Be the Change

First of all, I'm sorry it's been so long since I've posted. I hope to be more consistent in the coming year. Speaking of the coming year: Read.


Some people are in a habit of reading a lot. Some people think of it as the punishment they had to endure during school. I, myself, never found reading all that "fun" or even something I would do unless it was required. Even then, I would try and find ways to limit the amount of reading (shout-out to Cliff's Notes). That isn't right. I understand things a little differently now.


Follow this logic for me: Reading leads to Information, Information leads to Knowledge, Knowledge leads to Power. If you aren't rich, this is the way to doing what you want, whether you want to be a musician, engineer, teacher, or lawyer. This is the basis of formal education, reading.


So, one of my resolutions for this year is to read more, and I urge everyone else to do the same. Learn. Be informed. Sit down for 10-15 minutes a day and read. Read a magazine, a blog or two, a newspaper, a book. Read for business, read for pleasure, read about controversial subjects, just read. Reading will spark your thoughts and those thoughts will lead to introspection. You will learn more about yourself and others.


Here are some tips I've learned over the years for those of you, like me, who would like to read more:

• Read when you are awake. I've learned that I can't read when I'm tired. I WILL fall asleep, which is fine if I want to go to sleep, but if I actually want to read, I need to do it during my "productive" hours of the day, not the early morning or late night, and not right after lunch.
• Read something that interests you. If you find yourself reading something just to read it, stop. Pick up something else. If you are reading just to get through it, it will make you not enjoy reading. This was what happened to me during my school years, especially high school. I never appreciated reading, cause I was never reading anything I wanted to.
• Learn to "speed read." This is an amazing thing. Whether it's getting through that old book for Literature class, or getting to the anticipated climax of a good book you're reading. I took a class from Sylvan in my late teenage years and was taught to speed read. It changed my reading capabilities dramatically. My speed quadrupled and my comprehension of what I read went up as well. You don't have to pay for a class unless you want to. I'm sure you can find tips on speed reading online, and if not, let me know, I'll do a follow-up post on it. Then, practice.
• Read with an open mind. Be open to new ideas and new ways of thinking. Life is full of change. Our world is constantly evolving and you hold yourself by not staying informed of new developments, changes, and theories. You don't have to agree with them, but you should know and understand their basis.
• Beware: not everything you read is true. Print is just like any other source of information. It isn't fact checked by FactCheck.org. Take everything you read into consideration and feel free to research more into what you question.

So today was a pretty normal day, with one exception. As I was getting Katelynn and myself ready to walk to Caleb's school to pick him up, I grabbed a used Walmart sack from our stash. After picking up Caleb and beginning the trek back to our apartment, I said "Hey guys we are gonna pick up trash on the way back." I wasn't sure what kind of response I was going to get. Caleb gave a big "YES!" followed by "We're gonna save the earth." This kind of took me by surprise at first, but kids understand the basics of keeping the environment clean, and they know they have a responsibility to do that. Also, as a future environmental engineer I couldn't help but be proud of that response from my son.

Katelynn wasn't quite as enthusiastic, but was still very active in spotting pieces of trash and picking them up and putting them in the bag. Yes, Aimee, we all washed our hands when we got back. As we picked up the trash, I felt good. All those small wrappers or smashed aluminum cans that I had been walking by for the last two months were no longer ugly eye soars that I wanted to do something about. The wind doesn't blow hard enough here to move the trash around, so you see the same pieces of trash for a long time.

I feel bad for taking this long to do this, but I just never remembered to grab a sack to use. As we were walking and picking up trash (which is called Eco-Walking. There is also Eco-Hiking and Eco-anything if you're picking up trash while doing other stuff) Caleb asked me how the trash got there. I told him that sometimes when people dispose of their trash it is not always secured and it blows away (not as common, but still a possibility) or that people just tossed some of the items there because they didn't care. To this Caleb asked, "Why don't they care?" I wasn't sure. I told him that I didn't know. I am glad that my son can't understand why someone would be that careless.

I think we all go through a time in our lives where we just don't care, but maybe some kids will always care enough to not do certain things. In my life, it was the years that I smoked cigarettes. I would flick the filters out of my car window or wherever I was walking. I usually made sure it was not lit and extinguished as to not start a fire, but did not care about where that filter ended up. I didn't want to put it in an ash tray to smell up my vehicle (especially when I was younger) or my ash tray was full and I was too lazy to empty it. This is my confession. I am not perfect. I can't change what I've done in the past. I can, however, change what I do in the future.

I can't convince everyone to do things that I myself didn't do, but maybe we, as a society, can begin to be more responsible about our planet and surroundings. Things need to change on a large scale when it comes to pollution, but when it comes to successful change, it almost always starts on a small scale first.

I encourage everyone to take an "eco-walk" sometime, if not, just try to be more conscious of how you interact with your surroundings on a daily basis. It is the things we do everyday that end up having the most impact. Daily activities happen 365 times each year.

Later this week, a man named Troy Davis(pictured below) is set to be executed in Georgia. Davis was convicted of killing a police officer in Savannah in 1991. The hard evidence against him was pretty much non-existent. There was another man involved in the situation that was more than likely the killer, but the police department had apparently made up their minds and convinced nine witnesses to testify against Mr. Troy Davis. Since the trial, 7 of the 9 witnesses have recanted their testimony. Due to this and the lack of physical evidence, a date for execution has been set four times. The previous three times the execution was cancelled due to the doubt surrounding his case. For more information on Mr. Davis case go to justicefortroy.org.

I have a big problem with the death penalty for many reasons and I wanted to write about a few of them.

Death Is Permanent! When you kill someone as a means of justice you are telling this person that he is not forgiven, his life no longer holds value, and that there is no chance that the accusations could be false. Those are pretty tough things to prove to me. I don't know any proven examples, but I wonder how many people have been executed by the government for crimes they did not commit.

There are examples, however, of people on death row being released. One example of this was in Arizona, Ray Krone spent 10 years in prison before being released in 2002 on a murder charge. DNA tests proved his innocence.  According to Amnesty International, he was the 100th person to be released from death row since 1973.

In my personal opinion, one innocent man killed by the government is unacceptable. There is no reason to take that chance when life in prison is an option. Convictions of innocent people do happen, this is unfortunate, but we shouldn't pretend it doesn't. Due to this fact, the death penalty should be off the table.

It costs more money to execute a prisoner. The costs of trying cases in which the death penalty are higher than those that are not seeking capitol punishment. Even without the costs of all the appeals after the convictions, the costs are higher.
According to Amnesty International about my home state of Kansas:
"A 2003 legislative audit in Kansas found that the estimated cost of a death penalty case was 70% more than the cost of a comparable non-death penalty case. Death penalty case costs were counted through to execution (median cost $1.26 million). Non-death penalty case costs were counted through to the end of incarceration (median cost $740,000)."

I don't want to turn this into a religious debate, but I wanted to point out a few things regarding popular religions. Most of the major religions in the world(quite possibly all of them) believe in forgiveness. Christianity is the religion claimed by most Americans. Christianity follows the teachings of Jesus Christ. One of the more profound quotes credited to Jesus was when he came across a person about to be stoned to death. He told the crowd that "He without sin shall cast the first stone." This is very clear. According to Christianity, we are born with sin, therefore, only God himself can put to death anyone. Another teaching of Jesus was to "turn the other cheek."

I know there is a difference between punishment and security. I believe, as a society, we are able to do things that ensure the safety of its people, which is why having people in prison was begun. This is not always successful, but when someone is believed to be a threat to society, they should not be allowed back in it. At times, we have moved toward a "mob mentality" when it comes to punishing criminals and we forget about the fact that these are people too. It is also easier as a society to condemn people to death when we do not see it or hear about it. How would we feel about it if each execution were broadcast throughout the country on NBC, ABC, CBS, and FOX?

There are eight, yes 8, people scheduled for execution in the US this month, including four this week. Of those four, two are in Texas, one in Alabama, and Mr. Davis here in Georgia. There are 3 more executions scheduled for next week. Most likely, most of these people did commit the crimes they were convicted of, but what authority are we giving our own government when we give other human beings the legal right to kill its citizens?

Abolish the death penalty throughout the US. It is not worth it. As for those who are on death row, it's simple. They can be given life sentences without parole and still not be a threat to society. If you agree that the death penalty is wrong in all circumstances, help write to policy makers in your state if it is still legal. If you agree that the death penalty should be used less, but still reserved for certain cases, make sure your voice is heard as well. Our leaders do not know your views unless you tell them. Write, vote, and spread the word.

UPDATE: Troy Davis was executed Wednesday night in Jackson, GA by lethal injection. Right before his execution, before the family of the slain officer, with nothing to lose or hide, he again claimed he was innocent as he has since being charged with the murder.

Please, don't let this happen again.

If you watched or saw highlights of the recent GOP debate on CNN, you heard a few (crazy) audience members cheer and yell when they wanted to confirm that someone without insurance is critically injured or ill should be left to die. Disclaimer: I do not believe the candidate (as he stated) wants this, or any caring member of society does. There are a few people, though, at least in that Florida crowd that think lower taxes are more important than human life. That is sad, and I know almost everyone (regardless of political affiliation) disagree with those few. Maybe they were just trying to show up the Texas crowd that cheered the execution of more than 230 people while Gov. Rick Perry has been in office, but that's a whole other topic.

So. Everyone can agree that our current healthcare system is not working. I don't know many people that are happy with it. So the issue becomes what to do about it. Fixing it requires looking at the problems and the root causes. As someone who has recently spent over a decade working in healthcare from different points of view and with different companies, I figured I would share some thoughts.

• Problem #1: Rising Premiums for Insurance Policies.
• Why is this a problem? It hurts everyone financially, including the economy. The more money people are spending on insurance premiums the less they are spending on things to circulate and stimulate the economy. Businesses are also affected by this, and usually more than the employee. Companies many times absorb some of the rate increases that the insurance companies pass. This means they have less money to reinvest into the companies, restock supplies, or they may have to cut jobs so that less benefits are paid out. All of these things hurt the economy. 
• Why are the premiums rising? The premiums rise for many reasons, but costs of procedures and breakthroughs in medical technology are part of the reason. More directly, an insurance company determines an insurance premium specific to a company based on a plan of benefits. For an insurance company to grow, it has to make money, so it needs to take in more money in premiums than it has to pay out in claims. Each year the insurance company looks at company ABC and checks to see if it made them money or lost them money. If a company had a few employees have a bad time with illnesses or injuries, it could cause the whole company to have more claims than it paid in premiums. This insurance company tells company ABC that this year the premiums are increased to recover the money. Lets say this companies' employees have a more common year of claims and the insurance company makes record breaking profits due to the better health of company ABC. The insurance company will definitely not be lowering the premiums the following year, and a new standard is set with that insurance company. This new record will become what the next year is measured from. Fair: no. Capitalistic: definitely. Insurance companies are not non-profit organizations and have never claimed to be, but some believe they will do just about anything to get out of paying claims they are due to pay if they can find a loophole, knowing the costs wouldn't be absorbed by the billing facility, but by the patient who thought they were covered. Being required to receive pre-authorization for certain services, hopefully those don't include an ambulance when you are being driven from a car accident to check for major injuries. Most people don't think to call their insurance company between 8am and 5pm Monday through Friday during an emergency (probably during the weekend).
• I know people are against Universal Healthcare because it is socialism and our country will be swallowed up by the devil of communism if he had it, but if insurance companies are increasing the costs of everyone to make up for a few at your company, what's the difference? It appears my premiums help pay for a coworkers child who is diagnosed with leukemia. I don't have a problem with that. I'm not mad at the coworker or the child, I pray that the child will recover and support the family in many ways. (This is hypothetical by the way.) Wouldn't Universal Healthcare be the same thing except instead of spreading the costs over one company, it's spread throughout the country. The other major difference, is when more taxes are collected than paid to healthcare providers, the money can be used to fund other services or given back when people file their taxes. 
• We can't do anything about the costs rising due to the increased technology, it's probably going to extend your life at some point. 
• Problem #2: Higher Bills for all Patients regardless of Coverage.
• The other reason healthcare bills increase are due to making up for patients who do not/cannot pay their bills. This is the same principle I learned in fourth grade. People who steal baseball cards from the supermarket, will lead to the rising prices of baseball cards or possibly other items like apples at a supermarket. The business has to recover costs. So, who is stealing healthcare? The uninsured and the under-insured. This is a separate problem I will discuss.
• Problem #3: Increasing costs for long-term care/incurable diseases.
• Many of our senior citizens are learning that getting sick is the easy part, paying for medications and supplies on a fixed income was not part of their retirement plan. Diabetes comes with many costs on a daily basis, not to mention the pain. It is also not fatal if treated and monitored properly. This should be the good news, but for most people it is another out-of-pocket expense to live. They also were afraid to go to the doctor for a little cough a few years ago (not wanting to pay the copay for the office visit or the copay for the prescription), but it never went away and each week, month and year it has gotten worse. The patient finally goes into the doctor at the nagging of his wife to find out he has stage 3 lung cancer and is spreading throughout his body. The next months or years of his life are spent in pain, trying to beat cancer, but eventually he will succumb to the disease and his family he leaves behind will also have a large medical debt to remember him by. Sad. Trying to extend a life of a loved one is a common reason for people to have their home foreclosed on. Is this the society/culture of LIFE?
• Problem #4: Insuring Everyone / Mandating coverage for all.
• It is true that healthcare insurance costs can be cut if everyone had insurance. It is also true that many people have a problem with something that mandates they purchase something (I too am not sure about the constitutionality of that). I believe this to be the biggest issue in the President's health care bill that was passed. Here is the solution: You can't make every citizen buy health insurance, but you CAN give it to him/her by being an American citizen. Heck, you don't have to be a citizen, just pay taxes. Undocumented workers would want to become documented and pay taxes for free healthcare. Easy choice. Yes taxes would increase, but probably no more than what would be offset by not having insurance premiums. Honestly,  if there is any money left over after all claims are paid, I would rather have it added as a tax credit when filing my taxes, than buying some insurance company executive a new $300,000 car.
• As far as what would be covered? Start with Medicare and go from there, the beauty of it will be that when changes are made, it affects everyone in America, not just the wealthy, not just the poor, not just the congressman. Everyone. Coverages will be better, and things like Aflac would still be there for those who wanted that extra protection against lost wages, etc.
• I don't buy the arguement that the government can't manage it as well as a private company. Yes, the govt has issues, but if you think some money is not wasted at these insurance companies, you're nuts. They hire people, including physicians (not cheap) to try to find ways to deny claims and weasel out of paying bills. I have worked for a non-profit hospital and a for-profit healthcare service. Patient care is more often the top priority of the non-profits. Not to say it wasn't a priority of the private company, it was just usually stressed day-in-day-out that the business needed more patients, more numbers. It's just the nature of it.

I hope this doesn't come off like a rant, just something I think everyone should think about. Take your emotion out of it. Take the politics out of it. Take the fear out of it. No system is perfect, but we are nowhere to being even good with our current system. As many Christian preachers say every Sunday across this country: "What would Jesus do?"
I'm probably not the best "Christian" when it comes to my beliefs, but I do believe in the Golden Rule and that we should take care of each other. All of us deserve to be cared for when sick or injured, and those that cannot afford it shouldn't live what life they are given after the ordeal worrying about the debt they have collected, many times even after having what they thought was "full" coverage.
Let's turn the United States into a country leading the way in Healthcare, not just the one with the advancements. (Not the same)

Love you all,
Mark

I've talked a few times on this blog about motivation, being active and living life. These are all things I believe in and put into practice on a daily basis. I also think there are times to take it slow, relax, and enjoy your surroundings. These ideas seem similar, but at times completely different. I have been battling with this at times.

Now that Katelynn is in preschool for a few hours three times a week, I have some time to do whatever I want. So far, I have done workouts, napped, gone to the bookstore and read, among others. I feel like I'm wasting time if I'm just relaxing or doing something like the dishes, I should be exploring, hiking, biking. This morning during our time, Aimee joined me on a bike ride. It was the first time in our lives we had ridden bikes together and hopefully not the last.

Am I being lazy when I just want to chill or is it a necessity of people? Maybe I shouldn't be so hard on myself and just do what I feel like and not worry about whether I'm wasting time or not. Here in Athens, there are many outdoorsy people (soon I hope to be considered this) and there are also people who just like to take things slow and relax. I think a good combination of the two could be the best.

BALANCE

Be active, stay in shape, this will help you stay healthy, and usually happier. But when the time comes to relax, just do it. This can also bring happiness from a stressful day or week.

I know this is easy for me to say, being a "house-husband" or "stay-at-home dad", but this should apply through all types of lifestyles: single, married, kids, no kids, student, professional, whatever. Know when it's time to be driven and know when you need a break. Tomorrow we are going to take a break, take it slow, drive around Athens and view the town as it hosts the first home game of the season. We will, of course, return home by game time to watch it on ESPN and I will be attempting my first go at Red Beans and Rice. Wish me luck and have a good weekend.

We all do it. We get busy with life and all the things involved with keeping schedules, appointments, careers, school, etc. We focus on each task and move on to the next, maybe even working on multiple tasks at once. We are concerned with being efficient with our limited time. Sometimes we don't realize that we do have a choice.

It is important to slow down and remember what is important. Remember what you enjoy doing, and do it. Think about things that make you happy and make time for them. If watching TV for 2-3 hours a day is what makes you happy, then do it (I feel bad for you though). If you want to start a hobby, workout, go back to school, or simply read more, do it.

Refocus. Evaluate your daily schedule, usually you will be able to find time you may otherwise spend on things you don't value as highly, but are habits. This may include spending time on the internet. If you'd rather work on a new hobby or read a book than go online, then do it. The internet will be there whenever you have time for it.

I am all for technology and think it's really neat that I can keep in contact with friends and family on Facebook and blogs, but that doesn't mean it should take away from what I would rather be doing, living. (Hence my low amount of blog posts since moving.) For me, personally, I like to get out and explore, hike, try new things. I am going to start geocaching on the few days a week that both kids are in school at the same time.

Bottom line: It's your life, make time for you. Do what makes you happy, just don't forget about your responsibilities.

Caleb is currently attending his first day of school at his new school. 2nd Grade, a big year to be sure. He met his teacher and saw his classroom last week and told me this morning (at 6:45am, school here starts at 7:40) that he was excited for his first day. I was excited for him.

I couldn't help but think about the recent happenings in congress. We cannot be cutting spending on public education in this country. We should be putting more funding into it. We should let teachers do what they do best: teach. We should get rid of certain standardized tests, especially those that test children in elementary school. Kids are not only learning many things, some testable, some not, they are learning how to learn. Let the teachers figure out how each student learns and be able to teach kids the best way they can. No teacher wants to teach kids answers to a test. They want the kids to learn and know how to learn on their own.

I also have been thinking about my own education. If a college professor was teaching me answers and not how to understand the content, I would be furious and drop the class. No one wants to PAY for that kind of education. I can see how taxpayers are upset about how the public schools are run, but it's not because they are over-funded or have bad teachers. All the rules and threats of losing your job based on students performance creates unnecessary pressure on teachers that already have each child's best interest in their minds and hearts.

I also think about my education and hope that I will still be able to further my education and that student loans will be available. Cutting spending on student loans also will not help this country, it holds it back. If fewer people are able to attend college and get that further education we all know is so important to not only each student's future, but to the country's future. I have yet to hear a parent tell their child they hope they do not go to college. It's not a right in this country, but it should be possible for any eligible student with the drive and desire to take out a loan to attend an institution of higher education (especially for in-state tuition).

I have recently received my voter registration card for our new district/state and education cuts and/or spending will definitely be a factor in my decisions come election time.

(Don't forget to hit play button on the playlist)
It seems like sometimes we forget that three simple words mean so much. Sometimes we assume other people know how we feel about them. Sometimes it can be awkward to say it, not knowing how the other person will respond. Sometimes we think about saying it for weeks before we muster the courage. Sometimes it becomes automatic and we say it out of habit.

The important thing is to say it and mean it. If you don't mean it; don't say it. And if you mean it, say it as often as you can. It can make someone feel special, even if they already know that you do. Sometimes it's the timing of it that can be special. Sometimes you should hold back a few days or weeks, but only if you're talking about a new relationship. :-)

So next time you're talking to me, don't hesitate, I will reciprocate. I love you too.
To all of my friends and family here in Kansas and the Midwest that I will not see as often, this is not "goodbye", just a "see ya later" and an I Love You. Those who I may be moving closer to, I love you too and "see you soon."

"Love does not consist in gazing at each other, but in looking outward together in the same direction."

A lot of time is spent looking at the differences in the human population. Differences that make us all unique. Differences that make up part of who we are. Sometimes these differences open us up to criticism. Other times we gravitate to others that share our characteristics. We need to get out of our comfort zones.

There are many differences: race, gender, creed, nationality, sexual orientation, hair color, and financial status, just to name a few. Some differences are minor and others have a larger impact on who we are as people. The thing we need to remember as humans, is not how different people are, but how similar we are. We ALL want to be happy, we ALL want to be loved, and we ALL want to be accepted for who we are.

This comes easily for some. I, for one, have never felt like I wasn't accepted. (High school doesn't count.) All you have to do is change one thing about me, though, and I would be considered by many to be an outcast. What if I was a gay man? What friends would continue to be my friends? What coworkers would treat me differently? What might my parents think?

I don't struggle with these questions. I am not gay. There are many people out there who are. They are struggling with all of life's problems and have an added level of anxiety. Every time they meet someone new, there is a chance that person may dislike them because of the gender they are attracted to. They are judged, before the person even sees their beautiful personality.

Even the government treats gays and lesbians differently. There are lobby groups out there trying to convince people and politicians that being gay is a choice and that these people do not deserve the happiness that marriage and adopting children can bring them. Really? People are making a career out of this?

This bothers me. A lot. Why does this difference still matter? Why did it ever? We have come along way in this country with regards to gender and racial equality, probably not perfect, but we have made strides to make everyone equal in the eyes of the government. Why is the LGBT community different? What threat does allowing LGBT couples to marry pose? No, religious doctrine does not matter, as the separation of church and state is critical in a country that trumpets our freedom of religion.

A little talked about byproduct of all this prejudice and debate is the rate at which LGBT teens are comitting suicide. This is truly sad and a loss for all humanity. I recently saw an ad campaign for a group working to help LGBT youth get through their rough years. It is called "It Gets Better Project" and can be found here.  It will hopefully help these young people to cope and not give in to their suicidal thoughts.
Do your part. Vote for equality when it comes to sexual orientation. Let your friends and family know that you love and support them for who they are. They should not have to hide or be ashamed of who they are. Stop using "gay" as a put down to your straight friends and erase hateful speech from your vocabulary. This will all help young people feel more accepted for who they are, as it should be.

Sometimes it's easy to look at things you want to do and say that it's too hard, or that it will take too long to accomplish. This is the easy route. Being content is good, but settling because you're afraid or too lazy to do what you really want to do is not. If you really want to do something, follow your dreams, make a plan, and work towards it, everyday.

Roughly 4 years ago, my wife and I decided we wanted certain things out of life, for us, and our children. My wife was determined that after having our daughter she would return to school and become a nurse. We also decided that we wanted to relocate and after discussing multiple options, we agreed that Georgia is where we wanted to be. I too wanted to return to school and pursue an engineering degree. I knew I wanted to do something to help our environment and after considering chemical engineering, I decided that Environmental Engineering at University of Georgia was the perfect blend of classes that I wanted/needed to achieve my goals.

So fast forward to today. My wife graduated from Nursing School and is awaiting her board exam. My wife has a job offer from St Marys in Athens, GA and we are preparing to move there this June and I hope to enroll at UGA after obtaining the residency requirements for in-state tuition.

Sometimes things take time and sacrifices have to be made. Sometimes it seems like things will take forever.

And then there are the times, when you are with your kids at the park feeding the geese and ducks and the phone rings. Your wife is calling you from her study session where she is preparing for boards.She tells you that she has been offered jobs with her top two choices, I will remember that moment forever.

If you don't challenge yourself, you will never know what you are truly capable of. This last weekend has been one of the busiest I have had in a while, but one of the happiest and most exciting too. Aimee, Caleb, Katelynn, and I are very excited to be moving to Georgia, but there are many family members and friends we will be missing as well. Many people have helped us get to where we are and we could not have done it alone. A very big Thank You goes out to all you who helped, and we hope sooner or later you are all able to come visit someday.

When you take action, there is always a reason. The reason is extremely important. Another part of taking action is motivation. You may have many reasons to take a particular action, but if you lack the motivation to take that action, it will not happen. Motivation comes in many forms, internal and external. Most of my motivation comes from my family, especially my wife, Aimee.

Aimee inspires me to be better, to push harder. She shows me that actions matter and do make a difference. Aimee inspires me by her words and actions. Many have inspired me over the years, from parents to friends to people I've never met. Aimee, though, inspires me to push myself on a daily basis. She never backs down from a challenge and understands the rewards of taking action.

Aimee is getting ready to enter her last two weeks of nursing school. She will graduate as the Vice President of her class; at a program that is not easy to get into. Before going back to school, some had thought she/we were crazy. It couldn't/wouldn't happen. She took this as a challenge. She has spent the last 3 years proving any doubters wrong. Every semester posed a new challenge, from balancing schedules and home life to endless hours of studying and powerpoints. She never gave up, she kept pushing through. The last 3 years my wife has been my inspiration every day. She will not be denied.

I have so much respect, love and admiration for anyone who is able to balance going back to school, with family, work, studying. It is not easy, and at times, is not fun or desireable. Aimee has made sacrifices, but when she decided to become a nurse after Katelynn was born, that is exactly what she did. Soon my wife will BE a nurse. That is ACTION. Everytime someone doubted her, it pushed her harder. I am so proud of her.

She has encouraged me to follow my dreams. She knows it will happen, not because she thinks it can happen. She PROVED it can. That is INSPIRATION.

Find your inspiration, take action, and inspire someone else.

Subject: One Year Later

Hi,


It will take years to fully understand the impacts that the BP Deepwater Horizon disaster of a year ago had on the Gulf. But one thing is clear: our lack of a comprehensive national ocean policy failed us that day.

That can change. Right now, the Obama administration is in the process of developing a new National Ocean Policy. 

Join me and sign on to Greenpeace's letter to the President’s National Ocean Council calling for an end to all new drilling and the establishment of marine reserves. You only have until April 27th to sign, so don't wait. Just click the link below...

Greenpeace's Letter


This is a simple quick way to TAKE ACTION! and not standby while other people making decisions guess about how you feel about things.

Yesterday was the anniversary of Dylan Meier's death. I never met Dylan, but was still inspired by him. Dylan Meier was a young man who lived life to the fullest. I knew of him because he used to play quarterback for the K-State Wildcats. Each time you saw him in a game or off the field, he was smiling. From stories of others who were around him more, he was a great guy with a passion for life, adventure, and enjoyed traveling.

Dylan Meier at KSU

Dylan died in a tragic way, falling off a cliff while with some family members exploring the Arkansas wilderness. Word spread pretty quickly across the message boards frequented by KSU fans. Stories began to pour out of people about the young man, and at 26 he had lived a life, I hadn't even thought to dream of. His passion for life and positive outlook were a common theme in every story. Another person had posted a letter he and other friends of Dylan had received within the last year of Dylan's life. I don't remember the details of the letter, but as I read it, it changed my outlook on life.

He told his friends about a few of the experiences he had had. He also spoke about taking on challenges and the rewards of trying new experiences. Even after his death, he had managed to show me that I should never again take the easy route and live life to its fullest. For the most part I have kept to this for the last year, and hope to continue this way of life for the rest of mine. I know I am not the only person who Dylan had an impact on; there were plenty he touched while he was alive, from his teammates in Pittsburg, KS and KSU, to his teammates in Germany where he played for a few years.

Dylan's friends and family have even started a foundation in his name, encouraging people to be active and to live full lives. Get Busy Livin' Foundation

I am not asking anyone to give money to this foundation, if you want to, great, but this post is to remember that life is precious, but not meant to be lived in fear. Do not fear the unknown and do not fear failure. Enjoy LIFE.

The Human Experience is a documentary with live footage (not recreations) of two brothers from a broken home who travel the globe to find out what makes us human. I was excited to find it on Netflix instant watch, as I had remembered hearing about it a few months back. It lived up to my expectations and past them within the first 30 minutes. I posted the trailer, for those like me who gotta have a trailer.

After talking with my wife last night about a few political things, she shut me up and made me think.