My Obsession

I am offically obsessed. I cannot stop taking photographs. I think that my interest has been sparked again by my neice. She has really embraced the art form.

I find myself taking a lot of photos with my iPhone and especially the Hipstamatic app. It is quick, easy and gives me great lo-fi results. I even stick my phone out the sunroof of my car to take photos as I am driving. The good thing about this is that it does not distract me. I just hold it up, aim it and click the button. I don't even need to watch what I am photographing.

The day after Christmas we went to see my family again. I told The Queen I wanted to make a couple of pit stops. I ended up taking a lot of photos with my Canon 7D and iPhone. She got annoyed with me for taking so long, but I was having fun. Even Meg got into the act with her new video camera.

It is great seeing Meg's enthusiasm. She is not as obsessed as I am, but she is having some fun. I might have to put together a photography trip for Meg, my neice and me.

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Recap: Personal Goals for 2010

I think I failed miserably this year. In my post of January 7, 2010, I listed my personal goals for 2010 as follows:

1. Reed 1 Book a Month.
2. Run in 2 5K Races.
3. Volunteer.
4. Change a Child's Life.

Here is a recap of how I did:

1. Reed 1 Book a Month.
I did OK on this goal. I read eleven books, listened to one audio book and read three short ebooks or pamphlets. I learned a lot this year and I plan to keep on learning into 2011. I plan on keeping this goal as is this year.

2. Run in 2 5K Races.
I failed miserably at this goal. I not only did not run in any 5K races, but I stopped exercising and running the last quarter of the year. I have put on about five or six pounds since I stopped. I am slowly starting to get back into things again by using the Nordic Track, but I really need to start running again. I plan on keeping this as a goal for 2011.

3. Volunteer.
All I can say is epic fail! I did not volunteer for anything this year. My excuse is that this year has just passed me by, but that is only an excuse. I really need to volunteer in 2011. I want to volunteer again at the Visalia Rescue Mission and I would like to do some work for Habitat for Humanity. I also have the idea in the back of my mind of an afterschool photography program at The Queen's school. Maybe I can figure out how to get that started this year. I really need to focus on this goal for 2011.

4. Change a Child's Life.
I don't know what to say about this one. We ended up getting two foster children for a little over a month. I really think we did change their lives, but I feel bad that we could not make a permanent change in their lives. I don't think we will get any other foster children for some time as it was much different than we expected. It was a learning experience. I think we can change a child's life without actually have them as a foster child. We can do this with some volunteer work or we can find another way. I would like to keep this as a goal for 2011, but I don't think it is realistic any more.

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The Story of Bottled Water

Check out The Story of Bottled Water to learn why buying bottled water is a bad idea. Please buy a reusable stainless steel water bottle and take your water with you. Here is a link to some great water bottle options. If you buy one you will also support 1% For The Planet. Browse the site for more sustainable options, including reusable shopping bags.

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This is a Powerful Presentation

SMOKE - The Convenient Truth

View more presentations from Empowered Presentations, Honolulu, HI.

With all of the information we know today, why do people continue to smoke? I don't have the answer, other than the fact that we are getting too lazy. It is too much work to quit smoking.

Teenagers don't pay attention to the facts and by the time they are old enough to care, it is too late. They have already been smoking long enough that it makes it too hard to quit.

Share this presentation with anyone you know who smokes so just maybe they will get the strength to quit. It isn't too late.

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SCICON Revisited

Most people who grew up in Tulare County visited SCICON when they were in the sixth grade as I did. I remember it being a fun time, but don't remember many details. The Queen went this year for her second time as a teacher and I decided to take a day off work and visit her up there.

I looked at a map and finally remembered the cabin I stayed in when I visited the first time, Winterhaven. I have a horrible memory, especially when it comes to my childhood, but I finally remembered the name of my cabin.

When I decided to visit The Queen I really started thinking about what I was expecting to see at SCICON. I remember thinking it was a cool place when I was in sixth grade, but would it still be cool or would it be run down. After all, it is run by the office of education which is a government office. We all know that our schools can become run down, so I thought SCICON might be the same way.

When we arrived I met the principal of SCICON, Rick, and found him to be a really nice guy. I later found out that he has been the principal for twenty-three years. He works long days since the SCICON day starts around seven in the morning and goes until about nine at night. He has a house on site, so he can go home throughout the day. His wife is the nurse there which means they get to spend some time together every day.

We made our way to the cabin where the teachers stay and I surprised The Queen. She had no idea that I was coming up to visit her. It was great to see her after a few days apart.

I was really surprised that SCICON was in great shape and was still very cool. As I walked around the main area and hiked some of the trails I started to remember little bits and pieces about my trip there in 1983. I remembered the bell and the dining hall.

The Queen and I decided to take the Sky Trail hike. That is the longest hike offered at SCICON. I took the hike when I was in sixth grade, but The Queen never had. It was a great hike and half way up I remembered the spot were we stopped and had a sack lunch when I made the hike as a sixth grader. We continued all the way up to Hermit's Cabin. I found the rebuilt cabin there. When I made the trip the first time, it was just a pile of wood with some pots around it.

In the end the hike took us a little more than three hours. It was a long time, but I really enjoyed it and took a lot of pictures. I would really like to take the trip up there for the day every year that The Queen is there. I even told her that it would be great if she got her administrative credential and became the principal of SCICON when Rick retires.

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Why Can't We Change?

I am sure most of us wonder why our companies or organizations can't change. Here is a good list of reason why.

Ego is one that really stands out to me. It really is difficult for people to admit they are wrong. It takes a great person to be able to admit they are wrong and look for the correct solution.

Groupthink is another one that is very common. I think of this as "yes men." Many leaders either knowingly or unknowingly surround themselves with people who agree with them. These people think they cannot disagree with their boss and this devalues their worth to the company. You create an organization that relies on one person for vision and change.

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I Am The Proud Owner of a Bachelor's Degree

I graduated from USC with a bachelor's degree in 1993, but I finally own my degree. It only took seventeen years and five months to pay for my college education, but it is now officially paid off. It was a struggle at times in the beginning, but I made it. I guess I can now say that my education has paid for itself.

I was not in a hurry to pay off my student loans because the interest rate was so low. There was always something else that took priority. It is a relief to be done with it though. Now I just need to work on The Queen's loans. She did not get a great rate on her student loans. I don't know why that is other than the fact that she graduated fourteen years after me.

I have done just fine in my career even with my student loan payments. My loans have not been much of a burden on my financially. I don't think student loans would be too much of a burden on any college graduate and I think they should be part of the financial aid package for everyone who attends college. You need to value your education and in my mind the only way you can is if you have to pay for it. You would think twice about all of your career decisions if you had loan payments to make every month.

I think this goes hand in hand with my belief that every teenager should work had. I worked in a fruit packing house stacking boxes every summer after I turned sixteen. It was long hours and difficult manual labor, but it made me appreciate college and my career after college. Even before I turned sixteen I worked one year picking up grape trays our in a grape vineyard. After that and working in the packing house, I did not want to end up having to do manual labor for the rest of my life.

The problem today is that it is difficult for teenagers to get those jobs. Most of them are having to work in fast food or retail jobs. Retail jobs to me are just too much fun. They are not hard work at all and are very social jobs. They do not teach the value of hard work and do not make you appreciate working hard for what you get.

Kids today also seem to have much more of a sense of entitlement. They feel like they should not have to do manual labor. It is beneath them. All they want to do is have a job that is fun. They don't know what a serious job is like and will be shocked when they enter the real world and work for their first difficult boss. Most of them will not be able to handle it.

My life has taught me some valuable life lessons and has shaped me into the person I am today. My parents helped me with my college expenses or else I would not have my loans paid off yet. I appreciate their support and believe that what they provided for me was appropriate. They did not give me too much help and I value that. I am planning to do the same thing with my kids and hope they turn out even better than me.

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Go Green(er) This Holiday Season

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Pride

I am so proud of Meg for the way she finished the soccer season. She played very well in the play-offs, even though her team was eliminated. In her final game on Tuesday she was one of the best players on the field again. She did not score any goals, but that was because she only got the ball a few times in the game. She even moved all the back to help several times.

I have always known that she was a good player, but that she did not always try. I had a talk with her toward the end of the season and told her that coaches were watching to find all-star players. At that point she started playing like her self again.

It was disappointing that she did not make the all-star team. She had a bad tryout, but I still think she was one of the top players there. Politics can crush the hopes and dreams of kids. She has taken it well though and really wants to work on her skills in the off season. I am so glad that she has taken that attitude.

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Taking the Plunge

I was watching some videos on Monday that inspired me once again. I read "The 4-Hour Workweek" back in February and have been thinking about starting my own business ever since. Actually, I started thinking about my own business a long time ago but I really started to get more serious after reading that book. Ever since I saw the movie "Father of the Bride" I have wanted to own a small manufacturing company. I don't know why that movie inspired me, but it did.

I feel like I need to create something tangible. I love technology and know that is the future...and present...but I just need to create something that I can put my hands on. At least I feel like that is my ultimate goal. I have flip flopped a little bit though after what I saw on Monday. I feel like I just need to create a revenue stream as soon as possible. I am not going to take the complete plunge and quite my job. I will just get my toes wet and start a new source of income until I am ready to take the plunge.

I love the idea of reducing my things, but it is just not in the cards right now. The Queen and the girls are not ready to give up there things, even if it means that we can travel the world. They are so entrenched in American culture that they believe that they need things. Don't get me wrong, I have my things as well and am not completely ready to give them up. I think I am closer to that than they are though.

Besides leading a simpler life and not having bills to worry about and upkeep of cars and a home. It is more in line with the greener lifestyle I desire. It would be great to get our from under the weight of the world and just do whatever I want to do. If I want to go to Mexico for six months or a year, so be it. If I want to travel farther South from there and end up at the tip of South America I could do that to.

I could start the non-profit that I have been thinking about since reading the book. I could show my kids the world and not worry about anything else. That would be a great life, but we are not yet ready for that. I just need to take the first step and getting a second income coming in first. That is my three month goal. Even if it is just an extra five-hundred dollars a month. Every little bit helps.

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