Semester I Goals 2009 - 2010

Well after some purposeful thought I have come up with what "my goals" for the next six months will be. Here they are (in no particular order):

1. Find a church
2. Have our third vehicle sold [COMPLETED 8/26/09]
   
3. Have a fully invested emergency fund
4. Read a book
5. Have investigated potential courses for schooling and/or get a promotion at work
6. Get in an exercise routine
7. Lose 20 pounds

Ok, ok, ok... so maybe I put the hardest ones at the end of the list. Maybe if I accomplish everything else I will be on such a roll I will knock the others out with no problem. Yeah Right!

I'm looking forward to the journey of knocking things out on my goals list. I already have #2 accomplished. I had originally set a goal of March 2010 to pay off our vehicles and have no car debt but I am proud to say we accomplished it by August 2009. A full six months ahead of schedule. Would like to say the same about our emergency fund but we will see. Its also nice to know that our tax refund the first part of the year can go to something else.

I may also count listening to books on my iPhone as reading. In theory I am still retaining the information just by a different means. Also working on #5. I have already had one interview for a promotion and will have another one soon. Figure one or the other should work out right??

That leaves #1 and #s 6 & 7 to get started on. BP is a little out of control and I am not looking forward to new treatments to get it within control. Hopefully doc will be open to "cost effective treatment". I am completely engaged in my health care costs and will hopefully have a physician who is willing to work with me in this area. I'll get my BP in check and get things moving in that area. #1 will take getting out of that comfort zone. It will be good though b/c I rather do that then stay "in the zone" and rot like fruit.

"...Forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead,
¹⁴ I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."

Phil 3:13-14

TGTIAO [Thank God Today Is Almost Over]

Well its been one of those days. Things said that weren't meant, tears from children, and wounds that will take days to heal. Had I gone with my better judgment I would have kept my mouth closed and not said anything. She would have been mad but it would have ended there. Instead I gave into her egging me on and BOOM!!! full blown argument in the car with both kids in tow. The stress of circumstances creates a rift that will not soon be repaired.

Wifey has started school and we are all adjusting. This past weekend I freaked out. Today was a result of some of that adjustment too. Hopefully as time progresses everyone can chill the @#$% out and not get so worked up over things that are here today and don't matter tomorrow. I still hope she does really good and learns there is more to this life than just being a mom. She can have friends too if she wants.

The Dog Days of Summer

Well from the looks of it this has been the blog of May. Not my original intention but hey what ever works out the way you thought it would. Finally feel that I am getting a good grasp of what my "job" involves so maybe a return to reality will be good... and I will try to blog more too.

Went to the doctor recently and he had great things to say. Like, "well you don't smoke and you're not an alcoholic...". That's the part of reality that I am not facing yet. That I need to take steps over the next several weeks, months, years to ensure I don't die in my sixties like my dad. Hey, if I do then I don't have to go before one of Obama's death panels. This will be one of my greatest battles over the next several years and I can only rely on me to get it done. I have a follow up appointment in a month so we will see how things are at that point.

Even though I'm not going to be going to school in the fall I was thinking that I should come up with goals for myself (six month time frame) that I can reach for and achieve. I used to do this when I was in school and with my wife going back to school this fall it reminded me of what I had done before. Like the fact that I made the Dean's List for the two years leading up to my graduation as a result. The two years of school in which my life was thrown into adulthood with having a kid, a job that made ends meet, in-laws, etc.

A razor sharp focus will lead to a successful future. To improve myself mentally and physically. To be an example to my children that I am proud that they look up to. To be a husband my wife is grateful to be married to. To be a man successful at whatever endeavor I take on. Over the coming weeks I will brainstorm these goals and post them.

Till then stay cool as summer has finally came to Indiana.

The Greatest Spectacle in Racing

Wow!!! What a weekend. The race was great and the food left something to be desired. Everything was planned out perfectly. From getting to the race before there was any traffic jams to cooking out after the race and avoiding sitting in the car for two additional hours. It was the first time we had four people at the race and it worked out great. I think everyone thoroughly enjoyed themselves. Vitor had a horrible wreck with about 30 laps to go... agh! I know he will eventually break through. Got sick from food at the race (even though the wife says it was beer). My tenderloin betrayed me and I paid for it later. Now its back to work and its already 12:30p and I haven't accomplished much... still dreaming of the awesome weekend, zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Carb Day and TGIF!!!

Well it's Friday before the greatest weekend in racing and I couldn't have a harder time focusing on work! Its been a good week overall. Stayed pretty much on task for work and have done well at being a good husband too. It truly is the little things that make the difference.

Speaking of having to work today... what I should be doing today is going down to Indy to go to the Indy Lights race and Carb Day concert. We have made pretty good plans for the weekend, don't get me wrong, but something should be said for making a grandiose display out of it on more than just Sunday. Camping, three days of consumption, and having a great time. Not to mention the memories that will last a lifetime and then some. The other thought is when do I start taking my son to the race? He is eight this year and made it through a couple hours of qualification last year. I am thinking another year or two and it will be worth giving a shot. Then when he is in his sixties, he can say "This is my 50th Indy 500". My other son, who is currently just a few months short of 2 years old, will have to wait a few more years.

Ladies and gentlemen... start your engines! I mean, GET BACK TO WORK!!!

It's Just Another Manic Monday...

Well, wow, what a weekend. The family went road-tripping to MI for a friend's wedding and had a great time. Detroit, if I don't visit again, it will be too soon. The road construction was UN...believable! We had a good time and made me realize we should take those time-outs for just the four of us to go on trips out of town. The memories will last a life time.

So after a great weekend we come smashing head first into the beginning of another week. Luckily I didn't have any appointments scheduled in the morning so I could start the day slowly. What I can't believe is that I do well in the morning and then I hit a wall in the afternoon. I am really trying to focus on getting work done this week and developing my "good" habits for getting work done. I know if I don't get it together myself, my boss will help me.

Helio grabbed the pole at Indy over the weekend and I can't wait for the race. Only 13 days to go!!!

I think I am going to take the "Love Dare". I think if I go through with it, it will rock my world. The thing is though, that it will rock my world, and I don't know how I will handle that. I know in the movie Fireproof, they talk about that you can't be a good husband on your own. You have to have to surrender yourself, your marriage to God and he will make it whole.

How I struggle to surrender anything in my life to God??? What would it be like if I did surrender my will for His will?

I love the month of May!!!

Well, here I am and I already missed a day blogging...

Have you ever had a time that you thought you wanted something so bad and when you got it, it was completely anti-climactic? I have. My wife and I thought that moving back to home would be great for us. Maybe we were disillusioned about the situation but we thought it would be a great experience. Yes, some things fell through and people didn't do what they said they would but even with that in the past, now being back for almost 9 months, all we talk about is how much we miss living in Indy. Are we stuck living in the past???

I think a lot of the benefits of living closer to family are out weighed by the additional drama that we know happens with family.

My wife is going back to school for a nursing degree, which I think is a big step for her. I think she has sold herself short ever since she previously was in school and dropped out. She wasn't "smart enough" to finish. I know a lot of dumb people who got degrees. It has little to do with how smart you are and more about putting in the time and jumping through the hoops professors put in your way. Your real education occurs when you actually start working. One of the biggest things that you need is people skills. And they really don't teach you that in college. I wish her the best and have complete confidence that she will kick butt!!!

Practice has begun at the Indy 500 and I couldn't be happier! The month of May is the greatest next to my birthday and Christmas. : ) I was in Indy for training today and got to listen to live broadcast all afternoon. Even better than this whole day of training.

Nothing else really inspiring today, remember your mothers this weekend!!!