Busy Week

It has been a busy last couple of weeks.  Just to recap the last several days:

• Friday: My wife's mother and aunts came to visit. They watched the house and dog while we took a little out of town trip.
• Saturday/Sunday:  We were in Norman for the OU/TCU game.
• Tuesday:  Golf tournament for work (Our team placed 2nd NET. It was the first time I have ever been paid for sports participation.)
• Wednesday:  Medical procedure with anesthesia put me out of commission for the day.
• Friday:  Another work golf tournament (Let's hope it goes as well as the last)
• Saturday:  (day) Heading to the state fair for the OU/ut game thanks to a last minute ticket surprise!  (night) Top Golf with small group from church..

And, no, my golf game has not improved that much.  I was lucky to be with some guys who had a good day.

Follow Up To Previous Post - I Need More Time

A couple of months ago I posed the question - Is there enough time? - in regards to some hobbies (and other responsibilities).  I might have found the answer - NO.

After work should be relaxation time.  However, I find myself stressed, especially at the first of the week because I am having to schedule in advance what I will be doing each evening.  That is no spontaneity. Will it be working out, mowing, fishing, golf, small group, or just watching TV.  Of course many involve a second shower on the day, so that plays a factor in decision making.  Essentially, I find myself scheduling my showers several days in advance and scheduling other activities around the showers.  It is strange, but it has become reality.

I do also work some of these activities in on the weekends, but then they get scheduled around certain football games (Saturdays only...I have given up on trying to remain interested in the NFL). 

Part of me knows this is ridiculous.  I should just choose one or two and let the others go.  Let us weigh pros & cons to each.

Working out - This is necessary for health reasons.  I am also beginning to see good results.  Therefore, that one has to stay. (always requires an extra shower afterward)

Mowing - This needs to be done at least once a week.  Nature usually dictates which day is best.  I have to be careful, though, because it can't fall on a workout day.  I won't have the energy for a good exercise sesson after mowing.  I can't work out before mowing because of the diminishing daylight.  Unfortunately, but this one definitely has its place. I don't want a nasty-gram from the HOA. (always requires an extra shower afterward)

Fishing - This is my lifelong hobby, so it will always have a spot in the rotation.  Plus, I have hundreds (if not thousands) of dollars wrapped up in equipment.  It would be stupid to not use it. (sometimes requires an extra shower afterward)

Golf - This is the newest one, but it seems to be getting the nod more often than not.  I have to schedule this one around working out too (otherwise I won't be able to move the next day).  Since my company is supplying the means for lessons, I feel like I need to give this one top priority.  I realize the importance in practice since I have several instances in the near future where I will be playing with others.  If I don't practice, it will be embarrassing and frustrate the others. On top of that, I have spent some money on equipment, so I need to justify its use. (sometimes requires an extra shower afterward)

Small Group (church) - This one is not really a choice.  We meet every other week.  It does not require an extra shower, but it does take up the entire evening.  That is not to be meant as a complaint.  I love our new small group and the time we spend diving into God's word and purpose for our lives.

TV - This one used to be the only one on the list with fishing.  I enjoy this because there is no shower required, and I get to be with my wife.  She is usually engrossed in something on the laptop while I watch our DVRed shows, but she is still in the same room.

Miscellaneous - One evening a month, I have a commitment to a municipal board in my city.  I also like to work in a game of pool every once in a while to try to sharpen those skills.  This is not even mentioning the other necessities of helping keep the house clean, laundry, meal preparation, etc...


I state all of these hobbies, responsibilities, and obligations only to say that in a few months they will all be priority #2 behind the baby that is currently in development.  Maybe I find myself scrambling to get as much accomplished as possible now because I know that my golf clubs and fishing rods will gather some dust this spring.

Definition of a Hero

I was recently asked to write an opinion entry for my company's blog.  Here is the link and the entry:


At ICS, we take great pride in our mission of empowering and supporting HEROES with our products.  This week really brings the term HERO into perspective. 

Across this great nation we see hundreds of ceremonies of all sizes remembering those HEROES who stepped up on September 11, 2001.  Although it has been 12 years since that tragic day, stories of heroism are still coming out.  I get an overwhelming feeling and usually tears every single time I hear of another firefighter or police officer who rushed into those buildings without a second thought in an effort to rescue others.  I appreciate that some news outlets are still telling those stories.  Although feelings of sadness and horror are resurrected in all Americans each time one of these stories is shared, it is important that we as a nation do not forget these heroes and others like them all over the country.

The ICS office is full of former and current public safety officials.  We know and understand what firefighters and law enforcement officers go through every day.  As part of my role to continually understand the changing needs of those in public safety, I have the privilege of spending a day each week riding with a patrol officer from varying agencies.  Not only does this give ICS an opportunity to see what we can do better in our present software, it gives us constant feedback as to possible enhancements for both current and future ICS users.

Sure, I have seen a few exciting things in my time on the passenger side of patrol car.  Seeing how these officers react in a heartbeat to someone in distress makes me proud to know them.  They often put themselves in harm’s way for the greater cause of making the day safer for a person they do not know.

The ride-alongs, however, can be monotonous at times.  No one ever said police work is exciting 100% of the time.  Those downtimes, though, allow me to pick the brain of the officer.  I enjoy getting to know them and also love hearing what made them go into law enforcement in the first place.  The reason is pretty constant.  They want to help people.  Is that not the simple definition of a HERO?  The same can be said for nurses, teachers, and firefighters.  These men and women hold a position that is never going to get high praise or make them rich all because they want to help us in our times of need.  That is heroic in every sense of the word.

As we see ceremonies and stories of heroism connected to September 11^th, let’s also remember other heroes who are in our own back yard.  Let’s also not wait until a holiday or significant day in history to make our appreciation shown.  If you see some firefighters at lunch, go up and thank them.  It would not be much to ask to pick up the tab on a cup of coffee for a police officer working the late shift in order to keep your community safe.

A simple ‘Thank You’ can go a long way.

Need A Laugh? Need A New Appreciation Of Your Family? This Post Accomplishes Both.

I was just directed to this site by a friend on Facebook.  I had to share.

We have all seen those emails and posts of the most awkward family photos.  Well, we have some new contestants.....http://words2vomit.wordpress.com/2012/06/18/walmart-called-your-photos-are-ready/

Happy Friday!

The World of Golf Welcomes....THIS GUY

I posted a few weeks ago about taking on new hobbies.  Well, the undertaking of learning golf is in full swing (no pun intended).  I have always had a respect for golfers.  I have followed the sport a little and have a decent understanding of the game (as much as anyone could have without actually playing).  My company participates in a couple of charity scrambles each year with customers and prospects.  It is important that I can participate.  Without lessons, it would be hard for me to do so.  I didn't even know how to hold the club properly.

Last week I had my first lesson.  Most people take lessons after they try to teach themselves for a short while or when they want to improve a specific area of their game.  Not me...I took my first lesson with no experience at all.  Sure, I had been to the driving range just goofing off with my father-in-law, but I had never really taken a serious swing with the intent to become skilled at it.

Overall, the lesson went pretty well.  My instructor is a young pro at the public course close to my house.  He was very patient with me and seemed to like that I did not already have some established bad habits that we would need to overcome.  I was a blank slate.  I am a curious person, so I ask a lot of questions.  For the most part, I just took every thing he said to heart.  It showed as I improved over the course of the lesson.  I also went this past weekend to hit a bucket of balls with my father-in-law.  He said it was night & day difference compared to the last time he had seen me hit.  I went ahead and signed up for a 5-lesson plan (every Friday at 7 am).  Since it is benefitting my company for me to learn to play, they agreed to pick up the bill on those.  Anything beyond that will be on me.

Maybe a course like this would help my game.

Anyone who knows me well is aware that I do not just casually pick up a new hobby.  I am serious about bass fishing and my budget shows it.  I have invested thousands of dollars in fishing over the years.  I can see, though, that I am going to have to ration out my hobby budget to include golf.  Luckily, my first set of clubs (and a few accessories) was a gift.  They are decent enough to get me started.  At some point in the future, though, I know I will have to invest in a custom set.  (There goes getting the latest Abu Garcia reels.) 

Not only will the finances be affected, but so will my time.  I have a child on the way scheduled to be here in March.  Obviously that is priority #1.  As of right now, fishing is going to take #2 just ahead of golf.  We will see if that changes as I progress in the latter.

These courses all seem to have ponds on them.  Maybe I can cater to both hobbies at once.

If Natalie Gulbis can do it, so can I.

Organizing Fishing Tackle Without A Boat

As most of you know, the wife and I moved into a new house in January.  My fishing equipment was pretty well organized at the previous house, but this gave me a new opportunity to start over and do it right. I am always making small tweaks and changes, but overall I am pleased with the finish product.

I see posts on forums all the time that involve fisherman asking other fisherman how they organize their equipment and tackle, especially when they do not have a boat.  Below is a brief explanation and show of how I do it.

First of all, I am blessed with a small cutout in the back of my garage that gives good space for this equipment.  The opening actually continues to the left behind the wall and curves around behind the wall with the rods.

Pegboards are a very inexpensive and flexible way to organize anything in the garage.  These days, you can find all sorts of peg-based fixtures to house a variety of items.  I chose to utilize the pegs for items that are difficult to store in my normal boxes.  There are also lots of items that do not exactly fit into a general category that I might already have organized.



Next, you will notice the actual tackle boxes.  Acquiring these can add up over time, but to me they are key.  I found the storage racks that help keep them in line and make it easy to pull one from the middle without the hassle of moving others.  I received a label maker for Christmas a few years back and have put it to good use.  If you do not have a label maker, a sharpie on tape can work.  I have also used mailing labels.  They can put into a printer, and the desired text can be entered into Excel.

Finally, it is very important to store rods and reels so that the rod is not being damaged.  There are several types of rod holders on the market.  I use Berkley.  They are very simply constructed using plastic and foam. I believe they were less than $10 each.  I currently use four sets.  It is important to allow space between each rod for the reels.  Each of these particular holders can fit six rods, but I limit most to only four.  The six rod capacity is for rods without reels.
 

OU Football - Fully Engaged (repost from Boomer Bytes)

As game week arrives, our friends at Second Wind Creative take a look back at the last 26 days in Sooner football to see how the team has prepared for 2013. This is a MUST WATCH for Oklahoma Football fans (we would recommend the full screen experience). Consider it a happy Boomer Bytes relaunch present from us to you. BOOMER SOONER!! -

http://boomerbytes.tumblr.com/post/59390032437/ou-football-fully-engaged

New Awareness, New Friends

Growing up as the son of a pastor and being around "church" all my life, I learned early how important it is to grow strong connections with other Christians.  Those connections are there for you to celebrate joyous times and to help get through the hard times.  Before our last move, we were blessed to have several other couples and families with whom we connected at least once a week for Bible study and fellowship.  People who started off as complete strangers became close friends.  I knew I could call on them for anything just as they could call on me.  Jennifer and I will hopefully always have a close connection with those individuals. 

The downside came when we moved.  We tried a few churches, but our hesitation to commit was due to our fear of not being able to match a small group like we had before.  When exploring new church home options, you consider several things.  The pastor is important.  The worship is important.  The missions are important.  You can get a feel of the doctrine from the website.  Our biggest issue was the small group options.  It is in the small group in the past where we saw our relationship grow in Christ.

After praying about it, we feel like we have found our new church home.  We also took a leap and contacted a small group leader.  They already had three families.  Would we feel like outsiders coming in to mix up their current dynamic and comfort zone?  How would they accept us?  Exploring small groups is not as easy as it might appear.

We have now met with this group on two separate occasions. I can honestly say that we felt welcomed from the very first handshake.  These families are warm and caring.  There appears to be a variety of backgrounds, but that is what helps us grow our own cultural awareness.  We can never change our past, but we can learn from the past of others that might have taken a different path.  I am excited about the opportunity to get to know these people and allow them to get to know us.

While I have already learned that each family has had its own unique set of life-changing events, I am pleased to be able to share the story of one.  I hope they do not mind that I share this.  This is the story of triumph through extreme difficulty.  It shows how focus on God and His plan can overcome circumstances that would cause a lot of people to give up.  I am proud to now know these two, and I look forward to getting to know them more in the years to come. 

If you do not want to be inspired, DO NOT WATCH THIS VIDEO.  Otherwise, be ready to be proud as an American, a Christian, and a human being.  Enjoy....http://youtu.be/YRpeEl2Fzto

Perfect Timing

I just had to share this link.  These are some great images!


http://twistedsifter.com/2013/03/most-perfectly-timed-photos-ever/

It Might Not Be So Bad Starting Off

I was recently directed to a blog entry that talked about teachers being underappreciated.  I have no disagreement that teachers are underappreciated.  They carry a major responsibility in the education of our children.  Unfortunately in some situations, they carry the sole responsibility of education (when parents do not do their parts).

Here is the site I was referring to - http://www.upworthy.com/the-real-number-of-hours-teachers-work-in-one-eye-opening-graphic-3

I take issue with this because of the accuracy.  I feel like I have as much authority as anyone who is not a teacher can have on this topic.  I have been a son, nephew, grandson, cousin, brother, friend, and husband to people of the teaching profession.  I have also worked as a substitute teacher and passed all exams and observation hours toward my teaching certification.  I have seen firsthand the number of hours that teachers work outside of the classroom.  This article/blog was an extreme exaggeration, though.  Yes, there may be days when a teacher works 12-16 hours, but it is not the average.  Of course some teachers probably work those hours every day, but this argument is dealing in averages.  The number of weeks "working" in the summer was completely off base as well.  I do not think any honest teacher would disagree with that.  I am sure I will have at least one teacher friend read this and claim that they do work every week during the summer getting ready for the next year.  That could be true, but I bet the majority of your co-workers do not.  Again, we are dealing in averages.  Exceptions can always exist.

Therefore, I decided to compose my own statistics based on the number of new teachers that I see complaining on my Facebook newsfeed about having to go back to work after having time off and about not making enough.  Again, you chose the profession, and I am completely grateful for people like you.  However, a new teacher should not complain about being underpaid, especially in the North Texas area.  These comments are usually made by people who have never worked in a corporate environment and think that everyone makes six figures and works exactly 40 stress-free hours every week. 

**I want to remind readers that this is talking about STARTING TEACHERS/RECENT COLLEGE GRADUATES.  Unfortunately, though, the salaries do not increase very significantly with more years of experience.  I am in complete agreement that experienced teachers make less that than of those in other fields with equal years of experience.


Your first objection to the math might be that I used a nationwide calculation in one and a local in the other.  Yes, but I worked with the information I could find.  This is not the Wall Street Journal.  It is my blog.  I do not have millions of readers or a lot of time to do my research.  Therefore, it will have to suffice.

Basically my math shows that if you look at a per-week indicator of wages, a new teacher has no room to complain.  Wait a few years, then complain.  I will give you that.

Again, I appreciate teachers very much.  I am well-educated, and I have my teachers (who were mostly my mom's friends) to thank for it.  I just wanted to do the math for my own justification.  Even though the figures might be off slightly, it shows that given the experience level, teaching is not a horribly paid profession for someone coming right out of college (in some parts of the country). 

Noodling - Not Just the Preparation of a Lo Mein Dish

Because of my strong views on fishing with live bait, I have had people ask how I feel about noodling.  (Some people call it "grappling.")  For those unfamiliar, noodling is using only your hands to catch fish.  Most of the time, the prey is catfish of the blue or flathead variety.  It is only permitted in a handful of states.  Texas recently adopted it as a legal activity.  Noodling has been gaining popularity for several years in other states, like Oklahoma, due to numerous videos and reality shows on various networks.

If anyone does care about my opinion - I have no problem with it as a hobby.  I think people that want to stick their hand in a hole and HOPE that a 40-pound catfish bites it might not be playing with a full deck.  Their sanity, though, is not the question at hand.  I do not consider this "fishing" at all.  There is no bait (unless you count fingers that resemble worms).  I would definitely place noodling in the "hunting" category.  Most of the time, the participants do keep and eat their catches.  If they release them, that is fine too.  It was fun, and no real harm (to the fish) was done.

I first learned about this "sport" in a class while attending the University of Oklahoma.  The course was Geography of Oklahoma.  Toward the end of the semester, after we had used lectures and field trips to learn about the state, my professor introduced us to a documentary that, at that time, had been recently produced - Okie Noodling.  The documentary explored those who enjoyed noodling and even began an annual tradition of a tournament that I believe is still done today.  The documentary also talked about the dangers of noodling.  The obvious ones are getting bit by something other than a fish - turtle, snake, beaver (yes, beaver), etc...  The catfish itself can do quite a bit of damage to limbs as well.  It also talked about a man losing his life by getting caught in shifting concrete and drowning in only a few inches of water.  I realize that is a freak accident, but it just shows how unpredictable certain conditions can be.

All in all, I am intrigued by the mindset of individuals that enjoy this.  Who knows?  Maybe it is something I will try one day.  For the time, though, I prefer my fingers and toes just the way they are.  Although it should not be considered "fishing", I do respect that noodling has its place as a hobby. 

By the way, I purchased the documentary a few years ago and enjoy watching it with people who are not familiar with the activity.


Noodle On Boys & Girls!

Agree to Disagree

I told you it would not be long before I had another post.

I just had to share my thoughts after a discussion with a co-worker this week.  He was sharing with me his political views from a Tea Party perspective.  We discussed the Eric Snowden saga and had differing opinions.  This co-worker is definitely more informed on worldly events than I am, and I am okay with that.

Basically what I took from the conversation is that I am pleased that I do not spend time trying to keep up with every move that our government and others around the globe are making.  Do I feel like it is important to be informed? Yes - to an extent.  My reasoning - LIFE IS TOO SHORT.  If we spend all of our waking moments and mental energy worrying about government interference and playing watchdog, what time are we using to spend with our families? 

I do agree that there can be a happy medium.  I could probably take more time to study events around the world.  I used to do it as part of a job.  Some of my closest friends might say, "You used to work in the media.  You should follow current events more closely."  Here is a news flash for you.  Almost every person I know who worked (past tense) in the media have gotten away from actually following the news.  Most of them were in the business a lot longer than me.  After getting out of the media industry, it helps to disconnect by doing something you no longer HAVE to do.  It would be like a longtime In & Out employee not wanting to eat a burger for a while.

Again, I am all for informing ourselves, doing everything you can to make a difference, and standing up for what you feel is right.  However, sometimes we have to step back and think about if it is worth the time and energy that we could be spending on something closer to home.

My co-worker has my utmost respect for taking individual actions to not only be informed, but for taking steps by contacting those at higher decision levels to make sure his voice is heard.  We did agree, though, that we see things differently in regards to what might be worth our time.  I jokingly said that he might be better off moving to a smaller town like me, where his voice is bigger and has a higher likelihood of making change.  He said he would stay where he is and keep doing what he can.  I respect the passion and persistence.

New Hobbies on the Horizon - Is There Enough Time?

Yes, it has been over six months since my last post.  I have had several ideas for topics about which to write, and I have even written most of them down.  You know how it goes, though.  "Life gets in the way."

Since January, I have completed construction on a new home, moved, been promoted at work, become a landlord, spent quite a bit of time in hotels for work, and been diagnosed with Post Concussion Syndrome following an accident in my garage.  Needless to explain further, I have had a few things on my plate.

One advantage of the move is that I now have a new testing ground for fishing techniques since my new place has two ponds full of bass.  I would expect fishing posts will definitely pop up here and there.

Apparently, I might be tackling a new hobby or three in the very near future.  I do look forward to exploring those options and possibly writing about the adventures. 

• I was recently introduced to golf.  Golf is a sport for which I have always had a curiosity.  I had worked at several jobs with access to free golf, but I was always afraid it would take away from fishing time and finances.
• When building the new place, I always wanted to have a room with a pool table.  Well, I now have that.  I am not very good, but I enjoy the pastime.  My billiard sessions were limited following the concussion because of the dizziness that came with leaning over to shoot.   Symptoms are improving, though, so it should not be too long before my game gets better.
• For the last few years, I have struggled with ups and downs in my weight and fitness.  I lost a lot, then I gained a lot (more than once).  Last spring, I began the P90X program.  It was hard, but I enjoyed the challenge.  The visual and capability results are definitely evident.  I made it about half way through, but I stopped because of job change and injury.  I intend to start back next week after I get back from a work trip.  Having done it before should help in being able to modify the program slightly to best fit my abilities and work around a nagging hip injury.

Thanks again for reading.  Maybe the next post will not have to wait six months.