How time flies!

I've spent the past 4 months on an assignment 1500 miles away from home traveling to and from each week. Therefore, I have not had time to post anything or do much else outside of work. I'm home for about 48 hours and try to spend every minute with my family. My weekly travel time has afforded me plenty of opportunities to reflect on my priorities in life and therefore make some important decisions about my future plans.

I'm home for about two weeks during the holidays and we just celebrated Christmas. My brother and family arrive tomorrow which is very exciting for all of us. I'm going to try and spend as much time with my family as possible knowing that the airports and hotels are waiting for my return after the New Year.

This week's objective is to sit down and document my resolutions for 2010. This is an annual exercise for me that I relish. It usually sets the stage and cleans the slate for a great start to some introspection and personal improvement.

All should take time to reflect on 2009 and what they accomplished in the first decade of the 21st century. The past 10 years were unbelievable and full of both personal and social memories. 2001 with the World Trade Center tragedy, War in Afghanistan and the middle east, the second Great Depression, ENRON scandal, the first Black president of the United States, three great Olympics, the fall of Auto manufacturers Pontiac, Saturn, Oldsmobile. The sale of Hummer, and the rise of Korean companies, Kia and Hundai.

Too many historic events to list. We should all go out and look back at our personal accomplishments and list those. Mine would include, we moved from Dallas to Houston, all of my kids finished elementary school, received a promotion, bought our current home, survived two Hurricanes, bought two cars, went on numerous vacations, played thru multiple sports seasons as well as my daughter's dance and cheer, embraced the mobile culture with cell phones and now iphones and blackberries, experienced the loss of both of my parents, my wife is beating her cancer, i'm fighting age and all that goes with it, purchased a boat, took a ton of pictures of our life, and continue to pursue maximizing every minute of my life with God's help and daily reminders.

Oh yeah, launched this amateur website as a legacy and document for anyone to read and get inspired.

Happy Holidays and New Year!

Fall Colors in New Jersey.... and football season!

Well I've been very busy over the past two months with a work assignment that requires me to fly to New Jersey on Sundays and return home on Thursdays. It has been a great experience of many angles. Invaluable business knowledge, new relationships, travel proficiency, patience, and tradeoffs.

We often have to make decisions in life that involve tradeoffs. In my case, this would include my family time. This is very important to me and one I've not done well with in the past. I'm very close with my family and really cherish spending time with them. In our family I'm the breadwinner, father, husband, disciplinarian, leader, and anything else required.

My absence not only impacts my wife and kids, it also impacts me. Everyday I'm reminded of my roles and decisions in life. Not to mention my blessings.

We lived in the northeast for a while and were exposed to the beautiful fall colors of New England. Once you see them, they're hard to forget. It's been about 10 years and now I find myself right in the middle of them in the month of October. I even took a picture and emailed my wife. What a wonderful time of year to be in the northeast US. They serve as a reminder that nature and time move on and wait for no one. You have to make the best of what time you have or sit by and let it move on without you.

Football season started. One son broke his arm and will miss the season, the other made Varsity and is having a blast. Welcome to the tribulations of life and sports. You can learn fortitude, sacrifice, pain, and joy. Lessons we all should embrace in many forms.

That's all I have this month. Holiday season will start soon. We'll all begin to think about the end of the year and what we accomplished in 2009. It's been one hell of a ride. I hope everyone counts their blessings, appreciates what they have, hopes for the future, and lives like there's not tomorrow.

Hot August Nights!

Summer break is coming to an end. Kids due back in school on the 24th. Today's kids have longer school years with less summer time hoping for improvement in academics. I'm not sure I agree. I would prefer to see kids create more summer memories that they can have the rest of their lives as opposed to more time in the classroom. I'm probably partial since I love spending time with my kids and would love to have summers off with them.
It's been a hot summer and we've spent more time in the pool than we ever have.
The recession has inhibited our vacation plans but our time as a family has been great. We've rented a lot of movies from Blockbuster. They're having some financial challenges this year and may not make it. Netflix and Redbox have really hurt their business model. The home entertainment business will change forever after this year.

The economy is still hurting. Unemployment is around 10% and will not improve until next year if we're lucky. I pray that I can stay gainfully employed for my family and continue to be thankful for our blessings.

My daughter celebrated her 11th birthday on August 12th. She's growing up way too fast and I wish she would slow down. I know that's not realistic, but I miss her already even though she's not graduating in another 7 years.

Life is still moving too fast and I'm challenged in slowing it down and "smelling the flowers" on a daily basis. I focus in the morning, at lunch, and in the evening with clear thoughts and focus.
I've also found strength in some songs and videos that help remind me of our priorities.

Summer Movies 2009

Just a quick note on the summer movies in 2009. 

The sequel to Transformers came out and made a ton of money to very bad reviews.  Another move named Star Trek came out and shocked everyone as one of he best ever.  

The Hangover was one for the adults and one of the funniest movies I've ever seen.  

Harry Potter is coming out tonight at midnight and one of the most anticipated movies of the year.  

We recently rented the movie Knowing which was an apocalyptic movie about the end of time.  I enjoyed the plot but valued the hidden message about living each day like it's your last.  You never know when your time is up.  Don't waste time being negative, holding grudges, or being bitter.  If your time is up, how would you want to go?  What legacy will you leave today?  

Go out and make the changes as soon as possible.  

No regrets, no limits, no worries.......

July 2009 is going to always be remembered!

July 4th was fun as always. Parade, outside events with food and dance, friends gathering at the lake, fireworks, etc.....normal Independence Day celebrations.

Unfortunately July 2009 is also going to be remembered for the death of one of the greatest entertainers to walk the earth. Michael Jackson passed away. I will always remember where I was when I heard the news. Driving home from work and listening to a remote station where the DJ pulled the report of the newswire and wanted to be the first to announce it.

Although there will always be stories and news about his weird personal life and issues, I'm trying to only focus on his entertainment and contributions in that realm. He transformed the industry and amazed the world with his abilities. His songs will live on and his videos will always provide us with visual entertainment that is still unmatched. The cliche saying "always imitated but never duplicated" definitely applies to Michael Jackson.

He is on the same level as the great Elvis Presley. The King of Rock and Roll and the King of Pop.....

May he rest in peace.

Oh yeah, July in Texas has been the hottest I can remember. We continue to set heat records and see little rain or reprieve in the forecast.

Makes you wonder how much our abuse of the environment is contributing to the climate changes we're experiencing. I hope not. I want my children and future generations to enjoy this plante as much as I have and even more.

I still have to make a concious effort each day to maximize my life and appreciate what it has to offer. I also express my gratitude to my maker at least once a day for the blessings he gives.

Summertime

Wow, it's been about 2 months since I last posted.  I guess we've been too busy chasing kids.  So much for prioritizing this blog!  

School is out and summertime is here.  What a great feeling.  I get the same good vibes when school is out as I did when I too was young and attending school.  You wonder what's going to happen, where are you going to go on vacation, are you going to work, are you going to have a summer romance, are you going to the lake for some fishing, etc.....

Everywhere you go somebody is out, pools are packed, and the evening brings that cool breeze that just yearns for innocent mischief.  

The summer movie releases are always the best.  The other big plus is that there are three holidays, Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day.  

There's always a summer anthem that everyone likes and will remember for years to come.  

I attended my 25 year high school reunion last week.  It's one of those milestones you're glad to be able to attend since our health takes on a new priority with age.   Speaking with childhood friends is always fun and brings back fond memories of a time where responsibility was reserved for parents and teachers.  Working was a part time job with little expectations. We recognized each other's different appearances and yet appreciated the life lines are bodies and faces grew over time.  

We appreciate the wisdom, maturity, and family blessings we've been afforded but still yearn for those innocent feelings and experiences that shaped our memories.  

Summertime and youth go hand in hand, I only hope I will always have the opportunity to experience both. 

Spring Is In The Air

On April 1, 2009 I was fortunate to turn 43 years old.  Wow.  My identical twin shared in this endeavor as well.  Yes, we've heard all of the April Fool's jokes to last a lifetime but feel special to have our birthday on a day of comedic efforts.  

Here in Texas, the weather is starting to warm up and everything is turning green in preparation for the upcoming summer.  Easter fell on Sunday, April 12 this year.  The weather was beautiful.  The beautiful ladies and girls wore their spring or Easter dresses while the men wore whatever they thought was appropriate.  

Reviewing the story of Jesus is always a humbling experience.  His sacrifice for us is immeasurable.  His love eternal.  We are privileged to attend service at a church that is capable of sharing modern videos and songs of this special occasion.  The youth are more attentive while the story is even more captivating.  

I've prayed even more this year in light of our economic crisis.  It's comforting to have a close relationship with my maker.  When times get tough, we need him even more.  

Unfortunately, April 2009 also brought some concerning news for me on a personal level.  My blood pressure has been very high lately so I visited a cardiologist for a check up.  The news was not good.  I'm scheduled for a stress test next week that will hopefully assist the doctor in her assessment of my condition.  In the meantime, I've adjusted my diet, exercise program, and stress management.  

It's amazing how quickly you can make changes in your life when something is in jeopardy.  Just the thought of possibly not being there when my children get their driver's license, graduate from high school, college, marriage, kids, etc..... scares me to death.  

I've reached that time where I have to focus on my own health so I can take care of the ones I love the most.  I have to eat right, sleep enough, reduce stress, and exercise my body.  

I have to keep a vision of the future and what it's going to take to experience those special moments with my family.  I know my prayers will be answered and I'll be strengthened by his support.  I have plenty of motivation.  Each day I open my eyes and ears to hear the voices of angels and see examples of pure love.  Their names are Sherry, Jacob, Joshua, and Jessica.  My immediate family.  

We all just need to realize our blessings each day and appreciate the opportunities we have.   Enjoy our time.  Maximize our lifetimes while here.......

I plan on "springing" into spring and summer and on and on and on......I hope you do too.  

Positivity

It's now March in 2009. My two sons had birthdays on March 5 and 7th turning 13 and 16. Man they grow up fast. I now get to watch my oldest experience the freedom of driving while the other goes through puberty. Two milestones that I'm looking forward to.

Positivity is a word that blends the word "positive" and "activity" therefore resulting in a new word symbolizing positive action. I've been trying hard to make daily progress in sharing positive thoughts and being the light for those in need. Interesting enough, it's been working! I have actually noticed others doing the same and being more conscientious about their own demeanor in dealing with others.
The scary thing is to think if I'm able to do the same with my wife, kids, and friends, how much of a difference it would make? What if everyone did this? Would we have more peace? Happiness?

I'm trying to think of a way to share my thoughts and vision with the world. I know this blog is a small glimpse into my mind but I really need to focus an effort on changing people and possibly their lives as well. Could it be possible that such a small change in our paradigms have significant results?

I plan on sharing more details of the paradigm on my next post so come back soon. I'm headed to a domain name registrar to see if I can develop a new web site or just expand this one in regards to my vision.

Peace, love, and harmony.....isn't that from the seventies? Is that a song?
C ya soon.

2009 Brings Challenges and Opportunities

Ok, we're now living in the worst economic times since the Great Depression. January saw 100,000 people lose their jobs in the USA. Companies are closing everyday or announcing huge layoffs of thousands of employees. People can't afford homes or cars while everyone is cutting back on expenses and clipping coupons.
Our new president is Barack Obama, the first African American President of the United States. He is faced with the greatest economic challenge since Hoover.
The government is trying to pass a stimulus package of 850 billion dollars to help the economy and prevent another depression. The auto industry is on the verge of bankruptcy while the banking industry had to take advantage of a bailout.

I'll celebrate my 25 year reunion with my High School classmates this year. Everyone is on the Facebook craze and posting messages everyday. Social networking may never be the same.

My family lost a loved one today. Kelly, our cat, passed away peacefully after spending 23 years with us. Thats right. 23 years.
I never thought when I found her my sophomore year in college that she would be around until my kids were 15, 13, and 10. What an unbelievable gift from god.
She gave us so many memories that we'll never forget. We're going to miss her but know she's always with us in spirit.

Many people are anxious and scared right now. I have to admit I think about it everyday but choose to look for the blessings in my life. My family, pets, assets, resources, relationships, etc....

2009 is going to be a ride and I'm glad I get to be on it.

Happy New Year! and on to 2009.....

Another calendar year has passed and is now in the history books and our memories. So what will you remember about 2008? Good times? Bad?
Can you actually remember all the events? I think a good exercise to help us chronicle our life's events is to keep track of our good and bad experiences as they happen in the year. Why would we want to do this?
I believe we should appreciate our blessings and seize the opportunities to learn from mistakes and tragedies. Both of these actions will better prepare us for what life has to offer going forward and hopefully tilt the scales more towards good memories than bad.

Please take the time to take stock in your life as we end 2008. What do you want to accomplish in 2009? What do you want to experience? Make a list? Put them on your calendar and to do list on a weekly or monthly basis. Write down your commitment and hold yourself accountable for accomplishments.

We would all have very fulfilling lives if we simply go out and do what we want to do....
Our biggest challenge is deciding what we want to do......

Happy New Year!