So, this will be a quick update on a variety of topics. Fortunately, if you are not the type to read fast, you can take as much time as you need to get through this information or even come back later and read it again.
School is off and running for the fall semester. I'm taking the History and Literature of Ancient Israel for my first class. Well, I guess someone in marketing figured people would shun the class if they labeled it for what it is: A survey of the Old Testament. Whatever. It completes my history requirement and I thought it would be an interesting class... So far, so good.
Along with the beginning of the school year comes the beginning of the Scout year. This year I'm the registered trainer for our pack. I told them it was a mistake because I'm new to this so I'm assuming none of the leaders have done any training until they give me some sort of evidence. I'm making a database to track that and I've registered to follow the training feeds from our local council office.
Work is work. I'm making sure nobody falls off contract that doesn't want to, which is basically what I've been doing for the last 12 years. At least it's a job, right? Speaking of which...
My request to transfer to the FMCR (retire) has been submitted. I've scheduled my separations physical and I'm re-taking my transition classes next month. Once those classes are complete I'll start my VA disability claim and really start looking for a new job. (I've got a sleep apnea study scheduled for this weekend.) As long as I can continue going to school, using my GI Bill benefits, plus my retirement pay, plus some unemployment from the great state of OH, then we should be okay... at least in the short term for keeping house warm and lit and at least some food in the 'fridge. Actually, I'm sure we'll be fine. We're going to pare our cable WAY back and start using Netflix for our movies and rerun TV shows. If I don't have to drive 70 miles every day to commute then the car will last longer and so will each tank of gas. It'll work because...
Our church is in the middle of negotiations to purchase a foreclosed car dealership location. It comes with lots of parking, a great looking building, and about 5 times more square footage than what we cram ourselves into every weekend now. I already suggested that if I don't have a day job when my terminal leave starts in January and the church is in need of workers, I might spend my days helping paint, hammer, drill, wire, or whatever and continue school in the evenings.
So that's the low down on the "what's happenin" around here. Hope your weekend turns out well. If the weather's not too hot I may have to fire up some coals and make burgers or something... or even get some steaks. Now we're talkin'!
Thursday, August 25
Monday, August 15
Calm before the storm
I figure I should try to add an entry to my blog before the hectic-ness (is that a word) of the fall season gathers steam and rolls me over.
The kids started school last week. They have their first homework assignments this week. The Boy is already frustrated and he's only tried one day of 4th grade homework. This might be a very long year. His sister is doing fine with her assignments, but she's always been like that. Since we're on the topic of school, I have registered for the fall semester as well, but I don't start for a couple more weeks. For the first time in my college career I will be a full time student this semester. I've come close a couple of times, but stopped at 9 credits. This time I'm in for the full 12 units. It should be very interesting.
So, the academics are covered. Let's move onto sports. The kids are in soccer for the fall sports season. Even though they are in different age groups (and therefore, different teams) their practices are back to back, which is very convenient. Their games might be a different story, but we'll jump off that bridge when we get there. The kids are also in Scouts again this year. And someone who looks a LOT like me is one of the pack leaders and the Boy's den leader this year. There is a somewhat ulterior motive here. I'm hoping that the volunteer work will enhance my resume as I look for a new job.
Why am I looking for a new job? Well, after 20 years of faithful service, I'm transitioning out of the Marine Corps in February. Yes, it's a bit of a worry, but I think we'll be okay... I hope. By the time we add up my retirement check, the GI Bill payments that I'll be receiving, and this new job that I'm looking for, we should be fine... or at least solvent. I should be finishing my degree by Spring of 2013, but if I pick up the pace and go year-round maybe I can speed that up a bit. =)
So, anyway, that's how we start this year. Hope you all are doing well. I'll try to remember to get back into the groove of things sooner rather than later.
The kids started school last week. They have their first homework assignments this week. The Boy is already frustrated and he's only tried one day of 4th grade homework. This might be a very long year. His sister is doing fine with her assignments, but she's always been like that. Since we're on the topic of school, I have registered for the fall semester as well, but I don't start for a couple more weeks. For the first time in my college career I will be a full time student this semester. I've come close a couple of times, but stopped at 9 credits. This time I'm in for the full 12 units. It should be very interesting.
So, the academics are covered. Let's move onto sports. The kids are in soccer for the fall sports season. Even though they are in different age groups (and therefore, different teams) their practices are back to back, which is very convenient. Their games might be a different story, but we'll jump off that bridge when we get there. The kids are also in Scouts again this year. And someone who looks a LOT like me is one of the pack leaders and the Boy's den leader this year. There is a somewhat ulterior motive here. I'm hoping that the volunteer work will enhance my resume as I look for a new job.
Why am I looking for a new job? Well, after 20 years of faithful service, I'm transitioning out of the Marine Corps in February. Yes, it's a bit of a worry, but I think we'll be okay... I hope. By the time we add up my retirement check, the GI Bill payments that I'll be receiving, and this new job that I'm looking for, we should be fine... or at least solvent. I should be finishing my degree by Spring of 2013, but if I pick up the pace and go year-round maybe I can speed that up a bit. =)
So, anyway, that's how we start this year. Hope you all are doing well. I'll try to remember to get back into the groove of things sooner rather than later.
Wednesday, August 3
Last post was when?!?
Hey, everybody, if there's anyone out there reading this. I just logged in and noticed that my last post was way the heck back in January. Holy cow! So, what have you been up to? I'll give you (and myself) a little trip through my 2011 so far. Should we start in January? Sure... why not?
Hang on... let me go get my day planner...
Okay, now that I've actually read my last couple of posts and remember what I was talking about at that time, I can carry on more intelligently.
Let's start with family. The Boy finished his Bear Cub Scout year in scouts. Our den had grown large enough that the pack leadership decided to split the bear den into two groups. The two registered leaders each went with one of the dens. Our den chief went with the new den and I was asked to register as a new assistant den leader for our group. (We kept the original den number.) Don't get ahead of me here... Anyway, shortly after I did all of my new leader training our den leader got sent on a "temp" assignment to Oregon for work and asked if I could handle the den on my own. Since Marines are always able to improvise, adapt, and overcome, I said "sure" and was thusly promoted into the den leader's position. Long story less long: we (I) coordinated our pack's blue and gold banquet in February, helped my son build his pinewood derby car for March, and made sure that all of my Bear Cubs earned their rank achievements and were promoted to Webelos at the last pack meeting of the school year. In fact, here's a shot of me putting the Webelos neckerchief on my son...
He looks like he's been busted for something, but the truth is that I am very proud of him and I'm actually looking forward to leading him and his den through the Webelos scouting experience. I'm not sure how many of them will succeed in earning their Arrow of Light but as their den leader, I will do my best to encourage them (and their families) to do their best... and that's the cub scout motto anyway. =)
Okay, so on to sports. I ran a 5 mile race in January, but got lucky enough that the weather was at least clear if not warm, so I earned my t-shirt for the "Frosty's Frozen" for that one. I looked into the Marine Corps Marathon, but decided that with my pending retirement I should stay closer to home, so I registered for another shot at the Denver Rock-n-Roll marathon in October. I also completed the Flying Pig marathon in Cincinnati in May. Here's a shot of us crossing the bridge into Covington at the 1 mile mark. I'm actually in the middle of this picture, wearing my Denver t-shirt...
I thought I might be, based on the time (I started in a group about 10 minutes back) and I recognized the group of runners in the red, white, and blue jerseys so I took a closer look, and I'm right in the middle of the picture. Here's a better shot of me, taken by my sister, just before the end of the race... notice I'm still "running" here also!
I finished this race in 5:01:53, which killed my time in Denver, so now I have a new target... get through in less than 5 hours. However, I don't know if I'll be able to make that this next race because of some other medical issues.
I had surgery to repair my right shoulder (again) just last month. I went to the doctor because I had stopped making progress on my strength training so I asked for a follow up MRI to be done. The results came back that I have what is called a slap tear on my biceps tendon. I was referred to the orthopedics clinic at the Air Force Academy and they decided that surgery was in order. I went back in and they basically drilled my biceps tendon into the bone in my arm and the part that's supposed to wrap up and around my shoulder before looping under my armpit and attaching to the pectoral area has been removed. Say it with me... "OUCH!" So, I've been in a sling for the past month and I start physical therapy on Thursday. I'm going to ask them if I can run and I'm hoping that with my previous marathon experience I'll at least be able to finish the race in October. I still want to run the Marine Corps Marathon, but it'll have to just be on my bucket list for now.
Speaking of the Marine Corps... I was passed for selection for promotion again this spring. I wasn't really surprised, but it still hurt. So now I am in the position of having to request transfer to the Fleet Marine Corps Reserve. Translation: I'm retiring at the end of my 20 years. My ceremony will be with just the active support staff at work and I've asked to have it on the Thursday before the Christmas weekend. That way, most everyone will still be there and I had an excuse to have my folks and Jen's mom come out for my ceremony and stay for Christmas. I went to a job fair in San Diego during our vacation last week and didn't find anything. It was very small and mostly filled with college reps and military recruiters. Sorry.. already settled there. I attended retirement classes last summer, but I'm going to TAP classes again here next month as a refresher. I'll also be submitting my claim to the VA at that time, since I'm six months away from transition. Guess it's a good thing I'm in school right now.
Classes are going pretty well. Other than the one that I bombed (by not turning in the final paper on time) I'm pulling in decent grades. I figure by the time this next semester is over my GPA should be back over 3.0. I've been advised to add a psychology minor to my OMHR degree since I want to work with transitioning service members and I've submitted the official request to make that happen. I even ordered some business cards from VistaPrint with that information on there. Now comes the hard part of pretending to care about my current job while I look to the future and try to find my next job.
We just got back from a week and a half in San Diego for our vacation. It may be our last trip for a while as a family. We met up with a friend of ours who does photography and celebrated our 15th anniversary with a family photo shoot. We got some really great pictures, but I think this one sums it up the best...
So, that's a run down of the first half of my 2011. I know I said I was going to do this update thing weekly, but so far, it's more like "weakly" and I'll have to work on that. Take care!
Hang on... let me go get my day planner...
Okay, now that I've actually read my last couple of posts and remember what I was talking about at that time, I can carry on more intelligently.
Let's start with family. The Boy finished his Bear Cub Scout year in scouts. Our den had grown large enough that the pack leadership decided to split the bear den into two groups. The two registered leaders each went with one of the dens. Our den chief went with the new den and I was asked to register as a new assistant den leader for our group. (We kept the original den number.) Don't get ahead of me here... Anyway, shortly after I did all of my new leader training our den leader got sent on a "temp" assignment to Oregon for work and asked if I could handle the den on my own. Since Marines are always able to improvise, adapt, and overcome, I said "sure" and was thusly promoted into the den leader's position. Long story less long: we (I) coordinated our pack's blue and gold banquet in February, helped my son build his pinewood derby car for March, and made sure that all of my Bear Cubs earned their rank achievements and were promoted to Webelos at the last pack meeting of the school year. In fact, here's a shot of me putting the Webelos neckerchief on my son...
Okay, so on to sports. I ran a 5 mile race in January, but got lucky enough that the weather was at least clear if not warm, so I earned my t-shirt for the "Frosty's Frozen" for that one. I looked into the Marine Corps Marathon, but decided that with my pending retirement I should stay closer to home, so I registered for another shot at the Denver Rock-n-Roll marathon in October. I also completed the Flying Pig marathon in Cincinnati in May. Here's a shot of us crossing the bridge into Covington at the 1 mile mark. I'm actually in the middle of this picture, wearing my Denver t-shirt...
I thought I might be, based on the time (I started in a group about 10 minutes back) and I recognized the group of runners in the red, white, and blue jerseys so I took a closer look, and I'm right in the middle of the picture. Here's a better shot of me, taken by my sister, just before the end of the race... notice I'm still "running" here also!
I finished this race in 5:01:53, which killed my time in Denver, so now I have a new target... get through in less than 5 hours. However, I don't know if I'll be able to make that this next race because of some other medical issues.
I had surgery to repair my right shoulder (again) just last month. I went to the doctor because I had stopped making progress on my strength training so I asked for a follow up MRI to be done. The results came back that I have what is called a slap tear on my biceps tendon. I was referred to the orthopedics clinic at the Air Force Academy and they decided that surgery was in order. I went back in and they basically drilled my biceps tendon into the bone in my arm and the part that's supposed to wrap up and around my shoulder before looping under my armpit and attaching to the pectoral area has been removed. Say it with me... "OUCH!" So, I've been in a sling for the past month and I start physical therapy on Thursday. I'm going to ask them if I can run and I'm hoping that with my previous marathon experience I'll at least be able to finish the race in October. I still want to run the Marine Corps Marathon, but it'll have to just be on my bucket list for now.
Speaking of the Marine Corps... I was passed for selection for promotion again this spring. I wasn't really surprised, but it still hurt. So now I am in the position of having to request transfer to the Fleet Marine Corps Reserve. Translation: I'm retiring at the end of my 20 years. My ceremony will be with just the active support staff at work and I've asked to have it on the Thursday before the Christmas weekend. That way, most everyone will still be there and I had an excuse to have my folks and Jen's mom come out for my ceremony and stay for Christmas. I went to a job fair in San Diego during our vacation last week and didn't find anything. It was very small and mostly filled with college reps and military recruiters. Sorry.. already settled there. I attended retirement classes last summer, but I'm going to TAP classes again here next month as a refresher. I'll also be submitting my claim to the VA at that time, since I'm six months away from transition. Guess it's a good thing I'm in school right now.
Classes are going pretty well. Other than the one that I bombed (by not turning in the final paper on time) I'm pulling in decent grades. I figure by the time this next semester is over my GPA should be back over 3.0. I've been advised to add a psychology minor to my OMHR degree since I want to work with transitioning service members and I've submitted the official request to make that happen. I even ordered some business cards from VistaPrint with that information on there. Now comes the hard part of pretending to care about my current job while I look to the future and try to find my next job.
We just got back from a week and a half in San Diego for our vacation. It may be our last trip for a while as a family. We met up with a friend of ours who does photography and celebrated our 15th anniversary with a family photo shoot. We got some really great pictures, but I think this one sums it up the best...
So, that's a run down of the first half of my 2011. I know I said I was going to do this update thing weekly, but so far, it's more like "weakly" and I'll have to work on that. Take care!
Monday, January 10
Today is a snow day
I didn't post on Saturday for a very simple reason: I can't get onto Blogger while I'm logged onto my computer at work. Yep, I had to work this weekend. Why? Was I being punished? Did I have leftover work to make up? No and no... The unit I am currently attached to is a reserve unit. As a result, there are weekends throughout the year that I will be required to go in. In a way it's good because the squadron (as a whole) deployed a couple years ago, which means that as a whole unit, we're not going anywhere any time soon. It kind of sucks because that means I have to plan on missing church at least once a month. This cuts into my bass playing time and (more importantly) time with the family. Still, we have developed a mantra: At least I'm not deployed.
How was the first week of the new year? I managed to read about 1/2 of the book of Genesis... Not every day, but when I did read I was able to get through big chunks of it. I also managed to get my running shoes back on and start training for my next event. There's the Flying Pig marathon in Cincinnati in May, which I have set my sights on. I use Hal Higdon's training plan for beginner marathon runners. I missed week 1, but I ran most of week 2 (missed the weekend) and I'm starting week three of the training tomorrow.
(Why don't I go out today?)
Well, when you have to put on your snow boots just to take out the trash and recycling, it's not very conducive to running outside. I'm not worried about the temperature because I got a cool running shirt for Christmas which is supposed to go under one of my long sleeve running shirts, and I have a couple of running jackets. I found one at Old Navy for about $13 and the other is part of my Marine Corps Physical Training (PT) uniform but I'm allowed to wear it with civilian clothing. ("Every Marine is a recruiter.")
So my trunk would be warm enough. I also have a couple of nice fleece hats to keep my head warm. My legs might start off a little chilly because I have a pair of warm up-type pants, but I don't have any base layer clothes for my legs... Not that I'm looking for any, but if I get serious about year-round running (and we stay here after I retire) then I might need a pair or two. The biggest hinderance to me running outside right now is shoes. I know they make shoes designed to be worn while you run in the ths snow, but I don't have any. Besides, we do have a treadmill downstairs, so I can still do a few miles regardless of the weather. Anyway, the plan this year is to run the Flying Pig and then run the Marine Corps Marathon in October. That would be just before the annual birthday ball, and one of my last big shots before I hit 20 years of service next February.
Wow... 20 years? Yep. I first stepped on the infamous yellow footprints of Perris Island almost 19 years ago. I have one more full year before I am eligible to retire. Hopefully I'll still have a retirement plan that allows me to make my house payment and provides for medical coverage for service related issues... like my thyroid and the drugs used to treat it.
What am I going to do when I leave the service? I'm not 100% sure yet. Right now I'm going to school (well, classes start next week) and pursuing a degree in Human Resource management. Why? Well, I enjoy working with people and I've been doing HR for the last 10 years or so anyway. I also looked at the Denver area and this wouldn't be a bad place to live. We're about 1/2 way between our parents... close enough to drive (day and a 1/2) or fly (about 2 hours). We're in a good neighborhood in a great school district... Denver is a great town for sports (both of my favorite baseball teams come to visit) and this area is a growing center for business as companies flee the lunacy of CA for somewhat more sane states and end up in CO. Take all that together and this could be a great place to be in HR for the foreseeable future.
The kids are off school today thanks to the first serious snow storm of the year. It's snowed about 6-8 inches in the last day or so and the streets are too slick for the buses (and teachers) to get to school. That's cool because the kids can go play in the snow all day. That's bad because I was planning to take down our Christmas lights today. Oh well. Perhaps I'll help them build a snowman or something. I also need to order my books for school and I've been given a couple of tasks for Blue & Gold for next month.
Wait, what's "Blue & Gold" you may ask. Well, every February, Cub Scouts all over America celebrate the anniversary of cub scouting with a festive occasion. I guess it's sort of like the cub scout version of the Marine Corps birthday ball, but without the swords. Anyway, in our pack the tradition is for the bear dens to put together the Blue & Gold. Since the Boy is a bear this year and I'm one of his den leaders, it falls on us to put stuff together. I suggested we call this year's theme "The Magic of Boyscouting" and the others went with it. Anyway, I've been asked to design the invitation/RSVP form for the other members of the pack to let us know how many people will attend. Sounds easy, right? Let's hope so. I'll probably work on it this afternoon.
First though, I have a kitchen to clean up and a few more Christmas items to put away. Turning the basement into a suitable play area is also on the "to-do" list so I may work on that as well today.
What do you have planned for today? Hope you have a great week and if you get snow, I hope it's not too disruptive.
Saturday, January 1
New Year... New Beginnings
Happy New Year!
One of my resolutions is to return to the blog-o-sphere as a way of recording my observations on a variety of topics. I will most likely incorporate elements of all of my blogs into this one, so if you've been (not) tracking me on "The Right Track" you can officially stop. Speaking of fitness and stuff, I would like to start 2011 by recounting some of my achievements for 2010. On the fitness track, I signed up, trained for, and then completed the Denver Rock-n-Roll marathon last October. It was on the Boy's birthday, to be precise. I (mostly) ran through neighborhoods in and around downtown Denver, and completed the 26.2 miles in 5 hrs and 21 min. Since this was my first marathon, it is also my personal best time to date. :-) I have my sights set on the Marine Corps marathon this coming October. Now that I know I can complete the distance, I plan to take the training more seriously so I can actually run the whole distance. (I had to walk for about 3 miles.) While we were visiting my family in Cincinnati for Christmas I happened to look through the January issue of Runner's World and looked at the article of the 10 best marathons for beginners. Lo and behold, there's a race in Cincinnati that was highly recommended. It's in May. I was hoping to run the San Diego Rock-n-Roll this June but because of the drill schedule for work, it is doubtful I'd be able to get the time off. However, running a race in and around my home town with my folks waiting at the finish line (they said they'd be there) could be very exciting. After all, 2011 is 20 years after I graduated high school and I might post this as a challenge for my classmates to make the race event a mini-reunion before the main one currently scheduled for October. I have at least one classmate, who currently lives in Chicago, who might run it with me. My sister also knows a couple of people at her work who have expressed interest in running the Marine Corps marathon. I may toss out the idea of "I'll run the MCM with you, if you run the Flying Pig marathon (Cincinnati's race) with me" and see how that goes.
So, Yes, we went back to Cincinnati to visit my parents and sister for Christmas this year. We went to San Diego for Thanksgiving, continuing a tradition of having dinner with my MIL's friends in Moreno Valley. That was a good visit, but I'm very glad we decided to fly. Even with the new TSA security measures in place we had a pretty smooth trip. None of us got selected for any additional screening and we all went through the normal metal detectors. We saved a LOT of money by expanding our travel window. We left on the Tuesday before and stayed until the Monday after the big day. The kids ended up missing a total of three days at school, but they made up the work when we got back. Anyway, back to the Cincinnati trip. The kids' winter school break started the Friday before Christmas so we took advantage and hit the road. We had a pack meeting on Thursday evening and then we left. We DROVE from our home to St. Louis on Friday. Yes, that's a long day, but we had clear weather and the truck performed beautifully. We finished the trip on Saturday with an relatively easy 6 hrs in the car to get to my sister's house. She was gracious enough to loan us her place for the week we were in town. (She stayed with our parents.) We had a good visit and got a chance to see some friends from my youth as well as see some of the sights around town. I would say the highlight of our trip was going to see my aunt and uncle in Kentucky. My cousin and her family came up from Tennessee and our kids all met for the first time. They had a blast and we had a great day of family... which is what the holidays are about, right? I mean, aside from the obvious Christian implications of Christmas. :-)
Speaking of going home, my wife went back to San Diego four times last year. I sent her back to the surf and sand for her birthday in April. She really needed to go back because the snow and cold were driving her crazy. So, she went home for a week. I took some leave so I could take care of the kids while she was gone and everyone seemed refreshed when she returned. Last winter was apparently worse than normal for this area.
(Wait, I thought they live in San Diego! Where are they now?)
Good question. The answer is that we moved to the Denver area in August, 2009. We moved in compliance with Permanent Change of Station orders and I now work with a reserve unit based in Aurora, CO, which is just East of downtown Denver. We looked all over for a home and ended up buying a place in Douglas county, mostly because of the schools. The kids have responded quite well. The Boy was struggling with reading in San Diego but now he actually enjoys it. In fact, his biggest reactions to Christmas gifts were when he opened presents and found new books.
Getting back to the travels of my wife... She went home for her birthday, then we all went to San Diego for a couple of weeks so I could attend pre-retirement classes at the Miramar air station. We drove that trip, but it's not tough during the summer months. We took two weeks. I spent the first week in classes and the family spent time with Grandma and then the second week we moved into a cabin on the recreational beach at Camp Pendleton for a week. It was a good time. We hosted what we called "open fire night" during that 2nd week. We invited anyone who wanted to, to come by and say "hi" since we wouldn't be able to travel around and see everyone separately. There was a decent turnout and we had a great time. Grandpa Len came down and we got to spend several hours with him and Uncle Bob and Aunt Ruthie. That was a great afternoon. Little did we know it would be our last visit with Grandpa Len. He passed suddenly a couple months later. That prompted my wife's third visit home. She went back for a quick trip to represent us at the funeral. It was a sad occasion but a good visit. Why does it always seem to be tragedy that brings people together?
Anyway, yes, I have entered what will probably be my last year in the Marine Corps. I have not been able to get promoted past E-6 and I fear this will force me to transfer to the FMCR at the end of 20 years. However, I did have a gap in my fitness report record and that has been corrected. Also, my current commander seems to like me so I hope that will reflect in this year's annual review. With just a bit of luck, I'll get selected for promotion on my last shot at the promotion board. If that happens, I'd be able to stay on active duty until I reach 22 years of service. That would be good because I'd be able to finish my bachelor's degree before I get out and then use my GI Bill benefits for a master's degree. So, on the subject of school: I am currently attending Colorado Christian University in the evenings. They have a program for working adults where classes meet once a week for only 5 weeks. At that pace, I can still take 3 classes per semester. I am pursuing a degree in Human Resource management, which is similar to what I do now. Besides, I've looked at Denver and the area is growing and almost every company out there needs a HR manager in some capacity. So, if you are in a position where you need a new member for your HR team and you are interested in hiring a veteran with over 10 years of HR experience, I'm your man. :-)
So, that's a review of 2010. What do I hope to accomplish in 2011? I'm registered for 3 classes for the spring semester. I'm looking at possibly running three races in 2011. We'll be looking at making a HUGE transition to the civilian sector after a 20 year career in the USMC... And I'm sure there are other things that will crop up.
Lastly, I've started reading my bible again. It's January, so I'm taking another shot at reading God's Word all year and hope to make it all the way through. I read off-and-on last year and kind of hopped around to whatever book sounded good at the time. I've never read the whole thing start to finish and I want to correct that this year. I read Genesis 1-5 this morning, covering creation and setting the stage for the story of Noah, which begins in chapter 6. I believe that if I average 3 chapters a day I'll finish by December 31st. Since I have to anticipate that there will be days when I won't read 3, I'll read more when I can.
Anyway, I guess that's about for now. Hope your holidays were good to you. Hope you have a good new year. I'm looking forward to football all day today and getting Christmas stuff cleaned up to start the year with a truly fresh slate. I'll try to update this at least once a week with observations and plans for the following week. Saturdays will probably be the best day for me to do that. In the mean time, I'll be posting shots on Facebook, which is where I'll try to keep my political rantings. ;-)
Happy New Year!
One of my resolutions is to return to the blog-o-sphere as a way of recording my observations on a variety of topics. I will most likely incorporate elements of all of my blogs into this one, so if you've been (not) tracking me on "The Right Track" you can officially stop. Speaking of fitness and stuff, I would like to start 2011 by recounting some of my achievements for 2010. On the fitness track, I signed up, trained for, and then completed the Denver Rock-n-Roll marathon last October. It was on the Boy's birthday, to be precise. I (mostly) ran through neighborhoods in and around downtown Denver, and completed the 26.2 miles in 5 hrs and 21 min. Since this was my first marathon, it is also my personal best time to date. :-) I have my sights set on the Marine Corps marathon this coming October. Now that I know I can complete the distance, I plan to take the training more seriously so I can actually run the whole distance. (I had to walk for about 3 miles.) While we were visiting my family in Cincinnati for Christmas I happened to look through the January issue of Runner's World and looked at the article of the 10 best marathons for beginners. Lo and behold, there's a race in Cincinnati that was highly recommended. It's in May. I was hoping to run the San Diego Rock-n-Roll this June but because of the drill schedule for work, it is doubtful I'd be able to get the time off. However, running a race in and around my home town with my folks waiting at the finish line (they said they'd be there) could be very exciting. After all, 2011 is 20 years after I graduated high school and I might post this as a challenge for my classmates to make the race event a mini-reunion before the main one currently scheduled for October. I have at least one classmate, who currently lives in Chicago, who might run it with me. My sister also knows a couple of people at her work who have expressed interest in running the Marine Corps marathon. I may toss out the idea of "I'll run the MCM with you, if you run the Flying Pig marathon (Cincinnati's race) with me" and see how that goes.
So, Yes, we went back to Cincinnati to visit my parents and sister for Christmas this year. We went to San Diego for Thanksgiving, continuing a tradition of having dinner with my MIL's friends in Moreno Valley. That was a good visit, but I'm very glad we decided to fly. Even with the new TSA security measures in place we had a pretty smooth trip. None of us got selected for any additional screening and we all went through the normal metal detectors. We saved a LOT of money by expanding our travel window. We left on the Tuesday before and stayed until the Monday after the big day. The kids ended up missing a total of three days at school, but they made up the work when we got back. Anyway, back to the Cincinnati trip. The kids' winter school break started the Friday before Christmas so we took advantage and hit the road. We had a pack meeting on Thursday evening and then we left. We DROVE from our home to St. Louis on Friday. Yes, that's a long day, but we had clear weather and the truck performed beautifully. We finished the trip on Saturday with an relatively easy 6 hrs in the car to get to my sister's house. She was gracious enough to loan us her place for the week we were in town. (She stayed with our parents.) We had a good visit and got a chance to see some friends from my youth as well as see some of the sights around town. I would say the highlight of our trip was going to see my aunt and uncle in Kentucky. My cousin and her family came up from Tennessee and our kids all met for the first time. They had a blast and we had a great day of family... which is what the holidays are about, right? I mean, aside from the obvious Christian implications of Christmas. :-)
Speaking of going home, my wife went back to San Diego four times last year. I sent her back to the surf and sand for her birthday in April. She really needed to go back because the snow and cold were driving her crazy. So, she went home for a week. I took some leave so I could take care of the kids while she was gone and everyone seemed refreshed when she returned. Last winter was apparently worse than normal for this area.
(Wait, I thought they live in San Diego! Where are they now?)
Good question. The answer is that we moved to the Denver area in August, 2009. We moved in compliance with Permanent Change of Station orders and I now work with a reserve unit based in Aurora, CO, which is just East of downtown Denver. We looked all over for a home and ended up buying a place in Douglas county, mostly because of the schools. The kids have responded quite well. The Boy was struggling with reading in San Diego but now he actually enjoys it. In fact, his biggest reactions to Christmas gifts were when he opened presents and found new books.
Getting back to the travels of my wife... She went home for her birthday, then we all went to San Diego for a couple of weeks so I could attend pre-retirement classes at the Miramar air station. We drove that trip, but it's not tough during the summer months. We took two weeks. I spent the first week in classes and the family spent time with Grandma and then the second week we moved into a cabin on the recreational beach at Camp Pendleton for a week. It was a good time. We hosted what we called "open fire night" during that 2nd week. We invited anyone who wanted to, to come by and say "hi" since we wouldn't be able to travel around and see everyone separately. There was a decent turnout and we had a great time. Grandpa Len came down and we got to spend several hours with him and Uncle Bob and Aunt Ruthie. That was a great afternoon. Little did we know it would be our last visit with Grandpa Len. He passed suddenly a couple months later. That prompted my wife's third visit home. She went back for a quick trip to represent us at the funeral. It was a sad occasion but a good visit. Why does it always seem to be tragedy that brings people together?
Anyway, yes, I have entered what will probably be my last year in the Marine Corps. I have not been able to get promoted past E-6 and I fear this will force me to transfer to the FMCR at the end of 20 years. However, I did have a gap in my fitness report record and that has been corrected. Also, my current commander seems to like me so I hope that will reflect in this year's annual review. With just a bit of luck, I'll get selected for promotion on my last shot at the promotion board. If that happens, I'd be able to stay on active duty until I reach 22 years of service. That would be good because I'd be able to finish my bachelor's degree before I get out and then use my GI Bill benefits for a master's degree. So, on the subject of school: I am currently attending Colorado Christian University in the evenings. They have a program for working adults where classes meet once a week for only 5 weeks. At that pace, I can still take 3 classes per semester. I am pursuing a degree in Human Resource management, which is similar to what I do now. Besides, I've looked at Denver and the area is growing and almost every company out there needs a HR manager in some capacity. So, if you are in a position where you need a new member for your HR team and you are interested in hiring a veteran with over 10 years of HR experience, I'm your man. :-)
So, that's a review of 2010. What do I hope to accomplish in 2011? I'm registered for 3 classes for the spring semester. I'm looking at possibly running three races in 2011. We'll be looking at making a HUGE transition to the civilian sector after a 20 year career in the USMC... And I'm sure there are other things that will crop up.
Lastly, I've started reading my bible again. It's January, so I'm taking another shot at reading God's Word all year and hope to make it all the way through. I read off-and-on last year and kind of hopped around to whatever book sounded good at the time. I've never read the whole thing start to finish and I want to correct that this year. I read Genesis 1-5 this morning, covering creation and setting the stage for the story of Noah, which begins in chapter 6. I believe that if I average 3 chapters a day I'll finish by December 31st. Since I have to anticipate that there will be days when I won't read 3, I'll read more when I can.
Anyway, I guess that's about for now. Hope your holidays were good to you. Hope you have a good new year. I'm looking forward to football all day today and getting Christmas stuff cleaned up to start the year with a truly fresh slate. I'll try to update this at least once a week with observations and plans for the following week. Saturdays will probably be the best day for me to do that. In the mean time, I'll be posting shots on Facebook, which is where I'll try to keep my political rantings. ;-)
Happy New Year!
Sunday, April 4
Happy Easter!
Yes, it's been quite a while since I last posted a blog entry, but I can explain...
Okay, I don't really have an excuse. I have been busy writing... Just not in this format. I've been trying to keep tabs on all the ways the federal government has been destroying our nation from within. I tend to post articles and a comment or two on my Facebook page. I've also been taking college classes which have taken time away from the ranting and raving I do here in the blog-o-world. So that's why I haven't posted a new entry since the beginning of the year.
So, how have you been? I'm doing pretty well here. Let's play some catch-up for a few minutes. Where to begin?
Like I said, I'm back in school, much to the delight of my mother and the relief of my wife. I've passed the magic 18 year mark in my Marine Corps career which means I'm down to the last two years of my time in uniform. While it's a bit of a relief to know that I've reached sanctuary, which means I will be allowed to retire at this point, it's also a bit of a jolt. I'm less than two years from being forced to face the cold reality that there are millions of people out of work and millions more working in jobs that are lower than their level of education and experience would qualify them for. So, what am I going to do? I'm studying HR Management at Colorado Christian University. I am using the tuition assistance program offered by the Marines to save my G.I. Bill benefits until after I retire. So far it seems to be going well. I did very well in my introductory class and I think I'm doing well in my current class, ENG 104: research writing. I'm hoping to at least be a senior by the time I finish my stint in the Corps, if I have not graduated by then. After that, we'll see where God takes us. Of course, Jen would like to go back to San Diego as soon as possible. If that is His path for us then I would be more than happy to follow it. If he leads us elsewhere or leaves us here then I hope and pray that we would willingly follow that direction as well.
What else? Oh! I have a thyroid condition. You may recall that I had surgery on my rotator cuff back in September. I had been taking it easy and eating too much fast food over the summer. As a result, I tipped the scales at 228 late last year. That's 20 pounds more than my maximum weight, according to the Marine Corps' standards. Well, as part of the paperwork process I am required to have a blood test to make sure there is no underlying medical condition that would cause me to gain weight. The results came back and it turns out that I have a case of hypothyroidism. I told my mom and she remarked that my father and sister have been taking medicine for that for years. Would've been helpful information a few months ago, but it's still helpful now. So maybe I was destined to come down with this, but since it happened while on active duty this will be another service related medical condition. Who knows? I may end up with enough stuff wrong with me to qualify for compensation in addition to treatment for the rest of my life. It's crazy though. I'm not sure how I feel about being qualified for lifetime "free" health care from the federal government, but on the other hand, it's Uncle Sam taking care of his wounded warriors. It's a dilemna for sure. Anyway, I've been taking a synthetic thyroid medicine and watching what I eat, plus I'm exercising more. As of last week I was down to 214. I'm hoping/trying to get back to an even 200 by our anniversary. We'll see how that goes.
Completely changing the subject: I introduced the kids to the original Star Wars trilogy over the last few weeks. We got a Wii system for Christmas and everyone got a game for themselves. I got Lego Star Wars: the Complete Trilogy as "my" game. I've played it a lot and really enjoy it. It's rated for payers age 10 and up because there's some tricky problem solving and creative battle strategies involved. ANYWAY, I let the kids play it and they had no clue what the whole story was all about. Well, we do a movie night every Friday where the kids take turns picking out a movie and then we all watch with popcorn and what-not. I'd grown tired of watching "Lady and the Tramp" or any of the other Disney movies we have, so I suggested we watch "Star Wars" and they totally went for it. I now feel like my responsibilty to the next generation has been completed. If/When we get the new trilogy, we'll probably watch it as well, but it was the original story line that needed to be experienced.
We've been going to Southeast Christian Church pretty much since we moved here, but we're not members yet. Why not? Well, we're not 100% sure this is where we're supposed to be. Don't get me wrong, we haven't found anything wrong with their teaching and the kids seem to have a good time whenever we go, but it just doesn't feel like "home" for us. We're going to check out a few more churches around the area to see if there's a better fit. Hopefully we figure that out sooner rather than later. Unless we find a church that just screams, "THIS IS IT!" We'll probably stay at Southeast. It would be nice to find a place to serve again.
The kids' school is currently on a year-round schedule but they're converting back to a more traditional schedule for next year. Unfortunately, that means they'll only have about seven or eight weeks for summer break this year. I've already signed up for retirement classes back at Miramar in late July, but we'd also like to try to get to Cincinnati this summer since we haven't been back for a few years. Add our reserve unit's annual drill period in June and we've got a busy summer schedule ahead. It may turn out to be easier if I just take the summer off from school and hit it full force in the fall, but I'd prefer to have classes going at all time. We'll see how that works out and I'll try to keep you posted.
Well, I guess that's about it for now. Hope everyone had a good winter. (Did you know it snows up here?) Our spring was a long time coming, but I think it may be here to stay.
Let's go, Reds!
Let's go, Padres!
Play ball!
Okay, I don't really have an excuse. I have been busy writing... Just not in this format. I've been trying to keep tabs on all the ways the federal government has been destroying our nation from within. I tend to post articles and a comment or two on my Facebook page. I've also been taking college classes which have taken time away from the ranting and raving I do here in the blog-o-world. So that's why I haven't posted a new entry since the beginning of the year.
So, how have you been? I'm doing pretty well here. Let's play some catch-up for a few minutes. Where to begin?
Like I said, I'm back in school, much to the delight of my mother and the relief of my wife. I've passed the magic 18 year mark in my Marine Corps career which means I'm down to the last two years of my time in uniform. While it's a bit of a relief to know that I've reached sanctuary, which means I will be allowed to retire at this point, it's also a bit of a jolt. I'm less than two years from being forced to face the cold reality that there are millions of people out of work and millions more working in jobs that are lower than their level of education and experience would qualify them for. So, what am I going to do? I'm studying HR Management at Colorado Christian University. I am using the tuition assistance program offered by the Marines to save my G.I. Bill benefits until after I retire. So far it seems to be going well. I did very well in my introductory class and I think I'm doing well in my current class, ENG 104: research writing. I'm hoping to at least be a senior by the time I finish my stint in the Corps, if I have not graduated by then. After that, we'll see where God takes us. Of course, Jen would like to go back to San Diego as soon as possible. If that is His path for us then I would be more than happy to follow it. If he leads us elsewhere or leaves us here then I hope and pray that we would willingly follow that direction as well.
What else? Oh! I have a thyroid condition. You may recall that I had surgery on my rotator cuff back in September. I had been taking it easy and eating too much fast food over the summer. As a result, I tipped the scales at 228 late last year. That's 20 pounds more than my maximum weight, according to the Marine Corps' standards. Well, as part of the paperwork process I am required to have a blood test to make sure there is no underlying medical condition that would cause me to gain weight. The results came back and it turns out that I have a case of hypothyroidism. I told my mom and she remarked that my father and sister have been taking medicine for that for years. Would've been helpful information a few months ago, but it's still helpful now. So maybe I was destined to come down with this, but since it happened while on active duty this will be another service related medical condition. Who knows? I may end up with enough stuff wrong with me to qualify for compensation in addition to treatment for the rest of my life. It's crazy though. I'm not sure how I feel about being qualified for lifetime "free" health care from the federal government, but on the other hand, it's Uncle Sam taking care of his wounded warriors. It's a dilemna for sure. Anyway, I've been taking a synthetic thyroid medicine and watching what I eat, plus I'm exercising more. As of last week I was down to 214. I'm hoping/trying to get back to an even 200 by our anniversary. We'll see how that goes.
Completely changing the subject: I introduced the kids to the original Star Wars trilogy over the last few weeks. We got a Wii system for Christmas and everyone got a game for themselves. I got Lego Star Wars: the Complete Trilogy as "my" game. I've played it a lot and really enjoy it. It's rated for payers age 10 and up because there's some tricky problem solving and creative battle strategies involved. ANYWAY, I let the kids play it and they had no clue what the whole story was all about. Well, we do a movie night every Friday where the kids take turns picking out a movie and then we all watch with popcorn and what-not. I'd grown tired of watching "Lady and the Tramp" or any of the other Disney movies we have, so I suggested we watch "Star Wars" and they totally went for it. I now feel like my responsibilty to the next generation has been completed. If/When we get the new trilogy, we'll probably watch it as well, but it was the original story line that needed to be experienced.
We've been going to Southeast Christian Church pretty much since we moved here, but we're not members yet. Why not? Well, we're not 100% sure this is where we're supposed to be. Don't get me wrong, we haven't found anything wrong with their teaching and the kids seem to have a good time whenever we go, but it just doesn't feel like "home" for us. We're going to check out a few more churches around the area to see if there's a better fit. Hopefully we figure that out sooner rather than later. Unless we find a church that just screams, "THIS IS IT!" We'll probably stay at Southeast. It would be nice to find a place to serve again.
The kids' school is currently on a year-round schedule but they're converting back to a more traditional schedule for next year. Unfortunately, that means they'll only have about seven or eight weeks for summer break this year. I've already signed up for retirement classes back at Miramar in late July, but we'd also like to try to get to Cincinnati this summer since we haven't been back for a few years. Add our reserve unit's annual drill period in June and we've got a busy summer schedule ahead. It may turn out to be easier if I just take the summer off from school and hit it full force in the fall, but I'd prefer to have classes going at all time. We'll see how that works out and I'll try to keep you posted.
Well, I guess that's about it for now. Hope everyone had a good winter. (Did you know it snows up here?) Our spring was a long time coming, but I think it may be here to stay.
Let's go, Reds!
Let's go, Padres!
Play ball!
Wednesday, January 6
Seriously?
I haven't posted since before Thanksgiving? Seriously? Well, okay then. Time to change that.
Hope your holidays went well. We drove the truck all the way back to San Diego to spend Thanksgiving with Jen's mom. Her 2 BR apartment is definitely not the ideal place to add a family of four, but she graciously gave up her room and we made it work. After about 20 minutes of driving on our way out of town, I was already glad we had decided to take the Ford. Four words: D... V... D... Player... Anyway, the truck did just fine all the way down and all the way back. We had a good visit and a wonderful Thanksgiving with our friends in Moreno Valley. I've put more time and effort (and money) into that SUV in recent months than I care to recall. Shortly after we got here we got new tires (scheduled and budgeted for) then we needed a new brake booster and yet another new alternator... I've learned a lot about working on cars in the last couple of months. Still, I don't have enough to be able to figure out what's really wrong with it so I took it back to the dealer. I pointed out that the alternator in the vehicle came from their parts shop (replacing one from Autozone that had been in there for less than a month) so I was sure that wasn't the problem. They called back later that day and told me I need a new PCM. That's the computer that controls the cruise control and handles most of the diagnostics for the vehicle. How do I know? Because it's the same thing that went wrong on my Saturn just before we left San Diego back in July. Seriously? What are the odds?
Anyway, on to Christmas break. This time we were the hosts. Jen's mom came to visit the week of Christmas and just after she got here it snowed... Nothing majorly dramatic but enough to give a nice coat of white on the world for the holiday. My parents and sister arrived from Ohio on the 26th. We were able to consolidate the kids for my MIL to stay with us, but we just didn't have the space for all three of my family so they got a hotel in nearby Castle Rock. We went around town during the week between Christmas and New Year's and took in the seasonal sights. It stayed cold enough to keep the snow around, but the weather was clear throughout their visit. They went home on the 2nd of January and we've been in recovery mode since then. It's like we had to get back into a routine just to recover from the "break" for the holidays. At least I was able to take leave so that was nice.
Today it's snowed for most of the day. The temperatures have actually fallen for most of the day. Seriously? A high temp in the teens? That's just not right.
So now that we're all caught up, let's talk about the new year. I've started reading my Bible again and since we're not planning to move this summer I'm very hopeful that I'll be able to keep going this year. I've also started exercising again. I've already run 6 miles this year... Granted, that's not much, but if you consider that I had rotator cuff surgery just back in September then I think I'm doing okay. The down side to having surgery shortly after coming off leave? I'm overweight. Seriously? Yep. I'm currently at 216 and I'm only allowed to be 208. When I was weighed in early November I was at 228. So it's 20 pounds and that led to a lipid test to check to see if I had a medical reason for being overweight (other than my shoulder) and that's when I found that I have a thyroid condition. Seriously? Yes, I have a mild case of hypo-thyroid-ism... That means that my thyroid is not producing as much of whatever chemical it makes as it used to so I've been put on pills and I have a follow up in a couple of weeks. The kicker? When I told my mom about this she said that my dad and sister have been on thyroid medication for "years." Seriously? I probably should've been told about this sooner rather than later, Mom. (love you!)
Anyway, I'll be using this blog and my facebook account to keep tabs on my fitness goals. I figured out that running 3 miles a day, 3 days a week, and taking 2 weeks off for vacation or illness would total 450 miles. Since I want to run a marathon, I have to assume that I'll be running more than that so I've place my goal at 500 miles for the year. Obviously I need to lose about 10 pounds as well, but I'm going to up that to 20 and see if I can get under 200 by the end of the year. If I make my running goal then the weight goal should be almost easy. We'll see what happens. Oh, I'll have to work all of that around my new schedule. I'll be taking classes at Colorado Christian University starting later this month. I'm hoping/planning to get back into the groove of taking classes sooner rather than later. If I can get done with a degree before I retire then great. If not, then there's a possibility that I could apply for a musical scholarship to supplement my retirement pay and GI Bill benefits... Assuming the federal gov't doesn't decide to tax the GI Bill to pay for education for illegal aliens or some crap like that. Sorry, did I say that out loud? I "Hope" I didn't give anyone any ideas on how to "Change" one of the biggest benefits I'm looking forward to when I retire.
So, that's how my 2009 ended and that's what I'm looking forward to in 2010. How's everything in your neck of the woods?
Hope your holidays went well. We drove the truck all the way back to San Diego to spend Thanksgiving with Jen's mom. Her 2 BR apartment is definitely not the ideal place to add a family of four, but she graciously gave up her room and we made it work. After about 20 minutes of driving on our way out of town, I was already glad we had decided to take the Ford. Four words: D... V... D... Player... Anyway, the truck did just fine all the way down and all the way back. We had a good visit and a wonderful Thanksgiving with our friends in Moreno Valley. I've put more time and effort (and money) into that SUV in recent months than I care to recall. Shortly after we got here we got new tires (scheduled and budgeted for) then we needed a new brake booster and yet another new alternator... I've learned a lot about working on cars in the last couple of months. Still, I don't have enough to be able to figure out what's really wrong with it so I took it back to the dealer. I pointed out that the alternator in the vehicle came from their parts shop (replacing one from Autozone that had been in there for less than a month) so I was sure that wasn't the problem. They called back later that day and told me I need a new PCM. That's the computer that controls the cruise control and handles most of the diagnostics for the vehicle. How do I know? Because it's the same thing that went wrong on my Saturn just before we left San Diego back in July. Seriously? What are the odds?
Anyway, on to Christmas break. This time we were the hosts. Jen's mom came to visit the week of Christmas and just after she got here it snowed... Nothing majorly dramatic but enough to give a nice coat of white on the world for the holiday. My parents and sister arrived from Ohio on the 26th. We were able to consolidate the kids for my MIL to stay with us, but we just didn't have the space for all three of my family so they got a hotel in nearby Castle Rock. We went around town during the week between Christmas and New Year's and took in the seasonal sights. It stayed cold enough to keep the snow around, but the weather was clear throughout their visit. They went home on the 2nd of January and we've been in recovery mode since then. It's like we had to get back into a routine just to recover from the "break" for the holidays. At least I was able to take leave so that was nice.
Today it's snowed for most of the day. The temperatures have actually fallen for most of the day. Seriously? A high temp in the teens? That's just not right.
So now that we're all caught up, let's talk about the new year. I've started reading my Bible again and since we're not planning to move this summer I'm very hopeful that I'll be able to keep going this year. I've also started exercising again. I've already run 6 miles this year... Granted, that's not much, but if you consider that I had rotator cuff surgery just back in September then I think I'm doing okay. The down side to having surgery shortly after coming off leave? I'm overweight. Seriously? Yep. I'm currently at 216 and I'm only allowed to be 208. When I was weighed in early November I was at 228. So it's 20 pounds and that led to a lipid test to check to see if I had a medical reason for being overweight (other than my shoulder) and that's when I found that I have a thyroid condition. Seriously? Yes, I have a mild case of hypo-thyroid-ism... That means that my thyroid is not producing as much of whatever chemical it makes as it used to so I've been put on pills and I have a follow up in a couple of weeks. The kicker? When I told my mom about this she said that my dad and sister have been on thyroid medication for "years." Seriously? I probably should've been told about this sooner rather than later, Mom. (love you!)
Anyway, I'll be using this blog and my facebook account to keep tabs on my fitness goals. I figured out that running 3 miles a day, 3 days a week, and taking 2 weeks off for vacation or illness would total 450 miles. Since I want to run a marathon, I have to assume that I'll be running more than that so I've place my goal at 500 miles for the year. Obviously I need to lose about 10 pounds as well, but I'm going to up that to 20 and see if I can get under 200 by the end of the year. If I make my running goal then the weight goal should be almost easy. We'll see what happens. Oh, I'll have to work all of that around my new schedule. I'll be taking classes at Colorado Christian University starting later this month. I'm hoping/planning to get back into the groove of taking classes sooner rather than later. If I can get done with a degree before I retire then great. If not, then there's a possibility that I could apply for a musical scholarship to supplement my retirement pay and GI Bill benefits... Assuming the federal gov't doesn't decide to tax the GI Bill to pay for education for illegal aliens or some crap like that. Sorry, did I say that out loud? I "Hope" I didn't give anyone any ideas on how to "Change" one of the biggest benefits I'm looking forward to when I retire.
So, that's how my 2009 ended and that's what I'm looking forward to in 2010. How's everything in your neck of the woods?
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