So I was looking at my profile and I see that I have " 11 views (approx)." What does that even mean? There have been approximately 11 people that have read this so far? Does that mean that 11 people clicked on this blog, but one guy was watching TV at the same time so that doesn't really count? Or could it be that it counted my mom twice for when she clicked back before the page had finished loading because she thought the internet was broken when in actuality it was because she is still running on a 56K modem? I mean, get with it Mom! I think I read somewhere the other day that the Amish just got DSL.
Whatever the truth may be it isn't really a shock to me. I actually haven't really told anyone that I am doing this. There is no real way to find this unless you ran across this by sheer luck. I am okay with that for now because I am doing this to prove a point to me first. I am tired of telling people that I am going to do something and never actually getting it done. Now, it should be stated for the record that I am not a quitter! I just overlap things to a point that time doesn't always permit me to see things through to fruition. For instance, I was too busy eating pizza and watching football on Saturday to go running. I had the best intentions. Well, we all know where good intentions lead.
The point is that this is supposed to be about me changing those parts of my life. And while I kid about the pizza and football; I do feel that I need to really work on my follow through. As you may have read a while back I am training for the Los Angeles marathon right now. The problem is that I have been sicker than a dog for the past month. I don't know how many of you have ever tried to run with a chest cold, but it isn't pretty. The excuse is there for me to take it and back down. I don't think anyone would say a thing. I would know though! Deep down inside of me I would know that I took the cop out. I am not going to let that happen any more!
Whether it be with work, exercise, friendship, or love I refuse the cop out! This is not easy! In fact this is one of the harder things I have had to do in my life. I just have to set my focus and work toward my goals. Every day that I wake up and choose to commit to something, in whatever sense it may be, is one more in the bag.
For what it is worth, I promise to get through these 365 days! When you think about it... that is a pretty hefty promise to make to approximately 11 people!
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Day 12: Alchemy
One of the first things I did as the new year started was to pick up my fifth copy of the book "The Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho. I have had five copies of the book because every time I buy it I read through it and pass it on to someone else that hasn't read it. If you only listen to one thing I every write in this silly blog let this be it...
The book is an easy read. You can curl up with it on a rainy afternoon and be done by dinner. The story follows a young shepherd from Andalusia who seeks his fortune at the base of the pyramids of Giza. The boys quest is one of happenstance that quickly evolves into the discovery of his own personal legend. I won't go to deep into the story, but I promise you that you will never look at life the same once you read the final page. It truly is a masterpiece. It is very rare that ones soul can truly be uplifted in the course of 192 pages, but this will do it. Now, go to the little search bar on the right of this post and plug the book in! Buy 2 copies, or five even, as you will want to share this with people as I share it with you!
What are you waiting for??? GO!
READ THIS BOOK FOR IT WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE!
The book is an easy read. You can curl up with it on a rainy afternoon and be done by dinner. The story follows a young shepherd from Andalusia who seeks his fortune at the base of the pyramids of Giza. The boys quest is one of happenstance that quickly evolves into the discovery of his own personal legend. I won't go to deep into the story, but I promise you that you will never look at life the same once you read the final page. It truly is a masterpiece. It is very rare that ones soul can truly be uplifted in the course of 192 pages, but this will do it. Now, go to the little search bar on the right of this post and plug the book in! Buy 2 copies, or five even, as you will want to share this with people as I share it with you!
What are you waiting for??? GO!
Monday, January 11, 2010
Day 11: Perseverance
Back to work after quite a weekend. I woke up this morning to head off to work and as I began to pull out of my garage I was greeted with a long piercing whine. I paused for a moment and had a few words with the X-terror which, after being edited for this blog, sounded something along the lines of "hey... you silly machine... why are you acting so strange? I can't believe I am still paying for you! I wish that you would find a happy home with someone else with out me knowing it!" Granted, there were a LOT of explicitives and that was the extremely paraphrased version.
After I felt a bit of the tension release from my ongoing frustration I returned to the problem at hand. I reversed a little more and the whine came back. It was pretty obvious to me that the alarm on the brakes had begin to sound (for those of you who don't know, most brakes are designed to whistle/whine when the brake pads have worn to a certain degree). I looked into replacing them and it is likely going to cost me around $300 dollars! DAMNIT!
It may be a bit confusing as to why I titled this post perseverance. I feel that my X-terror is a prime example. Why you may ask? Well that is easy! Not a single day goes by that I get in that vehicle that I am not reminded of past mistakes. Every time I pay that bill and I see the 20% interest rate next a buyout amount that hasn't moved in two years staring me in the face I want to cry! As I watched the odometer roll over 90,000 miles I waved bye to additional $2k in value to the car. This effectively placed the car so far upside down it should be in Australia! It really isn't the poor old boys fault, he has been pretty good to me, but then again, it wasn't Old Yeller or Kujo's fault either!
The point is that everyday I am reminded of these mistakes and it gives me the strength to continue to dig out of it. It lights a fire in me that makes me want to sell 20 units in a month so I can be rid of the damn thing once and for all! It is important to push through and persevere your adversity and ultimately only you can do it. Utilize the problems in your life to discover solutions and it will be easy to overcome anything that may come your way.
After I felt a bit of the tension release from my ongoing frustration I returned to the problem at hand. I reversed a little more and the whine came back. It was pretty obvious to me that the alarm on the brakes had begin to sound (for those of you who don't know, most brakes are designed to whistle/whine when the brake pads have worn to a certain degree). I looked into replacing them and it is likely going to cost me around $300 dollars! DAMNIT!
It may be a bit confusing as to why I titled this post perseverance. I feel that my X-terror is a prime example. Why you may ask? Well that is easy! Not a single day goes by that I get in that vehicle that I am not reminded of past mistakes. Every time I pay that bill and I see the 20% interest rate next a buyout amount that hasn't moved in two years staring me in the face I want to cry! As I watched the odometer roll over 90,000 miles I waved bye to additional $2k in value to the car. This effectively placed the car so far upside down it should be in Australia! It really isn't the poor old boys fault, he has been pretty good to me, but then again, it wasn't Old Yeller or Kujo's fault either!
The point is that everyday I am reminded of these mistakes and it gives me the strength to continue to dig out of it. It lights a fire in me that makes me want to sell 20 units in a month so I can be rid of the damn thing once and for all! It is important to push through and persevere your adversity and ultimately only you can do it. Utilize the problems in your life to discover solutions and it will be easy to overcome anything that may come your way.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Day 10: Goodbyes
I just dropped my friend off at the airport. It was kinda sad to see him go. I was talking with a buddy of mine back in Texas earlier about how lucky my group of friends are to have found each other. I know everybody has their " best friends," but my guys are pretty top notch. I can't rightly express on this page what genuinely good people they are. The majority of the group is back in Texas. Bi-weekly I get a half-hearted phone call asking when I am going to move back. They all understand that I have some amazing things going on out here (namely the GF) and I am not heading back any time soon.
It makes me wonder though whether or not I am in the correct place, if I am doing the right thing for me, and if I could be happier back in Texas (with the GF of course). I struggled a lot in my transition out of the film industry because I know deep in my heart that I am supposed to be a part of it. It took a lot for me to say goodbye to film and yes to doing something else. I was burnt out with my work and I needed to re-center my life. It is a precarious line to walk though because when one walks away from something new questions arise as to if they did the right thing. For example, if I am not in the film industry why I am I still out here and not closer to my family?
I am so afraid of making the wrong choices with my life! I dwell on the decisions I make until I have worked every possible angle, but the future always will throw curve-balls at you. The key is to try to make decisions that are going to make you happy. That way when you say goodbye you will have no regrets!
It makes me wonder though whether or not I am in the correct place, if I am doing the right thing for me, and if I could be happier back in Texas (with the GF of course). I struggled a lot in my transition out of the film industry because I know deep in my heart that I am supposed to be a part of it. It took a lot for me to say goodbye to film and yes to doing something else. I was burnt out with my work and I needed to re-center my life. It is a precarious line to walk though because when one walks away from something new questions arise as to if they did the right thing. For example, if I am not in the film industry why I am I still out here and not closer to my family?
I am so afraid of making the wrong choices with my life! I dwell on the decisions I make until I have worked every possible angle, but the future always will throw curve-balls at you. The key is to try to make decisions that are going to make you happy. That way when you say goodbye you will have no regrets!
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Day 9: Hangovers
Holy bajeebus! This weekend is flying by. It is great having my best friend in town and I am showing him around as best I can. The one thing about getting together with friends I haven't seen in a while is that the beer in my fridge seems to multiply at an exponential rate. So much so that they start overflowing into the local restaurants and, inevitably, the bars situated close to those restaurants. It is strange because I somehow feel it my duty to reclaim said beers from the establishments so as to not inconvenience them. I pay them a fee for any space they may have taken up and then I happily drink them down knowing they are safely in a good home. For the night... all is well.
The other problem with catching a few drinks with friends you haven't seen in years is that you inevitably revert back to thinking you are as young as you were when you last saw one another. This would be fine if you didn't drink accordingly. All I can say is that I am DEFINITELY not 27 any more. Which, when you think about it, is a pretty sad statement in itself. Needless to say my head is killing me!
The things I do know are that:
1. The hangover is probably worth it.
2. Who am I kidding... no it isn't!
3. For me to get skinny I am going to have to let those beer gremlins go home with someone new for a while.
I will touch more on the caloric reasoning for statement three as we get further along.
The other problem with catching a few drinks with friends you haven't seen in years is that you inevitably revert back to thinking you are as young as you were when you last saw one another. This would be fine if you didn't drink accordingly. All I can say is that I am DEFINITELY not 27 any more. Which, when you think about it, is a pretty sad statement in itself. Needless to say my head is killing me!
The things I do know are that:
1. The hangover is probably worth it.
2. Who am I kidding... no it isn't!
3. For me to get skinny I am going to have to let those beer gremlins go home with someone new for a while.
I will touch more on the caloric reasoning for statement three as we get further along.
Friday, January 8, 2010
Day 8: Smoking
I have been a smoker since I was 18. I am not proud of it, and as time goes by I feel that I am looked down upon more and more. When I first started smoking it was acceptablr just about anywhere you went. Now I litterally have to do it in a designated space on the street in front of my appartment. I legally can't even smoke on my balcony. I have had just about enough. It has gotten to the point that I go driving around just to smoke.
I can truly say that I am ready to quit. I have quit multiple times in the past, but this time is different. I am spending this year on me and I have to do this! It is time! I have to do this... for no one other than myself!
Wish me luck in the process...
I can truly say that I am ready to quit. I have quit multiple times in the past, but this time is different. I am spending this year on me and I have to do this! It is time! I have to do this... for no one other than myself!
Wish me luck in the process...
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Day 7: Disappointment
You know... I was really hoping that we could have pulled it out!
For those of you that watched the BCS National Championship game you know what I am referring to. Texas lost tonight and the final score doesn't do the game justice. Alabama played well, and they effectively only had to beat our second string team due to Colt McCoy's early injury.
I am actually running short on words right now, but I will say that life is consistently going to present you with disappointments. To quote the best boxer of all time, Rocky Balboa,
"it ain't about how hard ya hit. It's about how hard you can get it and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done! Now if you know what you're worth then go out and get what you're worth. But ya gotta be willing to take the hits, and not point fingers"
I think I will leave it at that!
For those of you that watched the BCS National Championship game you know what I am referring to. Texas lost tonight and the final score doesn't do the game justice. Alabama played well, and they effectively only had to beat our second string team due to Colt McCoy's early injury.
I am actually running short on words right now, but I will say that life is consistently going to present you with disappointments. To quote the best boxer of all time, Rocky Balboa,
"it ain't about how hard ya hit. It's about how hard you can get it and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done! Now if you know what you're worth then go out and get what you're worth. But ya gotta be willing to take the hits, and not point fingers"
I think I will leave it at that!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
