In the Life of Tim

40 is the new 30!

2012-01-15T09:37:00.000-05:00

As I reach 40, I have come to a cross road in my life where I need to make a few decisions.

I have a family to take care of and I also have my health to look after. I should spend more time with my kids and less time bitching about my everything! I need to enjoy the things I have, and not stress over the things I don't have. I have to start enjoying life and being happier. I need to stop fighting with my wife and learn to control my emotions. I need to stop trying to please others and please myself and my family. I need to excersize more and eat better. My goal is to complete the Savage Race in March.

I believe there is only one way to do this. Something that I have should have done in a very long time. While I would rather not discuss it on the this blog until after it is done. If some people got wind of it, it would make my life a living hell. My goal is to do this before the year is over.

Thoughts

2011-04-10T08:24:00.000-04:00

I have come to realize that this country is probably the laughing stock of the World. Here we are fighting for "Democracy" all in three other countries, but cannot keep ours together. I am tired of fighting and dealing with other countries problems, when we have our own issues. I am so tired of both parties fighting over what is important to them, but no one seems to listen to exactly what the people want. As gas prices rise to $3.75 a gallon (as of this morning), they are fighting over where to make budget cuts. Ladies and gentleman, from my understanding, you are fighting over one tenth of 1 percent of the budget. Everyone in America has had to cut their buget by atleast that, if not more. Hell, I cut my budget over 20% when I received a pay cut. Is it really that hard???

UGH!

2010-06-17T16:00:00.001-04:00

So much to say, so little time to write it. Soon I hope!

Hats Off to Charlie Daniels!

2010-05-13T12:59:00.001-04:00

This was sent to me via email and I thought I would share it! I really wish more people would speak their mind like he does!

HATS OFF TO CHARLIE DANIELS....AT LEAST HE HAS THE COURAGE TO SPEAK HIS MIND!!!

I don't know how everybody else feels about it, but to me I think Hispanic people in this country, legally or illegally, made a huge public relations mistake with their recent demonstrations.

I don't blame anybody in the world for wanting to come to the United States of America , as it is a truly wonderful place.

But when the first thing you do when you set foot on American soil is illegal it is flat out wrong and I don't care how many lala land left heads come out of the woodwork and start trying to give me sensitivity lessons.

I don't need sensitivity lessons, in fact I don't have any-thing against Mexicans! I just have something against criminals and anybody who comes into this country illegally is a criminal and if you don't believe it try coming into America from a foreign country without a passport and see how far you get. What disturbs me about the demonstrations is that it's tanta-mount to saying, "I am going to come into your country even if it means breaking your laws and there's nothing you can do about it."

It's an "in your face" action and speaking just for me, I don't like it one little bit and if there were a half dozen pairs of gonads in Washington bigger than English peas it wouldn't be happening.

Where are you, you bunch of lily livered, pantywaist, forked tongued, sorry excuses for defenders of The Constitution? Have you been drinking the water out of the Potomac again? And even if you pass a bill on immigration it will probably be so pork laden and watered down that it won't mean anything anyway Besides, what good is another law going to do when you won't enforce the ones on the books now?

And what ever happened to the polls, guys? I thought you folks were the quintessential finger wetters. Well you sure ain't paying any attention to the polls this time because somewhere around eighty percent of Americans want some thing done about this mess, and mess it is and getting bigger everyday.

This is no longer a problem, it is a dilemma and headed for being a tragedy. Do you honestly think that what happened in France with the Muslims can't happen here when the businesses who hire these people finally run out of jobs and a few million disillusioned Hispanics take to the streets?

If you, Mr. President, Congressmen and Senators, knuckle under on this and refuse to do something meaningful it means that you care nothing for the kind of country your children and grand-children will inherit. But I guess that doesn't matter as long as you get re-elected. Shame on you. One of the big problems in America today is that if you have the nerve to say anything derogatory about any group of people (except Christians) you are going to be screamed at by the media and called a racist, a bigot and anything else they can think of to call you

Well I've been pounded by the media before and I'm still rockin' and rollin' and when it comes to speaking the truth I fear not.
And the truth is that the gutless, gonadless, milksop politicians are just about to sell out the United States of America because they don't have the intestinal fortitude to stand up to face reality.

And reality is that we would never allow any other group of people to have 12 million illegal in this country and turn around and say, "Oh it's ok, ya'll can stay here if you'll just allow us to slap your wrist."

And I know that some of you who read this column are saying "Well what's wrong with that?" I'll tell you what's wrong with it. These people could be from Mars as far as we know. We don't know who they are, where they are or what they're up to and the way the Congress is going we're not going to.

Does this make sense? Labor force you say? We already subsidize corporate agriculture as it is, must we subsidize their labor as well? If these people were from Haiti would we be so fast to turn a blind eye to them or if they were from Somalia or Afghanistan? I think not.

All the media shows us are pictures of hard working Hispanics who have crossed the border just to try to better their life.
They don't show you pictures of the Feds rounding up members of MS 13, the violent gang who came across the same way the decent folks did. They don't tell you about the living conditions of the Mexican illegal some fat cat hired to pick his crop.

I want to make two predictions.

No. 1: This situation is going to grow and fester until it erupts in violence on our streets while the wimps in Washington drag their toes in the dirt and try to figure how many tons of political hay they can make to the acre.

No 2: Somebody is going to cross that border with some kind of weapon of mass destruction and set it off in a major American city after which there will be a backlash such as this country has never experienced and the Capitol building in Washington will probably tilt as Congressmen and Senators rush to the other side of the issue.

I don't know about you but I would love to see just one major politician stand up and say, "I don't care who I make mad and I don't care how many votes I lose, this is a desperate situation and I'm going to lead the fight to get it straightened out." I don't blame anybody for wanting to come to America , but if you don't respect our immigration laws why should you respect any others? And by the way, this is America and our flag has stars and stripes Please get that other one out of my face.

God Bless America

Charlie Daniels

MY COUNTRY

IF IT IS YOUR COUNTRY,

SPEAK UP!

I am not against immigration -

just come through like everyone else

Get a sponsor; have a place to lay your head;

have a job; pay your taxes;

live by the rules;

and

LEARN THE LANGUAGE

as all other immigrants have in the past

and

GOD BLESS AMERICA!

PART OF THE PROBLEM

Think about this:

If you don't want to forward this

for fear of offending someone,

YOU'RE PART OF THE PROBLEM!

Will we still be the Country of choice

and still be America if we continue

to make the changes forced on us by

people from other countries who came

to live in America because it is the

Country of Choice?

Think about it!

All we have to say is, when will

Someone do something about

MY RIGHTS?

We've gone so far the other way,

bent over backwards to not

offend anyone, that I am now

being offended.

But it seems no one has a problem

with that.

"In God We Trust"

is our national motto. This is not

some Christian, right wing, political slogan.

We adopted this motto because Christian men

and women - on Christian principles - founded

this nation, and this is clearly documented. It is certainly appropriate to display it on the walls

of our schools.

It is Time for America to Speak up

See Logan on Santa's List

2009-12-22T14:00:00.001-05:00

Glad to See Logan made the Nice list!

http://gotaf.socialtwist.com/redirect?l=-877916919833900244211

Drunkest Guy Ever

2009-12-02T15:24:00.000-05:00

A friend of mine sent me this video, so I thought I would share it with you. It's hilarious!

Introducing the iTit...

2009-11-07T09:42:00.000-05:00

Apple announced today that it has developed a breast implant that can store and play music. The iTit will cost from $499 to $699, depending on cup and speaker size. This is considered a major social breakthrough, because women are always complaining about men staring at their breasts and not listening to them.

A Sad Day

2009-10-31T09:06:00.000-04:00

Today is a sad day. I watched a friend of mine get laid-off. I know he is hurting and so am I. I wish there was something I could do to help him. UGH! I hate this.

Tough Decisions

2009-10-30T08:20:00.000-04:00

How do you make decisions? Do you go with your gut? Pray? Listen to that little voice inside? I am in the middle of making a tough decision and I am having a rough time with it all. My gut and my prayers are telling me one thing, but my mind and heart is telling me another. UGH!

Live Your Life on Purpose

2009-09-12T14:45:00.004-04:00

You have brains in your head and feet in your shoes

You can steer yourself and direction you choose.

You're on your own and you what you know

And you are the one who'll decide where to go.

~Dr. Seuss~

The best day of your life is the day on which you decide your own. No one to lean on, rely on or blame. The gift of life is yours, it is an amazing journey, and you alone are responsible for the quality of it. Lfe is about the choices you make - choose wisely. Start by choosing the two most important "guiding stars" - your values and your mission.

Choose your Values: Values are personal choices your make about what is important to you. Being guided by your highest values that bring immense satisfaction and meaing to life. Examples of lifetime values: Family, Friendship, Health, Wealth, Learning, Sustainability, career, Community, Faith, Itegrity, Art, Free Time, Creativity, Adventure, Love.

Here are some questions that will help you identify YOUR TOP VALUES IN LIFE.

1. What are the three things I like most and least about myself?

The three things I don't like about myself are....

My weight. I could use to lose 20-25lbs.
The rut I am in. I cannot seem to get out of it.
My motivation, I used to be a go getter, but some how I have lost that.

The three things I like about myself...

My family. My wife and kids mean the world to me.
My hair. I like the syle although I could do away with the grey.
I am dependable and prompt

2. Who is the Happiest person you know?
This is a tough one for me. I think my friend Michael Crandell is a very happy person, although here lately his car issues are really bringing him down.

3. Who are the two people I like and respect the most and why?

My parents. My dad always motivated and works hard. He never complains about the work he does or how much he works. He worked two jobs almost my whole life, but always seemed to find time for the family. My mom taught me my how to be a good person and my morals.
My wife. She keeps me grounded. She always has the energy to keep our household going.

4. Who am I?
I am a person who you can count on and very dependable. I am always on time. I am devoted to my family. I am a great friend. I am a hard worker. I am a career minded person. I like to have fun.

MY TOP FIVE VALUES ARE:

Family
Integrity
Friendship
Career
Free Time

test

2009-09-12T14:01:00.002-04:00

Living Life to the Fullest...

2009-05-13T20:38:00.002-04:00

I was reading the My Super Charged Life blog tonight and I came across the words of William Arthur Ward. According to the blog Ward was an author, teacher and a motivational speaker. In the words below he truly hits the nail on the head when it comes to living life to its fullest....

I will do more than belong - I will participate.

I will do more than care - I will help.

I will do more than believe - I will practice.

I will do more than be fair - I will be kind.

I will do more than forgive - I will forget.

I will do more than dream - I will work.

I will do more than teach - I will inspire.

I will do more than earn - I will enrich.

I will do more than give - I will serve.

I will do more than live - I will grow.

I will do more than suffer - I will triumph.

~ William Arthur Ward ~

What would the world be like if we all lived like this? A truely remarkable one!

Why Women Should Not take their Husbands Shopping!

2009-04-18T19:51:00.005-04:00

This was sent to me via email, and I thought I would share....

After I retired, my wife insisted that I accompany her on her trips to Target. Unfortunately, like most men, I found shopping boring and preferred to get in and get out. Equally unfortunate, my wife is like most women - she loves to browse. Yesterday my dear wife received the following letter from the local Target.

Dear Mrs.Samsel,

Over the past six months, your husband has caused quite a commotion in our store. We cannot tolerate this behavior and have been forced to ban both of you from the store. Our complaints against your husband, Mr. Samsel, are listed below and are documented by our video surveillance cameras.

1. June 15: Took 24 boxes of condoms and randomly put them in other pople's carts when they weren't looking.

2. July 2: Set all the alarm clocks in Housewares to go off at 5-minute intervals.

3. July 7: He made a trail of tomato juice on the floor leading to the women's restroom.

4. July 19: Walked up to an employee and told her in an official voice, 'Code 3 in Housewares. Get on it right away! This caused the employee to leave her assigned station and receive a reprimand from her Supervisor that in turn resulted with a union grievance, causing management to lose time andcosting t he company money.

5. August 4: Went to the Service Desk and tried to put a bag of M&Ms on layaway.

6. August 14: Moved a 'CAUTION - WET FLOOR' sign to a carpeted area.

7. August 15: Set up a tent in the camping department and told the children shoppers he'd invite them in if they would bring pillows and blankets from the bedding department to which twenty children obliged.

8. August 23: When a clerk asked if they could help him he began crying and screamed, 'Why can't you people just leave me alone?' EMTs were called.

9. September 4: Looked right into the security camera and used it as a mirror while he picked his nose.

10. September 10: While handling guns in the hunting department, he askedthe clerk where the antidepressants were.

11. October 3: Darted around the store suspiciously while loudly humming the 'Mission Impossible' theme.

12. October 6: In the auto department, he practiced his 'Madonna look' by using different sizes of funnels.

13. October 18: Hid in a clothing rack and when people browsed through, yelled 'PICK ME! PICK ME!'

14. October 21: When an announcement came over the loud speaker, he assumed a fetal position and screamed 'OH NO! IT'S THOSE VOICES AGAIN!'

And last, but not least:

15. October 23: Went into a fitting room, shut the door, waited awhile, then yelled very loudly, 'Hey! There's no toilet paper in here.' One of the clerks passed out.

Too Funny!

2009-01-30T10:35:00.006-05:00

A man and his ever-nagging wife went on a vacation to Jerusalem. While there, the wife passed away. The undertaker told the husband, "You can have her shipped home for $5000, or you can bury her here in the Holy Land for $150." The man thought about it and told him that he would just have her shipped home. The Undertaker shocklingly asked him, "Why would you spend $5000 to ship your wife home, when it would be wonderful to have her buried here, and you would only spend $150?"

The man replied "Long ago, a man died here, was buried here and 3 days later he rose from the dead. I just can't take that chance..."

A Poem for a day in History

2009-01-22T08:40:00.002-05:00

The Poem below was read after President Obama's inauguration speech. I thought it was a perfect poem that fit the changing day. While I do not share the same beliefs as some of my friends and family when it comes to Politics, (and thats ok, thats what make this country great) I think its a great Poem that needs to be shared with everyone...

Praise Song for the Day
(by Elizabeth Alexander)

Each day we go about our business, walking past each other, catching each others’ eyes or not, about to speak or speaking. All about us is noise. All about us is noise and bramble, thorn and din, each one of our ancestors on our tongues. Someone is stitching up a hem, darning a hole in a uniform, patching a tire, repairing the things in need of repair.

Someone is trying to make music somewhere with a pair of wooden spoons on an oil drum with cello, boom box, harmonica, voice.

A woman and her son wait for the bus.

A farmer consider the changing sky; A teacher says, “Take out your pencils. Begin.”

We encounter each other in words, Words spiny or smooth, whispered or declaimed; Words to consider, reconsider.

We cross dirt roads and highways that mark the will of someone and then others who said, “I need to see what’s on the other side; I know there’s something better down the road.”

We need to find a place where we are safe; We walk into that which we cannot yet see.

Say it plain, that many have died for this day. Sing the names of the dead who brought us here, who laid the train tracks, raised the bridges, picked the cotton and the lettuce, built brick by brick the glittering edifices they would then keep clean and work inside of.

Praise song for struggle; praise song for the day. Praise song for every hand-lettered sign; The figuring it out at kitchen tables.

Some live by “Love thy neighbor as thy self.”

Others by first do no harm, or take no more than you need.

What if the mightiest word is love, love beyond marital, filial, national. Love that casts a widening pool of light. Love with no need to preempt grievance.

In today’s sharp sparkle, this winter air, anything can be made, any sentence begun.

On the brink, on the brim, on the cusp -- praise song for walking forward in that light.

The Theory of Intelligence...

2009-01-18T09:02:00.002-05:00

I don't think I've ever heard the concept explained any better than this...

'Well you see, Norm, it's like this . . . A herd of buffalo can only move as fast as the slowest buffalo. And when the herd is hunted, it is the slowest and weakest ones at the back that are killed first. This natural selection is good for the herd as a whole, because the general speed and health of the whole group keeps improving by the regular killing of the weakest members.

In much the same way, the human brain can only operate as fast as the slowest brain cells. Now, as we know, excessive intake of alcohol kills brain cells. But naturally, it attacks the slowest and weakest brain cells first. In this way, regular consumption of beer eliminates the weaker brain cells, making the brain a faster and more efficient machine.

And that, Norm, is why you always feel smarter after a few beers.'

The Spoiled Under 30 Crowd...

2009-01-13T08:25:00.003-05:00

When I was a kid, adults used to bore me to tears with their tedious diatribes about how hard things were. When they were growing up...with walking Twenty-five miles to school every morning ...UPHILL..in the snow...BOTH ways...yadda,yadda,yadda!

And I remember promising myself that when I grew up, there was no way in hell I was going to lay a bunch of crap like that on kids about how hard I had it and how easy they've got it!

But now that... I'm over the ripe old age of Thirty, I can't help but look around and notice the youth of today.

You've got it so easy! I mean, compared to my Childhood, you live in a complete Utopia!

And I have to say it but you kids today...you don't know how good you've got it!

I mean, when I was a kid we didn't have "The Internet" . If we wanted to know something, We had to go to the library and look it up ourselves, in the card catalogue that never made any sense!!

There was no email!! We had to actually write somebody a letter, with a pen!...Then you had to walk all the way across the street and put it in the mailbox and it would take like a week to get there!

There were no MP3's or Napsters! You wanted to Steal music, you had to hitchhike or take the bus to the record store, and shoplift it yourself! Or you had to wait around all day for your favorite songs and tape them off the radio, and the DJ would usually talk over the beginning and mess it all up!

We didn't have fancy features like Call Waiting! If you Were on the phone and somebody else called they got an annoying busy signal, that's it...plain & simple! Sometimes for hours!

And we didn't have fancy Caller ID either! When the phone rang, you had no idea who it was! It could be your school, Your mom, your boss, your Bookie, your ex, a collections agent, you just didn't know!!! You had to pick it up and take your chances, mister!

We didn't have any fancy Sony Playstation video Games with high-resolution 3-D graphics! We had the Atari 2600! With games like 'Space Invaders' and 'asteroids'. Your guy was a little square! You actually had to use your Imagination!! Imagine that! And there were no multiple levels or Screens, it was just one screen....the same screen...FOREVER! And you could never win. The game just kept getting harder and harder and harder and Faster and faster...until you died! Just like LIFE!

Sure, we had cable television, but back then it was only m-net. And there was no on screen menu and NO remote control!

You had to use a Little book called a TV Guide to find out what was on! You were screwed when it Came to channel surfing! You had to get off your couch and walk over to the TV to change the Channel and yes...we actually had to WATCH the commercials! There was no Cartoon Network either! You could only get cartoons on Saturday Morning.

Do you Hear what I'm saying!?!??!!! We had to wait ALL WEEK for cartoons and we didn't have microwaves, if we wanted to heat something up we actually had to use the stove ... Imagine that!
If we wanted Popcorn, we had to use that stupid Jiffy Pop thing and shake it over the stove forever.

That's exactly what I'm talking about! You kids today have got it too easy.
You're SPOILED!

You wouldn't have lasted FIVE minutes back in 1980!

Regards,
The over 30 Crowd

(Author Unknown)

12 Ways To Have An Unhappy Marriage In 2009

2009-01-01T08:34:00.005-05:00

Here is a post from the Simple Marriage Project that I really liked.

How many of them do you and your spouse already do?

December 30, 2008
12 Ways To Have An Unhappy Marriage In 2009
Originally posted on May 1, 2008.

If you go to your local Barnes and Noble, or whatever bookstore you frequent, usually somewhere in the middle of the store you can find a relationships and marriage section. This area is often filled with everything from Saving Your Marriage Before it Starts to How to Improve Your Marriage Without Talking About It.

With all the information out there regarding how to have a successful marriage, what makes the principles so hard to incorporate and apply? Granted, marriage is not so easy that there is a definitive formula that everyone can follow to discover a marriage out of this world. It still requires work and there will still be struggles.

A lasting marriage can be attained and it’s simpler than you think.
Beyond the idea of simply creating a marriage that lasts there is the joy and pleasure a marriage fully alive can provide for both participants. There are no actual steps that everyone can follow to an extremely happy marriage, but there are some sure fire ways to create an unhappy marriage.

1. Complain. Complaining is like a rocking chair. It feels comfortable and you feel like your getting something done by rocking, but you don’t go anywhere. To break this, try the 21 day complaint free marriage experiment.

2. Have a cluttered home. Nothing will add to the stress level of a marriage like a cluttered home. It’s disorganized and often chaotic. Simplify the things in your house. Put things away or get rid of it if you don’t use it. Your marriage will improve as will your own well being.

3. Complicate things. Many people fall victim to the dreaded over-thinking things. Most things in life are not all that complicated. Break everything down into two choices. Then make a decision and go with it.

4. Have a busy schedule. Work, kids, school, friends, family, housework, social activities, travel, and on it goes. We seem to cram as many things into life as we possibly can. Then we don’t enjoy the things we are committed to because we worry about the next thing on our list. Slow down. Prioritize your commitments. Do less.

5. Be too close to each other. Every relationship begins with the desire to be as close as possible. You think about them all the time. You scheme ways to be together. As the relationship progresses, most couples remain too close, although you don’t realize it. You border on being smothered by your spouse. Unable to chart your own way in life. While this seems like it is based on love and care, it often is a reaction to the importance level your spouse assumes in life. You become fearful of being too independent based on how your spouse may react. Many married couples are emotional siamese twins, joined at the emotional hip. One of them will often be offended when the other simply wants to go to the other room to get a glass of water.

6. Spend no time alone. Just because you are married does not mean you have ceased to exist as an individual. Life is still going on and your dreams still play an important role in your life. There is nothing wrong with being apart at times in order to go out with friends. This is more than being apart to take care of career tasks. This is being apart to do things you love and enjoy.

7. Be each others only friends. Similar to spending no time alone, don’t be each others only outlet for friendship. You already play too many roles with each other in marriage. Save some things for other people to fulfill.

8. Be overly-controlling. Humans have a major weakness in that we think we can control the things around us. Including other humans. Often this comes across as manipulative. Give your spouse the respect another human deserves and let them handle their own choices. Not only is this a respectful way to do marriage, it’s the foundation for getting more out of marriage.

9. Triangulate your children. Pardon me while I use psychobabble for a moment. In families, whenever a need or desire is not met by one of the members, we often will recruit another member to fulfill it. For example, you don’t get all the attention you wish from your spouse so you dive into your kid’s world. This puts a tremendous amount of pressure on the child. It requires them to become adults too fast. Let your children be children. Keep the marriage between you and your spouse.

10. Don’t exercise. Regardless what science and the medical world tell you, your body is the only one you are going to have. Take care of it. A healthy body creates a healthier marriage. Take care of your physical health and you will get more out of life.

11. Eat only from the drive-thru. Just like taking care of the outside of your body, you need to care for your insides as well. This doesn’t mean go on an immediate diet. Just watch what you eat. Pick healthy items. Or better yet, cook at home with your spouse. It gives you more time together. And you will live longer together.

12. Dive into the media. It is easy to get lost in TV, video games, the Internet, even books and talk shows. When you get right down to it, none of these are reality. Even reality shows aren’t reality. Get involved with those around you. Go on a media fast for a day, week, month. See if that doesn’t provide a spark for your relationships.

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If you enjoyed this post please Stumble it, Digg it, Twit This, or Del.icio.us, whichever you'd prefer. Now I realize it's likely that you're not going to do this, but it doesn't hurt to ask. Thanks.

Where are you going in 2009.

2008-12-30T08:49:00.002-05:00

Here is a post from Tickled by Life that really made me think about my life and how I spend my time. I wanted to share it with all of my friends and family.

A boat docked in a tiny Mexican village. An American tourist complimented the Mexican fisherman on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took him to catch them.

“Not very long,” answered the Mexican.

“But then, why didn’t you stay out longer and catch more?” asked the American.
The Mexican explained that his small catch was sufficient to meet his needs and those of his family.

The American asked, “But what do you do with the rest of your time?”

“I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, and take a siesta with my wife. In the evenings, I go into the village to see my friends, have a few drinks, play the guitar, and sing a few songs. . I have a full life.”

The American interrupted, “I have an MBA from Harvard and I can help you! You should start by fishing longer every day. You can then sell the extra fish you catch. With the extra revenue, you can buy a bigger boat.”

“And after that?” asked the Mexican.

“With the extra money the larger boat will bring, you can buy a second one and a third one and so on until you have an entire fleet of trawlers. Instead of selling your fish to a middle man, you can then negotiate directly with the processing plants and maybe even open your own plant. You can then leave this little village and move to Mexico City, Los Angeles, or even New York City! From there you can direct your huge new enterprise.”

“How long would that take?” asked the Mexican.

“Twenty, perhaps twenty-five years,” replied the American.

“And after that?”

“Well my Friend, That’s when it gets really interesting,” answered the American, laughing.

“When your business gets really big, you can start selling stocks and make millions!”

“Millions? Really? And after that?” said the Mexican.

“After that you’ll be able to retire, live in a tiny village near the coast, sleep late, play with your children, catch a few fish, take a siesta with your wife and spend your evenings drinking and enjoying your friends.”

And the moral is:

Know where you’re going in life….you may already be there.

The Most Precious Gift!

2008-12-16T08:25:00.002-05:00

I found this video on a blog that I read often. I thought I would share it with everyone...

I think we can all use to spend a little more time....

Things That I am Thankful For...

2008-11-26T12:41:00.005-05:00

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

Here is a list of things that I am thankful for.....

*For my mom who has given me the ability to be emotional.

*For my Dad who has taught me everything I needed on how to take care of your family.

*For my Sister who I can always talk to, and will always tell me what she thinks reagrdless if I am going to like it or not.

* For my Brother teaming up with Tasha and forcing me to call some one I did not know and asking her out on a date.

*For Vicky who said yes.

*For my wife (Vicky) who makes me complete.

*For my wife who now understands why it is important to me that a 12 Pack of Soda is opened from the side of the box and not the top.

*For my son Laine who keeps me up with the latest video games and for making me a pruod father watching him play football for his high school.

*For my Daughter Brittany who also understands why its important to me that a 12 pack is opened the correct way and for making me a proud father everytime she brings her report card home.

*For my son Logan who always finds a way to make me smile, even when he has kept me up all night.

*For my house that keeps me cool in the summer and warmr in the winter.

*For my job that helps pay the bills.

*For the rest of my family that I can always count on.

*And for GOD who has given me all of the above and so much more.

Falling Prices...

2008-11-15T08:20:00.002-05:00

Its amazing how people forget so quickly, when prices start falling. Gas prices have now reached a 2 year low at $1.99 a gallon here in Clermont, FL. Now while we are all celebrating this great relief on our wallets, there are others that are being stupid! I read an article yesterday, that said there has been a spike in SUV and Heavy Duty trucks sales, since prices have been declining. Are you kidding me? Do people not learn from their prior mistakes? Do they think that prices will not go back up? I guarantee that they will be the first to complain when prices start to rise again, and it will be no ones fault but their own!

So now that prices have gone down, will we stop persuing alternative fuels? If the Auto industry does get this bail-out, will they continue to make the fuel efficient cars, or will they go back to what got us here in the first place? Lord I hope not. I personnally agree with the idea, that there should be a regulation stating that all new cars have to get at least 30 miles a gallon. At least thats a start!

OK, enough of my griping, I gotta run. The Ford Dealership just called and said the 2009 4 Door F150 I just bought is ready for pickup.

Just Kidding!

Ch Ch Ch Changes!

2008-11-11T19:39:00.003-05:00

OK, its has been a long time since I have written. I think about writing all the time, but there never seems to be enough time in the day. I am going to try to be better.

I have a lot to write about tonight, but before I do I wanted to tie up a loose end. Vicky and I are still doing the South Beach Lifestyle. I say lifestyle, because it has changed the whole way we look at food and how we eat. Anyhow, the scale read 186 lbs this morning. I have been holding steady for about a month now, as I have not been all that good lately. But the good news is that I am not gaining anything back. I went in for an annual check-up last week, and I impressed my Dr. This time last year, he said I weighed 219. Which as of today would mean that I lost 34 lbs. (not to shabby!) Vicky is doing well too. She will not tell me how much she has lost, but she is wearing clothes that I haven't seen her in since before we got married. She is actually out tonight shopping for more work clothes because what she has now does not fit her anymore.

It has now been a week since we elected a new president. Last Tuesday the country spoke, and spoke clearly. It absolutely astonished me! I have never been as proud to be an American as I was that day. It was Democracy at its best! Now, I would like to quote something that my cousin TJ wrote on his myspace blog. I don't think I could say it any better:

"In our generation we have seen no great war, we have seen no great depression, and in my eyes we are the most over looked people in American history. As much as I hate to say this, our generation is nothing but the most credit card charging, over drinking, drug using, and not giving a shit people, in US history. Finally in a state of finding ourselves, our generation spoke out. We have the first black president. I say this aloud for everyone to hear. If it were up to our parents and grandparents this would never happen, yes we can say the minorities had something to do with this, but it was everyone as a whole. Now my friends who are not white can look their children in the eyes and tell them you can be what ever you want to be, even president. I thought McCain should be president, just for the fact that they both had pros and cons, but obama's views attacked me more on a personal level. I am very happy with what has happen, we have a president who is not corrupted by a fortune 500 company, whos not a military brat, or an oil tycoon. I believe our president should have military background, but his VP has it for him, and I am ok with that. THE REASON FOR WRITING THIS IS SIMPLE, FOR ONCE IN THE LAST 10 YEARS MY GENERATION STOOD TOGETHER AND DID WHAT THEY THOUGHT WAS RIGHT. IT SHOWED OUR PARENTS THAT WE CAN STAND TOGETHER AND THIS COUNTRY WILL BE UNITED UNDER ONE FLAG. THE FUTURE IS NOW FOR US, WE ARE THE FUTURE AND WE MADE IT KNOWN ON THIS NIGHT. I THANK ALL OF YOU VERY MUCH."

Thanks TJ for those inspiring words, and for the record, I am not sure if he was sober when he wrote that. Oh and Happy Birthday by the way!

I can only hope that we are on our way to a "more perfect union".

Just a couple more things that have been on my mind.

So we decide to "bail out" the US banks by giving them 700 Billion Dollars. OK, now what? Supposedly they were to take the money and start lending to people again. WRONG! They are not doing so. They are hording it all. As a matter of fact, I got a letter in the mail yesterday from Wells Fargo Financial telling me that they were going to raise the interest rate on my credit card by 10 points. They said they lend on a "risk factor" basis and that I was a risk. Are you kidding me? I have never been late on a payment, and in fact my credit score has gone up since I opened that account. (Needless to say I am canceling that card and not paying the higher interest rate.) Last I heard the Govt was urging them to start lending the money again, but I have my doubts about that.

Now there is a talk about bailing out the Auto industry. Huh? While I feel sorry for the employees, I do not think we should do it! Where does it stop? Starbuck's reports a 97% decrease of net income for their 4th quarter. Does that mean we should bail them out too? Don't get me wrong, I love my Non-Fat Venti White Mocha (no whip) Lattes but come on! Oh and the Detroit Lions are 0-9 this year, should we bail them out so they can afford to buy better players? We will have to! Because if you bail one company or industry out, there will be another one asking for hand outs. I just see no end to this cycle.

OK, enough! I have said my peace.

That's all for now, I need to watch some football and enjoy my Latte!

South Beach Day 5

2008-08-01T20:41:00.002-04:00

Morning weigh in read 198 lbs. Lost another pound. Beautiful and I went grocery shopping this afternoon. We had our handy dandy South Beach reference guide along for the ride. Its amazing the concoctions we are coming up with. Lots of spices to idea on how to fix our meals.

Went to Press 101 Sandwich Shop this afternoon with a group from work. I watch everyone each French Dip, and Italian Sandwiches, as I ate my Ceasar Salad. The salad was good, but I sure wish I had one of those sandwiches.

South Beach Day 4

2008-07-31T20:46:00.002-04:00

Woohoo! I am down to 199. I haven't weighed under 200 pounds in years. Things are going well both of us. We still crave the little things. Logan was eating tator tots as part of his dinner. OMG! Tater tots never looked so good. My mouth was watering. Oh and the Doritos he ate for his afternoon snack, I could smell them from the other room. LOL

We did find a small issue though. We bought a cheap scale. Your weight depends on how you stand on it. In order to get the same weight, your feet have to be in the same exact position as the time before. UGH! That's what I get for trying to be frugal and buying a cheap scale. Oh well, as long as the reading continue to drop and not rise I am happy!

South Beach Day 3

2008-07-30T16:13:00.003-04:00

Well I weighed in this morning a 202, so I only lost a 1/2 pound through day two. No biggie, I am hoping to be under 200 by the end of the week. Lets hope so! Hunger pains are not nearly as bad today.

I am taking Logan to Arabian Nights tonight, so my real test, is to only eat what I am supposed to while I am there. Lets keep our fingers crossed. LOL

South Beach Day 2

2008-07-29T20:28:00.004-04:00

So this morning I weighed in at 202.5, which means I lost 2 pounds on my first day. Woohoo! Today was a bit tougher for me. I miss my morning coffee. We are allowed to have coffee, but you have to use non dairy creamer, with no sugar (sugar substitute ok, YUCK!) and I haven't bought any yet. So I guess that is my fault.

As the day went on I felt very drained. I think my body is missing the sugar, that it is used to getting. I am told that it goes away rather quickly. Beautiful is doing great to. I am so proud of her, she hasn't had a Mt. Dew in two days. Doesn't sound like much, but for her that's wonderful.

I will keep you posted...

Weigh in

2008-07-28T18:45:00.002-04:00

OK, so I weighed in at 204.5 lbs. Which means to reach my target weight, I need to loose 19.5 pounds. Say your prayers for me. LOL
The first day of the diet was not bad at all. I got a bit hungry after lunch, but dinner took care of that. Wonder what tomorrow brings?

South Beach

2008-07-27T20:03:00.002-04:00

So Beautiful (my wife) and I have decided to give the South Beach Diet a try. My Mom, Dad and Sister have had success with it, so we thought we would give it a go. The next 2 weeks (Phase 1) are the hardest, but are also the best for results. According to the book, you can lose 10-12 pounds in the first 2 weeks. My goal is 185lbs and a 34" waist. Official weigh ins are tomorrow morning, so I will let you know how that goes.

They Caught Him!

2008-06-29T20:02:00.002-04:00

The Lake County Sheriff's department called this morning and said that they caught the kid who stole my Sirius radio. He said it was a one in a million shot, but they caught him. He was a gang member that lived in a near by apartment complex. (I didn't know we had gangs in Clermont- kind of scary...) It seems he hit the neighborhood across the street last night, and after a few tips, the police were led to his house. His mother was eager to let the cops in. She said he was nothing but trouble, and to please take him away. She gave them permission to search his room, where they found about 15 satellite radios and other electronics in a duffel bag. WOW! I never would have thought that I would see it again. Justice prevails!

Great Customer Service

2008-06-29T08:44:00.003-04:00

I don't get to write about this stuff very often, but after what happened I felt they deserved it.

Yesterday morning, I went out to my car and found out that some one had broken into my car. Yes, it was partly my fault as I had forgotten to lock my car doors. I also realized that thieves are rather STUPID! They took about $3 in change and my Sirius Radio Receiver. That's it! They left my GPS system, that was in clear site, and left my Ipod that was in the glove box. Now how stupid is that. I can deactivate the Sirius radio, but not the GPS System. DUH!!! Anyways, thank the lord, that's all they got.

When I got home from work, I decided to go a head and have the police come out and get a police report on file. Come to find out, someone on the next block had the same thing happen to him last night, and they took was his XM radio receiver. Anyhow, the police officer who came out to the house was a nice guy. He sat and talked to Vicky and I for a good hour about the area, life, the economy...etc. Its nice to know that there are a few good cops in this world. LOL

They needed the Radio serial number for the police report, so I called Sirius radio. Now these people were awesome! They gave me the info I needed, said they were sorry for my loss, and that's when it happened! They said that they were going to send me new radio, free of charge. They were also going to send me a new car kit and a coupon to have it professionally installed. They also gave me a free months service for my troubles. HOLY CRAP! I didn't ask for any of this. They just did it! It was not there fault it was stolen, they owed me nothing! Now I am sure, they do not want me to cancel my subscription, so that's why they did it. But I still believe they went way above the call of duty. They now have a customer for life. I only wish there was more companies out there like this.

Back Yard Landscaping

2008-05-30T16:36:00.017-04:00

Vicky and I decided to take on a project, that took a lot longer than I expected and was more work than I could have imagined. Well, its finally done. Okay its been done for a few weeks now, but this is the first time I had a chance to write about it. Here is how it went.

What started it all is that our back yard has a slop. Its nearly impossible to have any type of play ground for Logan. We had bought a Little Tikes playground last year off of Ebay, but had to keep it pushed up next to the house, as it was the most level area of the yard. So what we thought we would do is dig it out and make a retaining wall.

This picture is what the yard looked like prior. When the picture was taken I had already used the sod cutter to make it easier to remove the grass. My original plan was just to dig it all up with a shovel. WOW! Thank god the guy at Home Depot talked me into renting the sod cutter. It made things 50 times eaiser. I had all of the grass removed with in an hour.

After removing the sod, it was time to dig. We basically removed the dirt from the upper areas and moved it to the lower lying areas. Eventually everything evened out. Vicky also want to add a planter for her flower, so that was all put into plan.

Once everything was level, we started laying out the bricks for the wall. This was not a easy task, as each one had to be level. As you can see, my helper was there at every step of the process. We ended up buying about 30 more bricks that we needed. (thanks to my math, and the Osceola County School System. LOL) So we decided to extend the wall down the fence which was not in the original plan. After that was completed, I was happy we did. It looked great!

After the wall was built, it was time to level the dirt, put in the play set and spread the mulch. I was happy to do that, because it meant the hard part was over and we were nearly done. Woohoo! As you can see my helper was there at part, and even helped water the new grass.

All in all, it looks better than I could have imagined. Below are a few pictures of the finished product. Let me know what you think....

Its been a while...

2008-04-09T21:53:00.003-04:00

It's been a while since I have posted. Things have been crazy for us. My family seems to be on the go, and there never seems to be enough time in the day to get everything done. So, by the time I get a moment to sit down, I am totally exhausted. I am trying to figure out a way to manage everything and keep my cool. God knows, I need to help with that.

Vicky and I have given into temptation. Logan has been sleeping very well until about 3 or 4 AM. At that time he wakes all the time. However, if we put him in our bed he sleeps the rest of the night. So, it just seems to work for all of us, is that when he wakes he comes and gets into our bed. Would you believe he actually slept until 9:30 AM last Saturday. Holy crap, I haven't slept that late since he was born. Now I know many of you cringe when you here he is sleeping with us, but when you haven't slept through the night in 2 years....talk to me then!

You may have noticed the books on my page now. Many of you know (or may not know) that I am an avid reader now. OK, pick up your jaws, yes the Tim you know is reading. Actually I have been for the last 3 or so years. I basically read business or self help books. Not self help as in I am addicted to anything. More like time management, stress, and that type of stuff. As far as the business stuff, I read Marketing and Management books. I have a rule, I have to get something out of the book. I prefer not to read fiction. To me if I am not learning something from the book, its a waste of time. Any how I have listed a few books on the right that I have read recently. Have a look, I would recommend them to any one. I might even write a review for one some day.

Well, I am going to try to write more often. So stay tuned for more...

A New Budget

2008-03-01T09:38:00.001-05:00

Vicky and I decided we would start a Budget and get on track. We decided that if we wanted to go on vacations and buy the things we wanted, we would have to save for them. There is really no other way than to set a budget. After doing some research I decided to purchase budget software from YNAB. Its a Zero Based Budget which means every dollar coming in is accounted for. We spent a few hours delegating every dollar to different categories within the budget.

In doing this we realized just how crazy we were spending our money. We never realized how much money we had after all of the bills were paid, because we spent it on wants instead of needs. Vicky is excited since she actually has a monthly clothing allowance. She has already been window shopping, patiently waiting for her allowance to kick in. That's is it for now, I will let you know how things are going.

WTF?

2008-02-23T07:39:00.002-05:00

I am really confused about something. I have a family member that has decided to make up some BS story about my personal life. He decided to tell my parents that I sent him and email spilling my guts about it to him. WTF? First, what did I ever do to him? Second, I have never written him an email outside of forwarding him an a joke every once in a while. I am certainly not close enough to him discuss my personal life. Why me? Why us? What did we do to him to deserve this crap? Why drag me into his problems with my family? Vicky and I have always been nice to him. UGH! I know I am spending way to much time worring about this bastard. But it urks me to no end.

Same old Story

2008-02-10T08:20:00.000-05:00

Why is it that we expect poeple to change? This past week I have realized that most people do not change. I think things will be different "this time" but the truth is its the same old story. One person continues to apologize for their mistakes, but when push comes to shove, its the same old story. The other has no clue they even do it. I have came to the conclusion that the only way things are going to change is if I change. If I distance myself from them, and not set myself up for failure by expecting others to change.

Smile

2008-02-06T16:50:00.000-05:00

I had a realization today. It seems that even on the bad days at work, when you get home to your children, they always have a way of making you smile. I picked Logan up from school today (had the worst day at work) and the first thing he did was give me a big hug and smile. I realized that it does not matter how much money you make, or how hard you work they love you for you. God I love being a daddy!

History is Saved...

2008-02-03T22:12:00.000-05:00

The Miami Dolphins can breath easy. They are still the only team in NFL history to go undefeated for the entire season. THANK YOU GIANTS! New England is a great team, deserve all the hype they got, but the Giants were the better team on the field. I look back in all of the Super Bowls that I have watched, I do not think I have seen a better Super Bowl than the one I watched tonight. Both teams played excellent ball, and it wasnt until the last play of the game did we know who won. WOW!!!

Super Bowl Sunday!

2008-02-03T13:02:00.000-05:00

So I turned the TV on this morning and at 9AM, Fox started their Superbowl Celebration. From Super Sunday, Road to the Super Bowl, Inside the Rings with Troy Aikman, Howie Longs Tough Guys, and then 4 hours of the the Super Bowl Sunday Pre-game Show. Wow! It doesnt get any better than this! This is the way all Sundays should be.

OK, my take on the Super bowl. I am really tired of hearing Brady this, and patriots that. Ugh! Get over it. There are severa reasons why I am cheering for the Giants today.

1. I am tired of the Hype.
2. I would love to see Peyton Manning pass the Lombardi trophy to his brother Eli.
3. Most of Miami's and Marion's records have been beaten. The one thing I can brag about is Miami's 1972 undefeated season. I don't want to lose that.

So witht that being said I think the Giants are going to pull out an upset...38-35 My guess its going to be a high scoring game.

Go Giants!

She did it!

2008-01-23T21:54:00.000-05:00

Brittany finally went to the DMV, took her examine and got her Learners Permit! She is so excited and we are very proud of her. I let her drive down a few back roads, I nearly pee'd my pants a couple of times, but she did well. I don't think she is ready for US - 27 yet, but she'll get there.

What the Heck is EMO?

2008-01-19T09:34:00.000-05:00

The other day my daughter Brittany said that Logan was dressed "Emo." Huh? I said he doesn't look anything like the little red Muppet. I was quickly laughed upon and she said "not Elmo, but Emo." After some discussion I found out that "Emo" is another term for punk or goth. Can anyone tell me where that term came from? When I was in school it was called "punk" or "Goth", but Emo? Don't get me wrong, we do not dress Logan Emo, Goth, or punk, but he did have his little skater long sleeve shirt on. Oh this world is so crazy these days......

Happening's

2008-01-16T20:54:00.000-05:00

Today I did something today makes me sad. I voted in our executive meeting that an employee be fired. The vote was 3 to 1 in favor of him being fired. It saddens me that I had to do this, but we had given this guy chance after chance to straighten up his bad attitude, but its the same old crap. I do not enjoy watching someone lose their job, and its the last thing I want anyone to go through. However, we do have to keep things under control at work, and we cannot tolerate bad attitudes. I will pray for him and hopes that he learns from this and uses it to succeed in his future endeavors.....

Thoughts

2008-01-16T20:39:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I was completely stressed to the max. I was given a project at work that had a fast approaching due date, and that has little or no room for error. Basically, I was asked to get a list of all of my clients front line staff because SeaWorld was giving them all free annual passes. Sounds easy right? Not when you have over 80 clients who have any where from 5 to 50 employees each. Getting them to respond in a timely manner is not the easiest thing to do. Then double and triple checking to make sure everyone got a list to me. Calling those that didn't. Then making sure I didn't leave any names off the list. (Try explaining that one!) The worst thing is to have to tell a major client, that "oops, I left you off the list. Sorry, we will get you some next year."

So I guess when my family got home last I wasn't in the best of moods. Vicky and I have been trying very hard to not bring our stress home with us. It had gotten the best of our relationship last year, and we are working hard to control that. I slipped up yesterday, and let that stress get to me. So to my family...I am sorry! I guess we are bound to slip up once in while, but the best thing is that I can recognize it (with the help from my wife) and admit to it. So I pledge to do my best to keep this from happening again...

In the Life of Tim

2008-01-14T13:59:00.000-05:00

I have been writing on another blog for a while now. And although I enjoy writing about Orlando and all the things that are available in the area, there has been several days where I just wanted to write my opinions on life and whats happening the world around is. So I decided I would start another blog to do just that. Some posts maybe my particular feelings about whats happening in the world, and other maybe about my personal life. Feel free to express your thoughts on the subject as we go!