Speed

I don't really speed much anymore. I did a lot when I was younger and frankly now that I am older can see a lot of things that I did that were pretty stupid. I think that most people feel that way as they get older.

I was thinking the other day that I don't see a lot of people using radar detectors anymore. Personally, I never owned one, but they were all the rage back in the day. I wonder why that has changed? Are people driving more safely or do they have some other reason for not wanting to use these devices.

I know that in some states they aren't legal which I'm sure has some effect. Perhaps I'm totally off base and they are just as much in use today as they were in the past but it just seems like I don't see them as often anymore.

Uncomfortable Commercials

Thank goodness for DVR. I'm so glad that I rarely have to watch commercials anymore. Sure I am missing out on the funny ones from time to time but that is what youtube is for. The nice thing, now that I have kids is that I don't have to accidentally expose them to things they aren't ready to see. For instance, commercials about erectile disfunction, male enhancement, or any of the other topics that are best left for a one on one discussion when they are much older. DVR allows me to skip whatever might be between the breaks of the shows we watch so I can better choose what I expose them to.

Software

Software is becoming a very specialized profession. It is getting to the point, and probably already there, where it is really not possible to know enough about every type of skill.

Web software, application software, mobile software, directory submission software, and many more. There are so many specialties that it is at the point where you really have to pick something and specialize in it.

That is easier said than done as well because you don't want to pick incorrectly. Just ask anyone who picked mainframe programming how they feel about their choice right now.

Medical Confidence

I have always been the type who said that pills shouldn't be feared because scientific advancements are here to help us. Why suffer when there is a pill that can make you feel better.

I'm starting to change that a bit now. I still take medicine but I try to take a lot less. I'm starting to worry about the long term affects of taking a lot. Not addiction, I know some fear that with sleep pills and other drugs but I'm talking more about side effects.

You just never know how the things you put in your body will ultimately affect you so the more natural it is the better.

Frustration

I'm starting to get back on track with my fitness goals. I pretty much took the whole summer off. I ate a lot of junk, and didn't work out as much as I should have. As a result I have about 10 pounds to lose and a lot of muscle to regain. I also have my age old problem of trying to burn belly fat. Even at my best when I had about 13% body fat, I still had a pretty flabby stomach by my standards. Perhaps it's just genes but I'm hoping that I can do a bit better. Hopefully as I get back on track I can incorporate more and better techniques to get into better shape.

Rewards

I'm one of those people that largely ignored the "rewards" that a lot of companies offer. My opinion was that most of the time it wasn't worth the time to apply for them. It was like the tickets at the arcade when you were a kid. "Only 6 billion tickets and you can get a new plastic pencil sharpener!".

I've since learned (or the system has changed) that there are some good deals out there if you know where to look. Coupons are a good thing and our bank even has a Visa reward card that accrues regularly and allows us to get some free stuff.

So maybe these things are worth looking into. Sometimes...

I Fumbled It

When I was getting ready for college I didn't do very much right. For one thing, I didn't work as hard on my grades as I should have in High School. My college GPA was almost an entire point higher. I was capable, just not dedicated. Also I didn't work at getting scholarships and I didn't do enough research about what schools to go to. I really could have done things a lot better. I took the ACT without even studying and did ok but didn't even take the SAT. You can bet that my kids will know better when they get to that point. A lot of sat prep is in their future as well as some college visits.

Thank Goodness for the Bucks

The Browns lost their opener in frustrating fashion. They showed all the signs of a team that will be picking first in the draft next year. Both of my fantasy teams, despite being packed with household names, underperformed and lost. If it wasn't for the Buckeyes, it would have been a total loss as a football weekend.

Thank goodness for the Bucks...

On The Water

I have been promising my wife a beach vacation for several years now and it keeps not happening. All for noble reasons but nonetheless we have yet to feel the sand between our toes or hear the surf pounding the morning shoreline. This is especially troublesome now that we have kids, because we would rather them not be 35 before they see the ocean for the first time.

The other problem is that with school summer vacation we now have a very limited window in which we can take a beach vacation that unfortunately is the same as everyone else's very limited window. This both increases the price and lowers the enjoyment.

A friend of mine and his wife travel to the Outer Banks every year. For them, it's become a tradition among their extended family. They share the cost of renting a house and buying food etc and it works out great to be able to enjoy the beach and keep the cost down.

We don't have an extended family that travels to the beach every year so I'm relegated to pining for handouts from well meaning businesses. My hope is that by using my considerable writing talent to help increase the profits of companies like Carolina Designs, they will in turn feel some form of obligation (or even pity) to send my family and I to the Outer Banks for free.

Regardless of the success of my little venture I hope to someday stand on the sandy shores and show my kids cool things like seashells, driftwood, and my incredible body boarding talent. (I consider myself talented in that my shorts have never yet been separated from my body)

Lastly, to my readers, please feel free to keep your beach vacation stories to yourself. Really, I don't want to hear about it, or look at the pictures. Sorry just saving us both some time.