Make Your Holiday Count This Year

Over the years I have seen stores that would close down for days to celebrate holidays.  Not every holiday, but the ones that people travel to visit distant relatives and keep the spirit of family alive.  Nowadays, things have gone too commercial.  I understand that in today's world, that everyone doesn't share the same values in celebrating holidays.  Some people don't celebrate any holidays.  The point that I am going for is that I live in the United States.  I live and work based on our calendar.  I have grown up and founded my own traditions based on the holidays on that calendar.  So, if I expect certain for myself, then I think others should be able to do the same, and whether they do or not is solely up to their discretion.

The first sign that stores care nothing about anyone and that money is the sole purpose is the placement of seasonal items.  This year, our local big-box store was placing Christmas items on display...before Halloween.  Quit shoving seasonal merchandise in my face two seasons early.  Secondly, the advancement of "Black Friday".  Growing up, stores would open up early the day after Thanksgiving with big, but limited, specials to encourage sales.  Also, it would help out the numbers for their final quarter of the year to help show a profit.  To a point, that doesn't bother me.  The point that it seems inappropriate is when people go out and fight over minuscule and trivial things they don't really need.  "I want this for my kid!" "My wife needs this more!" So on and so forth. Guilt lies on both parties in this situation, but that adds to my point.  Stores should not limit quantities and encourage such behavior.  On the other hand people should plain out know better.  Less than 24 hours ago this person was telling their family what they were thankful for, and now they are fighting of some sort of greed burning inside for something they want.

The commercialism doesn't just affect people on the outside.  It is now taking family out of the equation.  This goes to the families that are missing a Mom or Dad during a family get together because they have to work.  "Black Friday" sales are now starting in a lot of places on Thanksgiving evening.  That means someone is cutting family time short to go service people who also cut family time short to go fight over a *sale*.  Who wins?  The store.  Labor costs may go up, but sales will win every time.  That is, unless I can pass my influence on to anyone else.

I want to be the one responsible for teaching businesses a lesson.  First of all, we don't need any special deal.  We quite frankly don't need to buy anything out of the ordinary.  The main purpose of the holidays are to spend time with your loved ones, regardless or religion or belief.  We don't need to rack up debt and overspend on unnecessary things to show we love someone.  That is purely a *want*.  If you want to show someone you love them, give them something they can't buy.  Your time and affection.  Once you're gone, they can't buy that.  Will your kids remember that football you got them or will they remember "Daddy was always there to play football with me after Thanksgiving dinner."  If I can be the person that can get people to stay at home with their families and build value with their loved ones instead of the value of a stores bank account, that would be the best present I could ever get.  

I'm not against business.  People have to make a living somehow.  That's not what I'm trying to change.  I feel business is overstepping it's boundaries and stripping away the morals and foundation of families everywhere.  I want to motivate people to empower themselves.  The only way that one person can make a change is to have the help of others.  If we can stand together and take back family holidays, we can stand together and make the country a better place for our future generations.  But one person can't do it alone.

If you agree with the message I'm trying to get across, please help me share this and spread the message please click the link below.  The link will open a pre-filled tweet with the following information:

Take your family back.  <Link to this blog> #KeepingFamilyFirst

If you want to share to other networks or different networks there are buttons directly below this article.  My goal is to get this message to as many people as possible and hopefully encourage and motivate people to take back what they deserve.

Here's the link the share on Twitter :Share on Twitter

Remember to do something good for someone other than yourself, Pay It Forward.

How to pick the right guy for your Daughter.

This post is for all the Dads out there that are active participants in their Daughter's life.  The title may seem a little misleading but after you read this you will see the total truth of it.  So, in a free nation, how can you decide who is going to be the right guy to be with your Daughter?  Well, it's a little give and take, but you're not really picking the guy, you are influencing your daughter to make a better choice for herself.  That may seem a little vague so I'll explain it a little further.

My life experience has been that women that have an active male figure in their life, whether good or bad use that person when seeking out a partner.  If she has a good relationship with her father/male figure then more than likely she will base her decision of partner against him.  If that partner measures up or has similar properties, then there is a greater chance that she will pursue that partner.  This isn't ALWAYS the case, and I want to make it clear this isn't an *end-all* guide to make your Daughter marry Prince Charming.  

Here's a little food for thought.  Let's say that you are a pretty good Dad. You eat together, play at the park a few times a year, and watch TV together.  You probably have a good bond with your Daughter.  Now, drop the idea of having a "man-card" and try to find out something that truly interests her.  Mine like cooking and crafts.  If you can swallow your man-pride long enough to learn a few crafts that you can sit with her and talk about while doing them, you just increased your bond even further.  She will more than likely see that the guy who was already Superman in her eyes, drop his shield and go the extra step to be involved with her.  I have taken on many different crafting styles and will involve my girls when I can.  And if they say something out in public I don't cower down because it's something "girly".  I can stand by her and take pride in the fact that she's proud of what I've done.  If they ever ask why I do things that other men can't or won't do, I plan on telling them this: "Men can Bar-B-Que, work on cars, fix things around the house, mow the yard and work in the garden.  REAL men can do anything.".  Anytime I can do something that will make my girls want to tell the world, I know I am doing my job and making them proud, and that gives me the greatest feeling in the world.

Learning how to sew, crochet, or even cook so you can pass that along to your own girls isn't cashing in your *Man-Card*.  Your just ensuring that the guy who wants her later has an *Upgraded Man-Card* that compares to yours.  And that Sir, is how you pick the right guy for your Daughter.Don't tell her who to pick, set the bar so high that only the right ones can meet her expectations.

What to take away from this:

Don't be ashamed to learn something new.  Moms aren't the only ones who can teach their girls.  Teaching should be a dual-parent responsibility.  This won't apply to everyone, but it should apply to the majority, take it for what it's worth.

And as always be sure to do something for someone other than yourself.  Pay It Forward.

Taking a Break...Kind of

I have been trying to write on here as much as possible in my spare time.  Here recently I haven't been writing very much.  It's not because I have lost interest.  I still remember my first post on here and my incentive that drove me to do so.  I have taken interest in writing elsewhere though.

I have always had the dream of publishing my own work.  I had researched some options for doing that several months back.  I could try to contact a publisher in person, edit my book countless times, spend up to a year in the process, and still risk the publisher not using my story.  But the money could possibly be better. Like most people, I felt a more reasonable time frame would be towards my liking.  I found a few reputable publishing companies online.  Here's where the differences weigh in and you have to decide what you are really looking for.  Do you want to make a real book, or an e-book?  Do you use their free ISBN number and have them as your publisher, pay a small fee and get a little more freedom as to where you can sell your book, or do you buy your own ISBN numbers and have total freedom of it, but pay more up front?  Do you want your book available in brick-and-mortar stores, online only, in schools and libraries, or all?  I always thought that people just wrote a story, sent it in to a publisher and if it was good enough, turned into a book and sold.  Boy was I wrong.

After weighing in as many options as I could, I found a company that seemed to suit my *wants* a little better than some of the others.  With the acceptance of e-books today being used on smartphones, tablets, and e-readers, I wanted to primarily use an e-book format.  And for others that prefer to have a tangible item, I wanted the option to have printed books as well.  I also don't have the extra money to purchase an ISBN much less a block of ISBN numbers, so having the option of getting one for free in exchange to a few minor restrictions, works well in my favor.  The restrictions really are minor.  The one's I have found are: You can only sell through this publisher, but in turn, the cover almost everywhere you would sell to start with.  If you use any of there images for your cover design, you can't redistribute it outside of their distribution lines, you would have to design a new cover on your own, and republish the book as a new edition with a new ISBN.  Neither of those, or any other restrictions, were deal-breakers for me.

I have been plotting out a few stories in my head for some time now.  I also feel that it is time to try and follow that dream now.  With a little bit of hope and luck, maybe it will be something that works for me.  I may make a few dollars in the long run, but for me it would be about seeing my work in print with my name on it.  It's not a major accomplishment.  Anyone can write something and get it printed.  But to me, it would satisfy a goal I've had since I was a child.  To me, it would mean something.

If anyone is interested in checking out the service I decided on, you can use the link below. There is no cost to join or use the service unless you want professional services. The whole service is free except for buying proofs of your hardcopy to evaluate. If you don't want a hardcopy, you can use this service to publish to Kindle I believe. Good Luck!

This software can also help you format and upload digital books (eBooks) directly to Kindle.
A great way to make a few extra bucks while expressing your creative side.




I'm not forgetting or dropping my writing on here, but it will be neglected for a little while.  I will try to write on here in my spare time or when I need a break.

Until then...

Remember to do something good for others that are less fortunate.  Pay It Forward.

Love For Your Pets - The Kitty Pillow

I feel that most of my posts have been food oriented, so I want to change up a little.  Well, if you consider going back to what I started out doing as changing.

I snapped this photo a few nights ago, and thought it was cute, but it also held something a little stronger.  I don't usually break down photos like this, but I felt like this was was *talking to me*.

If you look at my Daughter, she is no doubt comfortably asleep.  The blue thing you see in the bottom left side of the photo is her *Bunny* that she normally falls asleep with.  On this night she replaced the *Bunny* with the Kitty-Cat.  She claimed this cat as soon as it came into our home, and has loved it and played with it since.  We named the cat, but we always refer to it as "Her Cat".  We see how she interacts with this Kitty-Cat every day.  Everyone here knows how much she loves that cat.  And I think that it is reflected in this picture how much she loves it.  She fell asleep with it instead of her favorite stuffed animal.  For a child her age, that must be love.

Now on the other hand, and what caught my eye was the cat doesn't seem to mind her holding on to him.  He's not asleep, but I think that's from where I was moving around to catch the picture.  But he's not trying to get away from her.  I think it I had been a little more quiet when getting the picture, I may have caught them both asleep.  He's just laying there, seemingly enjoying his affections.  If you were to see the way he acts towards her when they are playing during the day, this picture would explain it all.  My Daughter will pick him up, carry him like a baby, and then play with him.  And he goes along with it.  It almost seems like he understands her affection towards him and reciprocates it back the best he can.

To most people that may read this article, they will see a picture of a girl snuggled up with a Kitty-Cat followed by the ramblings of a madman.  When I see this picture, I see the epitome of love.  People may have many pets during a lifetime.  They may be cats, dogs, birds, fish, or whatever animal suits you as a person.  But it's those special pets you have during that lifetime that make the biggest impact.  Sometimes you come across that one pet that seems like it was meant for you to meet.  Once that bond has been made, that pet is forever a part of your life.  That bond.  That love. That's what is seen in the photo above.

If you are ever capable of having that type of love for an animal, just think if you could love a person the same, if not more.  Try to have that kind of love for your fellow humans and see how much better we could live.  And that my friends, seems like a good note to end on.

Try to practice the love you just read about above.  The best way to start is by doing something nice for someone else.  Pay It Forward.

Guitar Lessons: G, C, D - Chords to Live By

This is a short starter video I did to share with anyone that wanted to learn how to play the guitar.  These are very basic chords that are used in many popular songs.  It's even enough to make your own song if you wanted to.  If you're learning how to play, I'm going to make the assumption that you are learning how to read Tablature (a.k.a. - tabs).  I'll "tab out" the chords below so that you can see them along with the video, or study them afterwards.  If you haven't learned how to read tabs yet, there are many great resources out there to read or watch how to read them.  YouTube would be a good starting point, and reading tabs with greatly further your playing.  So here are those chords:

                           G            C              D

e ---------|---3----|---------|---2-----|-#1-|  <---Smallest String - #1

B ---------|---3----|----1----|---3-----|-#2-|

D ---------|--------|---------|---2-----|-#3-|  The numbers represent the frets to hold down.

G ---------|--------|----2----|---------|-#4-|  The "#" numbers are the string numbers.
A ---------|---2----|----3----|---x-----|-#5-|


E ---------|---3----|----x----|---x-----|-#6-|  <---Biggest String - #6

Now for the video part:

I know personally that learning to play can get frustrating at times.  Be prepared for that.  There will be times that you want to give up, sell your guitar and anything that goes along with it, that is, if you haven't broken it yet (Don't break it!).  I have been playing for many years.  I'm not a guitar master, or anywhere close to being one.  I can play most songs that I set my mind to, and play them well.  Even in different keys or tunings.  I still get caught up on some of the easier songs and get frustrated.  If you get mad, put your guitar down and forget about it.  It's nearly impossible to learn something while your mad.  Go watch a show, catch a snack, ANYTHING but think about playing.  No matter how fast you learn, you won't become a rockstar over night.  This is something that will take time and desire.  With that in mind, take this little bit of information and run with it.  

If any other guitar players have anything to add, please do so in the comments below.  If anyone uses this information and wishes to show me what they learned, please go to YouTube and post a video response.  My YouTube channel can be reached using the tab at the top of this page.  If you just want to tell me, and everyone else, what you learned, leave a comment on here, my YouTube page, or both.

Remember to do something good for someone else, Pay It Forward.

Awesome Waffles

I know that you can go out and buy a box of frozen waffles.  I know that you can pop them in the toaster or microwave and have breakfast in a few minutes.  I also know that a made-from-scratch, home-cooked meal will beat a frozen box meal almost every time.  I wasn't much in the cooking mood this morning, but my wife was in the hungry mood, and proposed a waffle breakfast.  I hadn't made them in a while and the idea seemed great.  I like some homemade waffles.  I dug through my recipes and found one that stood out to me, and I want to share it with everyone.  I believe that this recipe incorporates the fluffiness that makes it palatable.  It has a good buttery flavor, but not overbearing.  And the outside of it has a slightly crispy texture that just begs you to keep eating.  I topped mine off with a little more butter and filled each delicious square with maple syrup.  My wife took the same route, but added some powdered sugar.  She was in search of some strawberries, but our daughter beat her to them.

Now that I've hopefully got your brain thinking food, and your mouth watering, are you ready to find out how I made them?  Well tune in next time to find out...  I'm not that mean.  Okay, here we go!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups AP flour (can be adjusted for lighter or denser waffles)
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 cup whole milk (preferred, but can be substituted)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons of butter - soft/melted
• 2 eggs - beaten
• 1/2 cup sugar

Directions:

• I try to have my ingredients separated and ready to add.  I also try to keep my blender going as I add ingredients.  I feel it incorporates more air into the mix and makes them a little fluffier.  You don't have to do this.  It doesn't have that much effect of the final product.  It's just personal preference.  Whisking and blending wet/dry ingredients works just as well.
• With that said, I start off with the eggs and beat them with a hand blender.
• Next I add the buttermilk followed by the whole milk while keeping the blender going.
• Now it's time to add the butter.  If it's soft butter, beat it until there are only tiny pieces of butter are visible.  If it's melted, just add it in slowly and mix completely.
• Now we can start adding the dry ingredients.  I start with the small amounts and work my way up.  So I add the salt.
• Next in the mix are the baking soda, baking powder, and sugar.
• Finally, it's time to add the flour.  Above I mentioned that this can be adjusted for personal preference.  I would say that if you like very light waffles add flour until the mixture has a consistency of white school glue. If you like heavier waffles you'll probably aim more for a thicker "white gravy" consistency.  I believe 2 cups is about right down the middle.
• Ladle approximately 1/2 cup of mix into your waffle maker.  I usually stop adding mix when it is about 1 - 1 1/2 inches away from the edges.  That allows the lid to close, and the mixture to finish spreading out and rise.

As with any recipe this can be tweaked to suit the individual.  By all means change this however you deem necessary.  You should be made happy by making and eating the food you prepare.

After adding my extra pads of butter on top to melt in and the syrup, I devoured my plates contents trying to enjoy every second of it.  I admit that I am a food lover from top to bottom.  I believe that is the first step in creating great food.  If you give 100% and love it 100% it will show in the taste most of the time.  If you doubt that, visit one of your regular hangouts when the cook is having a bad day and doesn't want to be there.  Chances are you will taste a difference.

If you try this recipe, let everyone know how it turned out below in the comments.  Let us know if you would change something or any variations you liked.

As always, remember to do something good for someone else, Pay It Forward.

Conspiracy Theory

I feel like having a little fun, so I recorded a new podcast on my Spreaker account (The blue audio player above.).  I have heard conspiracy theories about everything.  There may be truth to the stories, or they could be from the farthest stretches of the mind.  I don't know, but I think the conversations are very interesting nonetheless.  I won't spoil the audio by writing it out.  I encourage comments from either side of the spectrum.  I don't try to dispel either side, I'm just trying to have some fun, and hear what others have to say.  You can leave comments below, and/or I have made a special link to include the hashtag I mentioned in the audio.  All you have to do is click, and type your response at the end (make sure you click in the box to deselect the text, or you will just overwrite it, and I'll never see it).

Here's the Twitter link: http://clicktotweet.com/uH5wa


If you have any theories of your own, put them in the comments below and/or use the Twitter link above.

Do something nice for someone else, and Pay It Forward.

A Proud Papa Moment

I know I already wrote a post earlier today, but this one is more of a journal post than an article. I wanted to share a collection of moments that just touches my heart, from a Daddy's viewpoint. My wife and I rarely go out anymore whether it be because of a lack of time, lack of money, or just pure lack of "get-up-and-go". We finally got to go out by ourselves the other night (Thanks Grandma!). While we were out we took pictures of each other to share on the "Socialwebs" that we got a date night. We finished our date and got back home. My wife saved the picture of me as the wallpaper on her phone and our youngest daughter saw me on the screen. The screen only lit up for about 10 seconds and would go out. Our daughter took Mommy's phone and was playing with my picture and looking at me grinning. When the screen went out though, she would literally throw the phone back at Mommy (we know throwing stuff at Mommy's isn't nice, but we made the exception because it was so funny to watch). She threw the phone back until Mommy would turn the screen back on, which she would play with my picture, and turn towards me and grin. This cycle went on for a while. Below is a video I shot of her before we stopped and got her ready for bed.







My other daughter, "Critter" is older and is also my little shadow.  She refuses to let me out of her sight most of the time, and she wants to do, or help do anything that Daddy does. Since she is older, we do quite a bit of stuff together, that Buggy will get to do when she gets older too.  I have posted a few YouTube videos including her doing the little things...wait a minute, let me say that a different way...I posted videos of her doing things that are common and simple to me, but mean the world to her.  And that's all I really look for, is trying to find ways to make wonderful memories with my children.  I'll post some of her videos below if you care to see them, or you can visit my YouTube channel by clicking the tab at the top of the page.















These are just a few of my Proud Papa moments.  They happen all the time, and if I posted every one of them on here, I don't think I would ever get a break from writing.  So girls, when you get older, and if you ever read this, Daddy loves you.  You better KNOW it.
Now, it's time to go play with my "youngins".
Remember, do something nice for someone else.  Pay It Forward.

Who will you be tomorrow?

Yesterday I was the guy that works outside all day to try and make his home look presentable. Today, I'm the man that is enjoying some downtime with the kids. Who will I be tomorrow? Regardless of my chore or job for the day, I believe I am the same man. Every day I try to be a good role model for our future generation. Whether it's my children, other's children, or anyone else that notices me whether I know it or not. I'm not perfect and I don't claim to be. I watch scary/violent movies and I use foul language at times. In today's society, that is more acceptable than it was many years back. It doesn't make it right, but easier for people to swallow, so to speak. Many people would say I should be categorized under "A**Hole", and that would probably be true. But they would also have to say I am a fair and moral "A**hole". Only because of how stubborn I am about being as fair as possible and honestly trying to do the right thing. I try to instill these traits into the next generation, with the exception of the stubborn part. I default that to my genetic make up. If I can make my impact on just one person, but hopefully more, I think I have fulfilled my task that I charged upon myself.

I read an article several years back that talked about Adolf Hitler's DNA being used to clone him and creating another ruthless dictator. Without reciting the entire article, it pretty much said it would be nearly impossible because Hitler's entire life could not be forged from his DNA, but only by living the life Hitler actually lived. I thought to myself, "What would happen if Hitler was cloned, and I raised him?". Would one of history's most notorious people go from a German speaking Nazi rallying for world domination by eliminating all but "the perfect race", into a Southern speaking city boy with country upbringing that rallies for world peace by trying to infuse everyone INTO a (for lack of better wording) perfect race. By race, I am not talking about color, but the HUMAN race as a whole. I thought it would be funny and kind of cool at the same time. How would you have changed Hitler's clone if given the opportunity?

Using the example of Hitler from above, I would almost like to see it done just to prove whether good or bad is learned or genetic. My argument would have to be for learned. I honestly believe that the things we do today affects what happens tomorrow, and that we are truly in control of our own futures. Sometimes things happen by chance, which I leave to the variables of life. Nothing about life is 100% predictable. But I do thing it is "guidable". If someone wants to be rich, they have a few options. One would be, go to school, get your diplomas/certificates/degrees and pursue the money you desire to the top, or start your own business and run with it until you reach an apex. Another way would be to invent or create and sell your ideas or stories. Then there is my way. I chased the money, and even found it for a while. I made very good money doing a very easy task that only required a few weeks of training, and a keen eye for detail. After a few years I was laid off and that money went away. But I still feel I kept the riches, and here's why. Yes I made good money at that job, but that job is also where I met my wife, and started my family. A family is all I ever really wanted in life. I set forth the events in my own life and achieved the outcome I wanted. The only variable was applying for a job and meeting the woman I love which somehow fell in place within a year's time.

There was a whole chain of events that lead up to me having a family of my own, but I held the reigns for most of that journey. If you want the most out of life you have to jump up and grab it sometimes, or you will miss it altogether. Let nothing stand in your way when you find what you really want in life. Don't be anyone's puppet either. They have their own life to live, as do you. Make the absolute best out of what you have in life, and try to attain those things you want included in with it.

I know that life is complex, but it can generally be broken down into two paths. Good or bad. I even have my own ratio as to what I go by to determine whether someone/thing is good or bad. I use a 70%/30% rule. I even try to live my own life by this rule. I'll explain it briefly, and answer any questions below. It's pretty simple. 70 is more than half (using a 100% scale). 70 is also more than double 30 (30% completes the 100% scale). Now this is where personal judgment and morality takes over. When I try to judge whether I think a person or thing is good or bad I give them a score like you would a math test in high school. If that person or thing rates close to or above a 70, I deem that that person or thing is "good". I think that 30% is good enough to cover the negative stuff. For example, I'll rate myself. I would give myself between a 75 and 80. That gives about 20%-25% to cover the bad stuff I know I've done, and even the things that I've done wrong, when I felt it was for the right reason. I know a lot of people don't feel it's right to judge others. I don't walk around judging everyone. I use my judging system the same way a bank uses your credit score. If you have bad credit, they won't lend you money. If you have a bad rating with me, I don't need you around in my life. Same concept with a different application. Your credit score changes depending on how you manage your finances. A "credit score" with me changes depending on how you manage you choices in life. If you steal and lie, don't try to be in my life.

I hope that something I have written here will provoke some thought or inspire some positive influence in your life. I know that I talk about negative things, or things that may SOUND negative, but I always try to have a positive outlook or find a positive outcome when I can. I don't do it to the point of living in a fantasy, but sometimes when you're down, it makes life a little easier to cope with. There's no need to be down in life, cause it just brings you down. When people talk for a long time others say that person is long winded, so when someone types a lot, are they long-fingered? I think I have written quite a bit on this, and it's time to move on.


As always, do the right thing, and do something good for someone else. Pay It Forward.