Eye On The Ball

I am sitting with my dad watching the 18th hole of the PGA Championship and Tiger, down by one stroke, is making a surge. I always believed there is nothing more graceful in sports than watching a professional golfer drive a ball. But, I must say, I am just as impressed with the skill of the camera man following the golf ball in flight. SSSSHHHH!! Tiger is getting ready for his second shot. GET IN THE HOLE!!!

It's Not What You Say.....

You have heard the phrase “It’s not what you say, it’s how you say it!” This is very true. Many of us should remember this before speaking. I know a few people who probably never heard of this phrase because when they say, “Good morning” it sounds like you have just been cursed out. Being able to put the negative things in a nice way is not an easy task in fact I believe it is a gift. I know a few people with this special gift that when they tell you to go to hell, they say it in such a way that you would actually enjoy the trip down.

Twenty Five Feels Like Twelve

Growing up it seemed Christmas Day came around every two years, now that I am older it feels like six months passes before it shows up again. It just proves time flies even if you are not having fun. I haven’t tried staring at the clock to slow time down but maybe I should.

Currently I am in the process of coordinating a twenty-five year grammar school reunion along with a couple of other graduates. I recently had lunch with a former grad to discuss the details of making this a special event. During our conversations we couldn’t stop laughing about some of the fun times we had. We also looked at class pictures I had dug up to see how each of us matured over the years. I could only imagine how hard we would laugh when we get more people together to discuss the years of our youth.

Once grammar school ended then came high school in which case I had the pleasure of spending another four years with some of my grammar school friends. Then came college and as nature took her course we went our separate ways. Occasionally I would run into some of my friends from grammar school and we would reminisce about the younger days. As I go through the list making calls to my former graduates I am getting a positive response to the idea of getting the class of 1985 back in the same room for a gathering of some vintage memories. Preparing for the reunion just confirms how fast time flies. Twenty-five years feels like it was only twelve.

Who Needs Money Anyway?

I was always considered an old sole. My thought process was always from an older angle. I was taught to save half of whatever money I earned. Thinking, if saving half was good than I would always try to save more than half. But here's the thing, you have to work to earn money and earn money to save money. My parents helped me as much as they could but I would never take advantage of their generosity.

Most of my working life I was surrounded by an older generation. The older generation of people would follow the same theory I did then and I still follow now, “Work first, play later!” Whatever job I had and even ‘til this day I focused on completing the task before I just sat around. Now, I am not saying this is the correct way of doing things just stating this is my work ethic. As evolution continues I do not think many people have heard of this theory. It seems that the some workers follow the "Coast now" mentality. I am not knocking these work habits, I am just stating that I do not live by the “I get paid by the hour no matter how hard I work” theory nor do I take the path of least resistance. I focus on the job I have to perform at work and do not pay attention to the way others perform their duties. I prefer not to work next to someone who gets paid more than me and does less than me and I certainly do not like picking up their slack but sometimes you only have so much control.

Today I notice that the younger generation of employees, no matter what field, act as if they do not need money. They act as if they work just to keep themselves out of trouble. When asked to work overtime they respond, “Oh sorry I have plans.” When I was younger I took every overtime shift offered to me because I knew one day I would not be able to put in the long hours. I certainly did not want to regret capitalizing on extra income when I had the opportunity. Plus I had to pay my own way through most of my early adult life. Maybe I am just venting about today’s society and how people coast with their hand out doing as little as possible. I ask "Who is the fool?"Not me because at the end of the day I sleep at night knowing that I do not owe anybody anything.

"One Pork Chop!!"

The title of this blog is a quote from the movie Saturday Night Fever. One of my all time favorite scenes is when the family is sitting at the dinner table and John Travolta is sitting there with a sheet wrapped around him because he did not want to get dirty before a big night of dancing. As he reaches for a second pork chop his father quickly grabs it from his plate and shouts “One pork chop!!!!” Classic!!!! Well, just read the blog and you will understand the correlation of the title and meaning of the blog (hint - portion control).

I am no Jenny Craig but I do know a thing or two about dieting and losing weight. I lost forty pounds three times in my life following the same guidelines all three time and not by following the Atkins or South Beach diets. I always felt I would gain the weight back once I started eating the foods I avoided during a restricting diet. Plus I avoid digesting excessive amounts of fatty meats as possible. That is just not healthy. I always believed in portion controlled moderation dieting. Using my own formula of maintaining a balance of the two E’s: portion control Eating and Exercising, I was able to reach my goal weight. I will discuss dieting in this blog and exercising in a future blog. This blog is a short description to guide people in following an effective and inexpensive diet plan. If you know anyone who would help me write a book about my diet plan I can go into more detail.

Maintaining a stringent diet is not easy. It takes discipline and determination to achieve your goal weight. I believe everyone has the ability to achieve any goal desired. Staying focused on a daily routine and not looking ahead should be the approach taken following any diet. One thing to remember is that not all diets work for everyone. Everyone is different and their body responds differently to dieting and exercise. You can see results by following a strict diet but you will see more positive results if you put the two, dieting and exercising, together. Aerobic and anaerobic exercising helps making a weight loss program more effective. You may not notice the weight coming off after aerobic and anaerobic exercising but you will notice your clothing fitting better. The reason for this is muscle weighs more than fat and your weight shifts throughout your body. I call this “The Shift”. You burn fat and gain muscle tone. I have noticed that when I dieted and started exercising my mid section became flat and the muscle tone in my body increased, making my body feel tight and toned. It is seeing results that drives you to maintain the focus needed to continue in obtaining your goal.

I always followed the same formula of items when dieting:
Ø Getting started
Ø Set realistic goals
Ø Take one day at a time
Ø Portion control
Ø Do not eliminate foods you enjoy
Ø Stay satisfied, not hungry
Ø Stay out of the kitchen
Ø Weigh in everyday
Ø Believe in yourself

Getting Started
It is a challenge to start a diet. I always treated the start of my diet as a detox program. I would slowly wean myself off of certain foods during the first week of my diet program. These were the foods that I really enjoyed and knew that I would be limiting but not eliminating during my diet. This may help some people who have a hard time cutting out foods cold turkey.

Set Realistic Goals
When starting a diet you should set realistic goals. Setting the bar too high eventually leads to burnout and disgust. I never set my goal weight to be achieved in a certain amount of time. For example I never set my goal to lose forty pounds in six months. I set my goal of a certain weight to lose and then started the program. I focused on a one day at a time plan that eventually led me to achieve my goal. I also knew that I would't run into the challenge of trying to fit into that dress by a certain date.

Take One Day at a Time
I would always ramp up my diet during the first two weeks of the program. Take one day at a time, concentrated on the next pound and the current day’s diet plan. I never focused on the fortieth pound. You will notice that you may not lose anything in the first week but just remember you are preparing your body for good things to come. I always believe that the “one day at a time theory” leads you to positive results.

Portion Control / Do Not Eliminate Foods You Enjoy / Stay Satisfied not Hungry
I do not believe in depriving yourself of the foods you enjoy. Remember eliminating the foods you enjoy can eventually lead to a binge. I do believe, however, in depriving yourself of the portions you enjoy. Make a list of all the foods you know are your weakness then a list of all the foods you enjoy and know should be more consistent in your diet. You are not going to completely eliminate the foods that are you weakness just space them out and limit them. Now evaluate you daily routine. Do you work crazy hours? How can you set up your meals? Do you need to cook all or just some foods in the plan? If you work at a place that does not have the conveniences of a refrigerator or microwave then pack dry protein snacks. Protein holds you over longer and helps you get through to your next meal. Now set up a balanced diet plan of five small meals a day. Breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner. You want to stay satisfied during the day, not hungry and not too full. Set up a portion controlled meal plan around your routine. The snack between the three meals holds you over to your next meal. This is the most effective way in keeping your metabolism going. It allows your body to maintain digestion and for you to function after a meal; it also conditions your stomach in getting used to small meals. Do not overload your stomach with a big meal where you feel like a nap is needed. Your stomach eventually shrinks and will feel satisfied with the five small meals. This is more effective than three big meals. Do not starve yourself. It is also very important to continuously drink water throughout the day. This helps flush your system and keeps you hydrated. It also keeps your metabolism going.

For breakfast you can have a small bowl of fruit or just a piece of fruit, bowl of cereal, bacon and eggs or whatever you enjoy but just remember, portions!! Don’t have that second bowl of cereal and only have two eggs and a couple of strips of bacon or sausage. Remember you have the snack in a couple of hours to help hold you over. The snack falls between the previous meal and the next meal. The snack can be a piece of fruit, hard boiled egg, cheese stick, a small container of veggies, handful of peanuts or something real small and preferably healthy. I always ate a piece of fruit or an egg white. I stay away from yokes to aid in maintaining low cholesterol. For lunch it could be anything you want but that word keeps sneaking up, portions!! Okay not just anything, and certainly not a sleeve of cookies, maybe a sandwich, grilled chicken, fish or a hot dog (but one) accompanied by a small portion of veggies or fruit. Only you know what you enjoy and should be eating. Just stay focused on a one-portion meal. Then comes the second snack, again something small to hold you over to dinner. Now it’s dinnertime, the last meal of the day. This is the challenge. This is where your mental toughness and discipline comes in. Can you do it? Can you make this the last meal of the day? Of course you can. You have to want to do it. Follow the same procedure as the other two, breakfast and lunch, a small-portioned dinner followed by a snack that you love right after the meal. Some people need something sweet after their meal, me too. What I used to do was have three cookies directly after the meal. I ate a small portion controlled dinner followed by three of my favorite cookies. Why three? The first cookie satisfied my sweet craving, the second cookie was the catalyst that sealed my satisfaction and carried me into, what I call “One for the road”, the third cookie. The third and last cookie was the one I would remember until my next cookie, which was the next day. That’s it, only three. A small bowl of ice cream is okay too in place of the cookies. Now your craving may be fruit, well that’s even better. Have a small bowl of fruit for dessert but have it directly after your dinner.

Now that you are done with you fifth meal of the day, clean up your mess and stay out of the kitchen. Do not set one foot back in there. Going back into the kitchen can possibly lead to you regretting something. It may lead to you ruining your full day’s efforts and hard work. You will be so proud of yourself if you just say “No!” to entering the kitchen and will see results quickly. You will start to notice your mid section flatten and you will lose that bloated feeling. This is tough but essential to dieting. If you need to ingest something, drink water.

Weigh in Everyday
Weighing in everyday keeps you honest. It keeps you focused and maintains the drive to lose weight. If you know you have to weigh in the next day you will think twice about reaching for that extra cookie.

Believe in Yourself
I believe that the mind is a powerful force. You have to believe that you can do anything. You have to have the confidence that you can obtain whatever goals you set out to achieve. Dieting isn’t easy, you have to maintain focus and discipline using any diet plan, Atkins, South Beach, Weight Watchers or even my diet program. You have to want to do it and want to see results. This is something that only you can do for yourself.

Conclusion
Maintaining a diet is very challenging. People work crazy hours and find following a stringent diet difficult. I understand this, but it is important to figure out a way of consuming five small portioned meals throughout your day. I found success following, what I believe to be, an effective diet plan. Remember set realistic goals and take one day at a time. Once you achieved your goal weight then it’s up to you to continue this diet to maintain your ideal weight. With this program you don’t have to worry about adding back the foods you eliminated because you have been eating them all along through portion control. After you obtained your ideal weight then this diet turns itself into a "way of life" program. I always believed, “everything in moderation”, are important words to live by. You can do it. I will be writing about aerobic and anaerobic exercising in a future blog. Keep an eye out for it.

Good luck.

They Still Make Those Things

The movie “The Hangover” is almost finished showing at theaters. I was fortunate to get out twice to see it. If you didn’t, hurry, it’s worth every penny. I can’t pin point the funniest part of the movie but the entrance to Caesar’s Palace scene sticks out in my mind. I guess for some people out there it’s good to know, when entering a hotel, if it is pager (beeper) friendly and if they have a phone bank in case of an emergency. For all you pager-wearing people today, when you can have the internet strapped to your belt and you still wear a beeper, you should stay home. And for the record Caesar’s Palace was not Caesar’s home.

Just The Right Time

Sitting at the dinner table the other night I asked my kids what age they thought they should be when they get their first cell phone. Without really understanding why they would need cell phones my oldest thought around twelve years old and my youngest did not know. Of course being the old sole that I am I had to throw an old grandfather spin to my answer. I said to them “I was twenty five when I got my first cell phone.” My kids were amazed. “Why were you so old?” they replied. I figured this story for them is one of my better comparisons as to when I was their age because they do not need to know that cell phones were not really popular until I was about twenty-five. So in comparison to today’s technology standards they are more behind the times than I was by not already having one, but that’s okay I won’t rush their telephone years.

Are We Eating Again?

Unfortunately Sunday at Grandma’s does not happen anymore or at least as frequently as it did when I was younger. Today, kids are too busy with activities to even be able to make plans for ten minutes on the weekend. The weekends consist of waking up, having breakfast, running errands, then taking the kids from one activity to another with a play date in between. The activities include soccer, dance, gymnastics, piano lessons, basket weaving class and if your kid is really talented under water basket weaving class. Non-stop action that sometimes has you wishing the weekend was over. Okay, maybe not wishing the weekend goodbye but wishing you had a thrid day just to decompress.

When I was younger we would go to my grandparents house right after Sunday mass. As soon as we pulled into their driveway you could smell grandma’s sauce cooking in the kitchen. I would run in to the house, say hello to my grandparents, aunts and uncles then go play with my cousins until dinner. When we got called for dinner my grandfather made sure we washed our hands before sitting at the table. It was funny how I would always tell him my hands were clean until I washed them in their white sink and saw all the brown dirt mix with the soap as I lathered. We would then sit down to what we would call a typical Sunday meal, to others a feast and enjoy conversations and good laughs. We would eventually play the game “Telephone”. I would like to take this opportunity to say thank you to all my aunts and uncles for tolerating this game as I am finding out now what they went through back then. After dinner we would run outside, play again until dessert. After dessert I would always ask if we were going to eat again. This was my way of gauging how much longer my cousins and I would be able to play before we would have to go home. “Are we eating again” is a quote we still say when we get together on occasions and reminisce the good old times.

Every once in a while, well after dessert, my grandfather would ask if we would want some pizza but it was the way he would ask “Hey kids, how about a nice pizza pie?” Well, we would get excited because we all loved pizza and knew it meant we would be extending the night because we would be eating again. See the method to our madness; we did not want to go home. But I love the adjective “nice”. I laugh ‘til this day, “a nice pizza pie”. What’s funnier is that I find myself saying that to my kids. He would call the pizzeria and order a large pie. He would tell the pizza man to cut the large pie into six slices because he would not be able to finish all eight. I could only imagine the look on the pizza man’s face when he heard my grandfather say that.

I am sure most families have their own stories to tell about the “good old days” of when their family was younger. To me those memories are one of my most prized possessions and I am very grateful for them and my family.

Worth Every Grain

I prefer quality over quantity but the quantity of sand that I dug to create this immense hole (7’L x 3’W x 2’H) allowed me to spend quality time at the beach with my kids. My back paid for it the next day but it was worth every grain.

What's This Button For?

You have to picture this in your head…. I will give you a second… I was in the gym using the elliptical machine burning off a big lunch (Yes, I waited thirty minutes before my workout!!) when I noticed something wasn’t right. I saw a seventy something year old man riding an exercise bike flipping through the TV channels using a state of the art remote control (man’s term “The Clicker”). No big deal right??? Well, as he briefly stopped on the ESPN station I said to myself “All right, a sports guy!!” No sooner did I say that off he went flipping again like it was his first time using a remote. I wanted to scream out “Hey pops, you’re killing me, pick a channel!!!” I was waiting, waiting for it to happen, just waiting for him to hit a wrong button. Then all of a sudden…. Bam! He did it. He did me proud! Now we were looking at a solid black box that covered approximately sixty percent of the screen. I wasn’t concerned that I could not see the screen because he picked a political channel to watch. Witnessing his frustration I cut my workout short to offer my superb technical wisdom to an obvious amateur. I walked over to him and asked if I could help. He smiled and said “I did something wrong.” I said to him, “Ya think pops!!” No!! I did not say that!! I wanted to, but I felt bad for him. He handed me the remote and after a few seconds the black box was gone. He proceeded to thank me and after a nice conversation I realized I completed my good deed of the day. He was a sweet man. I finished my workout watching the program he selected and realized to myself this poor man is a victim of today’s technology. As he was trying to keep himself in shape, I was afraid he was going to have a coronary trying to operate the remote.

As I later reflected on my gym experience that day, I realized that, as technically inclined as I am, I too one day will be a victim of the present day technology. When that time comes I hope to be in the same shape that man is so I can whip the butt of the young whipper snapper who makes fun of me for not being able to operate a remote.

Keep Both Hands On the Wheel

I am a gadget guy, but then again what guy isn’t. He who has the most toys wins! I recently did some research on bluetooth speakerphones for my car. After extensive research on the internet I honed in on one such device, the BlueAnt Supertooth Light Bluetooth Speakerphone, made by BlueAnt. As I always do when I want good quality reviews of products I am interested in, I went to http://www.cnet.com/ to read the write ups on this product. This device received 3.5 of 5 stars. Even though I look for a perfect 5 of 5 rating, I was not looking to break the bank on this purchase and also was not looking for a ton of features; I wanted a basic speakerphone with good quality speaker and mic.

I received it in a few days and before I knew it I had both hands on the wheel talking on, what I consider, a must buy. If you want to spend more money then BlueAnt has other products you can explore but for the fifty-dollar range you can’t go wrong. The speakerphone is loud even on highways driving next to trucks and cars. You don’t have to talk loud for the other party to hear and the people in the backseat can join the conversation. It comes with a home and car charger so you never have to take it in the house to charge up the battery. Be Safe!

Clean Slate (revised)

They say that youth is wasted on the young. It’s so true. Which leads me to ask you “What is your restore date?” Everyone has one. Even computers have a restore date but you can only go back a few months. What would be your restoration date, if you had a choice?

In my past blog “A Million For One” I wrote about the willingness of having a pinkie removed for one million dollars, tax free. I am still not interested in giving up a pinkie for money. This may sound like a contradiction to my previous blog about giving up my good health but since I believe that health, time and knowledge is more valuable than money I would be willing to entertain an offer: trade my pinkie for my restore date of, January 1, 1983 (a year it all started happening for me) plus to go back knowing what I know now. Hell, I may even throw in a pinkie toe. I guess everything does have a price.

You always hear the older generation saying “I am not smarter, I'm just older.” True, but you're smarter because you are older.

What’s your restore date?

No More Toasted Almond

I am a true believer in that my weak eyesight is compensated by my strong sense of hearing. My hearing is so good that I can practically hear what you are thinking.

As the year goes by and spring and summer time come around it is nice to hear the sounds of nature such as trees blowing in the cool breeze, birds chirping and the local train pulling into the station which is well over a mile away from me. But as great as my hearing is and as much as I try I can’t seem to hear the sound that was once so familiar to me, the sound of the ice cream truck rolling through the local streets like I did growing up. When I was a kid the ice cream man was around almost every night. The only time we ran home as kids, besides when we were called for dinner, was to get money for the ice cream man. It seemed like he was everywhere and as I reminisce about it I realized he was everywhere because we played all over the neighborhood. It was almost like we traveled with him.

I am learning a lot as a parent and realize things never remain the same but being a kid should not change. Whatever happened to going outside to play after breakfast and only coming home to eat lunch, dinner and then finally come home to wash for bed. Whether it is video games, organized sporting activities, etc., it's a shame you don’t see kids growing up playing in the streets as previous generations.

Hello, My Name Is....

Tonight my daughter read me a chapter in her science book on planets and how they got their names from ancient Greek and Roman goddesses and gods. As she read the names of all the planets I thought to myself "How serious could the ancient god Uranus be taken?"

Think Long Term

I never said I was a doctor but I experimented with enough diets to know that genetics plays a major role in cholesterol, diet intake not as much. I have tried many different diet scenarios in an attempt to lower my cholesterol. My cholesterol numbers were in the mid two hundred range. Remember it’s not just the total cholesterol but the triglyceride, HDL and LDL numbers as well. A good way to remember the good cholesterol from the bad is: HDL is the good, think “H” for healthy and being healthy is good. (From now on I will use the letter C to reference the word cholesterol because I will be writing that word a lot).

I am a big snacker. I love my chips, cookies and donuts or at least I did. The first sleeve of Chips Ahoy was an appetizer to the second sleeve, a bag of Doritos were gone before the movie ended and a bag of M&M’s never had a chance. I finally realized I needed to do something about my high C because I knew that it could potentially lead to cardiovascular disease which can lead to a heart attack, stroke and peripheral vascular disease. So as time went on I tried different types of dieting for six month stretches. The diets did not include the South Beach or Atkins but included many different variations of a low fat diet. There were months where I would not eat a cookie, donut, piece of cake or M&M. After dieting my C test would come back as if junk food was all I ate. This went on for approximately seven years. In a conversation with a colleague about high C, she turned me onto Citrucel, a fiber therapy. It is a bulking agent that helps move material through the digestive tract (don’t worry no more details). I have heard of it before but paid no mind to the product. She explained to me that she took Citrucel to help lower her high C. I did say before that high C is mostly related to genetics and not diet intake but a high fiber diet can help lower cholesterol. I bought my first container of Citrucel and being the extremist that I am I followed the maximum dose of one scoop three times daily for five weeks. That’s right, one scoop for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Before I started Citrucel my C was 208; five weeks later of the max dose per day of Citrucel, my C results were 169. And now, five years later, my intake of Citrucel’s max dose daily is a way of life and helps me maintain a C level in the low to mid 160’s. Note: “The American Dietetic Association recommends 20 to 35 grams of fiber per day, but most people get 10 to 15 grams per day.”

Even though the C results of my experiments drinking Citrucel maintaining a normal diet versus drinking Citrucel maintaining a low fat diet did not differ dramatically I, til this day, limit my M&M and fat consumption. I have not had any Doritos, cookies, donuts or a piece of cake in five years. Again, I am an extremist. I do, every now and then, eat Paul Newman’s organic cookies though. I stay away from the partially hydrogenated oils and trans fats and limit the saturated fats all while maintaining aerobic and anaerobic exercising. I eat turkey, chicken and my red meat intake only consists of bison (buffalo), which is super lean and low fat. I do believe that this formula will not work for everyone but it is worth a try. The worst that can happen is that you will be regular while consuming Citrucel. I also believe that my body may change as I get older and this method will not be the answer to my high C, but for now I would rather continue this diet than start taking high C prescription medications. If you do not want to follow my extremist diet at least try to maintain an “everything in moderation” diet with the proper amount of daily fiber and exercise. I believe the Weight Watchers diet is the best out there because you get to eat the foods you crave. Avoiding them only leads to a binge.

Visit Citrucel at http://www.citrucel.com/ for more information.

I am curious to know what you think. Email me at thedwindleddollar@yahoo.com

Alone In The Dark

Does anyone get excited anymore when there is a blackout; you know, lose electricity in your neighborhood for period of time. Well, when I was younger and our neighborhood would lose electricity we, the children, thought it was a celebration. We would grab our flashlights and run outside to see what was going on all the while praying the lights would never come back on. It didn't matter how hot it was outside since most of them happened in the summer. We would just be glad we got to stay up late and hang out with our friends plus we had an excuse to eat all the ice cream in the freezer before it melted and spoiled.

Maybe it's me, maybe it was just a Staten Island or Brooklyn thing but when I moved to New Jersey and we had our first blackout I got a flashback. I'll admit, being much older now I still got a little excited. It brought me back to my yout. "What's a yout?" I'm sorry, youth. So there I was grabbing my flashlight again, running outside to check out what happened and figured this is going to be great, my first blackout in NJ. I ran out into the street only to find out no one budged. I was the only one all alone in the street, me and my flashlight. Then, one of my neighbors came out, I was relieved. I said to myself, "Oh it probably took him a while to put his sneakers on", and thought people will start to come out now. I walked over to him and said, as he was looking up at one of the lampposts, "What do you think happened?" He said, "Not sure but it could be the generator". He then turned around and went back in his house. There I was, flashlight in hand saying to myself "Where is everybody?" I can’t believe how different things are when you cross a bridge.

A Proud Moment

She prepared all year for this night, her second piano recital. She was excited all week as well as the rest of us. She was calm, smiling and laughing in her seat waiting for her turn to perform. Then the caterpillars changed into butterflies which turned into, “Humina, humina, humina”. I wasn't sitting near her as I was in a section close enough to video her performance. For some reason I turned around to look at her and saw her wiping her eyes. I realized at that point it hit her, the “Oh no, I’m going on next, it’s my turn”, feeling. I quickly walked over to her while signaling to her piano instructor to skip her turn as he was getting ready to call her name. We took a walk into the back for some fresh air. Having that nervous feeling you get when performing in front of people got the best of her. She quickly composed herself, walked back in and gave a performance that I could not be more proud of.

This proves how resilient kids are. How fast they recover and adjust. It is important for children to have a good solid foundation around them. Having a good support system is important for everyone. I explained to her that everyone gets nervous and that nervous feeling is what makes you give it your best. She will build on this day and it will prepare her for the future. One day she will use this experience as motivation for someone who is in the same or similar situation. I always believed that life’s lessons and experiences prepare you for the next one. As you prepare for the next challenge you say to yourself, “I can do this, no problem!”

Special thanks to Chris Deibert (“The Maestro”), my daughter’s piano teacher, who with his exceptional skill, dedication and patience has really made a difference in her life as well as ours. Thank you.

Get Out Much?

When I first moved from Staten Island to New Jersey people would ask, “Where are you from?” I guess my accent had “This guy is not from around here” written all over it. This question came from the very sheltered people who have never traveled over the Outerbridge Crossing nor the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge. And, of course, their answer was “No” when I asked if they have ever been to Yankee stadium. Did you think, at that point, I was going to ask if they knew what a johnny pump was?

What's That Smell?

It is human nature to keep up with the daily grind but not all daily grinds are the same. Did you ever stand on line at a supermarket in Florida? Your frozen food thaws before you checkout. WOW!! Those people are slow; I think they get paid by the millisecond. But then again, maybe they have the right idea. Slow down! Caution ahead!

Living and working in the Tri-State Region you can’t help but get caught up in the fast pace of the everyday lifestyle because if you don’t you will get trampled underfoot. I sometimes wonder what the hurry is. Did you ever stop and think, “What is going on here?” Where is everyone going and why so fast? Before you know it you are out of high school working a fulltime job, family man wondering what just happened.

Human nature forgets the simple things. We forget what’s important. For me it is my health and the health of others not just around me but everyone. I will elaborate on health in a future blog. Being in the health industry and the funeral business I am exposed to more things than the average person. I do not want to get into details. The things I am exposed to are what I call “Reality Checks”. Things that make you appreciate the fundamentals of life, the simple things! Many people need a wakeup call. Sometimes people need a serious event to happen to themselves or someone around them for them to stop and smell the roses. Remember 9/11 and how the subsequent weeks following the event everyone embraced and united only to drift apart once they got caught back up in the daily grind. You see what I am saying? Appreciate what you have because you will not have it forever.

It doesn't matter how bad it gets because.........

a bad day of golf is better than a good day at work. Period!!

I Need More

I think the science show "How It's Made" is phenomenal. It answers many questions we have regarding how, from the simplest to the most sophisticated, things are made. But what I would like to see and think is more interesting is a show educating us on how they make the things that make the things!!!

The New Black

As I raise my kids and participate in their activities I can't help but notice the involvement that dads are making in today's child society. I have noticed dads bring their kids to birthday parties as well as getting involved with church and school functions.

Growing up my dad got involved with all my activities as well as most of my friends and teammates dads, but not at today's level. Even though today's dads work hard, I think the dads of my father's generation worked multiple jobs to support their family, so for that they are not eligible for criticism. In defense to them, providing for family was their main priority. Most of the moms back in the day stayed at home to raise their kids, then once the kids were older they would seek employment for extra income. Today, for the most part, both parents work full time jobs to support their family which gives the dads free time to get involved with their kids and at the same time gives moms some relief. I commend the many dads I know today that work multiple jobs and still make time for their kids. So hats off to the dads of today, including myself, for realizing that "The Dad's" presence makes a tremendous difference in a child's life.

Happy Mother's Day

One day is not enough to celebrate just how important Mom's existence means to family. Thank you Mom.

Okay Class, Can Anyone Tell Me Why There's a Lack of Funds?

Anyone? Anyone?

Better Odds Playing Lotto

I'm scratching my head at this one, are you?

Job Justification

While reading the title of this article I got a slurpie freeze. You know that pain you get on the side of your head when you eat ice cream too fast. Huh!! Glad to see the Utah Poison Control is on top of their game.

Motivation 101

Everyone needs motivation, some more than others. Whether it’s mowing the lawn, cleaning out the attic or achieving certain goals. Motivation is based on human’s inner desire to achieve a certain something.

One day during a phone conversation with my mother she told me she was going to the mall to buy a book on motivation. I replied to her “If you have enough energy to get in your car, drive to the store and then read the book, you’re already a motivated person!”

One Ringy Dingy, Two Ringy Dingies…

I wonder if you get a mulligan for misdialing your only phone call in jail. Using the state of the art rotary phone I am sure you misdialed a few calls yourself. Wait, do you remember the rotary phone? I do, I was lightning fast. I could dial a number in about fifteen seconds, longer if there were a lot of nines and zeros. Don’t get me wrong here, I don’t want people to think I remember the first phone Alexander Graham Bell designed back in the 1800’s. So to the older generation, your can and string was my rotary phone. Thankfully I don’t remember talking into the phone hanging on the wall.

When making the late night phone calls the dialing of the rotary phone was so loud I was more concerned about the noise of dialing than my actual conversation waking the family. You probably would only see this phone in your grandmother’s basement or the Smithsonian. Remembering phone numbers was a lot easier back in the day because you actually dialed the numbers on the rotary phone as compared to today where everyone’s number is on speed dial. I can still tell you phone numbers of my friends I called all the way back in the fourth grade. I am not a fan of the speed dial feature.

I can’t remember the last pay phone I used. How much is a phone call these days anyway? If they totally do away with phone booths, where would Superman change? Today with cell phones many people are doing away with house phones. Me personally, I don't talk on the phone like I did growing up. I am a text fan. I would rather text than talk. Text what you have to say, you’re done. No long drawn out conversations with people you really don’t want to talk to anyway. Don’t get me wrong I am not going to have a lengthy text conversation; I would rather get on the phone, say what has to be said then end the call. I don’t understand this fascination with talking on cell phones. Everywhere you go someone is talking on a cell phone i.e. on a bus stop, in a car, doctor’s office waiting rooms, in church etc. What is so important that can’t wait? You think you are that important.

A Million For One

If you were never asked the question “Would you cut off your pinkie finger for one million dollars, tax free?” I am asking now, "Would you?" Or better yet, I would offer for you to have it surgically removed instead of barbarically cut off. I will even let you choose which hand. Your first reaction to the question would be “Of course I would remove it!” Who couldn't use a cool million sitting in the bank waiting for retirement? Don’t think you are going to retire on just a million in the bank, remember health insurance. Think real hard about this and not with your wallet. Think about all it is that you do in a week and then ask yourself if you could live without it. To test yourself in answering the question accurately, tape your pinkie down or try not to use it for one week. I thought about this one long and hard. I was on the fence for a while and realized I would take good health over money any day. Money may equal power but good health is everything. Remember, once the finger is off it may be hard to find one on sale for a million bucks.

Pins and Needles, Needles and Pins...

One day my father asked me if I wanted to watch a show called the Honeymooners. After my homework we sat down, loaded our state of the art VHS recorder with a tape of the show he recorded the night before. Might I add, which has no relevance to the story, it was a top loading VCR. Oh, you had one too! We sat and laughed so hard that I couldn't wait for the next episode. The Honeymooners changed the way I viewed television shows til this day. Kramer has nothing on Ed Norton. Just watch him do the Huckle Buck. The show has created memories that will last forever. The Honeymooners aired on channel 11 at 11:30pm right after The Odd Couple. I watched the show in preparation for the next day's trivia challenge at school where my friends and I would test our knowledge of the episode that aired the night before. I have the box set now on DVD of all 39 episodes. I sit and watch them as if I never saw them laughing as hard as ever. Even though I have the box set I look forward to New Years Eve / Day to watch the 24 hour marathon.

That's Right Billy Ray Cyrus........

Going through some old photos the other day I came across a beaut. The photo of photos. It’s the picture you say “Wow that must have been the style back in those days because why would anyone want to look like that!” The same reaction you had when you saw photos of your parents when they were younger. Yeah, I am not posting it. It was my high school id photo from the late 80’s. I was sporting a mullet hair style. That's right Billy Ray Cyrus, you had nothing like this. My photo replaced yours next to the mullet definition in the dictionary. I did look good though (emphasizing “did”). I bet you really want to see it.

Games People Play

Anyone up for a game of manhunt, kick the can or running bases? For the younger generation, “Did you ever hear of these three games? Oh that's right, you are too busy playing video games and texting!!” Of the three games manhunt is the best to play with a ton of people at night. It is a glorified game of hide and seek that kids play in their house but only you play outside and get to hide under cars, in shrubs and climb trees. Set boundaries, but the bigger the territory the better the challenge. We played using the whole block with about fifteen to twenty people. I don’t even see that many people on my whole block in a full weeks time. “Where is everybody?”

Kick the can is a hide and seek game also. The person who is “It” has to find the people who hide and when someone is spotted “It” taps the can on the ground and calls out that person’s name. The person caught has to stay close to base. If one of the kids hiding close to the can comes out and kicks the can before being caught then all who are caught go free. It starts all over again until your mom or dad whistles you in for dinner. I guess recycling has something to do with this game being extinct.

Running bases? Can any kid today even guess as to what the game is about? Don't bother asking. If you never played than you missed out.

Anyone older than me reading this is thinking I don’t have a clue as to what games they played when they were kids. True, but from the stories I was told from my parents the game they played where you get whacked with a sock full a chalk does not sound fun.

How Would They Find Out???

Is it true? Fifty dollar fine for killing a praying mantis. You tell me. I have been told this for so long and have yet to hear of such a fine in the news. I can’t imagine the praying mantis police keeping up with the killing spree. Besides, growing up I never heard any kid running through the neighborhood screaming “Little Bobby just stepped on a praying mantis!!!!!!!!” It’s the same type of tale as “Don’t keep making that face, it will permanently stay like that” you are told when you are a kid. Just don’t step on any cause you just may get a summons (from the praying mantis police) in the mail with pictures of you stepping on it, just like the photo sequence of you running a red light at various intersections. Oh! They got me!!

Spending Hours Reminiscing

I have always been one to enjoy reminiscing. Throw on a pair of headphones, crank up some tunes, sit back and remember the good old days. It is funny how I can remember things (in great detail) that happened twenty-five years ago but can’t remember what I did last weekend. I guess I have to wait twenty-five years from now to remember what, in fact I did do last weekend.

"The Others"

You are probably thinking I am going to make a “Lost” (TV show) reference here with this title but I am not, just keep reading.

When I first started driving (and until this day) my mother's nervous level would heighten when I would drive in the snow. She would state that she was worried about me crashing but more worried about the other people crashing into me. Understanding her concern, I replied to her "But mom, I am the other person."

After living in a house with walls painted an off white color we decided to update the color scheme. We always toyed with the idea of a different color pattern for each room but nervous how it would look. How bad could it look? Do you notice when you go into someone else’s house the different colored rooms look beautiful? When you watch HG TV and they would paint the rooms different colors, it would look incredible. Well, if you think about it your house, is someone else’s house.

Think about it!!!!

Full Disclosure

Everything written in this blog is my opinion with no intent of insulting anyone. My values and beliefs are based on always trying to do the right things in life. I always strive to be honest, loyal, reliable and true to family and friends. I also try to be a good role model for the kids I surround myself with, whether family or friends. It is so true that kids are like sponges, they absorb everything. Without sounding too much like Father Frank, kids are our future and it is never too late to set a good example.

I have three beliefs (not in order):

1. Never forget where you came from
2. Always remain the student
3. Don’t let your dreams die

Throughout the duration of this blog I will speak my opinion on topics that interest me as well as others. If any comments are made or questions asked I will respond. I always enjoy a good conversation. I enjoy learning new things. I believe in branching out and broadening horizons. I welcome all.

Mozart Who???

This little one will have you saying Mozart who???? Move over Ed Norton she just may be the composer of the next Swanee River. She has determination and chops to be a fine pianist. Her music is melodic and soothing. Carnegie Hall here we come!!!!

Watch Out A-Rod

Watch out A-Rod. If you are not back in the Yankee line-up soon this kid will lock up third base and bat clean up too. She is ready for any shot that is roped down the line. Just pull the ball, I dare you!!!!!

The Traveler

He is shot, tired from endless flights and long business meetings. "The Traveler" is sleeping in the Orlando airport. He is in a glass case, and he's made of wax. I was visiting there back in 2007 and took a quick picture with my phone camera. It is amazing to see this. He looks so real. I bet if not in a glass case you would be tempted to give him a wet willie. Don't forget to check him out next time you fly into Orlando.

Introduction

So it seems that either people are blogging, on my space or face book. My mother always taught me to "never say never" but i will roll the dice on this one, "I will never have a my space or face book account." Wait for it.... Wait for it.... But, one day I may have to sign up and check if my kids are on it even though I will tell them they can't have either account. There is always a "But". I have to cover myself by inserting a clause to cover why my "never say never" belief may backfire in my face.

I am starting this blog to express my many beliefs that today's dollar value is dwindling fast. I don't want to mislead anyone in thinking that I will be talking about monetary value here. It is about life growing up and how things as I remember it do not exist in today's world. I will be writing about how I was raised and how I am trying to instill the same values and culture I had growing up to my kids and how those values in today's society are hard to duplicate.

Along the way I will also discuss miscellaneous topics that come to mind such as life in general, positive thinking, motivation, sports, etc. Two topics I do not discuss in public are politics and religion. I find these subjects eventually turn down the wrong path and only leads to an unresolved discussion.

I welcome any feedback or questions you may have. Post comments, and ask questions. Happy reading.

Thank you.

Nescro