Cellar Musings

Couple interesting quotes for the day...

2012-01-25T00:19:00.001-05:00

I read / found a couple great quotes today & wanted to share them:

1. A fool's lips walk into a fight, and his mouth invites a beating. (Prov 18.6)

2. Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise; when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent. (Prov 17.28)

Surprise! We're Expecting!

2012-01-23T23:53:00.003-05:00

A Puppy!... lol

That was a joke that we made over the weekend. Michelle and I both Posted the Surprise line on Facebook this past weekend. We found it quite funny, but people took it a little more seriously than i had thought. Within minutes, I started getting the congrats and such. I had to let the joke out once some co-workers were responding. I didn't want to come into work on Monday to see a bunch of congrats notices and such.

Anyways... We are getting a puppy. A Burnese Mountain Dog. It's been a long process of looking at different breeds - comparing their needs - and then finding a breeder. Right now it looks like she'll be coming to us on Feb. 6th. I am really looking forward to getting her!
Here are some pictures of the puppy at 6wks.

Happy New Year 2012 !

2011-12-31T01:12:00.002-05:00

For 2011 I decided to make my resolutions pretty simple. I was going to go back through my "bucket list" that I had started in 2009 and work towards making things happen. That was going to be my theme for 2011 - Make it happen.
Well 2011 was full of changes. Some good, Some Bad. I've begun to see changes just as that - just changes. They are all both good and bad. To every Ying there is a Yang. The trick is to find the positive in things. Why struggle with dragging yourself down with the stress of change? Well for 2012, I am going to set some new goals....

I still like my bucket list, I will evaluate that list and begin to work towards it
Visit an Art Museum (with the kids - It'll be nice to get them some more exposure to the world)
Loose 50 lbs. - My target weight is 190. Definitely think it's obtainable, but it's going to require me to make some life changes. It's time to be more healthy.
Make Smores - Not conducive to the previous one, but It's always a good way to spend time with the family
Dress Up More - I've gotten lax with the relaxed dress code at work. They say clothes make the man. I am going to strive to take my appearance more seriously.
Try Harder - In general. Everything I want to do will require me to try harder.
Drink more Water (and less Soda) - A key change to make me healthier
Be Happy and Healthy & look for the silver lining in 2012...

To all my friends and family, I love you & wish you a Very Happy and Prosperous New Year ! ~

What is a Mason?

2011-11-06T23:40:00.004-05:00

Almost 2 years ago I decided that I would explore my interest in freemasonry. After talking with a good friend, I decided to petition a local lodge and began the journey. Earlier this year I was raised to the degree of Master Mason (3rd degree). The most difficult question often posed to members of our Fraternity is – “so what is Freemasonry anyway?”

This is one of the questions I've had the hardest time answering. While doing some reading, I ran across an interesting response... There are so many ways to answer this question: It is a Brotherhood, where we learn about each other and enjoy fellowship. It is an organization that has contributed millions of dollars to Charity. It is a school where we learn self- development and morality. It is a spiritual and philosophical school based upon the Mystery Schools and Traditions of ancient times. It is many of these things and more. Sometimes the answer to “so what is Freemasonry anyway?” is deeply personal because the teachings of the Fraternity can affect each Brother Mason in a different way. This is largely because of the way in which Masonic Teachings are presented.

The Masonic teachings can be best described as “Mysteries.” Our Rituals and Initiations are designed to communicate our teachings in parable, allegory and symbols. The Mysteries are presented in a very subjective way, leaving the Initiate to contemplate their meaning. The more deeply and honestly the Mason studies the Mysteries of his craft, the more profound wisdom he will attain and the more he will develop as a human being. If a man is a true Mason, a Master of his Craft, he not only contemplates the Mysteries, but actively practices the moral and philosophical teachings in all aspects of his life. The Masonic Fraternity is rooted in friendship, morality and Brotherly Love. Tolerance and freedom of religion are some of its main tenets. Belief in God is an important foundation of the rituals within the Fraternity and all Masons must profess a belief in a Higher Power, yet we do not impose any religious doctrine upon our members other than to stress the importance of religious study in general. Any good man is eligible to apply for membership, regardless of race, religion, political affiliation or nationality. As our ritual states, we are interested in the “internal, not the external” aspects of a man. Our modern world is filled with distractions that often keep our focus outside of ourselves – on our job, on the television, etc. Freemasonry provides us with unique opportunities to look within, to develop ourselves and to contribute to the aid of others in need.

How to replace the window regulator in the Trailblazer

2011-09-05T23:18:00.000-04:00

Happy New Year ~ 2011 Edition

2010-12-30T21:27:00.003-05:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR !!

Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind ?
Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and old lang syne ?

"An optimist stays up until midnight to see the new year in. A pessimist stays up to make sure the old year leaves." Bill Vaughan

Well I guess it's that time again. 2010 was a year full of changes. I continued to work within my cybersecurity role. I have progressed through a couple different leadership positions. All of them building on the last. I was able to apply for and thankfully receive a promotion (so that was good news!). I have been thinking of resolutions for 2011. I haven't been in an overly optimistic state lately, so that (I'm sure) taints the resolutions some. My resolutions for 2010 were:

Ensure that I am a strong husband to my wife and a loving and supportive father to my kids.
I will Pay off more debt than I incur
I will Fit in Fitness
To learn something new - (I've always wanted to learn Italian - hmm?)
I will reduce my Overall Stress (Personal & Work)
I will Take a vacation - we really enjoyed our time at the beach last year

After looking back at this past year, I won some & lost some, so I think I'll call it a draw.

I decided to make my resolutions for 2011 pretty simple. I am going to go back through my "bucket list" that I started in 2009 and work towards making things happen. Maybe that'll be the theme for 2011 - Make it happen.

I no longer want to waste my time reliving the past, instead I will spend it worrying about the future. I am looking forward to 2011 and all of the challenges and rewards that it brings.

(wrote and meant to post this earlier this year, but didn't get around to finishing the post... )

Evolution of Dance...

2010-08-14T22:48:00.000-04:00

Sold

2010-08-02T00:31:00.003-04:00

Well I pulled the trigger and it's done. Some know that I've been struggling with the amount of debt that we have acquired over the last 14 years. It's the literal 800 pound gorilla on my back. There have been many plans to try to get out from under him, but most of them haven't panned out.

I loved the road bike & the freedom / stress relief that heading out for a ride provided.

Unfortunately, life didn't provide me with many opportunities to head out for those rides and it seemed like a unneeded expense to carry. I rarely seemed to have time to take advantage of it.

I still have my Trek Hybrid which I use when I ride with the kids / family. So at least it isn't a complete wash. I still find my self wondering where it is when i walk out into the garage and don't see it hanging on the wall, but I am sure that too will pass.

So what's the plan? Not sure what the specific plan is going to be. Snowball? Snow Flake? Whatever the plan may be it is now public enemy #1. I like the snowball idea, but I think that I'll end up finding a 2nd job that I can bring in some additional income to throw at the debt as well. I just want to be sure to temper the additional work with the family time the kids are used to. I coach the 2 soccer teams and would like Logan to know who I am :-) It'll be a fine line I am sure, we'll have to see what kind of plan I come up with.

Wake up on the Right Side of the Bed ~

2010-07-19T23:05:00.002-04:00

Found a great post today & I wanted to save it and share it...

A positive attitude can be as elusive as a perfect cheeseburger, shoes that are both gorgeous and comfortable, or a TV show with a compelling and engaging script (we’re all missing Lost right about now). But by starting every day off on the right foot, literally rolling out of bed with a spring in your step, you are much more likely to live your life in a positive way and enjoy the many things that make being alive worthwhile. So here are a few ways to get on board with positive thinking so that every cheeseburger tastes better than the last (shoes and sitcoms are sadly beyond your control).

1. Eat when you’re hungry, sleep when you’re tired. In this fast-paced world, we train our bodies to go without food and sleep much of the time. We skip breakfast and rush through lunch, only to pop a high-sodium calorie fest of an instant meal in the toaster or microwave when we get home (yes, we are all guilty of eating Pop Tarts for dinner once in awhile). We scrape by on five or six hours of sleep and lament the fact that our eyes are baggy and bloodshot and we just can’t seem to get rid of those ten extra pounds of spare tire around our midsection. But you can live like the Buddhists and lead a happier, healthier life by listening to your body and responding to its needs.

2. Learn to say “no”. This may be the most important word in the English language, as every two-year-old knows. In order to put yourself first, you have to learn to deny demanding bosses, shrug off guilt-laden requests from friends and family, and stop yourself from joining every club and charity on the planet. Just say no! Schedule in some time for yourself and don’t let anyone deter you (especially YOU).

3. Appreciate what you have. The world is full of have-not, why-me, and grass-is-greener complaints. Don’t be one of those myopic souls who can’t see the good that’s staring you in the face. Instead of wondering why you got passed up for promotion, get proactive and seek out ways to improve your standing and recognition. Don’t try to keep up with the Joneses (or Kardashians, or whoever else has more money, fame, and acclaim). Live well, within your means, and love the life you have. Being content is a big part of being positive.

4. Create something. Working in a soulless corporate environment can often make you feel like you’re just spinning your wheels. So think about ways in which you can produce something tangible in your life that makes you feel good. Plant a garden, paint a portrait, or build a scale model of Devil’s Tower in your living room. There are plenty of ways to enjoy the creative outlet you desire, so make something (anything), even if you think it will be bad.

5. De-clutter. This is something that you can do both physically and mentally. Proponents of feng shui will tell you that de-cluttering your living space will simultaneously clear your mind of debris. There may be some truth to this, but the two do not always go together. However, a clean house will certainly allow you to relax and enjoy your free time more, so it couldn’t hurt. As for a worry-free mind, that is easier than you think. If you have a problem, write it down and forget about it. You can always come back to it if you need to, but the simple act of releasing it from your thoughts will take a weight off your shoulders and allow you to focus on something more positive.

Pictures of my Bike -

2010-07-06T00:19:00.001-04:00

I can explain later...

More Quotes...

2010-06-18T22:56:00.001-04:00

#9. I’m not anti-social; I’m just not user friendly

#10. I would love to change the world, but they won’t give me the source code

#20. If builders built buildings the way programmers wrote programs, then the first woodpecker that came along would destroy civilization. — Weinberg’s Second Law

Interesting Quote(s) for the day....

2010-06-10T22:40:00.001-04:00

"Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time; We are the one that we are waiting for; We are the change that we seek." Barack Obama

"I am asking you to do what you can, With What you've got, Where you are" Theodore Roosevelt

Slayer Goes to Church...

2010-05-24T22:00:00.000-04:00

VERY FUNNY

2010-05-14T22:20:00.001-04:00

This one made me laugh out loud - VERY Funny!

Interesting Quote for the day....

2010-05-05T22:41:00.001-04:00

A man is but the product of his thoughts what he thinks, he becomes.
~ Mohandas Ghandi

A Pretty Amazing Gymnast

2010-05-04T21:59:00.002-04:00

And the funny "remake" of it....

2010-05-03T23:17:00.001-04:00

Yeah, That about says it all....

Super Size Me...

2010-04-30T23:25:00.006-04:00

If you find yourself with a spare 1.5 hours - This is an unreal movie. It's definitely got me thinking about fast food and how I should probably work harder at cutting it out of my diet all together.

Yub Nub!

2010-04-27T22:04:00.000-04:00

Warning, after listening to this, you will have it stuck in your head for the rest of the day!

Ewok Karaoke from Rob Tyler on Vimeo.

The Raven

2010-04-25T22:35:00.001-04:00

THE RAVEN - 720 HD from THE RAVEN FILM on Vimeo.

2010-04-21T22:24:00.001-04:00

How to Run Away from All Your Problems

via My Super-Charged Life by Jeff on 4/14/10

Do you want to run away from all your problems?

I certainly have problems that I’d like to avoid. Problems are hurtful, distracting and agitating. Why wouldn’t I want to get as far away from them as possible?

That feeling you get when a big crisis pops up is sickening. It can feel like you went bungee jumping without a rope.

That’s why I recently set out to find the most used strategies for running away from problems. I wanted to uncover some things I could try. Fortunately, it wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be to find popular tactics. It seems that I’m not alone in wanting to avoid problems.

From my research, I found there are literally millions of people already using these techniques. You might even be one of them. However, I still thought it might be a value to share with you what I’ve learned. I hope I don’t bore you with this stuff. Maybe there is a new strategy here that you can use for better results than what you are experiencing now.

5 Ways to Run Away from All Your Problems

If you want to ditch all your problems, then it does appear that you have a lot of company. As I said before, tons of people have gone before us paving the way. I found this to be great news and very reassuring because we can learn from their experience.

Here are five common strategies I found to run away from our problems:

1. Bury Your Head in the Sand

Probably one of the most common and promising strategies used to avoid problems is just to ignore them. We have an amazing ability to blind ourselves to the issues in our lives. If we don’t see and acknowledge the problems, then they simply don’t exist. It is almost a miracle at how effective this technique can be.

Of course, as with all strategies, this one does have a potential gotcha. Through some painstaking research and expert analysis, I have uncovered one pretty disturbing drawback of this approach that I think must have been hidden for years because so many have missed it.

It seems that those that utilize this approach later experience a day of reckoning. As I said, this is a pretty disturbing concept. What seems to happen is that all the ignored problems pile up and then one day, WHAM! They smack you right between the eyes with a crisis so huge that it is impossible to ignore despite even the best efforts of those very experienced with the strategy.

I found this discovery to be quite upsetting. At first, it seemed this was almost a perfect solution because it could be applied to practically any problem, but this day of reckoning thing really threw me for a loop so I decided to consider some other alternatives.

2. Get a Divorce

It is common knowledge and widely accepted that most problems originate with other people. We certainly aren’t the source of our own problems. That’s just ridiculous!

The closer a person is to you, the more leverage they have to create trouble for you. Therefore, it only stands to reason that your spouse is a big source of problems in your life. A divorce seems like a fast way to lighten up one’s life. After all, they aren’t called the old ball and chain for nothin’.

Again, this is a very popular strategy. Some researchers think that more than half of all marriages end in divorce so a lot of people have embraced divorce as something that works in avoiding problems. On the surface divorce looks like a fine way to quickly discard troublesome issues.

However, I’ve heard reports of divorce creating problems too. Apparently, it is not completely the panacea of good times its cracked up to be. There are rumors that It is loaded with financial issues and that it creates tons of complicated emotional problems especially when children are involved. Please don’t go spreading this information around. I don’t want my informants to know that I’m telling everyone their insider information.

It is really hard to believe that another very promising strategy for avoiding problems turns out to be saddled with cockleburs. Fortunately, there are still more ~~schemes~~ tactics to consider.

3. Live on Credit

I’ve said before that “life takes money”, but unfortunately money problems are plentiful. In addition, they are stressful, difficult and persistent. The good news is that there are plenty of banks with piles of money more than willing to help. They are constantly offering tons of great deals on credit cards. Heck, they even want to pay you to get one of the their cards. How great of a deal is that?

Credit cards are taken just about everywhere nowadays. You can basically live on credit! This can really ease the burden in a financial pinch. Have you been laid off from work? No problem! Just whip out your trusty old credit card and presto, your money problems are solved. Whatever the situation, having a credit card in your pocket seems to ease the burden.

I was sure that no one could possibly spoil this strategy for avoiding problems. It seems so perfect, but then I ran across this article saying credit cards suck. Oh, please say it isn’t so! After I read about interest rate hikes, late fees and cancellations, I decided to do a little more research and found the truth about credit cards. It is truly a sad day!

It is depressing to find out that three really promising strategies for avoiding problems seem so full of pitfalls. I’m starting to wonder if there is any hope.

4. Lose All Hope

Speaking of hope, I’m beginning to think, “Why even try?” Life’s problems seem totally overwhelming and unavoidable at this point. I might as well just give up. Everyone is out to get me anyway. My boss, my spouse, even my kids have it in for me. There just doesn’t seem to be any solutions to these problems. Everywhere I turn I only see more trouble heading my way. It has always been this way for me. I guess I’m just cursed.

I’ve tried, I really have, but it just never works out. I can’t even avoid my problems. I don’t know why I think I can ever possibly get ahead and loose from them. I take one step forward and two steps back no matter how hard I try or what I do. Overall, I just don’t have the energy to deal with it anymore.

I’m going to go with the flow. I’m tired of fighting it. I’ll let the cards fall where they may. I’ll just run my life on autopilot. That promotion I was wanting is out of my reach anyway and even if I got it, I probably wouldn’t like the job. I’m sure it is just full of a lot of new problems I couldn’t avoid anyway. The finances are a little tight, but if it gets too bad I’ll just declare bankruptcy. What the heck!

I know I should want more for myself and my family, but it isn’t worth the hassle. They probably wouldn’t appreciate it anyway. Why go to all the trouble? I think if I just ignore it all, then it won’t bother me so much. This seems like the best approach. Of course, I’ll never get that life I always wanted, but I guess that’s just the hand I’ve been dealt. Oh well!

5. Sabotage Yourself

I began this project really expecting to find ways to avoid all my problems, but it has been a seriously depressing journey. I’m not sure how exactly I got here, but my life really sucks now. The pain caused by all the problems that I can’t seem to avoid is overwhelming.

On top of that, I had a really big problem pop up again just this week that I wish I could have avoided. I went to have a few drinks to enjoy life a little and to try to get my mind off my problems, but when I left the bar later than I intended, some idiot stopped short in front of me and I rear-ended him. Of course, the cop was a butt-head about the whole thing and wrote me a ticket for driving while intoxicated. I can’t believe he was so stupid about such a small deal.

Of course, the cop wasn’t the only one that blew this whole thing out of proportion. When I got home, my wife had a hissy-fit over it. She was so out-of-control telling me how irresponsible I’d been that I left and spent the night in a motel. I think she’s overreacting to an accident. She’s being totally unreasonable and might even use this to rationalize giving up on us. What a night full of crazy problems!

The next morning wasn’t much better. The alarm clock in the crummy motel didn’t go off and I overslept. My boss called me into his office when he saw me coming in an hour late. I tried to explain the situation and that it wasn’t my fault, but he lost his mind before I could finish. He said that this was the last straw. He fired me while going on and on ad nauseam about my poor attitude and performance. It was quite a show really seeing his total lack of self-control.

I’ve had some time to reflect on this and I’ve decided good riddance to all of them. I didn’t need them anyway. The problems they caused me were ruining my life. I’m going back to the bar to try to relax and forget about my troubles for awhile. It seems to be the only place where people understand me.

Running Away from Problems Isn’t Smart (or Effective)

I so wished that I would have thought of this article in time for April Fool’s Day. It really is foolish to think that we can run away from our problems. The only way to a better life is to fully and completely accept personal responsibility for all our outcomes. As an adult, we are responsible for the quality of our lives. We can’t blame anyone else for our troubles and we can’t simply run away from them.

“You have to take the position that you have always had the power to make it different, to get it right, to produce the desire result. For whatever reason – ignorance, lack of awareness, fear, needing to be right, the need to feel safe – you chose not to exercise that power. Who knows why? It doesn’t matter. The past is the past. All that matters now is that from this point forward you choose – that’s right, it’s a choice – you choose to act as if you are 100% responsible for everything that does or doesn’t happen to you.”
~ Jack Canfield, The Success Principles

I’ll admit that life can be hard. It can hand us a crummy mess from time-to-time, but the only way we can effectively fight back is to face life head on. We have to stop running from our problems and start doing something about them.

What are you going to do today to produce a better life?

The Key to Getting What You Want

2010-04-20T22:34:00.001-04:00

Found a pretty interesting article on a different blog that I normally read...

The Key to Getting What You Want

via My Super-Charged Life by Jeff on 4/7/10

Do you know the real key to getting what you want?

The key to getting what you want is deciding exactly what it is that you want to acquire, accomplish or achieve.

It sounds simple, right? The trouble is that many, many people don’t know what it is that they want.

In addition, there is a lot of confusion out there about what it takes to get what you want. This is sad really because it means that a lot of people are struggling to live the life they desire simply because they don’t recognize this one simple key to success.

I want to emphasize that whatever it is that you fancy for yourself is available to you, if you clearly decide and define what it is first.

The Confusion About Getting What You Want

I know this all sounds very simplistic. When we hear it, most of us go, “Duh, why don’t you tell me something that I don’t know? This is just commonsense.”

Well, my response to that is twofold. First, if it is so self-evident, then why don’t more people know exactly how to make themselves happy? Furthermore, why are so many people doing the very things that lead to unhappiness and continue doing these things?

Second, why when I do a search on Google, do I find so many other answers? On the front page, I found articles professing each of the following as the key to getting what you want:

Integrity – Yes, living according to your values is very important, but is it really the key to getting what you want? No. You can be living a principled life and pursing good things, but still be miserable because you aren’t really getting what you truly want.
Persistence – Does it take persistence to get what you want? Absolutely! However, you can certainly be persistent in pursuing the wrong things too. So, persistence is not the most important key to getting what you want.
Taking Action – You’ve certainly got to take action to make things happen. I’d definitely agree with that, but you can obviously act in the wrong direction. In fact, you can take action in the complete opposite direction from what you desire.
Visualization – Visualizing what you want in your mind’s eye can be a very powerful technique to help focus on achieving your goals. However, if you don’t know exactly what you want first, how can you visualize it?
Self-control – It definitely takes discipline to accomplish things. You’ve got to be able to get yourself up out of bed in the morning and keep yourself headed toward the objective. Of course, what’s the point if you don’t know what you are after?

I could go on and on because these are just what I found in the first few articles. I’m sure there are numerous other suggestions and I’m not belittling these authors or the point they are trying to make. I’m just saying that before you can do any of these other things to be successful, you’ve first got to clearly decide on what you want.

The Importance of Deciding What You Want

Why am I hammering on this point? Because it is crucial. There is something incredibly powerful about deciding what you want.

I will suggest to you that when you clearly and firmly decide that you want something, you almost always get it or something better.

Think about it for a moment. Recall something you really wanted 5 or 10 years ago. Chances are you have it now. I know this is true for me. I’ve been very conscious of this lately and it appears very reliable.

This is not magical. I don’t believe that. I’m simply saying that once you decide what you really want, then things just seem to happen so that you get it. It is that simple.

I’m not the only one saying this either. You can find some very successful people professing the very same thing. For example, take a look at these excerpts:

“In order to get what you want, you must first decide what you want. Most people really foul up at this crucial first step because they simply can’t see how it’s possible to get what they want — so they don’t even let themselves want it.”
~ Jack Canfield, #1 New York Times bestselling author

“There is no hope of success for the person who does not have a central purpose, or definite goal at which to aim. When you have Definiteness of Purpose fueled by a burning desire to reach your objectives, nothing can stand in your way.”
~ Napoleon Hill, author of the classic Think and Grow Rich

“All successful people, men and women, are big dreamers. They imagine what their future could be, ideal in every respect, and then they work every day toward their distant vision, that goal or purpose.”
~ Brian Tracy, speaker and author on personal development

These guys are some of the kings of success. They have all made careers teaching others how to be successful and they all three make it extremely clear that deciding firmly on exactly what you want is a very crucial step in the process.

The clearer you can be about what you want, the more likely you are to get it and the faster it will come.

How to Decide What You Want

If I asked you right now, what do you want more than anything else? Would you be able to answer me quickly, clearly and concisely? Most regular people cannot. They might, if they are particularly good, be able to stumble around and eventually name something, but most don’t know what they really want.

This isn’t something to be ashamed of, but it is something to fix. If you are most likely going to get what you want, then what are you going to get if you want nothing? I think you know.

Therefore, we all need to spend a little time figuring out exactly what we want. Here are a couple of suggestions that I really like from The Success Principles to help you get started:

1. Create an “I Want” List

I’d suggest beginning with this simple exercise to get your thoughts flowing in the right direction. We generally have some blocks when it comes to knowing what we want. So, it is important that you take a few minutes to warm up and stretch your mind to get it ready for action.

Get some paper and a pen, go to a quiet place and create three “I Want” lists. Clarify what you really want by making a list of 30 things that you want to do, 30 things you want to have and 30 things you want to be before you die. These three lists will help you to start formulating a picture of your desired future.

2. Write Down a Vision for Your Future

The second thing to do is to write out a narrative vision for your future. Remember when you were a kid and you had a picture in your head of what you’re life was going to be like when you grew up? You knew what your spouse was going to look like, how many kids you were going to have and what kind of car you were going to drive. Well, you need to create another such vision for your life.

Write down a detailed and descriptive vision of exactly where you want to get to in your life. You need to include these seven areas: work and career, finances, recreation and free time, health and fitness, relationships, personal goals, and contribution to the larger community. In each of these areas, allow yourself to imagine your ideal future and record that on paper.

Don’t let that negative inner voice tell you that your dreams are impossible. At this point, we are simply recording what we want. How we get there is a whole other issue. However, it is impossible to get to the success we desire if we don’t even know what it is. Also, think of it this way, what if you don’t get it all, but you get 80 or 90 percent of your ideal? Wouldn’t that be pretty sweet? Try to capture your ideal situation without any inhibition.

If you struggle with this exercise and need help getting it done, there is a wonderful guide in The Success Principles to assist you. Check the book out from your local library if you don’t want to buy it or if you want to preview it first. I think you’ll find it very helpful.

Deciding What You Want Is the Key to Getting It

Deciding exactly what success means to you and where you want to get to in your life is crucial to getting there. Otherwise, you are just floating along letting the currents take you wherever they are going. Why not decide for yourself? Get intentional about your life and you’ll be amazed at just how much of what you want will come your way. Of course, the beginning of all this is deciding exactly and firmly on precisely what you want. Have you done that yet?

Some interesting advice I found today...

2010-04-01T23:15:00.000-04:00

Three weird tips to lose your stomach fat: I’m going to go out on a limb and guess that these tips are:
1. Never eat anything but rice cakes and styrofoam.
2. Inject battery acid into any place where you suspect you might have stomach fat.
3. Relocate to the moon.
One Trick to Eliminate Junk Food Cravings: This one’s really almost too easy. To eliminate junk food cravings, just keep eating junk food. All the time. Whenever you feel even a teensy urge to eat junk food, seek it out immediately. By never letting a mild interest in food escalate to actual hunger before you rush off to the nearest 7-11, you are guaranteed to never have junk food cravings.
Five Surprising Fat-Burning Foods: Here are five foods that you would be surprised to find are fat-burning. I know I’d certainly be surprised.
1. Giant Toblerone Bars
2. Cheese Fondue
3. Double-Stuf Oreos
4. Cheesecake
5. Fiberglass

PS: I have one additional weird tip you might want to try out, just in case these ones don’t work out: Ride your bike a lot, and stop eating before you’re full.

PPS: I know, that was two tips. That’s what made it so weird.

Buy or Not... lol

2010-03-26T23:21:00.002-04:00

Don't stand too close to the mike.

2010-03-23T22:00:00.001-04:00

Funny Capture from CNN - Vice President Biden dropped the f-bomb at today's health care bill signing. I think it's nice to see that these people let their guard down too.

http://www.cnn.com/video/?/video/politics/2010/03/23/sot.biden.big.deal.cnn

The Sh*t you don't give

2010-03-13T08:37:00.003-05:00

This is a story that a co-worker told me from a church service he went to last weekend.

True story:
A pastor went to a conference in the bible belt and when it was his turn to speak, he said: "40,000 people died of starvation today and you people don't give a shit". The conference drew in its collective breath and sat there slack-jawed. He said: "I'll say it again, 40,000 people died of starvation today and you people don't give a shit.". There was rumbling in the crowd, and he looked at them, and pointed out what I think is the difference between happy, pretty, right-wing, Fox-News watching "Christianity" and the kind of Christianity I want to believe in.

He said, (and I paraphrase): "Which part of that sentence really bothered you?"

- because for many, it was the "curse" word, and in fact there's nothing really wrong with that word. We get so pissed off at politicians and people we work with, and that @$$hole who scratched our car. These little things that maybe, if we had a little perspective, we would brush aside, focusing our anger on real injustice or real pain, then maybe be moved to throw a couple of bucks toward folks who need it.

Whatever you believe, its a good message.

Awesome !

2010-03-10T23:57:00.002-05:00

Hah...

2010-03-08T22:27:00.002-05:00

Take the High Road and Be Nice

2010-03-08T22:11:00.000-05:00

An interesting blurb from an article I read today...

Being nice is something that we should embrace, not just because we want something out of it, but because it just makes us a more fulfilled person inside.

If you consistently portray a nice personality, people are going to remember you for it, especially in a very competitive world. It’s hard to get past that initial fear of lending your hand out there, but if you’re willing to do so, not only will you be able to feel happier, but you’ll influence others in a positive way in which they may one day lend a hand back to you.

Like Jay Leno says, “Life is not that hard. Try giving a little. You would be surprised at how much you get back.”

Are you Happy...

2010-02-12T22:55:00.002-05:00

I love flow charts!

Charity Rides — and the Fundraising Dilemma

2010-02-11T22:37:00.001-05:00

So I've signed up for a charity ride. The thing I dislike about the charity rides is that they all require payment of a nominal entry fee, and require that each rider raise x amount of money.

I hate to ask people for money. I'd have a hard time selling ice in the desert.

But, if I want to ride in the MS Bike Ride in a few months, I’ve got to.

In my case, it’s not too bad. The MS Society expects each rider to raise a minimum of $300. Last year, I surprised myself and raised around $800. This year, with the economy still in the doldrums, people seem to have tightened their purse strings. I’m not having near the response that I have had in years past. I'll admit I started early since the ride isn't till June, but I am hoping that I could set the pace since I am a team captain this year.

How does a person raise that kind of money? Other than asking will you donate to my cause, how does one raise funds? I've thought about "spirit" nights at a local restaurant or two, but those seem odd too. Should I approach companies? I am open to ideas...

Since most of these big events are organized by big charities, with support staffs, fundraising tips are made available to riders. The MS Society posts a 12-week plan to help you reach your fundraising goal, starting with your participant center. That’s a web page where potential donors can click a link or two and make an online donation to your effort. The unfortunate thing I find with the suggestions they give is it surrounds gaining support from friends / relatives - I've sent an email to everyone I know and will probably send another one as the date draws closer. I've posted a notice through facebook and re-post that same notice every time I log in.

The MS society also suggests that you could also raise some additional money by selling unwanted or unneeded items at a garage sale, or on EBay, or on Craig’s List. I really dislike this idea and don't have anything that I am really able to "sell".

So that's where I am. I am open to suggestions if anyone has any.

Now we're both in the hole ...

2010-02-02T23:07:00.001-05:00

This is a story I heard a bunch of years ago on a show called "The West Wing". Something today made me think about it, so I looked it up and decided to share it...

"This guy's walking down the street when he falls in a hole. The walls are so steep he can't get out.

"A doctor passes by and the guy shouts up, 'Hey you. Can you help me out?' The doctor writes a prescription, throws it down in the hole and moves on.

"Then a priest comes along and the guy shouts up, 'Father, I'm down in this hole can you help me out?' The priest writes out a prayer, throws it down in the hole and moves on

"Then a friend walks by, 'Hey, Joe, it's me can you help me out?' And the friend jumps in the hole. Our guy says, 'Are you stupid? Now we're both down here.' The friend says, 'Yeah, but I've been down here before and I know the way out.'"

The Farmer and his Daughter...

2010-01-28T23:23:00.002-05:00

Once there was a farmer with a beautiful daughter. Men came from miles around to ask her father for her hand in marriage, but he was the old-fashioned type, and wanted to make sure his daughter would have a husband who provided for her – strong, sensible and industrious.

So finally he settled on three likely young men, and told them he would ask them a question to decide which one could woo his daughter. The three young men nervously waited while he prepared his pipe. Finally, he asked all three of them a single question: “If you are working in the fields and find there’s a stone in your shoe, how long can you work?”

The first young man sprung to his feet. “I can work all day long! I can ignore the stone in my shoe until the sun sets! I am tough and I will endure the pain.”

The farmer nodded and turned to the second young man. “I can do the same, but I’ll even whistle to show I’m not bothered one bit by the stone! I can completely ignore the pain.”

The farmer settled his corn cob pipe and turned to the third young man, who declared, “I can’t work one minute with a stone in my shoe.” The other two young men laughed and congratulated themselves, declaring loudly that one of them would surely be chosen. The third man finished as they laughed, saying “I’ll stop and take the stone out of my shoe and keep on working like I always would. And at the end of the day, my wife won’t have to wash a bloody sock.”

The third young man and the farmer’s daughter were married the next spring.

———-

The moral of the story is that it’s not always about being the toughest or the most driven – sometimes it’s about being smart. This applies almost every day in your work life and in your personal life. Don’t just keep hammering away at a problem to prove you can stick to a task. Know when to quit, reevaluate and begin fresh. And if you don’t know, stop, take a break and start again. The answer will come to you.

In every day a little rain must fall -

2010-01-25T23:24:00.004-05:00

As I have grown older, I am coming to realize that I have lost my "support chain". Sure I have my family to talk to, but I tend to temper what I say to them. I have coworkers and many acquaintances, but I tend to share information, but remain quite guarded about it. It's been years since I have had someone I could confide in to talk openly about my irritations, concerns, and such ~ and more importantly, care about what it is I am sharing.

I don't really have any close friends. It sucks, and i don't know how to right the ship. My life has been full of frustrations lately. I used to feel that I was pretty optimistic about life. I don't remember when I lost it, but I now feel like I am a real pessimist. I know that I am my own worst critic - but it makes life tough not having that friend to confide in.

10 Updated Colloquialisms for the Modern Age

2010-01-25T21:58:00.002-05:00

(Great Posting I found on Geek Dad)

While pop culture itself is full of colloquialisms, catch phrases, social niceties and even a fair share of vulgarities, it seems that many of us repeat, verbatim, the things that we heard our parents say. Many of these are still relevant today, but a good lot of the clichés we use today have no meaning to our children.

Take for example: “Don’t count your chicks before they hatch.” How many people do you know today who actually raise chickens from eggs? I wonder if people actually know what a doornail is, let alone how dead it is. Do you know what it means to wear your heart on your sleeve? How about its origin?

So my question to you is, can you think of any idioms that needs to be updated for the digital age? I’ll start of with one that I coined last week, add in some new ones a few other GeekDads thought up and let you take it from there.

Hindsight is always 1080p.
One #hashtag does not a trending topic make.
Too many hosts spoil the podcast.
That’s a hard act to unfollow.
140 characters to the wise is sufficient.
The bandwidth is always greener on the other side of the firewall.
E-mail, Twitter, and Facebook are three best friends and three worst enemies.
People who live in glass houses shouldn’t check their address on Google Street View.
A fool and his passwords are soon parted.
He’s 10 bits short of a byte.

That's My Boy!

2010-01-25T21:55:00.002-05:00

So Logan fell asleep early this morning while Michelle was getting things together. She came into the family room and found him sound asleep with remote in hand - heh - definitely daddy's boy...

How to Solve the Rubiks Cube!

2010-01-24T00:00:00.002-05:00

It's not what you earned it's what you spend...

2010-01-23T23:28:00.000-05:00

I believed that in order to be successful you had to make a lot of money, at any price, even if it meant that you hated what you did for a living. After all, what was more important than making a lot of money?

However, that all changed a few years back when I all of a sudden realized that money wasn’t the most important thing to me. All I really needed, I decided, was enough to enjoy life – no more, no less. It was then that I decided to work for me and what I need rather than A. what others thought I needed or B. what my younger self had been telling me that I needed.

It wasn’t how much I was making, but rather how I was spending it that was dictating how much money I had to bring home on a monthly basis. I understand the concept, but I still have not figured out how to get rid of that mindset.

I guess this too will be something that I'll still have to work on for 2010.

Have been through this more than once...

2010-01-20T22:21:00.002-05:00

Some interesting quotes for the day...

2010-01-14T21:48:00.003-05:00

Well I haven't had anything constructive to say for a while. As I was doing some research on some work relate stuff today, I ran across some quotes that stuck with me...

"I cannot say whether things will get better if we change; what I can say is they must change if they are to get better." --W. Edwards Deming

"If you can't describe what you are doing as a process, you don't know what you're doing." -- Georg Lichtenberg

Why IRS Agents aren't allowed to bet (anymore)...

2010-01-04T22:40:00.001-05:00

The IRS decides to audit Grandpa, and summons him to the IRS office.

The IRS auditor was not surprised when Grandpa showed up with his attorney. The auditor said "Well, sir, you have an extravagant lifestyle and no full-time employment, which you explain by saying that you win money gambling. I'm not sure the IRS finds that believable."

"I'm a great gambler, and I can prove it," says Grandpa. "How about a demonstration?"

The auditor thinks for a moment and says "Okay, go ahead."

Grandpa says "I'll bet you a thousand dollars that I can bite my own eye." The auditor thinks a moment and says "It's a bet." Grandpa removes his glass eye and bites it. The auditor's jaw drops.

Grandpa says "Now I'll bet you two thousand dollars I can bite my other eye." Now the auditor can tell Grandpa isn't blind, so he takes the bet. Grandpa pulls out his dentures and proceeds to bite his other eye.

The stunned auditor now realizes he has wagered and lost three grand, with Grandpa's attorney as a witness. He starts getting nervous.

"Want to go double or nothing?" Grandpa asks the auditor. "I'll bet you six thousand dollars that I can stand on one side of your desk and pee into that wastebasket on the otherside, and never get a drop anywhere in between." The auditor, twice burned, is cautious now, but he looks carefully and decides there's no way this old guy could possibly manage that stunt; so he agrees again.

Grandpa stands beside the desk and unzips his pants, but although he strains mightily, he can't make the stream reach the wastebasket on the otherside; pretty much urinating all over the auditor's desk. The auditor leaps with joy, realizing that he just turned a major loss into a huge win.

But, Grandpa's attorney moans and puts his head in his heads. "Are you ok?" the auditor asks the attorney. "Not really," says the attorney, "This morning when Grandpa told me he'd been summoned for an audit, he bet me $25,000 that he could come in here and piss all over your desk and that you'd be happy about it!"

I keep telling you, don't mess with old people!

It's That Time Again...

2010-01-02T00:39:00.004-05:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR !!

Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind ?
Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and old lang syne ?

"An optimist stays up until midnight to see the new year in. A pessimist stays up to make sure the old year leaves." Bill Vaughan

Well I guess it's that time again. 2009 flew right by. It was an event filled year! Lots of ups and downs. I've left my job at a terrific company to start one as a government minion. The kids are all doing well and are healthy, and Michelle and I celebrated our 13th wedding anniversary. I have been thinking of resolutions for 2010. I haven't been in an overly optimistic state lately, so that may taint the resolutions some. My resolutions for 2010:

Ensure that I am a strong husband to my wife and a loving and supportive father to my kids.
I will Pay off more debt than I incur
I will Fit in Fitness
To learn something new - (I've always wanted to learn Italian - hmm?)
I will reduce my Overall Stress (Personal & Work)
I will Take a vacation - we really enjoyed our time at the beach last year

I will no longer waste my time reliving the past, instead I will spend it worrying about the future. I am looking forward to 2010 and all of the challenges and rewards that it brings.

Books on Tape

2009-12-17T21:24:00.003-05:00

I am pretty bad about sitting down long enough to read. It's not for a lack of wanting, but I have always had a really tough time with it. For as long as I can remember I have read really slow. It's not that I don't understand the words that I am reading, but just that I tend to think a lot while I am reading - visualizing what is going on in the story - "day dreaming" about what is being said. I find audio books hold my attention a lot. The agency I work for now has a service that we can use that offers free audio books - to borrow anyways. I have been enjoying those lately. In the last few weeks I have gone through 2 books and working on my third. I have gone through the Enron Story and "Always Looking Up" by Michael J Fox. I am working my way through "The Audacity of Hope" by Barack Obama. Question I have lurking, is that do audio books still enable one to be considered "well read"?

Sometimes ...

2009-12-13T23:58:00.002-05:00

In Life... Sometimes you are the hammer & sometimes you are the nail. I have heard this quote many times, but for some reason it just made me giggle tonight.

This week picked up from a jog to a run at work. I have had a relatively easy transition into the job. I have been working with the agency as a contractor for the last few years. I transitioned into a different division, but the parties involved are about the same. Long story short, the transition has been one of the easier ones that I have made. This past week, I've been asked to start to transition into a lead role for one of our team's "groups". The Customer Liaison Team. This team's principle responsibility is the "odd" requests. This is exactly the niche I have been looking for. I really hate doing the same mundane tasks day after day ~ and trying to keep them interesting. So come Jan 4 (after the Christmas Break) I will be the lead for this team, which I think will be pretty cool.

The house has been busy with tree trimming, cookie making, and just the buzz of Christmas. This has always been my favorite time of year. I love the way the house feels when it's all decorated and lit up. It'll be weird not having the big family get together this year, but we've decided that we'll make other plans instead. We will look to do a couple day outing to a ski resort and do sledding and get the kids some ski lessons. I want to do something fun. Hopefully we can make it up to see Will & Christie too. We missed them at Thanksgiving this year (first time in a LONG time that we weren't there with them).

It's late, I know there is more I want to write about, but it'll have to wait...

Night.

A Higher Power...

2009-12-07T22:15:00.000-05:00

I believe there is a higher power in this universe, and I know for a fact that it isn’t I.

However, I have yet to find a religion or orthodoxy completely consistent with the way I have my beliefs.

I have had discussions with a lot of my friends; discussing our differences in beliefs. The majority of which rely on their faiths for strength, wisdom, and their moral compass. Their beliefs are genuine and I respect them for that. Our biggest differences are centered on how / what we define as a “higher power”.

I’ve come to accept any condition beyond my control is, in effect, a power greater than me. My beliefs are centered on the belief that man (as a symbol) controls his path and not an omnipotent being with a planned path for me.

My friends have all accepted our differences and we have come to embrace them; understanding. My family is strong. I have a wife, who I have been married to for 13 years. We have our ups and down – but work together to make things work. My kids complete our “circle”. We are bringing up 3 healthy and intelligent kids. All of them have their independent personalities. They differ in their likes, dislikes, wants, and desires. Individually we are all strong. Together we are invincible. It is important to me to impart on the kids that they need to protect their family. They will have their ups and downs in life, and through it all their parents, siblings will be there for them. This brings me to the impasse that we are at with my brother’s family. We have our ups and downs, but seem to be less accepting of our differences. They have a strong family connection through his wife’s family and through their growing connection to their religion. It’s tough to say that we have grown apart. I admit that since our blow out, I have thought everyday about calling. I have done it before, so why not now? It all boils down to the definition of insanity (doing the same actions over and over and expecting a different outcome). Every time we’ve dismissed the issues that transpired between the families and returned to being cordial to each other again, it eventually fissions and another blow out occurs. I’ve decided that I can not handle that stress any more. It isn’t to be mean to anyone. It’s purely selfish for me and my family. I don’t want to handle the stress and don’t want to introduce it into my family circle.

This entry took a different direction than how I originally started it. I guess this an excellent example for why I started this blog. The best and oldest (no age joke intended) friend Matt has a great quote on his site “I learn what I think when I read what I write”.

12 days of Christmas' get pricier

2009-12-03T22:10:00.003-05:00

An interesting Article from CNN Money:

The total cost to buy all of the items named in "The 12 Days of Christmas" song increased by just 0.9% this year to $87,402.81, said PNC Financial Services Group.

Of the 12 items in PNC's annual cost of Christmas study -- which tracks the prices of everything from calling birds to French hens -- three fell from last year while five increased in cost and four remained steady.

"This year's PNC Christmas Price Index again reflects the patterns in the broader economy," said James Dunigan, managing executive of investments for PNC Wealth Management.

The index got the biggest boost from a surge in the price of gold, which is at a record high near $1,200. That sent the cost of five golden rings up 43% this year.

Declines in bird prices were the main drag, with partridge prices falling by half, and the price of geese down more than a third from last year.

French hens, however, bucked the trend. Prices for the imported poultry jumped 50% to $45 for three.

With the nation's jobless rate above 10%, many of the index's labor related components stagnated. The cost for 10 lords-a-leaping, 11 pipers piping and 12 drummers drumming were all unchanged from last year.

However, an increase in the federal minimum wage helped boost the cost for eight maids-a-milking, the only unskilled laborers in the study, by 11% to $58 from $52.40 in 2008.

And "The 12 Days of Christmas" aren't any cheaper for online shoppers. The cost to buy all 79 items mentioned in one verse of the song from online retailers came to $31,434.85. That's about $10,000 more than the $21,465.56 it would cost to buy all of the items off line.

"In general, Internet prices are higher than their non-Internet counterparts because of shipping costs for birds," Dunigan said.

Family Matters

2009-12-02T23:24:00.003-05:00

I've always thought of myself as a family centric person. I am the provider to and the protector of my family. I am a fairly easy going person. I like to have fun, joke, and generally have a good time. Sure, i'll poke fun at my own, but when things get mean spirited and those attacks come against me or my family - I am not so much nice. In recent years, I have noticed that my patience (which many will attest has never been my strong suit) has had a noticeably shorter fuse. So my willingness to deal with B.S. has finite borders. My wife's and my relationship with my brother and his wife have had many ups and downs. I like to feel that there were more ups than not, but that may be a purely from my perspective. There have been a couple falls out this past year. Every time there is a fall out, I feel like I lick my wounds from the "battle" and we have a sudo-make up and go back to being cordial with each other. Pretending like we are okay.

Well no more.

This past Thanksgiving we had the whole family together for the first time in a LONG time. I was really looking forward to having everyone together. Well things were less than smooth. For whatever reason, we found ourselves at odds with My Brother and his wife over many things. We planned to get family pictures done on the Saturday before everyone left. I talked with my brother about the where and when - and it turns out that we "had" to do it his wife's way. I believe the quote was " this is where we are going to be, you all are welcome to join if you like, but this is where we'll be." Crap like that just pisses me off. This is just a sliver of my issues with them, but here is not the place or time for the airing of those grievances. I planned to have my family (wife and kids) not go to the pictures at the "time and place" that was directed to me. My dad really asked that I participate and that he would really appreciate it if we were in the pictures. So for him, and him alone, I sucked it up and went. The photographer that was there was nice. She took some decent shots (shown below). We were all gathering back by the cars and trying to determine where we were going to go next. Tony and his wife wanted to go to a place called Adventure Land (or something to that effect). My sister and my family were looking to take the kids to Chuck-E-Cheese's. Both parties wanted to do what they wanted to do. The next thing i know, Tony's wife flips a switch and starts calling us ungrateful and how she doesn't want anything more to do with us. I am not really sure how we are ungrateful - or what specifically I am supposed to be grateful to her / them for... but at this point I don't really care.

I too am done.

I haven't communicated (through any means) with my brother since the blowout on Saturday. I have made a pact with myself not to speak with them until after the New Year (which new year I honestly haven't decided). The timing sucks since we normally have a few "traditions" like Christmas Tree Hunting that we partake in, but I guess that's just the way the cards had been dealt this time.

It'll be a different Christmas this year. My parents won't be coming out here for the first time in memory and we won't see my brother and his family ~ we will just have to find something special to do as a family. Maybe we'll go to a ski resort or something like that.

Protect our Music Programs

2009-11-19T23:18:00.001-05:00

A interesting look as to the importance of music programs in schools!

A look back

2009-10-29T22:07:00.000-04:00

The last couple of days I’ve had writers block for a post. So since we are quickly headed to the end of 2009, it seems like a good time to review over my “resolutions” for 2009. Let’s see how I’ve measured up this year.

1. Spend more time with Family and Friends – Well I think I’ve accomplished this one for the most part. We managed to get out for a vacation with my brother’s family locally to Busch Gardens & Colonial Williamsburg in Williamsburg, VA. So that was more than we normally do – so we’ll count that as a win.
2. To be more lighthearted and have more fun – Don’t think I have accomplished this. I am not really sure how I could have measured this, but I know that I have been pretty stressed over this past year and haven’t felt particularly light hearted about anything.
3. Fit in Fitness & Tame the Buldge – heh… Well I didn’t do either. I trained for the MS ride which I felt was a huge accomplishment for me. The 60 mile ride this year definitely kicked my butt. I got out a few times with the cycling group panhandle pedalers and did the local rides (about 22 miles) which were nice. I really like riding with that group, too bad our schedule was so busy that I couldn’t fit in more rides. So for this one I will call it a tie – because I wasn’t stagnant, but not as active as I would have hoped.
4. Learn to Snowboard – Well, this didn’t happen this year because of the logistics of bringing a baby to the ski resort.
5. Spend more miles each month on my bike – The long and the short of this is that I didn’t get on the bike as much as I would have liked. Boo…
6. Get Organized – I am not really sure what I meant by this, but I will count this as a win. I feel that I am pretty organized for the most part. I’ve put forth more of an effort to keep the home calendar updated with my activities and my work calendar updated with the home events as well. So we’ll call this one a wash too.
7. Go away on vacation – This was accomplished with item # 1.
8. Finish the basement project – not yet, and it’s not looking good for 2009. The project is about 98% there. There are a few punch list items that I don’t think I will get to this year.
9. End 2009 with less pounds - Well if I am going to accomplish this I better get a move on. I am still in the same neighborhood that I was, but I really need to get a move on if I am going to loose... heh
10. Stick to more than 50%.... and the winner is... well it appears that I am at a tie right now, so we'll have to make a push to satisfy #10

Cost of Living

2009-10-23T21:54:00.002-04:00

Found an interesting book in the break room today called “Remember When”. It has all sorts of information about the year I was born. In looking through it, I came across a page titled “Cost of Living” and was amazed at how much the average prices have changed in 35 years. Here are some that I wrote down.

New House - $27,600
Average Income - $11,859 / year
New Car - $3,853
Average rent - $165 / month
Tuition to Harvard University - $2,800
Movie ticket - $1.75
Gasoline - $.55 / gallon
Postage Stamp - $.08
Bacon - $.83 / pound
Eggs - $.45 / dozen
Ground Hamburger - $.64 / pound
Milk - $1.20 / gallon

Wow – How times have changed. It makes me stop and wonder sometimes about why the cost of living has gotten so out of control. Modern Technology and such is great - but at what cost. If you have to make 10 times the amount of money to keep up with the changing times, is it really worth it? Tough times ...

Song still in them

2009-10-22T13:00:00.000-04:00

“Most men lead lives of quiet desperation and go to the grave with the song still in them” ~ Henry David Thoreau

I really love that quote. I want to do everything possible to avoid going to the grave with the song still in me. Let’s unpack this a little – What does it mean to go to the grave with the song still in you? In my mind it means failing to find your true passion and purpose in life. It means never discovering your potential and pushing your limits. It means that your dreams die when you do. What is the point in living life if this is how it is going to wind up? I want more for myself, my family, and for my friends. I believe that each and every person has a unique and perfect song they were meant to present. It does sound a bit corny and idealistic, after all how many of us (me included) find themselves daily doing things that you don’t have a passion for, but do anyways because it’s “what you have to do”? Why shouldn’t we strive for an ideal life? Why accept defeat before you enter the game?

I want to work to squeeze every drop of satisfaction and significance out of life as I possibly can. “sing my song” as the case may be….

Sit for Ideas

2009-10-21T22:04:00.000-04:00

Many of the greatest thinkers, inventors, and entrepreneurs in modern history scheduled time to simply “sit for ideas”.

Andrew Carnegie would spend hours sitting alone in a room, un-distracted, to solve problems.

Thomas Edison would go down to the water’s edge each morning, throw out his line (with no bait) and then watch the bobber for an hour until his thinking was ready for the day.

What is your version of “sitting for ideas”? Mine has been my commute for a while – now that I am not commuting as far, I don’t get nearly the time to ponder solutions or new ideas. I think it is important to figure out a way to get away from all of life’s distractions and allow your mind to solve problems, create, and simply replenish itself.

Facebook

2009-10-20T00:05:00.001-04:00

Facebook has been a great tool for catching up with old friends. Don't get me wrong, my friends aren't old, but rather friends that i have known for a while (heh).

I am sure i could ramble on about it, but I am tired and wanted to hit my blog a day quota...

Night - I'll write more tomorrow.

Sad Day in Mudville...

2009-10-18T23:32:00.003-04:00

It was a sad - sad day in Mudville today. Like many of the last few weekends, I sat and watched with great anticipation of a Redskins win. and unfortunately they provided the same results that they have the last few weekends. The defense made a great effort - didn't allow a single touchdown the whole day. The offense, well they were miserable. They had their few glimmers that they had a clue of how to play, but for the most part they looked like they were playing a pre-season game.

The skins definitely make it difficult to be a

Eagle has flown the coop

2009-10-17T21:53:00.003-04:00

Well the kitties have a new home. Michelle worked on Friday to find some place that would take them. She found a rescue in Chantilly, VA that was willing to take all 3. Friday afternoon one of our neighbors came over and "adopted" one of them. So that made it easier on the rescue since they only had to take 2 rather than the 3. We took the ride out to Chantilly today and met up with the lady from the rescue. She was nice and seemed like she was going to take care of the kittens (well as much as you can judge someone in the few minutes). She said that she thought that they were closer to 2 weeks rather than the 3 - 4 that the Petco person told us. It was nice having the kittens here. It would have been nice to keep 1 or 2 of them. It would have been a tremendous amount of work, since they weren't able to feed or clean themselves, and it would have made things terribly hard around here for a while. I hope they grow up to be healthy and have a good home.

It's been raining the last few days. I am tired of it already. We want to decorate and I still have some fall cleaning to finish - I hope it stops soon.

Choices...

2009-10-16T22:32:00.004-04:00

For the last couple of years we've been toying with the idea of a move to Colorado. The timing has been junk. When we have had the opportunity to sell the house - I wasn't able to locate work out in Colorado. When I found job opportunities in Colorado, the housing market tanked and we wouldn't be able to sell the house for enough money to make the move.

Life feels irritatingly difficult. I'm stuck with how to make these tough decisions. I think to analytical at times and get mired in the details. I am not sure if I am supposed to be more "free willed" and make the move for desire and let everything else work itself out.

The Positives:
I like the area. Michelle's family is out that way. Her mom could use the help. Her mom loves to spend time with the kids, so baby-sitting would be a bonus. My sister and her kids are out there. We enjoy the area. The school systems are ranked higher than our current area.

The Negatives:
I don't have a job "network" there. The housing market is still pretty depressed here so the equity that we could walk away with is pretty sad. My brother and his family are out here - although he's usually a tough one to get together with since their schedule is pretty hectic with his in-laws family business. I like the area here too - Washington DC, New York, Beaches, Disney, etc..

So what's a boy to do... yeah, that's a tough one... I think our long term desire is to move and set up in Colorado so we can be closer to family. I'm just stuck on how to get from point "a" (where we are now) to point "z" (where we want to go).

3 little surprises

2009-10-15T22:53:00.003-04:00

I came home today and Michelle told me that she had seen a cat in the area and wanted to leave some milk out for it since the weather has been particularly nasty lately. I took the saucer of milk down to the drainage pipe that runs under our driveway since that's where she's seen the cat hiding out. The big surprise when I leaned over to place the milk inside the opening was to see a fuzzy head. I looked closer and it actually was 3 fuzzy heads.

I went in to get Michelle and the kids to show them what I had found. Since the our area has frost warning tonight, we made the decision to bring them in and keep them warm. Here is where the drama begins tonight. Albeit, I brought most of it on myself. I didn't want them to find their own bathroom, so I made the trip to the store and bought a cheap litter box. After dinner we thought we would go to Petco and look at what we should be feeding them. When all was said and done, we have spent $30 on these cats that we aren't looking at keeping.

Ugh - It's always something around here.

Change is inevitable…

2009-10-14T22:24:00.000-04:00

Recently I have gone through another job change. Unlike a lot of the stories you hear these days, this was a voluntary change. The biggest motivation behind the change is commuting. For the last 2 and half years I worked as a senior consultant with Deloitte & touché, LLP. Deloitte was a good company to work for from a benefits perspective. They did a lot for their employee work / life balance (or at least that was my experience). My 2 biggest beefs with the Deloitte experience stemmed from the commute and the politics surrounding advancements. Commuting was a way of life for me for many years. The employers that my IT Security job function was located with all required some sort of commute. For the better part of the last seven years I have been commuting 70+ miles / way. That commute was not fun. I learned first hand what road rage is and the many miles took their toll on my body as well.

Through an alignment of the stars and planets (being in the right place / right time) I have gotten a position with the Department of the Treasury. I have moved over from being a government contractor to a full time government employee. The biggest upside (outside of job security) is my commute. Door to door is 14 miles. WooHoo. In a week of commuting to the new job – I drive less than I did in 2 days of commuting to the old one. So far the position is interesting, and the options that this position will provide me is hopefully worth the aggravation of changing jobs.

I'll have to get better at keeping up.

2009-10-09T23:40:00.002-04:00

I appears that it's been quite a while since I've actually posted. I've been bouncing around twitter and facebook - but I think I'll try and start to blog more.

Till then.

Things You Own End Up Owning You.

2009-06-26T12:31:00.003-04:00

This is a repost from a site that I read (http://www.Mytwodollars.com) through Google Reader. It strikes an iron close to how I have been feeling lately...

The title of this post is one of my favorite quotes from one of my favorite movies - Fight Club. The quote is from Tyler Durden, (and without telling you too much in case you haven’t seen the movie) who is anti-establishment and anti-consumerism…making it one of those movies that every person who feels the same should see just for his quotes alone! I have quoted another line from the movie in my Money Quote Friday series a while back - “You are not your khakis“…so you can see what kind of guy he is - a lot like me in a lot of ways. I guess that is why I identify with the movie so well, as I too don’t believe that what you own or buy makes you who you are or can make you happy. It’s just stuff! Even if you can pay cash for everything you own and not pay on credit, you still have to store, clean, move, maintain, repair, and replace your “stuff” eventually, so it gets you either/or both ways!

But back to the title of the post - “Things you own end up owning you“. To me, this means that your stuff can own you in a few different ways, depending on your personal situation:

Your stuff can force you to live in a place you would prefer not to, just for a high-paying job.
Your stuff can make you keep a job you don’t like, just for the money to pay the bills.
Your stuff can make you send your kids to a specific school, when maybe they would be better off at a different one.
Your stuff could make you pay for a storage facility or continuously move to bigger houses, just to keep a roof over it.
Your stuff could make you take on a second job just to impress your friends.
Your stuff could require you to work well into your retirement years.
Your stuff might cost so much every month that you cannot take your family on a vacation or send your kids to summer camp.

I could go on and on, but I think you get the gist of it, right? Even if you have the money to buy something in the first place, guess where that money normally comes from? Work. And the more stuff you have, the more money you need to make and/or continue to make to support your lifestyle. I am not innocent of this behavior; far from it. I used to live high on the hog too, even though it was a lifestyle built on a pyramid of debt and minimum payments just waiting to collapse. And now, even though I make way more than I did when I was 25 years old, I spend less - on housing, on cars, on clothes, on stereo equipment, on my entire lifestyle. I have a nice place to live, I have a car to drive, I have clothes on my back, and I have food on the table. No need for much more, especially since it allows me to work for myself in a small, remote mountain town. But because of the changes, I do still have a little extra money to take vacations or make special purchases when I need to without going into debt. I learned from my mistakes, and I am hopeful that my mistakes can help you learn too before your stuff ends up owning you like it did me.

After all, it’s just stuff - and this is life we are talking about. You get one shot - do it right. It took me years to figure that out…hope you get it faster than I did!

Happy Birthday Logan

2009-05-21T09:11:00.004-04:00

Logan turned 1 today. This past year seemed to fly by. It seems like yesterday that we were walking the halls of Frederick Memorial Hospital with Michelle in labor. We have been through so many changes as a family since then. The economy has fallen into a traumatic tail-spin - I am happy that my career choice has left me in a position that I haven't been laid off (knock on wood) - That being said, the cost of living has definitely not dropped :-/

Logan has brought us a lot of happiness. He acts in similar ways to how our girls acted, but then there are ways that you can tell that he is all boy. He love playing in the dirt, loves climbing and getting into things, just a rough and tumble little boy. Hard to believe that he is a year old, I am sure I will be teaching him to drive any day now...

I did a google search for some dates of interest on his Birth date:

In 2003 - R&B singer Rubben Studdard beats out pop vocalist Clay Aiken during the second season of American Idol.

In 1980 - The Star Wars movie "The Empire Strikes Back" premieres.

In 1927 - Charles Lindbergh arrives in Paris, after flying his airplane, The Spirit of St. Louis, nonstop from New York to Paris.

In 1881 - The American Red Cross is founded by Clara Barton.

Logan shares a Birthday with:

Mr T. - 1952 (funny since Logan was born with a Mohawk and still can sport that pretty awesome style)

Richard Hatch (Survivor) - 1946

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LOGAN - I Love Ya!

When you find yourself moving in the wrong direction

2009-05-04T08:42:00.000-04:00

When you find yourself moving in the wrong direction, stop moving. How many times in your life have you recognized you are doing something wrong, but just kept doing it because stopping, or turning around, was too difficult. We have all had those moments. But the practice of simply stopping, taking an inventory of where you are and where you need to go, can often times make the difference in success or failure.

Seven Ways To Fund College Without A College Savings Fund

2009-04-07T09:09:00.002-04:00

The stories are endless. Joe and Sally saved their entire lives for their kid’s college education, but the recent market downturn has cut their college savings fund in half. Often times this report is followed up by a tearful high school senior explaining their dream of attending an Ivy League school has been crushed.

I’m a father of two kids, and I know how it feels to want to give your kids everything. But I honestly think parents are unnecessarily beating themselves up over these college fund balances. Parents and college-bound kids are going to have to make some tough choices between now and next fall, and the toughest of those choices will be dealing with the financial reality that a large portion of their college funds are gone.

These days most families turn to student loans, particularly those who lost half the value of college savings in a matter of months. Their story is a cautionary tale for those invested in risky investments too close to a financial goal, but since they all recognize that now there is no sense beating them over the head with portfolio allocation instructions. No, we are where we are, and we have to figure out where to go from here. Because I generally dislike student loans, the following tips will intentionally leave Sallie Mae out of the mix.

Seven Ways To Fund College Without A College Fund

1. Reconsider your choice of school. I sound like the guy who doesn’t read his own articles. I made the mistake of getting hung up on an out-of-state school because my best friend was going there, and I liked the football team, and it was my favorite college town. Big mistake. While I do have the ultimate souvenir from those days away at college (my wife), I also came home after 2 1/2 years with a pile of student loans and credit card debt. After enrolling in a local university it was obvious the quality of education was just as good, and the tuition was considerably less. Lesson learned.

2. Ask for help from friends and family. One of the more interesting concepts I have seen lately to formalize this process is a type of social investing market lead by Freshman Fund. Students and parents tie the child’s Freshman Fund account to existing 529 college savings plans, and then share the student’s profile with family and friends. Contributions are collected and deposited directly into the 529 plan behind the scenes (no need to share account numbers, etc. with extended family).

3. Apply for every scholarship under the sun. I mean that quite literally. If I were a high school junior facing rising tuition costs and a small balance in my college savings fund I would make it my part time job to apply for as many scholarships as possible. I would enter writing competitions, join various associations, and basically spend every free moment researching scholarship opportunities. Even if you applied for 1,000 scholarships and 990 of them turned you down, there is a chance those remaining 10 could finance a year of school (or at least offset some of the costs of that first year).

4. Get a part time job. This one is a little controversial because some argue that part time work detracts from the college experience, or leads to lower grades. I started working my freshman year to cover books and miscellaneous expenses, and later worked even more hours to pay for an apartment and utilities. Admittedly, it was a drain, but I appreciated things far more than if my mom paid for everything. I think it helps kids to have at least a little financial skin in the game.

5. Work full time for tuition reimbursement. Many companies offer tuition reimbursement plans to their employees. Start by researching companies in the field you are ultimately interested in studying. Most company websites offer a list of perks included in their benefits package, and if you have questions about tuition reimbursement eligibility contact the company’s human resources office (or recruiter) usually listed on the job search page.

6. Live at home and stay local, or commute a short distance. Room and board can add significant costs to already inflated tuition costs. If you are short on cash you might be able to pull off tuition-only and stay and stay on the “Mom and Dad” meal plan. As a compromise, at least consider living at home your first year or two and then look for a reasonable off-campus option for the final years at school.

7. Take a year off to save up the cash. Again, not a popular option for most high school seniors eager to get started on college life. But families need to be realistic; if the money isn’t there it just isn’t there. And with many people being laid off, or at least fearing they may be laid off, most parents are reluctant to try to cash flow tuition at an expensive school. It might make sense to take a year off, work full time while living and home, and save every single dime you earn towards the next year’s tuition. I wish I had chosen this route - in fact, I ultimately did. I went to school right away for a couple years, returned home and worked for a couple years, and then wound up working my way through my remaining time at school.

Again, I want to stress to those parents and students out there who might be reading this that it is not healthy to play the blame game. Many parents are mad at themselves for not rolling funds into cash last year, and many students are equally mad at parents for losing so much of their college fund. Being mad at yourself, or resentful towards your parents accomplishes nothing. Now is the time to pull together as a family and work to find a solution that works best for everyone involved.

High school seniors, resist the temptation to take out huge student loans. I know the money is there, and you don’t have to pay it back for a few years, but you will have to pay it back. When you graduate college you will be filled with the excitement of getting started in your career, and finding your first home. Don’t spoil it by tying a noose around your neck and hanging four years of student loans from it. Those loans will limit your options, and are often the gateway to other forms of debt such as credit cards and car loans. Make the sacrifices now so you don’t have to make them later. I promise, ten years from now you won’t regret it.

Post from: Frugal Dad

Funny Story...

2009-04-06T07:24:00.001-04:00

About 2 years ago (shortly after joining Deloitte) I entered and won tickets to a Nationals Baseball game. They got lost in the internal mail on their way to me. Deloitte gave me new tix, but the original ones never showed up. I received a letter through our internal mail on Friday. It was the tickets from 2 years ago...

Been a while -

2009-04-01T14:18:00.000-04:00

It's been a while since i have posted anything of substance. I originally started blogging so that I would have a venue to get the thoughts out of my head and down on paper (electronic anyways). I tend to think way to much into things and get lost in my own thoughts a lot.

I have begun training for this years MS Bike Ride. I plan on riding 60 miles this year. Last year i rode the 30 miles and still had plenty of legs left when i finished. I think the benefit that i had last year were some of my training rides i went on were way tougher than the actual ride. Trails End Cycling is where i purchased my road bike from. They host weekly training rides that start from the shop and go for either 35 or 75 miles. They have a no drop policy which makes the rides nice since no one is left behind. The 35 mile ride is the one i went on and it kicked my butt. It did, however, set my level of training. Needless to say it was overkill, and I finished in the top 5 of the 30 milers. This year since I have signed up for the 60 mile route, I am feeling the pressure to kick up the training a bit more. My first training ride out of the gate this year was a 30 mile route on the WO&D trail. We started at Trails End (since that's where it sits) and rode out to Goose Creek (Near Ashburn, VA). This point is right at 15 miles from the shop, so it made a convenient turn around point. Total training ride took me 2.5 hours to complete with an average speed of 12.5 mph and a top speed of 23mph. It is safe to say that 30 miles was probably a bit too aggressive for my first ride out, but on the plus side - I finished it. I felt like garbage towards the end of the ride and all that evening. I thought that i pushed my self too hard and that was my body's way of telling me to F' off (heh). Another day went by and I was feeling worse. I decided to make a trip to the doctors office (something I rarely do). Turns out that I had Strep Throat. That would explain why i felt the way i did. I have been on a self directed break till I feel a little better - best not take too long though.

Denver or Bust ? We have been looking at a Denver move for a couple years now. We don't have much of a support system in the area that we live in now and the abundance of possibilities that would be available in the Denver / Boulder area just seems to good to pass up. The schools are newer and seem better funded than the ones we have here. The communities all have rec centers and the extra-curricular options leave the kids with more decisions than they could want. My mother and brother - in - law live in the area. My sister and her kids live in the area as well. The have all shown interest in spending time with us and being part of our kids lives. My wife went to H.S. in that area and still has friends that never left and still keeps in touch with. It would be nice for her to have a support group to help her out as well. finding a job 1500+ miles away has proven to be a challenge. I had a couple nibbles so we started to talk to Realtors to see what our house is worth and how long it would take to sell. My wife did the majority of the talking with the Realtors. It turns out that our area has been hit by the economic recession / depression pretty hard and we have lost close to 100k in equity. The upside is that we are still in the black. The down side is that it still isn't enough for us to sell and come out with the money that i wanted to have. My desires is to sell the house and use the equity to clear all of the household debt, have 75k for a down payment, and have 20k for a "decorating" / move-in budget. I just don't know how to do it if those things can't be accomplished. I am willing to bend a lot on the decorating budget, but the other items feel like show stoppers. It is incredibly frustrating and has left a bitter taste in my mouth. I am uncertain on what the best option for this is.

The Infirmary - There has been a funk floating through our house. Everyone in our house has been sick in some fashion over the last month or so. It has made life hard on everyone. I will be really happy (and so would my wife) when we are all finally able to shake whatever it is.

Thrill of the Hunt - The job market in the area has been okay. My job has been solid over the last 2+ years that i have been with this employer. The crappy part of my day comes with the 70 mile commute that i make ever morning and evening going to and from work (140 miles / day). I floated my resume around and had quite a few offers. There have been only two that I have taken seriously. The first was a position doing the same kind of work, but for a manager I had worked for previously. He and I get along great, and it would be nice to work with him again. The second I have fretted about a long ago as this morning. It is a job with a small firm that has won a DoD contract with the Coast Guard. This position would put me 14 miles from home (each way). Wow that would make for a great commute. After a lot of deep soul searching, I have decided to pass on the opportunity. My current employer has really treated me right and has a ton of incentives to stay.

Indoor soccer has ended. This was the first time that i have coached solo. I am usually helping another coach. Indoor soccer was my idea to keep Elizabeth moving over the winter so she wouldn't have such a big hurdle when we started back up with Spring soccer. Indoor soccer was enjoyable, but i am really happy it is done. The way the county had the league set up made it less than desirable to coach for. I don't think i will do that league again.

There are a ton of other topics i want to get off of my mind, but i just don't have the time right now...

Up Next...
Katelynn & School
Elizabeths Birthday Party
House Chores
Wine

5 Quick & Easy Tips For Improving Your Pinewood Derby Car's Speed

2009-02-26T12:41:00.001-05:00

Found a nice blog about the Pinewood Derby. I have a couple years before i need to worry too much about it, but hey - I can always get a head start.

Original Post @ (http://blog.wired.com/geekdad/2009/02/5-easy-tips-for.html)

It's that time of year again. In schools and churches and community centers around the globe, Cub Scouts are gathering to put their building skills to the test in the annual Pinewood Derby race.

Thankfully, our Cub Scout pack has a category just for dads, so I can build my own car. My son -- although I help with the more difficult and dangerous tasks -- is largely on his own. I believe it's important that his car be his own. That's not to say I haven't searched long and hard to find the best performance tips for making my car as fast as possible.

I'm sharing some of them here.

It's my understanding that there are as many different rule sets as there are packs, so what I've tried to do is keep these tips as universal and broad-based as possible. Be sure to double-check your pack's rules before your first cut into your pine block.

Put all of your weight in the back. Much has been written about the physics of pinewood derby cars, and this is one rare case in racing where heavy = fast. Aerodynamics have little effect in such a short race, but weight does and putting the weight at the back of the car will make your car faster on the flat of the track. Tungsten weights, in most cases, are best because of their high density.

Lube the car at the body/wheel friction point. Do not paint the car on the small semicircle point where the wheels meet up with the body (where the wheel well is on the car in your driveway). Rather, sand this point to a smooth finish with a very fine sandpaper. Next, after masking off the body's paint, gently massage some dry graphite into the wood. This will reduce friction and increase wheel speed.

Spend a fair amount of time on axle prep. Using a file and fine sandpaper, make sure you remove any burrs and defects from the axles, near the head of the nail. Some people will put a number of axles in a power drill and spin them to find the axles that are most straight (and eliminate any with noticeable wobble).

Make sure your wheels are ready. Depending on your pack rules, polishing (or sanding) the business side of the wheel can improve rolling resistance. You can also massage powdered graphite into the wheel edge to further reduce friction. There are plenty of vendors who sell improved wheels, but if your group is like ours, these are outlawed. You can also polish (with graphite again) the wheel's bore. Once your axles and wheels are finished, a good rule of thumb is that, with a flick of a finger, they should be able to freely spin for 20 seconds.

Finally, once your wheels are mounted, check their alignment. Find a long board and mark off a racing lane, about 6 inches across. Put the board on a very slight incline and allow your car to roll a few feet. If, at the end of this test run, your car has moved significantly to one side or the other (or the wheels have moved in or out), move the axle up or down to adjust your alignment.

That's it! These are my quick tips for improving your pinewood derby car's speed. Do you have a speed secret that you can share with us for making your car move? Let us know in the comments.

Burrito Bailout

2009-02-17T08:08:00.001-05:00

Tuesday, February 10, 2009 at 3:53pm

CALIFORNIA TORTILLA INTRODUCES “BURRITO BAILOUT PROGRAM”
Initiative Includes Free Burritos for Recently Unemployed and Double Loyalty Points

ROCKVILLE, MD – While many companies across the nation are looking for a handout from the government, East Coast quick-casual chain California Tortilla has introduced their “Burrito Bailout Program,” a temporary response to the current economic hardships.

Anyone who recently lost their job can send a copy of their proof of termination or unemployment papers to the company and they will receive a Burrito Elito card loaded with a free burrito redeemable at any of the chain’s 36 locations. Paperwork dated from November 2008 will be accepted.

“Times are tough for just about everybody," said California Tortilla President Bob Phillips. “We know one burrito won't solve all of a person's woes but it might put a smile on their face and that is what we are all about at California Tortilla."

Free Burrito requests will be accepted from February 9 through February 27, 2009. The unemployed can send paperwork to bailout@californiatortilla

or California Tortilla’s World Headquarters at 20 Courthouse Square, Suite 206, Rockville, MD 20850. Coupons may only be requested from the Headquarters. California Tortilla will not return paperwork so customers are encouraged to send only a copy and cross out all personal information except for name and address.

In addition to the free burritos, the restaurant will award their Burrito Elito cardholders with double points on all purchases from February 16 to March 15. Members usually receive one point for each dollar spent and earn a $5 gift card after accruing 50 points. Under the “Burrito Bailout,” the $5 gift card will come after just 25 points. The offer is valid for all purchases, except for catering and gift cards.

Earlier this year, California Tortilla pledged to stock the kitchens at the DC Central Kitchen and So Others May Eat by donating 400 pounds of rice and beans to the non-profits.

Just what is California Tortilla? A quick-casual, Mexican restaurant with can’t-find-them-anywhere-else, award-winning, critically-acclaimed, outrageously-popular burritos, bursting quesadillas, fabulous salads, the freshest ingredients, spunky cashiers and so much more. Check out our website www.californiatortilla.com for all of the scoop.

Where can I find California Tortilla? We’re EVERYWHERE! Go to www.californiatortilla.com, for a listing of all our locations.

For more information, please call 301-545-0035 or visit our website, www.californiatortilla.com, be our fan on Facebook or follow us on Twitter (http://twitter.com/caltort).

Food Watch 2/5

2009-02-06T10:33:00.002-05:00

Calorie Allotment = 2282
Calories Spent = 2310

Variance = + 1.2 %

Better than the day before, but still over. Looking at the nutrient count, i need to get my sodium under control. the USDA recommends that we consume less than 2,300 mg (approximately 1 tsp of salt) of sodium per day. Wednesday I consumed 7, 017 mg of sodium and Thursday I consumed 3522 mg. I am way off of those charts.

Yum

2009-02-05T14:18:00.002-05:00

Need to get a smoker so i can try this...

http://www.bbqaddicts.com/bacon-explosion.html

Eating Habits

2009-02-05T07:44:00.002-05:00

So i found an application through my i-tunes store that will help me track how much i am supposed to eat (calorie wise). I can enter in the food that i do eat, and it already has a lot of the foods pre-programmed into it so it knows the nutritional information on them.

Yesterday:
Calorie Count Allowed: 2282
Calorie Count Consumed: 2737

Variance: +19.93%

Not a great start to the effort, but at least it encourages me to input my intake and allows me an easier way to see where i could cut back / make changes.

"We didn't lose the game, we just ran out of time."

2009-02-04T09:50:00.002-05:00

"We didn't lose the game, we just ran out of time." ~ Vince Lombardi

Saturday was week 3 of the winter soccer league. We were defeated once again (1-4). Our record now stands at 1W - 2L. It was a good game overall. Our team had a couple good players out sick which made my strategy a bit of a challenge. One of the things i am trying to do is let the kids play the positions they want to play (within reason that is). If someone wants to play offense, I will give them a chance. I have one boy on our team who is GREAT at being a keeper. He doesn't like to play it much, but I have been trying to appease him by ensuring that i rotate him into other positions during the game. This past weekend he played the first half of the game in goal and i let him choose his position for the 2nd half. Needless to say, the other team scored 3 times during the second half. Overall everyone seems to be having a good time. They play pretty well for only being able to practice together once a week. Practices are hard for me. The county only gives us 1 hour a week in the gym. By itself that would be cool, except for the fact that we have to share the gym with the 3 other teams in our division. This means that for our hour, we get 1/4 of the gym to practice. Makes almost all of my drills that i know very difficult to pull off. I spend a few minutes today pulling some drill ideas off of the net (power of google :-) ). Hopefully if i can teach them in a different way we can strengthen our play and get some more wins under our belt. My main goal for this winter is that the kids have fun, but i know winning is nice too ;-) .

Malicious Code Spreading Via Valentine's Day Spam

2009-01-29T21:58:00.000-05:00

added January 29, 2009 at 12:55 pm

US-CERT is aware of public reports of malicious code circulating via spam email messages related to Valentine's Day. These messages contain a link to a website that contains several images of hearts and instructs users to choose one image. If users click on one of the images, they will be prompted to download an executable file. Reports indicate that the executable files could be named: youandme.exe, onlyyou.exe, you.exe, and meandyou.exe (please note that these file names may change at any time). If users accept the download, malicious code may be installed onto their systems.

US-CERT encourages users and administrators to take the following preventative measures to help mitigate the security risks:

Install antivirus software, and keep virus signatures up to date.

Do not follow unsolicited links and do not open unsolicited email messages.

Use caution when visiting untrusted websites.

Use caution when downloading and installing applications.

Mr. Bush, it’s was a long 8 years. Here’s to you.

2009-01-26T08:39:00.001-05:00

1 - 1

2009-01-26T08:28:00.003-05:00

Saturday was our second game this season. We encountered our first loss for the season. It was a GREAT game. The teams were evenly matched. The scoring was back and forth for most of the game. I felt the disadvantage that we had was that the team we were playing had been playing before as a team, so they came into the league already familiar with each other as team mates and familiar with the coach. Most of our team has played before, but no one has played in the indoor league before. I will give it to my team. They played very well. I was very happy with the effort they gave.

Lizzie played her first "game" as goal keeper. She didn't play the whole game as keeper, but she played the first half. She did pretty well considering the team we played. There were a few shots that got by her, but she stopped more than they made, which i will count as a victory... heh. I was proud that even though she missed a couple she didn't give up. She hung in there and finished her time.

This should prove to be a fun season.

1 - 0

2009-01-19T23:20:00.002-05:00

I have been an assistant coach for my oldest daughters soccer team for the last couple of seasons. This year we decided to try indoor soccer through our county (Jefferson County Parks and Rec). I am a coach for one of the Division 3 teams (9 & 10 year old). Indoor soccer is played similar to outdoor so far as rules go. It just feels odd playing the game in a gym. There are 4 teams in our division. Our was Team 3. My first assignment to the team was to pick a better name. "Team 3" just doesn't instill fear... heh

So we are now the Lightning Bolts (Bolts for short)

Saturday was our first game of the season. We won! Wohoo! Final score was 7 - 3.

I am looking forward to a fun season.

Umm.. Ouch

2009-01-09T14:38:00.001-05:00

Watch more Work Out Failure videos on AOL Video

Action Plans

2009-01-09T11:36:00.005-05:00

So as I have been trying to think of something original to say on this blog, it has occurred to me that my resolutions are only as good as the plan to execute them (No Plan = No Results). So for this entry what I will do is break my list down into measurable metrics, meaning something that i can say "done with / accomplished that"

1. Spend more time with Family & Friends

This is a pretty ambiguous goal to accomplish. Some ways i am looking to spend more time with my family is to:
- Have Dinner Together. This seems to be something simple, but from the articles i have read they stress the importance of families eating dinner together. The article stated that the more often children have dinner with their parents; the less likely they are to smoke, drink or use illegal drugs. Other reports have linked family dinner to higher grades. At dinner time, families can talk about the day’s events. They can share their successes, and also feel safe enough, hopefully, to share their failures. Additionally, kids can benefit from having this one constant in their ever-changing routines. It can provide stability and security. I am not certain how much validaty I am placing into the importance of Dinner, but it cerainly won't hurt.

- Family Night. Fridays are our family night. Every Friday we get pizza from the mom & pop restaurant down the street and follow it up with a movie at home (nice to have the surround sound). Fridays are our night. We don’t schedule extra curricular activities for that evening and make it a priority to do something together.

- Family Time. About a year ago we starting going out on 1 day adventures with my brother. This was fun for a couple reasons. My brother and his family are really busy so we don't get to visit very much (which sucks when you think that we live less than 20 miles apart). This year I really want to push to go out once a month as a family and do something fun. We have gone to museums, aquariums, "fun centers", etc. I will have to talk with Michelle to decide when we wnat to schedule our outings for... Maybe the last weekend of the month.

Happy New Year

2009-01-01T23:04:00.004-05:00

Every year i think about my resolutions for the upcoming year. This year is no different. For 2009, here are my resolutions:

1. Spend more time with Family & Friends
2. To be more lighthearted and have more fun
3. Fit in Fitness & Tame the buldge
4. Learn to snowboard
5. Spend more miles each month on my bike
6. Get organized
7. Go away on vacation
8. Finish the basement project.
9. End 2009 with less pounds than i started with (244 this morning)
and most of all

10. Stick to more than 50% of my resolutions.

I hope you all have had a great 2008 and I wish you all a prosperous New Year!

Quote of the day:

2008-12-17T12:26:00.000-05:00

Quote captured from a friends blog:

"Whatever you give a woman, she will make greater. If you give her sperm, she'll give you a baby If you give her a house, she'll give you a home. If you give her groceries, she'll give you a meal. If you give her a smile, she'll give you her heart. She multiplies and enlarges what is given to her.

"So, if you give her any crap, be ready to receive a ton of shit." --Arthur Levin

Miracle of Modern Technology

2008-12-08T12:41:00.001-05:00

If you don't have anything nice to say...

2008-12-05T22:42:00.002-05:00

Don't say anything at all....

I've been in a funk lately which has lead to me not having anything constructive to write about.

Talk to you all soon.

It's been a little while... (Caution a pitty party follows)

2008-11-25T23:09:00.004-05:00

This ended up as a very short work week. Between a day of vacation and a couple days of company holiday I end up with a 5 day weekend. It'll be a nice break. I have been pretty stressed lately. The workload has been pretty crazy. Work seems to be only one of the stress factors this year.

We have made a concerted effort to not use credit cards - and better yet to pay off the ones we have. This has meant more items being paid for out of our normal day-to-day budget on top of our increased effort at paying off the cards. So yeah - money is an issue. As if balancing this wasn't enough, we add into the mix the family and personal responsibilities. There is a project list at home as long as my arm. This time of year makes it hard to work off anything on that list since it is dark when i leave the house at 5:15 am and dark when i get home in the evening at 5 pm.

Exacerbating all of this is another stress of mine, My health. This has been an issue for me lately. I have had problems with a herniated disc. Well a couple weekends ago i was helping a friend build a deck. It had rained earlier that morning, but the weather had broke and was actually pretty nice outside. We were setting posts so there were open footers all around. I was well aware of them, but as I was measuring something out my foot hit some mud just the right way and into the hole i went (well one of my legs anyways). I didn't break anything, but i did wrench my back pretty well. It was not a issue so much that i felt the extent of immediately, but over the course of that day the pain got increasingly worse and has taken the good part of a week and a half to begin to feel better. So.. yeah... On top of all of this, the stress makes my acid reflux worse - which really just equates to being a pain in the ass. blah...blah...blah... yah i know - Suck it up...

At the end of the day, I am just feeling crappy and unhappy. Fun right. I get into these funks every now and then, but now I just need to find a way out.

Can you find the 21 Changes?

2008-11-25T12:34:00.001-05:00

Caption This...

2008-11-18T07:20:00.002-05:00

Sad Day in Mudville

2008-11-17T13:20:00.002-05:00

Unfortunately this pic says it all...

Another Christmas Idea

2008-11-15T22:52:00.003-05:00

So as we were out running errands today I had another idea to add to the Christmas list... Pretty much anything Redskins would be good...

umm... well thats about it for right now..

Whoa! 41 days till when ?

2008-11-13T14:12:00.000-05:00

So I have been asked for some Christmas ideas. I will start to work with Michelle and get the kids & Michelle to come up with some ideas. I am sure they will be posted over on her site. Here is my first stab at a Christmas Idea list....

- Car adapter for my I-pod Touch (to allow me to play the ipod in the car)
- Gift card towards a boom box that has an ipod adapter (so i can work in the garage with the ipod music)
- Sears Gift Certificate towards a bench top drill press (Craftsman 12" - $199)
- X-Box 360 games (Gears of War 2, Fallout 3) or Wireless Networking Adapter (X-box specific)
- I tunes gift card (Michelle would be happy about that)
- Visa Gift card or something to help me save for the trainer i want for my Road Bike (http://www.performancebike.com/shop/profile.cfm?SKU=23636&estore_ID=1906)
-
I am having a hard time with this list. The things I want all seem pretty pricey as i try to think of stuff and as such they don't translate well to reasonable gifts. Life just seems to always get more and more expensive (or maybe it's my tastes - heh).

I am into cycling, so maybe Cycling Jerseys - although they can get pretty pricey too. I typically wear a XXL. I have not had much time at all to go biking lately, which is what is motivating my desire for the trainer as it is something i can do with my bike at the house.

I like wood working, but the shop is in a state of transition so i am not sure what the new space will be able to hold. Since i don't have a lot of time to put towards that lately, it's hard for me to judge what i could use. Something i had wanted to get is a nice wood Chisel Set. There are 2 problems with those (1) I am not sure what kind i am looking for (2) the rough search i have done for nice wood working chisels all seem to be pricey.

I could use a grill cover. The dogs did a pretty good number on the last one we had. I would have to measure the grill up again.

I enjoy wine - So that is always a good idea. I like Shiraz, Syrah, German Rieslings, etc. I like to try all kinds of new wines so i am not really stuck on any one thing. One that i am looking to try when my dad comes out is the 2006 Vi De Nulles Blanc. I just saw a review on the wine and it got RAVE reviews, so i will have to order that for Christmas when i have some people to help me consume some wine :-).

The fall back is that the money goes towards the kids Christmas and College Savings Plan. I have to honestly say that my biggest joy during this time of year is getting to spend so much family time. I never get to visit with Mom & Dad, since they decided to move out west once we bought our house out here. I really enjoy the time that they are able to spend with us. I know if they lived closer the Boys (My Dad, Brother, and I) would definately get out to play more golf and the tinkering projects.

Wow - This has been my longest post in a while. My life has been unhinged lately and I have been stressed over so many things. So I haven't taken much time to much "me" stuff :-(

Anyways - that’s about all i have for now. If i can think of anything else I will post things back up. Keep an eye out on Michelle's blog for the kids and her ideas.

Some times you have to go it alone...

2008-11-10T13:20:00.000-05:00

Close Calls

2008-11-06T09:39:00.000-05:00

Yes, you moose-eating redneck... Africa is a continent.

Yes We Did...(Sorry Will)

2008-11-05T10:38:00.004-05:00

At 11pm last night, The Common wealth of Virginia was awarded to Barack Obama and awarded him the electoral votes needed to become President Elect. Obama gave an inspirational acceptance speech in Chicago's Grant Park where a reported 125,000+ people waited for hours.

The Redskins Rule

2008-11-04T09:39:00.001-05:00

Since 1936, the superstition has held that if the Redskins won their last home game before the election, the incumbent party would stay in power. And that rule held until 2004, when both the Redskins and John Kerry lost.

In 2000, as Al Gore went up against George W. Bush, while his Tennessee Titans were the last to play the Redskins at FedEx Field. Gore tempted fate by rooting for his home team, the Titans — who lost. Gore soon followed suit.

Winner of Nov. 3 matchup between the Redskins and the Pittsburgh Steelers: Pittsburgh Steelers 23; Washington Redskins 6.

Prediction according to the Redskins Rule: Obama

Get out and VOTE

2008-11-03T23:38:00.002-05:00

Getting to know you...

2008-11-02T23:00:00.000-05:00

Say hi to the Republican Nominee...

Did you hear?

2008-10-31T11:26:00.002-04:00

There is an election next week...

Whose your choice?

I See...

2008-10-27T12:03:00.002-04:00

Happy Anniversary...

2008-10-25T00:01:00.000-04:00

Today the wife and I celebrated our 12th wedding anniversary.

12 years by the numbers

1996 - The year we were married
22 - The age I was when we got married.
34 - The age I am now, for those of you with poor math skills :-)
4380 - The number of days we have been married.
520 - The number of days we were married before we had kids.
3 - The number of children we have
4 - The number of dogs we have had. (Currently 0)
5 - The number of cars we have had
1 - The number of house we have bought
6 - The number of companies we have worked for. (Since we have been married)
16 - The number of kids birthday’s Celebrated (+1 more in a couple weeks)
1 - The number of True Loves I have…

So on this day my wife and I have reached another milestone. 12 years committed to each other with 3 beautiful children to show for our efforts. Here is to another great 12 Years....

How fortunes are made...

2008-10-19T22:52:00.002-04:00

An article i was reading this weekend stated that "even in the psychotic market and the uncertainty of the future, now is the time when fortunes are created. Wachovia was at $0.01 a week or so ago. Today? $6.45. How would you like to turn $1,000 to $645,000?"

Those opportunities always escape me.

Week 10: Our mailing address list for Christmas cards

2008-10-18T23:24:00.004-04:00

This is the week that we are supposed to organize our mailing lists. We have tried to keep an electronic list, but they always seem to disappear. This year i think we will go an invest in a "old-fashioned" write in address book.

Time to get the addresses together.

South Mountain Creamery WIne / Cheese Pairings

2008-10-16T22:43:00.002-04:00

My brother and his wife run South Mountain Creamery. We had taken some pictures at one point for their website. I have really gotten into wine lately and we had the opportunity to try out a majority of their cheeses. I decided to do a bit of research and find out what wines would be paired with their cheeses. I had been meaning to get this sent to my brother so they would have the information for their website, so this will get me just that much closer.

Smoked Swiss ~ Asti Spumanti / Sparkling wines
Colby / Jack ~ Reisling / Champagne
X-Sharp ~ Cabernet, Rioja, Savignon Blanc
Baby Swiss ~ Asti Spumanti
Port Wine ~ "Not Sure" - Port Wine maybe?
Parmigiana Reggiano ~ Chardonnay
Lightning Jack ~ Blaufrankish (Lemberger)
Mozzarella ~ Chianti
Raw Sharp Cheddar ~ "Not Sure"
Raw Smoked Cheddar ~ Blaufrankish

Willpower

2008-10-16T22:40:00.003-04:00

Willpower is the key to success. Successful people strive no matter what they feel by applying their will to overcome apathy, doubt or fear.

~ Dan Millman

I liked this quote and thought i should share...