Day One, Road Trip to PA

Hello family and friends, today is Day 1 of our road trip to the North for Christmas. Yes, I'm driving North with my wife and wonderful children. We are now at our friends house in Alexandrea LA. Tomorrow we will attend church here and head off on the road. Very exciting not having to worry about work.

Uber or Metro, What's the deal with all the labels

Metrosexual - a feminized male. Ubersexual - more masculine than the Metro. But the real question, what is wrong with Masculinity in the first place? It was only about a year ago that I'd even heard the term Metrosexual, the queer eye guys (or should I say people) directed us to a more feminized fashion consciences male. Clean lines, talented, able to cook, clean and also recite poetry to woo the women (or men?). But the real question, what do women really want? I mean that's the only reason guys go to a spa to have their back hair removed (ouch!)
I think this entire question goes back to the 'Sexual Revolution' in which women really got mixed up, no longer was it acceptable to raise a family while your husband brought home the bacon. It was ok to be a professional mom, who saw the kids as they jumped on the bus and when you arrived home. The professional dad did the same, and the kids, well they survived and got a title also - latchkey (I would prefer to say, 'child with key'). Then that became unpopular when the kids (while making microwave popcorn) where burning down houses and joining gangs. Then the Idea of the 'stay at home daddy'. Think of it, little Tommy is at school and is teacher asks him what he wants to be when he grows up, 'Well, I want to be a stay at home Daddy'.
This was a good idea, but budgets got stretched, and well the guys just sucked at the nurturing thing. Women wanted a 'fixed family' opposed to a 'broken family', so growing up in 'broken families' women started to look for 'mommy like' men- well the Metromale (Metrosexual). Men who could keep house and cook and clean and be more sensitive to the offspring. But now well, these guys aren't guys - they are Metromales, not as attractive as the husky man that smelled like sweat. Ubermale? I'm confused... (maybe I'll have to retake that 7th grade sex education course again) and that's all I have to say.

Good Asian Food In Elgin

This is a regular stop during my week. Usually in a given week my wife will call at least once and ask me to bring something home, and “Hong Kong” usually fits the bill. Good Chinese food, on the more normal American style, A very good house fried rice.

See more progress on: Hon Kong Restaurant

Totally Fun to get mail from People you don't know

I’ve been doing this since August, and It’s Great! I wish the mail would travel quicker, but I’m enjoying the giving and getting from this great website. I would encourage anyone to give it a try and send at least one postcard.

See more progress on: start postcrossing

Does Being Productive mean showing Progress?

I’m a software developer, and most of the time it’s hard to show that I’m productive. I work long hours, and I do a lot, but I don’t have anything to show for my progress (other than I’m closer than I was before). I want to show progress and I want to be productive. I’m still trying to identify the things which don’t make me productive (like distractions, and meetings, and things which don’t add to the final goal of the output). I have to determine what productive means for me so I can determine what the goal will look like.

See more progress on: work more efficiently

Amazing Evolution? Or Design?

Dragon fish
Originally uploaded by sthtbs.

I was watching the Animal Channel yesterday and they had a little snip about the Dragon Fish, a small creature which lives off the coast of New Zealand. This amazing fish, blends in to it's surroundings. It gets so camouflaging that when the female need to lay her eggs in the males egg pouch (yes the male carries the children) his tail has to turn red otherwise she wouldn't be able to find him. How did the male even evolve a way to indicate he was there, because it contradicts the fact he is camouflaging, and if he is so well camouflaging then the female would have never found him so he would have had no reason to evolve such a trait since by the 'survival of the fittest' they would have all died since they wouldn't find each other. Does anyone know if the sea horse has this same trait?

When I Grow Up...

My house
Originally uploaded by Beaukiss Steve.

What is it about kids that they love playhouses, playclothes, and even play tools? Do they really want to grow up, or it just the process of growing up. Actually I think I'm a big kid, with my real tools and my real things, but the play things probably where just if not more importaint. I have no Idea where this picture was taken but from the look on his face he's happy. Maybe because it's just a space he can call his for a few seconds, or maybe because he fits right in. I really need to make more point of taking pictures of my children doing the play things, so they can have something to look back upon when they have the 'real' and imagine just how wonderful the play was.

Cool New Webpage

I’m woring on my new cool personal web page, actually my personal family web page to show off pictures of the children. I’m reading a book on SVG scripting, I think that will make the website very cool. I guess I should add that as a task to my 43 things, but I have too many things to do. SVG Scripting is very simple, the only thing is that you need a plugin to actually use it, so the down side is if people want to see my cool site, they have to download a plugin.

See more progress on: finish my personal web page

Those "You've been Pre-Approved" Letters

We have a huge grocery sack which we keep by our sink which get’s filled in a matter of 2 weeks from all the Pre-Approved offers, which always Suck! I mean, why would I pay some company $25 bucks a month, so I can use a card, and pay them even more. I’ve started to go thru the offers with a highliter, and highlighting where I want changes then I mail the offer back without signing and give them a counter offer of lets say 0% interest for 10 Years, and you pay me for using your card. Then I fill the pre-paid envelope with this ton of paper and send it back. This must cost the Credit card company because, A) I didn’t accept thier offer, B) They need to pay someone to open the letter and read it, C) they have to pay for postage – plus the funny thing is they have to draft a custom letter back saying that they don’t accept my offers (so they need to spend even more money). I’ve made it plain all I will shop with is Federal Notes, Cash….

See more progress on: destroy credit card companies

Went to My wife's reuion....

A few weeks ago my wife had her 10th reunion (I skipped my 10th) and I went along kicking and screaming… but it wasn’t really that bad. It was actually fun to meet her old friends and see how people interacted. I actually had someone come up to me and try to convince me that she remembered me from when we were in school (LOL since I didn’t go to her school, ever!). I could tell she had a good time and people actually had good memories to share even if the High School experience was awful. I think I would make the effort to go at least once because there were some good memories of High School.
I want to make the Goal to attend the next High School Reunion for my Class.

See more progress on: go to my high school reunion

My Goal

To organize my Stamp collection and add at least 25 ‘newer’ stamps to the collection this year.

See more progress on: collect stamps

Buisness Plan

This weekend my wife and I are working on her ‘Buisness Plan’. Trying to figure out how her buisness will work, and how she’s going to make money. I’ve found a place where we can rent a portable office (we own lots of land, and they will drop off the office near our house). This way she can work at home but also have her own place to work. Now we have to make sure that her buisness can pay for the expenses.

See more progress on: Help my wife start a buisness

It doesn't matter where you live, you need one!

I think everyone should have one, I think Rita shook up people around here where the shelves are now bare (2 days before the storm even hits) and gas stations are empty. This is a true wakeup to me that if this were an emergency without warning (i.e. terrorist attack or earthquake) we would be helpless. Make sure your pack acessable at any time, and ready to move. I plan to keep our kit in a closet and keep it packed, and check it once a month to make sure nothing is expired or needs to be rotated out. It never hurts to be prepaired, it might even save your life.

See more progress on: Organize my 72 Hour Kit for Emergency Preparedness

Dinner with Family

When I think about what priorities in my life take precedence, I have to say that spending more time with my family is at the top of my list. My day is hectic but I have to make a point of leaving work before 5:30 PM, so I can be home to have dinner with my family. I’m going to make a goal for the next 5 days to be home every night to have dinner, at the dinner table, with my family. I’ve heard all the experts say ” have meals with your family” and I believe in it, I just need to do it.

See more progress on: spend more time with my family

First Day without a snooze

I’m proud to day today, I woke at the first beeping of my alarm clock and didn’t press the snooze or turned the alarm off. I was actually able to get up, get ready for work before getting my kids ready for school. I got to work early, and actually started a more productive day, all because I woke up on time. I feel good about my day, and I feel good that I was prepared to wake up.
I think more and more the reason I tend to sleep in, is because I don’t want to deal with the ‘stuff’ of the day. If I feel it’s more of a challenge, something I can beat, I’m more willing to go the next step. My goal is to do this for two weeks straight, and then I’ll work on making it a habit (50 days).

See more progress on: wake up when my alarm clock goes off

Not of this world

My reading today is from John 17 Jesus is praying to the Father, and of course explaining who he is. He is talking about how God the Father has given Jesus from the world some "whom you have sent". I know that by the grace of God, and only by his Grace I am one of them, but later Jesus talks about Us - "I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. ". Wow, my protection is on the heart of God, but more so my desire should be not of this world also. Jesus then asks - "Sanctify them by Your truth, As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world". A great commission. As I dwell on this, I relies so much of my focus is on the world, and I bring Glory to God by my focus becoming part of His focus. But How do I know his focus, but to put those words onto my heart. How can I live my life as if I was a stranger, an alien in an alien world.
I do struggle with much, but I know that Jesus has bigger, and better plans for each of us, bigger and better than we can imagine. We must First trust, that he will guide us, and lead us to where we need to be. Also, we must depend on Him each day, trusting he will protect us from "The Evil One" and from the world which hates us. Do I live my life in such a way that people know that I'm not part of the world? Do I focus too much on the earthly treasures, and not focus on the ones stored up in Heaven? How should an Alien live his\her life on an alien planet?
Just my thoughts for today

Work on a Kit this weekend

I’m going to set down and make a goal to work this weekend and buy everything I need for an emergency Kit. I plan to make two smaller kits for our vehicals, but One ‘Portable’ kit we can take in an emergency and move without any hesitation.

See more progress on: emergency kit

Save Money for those Rainy Days

It seems at least in my life, Rainy Days seem to come whenever it looks clear. I guess Murphy had something on this type of fate. But those Rainy days are what keep me from my goal of being debt free. An example was how last spring, my wife was hit on the side by a front-end-loader. It took us 4 months to get the insurance money to pay off our vehicle, but we lost all future use of that vehicle thus we lost money, now we are back in debt more because we bought a replacement vehicle with another loan. There are a lot of costs which just aren’t covered by insurance. But how about situations like Katrina, how could having some extra cash help you be more prepared for what happened? My plan is to put together a small savings account that I can get to In case of an emergency. What is the best way to stash money away?

See more progress on: Save money

Remove the Idols of My life

One of my things, my most important thing is to Glorify God and enjoy him forever. This has been a constant review in my daily study. Today I was read 2 Chronicles 23 and 24. It's a story of a Priest who was trying to rid the Idols of the nation, and one thing was to find a true king who would lead his people. The Wicked ruler Athaliah lead the people to worship baal. God was not pleased, and the new king a young man Joash was to refurbish the temple of the true God. But he too had Idols which lead to his destruction. No one is perfect, and we all have Idols in our lives. God often is merciful and gives us an opportunity to repent, in Joash's case he sent Jehoiada son, Zechariah who like his father was a godly man. But those who had the ear of Joash convinced him to kill Zechariah, who was acting on God's behalf. For this reason God turned on Joash and made the small army of Syria win over the large army of Judah.
What are the Idols of my life, what are the things I put before God? Why should I have anything that takes precedence over God? How should my life look each day as I live this principle out? How does our nation look when the Idols are removed? What are the Idols in our churches, in our schools, in our homes?

Lord, Help me to live humble, let me only gaze upon you. May the things of this world fade from my sight, may I only focus on you. Tear from my life the Idols I clutch, turn them to dust in my hand. Make my sight clear, may I Glorify you with my life.

The Search for Truth

It's really amazing how many people just don't care about truth. In thier own minds, it really doesn't matter. Truth for the most part is subjective, and abstract, it's each owns decision, and realitive to the situation which a person could be in. Today my reality doesn't consist of truth, just a bunch of subjective paths which could be choosen, no one is better than another. I'm an ameba, which moves the direction I choose, but that direction has no realitive reason. But reality with out truth can't be reality, there is nothing to shine a light and compair. I understand that too many people don't care becuase they don't want to bother with figuring out what this truth could consist of, what this truth even looks like.
Today is the start of truth.