A Veracious Blog

As I sit Here

2005-12-20T08:17:00.000-06:00

As I sit here today I am listening to Christmas Music. That's right "CHRISTMAS MUSIC". Not a holiday symphony or holiday tunes but good ole CHRISTMAS MUSIC.

Anyway, as I am sitting here a sudden epiphany hits me. What must it have been like for Mary. I mean ok you have the whole virgin mother thing to put your arms around and I can only imagine that must have taken quite a bit of getting used to. But to imagine that every day she held and comforted and loved and kissed the face of God.

Wow, talk about an awe inspiring position to find yourself in.

But then again at the time it was just her baby in her eyes. So like any mother she loved him and comforted him.

I was blessed 4 months ago with a new little one and 5 years ago and 9 years ago with darling daughters as well.

That's right. It's a testosterone limited household.

Every moment I spend with my girls brings new joys and cherished memories. And I hope you each find in this the season of the lord happiness, joy and a true inner peace.

For with Peace and understanding we can overcome all.

Take a moment to slow down in the hurried blur of reality you call life and take in all the blessings that have been bestowed upon you.

Remember that just because things are tough and times are tight it only means good things are coming.

So take a moment to inventory all you have and if you can include on that list your health, your life, your freedom, and the love of family and friends then you are by far a very blessed person.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all.

Until Next Time.......................

May you have love that never ends,
lots of money, and lots of friends.
Health be yours, whatever you do,
and may God send many blessings to you!

When did it stop being Christmas and just become another Holiday?

2005-12-06T23:06:00.000-06:00

WARNING-- I am about to go on a RANT......

I will be the first to admit that I try not to push my beliefs either religious or political on anyone else. If asked however I will be more than glad to share my opinion. I'm conservative and believe in family and in God. I do not look down on others from a bully pulpit but try to see it from your point of view before I criticize.

Lately I have noticed an alarming trend. It seems more appropriate and acceptable to say "Happy Holidays" than "Merry Christmas"

Now some will say it is because we want to include any and everyone that is celebrating during this time of year and that "Happy Holidays" is more inclusive. Ok, I'll buy that but since when did they start growing Holiday trees and when did we start exchanging Holiday presents?

The alarming part is that it has become acceptable to disclude the tie to Christmas all together. In an accepting nod to not offend anyone.

TOO LATE..............

I'm offended. I mean it. This new more passive and accepting style has in essence bumped me right out. Me the Christmas celebrting, God fearing, Christ believing individual.

And why has this been done? Because it is assumed that I and those like me will just take it so as not to be deemed unaccepting.

Horse Hockey. (Note the old MASH referrence here)

I'm not buying what you're selling.

Why can't we just wish each other a warm and friendly wish. Be it Merry Christmas, or Happy Hanukah or Happy Kwanzah or whatever.

Don't push my Day of celebration aside and I won't do the same to you. That is how we all get along. We accept and allow and remember that is not our place to judge or condemn.

To each of you out there...

Merry Christmas.

Until Next time...............

May the Lord keep you in His handAnd never close His fist too tight.

Things just keep getting happier

2005-11-23T07:40:00.000-06:00

Now it has been said a time or two that I tend to posess a touch of the sarcasm so please forgive me ahead of time if it kicks into overdirve today.

As I have been in and out of one retial outlet after another lately I have noticed an increase in the level of happiness that I am greeted with by the store emplyees. It seems as though they are OD'd with crumb cake and eggnog before they are let loose on the unexpecting patrons of the day.

Now I'm not complaining, just simply commenting on how the closer we get to the Holidays (Thanksgiving and Christmans (no Xs here baby)) the retail world kicks into happy overdrive.

Curious. How do they do it? Why do they do it?

I mean if I was greeted with that same positive vibe everytime I walked in I believe I would seek solace there every time I was in need of a positive upload. I mean who wouldn't want to be around a bunch of "HAPPY" people just overly eager to please your every want and desire for $9.99 or less.

I was in Foley's the other day and she's back. The Cologne Sniper. I mean this lady sees you coming from every angle. Now I know she has a job to do and she probably gets paid some kinda commission on the more of one scent she sells over another

"Hey Marge push the Aramis today we really need to move some product"

But does she have to spray and then say "Would you like to experience the new scent by POLO today?"

A little late. And if you think experiencing something includes choking on a direct assault to your face you've got the picture.

I love the Holidays. The food the fellowship. The fun.

What I can not stand is the FAKE.

If you want to be nice be nice more often than not. To do the opposite is just bad form.
I f you want to push a product "cologne or other" do say in a non-forceful and amusing way and I like most other impulse buyers will probably purchase a litre or two.

Well enough of the rant.

To those of you still making the rounds before we indulge our every food desire this Thanksgiving.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving.

Remember those less fortunate and help out where you can.

Say a prayer for our soldiers on all fronts that aer protecting our freedoms.

Thank a teacher for helping us learn what we need to succeed.

And above all give thanks to the Lord almighty for all that you have.

Until Next time....................

May the sun shine, all day long,
everything go right, and nothing wrong.
May those you love bring love back to you,
and may all the wishes you wish come true!

The World as I see it now.

2005-11-14T16:52:00.000-06:00

As I see it..............

France has got some real problems and they can't blame them on Lance Armstrong for once.

The best Thing outcast receiver Terrel Owens could do is FIRE his agent Drew Rosenhause. Especially since he just cost him millions of dollars in lost revenue with his ill-advised advice.

The Packers are on a comeback. (Hey, we're riding our recent winning streak. 1 game is alot in recent comparison)

People in New England can't drive any better than people in Houston. ("Is Red the new Green?")

When you have a hard job to do and you stick to your guns, your approval rating will drop. (having no definable reasoning for your Supreme Court nominees doesn't help either.)

I think Jordanian's are just a bit too happy that the bombers were from another country.

We need to ask the Iraqi Police force to join the other team. (Torturing anyone is a disgrace.)

Unitl Next Time.......

Put silk on a goat, and it's still a goat

Life just jumped up and smacked me with a heavy dose of reality

2005-11-04T22:47:00.000-06:00

Wow. Has it ever been a busy few weeks. Where to start where to start.

Well, we survived the Hurricane and only came away with some minimal grounds keeping to do. My parents and youngest brother lost power for a short period of time as did my X-Wife. That last part really didn't bother me too much. Ever hear that country song that says if it weren't for my 2 kids I'd hate my X-Wife??????
Though I didn't like the thought of my girls having to deal with no power.

I have finally finished contacting all of my friends that survived both Katrina and Wilma so all is good there. Everyone is safe and that is the important thing.

My plans to become an international businessman are moving right along as my investments in the Bahamas are finally coming to fruition. Who knew that after 2 years of sweating it out things would start to turn my way???? Hallelujah................

My most recent venture as a sole proprietor has now moved into my soon becoming a Director for one of the newest US Corporations. Or at least it looks likes that is how things are going to end up.

Business has finally picked up now that the lovely Storm season is coming to an end and people can make travel plans with some certainty to them.

My brother recently got married to a very nice young lady and we are now expecting another new addition to our growing family.

Found out my 8 week old daughter has ASD and VSD which are fancy names for little holes in the muscles of her heart. NO worries though as the Right Sharp Pediatric Cardiologist we visited feels there is nothing that should cause any long term issues and both should well heal on thier own. Other than that she is all smiles and full diapers.

Have been very lucky to have made a reconnection with one of my favorite childhood friends. My cousin Christine and I have been trading emails for awhile now.

So all in all life has been and looks to be going well.

Kinda funny that when you decide to take a positive look at everything and stop buying into the "Poor Little Me, What have I done to deserve such a horrible life......."
How things just kinda take care of themselves (with a little help from you).

Anyway as a whole LIFE IS GRAND. Hope you are all doing well and I promise I will do my best to actually get by here to post a little more often.

Until Next Time...........................

Always remember to forget
The things that made you sad.
But never forget to remember
The things that made you glad.

A lot of Wind and Even more Prayers with a touch of Rain

2005-09-27T22:15:00.000-05:00

Well. We are somewhat back to normal here. We were lucky in all respects. Just a few piles of tree limbs and lots of bundles of trash and it's starting to look normal again.

After watching the news and talking to some of my friends in East Texas I kind of feel guilty that we got away so safely.

Both my folks and my youngest brother spent a few nights without power. Both were too stubborn to come over and stay with us. Pig Headed plain Pig Headed. It runs in the family.

Can't really blame them though. Everyone is running pretty low on gas and we keep hearing promises about the incoming shipments. So much for the "don't buy any gas on this day" plan. I don't think that's gonna work anymore.

I am plain sickened by the reports of looters hitting the houses of people that evacuated. All I can do to settle myself on that is to just remember that there's will come. And it's gonna be a real mother for them.

Best wishes to all hope you are fine and making it with a smile.

Until Next time............

And here we stay.

2005-09-22T11:56:00.000-05:00

It seems that in thier infinite wisdom our local and state officials have closed all major entrance ramps onto the major freeways serving as evacuation routes out of town. Now I'm not a traffic expert but that really doesn't make a lot of sense to me. It seems the only place to gain full access is in the southern counties that have been ordered to evacuate. Now I can understand wanting to get those people out of harms way, but what about the rest of us that would prefer to get out of Dodge or Houston as it is?

Not sure getting on the freeway would really make a difference. As it stands it is taking about 3 hours to travel the 12 miles from my location to I-45 and then it's anyone's guess as to how long it will take to move North from there. Some have reported being on the freeway for near 12 hours and making it all of 65 miles from thier original destination. Then there are the score of folks that after sitting in the lines for many hours are running out of gas enroute and not being able to find anywhere to fill up.

At that rate we would be half way to Dallas by the time the Hurricane was making it's way up toward us and probably close to using the entire tank of gas.

NO THANKS.

I can vaguely remember Hurricane Alicia as a child and that scared the crap out of me and Rita is supposed to be a lot more harsh than that. I like my chances here in the house where we can hunker down and try to wait it out -vs- sitting on the freeway and watching that bad girl roll in on us.

According to the latest reports the path of the storm has moved a bit to the East and should move the "Dirty" side of the storm far enough away from us that we should only see winds from 70-80 mph. Yeah I know, that's still some serious wind but not bad in comparison to the original estimates for my area of 150-165 mph.

The down side to this move is that it will probably dump quite a bit of rain on the New Orleans area and we all know that they can not handle much of that.

We're having a Hurricane party tonight. Really more of a prayer visual to pray for this thing to turn around and blow itself out in the Gulf. "Hey if you can pray for a winning lottery ticket, I can pray for a U-turn"

Anyway we'll have one last hoorah before we have to sit through this Bitch of a storm and then deal with all of the clean up.

It's really sad to think that some if not all of the BIG beautiful trees in my nieghborhood and the 5 I have around my house could sustain some serious damage from this thing. They are so nice looking and do such a great job of shading the house. Oh well, we'll see how they fair.

Well I'm going to wrap this up cause it's not really lifting my spirits like I thought it would.

I'll try to update everyone as best I can and as soon as I can. As electricity and net service allow.

Some good news just came in. They are trying to open all of the lanes for 45 (northboudn and southbound) to head only north. That should help. And they are sending some tanker trucks to refill those individuals that have run out of gas. At last some positive news.

Friends

2005-09-19T21:21:00.000-05:00

Have you ever noticed that no matter how low you get, there are always friends both new and old there to pick you up, dust you off and help you start moving forward again?

What would we do without these people in our lives?

I can honestly say that I for one would not want to attempt this crazy little dance we call life without them.

To all my friends "New and Old" thank you for your support and kind words of late.

You make life easier and much more bearable.

To a Good Man

2005-09-17T23:57:00.000-05:00

I begin writing today with a heavy heart. I recently learned that a good and cherished friend of mine was killed doing what most of us if put in the same position would I fear not.

My friend Bo was a Deputy Sheriff in a nearby county. He was as good a man with nothing but good wishes for eveyone he met.

Now I know a lot of Law Enforcement types and many can tend to become rather callous and hardened seeing what they see every day in thier line of work. Not Bo.

He always looked for the good and positive in everyone. He was the type of person that would give you the shirt off of his back without asking any questions just because he knew you needed it.

Bo and I spent many lunches talking sports and the rest of life and he had such a great sense of humor.

His loss is like a Tyson blow to the kidney. It has left me numb and awe struck. I can't seem to find the words to explain the impact he had on me or the loss I feel with his absence.

The last few years Bo and I had not been as close as before. He lived in East Texas and I am living in Houston so time was not something we got to spend together much. That wasted time and the fact that I took for granted that I "would see him again soon" really pisses me off. How dare I take something like that for granted.

My heart goes out to his wife and kids. And as I struggle with making sense of it all myself, the only solace I can find is knowing that he died doing what he loved best.

Helping someone in need.

You see, while on duty Bo was called to the site of a potential drowning. Upon his arrival he was informed that a young man (a Marine back from Iraq on leave) had gone into the river to help his Uncle who was having trouble fighting the current. Well, the current was too much for the young Marine and he soon found himself in trouble as well. The report states that Bo only slowed down to take his utility belt and shirt off before jumping in the river to attempt to save the young Marine.

Unfortunatley neither of them made it out.

I feel like shit right now.

Mostly because my friend is gone. But also because thier have been too many times that I have stopped to think about why I should help someone and whether they really needed to be helped. I let my skepticism cloud my thoughts.

But not Bo.

When it came to helping others it was an All the way -- 100 mile an hour -- Passionate thing.

Well, here's to you Bo. May I never forget your jokes, your laughter, or your hope. And may I never let my skepticism get in the way of helping someone in need again.

God's speed and safe journey.

Many people will walk in and out or your life,
but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart.

Until Next time........................

State of Flux

2005-09-07T19:01:00.000-05:00

Wow, things have been absolutely crazy insane around here lately.

For those of you that are not yet aware, on August 28th my lovely wife gave birth to a beautiful little girl.

About that same time a howling bitch blew into New Orleans and the rest of the Gulf Coast and really did a number on the good people of the area.

Quite a few of the evacuees have found thier way to our fair city of Houston and we are glad that we can provide assistance and support.

I have done quite a bit of reflecting in light of the recent events in my life and I have come to a conclusion.........

I do not believe I have the intestinal fortitude to deal with what these folks are being faced with. To lose everything you have is just unimaginable to me.

Now I am by no means a man without want, but I have what I need and that is enough. To lose it all would be quite a blow indeed.

I've seen many of the people that have come to town to seek shelter and have noticed that they are no different than you are I. Well except for one simple difference.

They are living in a State of Flux.

Many are not sure if they have a home to go back to or whether they even want to go back.

A number of the evacuees are a bit embarassed and rather angered when they heard the reports of the looting and shootings that were going on.

Now I can understand the looting if it is for food to sustain your family. As for the shooting at the people that are trying to help you????????????
That screams CRAZY to me.

I tell them not to be embarassed in anyway as from what I can see the fine people of New Orleans are a resilient and fun loving bunch and I am glad to have made each and everyone of thier acquaintances. I just wish it could have been under better circumstances.

Maybe next time we'll get together for the BBQ and Rodeo CookOff.

Well, enough of the negative,

Did I mention that I recently had a new woman introduced into my life???

Miss LauraMae was born at 11:15am on August 28th. She was smiles and giggles from the get go.

Such a beautiful little girl. To see her with her two older sisters is just enough to melt your heart. They are so good with her and just can't get enough of helping take care of her.

Now after being blessed with 3 little ladies there is no end to list of my friends that keep asking "so you really were hoping for a boy weren't you?"

NO WAY............

Having 3 ladies that just love thier Daddy is more than any one man deserves. I consider myself among the luckiest people in the world. Blessed immeasurably in many ways.

That same blessing has brought me to ask this of each of you.

If you have not yet done so take a moment to say a prayer for the people of the Gulf Coast. Go out and make a donation to the relief effort.

Before you say "Well I don't have a lot myself" remember, many of these folks have nothing more than the clothes on thier back. And I can say they would do it for you were the roles reversed.

They are in special need of items for the little ones. Diapers, Fromula, and sunburn treatment (many of these kids were exposed to the elements for way too long.) So give what you can. Every little bit helps.

Take it from a New Daddy. You can never give too much when it comes to the welfare of our children.

Remember also:

But for the grace of God go I.

Until Next time..........................

Porn it's gotta GO GO

2005-08-25T22:50:00.000-05:00

PORN. The word alone can turn heads in any crowded room. It seems of late that you hear more and more about it coming between even the happiest and most openly loving couples. What gives? Is there something about SEX as a spectator sport that is more gratifying than taking part as an active participant? Is there more enjoyment in watching than doing? Or is it simply just a phenomenon that has recently become so easily accessible that like a fly to a flame we are uncontrollably drawn to it?

Most of you know that one of my favorite pass times is to visit the numerous Blogs out there. Reading the rantings and ramblings of others is just in my opinion “FUN”. I find a sense of comfort and relaxation in being let into the thoughts of another. Many of the posts are humorous or light hearted. Some are informative or somewhat opinionated. But lately I have seen a new trend emerging. A trend that I have seen not only in the Blogs but also in every day life.

That trend is a sudden, across the board fascination with PORN. That’s right pornography. That once TABU subject that only the hippies spoke of openly. No longer is it just the lore of many a Stag party. No, now it comes straight in to your home via your friendly internet connection.

Is it a problem? Well, that depends on who you ask. Many of my single friends seem to find it quite acceptable. Both male and female alike talk as though they are commenting on sports event. I mean how many of us actually watched the Tommy and Pamela video? And how many more of us talked about it? At work? At the grocery store? Plenty.

Many of the married couples I know have watched it together and well lets just say some found it to be eye opening and helpful and the others well we’ll just say it was a one time experiment.

So where’s the harm? That’s the tricky part. You see the individual that is perpetrating the harm very seldom is aware of it. They have no idea that their actions are having a negative and sometimes devastating effect on those that are closest to them.

For example, my wife worked with a lady who’s ex-husband (note the ex title) was so “addicted” to porn that he was once caught in the act of self gratification and did not realize the woman was in the room for 5 full minutes. She eventually left him because he simply refused to choose her over the porn. Let me repeat that. He simply refused to choose HER over the PORN.

I don’t get it. Sex is not a spectator sport.

When did the enjoyment of such a wonderful event get diminished to a simple video experience?

Now I know some of you are saying well it’s just like guys going to the Gentleman’s clubs.

Ah, NO. It’s not. I’ve been to gentleman’s clubs, hell I’ve been to straight up Titty Bars too. The only difference is that I was there with several of my buddies and it was usually centered around some kind of special event like a bachelor party or a graduation. To my knowledge most of the Porn is being watched by a lone individual in their home. That’s the difference between a social drinker and a full blown alcoholic. The social drinker has a drink or seven while out with their friends. The full blown alcoholic sits at home and drinks one after another after another.

Don’t worry, I get it. Alcoholism is a disease. I grew up in that world so you don’t need to say that to me twice. So I suppose “Porn Addiction” is a disease as well.

I suppose that as with an alcoholic we must wait for the Porn Addict to hit bottom and decide to fight their way out of the cellar. Problem is that’s where most of them started their little addiction so what makes you think they’ll ever want to get out.

Irregardless of the why is the what. What effect is it having on others? I recently heard from one young lady who put it very eloquently. “It makes me feel left out and disregarded. It makes me feel like less of a person.” How then could a loving partner not see the pain it causes? Do they not care or are they simply blinded by their new “hobby”?

Well, one thing is for sure. As long as it is readily available on the net, there will be no end to the stories of couples struggling with a balance of reality and Memorex.

Until Next Time…………………..

'Tis glad I am and glad I'll beThat you like knowin' the likes of me!"

A walk around the blogosphere.

2005-08-23T20:08:00.000-05:00

Today was a heck of a day at the office. And whenever I have a day like this I like to sit at my computer and click around the blogosphere. It helps me to unwind and it’s really quite enjoyable.

You see there is some untold therapeutic power in viewing the musings of a stranger. Maybe it’s because you don’t have a vested interest in the outcome and you can just sit back and relax and enjoy the story or relate to the rant.

Maybe it’s because there are so many great writers out there that just seem to have the story that you need to hear today to get you out of that “Mood” you’re in.

Who knows….. Who cares……. I just try to enjoy it.

Today was an exceptionally great day in the bloggerhood.

I read about a young lady who was worried about how her life choices would affect her son. “He seems like a very compassionate and intelligent young man so NO Worries there”

I also read about a young lady who was trying her patience in hopes that someone she loved and had let go of would find there way back to her. Though she was struggling with the pressure of being patient. “I’m sure she’ll do fine and wished her well”

I read about a young lady that was starting over and moving on after a long term relationship had come to an end. She seemed positive and ready for the rough road ahead so that was a good sign.

I got to enjoy a list of songs that an elderly “snake loving” gentleman compiled that took him back in time. I must say the list was great and his commentary was quite enjoyable.

I read a great story that was wonderfully written about how “if you’re thought to be worth more cows than everyone else, you’ll start to act like you’re worth more cows. “see www.dantes2ndinferno.blogspot.com “ for more on that one.

I also saw many comments and read a couple of posts about a young girl named Rebekah that is having surgery today. “I said a quiet prayer for her and hope you do as well”

Tried to visit the site of one young lady but it required a password. Seems that she had recently been attacked "via the poison pen" on her site and so she was forced to put the clamps down. Sad but true. There is always someone out there that will stir the ole "chit" pot to get some attention.

Read about a gentleman that was celebrating passing a number of hard tests. Should've been celebrating about how supportive his wife was.

Re-read a story about the great seafood North of New Orleans. Just made me hungry again.

And then the crème de la crème.

I got to read about a guy that names the flavor of his farts.

Yes indeed this was a good trip around the blogosphere.

You know I used to sit and worry after I posted and didn’t get any comments. But then I realized that maybe, just maybe you were all reading my rants enjoying them and then moving on.

Well, now it’s time to move on.

Until Next Time……………

May the saddest day of your future be no worse Than the happiest day of your past.

Latest Texas Factoid that chaps my ass

2005-08-20T01:04:00.000-05:00

I recently read on the official Texas Lottery website that over $7.5 Billion (with a B) dollars has been transferred to the Foundation School Fund from the lottery proceeds. To be exact (for you accountant types) it’s really $7,527,886,230. Here’s how they stretch our meager dollar bill.

58 cents to cover the Average Prize Pay Off for all Games.
30 cents to the Foundation School Fund.
7 cents to the Lottery Commission.
5 cents to the Retailers.

I also recently read an article in our local newspaper informing me that our legislators in Austin failed to solve the State’s School funding problems. This after holding 2 special sessions.

(Special because it kept most of these guys and gals from attending their fund raising events and special interest parties.)

You see currently 60% of the $33 Billion (with a B) that it takes to fund our great State’s schools is paid for by tax payers via our property taxes (school taxes). That comes to about $27.3 Billion (with a B) add that to the $7.5 Billion (with a B) from the Foundation School Fund and we’re a mere $5.7 Billion (still with a B) away.

So if these folks were elected because they were smart why can’t they figure out how to raise the $5.7 Billion (with a…. well you get it)???

I mean our Governor was able to raise $2.5 Million (just an M now) since June 21st of this year for his re-election fund. That was only 44 working days ago.

Multiply his efforts and results by all 130 State Representatives and 31 State Senators and put them to work for the 260 working days each year and they should be able to bring in $26,697,500,000.

Now to me that would definitely be a Special Session.

Until Next Time.

May you live forever, And may the last words you hear be mine!

I missed the Google Bot

2005-08-12T19:55:00.000-05:00

Wouldn't you know it. The famed Google Bot came by on Aug. 5th and I missed it.

NO presents, no card, nothing to say he had stopped by. How rude.

Just come in to my site and look around pick up a few links and then you're off.

Well I hope you visited every one of the sites I've linked to you sorry son of a bot.

Now if I could only get more people to read this damn ranting and get them to link to me maybe, just maybe he will come back.

Oh well, here's to wishing.

Until Next Time.........................

Has it been that long.

2005-08-12T19:09:00.000-05:00

Ok so I have been a little bit side tracked lately. A lot of things have changed and as they say life goes on. I've learned quite a few lessons over the past few weeks like when you think somebody is going to screw you, you're probably right.

Anyway, I'm not gonna belly ache or whine so we'll move on.

We happen to be getting into one of my favorite times of the year.

That's right baby.

Are you ready for some FOOTBALL????????????????

Lord knows I am. It's been way too long and I'm jonesing BAD.

I was glued to the boob tube last night watching my Packers take it to the Bolts.

Ok so most of the second half was watching our young offense give the ball away and watching our struggling defense fight like hell to keep the Bolts from scoring.

But hey #4 looked pretty sharp and you can't ask for more than that.

Many of my upcoming posts will cover my thoughts on the games and how I am fairing with my Fantasy Football Teams.

Yes, I'm one of those if I can't be on the field playing, I'll do it on the net types.

Truth is if I was good enough I'd have played my ass off and would have never put my personal check book over the game.

As for T.O. I think my daughter put it best. And I quote.

"He is going to make how much next year? 6 million dollars? He just needs to shut up and play his game daddy. That's what I would tell him.

Until Next Time.............

Lance wins 7th Goes out on top.

2005-07-24T12:11:00.000-05:00

It's official.

Lance Armstrong has won his 7th Tour-de-France. And he has announced his retirement from cycling.

He has decided to go out on top. Rather than allow his skills and dominance to slip due to his age. At 33 he has decided to take his 7 yellow jerseys and go down another path.

This after having beaten Cancer and the critics and the constant taunts and accusations of being a "doper".

It all started 7 years ago when Lance won his first Tour with an impressive 7 1/2 minute lead.

Over the next 7 years Lance became known for his impressive bursts of speed uphill. So impressive were they that the disenchanted began to scream foul. You knew this was bound to happen. Never can anyone give credit to a disciplined training regiment and a will to win. NO, instead it must be "cheating" that helps one win.

Poppy-cock.

After hundreds of drug tests both during competition and training seasons, not once has it ever been detected that Lance had the least amount of any banned substance in his system.

To add injury to insult I am sure to the doubters. These poor nay-sayers must wallow in thier own self pity with the knowledge that not only did Lance beat them. He beat cancer. That's right. CANCER. And still went on to best the Tour-de-France a recored 7 straight times.

Worth noting is that almost 10 years ago Lance was told by doctors that he would likely die from cancer. He had 1 testicle removed and had his skull opened to remove tumors around his brain. Extensive amounts of chemotherapy were prescribed and many of those around him had given in to an unhappy end to his life.

All except Lance that was.

He fought back and fought back hard. Never once giving in to those around him saying "take it easy. enjoy what life you have". Instead, he recommitted himself to the sport he loved and to beating this foe called cancer.

Along the way he became a Champion of Champions and in my mind one of the Greatest Sportsmen in the world.

He started the Lance Armstrong Cancer Foundation to help those afflicted with the same disease that once tried to stop his rising star. His symbol? A simple yellow wrist band. The response and support from the public was unbelievable and if you do not have one yet. Go and get one.

After 6 victories in the Tour de France Lance had said he was proud of that accomplishment, but not nearly as proud as he was of the succes of his Cancer Foundation. A testament to the true character of this man. I am sure now that he has #7 his thoughts are still the same.

So in closing I say this.

Thank you Lance.

Thank you for provding everyone with a living testament to success and committment. To never giving up on your dreams and never letting anything stand in your way. You have shown us that nothing is impossible. Not as long as you believe in yourself and stay positive.

Your actions and accomplishments have touched us all.

Vive Lance Armstrong!

Vive homme du peuple!!

Things I know today.

2005-07-13T20:14:00.000-05:00

Taking life for granted is a foolish foolish mistake. (see “still ticking” at http://spotsy.blogspot.com/ )
Some people just don’t get it.
Some people get it all.
I’ve got what I need.
I want to reach the end of my life knowing that I’ve really lived
Not wishing I would have taken the time to………..
Some people just need to be slapped on the forehead
Some people don’t react well to being slapped on the forehead.
Cuban cigars really aren’t much better than Dominicans
Passive aggressive people really, well they just well you know right?
Anyone needing a facelift for their blog should visit www.blogsgonewild.com

Until Next Time.....................................

Things I know today.

2005-07-12T21:38:00.000-05:00

If the govt. can track down a cow that was born in Canada 3 years ago and trace it right to the stall it lives in today in upper state Washington, why can’t they track the 11 million illegal aliens we have in this country?
Maybe we should give them all a cow.
The real reason that we can't have the Ten Commandments in acourthouse........You cannot post "Thou Shall Not Steal," "ThouShall Not Commit Adultery" and "Thou Shall Not Lie" in a buildingfull of lawyers, judges and politicians! It creates a hostile workenvironment!
Florida is in for one helluva bumpy ride again this Hurricane season.
I’m still damn glad I did not take that job in Florida.
Making lists of your favorite 80s music will bring back some great memories of your youth.
If I only knew then what I know now.
I’d be healthier, wealthier, but not quite as wise.
Lance Armstrong is from Krypton.
Never ride a train in Pakistan.
Microsoft thinks Helluva should be Beluga?????
The sound of your daughter’s voice at the end of a bad day makes everything else seem so trivial.
Listening to 80’s music will lower your blood pressure. (Thanks Allison)

Until Next Time............................

Things I know Today

2005-07-11T22:46:00.000-05:00

You never see skinny people in line at McDonalds.
Skinny people must be immune to their fries.
Or else they’re just lazy and only use the Drive-Thru.
If you lie and cheat investors out of $11 billion dollars you “probably” will get some time unless you're close to retirement age.
Note to self “Put off cheating my investors out of their life savings until I’m 63”
No one wants to put an old man in jail for being bad at math do they?
I’m still damn glad I didn’t take that job in Florida.
Our high gas prices are the result of “financial weathermen” who see a storm and guess about what might happen.
Even “Financial Weathermen” stand a 50/50 chance of being wrong.
A gallon of gas costs almost as much as a gallon of milk.
Does that mean the gas is now good for my bones and teeth?
When gas prices go down stock prices go up.
Oil companies could really bolster their stock by cutting gas to the pre dollar level?

Until Next Time..........................

Things I know today.

2005-07-08T23:20:00.000-05:00

People who don't know how to play nice go by the name Duston
Not everyone sees things they way I do.
Those that don't are near sighted.
Pictures of my girls make me smile.
Random thoughts usually make no sense but who cares?
Looking back I'm damn glad I didn't take that job in Florida.
Viagra may cause blindness.
But you should only consult a physician if it persists for more than 4 hours.
Wait I don't think I got that one right.
The Feds dislike athletes that cheat genetics more than the ones that do hard drugs.
At the University of Kent you can take a class on whether breast -v- bottle-feeding is morally good or bad.
Damn and I chose to study Finance.
They actually did a study in California to conclude that you should not leave your kids locked in a hot car.
I'm starting to understand thier budget problems a lot better now.
What I'm not understanding is how any parent would need a study to tell them that.
The brain slows with lack of sleep and so does the wit.

Until Next Time..............

BUT ALAS IT IS NOT TO BE BUT FOR THE ACTIONS OF A HATING MANY

2005-07-07T20:37:00.000-05:00

As I sit here tonight writing this I am playing “Secret Agent” with my daughter. She loves to play with the Spy-gear she got for her birthday.

She’s a pretty smart young lady I am proud to say. Sometimes too smart. For instance she just asked me a question I did not have an answer for.

Why?

Why did those people blow up the trains in England?

It seems that during her play date today my wife’s friend had the TV tuned to coverage/discussion about the bombings this morning in London.

Well there I was trying to explain why such a thing would happen. Why one group of people would intentionally attempt to cause harm to another group of people that they did not even know. Why didn’t they like them? What had they done to make them so angry?

Talk about a slap in the face…..

My little girl had about as much of an understanding of this whole thing as I did?

You see I just can not understand why these Islamofascists hate us. Why do they flock to the US and all parts of Europe and enjoy the freedoms we offer only to return that hospitality with insult and hatred, threats and destruction?

For being such a proud and “determined” bunch why do they hide in such secrecy? Why not draw a line and say “America, we do not like what you stand for and wish to challenge you and your allies to a winner take all fight to the finish”?

I’ll tell you why. Because they simply lack the spinal make up and intestinal fortitude to face us like men. They know beyond a shadow of a doubt that they would be utterly and completely defeated and driven from existence. Not simply because of the AWESOME and destructive arsenal the US military and our allies possess, but also because once pushed into a corner, the American spirit is one that will not rest, will not hide, and will not turn or run from a fight for survival.

Well wake up AMERICA. The enemy is almost to our front gate and they mean to end us all. If they had things their way they would erase us all from existence and be the happier for it.

I say let’s return the favor ten fold. If it’s a fight they want. Bring it.

But first they have to meet us in the dirt lot and stop running like the cowardly dogs they are.

Furthermore we need to end the bickering over how we handle these people. How else does one handle someone that means to snub your flame? You burn the SOB to a mere puff of smoke.

No more can we allow these people to hide behind their claims of “religious freedom”. A religion of hate is one that will not be nor can be tolerated in a civilized society. To insure our freedom we must hunt down these purveyors of hate and destruction and bring their reign of fear and intimidation to an end. And I’m not just talking about the Islamofascists though they are the ones doing the most saber rattling of late. I mean any and all groups, organizations, and individuals that push a hate all, kill all different than me simply because you won’t agree with me attitude.

Do this and once again we can promise our children a safe world where they can grow old and be happy without fear of their streets burning with the fire of hatred.

Do this not and our enemy will storm the gate and our memories of 9/11 I fear will be in comparison a minor wake up call from these cowards.

My heart and prayers go with all of those impacted by the heinous and cowardly actions that have unfolded today in London. I am sure each of these people taken before their time simply wanted to make it through the day so that they too could spend some time playing “Secret Agent” with their little ones. But alas it is not to be but for the actions of a hating many.

Message For YOU

2005-07-06T13:12:00.000-05:00

Ok, Ok I admit it.
In life and at work we all have vices.
Those little things we just can’t let go of or do without.

At home mine is chocolate.

I don’t care what flavor either. Be it Dark Chocolate or White Chocolate, Milk Chocolate, Mixed with another flavor or garnished with nuts (Hold on I need to take a quick chocolate hit here.) I’m a sucker for chocolate.

I blame it on my pregnant wife who continues to be my pusher. No matter where I turn there is something chocolate. It’s a literal Wonka world at my house. All but the chocolate river. (We’re having measurements taken for a shallow creek next week.)

At work it’s a whole different story.

My crutch, my Achilles heal is the nasty but necessary voicemail.

That little feature that drives us nuts with the blinking light and constant reminder that somebody called and we missed them. That it harbors knowledge that we do not.

For someone such as myself the phone is my life blood. Without it my world comes to a complete and utter halt. Hand in hand comes the necessity of voicemail. No matter where I go my trusty voicemail is on guard to insure that I miss no one and not one message is lost on some mischievous and evasive little “while you are out” note.

That is until the day that same “trusty” voicemail goes defunct.

When it is no longer a pass code away from revealing that prize information it holds.

NO instead it holds hostage that information and refuses to allow me access. All this turmoil caused by a simple pulse of electricity.

Now instead of reveling in the knowledge of who called and knowing what they needed I am instead weighed down with the unknown and uncertain. Instead of knowledge and peace I have an ever present and glowing red light and a flashing statement.

“Message for You”

But from whom? Who was it that I missed? Who is patiently and diligently waiting for me to call back? What catastrophe could I have avoided had I only had that bit of information that is so tightly locked away in this phone?

I want to know……….
I need to know………..
I must know………….

I’m getting a rock and beating my way into that message………………….

What? What’s that? The Telecom guy has fixed the CallPilot?
I can now access my voicemail.

Hallelujah………

Finally that glorious life changing information I’ve been so desperately seeking for 2 days now.

“Act Now and you too could receive low cost health insurance. It’s only a phone call away”

I should’ve known. The message was left at 6:45p about the time I’d be sitting down for dinner.

I'm back and with a brand new pair of shoes.

2005-07-05T23:04:00.000-05:00

Ok so I’ve been gone for a few days and it seems like everyone has survived without me. I have been spending the last few days enjoying being an American and enjoying being a Dad. It seems like kids are the best thing in the world to keep you grounded. My oldest always loves to keep it real by reminding Daddy that he can’t dance and that all he does after all of those years in school is talk to a lot of people and tell them what to do. Which she thinks would be a cool job. Especially when she’s being told to do something like clean her room or pick up after herself. Such a daunting and demanding father.

I hope you are all enjoying the new look of the Blog. Thanks to my “newest best friend” Se7en. Ok we’re just acquaintances but hey I’m going to his house to do some bird watching. (Read his blog and that will make sense). Anyway, I regress. Thanks to Se7en the old Blog has a new and definitely fitting look. As you can all tell now other than my wife and children and of course This Great Country we live in…..

My two passions are:

TEXAS

And

Lighthouses.

Why Texas? Live here for a while and that question will answer itself.

Why Lighthouses? I guess I could say because they set a guiding light for others to follow and blaze a path to security and home. But really it’s just because they look so cool. I mean they just look neat don’t they?

Anyway, I have some more ideas for updates and as long as Se7en is up to the challenge there will be more changes yet to come.

And just in case you’re thinking about making your Blog look a little less canned and ordinary, I highly recommend your getting in touch with my man Se7en at www.blogsgonewild.net He does great work (as you can see) and is very patient with the “can we do this? can we do that?” types. Really he is a pleasure to work with and has made this whole thing a breeze so go by.

Until Next Time......................

Things I know today.

2005-06-29T22:17:00.000-05:00

Dallas pitchers are “hot heads” and don’t like their pictures taken.
When a plane goes off course in DC they will clear The House.
After you kill 9 people and father children with your children, Calif. will use the death penalty.
Some kids would rather burn and blow up a car than study for a Chemistry exam.
Native Americans will NEVER be fairly compensated for the land that was stolen from them.
The FDA finally admits sticking kids on Ritalin “may” have long term side effects.
The UN holds a grudge.
The Freedom Tower WILL go up..

Until Next Time.........................

Wow what a read..........

2005-06-26T22:47:00.000-05:00

I had a very long and plentiful post planned for today and then as I was making my usual blog rounds when I was directed to a blog I knew well.

waiterrant.blogspot.com

I usually stop by whenever I need a good laugh or a quick pick me up. As I read his post for today I suddenly forgot whatever it was I had planned on commenting or griping about.

You see when one finds themself in the presence of great writing and a great message hidden in a great lesson, one can only sit in awe.

You owe it to yourself to read this post.

I promise you won't be disappointed.

So go ahead and go by

waiterrant.blogspot.com

And read the post "Nunc Dimittis"

Until next time........................

We hold these truths to be self evident........

2005-06-25T23:29:00.000-05:00

I recently found myself reading a copy of the Declaration of Independence and it suddenly dawned on me.

I bet there are a lot of people that have never read it in its completeness.

I know most of us read parts of it in school but when was the last time you read it all the way through? Well I did and it was really eye opening. As I was reading through it, the same thought kept popping into my head

“if it all started with our desire to claim these rights, why does it seem like we are so willing to let those rights that our forefathers so strongly sought and fought for so many years ago be taken away?”
Now I know what you’re saying. I haven’t given up any of my rights nor do I plan to. And yes I know our Men and Women in Uniform are currently deployed all over the world working to protect those same rights. But what I am talking about is the spirit of the rights.

The Founders were fed up with the dealings and actions of then King George III. He continually mistreated, overtaxed, and forbid the Colonists representation in their new country. Now let me see which of these sound familiar.
Mistreated – Allowing the local government to take my home when it serves their interest? That makes me feel mistreated.
Over Taxed – I just spent 4 hours with my Tax Accountant and yes I would have to say I feel over taxed.
Lack of Representation – Well we do have the President and Representatives, as well as the Senators I voted for in office, but I’m not sure they are being allowed to implement the changes I was hoping for. At least not as long as they continue to allow the minority to misuse the filibuster to block the appointments and laws that will make this country stronger.

Now I in no way am advocating a new Independence movement. So you anti-government, anti-American types can just erase my name from your recruitment lists. But what I am advocating is pushing our current elected officials to put some thought into who they were elected by and what was expected of them when they took office.

Pushing them to allow the voice of the people of the majority to be heard.
Now the only way this is going to happen is if that same majority stands up and demands they follow through. That they let nothing and no one keep them from completing what has been asked of them.

I recently read a quote on a blog I frequent (GM’s Corner) that stated:

Ten people who speak make more noise than ten thousand who are silent.
-Napoleon Bonaparte

The one tool we have that our fore fathers had was and is our voice. Stand up and demand that the elected officials be allowed to do the people’s bidding. A majority has spoken and elected them.
So speak up and demand that the minority let them do their job.

If you can’t find the motivation to do this on your own, then read the following and remember what things used to be like. I am sure you will find the motivation then.

IN CONGRESS, JULY 4, 1776The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America

When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. --That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. --Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.He has refuted his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their Public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected, whereby the Legislative Powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.He has obstructed the Administration of Justice by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary Powers.He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people and eat out their substance.He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil Power.He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:For protecting them, by a mock Trial from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:For depriving us in many cases, of the benefit of Trial by Jury:For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences:For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these ColoniesFor taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to complete the works of death, desolation, and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & Perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavored to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our British brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred. to disavow these usurpations, which would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.We, therefore, the Representatives of the United States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States, that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. --And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.

Until Next Time........................

A letter to the Mayor of New London.

2005-06-24T22:05:00.000-05:00

I recently did something I swore to never do……..

I got involved in the dealings of a town in which I do not reside.

Why would I do such a thing? Throw my better judgment to the wind? A judgment that had served me so well for so long?

Simple. This was no ordinary town. It was New London, CT.

That’s right Imminent Domain capital of the world.

And let’s face it the great people of New London need all the help they can get. Their local government evidently isn’t looking out for them. They’re too busy greasing the coffers with all the new tax money they are expecting.

The following is an email that I sent to Mayor Jane Glover of New London.

To the honorable Mayor Jane Glover,

Mrs. Mayor. I must say that what you have pushed forward as the “best for the people” is a catastrophic misjudgment on your part. I know that you evidently do not see it now and doubt that you will. The formation of our great nation called for an organized and representative government that served the wishes of the people. And when that government no longer served nor cared for the wishes of the governed, I quote the Declaration of Independence

“Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government,…”

It is my belief that you have abandoned the will of those you were sworn to represent and have indeed allowed a precedence that may well adversely affect us all. My only regret is that I do not live in your town so that I may lead the charge for your immediate removal from office for dereliction of your oath. I pray that the people of New London take this charge at their earliest opportunity. May the polls speak your due end.

I implore each of you to send your own email to Mayor Glover and furthermore send one to your State and Federal Representatives and Senators.

Visit this site to find emails for all New London officials and the company that is involved in taking this land.

http://www.castlecoalition.org/index.asp

Mark my words ignoring this today will find you wondering what happened to your home tomorrow.

Until Next time……………..

And Injustice for all.

2005-06-23T23:19:00.000-05:00

WASHINGTON (AP) -- -- The Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that local governments may seize people's homes and businesses -- even against their will -- for private economic development.

Now isn’t this just a fine pickle.
Thanks to the infinite wisdom of the Surreal Court Justices, my local government now has the right to take my home if they so decide that the land it is on is better used for a new Sports arena, or a Multi-story office building, or a convenient strip mall. And I mean why not. Surely a strip mall or office building and definitely a Sports arena would put more tax dollars into the coffers than my single family dwelling.
And those tax dollars are exactly what my local government needs to support their spend – spend – spend charity programs.
I mean they’ve been bleeding me and every other average working stiff to death for years. Why not find another way to kick the little guy when he’s down. I know, we’ll just take his home. That last bastion of solace he has worked so hard to acquire. It’s for the greater good you see.
And to add injury to insult these same Judges stated that local officials know what’s best for the “community”. Well where I live the homes make up the heart and soul of the community. Not the mega-buildings.
But I suppose it is foolish to expect anything else from a group of unchecked, pompous, know it alls.
How dare you. Shame on you: Injustice John Paul Stevens, Injustice Anthony Kennedy, Injustice David H Souter, Injustice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and Injustice Stephen G Breyer. May each of your homes lie in prime commercial real estate corridors very, very soon.

Knowing is half the Battle

2005-06-22T23:04:00.000-05:00

I had a very unique conversation with a hiring authority today. I say unique because for the first time in many years this particular gentleman asked me a question I thought he should’ve asked me a long time ago. You see I have assisted this gentleman in placing right at 7 individuals on his team of 15 over a 5 year period. Now you’re probably thinking “wow almost 50% turnover?” But actually 2 of his team members were promoted, 1 of the hires was an addition but the other 4 were replacements of semi-long-term employees. (The 5-7 year people).

What was the question you ask? Or should I say he asked?

“Why are my people leaving?”

You see he could not figure out why he had lost 4 very productive and talented people. He pointed out the fact that he had promoted 2 people onto bigger and better things so the opportunity was there. His team was growing and they were in a niche that wasn’t mundane or boring. He had done his best to insure his team was compensated fairly. He just couldn’t figure it out. “Why would anyone, especially a performer want to leave?” He asked over and over as if hoping to have an epiphany.

Enter me Mr. Epiphany.

Picture the conversation.

“Mark, I’m glad you’ve asked this question. You see just like my daughter and her first and only go around with a stove burner this is one you needed to see as a problem and danger by yourself.”

Now Mark and I have a good relationship. He trusts me and knows that I won’t hold punches when it comes to the brass facts. So he was a little taken aback with this comment. So I continued to explain myself.

“I could’ve told you that there were external and internal pressures that were leading you down the retention drain. But you would not have heard nor understood me. You see you have always been very happy with the people I’ve found for your team and what they could bring to the table. But you never once really put too much thought into what you had lost from the table.”

You see Mark in all of his wisdom and with a great management style missed one simple yet important thing.

He stopped seeing the job and the attractiveness of it through his team’s eyes and instead only saw it through his eyes or at least what he thought he remembered it being “back in his day”

He stopped seeing that some of the tasks in this role had become mundane to the individuals that had been there 5 and 6 and 7 years. They no longer felt like they were being challenged. They did not feel like their skills were being advanced or kept up to speed with the market. Put simply they had hit a plateau in their role and chose to look elsewhere for new challenges.

This didn’t seem to sit well with Mark. He just looked at me with a bit of a scowl and asked:

“Well, why didn’t they say something to me about it?”

Valid question.

But let me ask you, as a manager isn’t our job to take the initiative to detect this type of thing?

If you answered NO, then you should probably start there when examining what’s wrong with your team.

Mark on the other hand seemed to realize this. You see managers are susceptible to the same short comings as anyone else. We can all get caught in the “can’t see the forest for all the trees in my way” syndrome with the work piling up on our desks.

“So waht can I do to keep this from happening? I can’t change the job and what we do here.”

Probably not, but you can shake things up.

Maybe start with their schedule.

Go to the 9/80 that seems to be catching on everywhere. Or go to a flex schedule. I know several companies where they give their team 2 or 3 schedules to choose from. I even read about a company in Massachusetts that let the staff set their own hours and even went so far as allowing all the PTO time the employees wanted as long as the work was getting done. Safe bet they don’t have too many worries about retaining their top people, or attracting future talent for that matter. I also remember reading that the company saw a very marked improvement in production and company morale.

Another idea is to follow in AT&T’s footsteps and “lease” your team out. Let them do some moonlighting in other areas within the company to keep a fresh and exciting feel and renewed sense of worth. They'll come back feeling fresh and reenergized.

Well, some of these ideas seemed a bit of a stretch to Mark. But at least he has taken the first step and realized there is a problem. Now he can spend his time refining a solution that will work for him. One that I am sure I'll have some input in.

What was it that GI Joe always said?

“Knowing is half the battle”.

Another Great day being Dad.

2005-06-19T12:16:00.000-05:00

Well, I’m celebrating my 9th Father’s Day and I must say they just keep getting better. Sure the presents are nice and so is Breakfast in bed. But what really makes Father’s day better is that I get to spend some quality time with my girls. They put their ever so busy schedules to the side and we get to concentrate on some fun time “together”.

We spent the better part of the morning watching TV and just talking about the shows the girls watch. (You can really learn a lot about what’s going on in their heads from the lessons they learn from their favorite shows. It opens a wide door for conversation as well.) No one was in a hurry to go swimming or to a friend’s house or to their cousin’s. Nope, we just sat there and enjoyed being absorbed in the presence of one another. Then the real treat started. My daughter’s decided to bust out the dress up clothes and put on a fashion show just for daddy. I must say their eye for fashion is evolving, much to their father’s chagrin.

I spoke to a friend of mine this morning that’s not having quite as enjoyable an experience. You see she has a teenage son and I’m sorry to say his father (her X) is not involved in his life. So as you can imagine Father’s day is not a special day in their household. She’s a great Mom and does really well with him. But I can tell it really takes a toll on them every year to see the constant borage of commercials pushing “BUY this for Dad” or “FEED Dad our food”.

Now I’d like to be able to say that’s just life and leave it at that. Well, it is just life. But no way am I going to leave it at that.

You see I can not fathom the decision not to be part of your children’s life. I mean how in the heck do you find yourself in that position? Children are a gift. To be enjoyed and to learn from. How one decides to discard that gift as if it were “an ugly tie”, is beyond my ability to comprehend.

Now I understand that in a separation or divorce scenario spending time with your children may mean spending time around that person who you may not truly enjoy the company of (your X). But get over yourself. Your kids should come first.

Period, end of story, no excuses.

Bite your lip, pick up the kids and enjoy them.

Do not allow your dislike or inability to deal with someone else to limit or totally remove your involvement with your kids. They deserve better. You deserve better.

Be a Father not a donor.

Well, enough of the heavy stuff. I want to take this moment to say

“HAPPT FATHER’S DAY”

To each of you, enjoy the day and enjoy each other.

Until Next Time…………………………….

Are those holes?

2005-06-17T23:27:00.000-05:00

WOW.

I mean literally WOW………………

You know nothing beats the look on your daughters and nephew’s face the first time they see the Moon through the optics of a decent telescope. To see the craters of the Moon must have really been something because they are still talking about it. Not a whole lot worth seeing other than that (due to the city lights) but it really seemed to do the trick so we got no complaints. My oldest asked if we could take the telescope on our next camping trip? Well, with the wife due in September that may be a late camping trip but you can bet we’ll have the old Meade star looker with us. Well, I just wanted to share the look on their faces and the joy in their eyes.

Until Next Time……………………

Alas he writes

2005-06-14T22:55:00.000-05:00

Ok so I've taken enough grief from my friends and dare I say "fans" for not posting in awhile. It seems that I may have been missed.

What can I say....
Life jumped up and got in the way.

Ok so the new job is great. Everything is moving along smashingly and all systems are a go.

Funny thing:
I just got a call the other day from an old client that was trying to track me down, and it seems that my old firm is telling people that I am, and I quote "currently attending to family matters".

It seems that I am slotted to be back any day now.

Curious to see how they pull that one off.

Well, I have done my best to stay silent (for a whole day now) about this Michael Jackson verdict but I must simply say this in response............

What kinda crack do they serve in California Jury rooms?

Well in the words of our friend Forest G......
"That's all I got to say about that"

Until Next Time..............................

The GOOD First Day

2005-05-09T23:22:00.000-05:00

Ok so maybe it can happen.
Maybe things can change.

After having spent a number of years working for someone who on the outside seemed to have your best interest at hand but truly only cared about their own self serving goals; it was a refreshing surprise to suddenly find myself in the midst of a group that really wanted everyone to win.
I mean they really wanted me to come in with every advantage and tool I needed to succeed.

They quickly put to ease any concerns I had about my time line and production goals by telling me

“We expect “NOTHING” in the first 45 days.”

Not the “we’ll see how it goes and if the locks are changed well you’ll get the idea” crap I’d heard at the last place.

OK, so maybe I was bitter, maybe I needed a new start.

NO. Wait a minute…………

I was one of the top producers at the old place and should have felt more secure about where things were going. Not concerned about what might come next.

Yes. This is how a first day is supposed to go.

I should feel welcomed and appreciated from the get-go.

Not in fear of what tomorrow might bring, but rather racing towards it to embrace the possibility of what might be.

So why did it take me so long to make the decision to move?

Well, statistics show that once a person has identified that they are in the wrong position it may take up to 24 months before they do anything about it.

That’s right 24 months.
2 years.
730 days
17,520 hours

Of doing absolutely nothing except knowing.

Knowing that things aren't right and that something needs to change.

So why is coming to this decision so easy, but doing something about it so hard?

Because nobody, no matter who they are likes CHANGE.

Even good change is scary.

Think of the number of people that stay in bad personal relationships just for the sake of routine and familiarity.

What’s that saying about “liking the devil you know better than the one you don’t?”

Who in their right mind “likes” a devil??

The Fear of change is the great deterrent.

If you are afraid you will not move.
Fear can petrify.
It will literally stop you “DEAD” in your tracks and cease any forward movement.

Like quick sand it sucks you in and envelopes you in what you think is a warm embrace. But it’s really a strangle hold.

But like one of my favorite books asks “What could you do if you weren’t afraid?”

The sky is the limit.

So take it from someone who has seen the other side of the mountain.

The view over here is great.

Until next time........................

Looking for that First Job?

2005-04-18T23:13:00.000-05:00

I remember when I started looking for my first “after college” job.

I must’ve interviewed with 10 or so companies.
All of whom seemed to think very highly of me and my capabilities.
A number of them also seemed to feel I was quite adequately prepared “via my degree” and had the potential they were looking for, that they made me an offer.
Back then the starting salary was around $30K-$35K.

I know you’re thinking wow good money for someone with “NO EXPERIENCE” in the real world.

Normally I would agree with you.

I say normally, because I just finished doing some reading about the top 5 picks of last years NFL draft.

You see these guys came in to one of the most competitive industries in the world. All they brought was the experience they had derived in College and their respective “future potential”.

For this their respective teams negotiated salaries all around $40M-$60M with “guaranteed money” of around $15M - $20M.

That M stands for Million.

Suddenly that measly $35K doesn’t even register on the same scale does it?

Even more mind boggling is that though they all maintain a contract to work relationship. If their employers decided to terminate their employment due to lack of meeting said potential, they walk with some serious change.

I knew I should’ve played catch with my dad more often.

Seriously though, why doesn’t corporate America put the same faith in “New Grads”?

I know there is nothing like good ole experience. But what’s wrong with looking at some future potential when it comes to hiring?

NO. I am not suggesting we plug a few “New Grads” in at the C-level. But I am saying that taking a flyer on a “New Grad” could turn out to really put you on the map.

Who knows, you may be hiring that future company CEO. And they’ll always have you to thank for that big break.

Our future has to start somewhere. Why not here why not now.
Until next time--

Things change. Isn't that the definition of living?

2005-04-15T00:09:00.000-05:00

Is today just like yesterday? Will tomorrow be the same as today? Wow how boring would that be?

I helped a young lady come to grips with a simple reality today.

Things change.

You see she was not sure if taking a new job was going to be a good move for her. The opportunity was good. The company and management were great. The salary increase was phenomenal. So what was the catch?

CHANGE.

By taking this new position her life would change and she wasn’t sure how to handle that. In all fairness she had spent the last 15 years doing the same thing at the same place for the same people without questioning why or understanding how life seemed to be passing her by at warp speed.

Now she was faced with something new. Something unsure. Something that brought with it the perception of risk. And lets face it our openness to risk has diminished over the last few years what with the dot coms and Enrons and Qualcoms who can blame a person for wanting to be careful.

Unfortunately the lack of risk in your life is not always a good thing.

Risk comes in 3 different categories

1-Risk taken without any pre-thought or due diligence.
2-Risk taken with limited knowledge.
3- Risk taken based on past experiences and with an expected outcome.

Now the first two types of risk should be avoided at all costs. The outcome is very seldom pretty and only goes to reassure someone’s fear of further risk taking. Without a sense of what you should expect you may be leaving yourself open to a horrible experience.

But risk taken based on past experience is actually not much of a risk at all. Based on what you have seen in the past you can pretty well determine with a certain level of confidence what your outcome will be. And by not taking any risk at all you are basically saying this is as good as I want it to get. I am satisfied and there is nothing more out there for me.

Nothing more out there?

How would you like to wake up every morning with that being your first thought? Talk about a daunting life.

If doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result is the definition of insanity, then doing the same thing over and over again in fear of change is the definition of hopelessness.

So take some risk and keep hope alive. Just make sure that risk is based on things you know and have experienced before. Look before you leap and know you can leap with the best of them.

Until we meet again.--

We really appreciate you.........

2005-04-13T21:50:00.000-05:00

When was the last time you heard that at work?

Well for some of us it’s been a long time. Too Long.

Oh you’ll hear the occasional
“Good Job. Way to meet the deadline. Now get back to it. Make us proud.”

But is that really praise or some kind of quasi motivational mumbo jumbo to keep us plugging away.

When we took the job we didn’t start out to just be another cog in the wheel did we? No, we took it to be the cutting edge innovator. Someone that was going to set the company on its ear. We were going to leave our mark and go far.

So what happened?

Well, all that extra attention we got as the “new guy” is gone. Our boss is no longer stopping by to check on us and make sure we’re still settling in ok. She’s not asking if we need anything. Asking if he can help us better understand anything we’re not really sure of. Instead, we’re just expected to keep churning it out. Day after day. Week after week. Month after month. Not daring to admit if we’re struggling because, remember we need to set these people on their ear. And whose going to cut us a break? We're not the new guy anymore you know.

Now I’m not saying that we need to be coddled every single moment we are in the office but hey, if we put a hard day’s work in shouldn’t the person that usually gets the praise from above share some of the sunshine?

Where did this praise drought come from? What happened and whose fault is it?

Well that’s a tricky question. And usually one that you’ll find can be shared by both parties.

Imagine you’re staying at a hotel and there is a loud ticking in your room. You complain to the front desk and they say if it bothers you, you’ll need to change rooms. You choose not to. So, whose fault is it that you didn’t get a restful night’s sleep? The ticking or your lack of action?

More simply put, if you allow this lack of attention to go on you’re basically allowing it to be perceived as acceptable. And after a while a new culture is born.

Some work places already have this culture in place. So if you take a job in such an environment you are wholly to blame. If it just kind of crept in over night and no one wanted to point it out. Then you’re partially to blame.

I’ve noticed that over the past several years more employees have complained about not being appreciated for their efforts and feeling like the company views them as a commodity and not an intricate part of the team. And more employers complaining that they can’t seem to understand the lack of commitment from the working class and their total unwillingness to do anything for the company’s greater good.

Maybe I just have an acute sense of clarity but wouldn’t this be easily rectified by both groups stopping and saying Thanks?

Thank you Jill for doing such a great job and going the extra mile. Take a half a day on Friday and enjoy your family. We appreciate the efforts you put forth on our behalf.

Thank you Mr. Employer for providing me a salary with which I will put my children through school and food on the table.

I was listening to a sports radio talk show and heard a fan complaining about a Pro Basketball coach that could not get his players motivated. Suddenly I was sitting there thinking wait a minute. How hard can it be to get a guy making millions of dollars to play a game motivated? And it hit me. If he didn’t feel appreciated no matter how much he was making, and the coach who probably made a nice piece of change for his efforts didn’t understand why a Millionaire could get depressed about work. Surely this kind of thing is probably happening to the every day widget plugger out there as well.

Well my advice is to appreciate your situation for what it is. Be thankful you have a job you can enjoy doing and a boss you can enjoy working for. If you’re not and you don’t, then do something about it. If you just sit there and take it, you’re partially to blame.

Until next time--

There is somebody watching.............

2005-04-13T14:12:00.000-05:00

Hot dog,
I got my very first "Non-Family" comment and wouldn't you know it, it was to point out a mistake I made.

No worries though. I actually appreciated someone taking the time to read and point out a mistake.

I just wish they had not done it anonymously.

How can you thank a ghost?

Here is one request I will make going forward.

If you see something wrong or something you don't agree with in my Post.

Tell me. Heck scream it at me if you need to. I'm human. And apt to goof a thing or two.

All I ask is that you let me know who you are so that I can thank you for your opinion and/or clarify my point of view (if that need be done).

Anyway,
Thank you jopa68 for your comment and even more importantly for reading my ramblings.

Until next time--

Making a Job Change

2005-04-11T22:32:00.000-05:00

Congratulations.
You’ve finally done it. You’ve made the conscious decision to make a career move.
That’s right.
You’re moving on. -- Hitting the road to glory. -- Making the move up the ladder of success.

The only problem is now that you’ve made up your mind to change, what do you do next?

It’s simple right? Just post your resume on one of the many job boards. What are they themunsters.com or careerbuster.com or something like that?

Then you can just sit back and watch the job offers and big money come rolling on in. Smart move right?

Wrong.

Not unless you think being lumped in with a couple million of your closest friends is a smart thing to do.

No, what you need is a plan to set yourself apart from the pack. After all you’re a top ten percenter.
The kind of person that will stand out among their peers.

Only one problem:
Where do you stand when you’re standing out?
Most definitely not in the middle of the crowded masses.

No, you need a career specific plan.

How about doing a quick web search on all the companies in your specialty and submitting a resume or at least seeing if they have anything that even sounds interesting to you.

Let’s see now A-c-c-o-u-n-t-i-n-g and search…………

79,700,000 results.

Ok then how about A-c-c-o-u-n-t-i-n-g C-o-m-p-a-n-i-e-s…………

52,700,000 results.

Alright then C-o-s-t A-c-c-o-u-n-t-i-n-g C-o-m-p-a-n-i-e-s………………..

23,800,000 results.

This could take a lot longer than you originally thought.

Second problem:
As a top ten percenter when do you have the time to commit to that kind of detailed research?

If only there was a simpler yet more effective way.

Where is my career fairy when I need one?

Well now a days we don’t call them career fairies, but we do lovingly refer to them as Headhunters, Recruiters, or Career Surgeons.

Surgeons?

That’s right, just like a great Surgeon can cut out that 1 in a million cancerous cell, a Great Recruiter can help you find that one in a million job.

Now the only question is how do you work with one of these Headhunter types?
What’s involved and how much does it cost for such helpful and life altering assistance? My last hospital bill was in the tens of thousands and I still have that pain in my back.

Relax; this is going to be the simple part.

Working with a Recruiter is usually pretty simple. Once you’ve identified the Recruiter you’ll be using, they’ll walk you through their process and get all the information they need from you.

As for the cost?

In today’s job market the fee involved is usually paid for by the Company that engages the Recruiter not you the candidate.

The only part that really takes some up front work on your part is deciding which Recruiter to use.

But you can’t just go with any ole Recruiter.
You wouldn’t want to go with just any ole Brain Surgeon would you?
Or any ole Financial Planner?
Where would OJ be if he just went with any ole Lawyer?

No this is going to take some research.

First things first.

Start talking to your friends.
Trust me if they’re good at what they do, they’ve gotten calls from a Recruiter before.
And there’s a good chance they can tell you who impressed them or maybe even who they’ve used before.
Talk to your peers that you trust and know will keep your confidence.

What you need to look for is a Recruiter that has the understanding of your specific niche.

A specialist if you will.

This person is going to be well connected in the industry and be able to get you in front of the right decision makers. Not on some resume pile in HR.

Also, you need a Recruiter that is going to listen to what you want in a position. What kind of work environment, company chemistry and culture you will strive in.
Someone that can counsel you on what is acceptable and fair as it pertains to salary expectations and benefits.

Someone that can help you through the entire hiring process and be there to answer the questions that will come up and help explain the nuances of today’s hiring market.

But even more simple and important than all that.

You need someone that will keep you in the loop as to what is going on with your career search.

If they’re not telling you where your resume is going then, “Houston - We have a problem”

We’ll talk later about the different Dos and Don’ts of working with a Recruiter.

Until next time--

And then there was light and it was GOOD

2005-04-11T21:01:00.000-05:00

Ok so everything must come from something and somewhere and so it is. Today "A Veracious Blog" has had life breathed into its lungs and we are all the better for it. Or are we. Well, that we shall see.

First let me take a moment to fill in the blanks. You know the whys and wheres and how comes and even the why nots.

I recently attended a seminar where a very well respected industry trainer uttered the words "Blogs are the new medium" and well not wanting to be left behind I jumped on board if you will and decided to become one among the many and take my virgin voyage into the Blogiverse or whatever it is called. I promise the verbage will get better as I evolve with this project of mine.

My thoughts are simple in creation but complex in delivery. You see I had a professor in college who impressed upon us that we must use as many words as we can to say anything if it is worth saying. Or something like that I don't really think I was listening too closely.

Well back to the "Whys"

Why did I start along this voyage?
--As I stated before the "guru" made me do it. No it wasn't Yoda. That guru is Danny Cahill. By far one of the greatest recruiting minds in the business. Though after a bad day he might resemble Yoda. If you've ever wanted to pursue a high-end sales job look Danny and his firm up Hobson and Assoc. You won't be disappointed.

Well if Danny says it, it must be true so here we go.

The name?
--Simple. I try to lead my life with one thougt in mind. Be honest. The truth never hurt anyone and though it may be painful it is always the best medicine for what ails you.

By definition "veracious" is:
habitually speaking the truth; "an honest man"; "a veracious witness"
precisely accurate; "a veracious account".

And since this is the new medium why not approach it with that same mindset that has served me so well these many years? Hey, if it aint broke I'm not gonna touch it.

As for the what and where?

What? -- The truth as I see it every day in my business dealings and from time to time in my personal life. I'll share my thoughts and words of "wisdom" with you my fellow bloggers. How about that I'm an official blogger. Well at least I play one on TV anyway.
I'll try to mix a bit of wit and humor into my postings even if I'm the only one that laughs at the jokes. Or for that matter the only one that knows it was a joke.

Where? -- Right here every couple of days or so.

My promise-
To try to share the ramblings of a mind in progress. In hopes to instill in the business world a sense of humor and humility. To give advice in any areas I feel confident in doing so and to keep an open mind to those who are good enough and big enough to give of themselves and share feedback on my postings.

I look forward to this "project" growing and to you enjoying this as much as I am sure I will.

Until next time--