I Like Turtles...

My brother and his family came to visit this weekend and I don't think we have laughed this hard in a long time... thank you Jonathan.


YouTube rules!

Selling 2.0

Here we are, a little over a month doing the sales thing. Let me tell you, it's tough. I have very high expectations for myself (I always do... another Blog on another day) and facing constant rejections really weighs on you.

There have been many days where I have had to force myself to be at work... I don't hate it, but there is definitely something about not making sales and not living up to what I would like to that makes waking up and getting on the phones a drudgery.

The thing about this whole "office job" thing that has always been tough for me is my need for that sense of freedom or whatever I think freedom is. Don't get me wrong, I am free to sit at my desk and not try very hard, but what good does that do me? Plus, it's just not right... I get paid to make calls.

My style of selling is very different too. I can't be pushy about people buying from me... I hate when people are pushy with me so I can't do it with other people. I give them the info and answer questions and move on. I plant the seed so to speak. Therein we stumble upon another issue in my life... patience. I desperately want that sale now, so when I don't get it, I am annoyed or sad or disappointed - just put in any emotion that fits.

I know one thing though, God brought me to this place... I am here for a reason. He is asking me to be obedient... to persevere... to experience what He has in store for me.

Last Friday while I was driving to work I was praying and I kept hearing the phrase "I have you there for a reason." When I got into work Jeremiah 29:11 was running through my mind... "I know what I am doing. I have it all planned out - plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for."

I'll keep holding on and hoping, because God knows what He's doing...

Born to Sell

After what seemed like months of training, I officially got on the sales floor on Thursday! I celebrated by making my first 9 new sales!

I am really enjoying this job. There is a lot of rejection that is tough to get used to when selling, but there are also those calls that work out and you make the sale. As I get settle in and start feeling more comfortable with the products and begin hitting my groove, I think I am going to do pretty well.

I have to confess that I actually headed upstairs to get ready for bed the other day at 9:30 p.m. I think the last time I got ready for bed that early was when I was doing the morning show at WCM back in Michigan. I used to get there between 4:30 - 5:00 a.m. to start show prep with Christine, my co-host. Needless to say, I couldn't believe how tired I was.

I'm starting to feel like the big change of life is becoming "normal" so I should be able to get back to some of the extracurriculars that have been neglected for the past month or so. Maybe I can even start Blogging again!

We shall see...

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Southern Exposure

We've been away from home for close to a week now... I am ready to be back in the Buckeye State.

Isn't that weird?

I'll tell you what, with the way the Wolverines are playing, I may need to think about becoming a real Buckeye soon... I don't think my heart will let me do it though. I did say last week that I was toying with the idea of boycotting Michigan football until Lloyd Carr is fired or resigns. I know not all the blame goes to him, but the mentality of not changing the "tradition" of how Michigan plays football in today's game is unconscionable.

The good news is my Detroit Lions won their first game... 9 more wins and Jon Kitna is a genius!

Back to the trip...

We visited friends in South Carolina and we had a really good time. As we were headed down, we went through Ohio to get over to I-77 and it was very frustrating because after we made it out of the Columbus area the speed limit DECREASED from 65 mph to 55 mph!! We were literally in the middle of nowhere and the speed limit was less than it was in populated areas. Talk about speed traps... We'll be taking I-75 back home. Hallelujah!

We've been in Atlanta for the past few days. We're in the Northeast section of the ATL. The area is very nice. Tons of shopping, restaurants and stuff to do... along with that is way too many people.

Cheryl and I headed out for lunch today around 11:45 a.m. and she needed to get back to training in an hour. We finally got food at around 12:35 p.m.! It took us about 15 minutes to get about 2 miles away, then we tried in vain to find a place to park then ended up doing curbside order and about a half hour later, Cheryl had to wolf down her food while I dodged traffic to get her back to training.

This my friends, I do not miss. Big city convenience also means lots of waiting and lots of headaches. People are way too stressed out. There are so many people here, it really is mind boggling. I have no idea how you could take a lunch break with only an hour.

All that being said, this time away with Cheryl has been great. I miss the hound, but Chris is taking care of him and the house while we are gone, so it's all good.

Looking forward to getting back and experiencing the Fall temps that we're missing. Plus, there is nothing like "Home Sweet Home."

iPhone

Well, it looks like the iPhone is almost within reach.

Steve Jobs unveiled the new iPods the other day (Geekbert, where are you?) and also dropped the price of an iPhone down to $399 for an 8 GB. You can also pick up a refurbished 8 GB for $349 or a discontinued 4 GB iPhone for $299.

On top of that, the iPod touch was released and obviously has all the bells and whistles of the iPhone, without the phone. The iPod nano also got an overhaul... it can now play video and is wider and shorter. Plus a whole bunch of new colors.

Check them out.

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Back to Reality...

It seems like Blogging has become a thing of the past for me. I know it's only been a week, but I had an amazing streak going for a while there.

As I was talking to my Dad the other night, I mentioned to him around 8:30 p.m. that I was tired and needed to start winding down for the night. He chuckled of course, because he loves it when his sons are tired from a hard day at work. Nothing makes him happier - not really, but there is a sense of enjoyment and pride that I think he feels when his boys "earn their keep."

Dad worked his rear end off from the time he was 19 years old until the day he retired at the age of 59. In fact, after a hiatus in the land of retired persons, Dad actually went back to work as a contractor for a while. I think he may have learned his lesson... he is retired again, until he runs out of projects to do around the house or gets bored that is.

Cheryl's Dad is also still chuggin' away. He works fewer days a week, but I think he really enjoys what he does and that makes a difference.

There is something very satisfying about putting in a hard days work, especially when I get that first commission check. I can say without hesitation now that I identify with the Loverboy song, "Everybody's Workin' for the Weekend."

Hopefully the Fall TV season will inspire me to write a little more.

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Yes Please!!

A kid from N.J. figured out a way to hack into an iPhone and unlock it for use with any carrier!

Where do I sign up?

Sorry For the Interruption...

Yes, it has been a very long time, but I have a legitimate excuse... a new job.

I started on Thursday last week at the Junior Library Guild. I sell books to schools and libraries... interesting, no? It's a phone sales job and really is a lot of fun. The people so far are great and there is a lot of room for earning potential.

Not my lifelong dream, but it pays the bills. Plus, even though it's a phone sales job, the JLG is an established company that has been around since 1929 and we're not telemarketing. We have relationships with Librarians and schools throughout the U.S.

Peace.

Stranglehold

Here is what I wish I was doing to my dog, Bailey, right now.

It's 4:30 a.m. and the rumble of thunder started a few moments ago. He has been panting and whining ever since the hint of showers. We have basically seen scattered thunderstorms almost every day for the past week or so in Ohio. No end in sight as far as I can see.

There are times where being a dog owner really stinks and this would be one of them. I love the little mongrel, but he sure make me want to do a little cartoon strangling once in a while. If only the consequences of the cartoon or video game world applied to ours sometimes... what a wonderful world it would be.

That reset button would come in handy, wouldn't it?

Things Are Tough All Over

As many of you know, times are tough in Michigan. Things are looking tougher and tougher all the time.

Cheryl and I have been in Ohio for a little over a year now, but there will always be a place in my heart for Michigan. Especially Detroit and the Metro area.

We are still in the midst of some pretty horrible stuff when it comes to our old house. It seems that the entire state is suffering from a huge rise in foreclosures. An article in the Free Press, says that foreclosures are up 130% since July 2006. We are in the midst of probable foreclosure right now and I have no idea what the outcome will be.

While it can be unnerving that we may lose the old place, there is also a sense of peace that God provides. He will be there no matter what the situation is. We have to keep believing and hoping for the best even in the midst of situations that can seem quite hopeless.

Stripes

Stripes will always hold a special place in my heart.

I remember watching it on TV with Dad and him laughing and laughing. Bill Murray is classic in this movie. The only problem is the end when they take the top secret RV into enemy territory. There are so many hilarious moments and lines to be quoted... yes, I have been known quote lines from movies. Not as much as I used to, but I can quote with the best of them.

John Candy is obviously one of my favorites. I love when they go around the room to talk about why they decided to join...

Ox: My name's Dewey Oxbeger. My friends call me Ox. You mighta' noticed I have a slight weight problem.

Guys: No. No! No.

Ox: Yeah, yeah I do. I went to this doctor and he told me I swallowed a lot of aggression... along with a lot o' pizzas. Haha-ha!

I'm basically a shy person. I'm a shy guy and ah, he suggested takin' one o' these aggression training courses, you know these aggressive training courses, like E.S.T.? Those type o' things. Anways, it cost like 400 bucks! 400 bucks to join this thing.

Well, I ah, I didn't have the money. I thought to myself, join the Army. It's free. So I figured, while I'm here, I'll lose a few pounds. And you got what, a six to eight week training program here? A real tough one. Which is perfect for me.

I'm gonna' walk out of here a lean, mean, fightin' machine. Haha-haha!

Just one of John's classic moments in film.

Throughout most of the movie I think I would have been in the dog house just like Bill Murray. I have seen eye to eye with authority figures, but like the song goes, "When I fight authority, authority always wins."

It's fun revisiting some of the "classics" of my youth. Although, I always saw the TV versions. I had no idea all the stuff I missed!

2 - 0

So far, so good.

The Detroit Lions are 2 - 0 in the pre-season... can you say Super Bowl? Well, they'll get to play the Super Bowl Champion, Indianapolis Colts, on Saturday.

It's not wrong to dream is it?

Go Lions!!

Fall Fling

Today was one of those picture perfect days... mid 70's, light breeze and tons of pre-season football to watch on the NFL Network.

Even though I eagerly await the warmth of Spring and Summer, there is just something so wonderful about the Fall. I think it probably my favorite time of year. Spring is extremely close, but Fall just has something to it that is absolutely the best feeling in the world.

The trees start to change, football is in full swing and those cooler temps allow you to throw on a sweatshirt and play around outside and get a cold nose and rosey cheeks. Plus, as much as I hated school, there was something pretty exciting every year about heading back. New clothes, school supplies and when you were young, a new lunch box. Those were fun... although my lame Christian school wouldn't let you have half the lunch boxes out there because they were"worldly." Can a kid just have an Alf lunch box for crying out loud?

Bring on the Fall... just remind me that I asked for it when I am whining about the Winter.

Buckeye Birthdays

I have never seen so many birthday parties in my entire life as I have seen since we moved to Ohio. There must be something about birthdays or at least about the people we know down here. We just celebrated another one tonight. I think we have been to at least 3 or 4 so far this Summer.

When I was a kid, I can remember like two birthday parties that I had. One was a pretty bad memory in some ways... in fact, birthdays were never really a big deal in our household. I always seem to remember the weird gifts I got from my parents. One they will never live down was the year they got me a clock radio... what a growing boy always hopes for on his special day, something to make him wake up in the morning! I can't even really remember my brother having birthday parties.

No offense to all my friends with kids - and trust me, Cheryl enjoys them - but these kid birthday parties are even harder for me. Maybe deep down I am jealous. Plus, with no children of my own, I miss the point I think. I also never know how old infants are. I just think they are eternally two years old until they can carry on a conversation with me that makes sense. I don't dislike kids at all, I just have no understanding of the kid world.

Maybe I need to start having dog birthday parties. In fact Bailey just turned 3 years old today... or is he 21 years old? If so, I need to give him his first beer. Ellie, our first dog, loved beer. Maybe it will take the edge off during our next thunderstorm... we can only hope.

Couldn't Have Been Scripted Better

Tonight on Big Brother 8, the stars aligned and the unthinkable happened. 

The man known as Evel Dick (left) did everything in his power to be kicked out of the house by going on an Evel Dick rampage, tearing people apart and acting like a total jerk. He won the Veto Competition and saved his daughter from eviction from the Big Brother House seemingly ensuring his own eviction.

Then...

America made things interesting. This season BB8 has someone called America's Player and America gets to see what people say when no one is watching. They know who is lying and who is telling the truth. So last night they told Eric, America's Player, to get one of his own put up for eviction and voted out, Dustin (right). That set the wheels in motion that saved Evel Dick from exiting the house.

Dick lives on for another week and to top it all off, his daughter, Danielle, won the Head of Household competition and will be picking two poor souls to be nominated for eviction this week.

I swear, it seems like someone is writing this stuff, because the likelihood of these events all lining up is completely amazing.

DIRECTV

If you have never had DIRECTV or have believed all the cable company garbage about it, I have to tell you about an amazing customer service experience I had.

As I have mentioned on these pages before, I am a huge NFL fan and sadly, a die hard Lion's fan. DIRECTV has something called, The Sunday NFL Ticket, to which I started subscribing when we moved to Ohio. When we first signed up, it was an amazing deal where you ended up getting free premier service for months if you bought the Ticket. So last year I thoroughly enjoyed many, many NFL games each Sunday and became and even bigger NFL fan.

Fast forward to this year. When it came time to pay up for the Ticket again this year I had to really think about how fiscally responsible it was... plus I heard that if you called into DIRECTV and voiced concerns about paying the big bucks for the Ticket they would try to retain you. They did exactly that. After my conversation with a customer service rep, I basically ended up with the Ticket and Superfan (HD games, etc.) for about $49. That is amazing when you normally pay $269 for the NFL Ticket plus $99 for the Superfan.

This is just another thing I love about DIRECTV. If you get a chance to look at the picture quality compared to cable or even digital cable you will be blown away. There have been only a few times I can remember in the years that we have had DIRECTV that weather has made me lose a signal. Compared to the number of times I saw snow when we had cable, I'll take DIRECTV any day.

The Hits Keep Comin'

When is this going to end? Now we're having Baby Bibs recalled... unbelievable.

Maybe it's time to think about manufacturing some things right here in America where we can keep our eyes on what's going on. The only thing stopping us is greed... that's a really good thing, huh?

Here's a list of things MADE IN AMERICA to get us started.

Remembering...

Fourteen years ago at this time, I think Cheryl, myself and a bunch of our friends were hanging out in Mom & Dad's pool. We were just relaxing a bit after a pretty eventful day. We probably stayed up late the night before, then got up early and made ourselves look really nice. Then we took some pictures before we stood up in front off a room of family and friends...

It seems as though we have been together for as long as I can remember, because I mostly remember being with my best friend and the love of my life, Cheryl. We were only sixteen (me) and fifteen (Cheryl) years old when we started our relationship. No one thinks those early loves turn into mature love, but ours did. We had ups and downs, but one thing was certain, I can tell you exactly when I knew I was in love with Cheryl and wanted to spend the rest of my life with her... oh, you want to know? We were standing out in front of her house after a date and I looked her right in the eyes and said, "You might think I'm crazy, but I think I'm falling in love with you." That was only a few weeks after we started dating. I just knew.

Many people thought we were just too young. There were a lot of warnings and "are you sure's?" thrown around, but we had that really important component... we were in love. We made mistakes and I made sure we had our share of drama, but God saw fit to bless us, even when we forgot about Him from time to time.

You hear people say this all the time, but the longer I know Cheryl, the more I love her. Everyday there is something she does that makes me smile. Not a day goes by that I'm not thankful that God brought her into my life.

Fourteen years from now, I know I'll have even more amazing memories with this woman. I look forward to them and can't wait to see where God takes us... the places we have been so far, even the bad places, have been a blessing with Cheryl by my side.

More China Problems

Here we go again...

Mattel is going for number two in the China recall business. Who cares though? It's just children's toys... it's really all about cheap stuff, right?

Hot Fuzz

Just watched the movie, Hot Fuzz on DVD. If you are a fan of Shaun of the Dead, this movie will not disappoint you. Just a warning though, it's British and has a little gore in it.

The movie centers around a police officer (Simon Pegg) from London who does his job a little to well for the liking of his superiors. Since he makes arrests and stops crimes with such efficiency, they decide he is making them all look bad and he needs to be reassigned to another post. He ends up in a small town with no crime... or so we think. Soon he unearths the mother of all conspiracies and the hilarity ensues.

His sidekick (Nick Frost - also his sidekick in Shaun of the Dead) is enamored with the Hollywood version of policing. He asks his new police officer buddy if he has done all types of scenarios which he has seen some of his movie star heroes perform throughout the film. The best one is when he asks if he has ever had a chance to shoot a bad guy who was getting away from him, but couldn't bring himself to do it because he knew him then fired his gun in the air and screamed like Keanu Reeves in Point Break.

Much like Shaun of the Dead there is all sorts of crazy action that has a bit of humor thrown into it. It's worth a spin in the old DVD player, but the British humor thing may not register with everyone.

Rearrange

Right before our friends came to stay with us, I decided to do a little reorganization of the living room. I do this from time to time to change things up a bit. Plus, you can really do a deep cleaning of everything when you move things around... you'd be surprised where Bailey's hair ends up!

So, one of the major changes was putting our super old couch (w/it's beautiful new slip cover) where our chairs used to be. Cheryl and I used to have our armchairs in the prime viewing area of the TV with an end table in between us. Now the couch sits there... one of the best things I've ever done.

Now we sit together and hold hands... cuddle... Cheryl curls up next to me with a book while I watch football, it's great! I feel like we forgot about how wonderful it was to snuggle up together. 

If you haven't tried it lately, I highly recommend it.

Secret Good News?

What a day! I am truly exhausted...

I did something crazy today, but I don't want to share much about it until I hear something about it this week. I know that is lame, but you will just have to wait for the news... it just might be worth it.

More to come...

Good Times

It's been so much fun hanging out with Rob, Nicole and Jack. They are friends that you can always just pick up where you left off. We love them so much and enjoy the time we spend with them immensely. Plus, their son is so dang cute, I can hardly stand it.

Bailey loves that kid... hopefully not because he wants to eat him or something.

They'll be back for a day before they fly back to Sin City, so we'll have a little more time to enjoy them.

Football Fix

And here we go...

Football game tonight was frustrating to watch (because I'm a Lions fan), but a lot of fun too. Mostly fun because the Lions ended up winning 27 - 26.

A win is a win.

More football to come this entire weekend, thanks to the NFL Network and local TV showing the Browns game. Should be fun.

I Know I'm Funnier Than...

We are eagerly awaiting the arrival of two of our best friends from Vegas! Can't wait to see them...

While we're waiting we caught tonight's episode of Last Comic Standing. It seems that NBC has revamped the way this year is done. No longer do the comics live in a house together, this year they are all put up in a hotel. The episodes also seem to move along a lot quicker and they eliminate more than one comic a night.

As usual, the best comics did not make it through this season, but it seems like the really good comics are picking off the average ones pretty handily. So, for now, I guess I'll continue to watch.

Plus Matt Kirshen (pictured) made me laugh pretty hard tonight.

Fat March

We ended up watching the new show Fat March on ABC and I have to say, it was not all I had hoped for. I'm a big fan of The Biggest Loser on NBC, but Fat March just doesn't stand up so far.

The whole idea is that the contestants will walk 500 miles in ten weeks. All along the way, you can quit or be voted off if the group things you are slowing them down, but each time you lose a team member, you lose part of the groups prize money.

One of the worst things that happened were when this guy that was 520 lbs. was unable to continue walking because of stress fractures in his feet. He actually planned on continuing to walk, but the rest of his "teammates" decided to relieve him from duty. The good news is the guy - who just happens to be a youth pastor - is down to 43o now.

The other thing that was really quite annoying was this chick who did nothing but complain and whine and drag everyone down. She eventually dropped her backpack while the trainer tried to motivate her and said, "I'm done." The team lost money, but they also lost some dead weight... pun intended!

Time to Kill

I had a little time to kill... and TiVo rewarded me with two movies with tons of kills in them.

The Rock and Die Hard may not be considered classics, but there was a time when I truly enjoyed action movies like these. I found out that they were pretty fun to watch again.

First off, Sean Connery is just fun to watch. I need to look into finding some of his James Bond films as I can only imagine they would be a lot of fun to watch as well. We have another Connery film available on the DVR, Finding Forrester and there's is just something pretty funny about hearing the beloved Scotsman yell, "Who's the man know, dog?"

Bruce Willis has always been a favorite of mine. He just comes off as your average everyday kind of guy. He'll probably never win an Oscar, but he will entertain you when you put down some green to see one of his movies. Plus, has there ever been a better action movie line than that nasty little phrase he utters in Die Hard? It has to be up there with "Go ahead make my day," and "Say hello to my little friend!"

Action movies may not be tops on the film critic's lists, but next time you need a little mindless entertainment let yourself enjoy a good old fashioned car chasing, exploding, shoot 'em up
action movie.

Banner Night In the Big Brother House

Alright, this season of Big Brother is really crazy!

This is probably the meanest season I have seen thus far. Evel Dick (pictured w/Johnny Depp) is absolutely out of control at times, but refreshingly honest. He is making this season very fun to watch and living up to his name in more ways than one.

On Thursday, he poured a glass of iced tea on Jen and escaped with nothing but a question from Julie Chen during the Eviction Ceremony for Kail and Nick. Whilst part of me feels sorry for Jen, the humorous side of me laughed uproariously when it happened. Where else but Reality TV does this stuff happen?

Cheryl has a secret fantasy of throwing a drink in someone's face, but when does an opportunity like that really present itself? Well, knowing me, she may have had a few chances by now...

Most Reality TV shenanigans like that would get you kicked off the show by the producers, but somehow Mr. Dick survived...

Now things get really weird when a plane with a banner behind it flew over the Big Brother House... it said:

WE LOVE NICK! ERIC AND AMBER ARE LIARS! LNC ARE THE NERD HERD!

Okay, so Nick just got voted out and obviously someone he knows decided to send a message to the BB House... Crazy! I've never seen anything like this before. Eric and Amber are now outed to the rest of the house. LNC stands for "Late Night Crew," which as you may have guessed is all the people who stay up late... how creative.

This is really bad news for Eric. He is one of the twists this year called America's Player. Basically CBS has people voting on things for Eric to do in the house. Usually it's who to try to get nominated for eviction, some kind of crazy stunt and who to vote for on eviction day. He has to dig himself out of a pretty big hole now...

I could go on and on...

Which leads me to something I have been toying around with for a while and the other day while talking with a good friend of mine, Chris, I kind of got a little validation for my latest idea.

The Ramblin' Scotzman may become a little more of an entertainment Blog over the next few months. Most likely I will Blog about TV as I have not been to see an actual film in the theater since Borat (I know, of all the movies to go to), plus who wants to pay $9.25 for something that might suck? Getting new DVD's from the library fits into our budget perfectly (FREE besides all the taxes we pay).

So I would love to know what all two of the readers of this Blog think... there will still be ramblings about life, love and craziness, but I figure why not write about something I know a lot about. Sad but true... I know TV.

The China Syndrome

Here we go again people... in our quest for cheaper products the list continues to grow. More toys gone bad from China... at least they're affordable.

When is this madness going to end?

Maybe when we decide that cheap products aren't the bottom line anymore. Just my opinion, but it's time to wake up and stop rewarding faulty products and slave labor.

The Games We Play

I had a pretty entertaining "boy's night out" with a friend of mine tonight. We originally were going to try to get a Hold 'Em Poker game going, but alas, there was no one biting.

We ended up playing video games all night and enjoying some grilled burgers then some ribs. The ribs were awesome...

In my own little world I think I'm pretty good at video games. On my PS2 I am unstoppable against the computer, but put me against flesh and blood and a lot of times, I find I need some more practice. That really sucks when you are competitive and get your behind handed to you.

Steve and I ended up playing a bunch of games he bought used for his kids Nintendo Game Cube. We played hockey, Mario Cart (with the kids), Tiger Woods Golf and basketball. Mario Cart was a disaster... I really stink at driving games, I never let off the gas. Either way, it was all fun.

Next time, we need to play on my PS2... home field advantage. It might help, you never know.

It's Time Again!

Time for my semi-monthly Blog about one of the greatest TV shows ever... Arrested Development.

TiVo has been picking up episodes off HDNet and it made me break out the DVD's today to indulge in total hilarity!

While I was on the CBS website the other day there was a internet show I came across called Clark and Michael. One of my favorite characters from the show (Cheryl's absolute favorite), George Michael Bluth, who in real life is Michael Cera, was the creator and co-star of the show.

The kid is amazing and he's from Canada... why do Canadians seem to be such a comedic people? Great anthem, hockey and comedy, what's not to like? Probably the standardized health care and the taxes...

I digress... everything said and done, it's time to watch Arrested Development if you haven't seen it and even if you have, watch it again!

Moments

Sometimes there are little things that happen in life that remind you of why it's so nice to be in love and be loved. It might be a touching moment in a movie, TV show or a book. Sometimes you see a picture or have a thought that runs through your mind.

When those moments come, you treasure them. Hold on to those moments and never forget them. They make life worth living.

Detroit Breakdown

Newt Gingrich made a statement to the world that many people already knew: Detroit is a disaster.

Don't get me wrong, I don't want to pile on, but the city of Detroit is a mess. Everyone knows it except the people in charge of the city. The city council holds the Motor City hostage by bickering and fighting amongst themselves. The Mayor, Kwame Kilpatrick, has proven to be a hoodlum and a tool for even more racial divide in one of the most racial divided cities in the country.

The school system is a complete joke and the State has tried taking over it's operation, but people in the city would never let that happen. Most in the city would rather leave things as they are to avoid getting help from "outsiders." It's a really warped mentality which again speaks to the racial divides of the Metro Area.

Add to that mess the fact that the governor of the great state of Michigan, Jennifer Granholm, has driven it into the ground, and you have a recipe for disaster.

Gingrich may be speaking out of turn in some ways, but maybe being able to look at something from the outside in gives him better perspective than those living in the middle of the situation.

Since Cheryl and I left the Detroit area, it's easier to see some of the things that hold back a place I will always love. There is this underlying mentality in Detroit that you are owed something or you deserve something "just because." The unions have a little something to do with that, but I'm not a union hater. They have their place in the marketplace, but there has to be a correction of the pendulum swing.

Living in Ohio near one of Honda's plants, I see first hand the fact that the Big 3 aren't the only game in town anymore. Honestly, most Americans would say that the Big 3 are irrelevant. There has to be some big changes in Motown when it comes to the automotive industry.

There is also a really negative attitude that pours out of people in the Metro-Detroit area. Not everyone, but there are a lot of angry, ticked off, ornery people there. Where I especially see it is in the sports world. Whether you are talking about the Lions, Wings, Tigers or Pistons, there is a lot of doom and gloom. I enjoy the Wings & Lions so much more since I moved. It's hard to explain, but in talking with others who have moved on, I am not the only one to suggest this.

Detroit will always be my hometown, I just wish it could make a comeback. Maybe more people need to speak out and start bringing attention and help to the Great Lake State.

The Two Coreys

I ended up watching a show called, The Two Coreys on A&E last night. This show was a little odd at first. I found myself wanting to turn it off, but wondering what event they would stage next.

You may remember the Corey's, Haim and Feldman. Feldman was in The Goonies. Haim was in Lucas. Both were in a string of movies, most notably The Lost Boys and License to Drive. Then both took a turn for the worse... drugs and bad behavior. Too bad they weren't acting that way now. Britney, Paris and Lindsay seem to be making a career out of it.

I'm slightly interested, because both of them have cleaned up their lives. Corey Feldman is married and is a lot more stable, while Haim is portrayed (and plays the part) as the immature, wild man. Really he comes off self centered and desperate at times. But he still has that "lovable guy" thing going for him.

I'm pretty sure that Corey Haim must have persuaded Feldman to do this. Feldman seems like he is fine with where he is in life, while Haim is dying for the limelight again. Haim ends up in tears when he finds out from Feldman that they are already doing a sequel of The Lost Boys without them. Very sad... was the movie even that good? I loved it when I was a teenager, but some things are better left without sequels.

When I was a teenager, I loved their movies. Now they are in their thirties and the movie roles have dried up... but reality TV will always be there for them. I'm a sucker for that. A very entertained sucker though.

Scotty Wept...

We watched Extreme Makeover: Home Edition tonight. Why do I do this to myself?

I cried like a little girl... a good cry never hurt anyone though.

It feels ridiculous and amazingly heartwarming all at the same time. Ty needs to stop tugging on my heartstrings.

What Are You Really Drinking?

Something I have always believed to be true finally has a little proof behind it...

It appears that Pepsi has admitted that there Auquafina bottle water is nothing more than tap water. The water is filtered, but couldn't you do that at home for pennies?

For years living in Detroit, I heard that Dasani, bottled by Coca-Cola, was nothing but filtered Detroit water. Let me just say that Detroit water is really good. I have been in a lot of places around the country and Motown water out of the tap is miles ahead of anywhere I've been (especially in my hometown in Ohio... good thing we pay three or four times more for it too).

I've always had a huge problem paying for bottled water. It comes right out of your faucet at home and no need to recycle all those bottles. These companies have made millions off our fears of drinking tap water, maybe it's time to drink what you already pay for every month, seeing as you are robbed by your city for that as well. No need for the double dip.

Heinz Finished Product

Here is the finished product for the Heinz Ketchup's Top This TV Challenge. Let us know what you think.



Sometime in late August we'll know if we are one of the 15 Semi-Finalists... then we'll tell you where to vote for us!

WARNING... I May Be Contagious!

Socially contagious that is...

A new study by some people with way too much time on their hands says that if you hang out with "obese" people you may catch their fat cooties. As if little children pointing and staring at you in public wasn't enough, now being chunky may scare off all your "normal sized" friends.

I think there is a little something to this, but it has a lot more to do with who accepts you and who you feel comfortable around. I don't hang out with a lot of marathon runners... they might want to go jogging or something, so I most likely wouldn't be with them while they are training. Not that I detest joggers or hate the idea of being fit, but at certain points in our journey we aren't headed in the same direction. My opinion (if it really matters) is that people end up spending time with people that they identify with.

Even though a lot of "Christians" can get on my nerves, when you meet up with someone that shares your faith, you generally have a bond. Later you may end up being annoyed by them, but the initial foundation is there.

I don't search out chubby people when I come into a room, but we have a connection. You know what they are going through and what they have experienced, therefore, you may end up getting to know them. A lot of the plus sized people I meet in my life have a sense of humor, which is very appealing... you have to develop this to survive when you are overweight.

This study just reinforces prejudices and stereotypes that have been around for a very long time. Most people look at you differently when you are on the plump side. They look down on you. Pity you. Are disgusted by you and now need to fear that you may make them choose a pro-fat lifestyle.

I can see it now, politicians rallying their base against the obese. Other candidates choosing to be pro-plump. Another category for all of us to fear or to fit into... so nice and neat isn't it?

In the words of Rodney King, "Can't we all just get along?"

Maybe more people should take the time to help out the people who struggle with obesity rather than ostracize them. If you have been watching the show, Shaq's Big Challenge, you will see that getting people excited and encouraged about a healthy lifestyle can start a revolution.

Don't be afraid healthy people... even you rotten people with speedy metabolisms, I won't rub off on you. At least I'll try not to. But don't expect any marathon running... not yet anyway.

Jailhouse Rock

This is a video I saw on an old comedy buddies MySpace page. It's a large group of men in a Filipino prison doing a choreographed dance routine to Michael Jackson's, Thriller.

Tax dollars hard at work!

Handyman

This may be nothing to many of you, but I fixed another problem with my toilet last week.

When we were living in Michigan, Dad was just a phone call away. He knew how to or was willing to figure out how to fix anything and everything.

Since we moved (almost a year ago), I've had to learn to fix all the little stuff that goes wrong in the house... and as much as I used to think I couldn't fix things, it's not as hard as I thought.

So far on the two toilets upstairs, I have fixed almost everything in the tank: handle, filler valve & float and the flush valve. I've also replaced the seats.

Not rocket science, but I'm learning!

Grillin'

We finally got a new tank for the BBQ and I have been grillin' all day.

There is just something amazing about that wonderful grilled taste, isn't there? Chicken was on the menu today, I think tomorrow I'm gonna' try a little salmon. Let me just say, if you love to marinate before you grill, A1 Marinades are out of this world! We're hooked on Texas Mesquite.

I would love to hear some grillin' tips or recipes, so pass 'em on.

The Call

I got a call this morning that no one wants to hear...

Mom was rushed to emergency last night.

After a pretty stressful week and a night with her grandchild, Mom was pretty worn out. Dad said that Mom had a hard time communicating with him and eventually Dad felt something was very wrong. Matthew and Dad took Mom into the hospital and she ended up staying overnight for tests and observation.

Sounds like extreme fatigue and a possible TIA ended up being the diagnosis. Mom was allowed to go home this afternoon and finally get some rest (you can never rest in a hospital... odd isn't it?).

Keep her in your prayers...

Boys Day Out...

Ended up having a very cool Saturday morning.

Doug, Steve, Derek and myself met for breakfast at this place my Mom would love, Der Dutchman. It was just a lot of fun hanging out with the guys. They introduced me to this donut thing call a Long John. Cheryl told me to get her one since she had been there before and loved them. If you love sweets, beware, they're sinful. That's coming from someone who doesn't love sweets.

After the breakfast we ended up at Steve's in-laws where my heart almost stopped as Steve climbed a windmill some thirty or so feet in the air. The ladder - if you can even call it that - was literally only wide enough for one foot to fit in at a time. He barely squeezed through the opening at the top. After all of us watched in horror, Steve made it down all right.

Luckily, I think all the other guys didn't get in any trouble with their wives for being out so long. Even if they did, I think spending time together was worth it.

I'm Ready for Some Football!

Sports two days in a row people... I know.

All I can say is that DirecTV sent me a schedule for the upcoming season so I am officially excited. Training camp starts at the end of this month and the added bonus is HBO is bringing back one of my favorite shows, Hard Knocks. It follows a team through training camp with some really behind the scenes access. They're following the Kansas City Chiefs this year.

I am a glutton for punishment since as you know, my favorite team is none other than the Detroit Lions. Lions fans are so full of optimism as training camp comes around. Let's hope that positive feeling finally pays off this year (come on Chris, you know you love those Lions).

Soccer Geek

The Scottish blood was a wee bit excited tonight as I watched the MLS All-Star Game on ESPN 2. For you American folk who may not know, the MLS is Major League Soccer.

Yes, soccer.

I watched it and it was particularly exciting (not something most would say about soccer in the U.S.) because Celtic FC played the MLS All-Stars. Celtic FC is a team from Glasgow, Scotland. I'll need to speak with my Uncle Matthew to find out which Scottish Premier League team he follows. My guess is his hometown team in Kilmarnock.

The MLS All Stars beat Celtic FC 2 - 0. It was actually quite entertaining.

The real excitement at the game and over this past week has been the arrival of David Beckham. If you are unaware of Mr. Beckham, you may actually know who he is in the next few years if he does what people think he will. Basically, Beckham is supposed to put MLS on the map in the U.S., put butts in the seats.

He's an international superstar and was paid $250 Million to play here. He is married to one of the Spice Girls, Victoria, better known as Posh Spice. He's one championships in Europe and played for his country, England, in a few World Cups, and of course, he knows how to bend it... like Beckham.

Check out this video of Beckham against Greece. Watch for the reverse angle replay. Tell me that isn't a thing of beauty.

Here We Go Again...

I have no idea why, but we're watching Last Comic Standing again this year. They've got a new host, Bill Bellamy, and now three past contestants are the judging panel. By the way, only one of them won the season they were on, in fact Alonzo Boden had to come back for a season vs. season showdown before he was crowned Last Comic Standing. Not to mention that idiot Ant... who is he kidding with that hair piece? Sorry... that was wrong.

This show grabs me and then infuriates me every time it's on. I know it's coming, but I still put myself through it. At least this year I saw a comic that I knew from my days back in the Detroit comedy scene... Dave Landau... he lost and didn't look to happy about it.

The reason that I get all ticked off with this show is the fine print. If you read the fine print at the end of the show each week, it says that, "portions of the show have been edited out for the sake of time... blah, blah, blah... oh, and winning contestants are chosen by the panel and producers of the show."

I wouldn't have a problem with that if the funniest people made it to the next round, but the producers - God love 'em - choose people not just because they are the funniest, but because they will bring Reality Show freakiness to the house. They want crazy, unbalanced people because they will bring drama into the house. They will cause otherwise semi-normal people to do and say things that will have America talking tomorrow around the water cooler.

I know comedy is subjective, but let me just tell you that a lot of great comics go unnoticed and unappreciated on Last Comic Standing. They say that the funniest person in the World will be found this season... probably not, but at least we'll be laughing most of the way.

Heinz

Dave and I shot a commercial for Heinz Ketchup tonight...

After all the editing is done on my lovely Mac, I'll post a link for you to go see it on You Tube. Hopefully they like it.

Dramatic Chipmunk

I know I am late on this one, but if you haven't seen this... you just have to laugh. The Dramatic Chipmunk came about from some video of a Japanese children's TV show where they had a prairie dog in a pen while the kids laughed and asked questions. At one point the camera zooms in and then the payoff... Dramatic Chipmunk is born.

Enjoy.



There are a million variations of this thing on You Tube, so check it out. Not all of them are family friendly... so beware.

This is my favorite.

Alcohol...

So all the neighbors had a little party out in our court area last night. I went out to chat and see how things were going. I ended up sitting down for a while and talking with a few people while the booze continued to flow and the guests became more and more inebriated.

Out of nowhere, one of the guests from the block over (who I found out later no one really knew) comes flying past me at full speed and tackles my neighbor in his chair. Ummm, o.k.? So then the drunkard gets up and says, "Are we cool man?"

Are we cool?!?

My neighbor, also a bit on the tipsy side, says everything is o.k. Some people were laughing while the non-intoxicated people like me, knew this would not end well. My neighbor - after much drunken plotting - waits for his chance. The fully drunken bum from the other block is standing on the curb with his back to us, when my neighbor comes flying out of his chair, nailing the liquored up fool in the back... right on top of the unsuspecting woman that was talking to him. They both landed on top of her right in the middle of the concrete.

Not good.

She said she was fine, but I wonder how numb she had become up to that point (she also was enjoying her drinks). Everyone kept asking if she was alright and I think more than anything, she was embarrassed by all the attention.

The party quickly started to disband by that point... just a shade to late obviously. The drunken bum ended up passing out while he was sitting in a chair, then stumbled - with his cooler of beer - back home through our neighbor's yards.

There always seems to be one of those idiots that ruins it for everyone else. Tackling people is always a bad idea... unless you are playing football or are doing a stunt in a movie.

Maxed Out

If you happen to own a credit card, it would be pretty likely that you also have credit card DEBT! I may be jumping way out on the limb with that one... probably not.

Quite some time ago, I saw a preview for a documentary called, Maxed Out, on the previews of a DVD that we were watching. I was very intrigued, so I put it on the list of DVD's at the local library. We finally got it this past Thursday and it did not disappoint.

This movie should be required watching for high schoolers, young adults, people about to get married, if you are about to go to college or if you happen to spend money. EVERYONE needs to see this movie.

Cheryl and I have major struggles with debt; especially credit card debt and I wish we had known the disaster we were walking into. We never learned about money management or more importantly the value of money earned. Both of us had it pretty good growing up. We took a lot of things for granted and lived way beyond our means when we first got married... 14 years later, we are still paying for those mistakes.

Dave Ramsey is one of the people featured on this DVD. I would highly suggest either reading some of his books or getting to one of his seminars, because this guy has the right idea.

As the tag-line of the Maxed Out suggests: Nothing Is Priceless.

Scott's Rent-A-Car

I let a friend borrow my car for the weekend today.

It was really weird, because I got into the car with him and told him about all the little ticks and problems he might experience with it. It made me feel like a father feels when he lets his son take the family car out for the first time.

Weird, huh?

Hmmm...

So my brother calls me this morning with an interesting proposition. It seems a friend of his at work may be interested in our house, but he would like some incentives thrown into the deal.

In Real Estate these days, people are having to sweeten the pot a bit with extras. It used to be things like paying closing costs or helping with the down payment, but now things have gotten a bit more creative. Everything from Plasma TV's to Mercedes are being thrown into the purchase deal.

So what does our perspective buyer want? A Crotch Rocket... we'll see how that works out.

Ask

I always have trouble asking for help. Why? I think there are a myriad of reasons. Pride, being afraid what people will think, not wanting to "owe" somebody, etc.

In America, very early on we learn to be independent. It's the best way to do things... so we're told. It's your choice, your bedroom, your body, your decision, your vote. Everything is about you. You deserve the best, you deserve a break today, be all that you can be.

This logic seems to go against everything I've read about the Church. Community, carrying for one another, sharing with one another... being together. The community of "believers" grew so quickly because this love and care they showed to one another was attractive. It was different than the norm.

Sometimes when we are too proud or afraid to ask for help, we don't give those in the body a chance to give. We take away their opportunity to experience the joy of giving that God provides them with.

So why not try to be a little un-American next time you are in need? Ask, and maybe it will be given to you.

Friends Are Friends... Forever?

Have you ever been betrayed by someone you really care about?

I'm not talking about being swindled by a used car salesman or getting ripped off or being duped into buying something from a TV Infomercial... I mean someone you invested in. Someone you gave pieces of yourself to. Someone you thought was like family.

For me - and I'm sure many other people - this feeling of betrayal by people I care about has been something I have experienced many, many times in my life. It's kind of like the devil's little hot button for me. The thing that really hurts me the deepest. Friends, family and people I will never meet again have helped push that button... and I'm positive I have pushed that button for others as well.

Most of the time, I've been able to talk to the person and hash things out. Not this time. I've been able to say that I'm sorry too. I've been able to forgive and begin again... but something different is happening here. Things out of my control...

Thankfully, God is helping me grow... increasing my faith.

He never betrays me, never forsakes me. He continues to strip away the things that get in the way. I'm realizing more and more that everything in my life is meaningless. Possessions, titles, family, friends... none of it matters.

A new realization is taking over.

Everything could crumble down around me, but God still loves me and His plans will be carried through to completion.

How many of us really understand His love for us?

I don't think any of us really know it's true fullness. We've never experienced anything close to it in human form because we're all messed up, broken. We see glimpses of it... but do we really open ourselves up to receive all that He has freely given to us? Do we believe He loves us the way He says He does?

Most often we have to experience the pain and betrayal. We have to let God pull the little band-aid off of our gaping wound. He has to expose it so He can heal it.

Really it's about how we deal with it, isn't it? Knowing that God is still God in the face of all sorts of trials and tribulations. We were made to be in relationship with others... because we're made in His image. Relationships will fail.

How many times have I betrayed Him? Many more than Peter. Yet, He still loves me. Perfectly. Exactly the way I need it... Exactly the way He intended.

His perfect love casts out all fear.

Even the fear that someone will hurt me again...

Blog Maintenance

No offense to anyone who may have noticed their link is gone...

I've noticed that some people haven't written in quite a while or very infrequently. So if you start Blogging again, let me know and I'll put you back in the links.

Assume the Position

Our little Bailey Boy made it into todays teaching at church! Tony was continuing a message on faith and how our faith grows. One of the points that he made was that we all have these misconceptions about who God is and that definitely shapes our faith (or lack thereof).

Tony talked about a dog his wife's family had that was very scared and timid throughout it's life. He remembers when that dog would meet people that it's tail would go between it's legs and it's ears would be pinned back. It came before people with fear and trepidation.

As Tony was preparing, he was studying what it meant when a dog licks you. He read a bunch of trainers who said it was a sign of affection, love and trust for their masters. When Tony and some other people came to our house one night a couple weeks ago we were praying and worshipping Tony was on the floor and became quite emotional. Bailey came up to Tony as he lay there and began to lick his hand. In that moment, he felt like God was showing him love through Bailey. Then Bailey flopped down beside Tony and rolled over on his back to get some love in return.

That, Tony explained, is how we should view the relationship we have with our God. We express our love to him, but the most important part is that we allow ourselves to be vulnerable to accept his love in return. Most of us come before God like the timid dog, worrying or frightened that God may zap us, but Bailey gave love and enjoyed receiving it as well.

Sometimes even dogs can teach you something...

Saturdays

Cheryl and I had one of those Saturdays...

One where you just spend the day together. Nothing to do, nowhere to go. Just us... and our furry little buddy, Bailey.

I love days like this.

Movie Week

We have watched a slew of movies lately!

We get our movies from the public library now, so the choice of what I get can be pretty sporadic. When we used Netflix, there was a little more rhyme and reason to the movies we ended up with. On the library website I can request books and movies, but a lot of times the newer stuff is requested by a ton of people and the library usually only has a single copy, so being too cheap to rent movies has it's drawbacks. How can you go wrong with free though (again, only free in my mind... our tax dollars hard at work)?

So we recently watched a documentary that Chris told me about a long time ago called, Devil's Playground. It's about the Amish... yes, the Amish. It is actually pretty interesting and strange and sad all at the same time. Basically at the age of 16, the Amish religion allows the teens to live like "the English people." They get to experience life on the other side and then decide if they want to come back and become Amish. It is a wild ride where the kids party, drink, smoke, drive cars, have cell phones, wear "English" clothes and pretty experience anything they want to... all while still living at home on the farm (most of them anyway). The interesting thing is that they have like a 90% retention rate in the church.

The second movie we watched was Shooter. This was just a good ol' fashion action movie. It was heavily influenced and filled with political commentary on how our government is crooked and covers things up (duh... like we didn't know that). But it was actually really good. Cheryl and I both enjoyed it. Conspiracies and sniper rifles always make me happy... that's kind of sad, no?

Lastly the movie Deja Vu. To me this one reminded me of a few movies, but it was a very interesting concept. Plus, Jesus was in it... well the guy who played him in The Passion of the Christ anyway. It kind of has some of the technological advances of Minority Report, mixed with pretty much every movie you have ever seen where you have to stop the bad guy before he blows stuff up... with a twist. Denzel Washington is always good in these movies in my opinion, so it's worth a watch.

Big Brother 8

So we started watching Big Brother 8 last night on CBS. It's one of those dirty little secrets that we watch during the Summer months. A good friend of mine, Chris, got me to check this show out and I have been off and on ever since. (Last year's Big Brother All Stars was amazing though)

Essentially, Big Brother is a show where 14 people are put together in a house that has no outside contact with anything or anyone - except the host, Julie Chen. Throughout their time there (2 or 3 months) they vote one another out each week. It's like high school click neatly packaged for your TV viewing pleasure.

There is always a twist on the show. This year 6 people in the house know one another, which would usually be a good thing, but these people know and mostly hate each other. There are ex-romantic interests, ex-best friends (from junior high!) and father/daughter relationship gone bad.

The father/daughter thing was the one that really made me sad. The daughter had not spoken with her father in 2 years, she's only 21 and her dad is a tatoo'd punk rocker who manages a bar (reminds Cheryl and I of Lex from Survivor). I hope that there can be some kind of reparation of that relationship... right in front of millions of interested viewers - - touche CBS!

Boom!

So we sat out in our backyard tonight and watched the fireworks!

It was really cool. I think we need to make a party out of it. Have lots of people over and watch the explosions in our own backyard. We definitely need a soundtrack... the neighbors had the radio blaring, but I think I will need to make a soundtrack of good songs for next year and blast them over the stereo somehow.

Bailey was outside with us and nearly lost his mind, but I just kept holding him and telling him that, "fireworks are good." Let's hope that registers for next year.

I also happened to mention that fireworks symbolized our violent heritage as a nation. I told Bailey that all that violence allowed him freedom to run around panting when fireworks exploded and thunderstorms came along.

God Bless America.

And the Rocket's Red Glare...

So we have learned something new about our cute little dog, Bailey... Fireworks scare the living crap out of him! We're talking shivers, panting and pacing like a fiend. Worse than thunderstorms... I knew there was a reason I have no love for fireworks. Watching hard earned money explode into bright colors never appealed to me.

We watched Red, White & Boom on our local NBC affiliate tonight and even a couple of the firework sounds from the television sent him scurrying away looking for shelter.

By the way, someone at the local NBC station could be losing their job tomorrow or really get and earful because the regularly scheduled program, Law & Order: SVU, audio was playing over the music and explosions as we watched. Quite annoying, but funny at the same time.

Feeding Frenzy

If you love the NHL, the trade deadline is one of the most exciting days of the year. Probably the second most exciting time of the year, unless your team is in the Stanley Cup Finals, to be a fan of the NHL started yesterday at 12 p.m. EST.

Unrestricted Free Agency (UFA) is a very exciting time. You hope to bolster your team by signing a key piece or even a few pieces to give your team a better shot at hoisting the Stanley Cup.

Now with the NHL having a salary cap, GM's have to really be shrewd. My favorite team, the Detroit Red Wings, before the salary cap would spend like the New York Yankees to put together a team. That is not the case anymore.

The Wings have still been a favorite to win the Cup even though they are on "equal footing" with the rest of the NHL. So far this year the Wings have lost two key players to the Ducks - - the team who beat us in the Western Conference Finals and eventually won the Stanley Cup.

We'll have to see what Ken Holland does, but there is no reason to doubt him based on his track record to this point.

Let's hope for more exciting times to come before the Wings take the ice for the 2007-08 season.

Crest

I would just like to take this moment to announce my preference and allegiance to Crest Toothpaste.

After buying a cheaper brand that was on sale about a month or so ago, I realized that Colgate - oops, did I say that out loud - sucks. Not only that, but our friendly Chinese friends have also sent over some poisoned Colgate that is actually fake Colgate. Just a side note, why are we still allowing China to make stuff for us?

When I was growing up, I think we used Crest in our household, but I know we also used a couple of different things. Aquafresh comes to mind and there was this stuff called Close Up that I think we used for quite a while. Cheryl told me they had no set brand in her house, just whatever was on sale. Well, having used Colgate again and finding out again that is horrid, I will do my best to remember that Crest will be a staple from now on...

By the way, Mr. or Mrs. Crest, if you read this Blog and decide that my ringing endorsement deserves Crest for life, please contact me as soon as possible. I would also take money if that is easier.