Entry for August 22, 2007Random wierd thoughts with a tearjerker story.

It's been a while, so here are some random thoughts:

1. Reality is just something that gets in the way of your dreams.

2. Psalm 56

3. The US has decided to drop out of the world testing of math and science for children. So much for "No Child Left Behind".

4. The Sox and the Pats still worry me.

5. If you're going to go the speed limit, stay out of the left-hand lane!

6. My father is now officially eligible for Social Security- proof that time marches on for all heroes.

7. The older I am getting, the less likely that I will go skydiving, bungee jumping, or to Las Vegas.

8. Find a job you love, you'll never work another day in your life. Find a job that is work, be thankful that you have it.

9. Slacker.com is awesome. If you haven't tried it, you will like it.

10. I still miss Christien.

Two days until its your birthday. I hope a nice birthday party is planned. I had really hoped to be able to wish Happy Birthday either in person or on the phone, mi hijo, but God has other plans. I trust Him completely, and you must too, Christien. I ask him every night to make sure whichever angel He has protecting you gives you a hug and a kiss from me. I hope you feel them. Dios te bendiga mi hijo. I hope you learn from the story below.

There are these DJs on a country station that do a segment called "Something to Hang your Hat On", and the one from yesterday was touching and thought provoking. Given what has been going on lately with Michael Vick, this story seemed especially poignant. There is no author on it, so I don't know who to credit, but I hope everyone enjoys it and gives me some feedback on it.

THE PURPOSE OF A DOG FROM A FOUR YEAR OLD
Being a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year old Irish Wolfhound named Belker. The dog's owners, Ron, his

wife, Lisa, and their little boy, Shane, were all very attached to Belker and they were hoping for a miracle.

I examined Belker and found he was dying of cancer. I told the family we couldn't do anything for Belker, and offered to

perform the euthanasia procedure for the old dog in their home. As we made arrangements, Ron and Lisa told me they thought

it would be good for the four-year old Shane to observe the procedure. They felt as though Shane might learn something from

the experience. The next day, I felt the familiar catch in my throat as Belker's family surrounded him. Shane seemed so

calm, petting the old dog for the last time, that I wondered if he understood what was going on. Within a few minutes,

Belker slipped peacefully away. The little boy seemed to accept Belker's transition without any difficulty or confusion. We

sat together for a while after Belker's death, wondering aloud about the sad fact that animal lives are shorter than human

lives. Shane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, "I know why." Startled, we all turned to him. What came out of his

mouth next stunned me. I'd never heard a more comforting explanation. He said, "People are born so that they can learn how

to live a good life - - like loving everybody all the time and being nice, right?" The four-year-old continued, "Well, dogs

already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long."

Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. May you always have LOVE to share, HEALTH to spare and FRIENDS that care, and a DOG or Cat to LOVE along the way!

Entry for August 02, 2007 - 11 Smartest Things Ever Said About Fatherhood

I found this as I was reading some articles at work. I thought it was a great list so I wanted to share it. All credit goes to Tia Albright, who Compiled this for Men's Health:

"1. "It is admirable for a man to take his son fishing, but there is a special place in heaven for the father who takes his daughter shopping." -John Sinor

2. "They don't grade fathers, but if your daughter's a stripper, you f—ked up!" -Chris Rock

3. "Sherman made the terrible discovery that men make about their fathers sooner or later... that the man before him was not an aging father but a boy, a boy much like himself, a boy who grew up and had a child of his own and, as best he could... adopted a role called 'Being a Father' so that his child would have something mythical and infinitely important: a Protector, who would keep a lid on all the chaotic and catastrophic possibilities of life." -Tom Wolfe, The Bonfire of the Vanities

4. "Whatever you are, be a good one." -Abraham Lincoln

5. "My mother protected me from the world, and my father threatened me with it." -Quentin Crisp

6. "There must be many fathers around the country who have experienced the cruelest, most crushing rejection of all: Their children have ended up supporting the wrong team." -Nick Hornby

7. "My father used to play with my brother and me in the yard. Mother would come out and say, 'You're tearing up the grass.' 'We're not raising grass,' Dad would reply. 'We're raising boys.' " -Harmon Killebrew

8. "You don't put kids under surveillance: It might frighten you. Parents should sit tall in the saddle and look upon their troops with a noble and benevolent and extremely nearsighted gaze." -Garrison Keillor

9. "A man that doesn't spend time with his family can never be a real man." -Marlon Brando as Don Corleone in The Godfather

10. "When I was a boy of 14 my father was so ignorant that I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be 21, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in only 7 years." -Mark Twain

11. "Certain is it that there is no kind of affection so purely angelic as of a father to a daughter. In love to our wives there is desire; to our sons, ambition; but to our daughters there is something which there are no words to express." -Joseph Addison"

Have you ever heard any good Fatherhood quotes? Post them in the comments.

Que Dios te bendiga Christien. I hope you still feel my love, mi hijo.

Entry for July 31, 2007 - Quick Hit #?

"Your Dreams are Never Silly; Depend on Them to Guide You"

It was on a fortune cookie I received a few years ago. Being a salesperson, it struck a cord with me.

So here is my question to you, all my friends: What is your current major dream that is guiding you?

If you have read this blog, you should already know what mine is, but what is yours. Please comment under this entry.

I hope you are enjoying your Summer Christien. Daddy loves you and misses you. Ya mismo, mi hijo, ya mismo.

Entry for July 18, 2007- Quick Hit

It's time for another one of my famous (infamous?) quick hits.

I was going through some old work emails when I came acroos the following quote. It was attached to a chain, but I won't subject you to that part.

"The will of God will never take you where the Grace of God will not protect you"

I miss you Christien. Summer is halfway over. I hope you have been enjoying it. Grandma's birthday was yesterday and she wished she could've seen you. She's up there right now. You have a whole other family, mi hijo, that wants to know how you're doing. Cuidate, we'll be together before we know it.

Entry for July 17, 2007 - Sport Thought

So I recently added a new friend who goes by Sports Lover, and she asked me my thoughts about about the whole baseball steroids "scandal". As I was replying to her, I realized it would make a pretty good blog entry. So, all credit goes to her for making me consider this topic.

Her initial question was regarding Jason Giambi having to go in front of the Mitchell investigation. Below is my reply. Enjoy.

RE: Giambi

....As far as Giambi is concerned, they should be praising the man for coming out and telling the truth rather than villifying him. But what do you expect when the commissioner is one of the owners who gave the wink and nod during the steroids era. It's farily obvious a lot of guys did it, we know who many of them are, and baseball is always going to have the "Steroids Era". They (MLB) need to acknowledge it, acknowledge their complacency and complicity in it, and move on. I don't think it will ever happen, though, because the majority of these owners are overgrown egotistical children who probably don't want to to be exposed to lawsuits once the detrimental affects of the steroids starts hitting these players- much like what happened in the NFL and is happening in Pro Wrestling.

Christien, daddy is still loving and missing you. The Lord will bring us together, soon. I can fell it. Until then, cuidate mi hijo. Que Dios te Bendiga.

Entry for July 09, 2007- Thoughts for Monday

These are in no particular order. They're just stuff cluttering my brain.

1) I wonder if the Wampanoags debated much before they went to go help the pilgrims - technically, America's 1st illegal immigrants.

2) Are the Red Sox really that good, or are the Yanks just napping?

3) I'm sick of Paris, Brittney, Lindsay, et al. Remember when Mother Teresa made headlines?

4) I have over 200 channels and I still couldn't find anything worth watching. Now I know how Springsteen felt, and he only had 57.

5) Are salespeople really as annoying as you make us feel we are. If you own a business, how are your salespeople compared to us?Do you think them annoying, or persistent? Why are we any different?

6) Psalm 23

7) If I knew then what I know now...I'd have gotten into a lot more trouble!

8) Can anybody truthfully tell me where the presidential candidates stand on any three important issues. Have they actually taken a stance?

9) Live Earth was cool, but how many trees did it take to offset all the carbon for it? As an aside, the "Think" mini with the old lady and the store owner was fantastic, and the mini about the pig iron highlighted why environmenatalism is hard to adopt. I could do without Super Bloke.

10) Is it NFL season yet?

Christien, you're not on that list because you are not clutter in my brain. You are in the forefront of my thoughts and prayers. God is great and He answers all prayers. Please know I ask Him to watch over you every day until the day we are together again. Te quiro mi hijo. Que Dios te bendiga.

Entry for July 05, 2007

Can anyone guess what me and the the guy in the picture have in common?

I hope everyone had an enjoyable 4th and came away with all your appendages intact. That is all for now. Have a beautiful day.

Christien I hope you got to see the fireworks and enjoyed them. I'm still trying, mi hijo, and I won't stop. zi love you and miss you. Cuidate, please. Que Dios te bendiga, mi hijo.