I’ve blogged about my weight — often. Being married to a wonderfully beautiful (and petite) woman, I constantly feel heavy. Of course, this isn’t her fault. After all, it’s not my jacket that makes me look fat. It’s my fault. Let’s face it, I’m fat. There’s a thousand reasons and theories behind my stature. I’ve heard it’s the carbs. I’ve heard it’s the red meat (although that’s very limited thanks to the Mrs.). It’s high-fructose corn-syrup. It’s processed foods. It’s yatta yatta yatta. Bottom line: It’s me, it’s me, and it’s me. Much like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, I’ve got a theory (it’s not rabbits)… but let me digress. I’ve tried low carb. ...

I got thrown into VoIP in a sink or swim situation — and thankfully, I’m a strong swimmer. I’ve talked previously about my love of phones. Growing up in New York City, my family would purposely avoid walking on certain blocks to avoid me seeing pay-phones. As a child, I loved phones. I still love phones. My love of phones made me what I am today. I am a Kamailian. ...

Yeni loves this jacket. I blog about my family often. Why? Well, I love my family. Both my father and mother come from large extended families that treat family as family. We’re close. Over the years not physically close, but we remain a close-knit supportive family. I may not talk to my cousins every month. Sometimes a year can go by. But with my family, I know that help is a phone call away. 24/7. No questions asked. Because that is what family is. ...

[][1]My Desktop So, a few friends were visiting the bakery the other day and I was showing the young daughter around (I was sneaking her some pretzel M&M’s, but that stays between us). On the wall near the ingredients, I have a photo of Yeni holding our bear, me doing something, and Forrest (on my computer monitor– he’s my desktop). She asked me about the picture. I told her, “That picture is everything I love....

I do. I honestly do. Writing for me is a release. From getting something off my mind, off my chest, or out in the open, writing can help me reduce stress, think something out, or help express something I’m focusing on. I really want to write more often. I really want to exercise. I really want to do a lot of things. Right now, my limitations on completing my wants are limited by time. There’s only 24 hours in a day… some days I don’t even spend 3 of those sleeping. But this isn’t a pitty post. This is a wake up call. ...

[][1]100k miles, again. I’ve owned a few Ford trucks. For a long time, I was very brand loyal to Ford– but that’s another story. This story is about my ass sitting behind the wheel for 100,000 miles, again. It may be the first time that this truck hit the 100k mark… but it’s not mine. 🙁 The first car I took past 100k was my 86′ Toyota Celica. Got that car used in 1990 (30k miles) and drove it until the axle disintegrated around 150k. I bought my Ford Ranger new off the lot in ’96. At 150k, I traded her in towards the Expedition I’m driving now. Bubba was a good ride… protected me when I got hit by a Greyhound bus, and Forrest just loved sticking his head out the rear window. ...

Here’s the quick and dirty breakdown (I’ve rounded the percentages): Board of County Commissioners: $666.82 (31%) Library: $113.91 (6%) School Board: $931.65 (46%) Water District: $32.14 (2%) Unincorporated Services: $31.88 (2%) Sheriff: $129.17 (6%) Fire Protection: $103.51 (5%) So, the biggest amount seems, by far, to go to the School Board. I spend over $900.00 on public education– and being that I have no kids, I think that’s very generous of me. Of course, not realizing this until now is completely my own fault. ...

[][1]Pick Any Two It’s not a phrase I invented… I wish I did, but it’s been around for ages. Engineers will tell you they invented the Good, Fast, Cheap ideology with their “project triangle.” Web designers say that that own the idea for their pricing. Whomever invented it, the bottom line remains that no matter what you’re paying for you can pick two of the three: Good, Fast, or Cheap. Fast and Cheap (aka Crap) Lo barato sale caro (The cheap becomes expensive). In the long run, it’s going to cost you more. We have clichés for a reason– there’s a good amount of truth there. You can pay less now, but choosing that unlicensed roofer to save a few bucks will probably end up being a nightmare. If you’re lucky, you’ll only pay for the roof twice. ...

For me, each year revolves around the fourth Thursday in November. Thanksgiving remains my New Year’s Eve, my Christmas, my Hallmark moment. From the four corners of the earth, members of my family gather at my parent’s home in Fort Lauderdale for the festive meal– but it’s more than just a plate full of turkey and a side of dressing. For my family, Thanksgiving provides us the perfect opportunity for a homecoming. In my childhood, the majority of us lived in just one state– generally at most a few hundred miles from each other. In today’s world, we find ourselves spread over the many continents. Each November, we gather in Fort Lauderdale with no plans whatsoever. There’s no agenda, no itinerary, no master plan. In fact, only a Thursday dinner remains certain. ...

There’s no big secret where I’m going here. Not too much of a secret where I’ve been either. Most everyone knows that I’m a former police officer — if you didn’t, well you do now. I’m not one to label myself a conservative, liberal, or anything like that. I’m registered NPA (no party affiliation) and that’s exactly like I like it. When I vote, I vote for whom I like, although lately that seems an impossible task… but as usual… I digress. If I were to lean one way or another, I’d most likely say my beliefs are somewhat libertarian. I believe that government is necessary, but must be severely limited. I want government out of my house, away from my body, and focused on protecting our nation from those that would cause us harm. ...