you should regularly schedule. A few of the appointments I try to make every year are with the dentist, general doctor, chiropractor, massage therapist, nutritionist and personal trainer. My appointment with the nutritionist is coming up this week and I'm actually pretty excited.

I always learn a lot when I go to see my nutritionist. I've been going to the same dietitian/nutritionist for 3 years now and couldn't be happier. I'm not necessarily overweight or in bad shape, but I like to be up to date on what I should and shouldn't be eating. In addition to the valuable information I gain, going to see the nutritionist is always very motivating.

I've been taking some steps to be healthier. I've recently done a colon cleanse , body detox , cut most of the meat out of my diet and have stayed really strict on my workout schedule. I'm looking forward to discussing this with her and seeing what she thinks. I'll make sure to let all of you know how everything goes and share any tips or tricks she gives me!

To quote one of my favorite sports journalists, Tony Kornheiser, "who ya got"? I am unbelievably excited for the main event of UFC 91 coming up November 15th. Everyone seems to be split in half on the Brock Lesnar/Randy Couture match. Will the former UFC Light Heavyweight champ and current UFC Heavyweight champ be able to use his wrestling ability, toughness, experience and legendary game plans to defeat the genetic freak.  I wouldn't bet the MMA clothing off of my back on it...

Make no mistake about it, Brock Lesnar isn't human. He walks around at 285 lbs. although he cuts to 265 lbs. before a fight. The man can do things in a gym that most wouldn't believe unless they saw it. He is a huge man who wears huge MMA gear . His gloves alone are XXXXL, which is staggering in itself.  In addition to his large stature, he is lightning fast and has some of the best wrestling in the UFC.

We all know about the accolades of Randy Couture:  Olympic level wrestler, 2 time champion, UFC Hall of Fame member.  He will have his hands full with Brock Lesnar, though.  Couture has never faced someone like Lesnar...someone with his size and skill set.  It will be interesting to see if Couture comes into this fight willing to stand and trade with Lesnar.  I would be extremely impressed if Couture can take Lesnar down and keep him on his back for any extended period of time.

This has to be one of the only fights in recent memory where the champion is the underdog.  Couture is losing to Lesnar in the sportsbooks.  I'm sure that won't phase him...Couture thrives on being an underdog.  He wasn't the favorite against Tim Sylvia or Gabriel Gonzaga and soundly defeated them both.  However, Brock Lesnar is no Tim Sylvia or Gabriel Gonzaga.

Honestly, the smart pick is Lesnar.  Although I hate picking against Couture, I can't see Randy pulling this one out.  He is going to have to submit Lesnar a la Frank Mir...and I don't think he will.  I'd like to see Randy pull it off...but I think his time is up.  After this fight, Brock Lesnar vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira will be next in line.