Un-understanding:

As I am watching The Devil Wears Prada, I am fascinated by the way Andrea's (Anne Hatheway's) friends become so unfriendly when her life starts to get ahead. People spend lots of time teaching young people that they need to choose their friends very carefully. Then this movie goes and shows friends pulling someone back and down. She (Andrea) gets a great job, often quoted as the job that a "million girls would die for." When work requires extra, her friends think she has sold out and become un-friendly. Why do people sell their lives short for friends, shouldn't friends challenge us to achieve and attain? In the end, her "devil" boss gives her a recommendation that gets her a great job as a journalist (her dream job). Sometimes in life, it is the people that we call "friend" that can hold us back. I know several girls who have fathers who are just non-existent. Dead-beat at best. Sometimes, we are held back by the people that should be pushing us forward.

Do you have people in your life, that should be pushing your forward and lifting you up, but are actually pushing you down; maybe even holding you under water? Sometimes I really understand why God flooded the whole place...

Mother Nature (of People)?!?

What a great day! We went to a doctor's appointment today and ended up having extra tests done, so we left a little later than planned. I am so impressed with my family and our synchro-nicity (I know its not a word). We were able to leave the hospital, stop by work, get check, get corporate credit card, leave work, arrive at home, change clothes, go to grocery store, get drinks & snacks, go to bank, deposit check, go to Taco Bell, go back to church, fill coolers with ice and drinks... all in an hour!

We took the students to the beach today, even though it was raining over the beach - and we knew it before we left. We arrived at the beach and it was raining, raining hard. So we ran and hid under the pavilion like cockroaches when the lights get turned on (at least thats the way they show them on the commercials). It stopped raining and we ended up having a great day.

Sometimes in life we need to head into the storms in order to claim a life that is worth living...

A Poopie Experience

My wife has been telling me how I have been in a much better mood since I have been running/swimming/biking more. I understand this, because science has shown exercise to release endorphins (happy feelings) into the brain. Well, I have been somewhat cranky - so my wife NEEDS me to run. I went for a run this morning with my father's day gift (Nike + iPod Nano). I selected to run 5K (3.1 miles). Well, apparently I selected a 3K because I was finished in like 18 minutes and that would be a new record for me, and trust me I am NO speed demon. So I continued to run 'til the display on the iPod said that I had completed 2.5k, then I knew it was time to turn around. I did, and pushed hard to get back to the starting point. I finished my run and was feeling great. I hopped in the car, ready to head to work and get my regular day started. Until I realized that I had brown excrement on the bottom of my shoe (good thing I am not trying to sell my car to a guy today at 11:30am. I jumped out of the car and began to stomp my foot and then scrapped any leftovers off with sticks and pine bark. All that said, the day has been off to a great start.

The question, "Why is it when we are trying to get positive things going in life, do we always seem to step in poo?" "Am I the only one who feels this way?" Every time I begin to do something worthwhile or beneficial, there is always poo on the bottom of my shoe (metaphorically, of course)." "Anyways, let's scrape it off and get back to great things!"

Bankin' on love

I love my wife, and I secretly enjoy running errands for her (sometimes). She asked me to make a deposit for her at her bank (a separate account for her business). I parked, walked in with a friend and was greeted promptly (without a smile). I gave the lady my wife's envelope and said, "I am here to make a deposit for my wife." She smugly asked if I had a deposit ticket, implying that I didn't have one. I told her that I did and went to her counter and handed her the completely organized envelope WITH a deposit ticket completely filled out. She opened the envelope and took out the cash, the check, and the few loose coins (about $1.50's worth). She grew a frustrated face through her annoyed face, and told me "we don't take coins unless they are rolled." I asked what I am supposed to do if I don't have enough to make a roll, but rather only have... say $1.50 or so. She shrugged and tilted her head as to say, "I don't care, just don't bring 'em here." What really compounded the issue was that this same lady told me several weeks before, that I was told that I could NOT put money in my wife's account. Really?!?!?

So if there are any readers out there;

If a bank cannot handle $1.54 in change, how are they supposed to handle larger amounts. This was a serious question posed my someone I know regarding a semi-recent $10,000 deposit.

Again, why do I attract all the weirdos...?

The Credit Union

So in the process of trying to sell my car, I have come to realize that I do not have the title to my car. Not that I don't own the car, but that I don't have a copy of the title. A friend and I drove to the Tax Collector's office this morning to get a new copy of the title, this should be no problem since I paid the car off 4 years ago (there shouldn't be a lein on the car). Well, I was told that there was a lein on my car and therefore could not get the title until I had a "lein satisfaction notice". Fine, except for the gentleman who was interested in buying my car!

I got the paperwork and called the credit union that had the lein. They did not have any record of my account or my purchase. "This is good" I thought, "that means I don't owe them any money." 

I spent several hours on the phone with the credit union and got nowhere. Everyone that had answers or could help was either not there, or was busy. I finally got to talk to a lady who worked in the lein records office and was treated very rudely. I asked if I could have the "lein satisfaction notice" overnighted to my office. She said "no", but patronizingly told me that she would mail it regular mail. I would not have been so annoyed had they not ever mailed me the title to MY car in the first place (for the previous 4 years). I demanded to speak to her manager, and the manager was as rude, but agreed to overnight me the "lein satisfaction notice".

We will just see how everything goes...

How to sell a car...

Contrary to the title, I do not know any secrets to selling a car. I have waited 'til 3 weeks before my son is born to get serious about getting a different car. That is not really a problem, but I don't have any money to put towards the purchase of a different car, so I have to sell our car and then turn (rapidly) and find a reliable and also larger car. 

So I listed our car on Craigslist (which has not been letting me post pictures). I received several e-mails and phone calls. I met with the first gentleman who did not realize that "manual" meant "stick-shift". The second guy I talked to laughed when I told him about the first mix-up. When I sent him pictures of the car, he apologized that he did not realize that 4dr meant 4 doors, not 2.

What is it that makes me attract crazy people???

Read my next blog to hear more...

Blogging for Beginners

I have been thinking about blogging as a way to vent out my frustrations in life. I have not been blogging because by the time I get back to a computer, I have either forgotten my frustrations or they just seem so petty and not worth starting a blog over. All of that being said, when the iPhone 3G becomes available, I will be able to edit, post blogs right when they happen. So I don't have to wait. That is the only reason I am dropping $300 is so that I can blog rapidly. Not really, but who is reading this anyway?