The State of the Union address last night went as could have been expected. We saw that inspirational speaker from the election, which we haven't seen in a while, make a return to the stage. Whether or not you liked everything he said, he did give a good speech. Personally I liked some of it and some of it was not my favorite. Overall, I was happy with what was said and the focus of the speech.
That focus: jobs. Let's hope that when we look back in the coming months, that we will see growth in that area. If it truly is # 1 on his agenda, results will surely follow.
The Republican Response last night, given by governor Bob McDonnell, was probably the best response I've seen. The last one given by governor Bobby Jindal was lacking to say the least. I was happy to see that McDonnell stepped up to the plate and delivered the way in which he did. In his response he mentioned some items contrary to Obama, but I was happy to hear him also give due attention to the job market. If we have both sides pushing for full employment, we're in much better hands.
I would say that it was a good night from both parties and came across as a success. It was nice to see it play out this way. Now the coming months will be the true test.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
State of the Union
Tonight is the State of the Union Address. I always enjoy these speeches, as well as the opposing party's response which follows. Tonight's lineup will include both current president of the United States of America, Barack Obama, giving the State of the Union address, and current Virginia Governor, Bob McDonnell, giving the GOP State of the Union Response immediately following the Obama's Address. Call me a dork, but I love this stuff and can't wait to see how it plays out. Rumor has it that the focus of this year's address will be a proposed spending freeze. I find this extremely interesting for a couple of reasons. Not necessarily bad, just interesting.
The first glaring reason is that Obama himself was against this very approach back during the election when Senator John McCain was endorsing an "across the board spending freeze". Does anyone remember the hatchet vs scalpel analogy? Anyone? Anyone? I do. At the time I actually loved that analogy and was eager to see how he would use that scalpel to enact his plans. Recall that quote from November of 2008,
The second reason I find this approach interesting is the application of the spending freeze. Granted, I have not heard every detail of this plan but from what I have gathered, it makes many cuts (which may be worthwhile or not) but avoids some of the major spending areas. Those areas include Entitlement spending and Defense spending. Who would not agree that these are some of our largest cost buckets?
Those are two reasons that I find tonight's upcoming speech interesting and am quite eager to see how it plays out during both the original address and the Republican rebuttal. Can I reiterate what a dork I am?! hahaha. I can't wait!
The first glaring reason is that Obama himself was against this very approach back during the election when Senator John McCain was endorsing an "across the board spending freeze". Does anyone remember the hatchet vs scalpel analogy? Anyone? Anyone? I do. At the time I actually loved that analogy and was eager to see how he would use that scalpel to enact his plans. Recall that quote from November of 2008,
"We will go through our federal budget – page by page, line by line – eliminating those programs we don’t need, and insisting that those we do operate in a sensible cost-effective way."I digress, but there are two points. First is that I've yet to see that scalpel in action. By the way, I'd still really like to see it used! Second is back to our topic of the spending freeze; why the hatchet now? I'm not against it, but it's against some of the very principles and positions that got him elected. Why now? Why following the tremendous bailout? The two don't seem to be in the same line of thinking.
The second reason I find this approach interesting is the application of the spending freeze. Granted, I have not heard every detail of this plan but from what I have gathered, it makes many cuts (which may be worthwhile or not) but avoids some of the major spending areas. Those areas include Entitlement spending and Defense spending. Who would not agree that these are some of our largest cost buckets?
Those are two reasons that I find tonight's upcoming speech interesting and am quite eager to see how it plays out during both the original address and the Republican rebuttal. Can I reiterate what a dork I am?! hahaha. I can't wait!
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Talking the Talk
Since he busted onto the scene not too long ago, I have been very impressed with the comments and speeches made by Barack Obama. Whether you like him or not, you have to admit that he is a very good speaker.
However, it sometimes seems that there needs to be a little more walking the walk that follows the talking of his talk. Granted, he was and is faced with some monumental decisions. I'm not taking that away from him, but I do wish that his actions would follow closer suit to his inspirational speeches.
Obama continues to say the right thing. In an interview yesterday he made a few comments that I really liked and thought were worth repeating. Regardless if you align with the Left and like what agendas he is pushing or whether you align with the Right and want him out of office soon, you have to like these comments that he made:
However, it sometimes seems that there needs to be a little more walking the walk that follows the talking of his talk. Granted, he was and is faced with some monumental decisions. I'm not taking that away from him, but I do wish that his actions would follow closer suit to his inspirational speeches.
Obama continues to say the right thing. In an interview yesterday he made a few comments that I really liked and thought were worth repeating. Regardless if you align with the Left and like what agendas he is pushing or whether you align with the Right and want him out of office soon, you have to like these comments that he made:
"I'd rather be a really good one-term president than a mediocre two-term president"
"You know, there is a tendency in Washington to believe our job description, of elected officials, is to get reelected,... That's not our job description. Our job description is to solve problems and to help people."
Vehicular Woes, part II
Excellent news!
The immediate problem was a blown fuse to the fuel pump. Considering what could have been the problem, I am quite happy with that result! That being said, there is a reason that the fuse blew. They told me that the fuel pump is probably running hot and it could happen again with the age of the vehicle, etc..., etc... So there may be a root cause that rears it's head later, but for now I'm up and running. Woo hoo!
The immediate problem was a blown fuse to the fuel pump. Considering what could have been the problem, I am quite happy with that result! That being said, there is a reason that the fuse blew. They told me that the fuel pump is probably running hot and it could happen again with the age of the vehicle, etc..., etc... So there may be a root cause that rears it's head later, but for now I'm up and running. Woo hoo!
Vehicular Woes
Like most of you, I take my vehicle in every 3000-5000 miles to get the oil changed. I tend to rotate my tires every 10,000 miles or so. When I get it serviced, the fluids are topped off for me. The only items that I actually do myself are pumping gas and replacing wiper blades. Well, I guess I also clean it on occasion, but that is different.
My grandmother always filled her tank before it reached the half empty mark. That is probably a good practice, but I tend to wait until right about the time that the pesky little gas light pops on. Of course that light was designed to be there for people like me. When the light turns on, I know I still have time to fill up. The key is remembering to do so.
In my 16 years of driving, I had never run out of gas... until yesterday in Columbia. Or at least I thought I ran out of gas yesterday. What a fiasco!
Here is a play by play of how it went down:
Monday morning I notice my gas light. After grabbing breakfast, I didn't have time to stop for gas so I planned to get it that afternoon on the way home. That afternoon I was on my way home from work, with plans to meet friends out at 6:00. No problem. I had plenty of time. There was no rush. I should have stopped for gas, but of course I forgot.
Just after I passed Greystone Blvd (the Zoo exit), I noticed that my truck was losing power. I immediately glance down and see that I'm below E. Uh oh, I'm empty! My truck began to cut out and I ended up coasting to the side of the road. By this point I had no power steering since the engine was off. Kind of scary, but luckily the traffic was minimal. At that point it was 5:20.
I was on the side of the road, just where Huger St splits off from Elmwood Ave. I had intended to meet Stacy at the house to give her a few items, so she should have been there waiting on me at that point. That worked out perfect, so I called her and ask her to grab my gas can and meet me. I'm sure she had other plans for the night, but jumped to action to help and I really appreciate that!
Stacy and boys showed up with gas. I put the gallon in and... no luck. Surely there is no need to reset anything to get the engine running again. My mind was racing. I know absolutely nothing about vehicles... nothing. I thought that perhaps the one gallon was not sufficient and the fuel lines need to be filled. I hopped in her car and we filled up the 5 gallon tank, and repeated the process. No luck.
Oh, it's also worth noting that I had talked to my parents a few times as well and they reaffirmed my thoughts that the dang truck should crank once gas was added. The next step was to call Chevy to see if there is anything that needs to be reset. Doubtful, but worth a try. After over half an hour talking to some helpful people and some idiots, it was evident that adding the gas was all that should have been needed. Oh, one funny point. The last guy I spoke with was going through manuals and trying to be helpful. After 5 minutes of 'helping me', he says, "now, when you say gas, you do mean fuel, don't you?". Uh, seriously. It's obvious this dude would not be able to help me.
I decided that it may be something besides the fuel that caused this. Perhaps being low on fuel was just coincidence. I popped the hood and looked inside. Of course I had might as well have been looking at the inner workings of a nuclear bomb. As I said before, I don't know anything about vehicles. One thing I do know is how to change the oil, so I decided to check the oil levels. The dipstick proved to be dry. That is never good. I jump in the car with Stacy again (at this point, the boys are getting hungry) and we head back to the gas station to get a quart of oil. Back to the truck. Added the oil. Still no luck. I checked the dipstick again and seeing that it was still dry, the oh shit moment set in. This was suddenly beyond just getting the truck cranked again. It was time for a tow. Stacy leaves to take to boys to eat while I handle the tow.
Let me pause for moment to say two things:
(1) I had a road trip to Atlanta this weekend. I am so thankful that this did not happen there, or even worse, somewhere between here and there. That would have totally sucked!
(2) Last Thursday when I drove to lunch, my check engine oil light came on. I would have followed up on that, but when it went off moments later I assumed there was nothing to worry about. Not the best idea in retrospect.
So back to the events of evening. I called my insurance company, USAA, and they ordered a tow for me. They said it would be 30 minutes. I swear it was like 8 minutes later that the truck pulled up. I was very impressed with the service. By this point it was 7:30. My truck was being towed. I was hungry and annoyed. I kind of left out the part of the story where all though this process I was getting very annoyed and really pissed at some points, but somehow after the tow truck arrived, my annoyance was alleviated. I accepted the situation and moved on. The drop-off of the truck was easy. Very quick in fact. Then I hitched a ride home with Stacy and after 2 hours of this fiasco, she was actually able to pick up the things that she was originally dropping by the house for. She had no idea what she was getting in to. hahaha.
I wish this story had a great ending but in reality the story is still not over. I have not heard from the shop that is checking out my truck. I don't know what to expect but I am eager to find out what the deal is. I'll update this story as it unfolds. On a happier note though, after all of the dreadful events of the afternoon, I was still able to go out with friends for a little while and enjoy a nice dinner. I guess that is the happy ending to the dreadful afternoon.
My grandmother always filled her tank before it reached the half empty mark. That is probably a good practice, but I tend to wait until right about the time that the pesky little gas light pops on. Of course that light was designed to be there for people like me. When the light turns on, I know I still have time to fill up. The key is remembering to do so.
In my 16 years of driving, I had never run out of gas... until yesterday in Columbia. Or at least I thought I ran out of gas yesterday. What a fiasco!
Here is a play by play of how it went down:
Monday morning I notice my gas light. After grabbing breakfast, I didn't have time to stop for gas so I planned to get it that afternoon on the way home. That afternoon I was on my way home from work, with plans to meet friends out at 6:00. No problem. I had plenty of time. There was no rush. I should have stopped for gas, but of course I forgot.
Just after I passed Greystone Blvd (the Zoo exit), I noticed that my truck was losing power. I immediately glance down and see that I'm below E. Uh oh, I'm empty! My truck began to cut out and I ended up coasting to the side of the road. By this point I had no power steering since the engine was off. Kind of scary, but luckily the traffic was minimal. At that point it was 5:20.
I was on the side of the road, just where Huger St splits off from Elmwood Ave. I had intended to meet Stacy at the house to give her a few items, so she should have been there waiting on me at that point. That worked out perfect, so I called her and ask her to grab my gas can and meet me. I'm sure she had other plans for the night, but jumped to action to help and I really appreciate that!
Stacy and boys showed up with gas. I put the gallon in and... no luck. Surely there is no need to reset anything to get the engine running again. My mind was racing. I know absolutely nothing about vehicles... nothing. I thought that perhaps the one gallon was not sufficient and the fuel lines need to be filled. I hopped in her car and we filled up the 5 gallon tank, and repeated the process. No luck.
Oh, it's also worth noting that I had talked to my parents a few times as well and they reaffirmed my thoughts that the dang truck should crank once gas was added. The next step was to call Chevy to see if there is anything that needs to be reset. Doubtful, but worth a try. After over half an hour talking to some helpful people and some idiots, it was evident that adding the gas was all that should have been needed. Oh, one funny point. The last guy I spoke with was going through manuals and trying to be helpful. After 5 minutes of 'helping me', he says, "now, when you say gas, you do mean fuel, don't you?". Uh, seriously. It's obvious this dude would not be able to help me.
I decided that it may be something besides the fuel that caused this. Perhaps being low on fuel was just coincidence. I popped the hood and looked inside. Of course I had might as well have been looking at the inner workings of a nuclear bomb. As I said before, I don't know anything about vehicles. One thing I do know is how to change the oil, so I decided to check the oil levels. The dipstick proved to be dry. That is never good. I jump in the car with Stacy again (at this point, the boys are getting hungry) and we head back to the gas station to get a quart of oil. Back to the truck. Added the oil. Still no luck. I checked the dipstick again and seeing that it was still dry, the oh shit moment set in. This was suddenly beyond just getting the truck cranked again. It was time for a tow. Stacy leaves to take to boys to eat while I handle the tow.
Let me pause for moment to say two things:
(1) I had a road trip to Atlanta this weekend. I am so thankful that this did not happen there, or even worse, somewhere between here and there. That would have totally sucked!
(2) Last Thursday when I drove to lunch, my check engine oil light came on. I would have followed up on that, but when it went off moments later I assumed there was nothing to worry about. Not the best idea in retrospect.
So back to the events of evening. I called my insurance company, USAA, and they ordered a tow for me. They said it would be 30 minutes. I swear it was like 8 minutes later that the truck pulled up. I was very impressed with the service. By this point it was 7:30. My truck was being towed. I was hungry and annoyed. I kind of left out the part of the story where all though this process I was getting very annoyed and really pissed at some points, but somehow after the tow truck arrived, my annoyance was alleviated. I accepted the situation and moved on. The drop-off of the truck was easy. Very quick in fact. Then I hitched a ride home with Stacy and after 2 hours of this fiasco, she was actually able to pick up the things that she was originally dropping by the house for. She had no idea what she was getting in to. hahaha.
I wish this story had a great ending but in reality the story is still not over. I have not heard from the shop that is checking out my truck. I don't know what to expect but I am eager to find out what the deal is. I'll update this story as it unfolds. On a happier note though, after all of the dreadful events of the afternoon, I was still able to go out with friends for a little while and enjoy a nice dinner. I guess that is the happy ending to the dreadful afternoon.
Friday, January 22, 2010
Good, Better, Best
I am not unlike many people when the new year rolls around.
I, too, want to get my act together.
I, too, want to achieve the things that I have long desired.
I, too, am inspired by the seemingly fresh start that the calendar rollover to a new year provides.
Granted January 1st is not all that different than December 31st was. Well, except for maybe that hangover from a little too much partying on New Year's Eve! The dawn of new year is symbolic, but it seems like most of us jump on that symbolism and make it more by believing that it is. Our belief in it, really do make it a fresh start. Diet programs, workout regimens, work pursuits, and even social goals all reset and every new day is a step closer to what you are driven to achieve.
Of course, we all know the status quo. We jump head over heals into our New Year's resolutions and make real progress... for a few weeks. After that, the flame of burning desire to better ourselves begins to fade. Fast food starts creeping back in the diet, the gyms get a little emptier, and the same ruts at work that you fell into in the later part of the previous year start tripping you up yet again. Hey, that's life, right? We get excited about something, we devote ourselves to it, and then we lose the drive. Before long it is nothing more than something we laugh off, "yeah, look at me now. Better luck next year! hahah". Why must it be this way?
2010 doesn't have to be like every other year. It doesn't have to follow the same script. For me 2010 is a new beginning in many ways and I started on 2010's journeys long before 2009 was ever over. I started laying the groundwork for the future well before the new year and because of that, I feel better about my direction, about my drive, and I guess you could about my New Year's resolutions. Although I do not actually set New Year's resolutions, having something to strive for when January first rolls around basically defaults into that being a resolution, doesn't it?
I am so excited about this year and I'll tell you why. Yes, this is the part where I talk about myself, but who doesn't like to talk about himself? haha. Okay, I'll keep this part short. Just two topics:
(1) I've mentioned before that I'm learning so much professionally and coming into my own. Before long I will no longer feel new to this position. For now I still feel like a newbie and that's ok, because... well, I am, but I know what I'm working toward.
(2) In addition, the groundwork that I began to lay down at the end of last year physically is beginning to come to fruition. I am arguably in the best shape of my adult life and have my sights on achieving so much more.
Those are just two aspects of my life that I'm working on. As I approached the new year I told myself that there comes a time when you have to decide whether you want to be good and many things or dedicate yourself to becoming great at one or more of them. I chose the later.
2010 offers that symbolic fresh start. What that means for me is a directed pursuit of something more. Pursuits/goals that deserve my devotion will receive it, and receive it completely. Put concisely, concerning things that are important mediocrity is not an option.
As I was writing this, I had a thought. It was a totally random thought that came out of left field. What struck me was a memory from high school; actually from my high school graduation from Ninetysix High School in 1995. One of the graduates read a short poem as part of what they had to say during the ceremony. That poem, which I could not find the author of, is quite appropriate for this topic and provides another very generic way to restate my goals for 2010:
To all my friends, don't forget that you get what you truly work for and may 2010 bring you all that you want and deserve!
I, too, want to get my act together.
I, too, want to achieve the things that I have long desired.
I, too, am inspired by the seemingly fresh start that the calendar rollover to a new year provides.
Granted January 1st is not all that different than December 31st was. Well, except for maybe that hangover from a little too much partying on New Year's Eve! The dawn of new year is symbolic, but it seems like most of us jump on that symbolism and make it more by believing that it is. Our belief in it, really do make it a fresh start. Diet programs, workout regimens, work pursuits, and even social goals all reset and every new day is a step closer to what you are driven to achieve.
Of course, we all know the status quo. We jump head over heals into our New Year's resolutions and make real progress... for a few weeks. After that, the flame of burning desire to better ourselves begins to fade. Fast food starts creeping back in the diet, the gyms get a little emptier, and the same ruts at work that you fell into in the later part of the previous year start tripping you up yet again. Hey, that's life, right? We get excited about something, we devote ourselves to it, and then we lose the drive. Before long it is nothing more than something we laugh off, "yeah, look at me now. Better luck next year! hahah". Why must it be this way?
2010 doesn't have to be like every other year. It doesn't have to follow the same script. For me 2010 is a new beginning in many ways and I started on 2010's journeys long before 2009 was ever over. I started laying the groundwork for the future well before the new year and because of that, I feel better about my direction, about my drive, and I guess you could about my New Year's resolutions. Although I do not actually set New Year's resolutions, having something to strive for when January first rolls around basically defaults into that being a resolution, doesn't it?
I am so excited about this year and I'll tell you why. Yes, this is the part where I talk about myself, but who doesn't like to talk about himself? haha. Okay, I'll keep this part short. Just two topics:
(1) I've mentioned before that I'm learning so much professionally and coming into my own. Before long I will no longer feel new to this position. For now I still feel like a newbie and that's ok, because... well, I am, but I know what I'm working toward.
(2) In addition, the groundwork that I began to lay down at the end of last year physically is beginning to come to fruition. I am arguably in the best shape of my adult life and have my sights on achieving so much more.
Those are just two aspects of my life that I'm working on. As I approached the new year I told myself that there comes a time when you have to decide whether you want to be good and many things or dedicate yourself to becoming great at one or more of them. I chose the later.
2010 offers that symbolic fresh start. What that means for me is a directed pursuit of something more. Pursuits/goals that deserve my devotion will receive it, and receive it completely. Put concisely, concerning things that are important mediocrity is not an option.
As I was writing this, I had a thought. It was a totally random thought that came out of left field. What struck me was a memory from high school; actually from my high school graduation from Ninetysix High School in 1995. One of the graduates read a short poem as part of what they had to say during the ceremony. That poem, which I could not find the author of, is quite appropriate for this topic and provides another very generic way to restate my goals for 2010:
Good, Better, Best
Never let it rest
Until the Good is Better
And the Better is the Best.
To all my friends, don't forget that you get what you truly work for and may 2010 bring you all that you want and deserve!
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Since I've had a few friends inquiring about my running schedule, I decided to post it here. As I looked around I noticed that plans varied a good bit depending on whether you considered yourself a novice, intermediate, or expert. I ventured into the intermediate territory and found that within that group there were still many options.
Some schedules focused on really pounding out pavement, ensuring you get many miles under your belt during preparation. On those plans, the weekly long runs tend to be much farther than your target race distance. That is not the type of plan I was looking for. Rather, I wanted a plan that varied routine day to day.
In the end, the one I chose gave me the variance I wanted. It may include running nearly every day of the week, but it also changes up the expectations by varying between interval, distance, and tempo runs, not to mention the cross training day. Anyway, here is the one that I decided to go with. It was an eight week plan that I found on running.com. I only made minor alterations to stretch it to 11 weeks.
* I apologize for the pain, but to make it fit on the page I had to shrink it to this size. Just click on it to open up a full size picture.
Some schedules focused on really pounding out pavement, ensuring you get many miles under your belt during preparation. On those plans, the weekly long runs tend to be much farther than your target race distance. That is not the type of plan I was looking for. Rather, I wanted a plan that varied routine day to day.
In the end, the one I chose gave me the variance I wanted. It may include running nearly every day of the week, but it also changes up the expectations by varying between interval, distance, and tempo runs, not to mention the cross training day. Anyway, here is the one that I decided to go with. It was an eight week plan that I found on running.com. I only made minor alterations to stretch it to 11 weeks.
* I apologize for the pain, but to make it fit on the page I had to shrink it to this size. Just click on it to open up a full size picture.
Political Shout Out
If you know me well, you realize that I do not claim a party affiliation. I support candidates, not parties and I always vote a split ticket.
The latest politician to storm onto the scene deserves a shout out for sure. Scott Brown just seized the 41st Republican seat in the Senate. That was quite a task considering who recently vacated that spot. The seat in question was not only held but basically owned for 47 years by the late Ted Kennedy. If you don't know who that was, you may stop reading...
Brown's victory marks a huge shift in the power struggle in Washington. The "super seat majority" held by the Democrats is no more. When that majority was originally established, I was happy about it due to the fact that I assumed that some items may actually get passed. The gridlock that typically exists in Washington, although very necessary, is quite annoying because it seems that nothing ever gets accomplished. I thought that the super seat majority would be beneficial to help alleviate some of the gridlock and push some items through, but after seeing the way things have progressed I'm happy to see that majority dissolved.
Perhaps Brown's victory is more of a testament to people wanting to stop the Health Care Bill than it is to his own merits, but either way the seat is his. Congratulations to him for that. In addition to the actual victory, I have to say that the one item that deserves a little attention is his statement concerning who that seat belongs to. It was one of the best comments I've heard from a politician in a while and deserves repeating. When asked if he would be the one to sit in Teddy Kennedy's seat (to block the Health Care bill), he responded:
The latest politician to storm onto the scene deserves a shout out for sure. Scott Brown just seized the 41st Republican seat in the Senate. That was quite a task considering who recently vacated that spot. The seat in question was not only held but basically owned for 47 years by the late Ted Kennedy. If you don't know who that was, you may stop reading...
Brown's victory marks a huge shift in the power struggle in Washington. The "super seat majority" held by the Democrats is no more. When that majority was originally established, I was happy about it due to the fact that I assumed that some items may actually get passed. The gridlock that typically exists in Washington, although very necessary, is quite annoying because it seems that nothing ever gets accomplished. I thought that the super seat majority would be beneficial to help alleviate some of the gridlock and push some items through, but after seeing the way things have progressed I'm happy to see that majority dissolved.
Perhaps Brown's victory is more of a testament to people wanting to stop the Health Care Bill than it is to his own merits, but either way the seat is his. Congratulations to him for that. In addition to the actual victory, I have to say that the one item that deserves a little attention is his statement concerning who that seat belongs to. It was one of the best comments I've heard from a politician in a while and deserves repeating. When asked if he would be the one to sit in Teddy Kennedy's seat (to block the Health Care bill), he responded:
" with all due respond, it's not Kennedy's seat and it's not the Democrats' seat. It's the people's seat.."Awesome! That is why Scott Brown deserves today's political shout out!
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
A Few Good Ones on Quality
The way we communicate with others and with ourselves ultimately determines the quality of our lives.- Tony Robbins
The quality, not the longevity, of one's life is what is important.- Martin Luther King Jr
In the race for quality, there is no finish line.- David T. Kearns
Monday, January 18, 2010
Life is Good!
This was quite a weekend. A few random things:
I finally took down my Christmas tree. I know, I know. What a slacker for waiting three weeks after Christmas to do so! My kids suggested that we just leave it up until next year... uh, no.
Some of us attended the World Beer Festival in Columbia on Saturday. I had previously heard about how much fun that event tends to be, and I was not disappointed after making my first appearance this weekend. Not only did I fully enjoy myself, but I will definitely be attending this every year!
Working out is going very well. I still have something pulled in my left pec, however I can do many other exercises to avoid that muscle and still make huge gains, and that is exactly what I've been doing. Also, my running is going very well. I just started week two of an 11 week training schedule in preparation for this year's Bridge Run and I'm feeling great!
Also, right now I'm amidst a long weekend. Jackson and Alex are of school today for Martin Luther King Day, so I took the day off to spend time with them. We've enjoyed the day thus far playing basketball at home, hitting the gym, and lunch at Chick-fil-A. Now is trampoline time and later this afternoon will either include bowling or Edventure. hmmmm, which to choose...
Last but not least, I'm riding pretty high right now due to my personal life. Since it really is personal, that is all I'll say about this issue right now, but it will suffice to say that I am extremely happy. More so than I have been in a while. Like the title says, Life is Good!
I finally took down my Christmas tree. I know, I know. What a slacker for waiting three weeks after Christmas to do so! My kids suggested that we just leave it up until next year... uh, no.
Some of us attended the World Beer Festival in Columbia on Saturday. I had previously heard about how much fun that event tends to be, and I was not disappointed after making my first appearance this weekend. Not only did I fully enjoy myself, but I will definitely be attending this every year!
Working out is going very well. I still have something pulled in my left pec, however I can do many other exercises to avoid that muscle and still make huge gains, and that is exactly what I've been doing. Also, my running is going very well. I just started week two of an 11 week training schedule in preparation for this year's Bridge Run and I'm feeling great!
Also, right now I'm amidst a long weekend. Jackson and Alex are of school today for Martin Luther King Day, so I took the day off to spend time with them. We've enjoyed the day thus far playing basketball at home, hitting the gym, and lunch at Chick-fil-A. Now is trampoline time and later this afternoon will either include bowling or Edventure. hmmmm, which to choose...
Last but not least, I'm riding pretty high right now due to my personal life. Since it really is personal, that is all I'll say about this issue right now, but it will suffice to say that I am extremely happy. More so than I have been in a while. Like the title says, Life is Good!
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Making the Turn
2009 was an interesting year for sure. Lots of changes for me, especially near the end of the year. I wont delve into all of the changes, but I really feel that I'm "making the turn". In what way? The answer is that there are many ways; socially, emotionally, athletically, and even professionally just to name a few.
Just to go into a few aspects of change:
I couldn't be more happy with where I am in my life right now. Of course some things are still working themselves out with my separation, but now that it's said and done, we're both happy with the results and we're able to be ourselves more now than we have in a long time.
Professionally, I'm learning so much and starting to feel pretty good about my new position. Not that I didn't feel good before, but my excitement over my job previously were based on how I thought I'd like it. Now it's due to me actually doing my job. Still lots of learning, but I'm also enjoying the actual position.
Athletically, I'm in a wonderful place right now. I'm working out a lot. I'm playing basketball once a week. I'm running. In addition to what I'm doing now, the cumlative effects of what I've been doing is really what I'm excited about. I really feel that in the last six months I've transitioned from an ex-athlete trying to stay in shape into an athlete again. That is teh epiphany that I had earlier today and that was what originally gave me the inspiration for this little post.
I'm in a very good place right now and yes, I'm making the turn!
Just to go into a few aspects of change:
I couldn't be more happy with where I am in my life right now. Of course some things are still working themselves out with my separation, but now that it's said and done, we're both happy with the results and we're able to be ourselves more now than we have in a long time.
Professionally, I'm learning so much and starting to feel pretty good about my new position. Not that I didn't feel good before, but my excitement over my job previously were based on how I thought I'd like it. Now it's due to me actually doing my job. Still lots of learning, but I'm also enjoying the actual position.
Athletically, I'm in a wonderful place right now. I'm working out a lot. I'm playing basketball once a week. I'm running. In addition to what I'm doing now, the cumlative effects of what I've been doing is really what I'm excited about. I really feel that in the last six months I've transitioned from an ex-athlete trying to stay in shape into an athlete again. That is teh epiphany that I had earlier today and that was what originally gave me the inspiration for this little post.
I'm in a very good place right now and yes, I'm making the turn!
Friday, January 8, 2010
I Have Heat!
It was a humbling experience. What do I mean by that? Well, anytime you are shown that your suffering is from your own ignorance, you have to feel a bit humbled; at least a little less smart than you felt just before being shown how ignorant you were. That was what happened to me.
After all was said and done, I was without hot water for 11 days. I had heated water on the stove for the boys baths twice during that time. The rest of the time, luckily they were with grandparents or with Stacy. For myself, I had mainly showered at the gym. We managed but it sucked. Not only that but I was beginning to get pretty annoyed with the handling of the situation by Lowe's. The fact that they give the plumber a 48 hour window to schedule the inspection, and another 48 hours to turn the paper work in, in addition to the time between when the scheduled the inspection and the inspection date, is quite annoying. In the end, it was that other company's fault, but the time frame that Lowe's allows is a bit much in my opinion. Luckily they have wonderful people working there that I was able to discuss with and they made me feel better. That being said, I did end up leaving to buy from someone else.
After getting a few verbal quotes, I had one other company come out to give an official quote on replacing the unit. Before he gave the quote, I asked him to see if he could figure out what was wrong with it. When I found out the cause, I felt like an idiot. When I originally went out to relight the pilot light and failed, I did not fail due to a broken unit. I failed due to my ignorance on the product. It apparently has a safeguard that requires you shut off the gas completely, before you can turn it back on and light the pilot. Wow. I had messed with that thing for hours and had never turned it to the OFF position (which was not marked). He simply turned it off, waited 20 seconds, then lit the pilot. Finished. 11 days of no water and it was just the Pilot light. Wow.
I may have felt stupid, but one ignorant moment is way cheaper than replacing a hot water heater!
After all was said and done, I was without hot water for 11 days. I had heated water on the stove for the boys baths twice during that time. The rest of the time, luckily they were with grandparents or with Stacy. For myself, I had mainly showered at the gym. We managed but it sucked. Not only that but I was beginning to get pretty annoyed with the handling of the situation by Lowe's. The fact that they give the plumber a 48 hour window to schedule the inspection, and another 48 hours to turn the paper work in, in addition to the time between when the scheduled the inspection and the inspection date, is quite annoying. In the end, it was that other company's fault, but the time frame that Lowe's allows is a bit much in my opinion. Luckily they have wonderful people working there that I was able to discuss with and they made me feel better. That being said, I did end up leaving to buy from someone else.
After getting a few verbal quotes, I had one other company come out to give an official quote on replacing the unit. Before he gave the quote, I asked him to see if he could figure out what was wrong with it. When I found out the cause, I felt like an idiot. When I originally went out to relight the pilot light and failed, I did not fail due to a broken unit. I failed due to my ignorance on the product. It apparently has a safeguard that requires you shut off the gas completely, before you can turn it back on and light the pilot. Wow. I had messed with that thing for hours and had never turned it to the OFF position (which was not marked). He simply turned it off, waited 20 seconds, then lit the pilot. Finished. 11 days of no water and it was just the Pilot light. Wow.
I may have felt stupid, but one ignorant moment is way cheaper than replacing a hot water heater!
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Sans Heat
Wow! My 11 day break from work was awesome. Christmas Eve, Christmas, Weekend, 4 days of vacation and New Year's Day followed by another weekend. I don't think I've ever had that many days off in a row. Of course I had great intentions of what to get done and in the end very little of that list was completed. That being said, I really enjoyed my break... with one exception. When I got up on Monday, Dec 28th and attempted to shower I had a very bad realization: NO HOT WATER!!!
My thoughts: No problem. Surely the pilot light was just blown out. If I relight it, I'm good to go.
Let me back up a moment. About 6 months ago I had to have my hot water heater serviced because it was leaking. They fixed it, but also told me that it was on it's last leg. I noted that and moved on.
So Monday I attempted to light the pilot, but to no avail. The problem was obviously something bigger. My heater is outside, encased in a hot water heater "shed". The shed it a tin building that looks to have been made about 50 years ago. Looks awful and dilapidated. I took the front cover off revealing the hot water heater and the install date of 1988!!!! Holy crap! That thing has been humming for 22 years!
I called it in and they said they could be there in the morning. Then I thought about it and said to myself, if I pay all this money to fix it now and then replace it in 6 months that will totally suck. So I decided to cancel the service call and head to Lowe's to buy a new hot water heater.
I went in, picked one out and attempted to buy it. Why did I only attempt? Well it's simple; to purchase a gas hot water heater you must first pass an inspection certifying that your house is up to current codes. So the next step was to schedule the inspection. Lowe's made a call to get me on the list and said that the company would call me within 48 hours to set up the inspection. Really? 48 hours. That is ridiculous. As it turns out, I'd have been happy with 48 hours without hot water, but it didn't stop there. They took the full 48 hours to call back. When they called me (on Wednesday), they informed me that it would be Monday before their next available appointment! Wow! Seriously?!!!! I accepted the appointment and met them Monday morning for what turned out to be a 5 minutes inspection. Luckily I'm up to code. I was informed that he was taking the paperwork to Lowe's and once they processed it, Lowe's would call me so that I could finally purchase the hot water heater. Today is Wednesday. Still no call. The paperwork HAS to be in their system by now. I'm going by this afternoon to buy it. If there is any problem with it, I'll probably go elsewhere. For now, I'm still Sans Hot Water.
As a side note, one may wonder how I would bathe during this time. Well, when the boys are at my house, it's a task to warm water on the stove and transport it to the bath tub. That takes a lot of warming!!! However, when I haven't have the boys I have spent much time at Gold's Gym. Whether I work out or not, I go every day to get that shower. Ha! It has made me work out a lot though, so that is a nice little bonus to this annoyance.
My thoughts: No problem. Surely the pilot light was just blown out. If I relight it, I'm good to go.
Let me back up a moment. About 6 months ago I had to have my hot water heater serviced because it was leaking. They fixed it, but also told me that it was on it's last leg. I noted that and moved on.
So Monday I attempted to light the pilot, but to no avail. The problem was obviously something bigger. My heater is outside, encased in a hot water heater "shed". The shed it a tin building that looks to have been made about 50 years ago. Looks awful and dilapidated. I took the front cover off revealing the hot water heater and the install date of 1988!!!! Holy crap! That thing has been humming for 22 years!
I called it in and they said they could be there in the morning. Then I thought about it and said to myself, if I pay all this money to fix it now and then replace it in 6 months that will totally suck. So I decided to cancel the service call and head to Lowe's to buy a new hot water heater.
I went in, picked one out and attempted to buy it. Why did I only attempt? Well it's simple; to purchase a gas hot water heater you must first pass an inspection certifying that your house is up to current codes. So the next step was to schedule the inspection. Lowe's made a call to get me on the list and said that the company would call me within 48 hours to set up the inspection. Really? 48 hours. That is ridiculous. As it turns out, I'd have been happy with 48 hours without hot water, but it didn't stop there. They took the full 48 hours to call back. When they called me (on Wednesday), they informed me that it would be Monday before their next available appointment! Wow! Seriously?!!!! I accepted the appointment and met them Monday morning for what turned out to be a 5 minutes inspection. Luckily I'm up to code. I was informed that he was taking the paperwork to Lowe's and once they processed it, Lowe's would call me so that I could finally purchase the hot water heater. Today is Wednesday. Still no call. The paperwork HAS to be in their system by now. I'm going by this afternoon to buy it. If there is any problem with it, I'll probably go elsewhere. For now, I'm still Sans Hot Water.
As a side note, one may wonder how I would bathe during this time. Well, when the boys are at my house, it's a task to warm water on the stove and transport it to the bath tub. That takes a lot of warming!!! However, when I haven't have the boys I have spent much time at Gold's Gym. Whether I work out or not, I go every day to get that shower. Ha! It has made me work out a lot though, so that is a nice little bonus to this annoyance.
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