Happy Birthday Christien 2014

Another year, another birthday. Same as every year, mi hijo, I hope it was an enjoyable one. I take comfort in knowing that at least you were able to speak with your brother for this one. Every year that slips past us, I feel less worthy to be called your father, but you will always be my son. Please know & believe that I love you and there isn't a single day that has not gone by where I have not thought of you. You and Aaron are my greatest accomplishments and the only gift I could give this world. I remember all the stuff I did when I was your age, waiting for senior year to begin. Enjoy these times, mi hijo, because you'll remember them fondly some day in the future. You're going to make mistakes. That's part of life. Just don't let those mistakes define you. Let them teach you so that you may grow to be the better man than I could ever be. In the end, every parent's greatest wish is that their children be better than they were: More happy, more successful, more educated, more traveled, more fulfilled. Be all those and more. Happy birthday Christien, from the other person who made your being in this world possible; and who wishes he could have been more a part of yours. Cuidate mi hijo. Que Dios te bendiga.

A Father's Day 2014 message & song

I think this song sounds like what a dad would say to their children, so I think it is totally appropriate for Father's day.

For Christien: As your father, please take this advice & know I love you mi hijo. I love you and miss you. It makes me happy to hear your life is going well. I hope someday soon to be part of it again.

For Aaron: Thank you & I love you son.

To both - YNWA

12/09/2013: Today's promise: God is merciful. What will be your legacy?

"His mercy goes on from generation to generation, to all who fear him." - Luke 1:50 NLT But as for me, I will sing about your power. I will shout with joy each morning because of your unfailing love. For you have been my refuge, a place of safety in the day of distress. O My strength, to you I sing praises, for you, O God, are my refuge, the God who shows me unfailing love. - Psalm 59:16-17 NLT I pray that I leave the proper legacy to both my boys. Christien, I hope you are well and enjoyed the game yesterday. Cuidate mi hijo. Que Dios the bendiga

Quote of the Day: November 26, 2013

"None of us will ever accomplish anything excellent or commanding except when he listens to this whisper which is heard by him alone." – Ralph Waldo Emerson Christien, I hope you're getting excited for your game Thursday. I know you'll crush the competition. Be safe, mi hijo. Que Dios te bendiga.

Quote of the Day - 11/21/20133

"God is a comedian, playing to an audience too afraid to laugh." - Voltaire I don't know why this quote was in my head, but I felt the need to post it. Take from it what you will. Christien, I'm still thinking of you. One of these days, the truth will come out. Just please remember I love you and miss you. I hope to either talk to you or see you soon. Behave for your mother. Protect your sisters. Que Dios te bendiga, mi hijo.

Quote of the Day 11/14/2013

"Ruin and recovering are both from within." – Epictetus "We ask God to give you a complete understanding of what he wants to do in your lives, and we ask him to make you wise with spiritual wisdom." - Colossians 1:9 NLT Have a beautiful day Christien. If you are reading this, call me please. Behave for your mother. Protect your sisters. I love you and miss you, mi hijo.

Quote of the Day: 11/08/2013

"Put your heart, mind, intellect, and soul even to your smallest acts. This is the secret of success." – Swami Sivananda Saraswati Good luck in your game tonight, Christien. I'll be praying for you. Que Dios te bendiga.

Thought for the day: 11/06/2013

"True charity requires courage: let us overcome the fear of getting our hands dirty so as to help those in need," - Pope Francis The more I read about this pope, the more I like him. Christien, I'm still trying. Cuidate, mi hijo. Te amo y te estrano. Behave for your mother. Take care of your sisters.

Quote for Today- 10/14/13

"Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today"

Great win by the Pats and the Sox last night. I wonder how many cardiologists in New England have to work OT today after those games?!


Christien, keep up the great work in all that you are doing. I am more proud of you than you'll ever know. Cuidate, mi hijo. Behave for your mom. Watch out for your sisters. I'm here if you EVER need me. Until we can finally be face to face, you're in my heart and as long as you are, YNWA.

8/26 Insanity Fit Test and Weigh - In

weight = 267 lbs

switch kicks 85
power jacks 35
power knees 60
power jumps 30
globe jumps 5
suicide jumps 3
push up jacks 12
low obliques 20

Breakfast = egg white omelette with spinach, tomatoes, onions, green peppers, mushrooms, pepper-jack cheese
Lunch= black bean burger wrap with LTO, avocado
Dinner= 1 1/2 bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios with skim milk

HAPPY 16th BIRTHDAY CHRISTIEN!!!!!

Happy 16th birthday to my baby boy Christien. I only wish I could be there with you to celebrate it. Please be careful learning how to drive. Have fun tonight son, but be sure to be safe. I love you and miss you.

Que Dios te bendiga mi hijo.

Love Isn’t Perfect..

Love Isn’t Perfect..


Love isn’t perfect. It isn’t a fairytale or a storybook and it doesn’t always come easy. Love is overcoming obstacles, facing challenges, fighting to be together, holding on and never letting go. It is a short word, easy to spell, difficult to define, and impossible to live without. Love is work, but most of all, love is realizing that every hour, every minute, every second of it was worth it because you did it together. ~Unknown

Destination 200 - Day Two

I will say this about BeachBody, the company that sells Insanity- they definitely believe in truth in advertising. After 2 days of doing Insanity, my entire body hurts. Literally, from my glutes all the way to my calfs, my legs hurt.

I did Day 2 today & I could barely make it through the warm up- THE WARM UP!! By the time I was done, my shirt was drenched with sweat, I could hardly stand from exhaustion, and I was praying for a merciful end to my suffering. I'm going to plow through this, but I definitely need to invest in more Aleve.

I'm getting back into the Isagenix routine, but I am wondering how all this strenuous exercise is going to mesh with their cleanse days. I'll have to find out quick.

I also tracked my meals & workout on My Fitness Pal. I thought I could share that on Facebook, but I guess not. No big deal. My morning snack was a cup of cottage cheese-plain, & lunch was spicy chicken wings with a garbanzo bean salad. According to Ilio's, the cafe at my job, my total lunch was a little over 700 calories. That is more than what Isagenix recommends but not much. I will of course be more careful in the future.

Destination 200 - Day One

So, I finished Day One of Insanity & had my morning shake. As far as Insanity goes, WHAT HAVE I GOT MYSELF INTO?!?!

Day One of Insanity is just a fitness test to see how fit you are. I struggled to get to 20 minutes of the 30 minute workout. So, needless to say, I am out of healthy shape. I qualify that last statement because anybody that knows me knows I always say "I am in shape. Round is a shape."

Compounding the matter is that I'm doing this at home, in a 2nd floor apartment, with a family with  a preschooler living below me. I won't have to keep doing this at home because today is Labor Day, hence no work & no working out in the gym at work. This will be the exception rather than the rule, but it meant I could only go 75% today, lest pieces of the ceiling started falling down in their apartment.

All I know is if I was that tired after going 75%, "OY VAY!!" But that is why I am posting this. So that I can be held accountable. I still wrote down my results. I don't expect them to change as dramatically as if I had gone 100% as I was supposed to, but it will give me a baseline.

Likewise, below are my New Year's pics, as well as the ones I took over the weekend, to give some perspective as to where I was, where I am, & ultimately, where I will wind up. I will post progressive pics at the beginning of every month, as I promised.

I also measured myself where Isagenix want me to measure myself. The only thing I'm not sure of is when it comes to the chest measurement. I don't know if they want me to measure just arm pit to arm pit or if they wanted the circumference from there. I took both & will post the total of both until I get clarification.

So, my total inches re either 369 1/8 inches or 393 1/8 inches, depending on what they require. I'm still the same inches as before the summer, even though I added 10 lbs from the last time I measured myself. My BMI sits at 32.08, which is considered obese, but still a heck of a lot better than where I was at the beginning of the year when my BMI would've been around 40.

Here I the breakdown:


Neck                                                 15 7/8
Upper Arm (left)                                16
Upper Arm (right)                              16
Chest (men: armpit, women: bust)       19 / 43
Diaphragm (rib cage)                          41
Waist                                                 43
Abdomen (6” below waist)                 41 1/2
Buttocks (9” below waist)                  46 1/2
Upper Thigh (left)                              28
Upper Thigh (right)                            28 1/2
Calf (left)                                          17 1/4
Calf (right)                                        17
Upper Knee (left)                              20
Upper Knee (right)                            19 1/2

Below are my images from New Years Day  1/1/2012

Now, Here'a what I looked like August 31, 2012. Check out how much smaller my gut is!!

Obviously, future posts won't be this long. I should've post my pics and measurements as a separate post, but oh well. I will keep postng & I will appreciate any feedback.

Until tomorrow, CHEERS!!

Destination 200

So, in an effort to change my life and reach my goals, I am going to enlist whoever reads this to help me out. Here is the back story:

At the beginning of this year, I weighed 270 lbs & was a 42/44 inch waist. I had set a goal of being either 200 lbs or a 38 inch waist by the 4th of July. By the 4th of July, I had dropped 50 lbs and was a loose 40 inches. So, I hadn't reached my goal, but I was still pretty proud of myself, especially considering that the majority of loss was attributed to diet change and me starting Isagenix.

Anyways, the summer came. Barbecues, vacation, beer, & parties accumulated to a 10 lb relapse. So, here I sit today: 240 lbs, 39-40 inch waist, in that awkward position where some clothes fit too loose, some that I haven't worn in a while now fitting, & trying to figure out what to keep, what to toss, & what to buy. All I do know is that I want to get to ~200lbs and/or a 36 inch waist. And I want to have this accomplished by New Years. So, how am I going to do it? That's what I need you for.

Here's the game plan: First and foremost, I am starting up Isagenix again. Losing all that weight I did while on it was no accident. I also felt healthier both physically and mentally, slept better, and it was dead simple to follow. I also notice I was a lot more even keel emotionally. Not sure if it was anecdotal, but it's worth mentioning.

Secondly, I am going to begin doing the Insanity workout. The gym at my job (how cool is that?!) has a tv in the studio room, I guess you could call. Bottom line, it's the perfect place for me to go do Insanity. There aren't that many people there in the morning so I wouldn't really be putting anyone out.

Thirdly, I'm going to start tracking with My Fitness Pal. I paid a lot more attention to everything when I used it. It kept me honest.

Fourth, I am go to do the "IsaBody Challenge". Basically, Isagenix runs a perpetual contest to help people get in shape. The participants all help each other & cheer each other on, but it is still a competition so I'll stay motivated because I'll want to win.

Lastly, I am going to post EVERYTHING. Pictures, weigh-ins, measurements, updates, etc. Once a month, I will weigh, measure & picture my progress. Every entry on My Fitness Pal will be public. I'll even post pics of my meals so you can help keep me honest.

If anybody wishes to join me for any part of this, that would be awesome. If you want to try out Isagenix for yourself and see how good it works, send me a private message & I can help you out with that & get you a discount on your order. If you work with me and want to do the workout in the morning with me, talk to me and we'll set up a time to meet up there.

For everybody else, I need you to keep me honest and accountable. Ask me why I haven't posted if I have not, ask me for updates. Words of encouragement will always be welcome. Friendly advice will always be accepted.

It is now Friday, August 31st. Labor Day weekend. When I weighed my self this morning, I weighed 240 lbs. I am going to measure myself Saturday, September 1st, and post my measurements. I will begin everything Monday, Labor Day, with the first day of Insanity & the 11 day Isagenix Jump Start.

Wish me luck.

Happy Birthday Christien!!

Another year. Another birthday. Another missed opportunity. I went up north this past summer for my 20 year high school reunion and to get to watch Liverpool FC play in Fenway. I had purchased 3 tickets because I wanted to take my two sons for that special occasion. It was a fun time and I know Christien would have enjoyed it if he had been allowed to come.

It is now coming up on eight years since I last saw or held you my son. I want you to do good in school Christien. Be the protective big brother your sisters are going to need. Hold true to the respect & discipline they're teaching you in ROTC. And take no prisoners on the football field.

God has a plan for us. I don't know what it is yet, but I have to believe it will be for the best because He does all things for good. I love you, mi hijo. Keep me in your heart same as I keep you in mine.

Behave yourself for your mother. Be strong. Be brave. Be you. Que Dios te bendiga Christien, y Feliz Cumpleaños!!!

Shay's Picks: Lessons in Leadership from Bill Shankly

Shay's Picks: Lessons in Leadership from Bill Shankly: The following is an exercise I completed for the Leadership class this Spring at Dalton State College . A big thank you goes out to my Live...

Amendment One

My personal opinion about Amendment One: Jesus would be disgusted with this. Those who know me know how serious I take that statement. For those considering voting for it: I've read the amendment. Have you? Or are you just following marching orders? Has the person who is giving you those orders read it? I have been blessed to have some awesome religious leaders in my life, but I have also known some who lost their way, which is why I no longer take their words at face value. I research & I base my opinions on my findings. 

I am reminded of the saying "The Road to Perdition is paved with good intentions". The USA, which I have heard MANY pastors & religious leaders say is supposed to be a beacon of Christianity in this world, is supposed to be a tolerant and respectful society. This amendment changes that. If the bible is supposed to be the truth, which I know it is, show me where Jesus- not the Old Testament prophets nor Paul- talks about hating any one group or restricting another. You can't, because what Jesus preached about was love and respect. "Do unto others". 

Reread the beatitudes and tell me if the people this amendment affects aren't the same people He's talking about. This amendment is all about legalizing bigotry, hate, and intolerance regardless of whatever collateral damage it may cause. 

I am vociferously voting NO on Amendment One & if that upsets any of my Christian friends, there is a button on all the social media sites to remove me as a friend. However, read it all carefully, & don't just pay attention to what it does say, but also what it does not, then ask yourself deep down in your heart and soul- Is this really what Jesus would want? I did. & now you know my answer.

Amendment One

My personal opinion about Amendment One: Jesus would be disgusted with this. Those who know me know how serious I take that statement. For those considering voting for it: I've read the amendment. Have you? Or are you just following marching orders? Has the person who is giving you those orders read it? I have been nlessed to have some awesome religious leaders in my, but I have also known some who lost their way, which is why I no longer take their words at face value. I research & I base my opinions on my findings.

I am reminded of the saying "The Road to Perdition is paved with good intentions". The USA, which I have heard MANY pastors & religious leaders say is supposed to be a beacon of Christianity in this world, is supposed to be a tolerant and respectful society. This amendment changes that. If the bible is supposed to be the truth, which I know it is, show me where Jesus- not the Old Testament prophets nor Paul- talks about hating any one group or restricting another. You can't, because what Jesus preached about was love and respect. "Do unto others".

Reread the beatitudes and tell me if the people this amendment affects aren't the same people He's talking about. This amendment is all about legalizing bigotry, hate, and intolerance regardless of whatever collateral damage it may cause.

I am vociferously voting NO on Amendment One & if that upsets any of my Christian friends, there is a button there to remove me as a friend. However, read it all carefully, & don't just pay attention to what it does say, but also what it does not, then ask yourself deep down in your heart and soul- Is this really what Jesus would want? I did. & now you know my answer.

Christien, daddy loves you & misses you. Que Dios te bendiga