Oh, to have pants that fit

I've noticed over the last couple of weeks that my pants have been fitting a bit snug. I wasn't quite sure what to think yet. I haven't been eating more than usual, in fact, healthier than before. Well, maybe I'm retaining water, which I've never done before, but hey, there's a first time for everything, right?

Well, last Saturday I found out why. Of course, I was suspicious the Thursday before that because I missed my window. What's my window you say? Well, I have been tracking my monthly visitor each month for the last 6 to 7 months. That way I have a fairly good idea of when I'm about to start. It also puts me on alert with Matt. I know when I'll be extra nasty, so I try and watch myself. It's worked for the most part.

Anyway, back to the window. I missed last week, no doubt. And, Saturday was my first opportunity to find out for sure. As the little blue plus symbol exposed itself on the little "pi" stick (that's what Matt calls it), I knew for sure. That's right. I'm pregnant. Matt was still sleeping as all this happened.

So, I ran to the desk across the house and grabbed a handful of blank note cards. Inspired by Love Actually, I wrote on each card, "Happy," "Early," "Christmas," "I'm pregnant!" I walked back into the bathroom and picked up the test stick. With note cards and stick in hand I knelt down by Matt to wait for him to wake up just a little.

As I put the test stick down and got my notecards ready, it happened and I nudged him. He looked at me like "what the heck?" So, I showed him the notes, one by one. I could see his sleepiness was giving him some difficulty with the final card, so I put it down and picked up the test stick and showed it to him.

He looked at it, then at me, and gave me a teary smile. We held each other for a few minutes. Our lives are going to change, yet again. And we can't wait.

Home with a sick child

No work for me today. At least not in the sense of my job work. I've got plenty to do here at home like washing dishes, finish the laundry, and pick up toys. Funny how the housework never ceases. There's always something to do. So, with my sick little girl watching cartoons to forget her puniness, I'm off to the call of chores. Until tomorrow.

Thanksgiving Feast at the Academy

Isa's daycare had their annual Thanksgiving Feast today at lunch time. I was looking forward to it, because, over the last 2 years Isa's been enrolled there, the food has been excellent. Definitely up to par with the quality food prepared by families all across the country on this day of thanks.

I was very tempted to stuff myself silly, but was able to muster up some self control and only eat smaller portions. On my drive back to work there was a pleasant sensation in my stomach. I was full enough to be satisfied, but not stuffed and bloated as is typical this time of year.

I want to say a quick thanks to Miss Stephanie and Miss Zoe for all of the hard work they put in to make the Thanksgiving Feast great for the kids and their families.

My thoughts on Assassin's Creed (Xbox 360)

So, we picked up this game yesterday anxious to see if it lived up to the hype. Reviews were split, some loved it and others were disappointed.

My take, it's awesome! I didn't get a chance to play until late last night and before I knew it, it was 3:45 a.m.. Reluctantly, I had to shut my 360 down and get some sleep.

There are so many things I like about this game. I'm not a big fan of sandbox games, I have to say, AC really appealed to me. You play a man in the future, who comes from a long line of assassins. A lab holds you prisoner and forces you to use a machine to tap into ancestral memories to locate something. Of course, they don't tell you what you're looking for and I'm not far enough into the game to even guess.

The interaction with the environment is excellent. It reminds me of when Splinter Cell first came out, having the ability to scale walls and use beams and other objects to fulfill your purpose. But, AC goes even further with the crowd interaction and having the ability to either shove or gently push away people you come in contact with. Truly a gaming first.

I can really go on and on about the game, especially the controls, graphics, and the utter fact that you get to play an assassin in the Crusade world. It's just plain cool.

I definitely recommend it and look forward to playing some more after work.

Are you sick of hearing about Britney and Kevin?

I know I am. And this morning, I couldn't have been more sure of it.

I went to CNN.com to get an update on what's going in the world around me. I look down the list of links in the Latest News section, and, to my utter disgust, there's an article about Britney Spears. Apparently there's a video that shows Britney running a red light. Not that it's not a bad thing, but is it front-page-latest-news worthy? I don't think so. I'm to the point now where I'm ready to boycott the mainstream news sites for this kind of crap.



So, if anyone has any suggestions on reliable news sites I can check out where I'm not going to get bombarded by celebrity crap, please, please let me know.

When I Say, "I Am A Christian"

Piet, our pastor, quoted this poem at the service yesterday. I think it's right on as far as how I feel about my beliefs and what non-believers should know.

When I Say, "I Am A Christian"
When I say, "I am a Christian," I'm not shouting, "I've been saved!"
I'm whispering, "I get lost! That's why I chose this way"

When I say, "I am a Christian," I don't speak with human pride
I'm confessing that I stumble-needing God to be my guide

When I say, "I am a Christian," I'm not trying to be strong
I'm professing that I'm weak and pray for strength to carry on

When I say, "I am a Christian," I'm not bragging of success
I'm admitting that I've failed and cannot ever pay the debt

When I say, "I am a Christian," I don't think I know it all
I submit to my confusion asking humbly to be taught

When I say, "I am a Christian," I'm not claiming to be perfect
My flaws are far too visible but God believes I'm worth it

When I say, "I am a Christian," I still feel the sting of pain
I have my share of heartache which is why I seek His name

When I say, "I am a Christian," I do not wish to judge
I have no authority--I only know I'm loved

Copyright 1988 Carol Wimmer

Life happens

We're all familiar with the phrase "life is hard." In fact it is. Sometimes more than others, but in general, life has a tendency to throw you lemons. All that remains is how you respond and react. I firmly believe that if life weren't hard we wouldn't need God. People have a tendency to ignore God when things are good, but, when times are tough, really tough, it's all you can do to keep on. Our saving grace is falling on our knees and asking for grace and peace and comfort.

My mom just called, and she's at that place in her life. The month of October has been difficult for my family.

We almost lost my abuelita, and she was ready to go. She had a peace about where she was at and where things could go. You can't help but be in awe about it. After my abuelita recovered, praise God, we then had to deal with the wildfires.

By 'we' I mean my brother, Henry and his girlfriend, Vanessa. At one point, they were packed up and ready leave their apartment. The fire came within 200 feet of their place, but was pushed back by the hardworking firefighters. My brother admired them and praised them for the dedication and diligence they displayed.

More recently, just this past week, my tia (aunt) Maria Elena, my mom's older sister, was apparetnly knocked down by a group of skaters and suffered a head injury. She was taken to the emergency room because of hemorrhaging. My mom's heart broke as she saw her laying in the hospital bed, head swollen and tubes. My tia has lost a lot of weight too, being a single mom, trying to raise 3 boys, who are now men who could care less for her and her situation. They've basically run her ragged.

To hear my mom's heartbreak on the phone is, just plainly, hard. I want to just reach over and hold her and cry with her. But, all I can do is listen and pray that God will comfort her and my family.

We're going out there for Christmas in a few weeks. My heart is anxious and excited all at the same time. I really don't know what the trip will be like.

Unconditional respect?

I recently started reading a book by Dr. Emerson Eggerichs called Love & Respect. I'm only a few chapters in, but I have to say that it's the best book I've read all year. It is challenging me and my beliefs about a godly marriage and what it means to be a godly wife.

I'm tempted to include excerpt after excerpt from the book, but I'd end up posting most of the book. What I do want to include is the verse the book begins with that is overlooked by most men and women of the church. At least until now.

The verse comes from Ephesians and goes as follows:
"However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband." 5:33 (NIV)

Most women undestand that, in marriage, love must come unconditionally. In reality, it's not that difficult a concept to grasp. Even men get that. But, if you notice, girls, we're not called to love our husbands unconditionally, we're called to respect our husbands unconditionally. I had a difficult time with this. I mean, we're taught that respect is earned, not just given freely. But, in the marriage commitment, we are called to respect our husbands, regardless. Heck, we expect our husbands to love us regardless of our failures and shortcomings, right?

Think about it. It would absolutely break our hearts at the thought that our husbands don't love us. To a man, respect works the same way. They know deep down that we love them, but respect them? According to Dr. Eggerichs, that is the man's greatest fear.

You might not agree with Dr. Eggerichs, so here's an excerpt of how this plays out in a typical marriage:

"The Crazy Cycle often starts when women start scolding in their homes. The word scold is often associated with mothers bawling out their children; the dictionary definition, however, says that scolding means to reprimand or criticize harshly and usually angrily and even openly. When a wife comes at a husband with repeated reprimands and "scolding," this is a surefire way not only to annoy him but to treat him with disrespect. Wives, however, tend not to see this. As mothers, correction is a part of their maternal nature. Unfortunately, they tend to mother their husbands also..

When a wife scolds her husband, she's only trying to help correct things, to keep things on an even keel. And there is no doubt at times men need this kind of help. But when a man begins to feel that what his wife is saying reduces him to a child being scolded, there can be trouble. He doesn't necessarily see his wife's heart; he only hears her words, which are saying that she's looking down on him. To paraphrase Proverbs, he would rather live in the wilderness than with this irritating woman. While many wives do not intend to be disrespectful, they appear that way to their husbands, and their husbands take refuge in stonewalling them."

Quick notes..

Quick notes is simply a collection of ramblings about whatever the heck is on my mind. It might be confusing, but I'm just writing what comes to mind.

The rumors about Joe Torre were validated late last week as news of his signing through 2010 for $13 million filled the airwaves and Internet. Great news for Dodger fans, like me. Finally, a top caliber manager running the show.

The weekend was great. We did absolutely nothing. I had the girls (from MBS) over Friday night for some food and Guitar Hero III. Jennifer and Jenny got into it. Saturday, Matt, me, and Isa just sat around the house watched TV, played together, and did nothing, all day. It was great.

Yesterday, Sunday, we attended a great service at Woodcrest. They started a new series called Sex, Drugs, and I Want Control. You hardly ever hear churches deal with the issues of sex and drugs head on. Well, Woodcrest isn't your typical church. The dove right into a topic that needs to be talked about, especially today. The main ideas from the service, sex was designed by God for a man and woman to enjoy, not just to procreate, and that it was intended within the marriage commitment. Next weekend, they're tackling the subject of drugs.

The Chiefs almost pulled it out yesterday. Almost, but the great Brett Favre stole the show. The Packers are having a great season, and I was torn between who to root for. I respect Favre and am a Chiefs fan. While I don't like to see the Chiefs lose, I like that Favre and the Packers won.

More football, the Colts and Patriots match up lived up to it's billing. The game went back and forth, and, in the end, Brady came out on top. I like both teams, and think that these two teams will meet again in the post-season.

Rumor Mill: Joe Torre in Dodger blue?

Rumors that former Yankee manager Joe Torre making the move from east coast to west coast are rampant. With no confirmation from Torre's manager, it has been reported that the former Bronx Bomber skipper has been offered Grady Little's job. The rumor flames were fanned yesterday as Little put in his official resignation.

Personally, I would love to see Torre in LA. It's been a long time since we've had a top caliber manager as Torre. I think since Tommy Lasorda. The Dodgers have been in the playoff hunt for years, but have fallen short many times. I think Torre can change that.

Side note:
As I read one of the articles on ESPN's website, I noticed an ad that seemed a bit off. It's quite funny actually. Can you tell what's off?

Gamerpalooza

The weekend and, what we have lovingly dubbed, Gamerpalooza, is over. We had gamer friends Mike and Kimiko (aka Solid Mu) come in this weekend from Indiana to join us for a video game concert at Jesse Auditorium called Video Games Live. For those of who don't play video games, there is a lot of work that goes into making a game, especially a good one. And, believe it or not, there are actual music composers and songwriters that use their skill and talent to create music for video games. It's definitely an unappreciated field, with the exception of gamers of course. But that concert wasn't until Sunday evening, and Mike and Kimiko arrived at our place on Friday.

Corny Scary Movie Night
Mike and Kimiko arrived late Friday evening exhausted from an expected 7-hour drive that accumulated 2 hours due to St. Louis traffic and accidents on Interstate 70. Still, the couple looked forward to joining us for our planned events that night. The guys went off to Booches, a local pub in downtown Columbia that has great hamburgers and chili. And, Kimiko and I met up with the girls at Sarah's house for Corny Scary Movie Night. We arrived in the middle of Shawn of the Dead, which was entertaining, to say the least. We then watched Halloween 2 and clips of Creepshow 2 while enjoying yummy-not-so-good-for-you snacks. We threw in a bit of Guitar Hero 2 also.

We arrived home at about 1:30 a.m. The guys had just finished up some Halo 3 gaming. Matt, me, Mike and Kimiko sat in the living room and talked until 3:30 a.m. After hanging with them for just a few hours, we thoroughly enjoyed Mike and Kimiko's company.

Saturday Night Lights
Saturday started off a bit late. I woke up about 10:30 a.m. and put on a pot of coffee. After chatting with Mike and Kimiko, I made up a quick breakfast of scrambled eggs, turkey bacon and toast. We then headed into the living room and began our first gaming session of the day. We started off with some Guitar Here II and finished off with some Halo 3.

Around 3:00 p.m., Matt and I got up to start on the Carne Asada meal planned for linner (lunch, dinner). We were expecting a few more friends for great food, drink, and fun. Everyone started arriving around 4:30 p.m.

At about 6:00 p.m. we all discussed heading to Woodcrest (our church) that evening. They were highlighting a special service called Creative Arts Weekend, a combination of music and drama to tell a story. After a bit of talking, we all decided to head to the 6:30 p.m. service. That way, we could get back home in time to play and not have to worry about getting up early on Sunday.

The service was excellent! The music was wonderfully written and performed and the video was a great addition to the show. Mike and Kimiko are musically inclined so they enjoyed themselves. I took them over to Kidcrest after the service to show them around.

After the tour, we headed back to our place. Sarah and Chris joined us. We played Halo 3 until about 2:00 a.m., when Sarah and Chris had to go home to let their puppy out. Mike headed to bed at that point. But, Matt, me and Kimiko stayed up to play some more. We nearly completed the game, with one level remaining when we looked up at the clock. It was 7:00 a.m.! We went to bed at that point.

The Columbia Experience
Sunday morning was off to a later start than the previous day. I woke up at 12:30 p.m. I think Matt and Kimiko were up at about 10:30 a.m. (crazies). We chatted a bit and nibbled on some snacks. Around 2:30 p.m. we headed over to meet Sarah and Chris at Shakespeare's (the new location). We ate and talked for over an hour and stopped by Best Buy on our way over to Matt's mom's house. She was going to watch Isa so we could to the show this evening. We grabbed the Guitar Hero III bundle that included the game and the new wireless guitar. Now, Matt and I could play together.

We hoped we'd have some time to play before the concert, but after dropping off Isa it was way too late. Mike and Kimiko were going to volunteer to help at the show and needed to be there no later than 5:30 p.m. We arrived and they headed off to their assigned spots and Matt and I hung out and watched the local crowd.

Matt caught a glimpse of an arcade that had Space Invaders, a game he loved as a little boy. So, he headed off in that direction. I walked around and took pictures of the people in costumes. I figured it would be great for Matt and Todd to put up on Short Attention Gamer. We ran into a woman who was nuts about Halo 3. So nuts, that she actually had a tattoo of Master Chief, the main character, on her arm. I'll include photos a bit later so you can see it for yourself. Man, is she dedicated.

Video Games Live
Once we had enough of the madness in the lobby, we made our way to the auditorium and found our seats up in the balcony. We could see the blank big screen and the orchestra and choir preparing for the show.

The evening was great. We were taken through the evolution of gaming music from basic bleeps and blops to the symphonic arrangement of the Halo trilogy. Also featured that night was a phenomenal piano player named Martin Leung. This young phenom played the greats, Nintendo and Final Fantasy. Many in the YouTube community know his as the Video Game Pianist.

The show was capped off by the 3-part arrangement from the Halo trilogy. This was outstanding. The combination of instruments and choir singers was just incredible. It's definitely something all gamers should see and experience.

Side note: Matt missed winning the Space Invaders competition by 130 points.

After the show, we walked over to MSTA, where Matt and Todd work, and also do their podcast (Short Attention Gamer). Kimiko wanted to see the setup. Once there, we took pictures of Mike and Kimiko pretending to be Matt and Todd.

We then headed home and played Guitar Hero III. Note: They've been having issues with the guitar, and, just our luck, the green button on our guitar didn't work. Luckily, Mike and Kimiko brought theirs. Crisis averted. Off to bed about 3:00 a.m.

Farewell Stinks
Monday morning Matt and I called into work. I was going to take the morning off and head in later. Matt, was feeling off and on all weekend so he just stayed home. After a bit of chatting and farewells, Mike and Kimiko got in their car and headed back home to Indiana. You could actually feel a let down in our house. Matt, me and Isa were a bit saddened that they had to leave.

We talked about meeting up again in St. Louis when VGL is there in January. Time to put it into the budget.

Scope of the damage

Henry and Vanessa are fine. Their apartment was spared from the charred mess the fires have left in their wake. The fires are still burning, but for now, my family is out of harm's way.

I went to OC Register's website this morning to get some updates. I came across the map of the area where the fires have been burning. I just can't believe the damage. I remember driving down Santiago Canyon Road many times for practice and to visit my sister Vero in Corona. The hills were beautiful and made for a much nicer drive than taking the freeway. Now, the hills are just black and some are still burning.

Just to give you guys a better idea, I've included the Google Map of the affected area.

View Larger Map

Henry and Vanessa live in Portola Hills, just at the edge of the fires. Talk about a close call. Praise God.

Quote for the day

Today's quote of the day comes from George Washington:

"Associate with men of good quality if you esteem your own reputation;
for it is better to be alone than in bad company."

Prayers for the burned west coast

Photo: Steve Zylius, The Orange County Register

I'm sure most of you are aware of the craziness going on in California. If not, wildfires have burned much of the west coast leaving charred remains of land and homes in its wake from Los Angeles to San Diego. In the middle of that is Orange County, where I was born and raised. My family still lives there. And when news broke out about the fires in OC I immediately logged on to OCregister's website to get some more information.

I read that one of the fires was burning awfully close to my brother's apartment. I grabbed my phone and called Henry to see if he was okay and to get some more information. He said he and Vanessa, his girlfriend, were on alert and had their bags packed and ready to go. The flames had burned a mere 200 feet from his apartment when they were pushed back by firefighters. Still, there is always the threat that the Santa Ana winds could blow their direction. He told me to call our parents later for more information, since that's the place they would go for shelter. Our parents only live a few miles away but aren't in any danger.

I talked to my mom this morning and she said Henry was fine and they didn't have to evacuate last night. But, mom and dad were ready if they needed to get out. She said the worst part, this morning, is that the smoke is blowing into their house. It could be worse I suppose. She said that last night her and my dad walked over to the park a few houses down and watched the flames slowly creep up Saddleback mountain. She said the orange glow looked like a snake as it made it's way up the mountain.

Side note:
As I made my way to work this morning, I was listening to Kid Craddock on Y107, a local radio station, as they talked about the wildfires. They made a few insensitive jokes about it and just talked about the celebrities who were losing their homes to the fires. Tom Hanks is the one I remember. But, I was struck by the utter lack of compassion and sensitivity these dj's displayed. They did mention that it was 'bad' what was going on over there. But, to crack the jokes they did is just plain stupid. Local dj's don't crack jokes when people lose their homes from tornadoes. But, they get tornadoes and understand that scenario. Hey, I grew up in California, and I understood two things, wildfires and earthquakes. I was really irked by these morons (can you tell?) and wish I'd had the opportunity to put them in their place (of course, it's not my place). All that just to make themselves appear to be funny. Well, I've got news for ya Kid Craddock, you're not.

Good news gaming buddies..

I read some great news today (I know it's late) that my gaming buddies will be more than happy to know. Yup, we rock out frequently to the original Guitar Hero and Guitar Hero II (well, as much rocking as could be expected, but hey, it's better than playing air!). Anyway, with the release date for Guitar Hero III just a few days away, RedOctane IS releasing a version for the PS2. We originally thought only the newest consoles (PS3, Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii) were privied to the awesomeness of Guitar Hero III, but no. So, friends, Kaleigh, Hannah and Ryan, on October 28th we'll be rocking, together! Yea!

Fun evening with Japanese drummers

Last night, the family headed over to Jesse Auditorium (MU) to watch the Drummers of Japan perform. Officially known as Yamato: Drummers of Japan, this group of talented musicians were simpy amazing. The evening began with the resonating percussion of the odaiko, a "big, fat drum" made from a huge tree more than 400 years old, and continued for an hour long display of technical skill, strength and musical chemistry. If you haven't seen these folks perform, I'd highly recommend it. Even Isa enjoyed herself. She was especially fond of the crowd participation requested by the drummers to compliment the show and the bit of humor and personality displayed. These weren't the stoic, serious Japanese bores, in fact, they blended precision with playfulness and enjoyment. Truly made for a fun family evening.

For the record, I wasn't too excited about it. It was Matt's suggestion and a good one at that.

College and debt

So, most of you know that I'm a big fan of Dave Ramsey. It's safe to say that Matt and I have bought in to his message and drink the Kool-aid. And, quite honestly, it tastes so sweet. In the few years that we've been on the DR plan, we're moving closer and closer to what DR calls financial peace. In fact, we get to feel it every once in a while whenever emergencies arise simply by having the cash to keep Murphy in his place.

As much as I admire Dave Ramsey, I'm a bit disappointed in him. What? Me? That's right. Let me explain.

Dave offers youth his financial curriculum to help them learn money management tools that's not sponsored by a bank or credit card company. Isn't that crazy? That public schools allow companies like Visa to teach our kids how to handle money. And, we allow it. So, I was excited when I learned that DR has his own curriculum that comes from a consumer perspective, not some financial institution that benefits from teaching kids to borrow money.

Matt and I had the privilege of sitting in one the sessions at our church who are offering Financial Peace for the Next Generation. The video series is the same as Financial Peace University but with youth-oriented intro music and graphics. The workbook questions are also geared more for that age group. But, and that's a big but. I'm disappointed that the actual video content isn't geared to youth.

If you haven't watched any of the video lessons, there are a few things that these kids mentioned in the small group session following the clip, and I have to say that I feel their concerns are valid. Here's what the kids say:

What's with the audience of 'old' people?
This is the question that kicked off the small group session. And, to be honest, how are kids gonna relate to these lessons when the material is obviously aimed at an older audience?

It seems some of the content is geared more for older folks, what applies to me and what doesn't?
This question followed the first. I have to agree. Although most of the content is useful, the fact that you can tell DR isn't speaking to youth can inhibit the learning process. These are youth, they're not thinking about marriage and mortgage debt. It's good to know, but it's not geared to their specific concerns.

As much as I love DR, I think these concerns should be addressed. Especially if these kids are going to be reached before the credit sharks get to them. How can the curriculum be changed to more effectively reach youth? These are my suggestions:

Create a video series specifically targeting youth.
That includes Dave addressing an audience of kids and their specific concerns, which include:

• In depth discussion about student loans and alternatives to borrowing money.


• Less discussion about marriage and money, but addressing how money plays an important role in relationships.


• Why credit scores matter and don't.


• Teach the Drive Free, Retire Rich principle.

Not that this will happen, but I think it's important to reach youth at their level. Don't you?

Nearly half of Americans caught in media spin

I have to say, Americans quite gullible when it comes to politics and the economy. Most of them believe the hype the media creates on a daily basis. And today, I have proof. The CNN Political Ticker posted today that Nearly half think U.S. in recession. Three questions the article never cleared up, and it's a fricking news site: 1) Do the Americans polled know what a recession is?, 2) Why divide the results by only black and white Americans?, 3) This topic belongs in the business section of the site, so why is it in politics? I can answer these questions and I'm not a journalist.

Firstly, if you look at the economy from a neutral perspective. Not republican or democrat, the economy is doing well. Aside from the subprime crap, people can still get mortgages, credit card debt is still growing (which means people are spending), and my 401k is going up in value, not down. Of course, the media will tell you the economy stinks and that it's George Bush's fault. That's about as true as me saying I'm white. I smell an election year, don't you?

Secondly, leave it to the media to play the race card. And, where the heck is the hispanic consensus? If you're going to claim to be fair, make sure that an accurate perspectus is represented.

Thirdly, I know it's an election year by the hint that the economy is in a recssion. No president has sole control over the state of the economy, only the amount of debt we go into or get out of (in Bush's case, definitely in). And, I don't think that'll change if a democrat gets voted into office.

Ugh, I hate to talk politics. But when it comes to inaccuracy from a news site, well, it just ticks me off. I suppose it's to be expected, especially from the Clinton News Network*, er, I mean CNN.

Source: Nearly half think U.S. in recession

*That's what my Army buddy called it. :)

Dave's right, cash is king

I saw this article on CNNmoney this morning that reinforced Dave Ramsey's message of being debt free, even in business. Money Magazine editor Michael Sivy highlighted four American businesses that will beat the recent credit crunch. Which businesses did he mention? Staples, Johnson & Johnson, Illinois Tool Works, and Microsoft.

With banks and lenders tightening up their wallets, companies that rely heavily on credit for growth are having a tough time acquiring capital. "By contrast, businesses with plenty of cash or pristine balance sheets that make them attractive borrowers will be able to expand, acquire weaker players and take advantage of other opportunities."

That's exactly where these four companies fall. They have little debt, with the exception of Microsoft with none, and have tremendous growth potential as a result.

Tell me cash isn't king..

Source: 4 bargains that can beat the credit crunch

Journaling

I was encouraged by our Recovery class leaders to start journaling. According to Dana and Kim, journaling will help us identify and process through feelings we experience throughout the day or in the past. As a warning, I'll be doing some of that on my blog as I think about things. What happens a lot, for me at least, is that I think about things and need to write it down, but I'm at work. So, the easiest way for me to process is this blog.

I'd like to initiate this whole journaling process with my thoughts on this weekend's service at church. Piet kicked off a 2-part series on trust, titled The Speed of Trust, that spoke to my core. Piet talked about how trust is built in relationships and how it's directly linked to being a person of integrity. The message gave me so much to think about in terms of integrity, character and competency. The latter two being keys to defining a person of integrity. Piet challenged us to be more proactive about becoming people of character and competency. To be proactive about how that all plays out in our daily lives. From waking up in the morning to the alarm clock, eating breakfast, spending some time with God, and so on. Piet talked about how easy it is for us to break commitments to ourselves and how broken promises are hindering our development of integrity in our lives. He definitely gave enough for people to chew on and process.

Piet reinforced his message with a verse that fit perfectly into all of this.
"Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says." (James 1:22 NIV)

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This weekend's message: The Speed of Trust, Pieter van Waarde (mp3)

Mi abuela (update) 2

Great news! My abuelita is out of ICU, breathing on her own, and talking. Praise God! I know I have friends out there that have been praying for her. Thanks!

When life happens

I got up late this morning and had to rush to work. I was listening to the local DJ on the way and zoned out in the conversation. I pulled into the parking lot and found a great spot. Not princess parking, but not crappy either. I work for a large company so finding a close space is great. Anyway, I pulled into the space and listened to the DJ chatting with his co-host as I gathered my stuff to take into the office.

With all my stuff together, I got out of the car, locked and closed the door. As soon as I did, I noticed that the car was still running. "Oh no," I thought. Not only did I leave the keys in the ignition, but I left the car running as well. I couldn't believe it. How in the world...? Ugh.

The good thing is that Matt has to come through this way on his way to drop off Isa at daycare. So, I called him and told him what happened. He laughed and said he'd come by in a bit. I knew it would be a while so I ran into work to check email and tell the boss why I was late. I grabbed some coffee as well (it's chilly outside today).

Matt did come by a little later and I was able to get my keys out.

Mi abuela (update)

I got some great news from my brother last night. Our abuelita Carmen was taken off the respirator and breathing on her own. She had her eyes open too. I just wanted to say a quick thank you for to our friends for your continued prayer.

Mi abuela (my grandmother)

I was told last week that my abuelita (grandmother) was diagnosed with lung cancer. It made me very sad. She's not very old, in my mind at least, she's 78. I know her health hasn't been great, but she has been better. A few years ago she was diagnosed with diabetes and has done a decent job of managing it.

The last time I went to visit her, it's been a couple of years, she told us that she had fallen on her daily walk to get her abarrotes. Abarrotes are groceries. Anyway, the walk to the store is no picnic. There's a steep ravine between her house and the store, and the path isn't even at all. She fell and broke her ankle that day, a compound fracture. It broke my heart just thinking about that happening to her. Seeing her that moment, she was healing just nicely, walking with a cane and bruising still visible on her ankle.

Getting the news last week made me miss home. I've been trying to keep up with her condition, but results of her biopsy weren't going to be ready until Friday (last week). I waited, and no call Friday. Saturday, halfway through my workout, my sister called. The results were clear, no cancer or tuberculosis. Great news I thought! But, then Vero (my sister) told me that abuela had a blood transfusion Friday night, and it didn't go as expected. She is now in ICU, sedated and hooked up to a respirator.

As of Sunday, no big changes, but dad told me she looked better. They were going back tonight after work to check in on her and help relieve my tia Emma. My tia has been at my abuela's side the whole time. She's missed work for the last two weeks to be with her. I can't say enough about my tia, a working single mom with a 'crazy' teenage son.

I'm not writing to ask for sympathy but to help me deal with the emotion of having a grandmother nearing the end of her life and knowing that she doesn't know Jesus. I plan on flying out there, and will have a more definitive time after I talk to my dad tonight. I hope.

Recovery revelation

One of the things I thought I'd never do is take a class about feelings. But, Kim, our staff contact for FPU wanted all of the small group leaders in FPU to go through the Recovery class at church. Since Matt and I are the ministry leaders for FPU, we felt we had no option but to go through it.

The specific class we're taking is called Making Peace with your Past, using Tim Sledge's workbook pictured above. I have to be honest and say that I wasn't looking forward to it and after the first two weeks regretted signing up. Not that I don't think the class is beneficial to our spiritual and mental well-being, but I hate dredging up things in my past that I have already processed. With Matt's help and some close friends throughout my life, I have been fortunate to talk about the things that affected me as a kid, how I was raised and the abuse I was subjected to.

I know I'm not perfect, but I have been able to deal with the things of my past and understand how they have affected me and influenced who I am today. With that said, I am an emotional person. Last night, as I shared about my relationship with Matt, I became a bit emotional. Enough so that it prompted Dana to ask some questions as to where that comes from. At first, I didn't know how to respond. What is it that makes me emotional? Especially when I talk about Matt. I've always just made the excuse that I'm a pretty emotional person. Matt will testify to that. But, what is at the core of those feelings? And what are they exactly?

It wasn't until further into the discussion that it came to me. I'm afraid of losing Matt. Not in the sense that I am dependent on him for survival, but in that he is truly my soulmate. Dana asked me if I felt I deserve Matt, and I answered quickly, no. But, I don't feel that way because I think he's better than me. The best way I can describe it is that I feel I don't deserve him just like I don't deserve God's grace and forgiveness, in humility. Even after this revelation, fear of loss, I could not figure out what was at the core of that.

We finished class and the question lingered. I spoke with Amy and Sarah on the way home about class and my breakthrough. And, God revealed why I'm afraid of losing Matt. It makes so much sense and is so obvious that I just never think about it. See, if you knew about Matt and I, you'd know that we've been through some rough times. A month and a half into our marriage, Matt had to have a kidney transplant. Not a year later, he underwent another surgery to repair his lung. The fear of losing him has always been there, it's real. I just never vocalized it or recognized that it affects me and our relationship. In a good way at least.

Let's just say, I feel better about the class.

Dove: Onslaught

A while back, Dove released a commercial/video called Evolution. In this short clip, audiences are given a glimpse into the evolution of a hagard woman to a beautiful model. It speaks truth as to what society has come to regard real beauty. With this new clip, titled Onslaught, Dove has succesfully depicted the barage of crap young girls are subjected to by the media. And we wonder why girls hold the likes of Paris Hilton and Britney Spears in high regard. I think it's time for parents to stand up and be parents.

Related posts:
Sexualization of girls

Another yummy recipe

Jody, the girls and Liam came over last night and brought dinner with them. Jody and I are both single momma's for a few days (Jody until Sunday) so we're trying to help each other out. So, last night Jody slaved over her oven and brought over Baked Chicken Parmesan from the Eating for Life book. Eating for Life is the cookbook for the Body for Life program. It has lots of delicious recipes that are not only good for you, but are quick and easy. This recipe is one of my favorites.

Among my other favorites from Eating for Life: Buffalo Chicken Sandwich, Santa Fe Chicken Soup, Tropical Tuna Sandwich, Eggcelent Enchiladas, Mom's Chicken Enchiladas, Chicken Pita Pizza, Spaghetti and Meatballs, and many more.

If you'd like to try the Baked Chicken Parmesan, you can find the recipe here. I highly recommend it. If you'd like to check out some other recipes, simply visit EatingforLife.com.

Need to get naked?

On Saturday, a friend of mine introduced me to Naked Juice. C'mon now, get your mind out of the gutter. Hah. The name does send off some rather non-family friendly vibes, but it is a good product. At least the 2 flavors I've tried, Orange & Mango Motion and Protein Zone.

With the fitness challenge in full fledge, I was interested in the protein drink which contains protein soy an whey, along with the one pound of fruit that each and every bottle of Naked Juice boasts. The drinks are all-natural, with no preservatives and no sugar added. Protein Zone, as I finish off my second bottle, is a great option for meal replacements. My goal for the 12-week challenge is to consume five to six portion-sized meals each day. By adding Protein Zone to my options, it has made it easy to meet that daily goal.

I'm interested in trying some of the other flavors, but, with each 15.2 fluid ounce bottle running anywhere from $2 to $3.50, I'm content with simply adding them to my daily meal plan. I am looking into having a relative stop by the local club store to check out the pricing available there. If it's worth it, I'll definitely take that option.

Adventures in gaming

Our home has officially been christened with the multiplayer, shoot 'em up, beat downs that is Halo 3. Matt and I have been handing some cans of whoop*ss, and vice versa with friends from the SAG forums and here in Columbia. One of my absolute favs about Halo 3 (Halo 2 included), and other games like it is that it builds on the online community aspect that the Xbox 360 offers. A lot of non-gamers don't understand gaming, but they do understand community. That's just one of the things that makes Halo 3 a great game. Where else can I sign in and join my brother and sister, who live on west coast, in some rifle action. Ahh, warm fuzzies just thinking about it. Now, where's that rocket launcher?

Guitar Hero III: Playlist leaked

According to video game news sources, the playlist for Guitar Hero 3 has been leaked. You want to know what I'll be rockin' to come November? Here's the list:

Tier 1
Foghat - Slow Ride
Poison - Talk Dirty to Me
Pat Benatar - Hit Me With Your Best Shot
Social Distortion - Story of My Life

Encore: Kiss - Rock and Roll All Nite
Co-op Encore: Beastie Boys - Sabotage

Tier 2
Mountain - Mississippi Queen
Alice Cooper - School's Out
Cream - Sunshine of Your Life
Heart - Barracuda

Boss: Tom Morello - Guitar Battle
Encore: Rage Against the Machine - Bull's on Parade
Co-op Encore: The Strokes - Reptilia

Tier 3
The Killers - When You Were Young
AFI - Miss Murder
The Who - The Seeker
Priestess - Lay Down

Encore: Rolling Stones - Paint It Black
Co-op Encore: Red Hot Chili Peppers - Suck My Kiss

Tier 4
Black Sabbath - Paranoid
The Sex Pistols - Anarchy in the UK
Sonic Youth - Kool Thing
Weezer - My Name Is Jonas

Encore: Pearl Jam - Evenflow
Co-op Encore: Blue Oyster Cult - Cities on Flame with Rock and Roll

Tier 5
The Dead Kennedy's - Holiday in Cambodia
Scorpions - Rock You Like a Hurricane
Aerosmith - Same Old Song and Dance
ZZ Top - La Grange

Boss: Slash - Guitar Battle
Encore: Guns N Roses - Welcome to the Jungle
Co-op Encore: Bloc Party - Helicopter

Tier 6
Santana - Black Magic Woman
Smashing Pumpkins - Cherub Rock
White Zombie - Black Sunshine
Tenacious D - The Metal

Encore: Stevie Ray Vaughn - Pride and Joy
Co-op Encore: Matchbook Romance - Monsters

Tier 7
Slipknot - Before I Forget
Disturbed - Stricken
Queens of the Stone Age - 3's and 7's
Muse - Knights of Cydonia

Encore: Living Colour - Cult of Personality

Tier 8
Slayer - Raining Blood
Eric Johnson - Cliffs of Dover
Iron Maiden - Number of the Beast
Metallica - One

Boss: Lou - Guitar Battle
Encore: The Devil Went Down to Georgia

Bonus Tracks
An Endless Sporadic - Impulse
Backyard Babies - Minus Celsius
Bret Michaels Band - Go That Far
Die Toten Hosen - Hier kommit Alex
Dragonforce - Through the Fire and the Flames
Fall of Troy - FCP Remix
Gallows - In the Belly of a Shark
The Hellacopters - I'm in the Band
Heroes del Silencio - Avalancha
In Flames - Take This Life
Kaiser Chiefs - Ruby
Killswitch Engage - My Curse
LA Slum Lords - Down N Dirty
Lacuna Coil - Closer
Lions - Metal Heavy Lady
NAAST - Mauvis Garcon
Prototype - The Way It Ends
Revolverheld - Generation Rock
Rise Against - Prayer of the Refugee
Scouts of St. Sebastian - In Love
Senses Fail - Can't Be Saved
The Sleeping - Don’t Hold Back
The Stone Roses - She Bangs the Drums
Superbus - Radio Song

Source: Guitar Hero III set list leaked

Halo 3 phenomenon

Saw this on ESPN.com. I was a bit surprised so I wanted to share. Most people think of ESPN as a sports news authority. But, Halo 3? On the front page? And, an article about it too. That's right.

Article: Is it just me, or is Halo 3 everywhere?
(fitting title isn't it?)

Couple in PA flees fire with pets but forgets their son

I'm still trying to figure this one out. A couple fled their trailer home last Friday after it became engulfed in flames. They grabbed their 2 dogs as they got out. Twenty minutes later, the couple remembered that their 4-year old son was in the trailer. Firefighters found the boy, awake, in a bedroom. He was treated for smoke inhalation but suffered no serious injury.

I have to say, something's screwy about this story. The couple, at the moment, is being charged with reckless endangerment. I get a feeling that this was not 'reckless' but arson and attempted murder. Any parent would feel this way, because, I myself can't grasp the concept of 'forgetting' your child in an emergency. Especially when the couple had time to grab the pets. Listen, we have two dogs, but, if our house goes up in flames, they're gonna have to run behind me as I carry my daughter to safety.

Source: Police: Beaver Couple Flees Trailer Fire, Forgets To Bring Boy

Fight night craziness

Saturday night, we had the privilege of hosting our monthly fight night, UFC 76. The night was sure to be a fan's delight with fights between Forrest Griffin and Mauricio Rua, Diego Sanchez and Jon Fitch, and Chuck Liddell and Keith Jardine. All were great fights, with Griffin pulling off the upset win over Rua, who brought a damaging Pride reputation into the octagon. Griffin submitted Rua in the third round by rear-naked choke.

Sanchez and Fitch was definitely a crowd pleaser. Fitch, in short, manhandled Sanchez. Not allowing the young grappler to get in rhythmn and dominate on the ground as Sanchez is accustomed to. Fitch won by split-decision, which brings up questions as to what fight one of the judges was watching. It was clear to everyone, that Fitch deserved a unanimous victory.

The main event, Liddell versus Jardine, proved contrary to the excitement and expectations of UFC fans. My husband stated, Liddell looked like a "one-trick pony." Jardine went toe-to-toe with the heavy handed Liddell and dominated. Liddell won the first round with smart boxing. However, after getting comfortable and confident, Jardine hammered 'The Iceman' with great combinations and devastating kicks. In the end, Jardine's hand was raised. A noticeably bruised Liddell, body as well as confidence, left with back-to-back losses. His prior loss going to Quinton Jackson just months before.

UFC fans now raise the question about Liddell's future. In fact, Yahoo Sports reported today that Dana White, UFC president, is thinking the same thing. Time will tell.

On a side note: Our UFC fight night brought the largest group to date. We've been hosting UFC events to just a few people for just over a year now. Saturday night, we had over 20 adults and their kids. If this continues, we'll have to find a different venue.

Extra Value Meals and Calories

I was caught going through the McDonald's drive-thru yesterday because we have no food at home. Neither me nor my husband has gone to get groceries so we've been eating out more than normal. Not a good place to be and I will go no longer without stopping by the grocery store to pick essentials.

I know that fast food is not the best for you, but I wasn't aware of the number of calories in a 'extra value' meal. I usually order the No. 2, two cheeseburgers with regular fries and a Sprite. I've been keeping track of my caloric intake and had to log my meal. I was agast when I saw that this meal alone was 1,190 calories! Yikes! Again, because we had no food at home, we stopped by the same McDonald's for a quick dinner and I grabbed the Premium Chicken Sandwich meal instead. This meal ran a total of 780 calories. It would've been more but I only ate a handful of fries and drank a few sips of the Sprite. I couldn't bring myself to eat or drink more.

So, where does this all fit in the whole Challenge scheme? Well, we've had to push back the official start date to next Monday, Sept. 24th. We couldn't get an appointment for our body fat measurements until Saturday, Sept. 22nd, so we're starting the following Monday. I'm still trying my best to eat healthy and will be working out throughout the week. Yesterday really was an anomaly for us and hopefully, we won't be visiting a McDonald's for a long time.

Filet Mignon with Tomato Topping and Nutty Summer Squash

I really enjoyed dinner last night so I wanted to share the recipe. You can find it in the South Beach Diet Cookbook.

Filet Mignon with Tomato Topping
Ingredients:
2 teaspoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 garlic clove, minced
2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
4 beef tenderloin steaks (filet mignon),
1 1/2 inches thick (about 6 ounces each)
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
Parsley leaves for garnish

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

In small bowl, combine soy sauce, Dijon, parsley, and garlic. Gently stir in tomatoes.

In heavy 12-inch skillet with oven-safe handle (or with handle wrapped in double thickness of foil for roasting in oven later), heat oil over high heat until very hot. Meanwhile, sprinkle steaks with pepper and salt.

Add steaks to hot oil in pan. Cook 4 to 5 minutes or until dark brown on one side. Turn steaks over and cook 30 seconds. Place skillet in oven and roast steaks 12 minutes for medium or until desired doneness.

Serve steaks with tomato topping.

Nutritional Information:
Makes 4 servings. Per serving: 304 calories, 16 g fat, 5 g sat fat, 36 g protein, 2 g carbohydrate, 105 mg cholesterol, 389 mg sodium

Nutty Summer Squash with Asiago Cheese
Ingredients:
2 teaspoons trans-fat free margarine
2 large galic cloves -- minced
1 medium zucchini -- cut into 3" strips
1 medium yellow summer squash -- cut into 3" strips
2 tablespoons chicken or vegetable broth
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 cup toasted walnuts -- chopped
1/3 cup shredded Aisago cheese -- (1 1/2 ounces)

Directions:
Melt the margarine in a large nonstick skillet over Medium-Low heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute, or until soft.

Add the zucchini, yellow squash, broth, salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer over Medium heat. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 6 minutes, or until the zucchini and squash are tender. Remove from the heat.

Sprinkle with the walnuts and cheese.

Nutritional Information:
Makes 4 servings.
Per serving: 120 calories, 9 g fat, 2 1/2 g sat fat, 5 g protein, 5 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 10 mg cholesterol, 140 mg sodium

Challenge Day 2

I had a rough start this morning. The alarm didn't go off (I think I forgot to set it) so I didn't have time to do my cardio. I can only hope that I don't run into any snags tonight. Breakfast was hardly anything, I grabbed a cup of mixed nuts, cashews and pistachios, and ate them on the way to drop off my daughter at daycare and head into work, late of course. I have to say, cashews are just good. I could eat more than I should if I'm not careful, so I'm glad I was on the move.

Lunch today was pretty good. In my rush this morning I forgot to grab the leftovers in the fridge as well as my employee badge (we have a cefateria at work). And, my husband stole my cash to pick up some nuts for snacks. So, no cash in the wallet. Luckily, my husband dropped off a cup of Wendy's chili and a side salad. That chili hit the spot. I'm waiting to eat the salad in a couple of hours since the soup surprisingly filled me up.

I'm hoping to leave work a bit early and grab a quick workout and shower before a meeting at 6:30pm. Dinner will have to wait and will probably be out somewhere. I'm craving a good hearty chicken salad with fresh greens. Maybe some cucumber and tomatoes. Yum.

It has begun

Today marked the start of our 12-week fitness challenge. My husband and I are pretty competitive, and our best friends (Chris and Sarah) are the same. So, we decided to challenge our spouses and team up, guys vs. gals. The friendly banter has been fun, and I'm looking forward to kicking some testosterone tail.

We're getting our body fat measured tonight. We'll have a more precise measuring comparison than with weight. I remember being a size 5 and weighing nearly 150 pounds. Nothing but muscle baby. Ahh, the good ole' days.

I woke up early this morning and did a 20-minute high intensity interval bike ride. My plan over the course of the next 12 weeks is to do cardio in the morning and resistance training after work. I'm breaking down the strength training to certain body parts each day. So, today, after work, I'll be working the biceps and triceps. Tomorrow, shoulders and back, and so on.

Ironically, I'm really excited about my eating plan for duration of the challenge. I have my 2 favorite cookbooks in hand, Eating for Life and The South Beach Diet Cookbook. I plan on using the South Beach Diet plan until phase 3 where I will work in recipes from Eating for Life.

I'm wondering how my husband will do. He loves to workout, but hates to eat healthy. Rarely does a vegetable touch his plate. Unless, of course, you consider potatoes and corn veggies, which I don't. He'll eat green beans, and guacamole, but anything other than these things, he hates. For his health's sake and Chris', I hope he takes his diet seriously. He scoffed at me after lunch because he ate salad. It'll be an interesting 12 weeks. Indeed.

On a side note, we have a Bowflex Xtreme 2 that we absolutely love using. It is so convenient. I love being able to walk down the hall to workout as opposed to driving to the gym. Our little home gym will get used plenty these next 12 weeks.

Great weekend and an odd question

I'll start with the question first, otherwise, I might forget. I have to ask because it bugs me each time I hear people say it. What's the difference between an over-the-road truck driver and a truck driver? Aren't they one in the same? Or do truck drivers not drive "over" the road? Maybe it's a southern thang, I don't know. I lived in the South for a few years and some common phrases just cracked me up. Not the typical y'all's or fixin' to's that people throw around, but phrases like hind catcher (catcher in baseball/softball) and hot water heater. Isn't it common for the catcher to be situated 'behind' the plate? Isn't the water in a water heater 'supposed' to be hot? Maybe someone else can enlighten me, I don't know.

Okay, onto my great weekend. In reality, it was an awesome end of the week, capped off by a fabulous weekend. I flew off to Portland, Oregon last Wednesday for a softball tournament. The weather was perfect.

We arrived, got situated in our hotel rooms and hit a local seafood restaurant for a nice dinner. Man, was that good. We were able to get a tour of the Nike campus on Thursday morning. As if that wasn't cool enough, we each got passes to the Nike employee store and made good use of it. I spent just over $100 and it was well worth it. After the Nike visit, a small group of us drove to the coast and then had dinner at beachside pub that had fabulous clam chowder. The same small group hit Mount Hood on Friday, me included. And walked briefly up the mountain. We then made our way, by car, to the Columbia River Gorge and hiked up a handful of waterfalls, Horsetail, Triple, Multnomah, Wahkeena and Latourell. The river itself was beautiful as well as it's surroundings. I will definitely have to come back for a much longer visit.

The weekend was dedicated to why we came to Oregon in the first place, softball. More specifically, the national tournament. We played well up until our last 2 games and finished 3rd overall. I've been on this team for only 2 years and I think this is the most fun I've thus far. Our 3rd baseman made 1st Team All-Tournament, and 4 of us made 2nd Team All-Tournament. Yup, I made it. I also got an award for having the best batting average of the tournament, finishing up with .667. I knew I got on base a lot, but had no idea. Especially with all the great hitters at the tournament. It certainly capped off a wonderful trip to Oregon and I look forward to returning with my husband for an extended vacation.

Going on holiday!

Tomorrow I'll be flying to Portland, Oregon for the ASA Women's (Class C) National Championship Tournament. I'm really excited about this trip for many reasons. Not only do I get to take a brief vacation from work, but I get to visit the northwest for the first time and I get to play ball while I'm at it. The crappy thing about it is that my husband and daughter aren't coming with me.

Tournament play starts Friday and continues through Sunday. Hopefully, we'll be playing on Sunday. Aside from playing softball, I'm looking forward to visiting the Nike World Campus in Beaverton and checking out Voodoo Doughnut in Portland. The entire team is headed to the Nike campus on Thursday morning for a tour and some shopping at the employee store. I can't wait! I don't know when we'll head over to Voodoo Doughnut, but a bunch of the gals are curious about the place, and it's 'products'.

I'm looking forward to being away for a few days. I won't be back until Monday, so I've got 5 days of personal retreat, sort of. I was able to make enough money through freelancing to cover my trip, which works great for the budget. All you fellow Dave Ramsey fans should love that.

Broken heart

My heart is sad today. A good friend of ours called us yesterday to ask us to pray for her and her husband. Apparently, he has decided to file for divorce when he returns from duty overseas. It breaks my heart to see this happen to dear friends. This is not the first time we've had this call, but this is the first time there have been children involved.

It's just plain sad that adults give up. We can attest that marriage isn't easy. And contrary to what many Christians argue, divorce is the greatest threat to the sanctity of marriage, not Gay marriage. As a Christian, it breaks my heart each time this happens. What kind of example does this set to your kids? That when times get hard, it's okay to throw your hands up and call it quits?

Hey, I don't live in a bubble. I know that relationships are hard and that circumstances that lead to divorce are no cake walk. But, most of the divorces I've seen and causes can be worked out. It's just that people choose not too. I have to work at my marriage because I'm not perfect and neither is my husband. We just don't let those things get the better of us.

I don't know. I'm just sad today. There's nothing we can do for our friends but be there to listen and pray for them. And we'll do that.

Quote for the day

"Success is not an entitlement, it has to be earned."
Howard Schultz

Couples' fitness challenge

After some friendly banter with my husband, we found ourselves in a challenge to see who can make the most progress in the area of fitness. We've recruited our best friends who were just as excited to do this. What makes this exciting is that we're facing off guys versus gals.

I have to say, I'm really looking forward to getting back into shape. The best part is that the winner gets $100 do with what they please. The trash talking has already begun, eventhough the contest won't officially start until Sept 3rd.

Movie: 300

I finally saw 300 last night. My husband has been dying to see it for some time. We had some free time last night after our daughter went to bed, so we ordered the movie on PPV (this is why I love satellite). I knew Gerard Butler was hot, but man, did he look fabulous in this movie. His acting wasn't too bad either. Just kidding. (Sort of)

I enjoyed the movie. It was full of action, blood and drama. I could've done without all of the naked women, but it is a guy movie after all. 300 is no exception to the ultimate guy movie. Blood, gore, naked chics, and hot leading lady.

Yea, Lena Headey was fantastic. Her character was strong willed and phenomenal. Most female characters in historial epics play more submissive roles, and Headey's role was far from that. I can't recall any previous movies Headey was in, but she did a fantastic job in 300. I do remember Butler from Timeline, Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life, Reign of Fire and other good flicks.

I definitely recommend 300. Just make sure you put the kids to bed first.



You can check out pics of 300 by clicking here.

Election peaves

With the new election year nearing, I'm reminded of the things that irritate me about voters. As a minority, I know the importance and significance of voting. Regardless of what the media says, your and my vote do count.

But, as the political rhetoric spins on television and cable, I can't help but think of all the things that get under my skin in an election year. Not the politicians mind you, they're in a category all their own, but every Jane and Joe that can vote.

What is it that irritates me so? Let me share.

Election Peave #1: The single issue voter
That's right. Nothing irritates me more than the voter who votes for a party or candidate based on one single platform. Don't get me wrong, any single issue can have a dramatic impact on the lives of individuals. But, to narrow down your vote when there are a number of important factors that impact you and others, is quite simply stupid. I could use more 'pc' terminology, but it's my blog and I don't care.

Election Peave #2: Historical voter
What's a historical voter? Someone who votes a certain way because that's what they've always done. They don't look into where their particular allegiances are today, only what they've done in the past. Political parties have changed and your momma's party isn't what it used to be.

Election Peave #3: The 'I'll show you' voter
These irritate me to no end. You know these folks. The ones that vote for one candidate because they don't like the other. Oh, you showed him. Come on, grow a life. Find a candidate that you believe and vote. Don't just vote for someone because you don't like the opponent.

Election Peave #4: Trusting voter
There are far too many of these around these days. It's quite odd actually, seeing that the level of government skepticism has increased. But, too many voters don't do their research. They listen to only one side of the story, or one media outlet to make a determination. We all know that media bias exists, so get off your duff and research the issues.

Funny clippings

I was glancing over a couple of news sites and came across these funny clips. We've got a couple of winners this morning:

The Hamburglar strikes
A 48-year old man brandishing a tire iron, busted a glass door and grabbed $20 from the cash register of a Kansas City McDonald's. Wanting more money, he swung the tire iron at employees who ran to the back of the restaurant. As he followed, one employee wrestled the tire iron from his hands. As he turned to run out of the McDonald's, employees flung kitchen utensils at the thief.

The burglar was caught by police after a brief chase that left his green Ford Explorer with a flat tire. He is being charged with burglary, armed criminal action and resisting a lawful stop.

Nondiscreet
A Kansas City, Kansas man is charged with one count of second-degree invasion of privacy after he was caught videotaping men in bathrooms at the Missouri State Fair. A State Fair employee noticed the 41-year old carrying a briefcase making several trips to the bathroom within a two and a-half hour period. The employee followed the man into the bathroom. Noticing that the man wasn't 'doing' the business, he alerted state troopers.

Troopers later found a video camera covered by a blue towel in the briefcase which had recordings of male body parts.

----------
Sources:
When a man tries to rob a McDonald’s, employees fight back
Man charged with filming in Missouri State Fair bathrooms

Book: How to Win Friends and Influence People

I just finished reading Dale Carnegie's book How to Win Friends and Influence People. The book was originally published in 1937 but many of the ideas and principles Carnegie mentions are still relevent. More importantly, the concepts are simple.

It's a great insight into the development of people skills and human relations. If you haven't picked up the book, I'd highly recommend it.

Sexualization of girls

I came across this article on FoxNews this morning that I found to be disturbing. What I didn't find about it was surprise.

According to mental health experts with the American Psychological Association, a recent study found a 'Girls Gone Wild' effect in young girls. They found that girls "are succumbing to the pressure of sexualization by posting nude pictures of themselves on the Internet, allowing boyfriends to photograph them in the nude and making their own amateur porn videos."

The main culprits, experts said, were nearly every form of media: television, music videos, music lyrics, magazines, movies, video games, and the Internet. This is no shock to many when young girls' role models include the likes of Paris Hilton, Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohan.

The study found that girls are 'reaping' the effects of sexualization in three ways:

Cognitive and Emotional Consequences: The girls have a tendency to be ashamed and anxious about their bodies.

Mental and Physical Health: Girls are likely to develop eating disorders, low self-esteem, and depression.

Sexual Development: Girls have difficulty developing a health sexual self-image.

According to Eileen L. Zurbriggen, PhD, chairwoman of the APA Task Force and associate professor of psychology at the University of California, Santa Cruz, "As a society, we need to replace all of these sexualized images with ones showing girls in positive settings—ones that show the uniqueness and competence of girls...The goal should be to deliver messages to all adolescents—boys and girls—that lead to healthy sexual development."

I think a crucial element missing in this article is where the parents fit into the equation. Parents have influence with their children, and steps should be taken by the parents to ensure the healthy mental development of their kids. Parents can control, to an extent, what the kids are exposed to at home. The shows and movies their kids watch, the music they listen to, the video games they play, etc.

I understand that parents can't control their children. But there should be a healthy precedent set at home, the providing of a healthy and nurturing environment.

When a taco isn't mexican food

I mentioned to a friend of mine that I was gonna grab a quick bite at Taco Bell. She looked at me in astonishment, "you eat at Taco Bell?"

"Well, yea," I replied. "Why wouldn't I?"

I'm guessing it has something to do with, I don't know, the fact that I'm hispanic. And sure, I'm a bit impartial when it comes to Mexican food. But, Taco Bell serves food right? Not the greatest food in the world, but it's edible.

I'm not offended by any means. I have a few friends that react as she did. But, in all honesty, most people enjoy a good American taco. I happen to be one of them.

A little something about load shedding

It's that time of year again in the office. Maintenance has informed us that our company will be participating in the Load Shedding program offered by our city. What is load shedding? Basically, the city asks commercial businesses to reduce the electrical load by shutting off air conditioning during peak periods. Not only does this help reduce the cost for the general public, but offers financial credits to the companies that participate. Although I think it's a good idea, because it keeps my utility costs down at home, it creates some issues in the office.

We've made a joke around here about electricity not being the only thing that's shed. As a matter of fact, most folks remove layering that may result in some aromatic problems. Many, like me, have purchased fans that fit on our desks or shelves. The load shedding begins at 3pm and continues until 6pm. Some time around 4pm, it begins to get quite unbearable though. Just one of the 'perks' of the job I suppose.

I grew a bit agitated a few minutes ago. We're an hour into the load shed for today and I was made aware that an office, just a 100 feet away, was set to a comfortable 69 degrees. Meaning, the air conditioning was running as it normally does. One guess as to who's office this is? You'd probably get pretty close. It happens to be that of one of our CEO's. It makes me glad to see that company morale is highly valued here. Not!

Quote for the day

I heard this quote on The Dave Ramsey Show yesterday and wanted to share.

"The truth that many people never understand, until it is too late, is that the more you try to avoid suffering, the more you suffer. Because smaller and more insignificant things begin to torture you in proportion to your fear of being hurt."
Thomas Merton

College textbooks are expensive

To be honest, it's been a while since I was in a college classroom, but I'm still taken aback by the cost of textbooks. I am well aware of the typical course materials cost for college students. Mainly because I work at a company that specializes in this area.

One of the perks about my job is cheap books. We're able to buy books at discounts not available to the general public. And I take full advantage of that. Especially now that I have a little sister in college. She sends me her booklist each semester, I order the books and ship them to her (also at a discounted rate).

With the new semester starting soon, I recently ordered a total of 13 textbooks for $500. I can't imagine what the books would have cost without my discount. It's just crazy.

Say it ain't so Bear, say it ain't so

I happened to catch an article on Reuters, published this past Sunday (July 29th), about Bear Grylls. I was disappointed at what I read because I love his show, Man vs. Wild on the Discovery Channel. It seems Discovery and Grylls have been a bit deceptive about the 'Wild' aspect of the show. I'm not sure I can watch the show again without the question as to its' authenticity. That's just unfortunate.

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Source: "Man vs. Wild" now truth vs. deception Andrew Wallenstein, Reuters

God is not Great

One of the most popular books today is one written by Christopher Hitchens called God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything. Not being an atheist myself, I've been curious about its' evolution throughout the years. Of course, not being an atheist I won't support books of this nature by buying one. But, if you caught the Wall Street Journal on July 16th (republished by USA Today), Peter Berkowitz wrote an interesting and excellent review of Hitchens' most recent work. It's a bit lengthy so I'm only going to share a few clips of the article (a link to the article is at the end of this post).

I knew books of this nature made quite a bit of money, so I wasn't surprised by these numbers. According to Berkowitz, "...one stunning new development under the sun is that promulgating atheism has become a lucrative business. According to a recent article in The Wall Street Journal, in less than 12 months atheism's newest champions have sold close to a million books...Profitability is not the only feature distinguishing today's fashionable disbelief from the varieties of atheism that have arisen over the millennia. Unlike the classical atheism of Epicurus and Lucretius, which rejected belief in the gods in the name of pleasure and tranquility, the new new atheism rejects God in the name of natural science, individual freedom and human equality."

"Messrs. Dawkins, Hitchens, Harris and the rest have some fair claim to novelty. But not where it really counts. They contend that from the vantage point of the 21st century, and thanks to the moral progress of mankind and the achievements of natural science, we can now know, with finality and certainty, that God does not exist and organized religion is a fraud. The disproportion between the bluster and bravado of their rhetoric and the limitations of their major arguments is astonishing," writes Berkowitz.

This is where it gets good.

"It must be said that Mr. Hitchens is simply incapable of uttering or writing a dull sentence. And it should be added that only a very daring or very foolish person would throw down the gauntlet on an issue so close to Mr. Hitchens's heart...But his arguments do not come close to disproving God's existence or demonstrating that religion is irredeemably evil..."

He closes the review with this:
"Mr. Hitchens is by far the most erudite and entertaining of the new new atheists. But his errors and his excesses are shared by the whole lot. And these errors and excesses have pernicious political consequences, amplifying invidious distinctions among fellow citizens and obscuring crucial differences among believers world wide.

"Playing into the anger and enmities that debase our politics today, the new new atheism blurs the deep commitment to the freedom and equality of individuals that binds atheists and believers in America. At the same time, by treating all religion as one great evil pathology, today's bestselling atheists suppress crucial distinctions between the forms of faith embraced by the vast majority of American citizens and the militant Islam that at this very moment is pledged to America's destruction.

"Like philosophy, religion, rightly understood, has a beginning in wonder. The most wonderful of creatures are human beings themselves. Of all the Bible's sublime and sustaining teachings, none is more so than the teaching that explains that humanity is set apart because all human beings -- woman as well as man the Bible emphasizes -- are created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27).

"That a teaching is sublime and sustaining does not make it true. But that, along with its service in laying the moral foundations in the Western world for the belief in the dignity of all men and women -- a belief that our new new atheists take for granted and for which they provide no compelling alternative foundation -- is reason enough to give the variety of religions a fair hearing. And it is reason enough to respect believers as decent human beings struggling to make sense of a mysterious world."

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Source: The New New Atheism Peter Berkowitz

Stuck behind stupid people

Just my luck. I did something out of the ordinary this morning, I stopped by McDonald's on my way to work. I was hungry and needed something in my stomach. Since it's on my way to the office and just 2 minutes from there, I figured I could get in and out in no time. Unbenounced to me, a stupid person decided to grace me with their presence.

I was behind a filthy Kia Spectra turning into the driveway. It's a bit bumpy as you turn in so the lady decided to take it slow. Too slow. The driveway is not that bumpy. So, I'm hanging behind her hoping I don't block the cars at the nearest stop light. Luckily, the light remained red. We turn into the McDonald's and head to the drive-thru.

Take our turns, order our food, and I wait for her to move forward to the 2nd window so I can pay for my food. No movement. The clock ticks and the song that started when I made my order is almost over. What in the world is going on? I figured there was a car in front of her waiting for their food (my site was obstructed by her vehicle). Once the light bulb went on, she moved forward to get her food. No car in front of her. What the heck?

I get to the first window and pay. "I guess she didn't know to move forward for her food," exclaimed the lady at the register. It's really not that difficult to figure out, or is it?

So, I pay and I wait for her to get her food. And wait. And wait some more. Then, after a lengthy conversation with an employee, she hands them a couple of dollars. Apparently, she didn't order what she wanted or forgot to order something. I don't know. All I know is she must have been beaten with a stupid stick while she was sleeping. Ugh.

The lady at my window apologized to me. She disappeared for a few seconds and returned with my order in hand. Finally! I could get out of there and head to work. No. Her car was blocking my way out, and the car behind me was too close. So, I waited for her, again.

I did finally make it to work. A little later than I had planned, but I did make it.