Middle Of China

Businesses Fighting Human Trafficking

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Sat, 11 Mar 2017 05:59:00 +0000

More and more our passion is to serve and support businesses that are fighting human trafficking. To see businesses solutions addressing this awful issue. We see so much potential in these businesses. Join our story at www.kairostraders.com!

Did Rainn Wilson really die?

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 01:41:00 +0000

According to this website he did.

http://rainn.wilson.mediafetcher.com/news/top_stories/actor_new_zealand.php

Does anyone know if this is true?

Information about living in Xian China

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 00:19:00 +0000

A reader sent me some good questions the other day and I wanted to pass them and my answers on to anyone who could use this information. If you have any questions about Xian, feel free to write me.

Enjoy this day,

Matt

1- Is there any kind of nursery school? In which language (English, French, Chinese)? At what age? At what cost? We have a one-year-old boy and we might stay in China until he’s 4 or 5.

There are a couple of school options for you. We send our kids to a small community center where they have classes 3 times a week in Chinese. It’s VERY affordable depending on how much your child goes it costs anywhere from 1800RMB to 3000RMB a semester ($265USD - $450USD). Our girls started when they were 2 1/2 , going twice a week.

There’s also an International School here where many foreigners send their children, it’s just quite a bit more expensive (I wanna say it’s like $10,000USD a semester).

2- Is it easy to get a nanny/maid to take care of the house and children? Does she have to sleep at home or is it possible not to have her sleep at home? How much does it cost?

Yes, it is very easy to hire a nanny to watch kids, cook and clean your house. And no, they DO NOT have to live with you. In fact, most do not live with the people who’ve hired them. It’s also very cheap to hire this kind of help. It’s changing a little bit right now, but you can find help for between 10RMB and 15RMB an hour ($1.50 to $2.30 an hour).

3- Are there some activities for little children: parks, other activities?

Yes. We have 3 kids (5 year old, 3 year old and a 8 month old) and we’re foster caring a Chinese orphan (she’s 3 ½) and there’s a lot to do with them. Not only do most of the apartment complexes have playgrounds, but also most of the grocery stores have bigger indoor playgrounds. Cleanliness can be an issue with some of these options.

4- Is it easy and cheap to buy some usual objects necessary for kids (childcare like strollers, car seats, …, clothes, furniture)?

I think it’s relatively cheap. For example we bought a stroller for around $75USD a couple years ago and it’s worked out well for us (and I’m sure there are cheaper options). There are plenty of children’s stores to get these kind of things at. Finding good clothes isn’t always easy. Before you come you should check out a website called taobao.com, it’s an online Chinese store that ships all over China. It’s very reasonably priced and a big selection. It’s in Chinese, but if you use Google Chrome it will translate it for you.

5- Do you both take Chinese lessons? If yes, how and what does it cost?

Yes. Both my wife and I go to school. I go to a private Chinese school and it costs me around $1300USD a semester for 6 hours a week of one-on-one. You can go to a local college to study Chinese for cheaper than that, but it demands more hours. My wife has a tutor -which is helpful for her and her schedule- and that costs 30RMB an hour (around $4USD). Having even survival Chinese can make life here so much more convenient and I would recommend getting even a little if you can.

6- Are there many foreigners living in Xian

Yes and no. For example, in Beijing you will see foreigners pretty often, maybe every time you leave your home. Here in Xian that’s not the case. You could be out all day and not once see another foreigner. But at the same time if you live in a nicer community and apartment complex, there’s a better chance of foreigners living around you. Also, there is a good ex=pat community here. Once you’re plugged in you will find many people to build friendships with.

7- Do I need a car for me to move around the city? Or is it easy to move with buses, subway, little cabs?

You can absolutely live life here without a car. I don’t know any foreigner families here who have a car and all of us use exactly what you mentioned, buses, taxis, bikes, even walking can get you to most of your errand locations. I personally would rather skip the hassle and instead use the public transportation.

Thanks again for the great questions, keep them coming.

12 Tips for Reading to Your Children

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 23:21:00 +0000

I haven't always been good at taking the time to read with my children. But recently I've turned over a new leaf and am trying to do it faithfully each day (even if it's only for a few minutes). So I came across this list of tips for reading to your children and thought I would like to pass it along. I hope you enjoy it!

When you read together, make sure to cuddle up with your child. Giving this physical touch is a great way to show your child that you love them as well as make them want to read more with you.

Take time between pages to look each other in the eyes. Giving your attention in the moment is incredibly important when spending time with your kids. So between pages or at a break in the story make sure to look into your child’s eyes.

Relax. If your child wants to skip pages or read the same story again, and again (and again), it’s okay. This is a good reminder for me, because many times I take control of the reading time, where it’s better to let my kids lead.

Ask your children to point out things in the picture, “Where’s the balloon?” This interaction will help teach them and keep them interested, reading books should be an interactive time.

Ask your child what’s in the picture and talk about whatever they answer. “What is this?” Then ask, “What sound does it make?”

Use the pictures to teach new words. This is a great way to teach your child about the world around them.

Use the story to start a conversation. Like, “Look at this beautiful butterfly”, “Remember when we saw were walking the other day and saw a butterfly?”

Ask questions about the story. “What are the butterflies doing in this picture?” and let your children make things up and stretch their imaginative muscles.

Act out parts of the story, this will keep your children entertained and wanting to read more. Don’t make reading time dull.

Do you have a long wait while running an errand with your child? Then bring a book along and take the time to read to them.

Talk about the books you’ve read when after you’ve read them. “Look! That squirrel is running up the tree, I wonder if he knows the squirrel from the story we read today”

Use a phrase or word from the book you read throughout the day.

Do you have any tips that help you read with your children? Please share them below!

Enjoy this day,

Matt

Love is the Killer App by Tim Sanders Book Review

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Thu, 25 Nov 2010 15:20:00 +0000

A friend of mine recently lent me this book and I’m super glad that he did. I found it to be incredibly useful as it tackles the most important issue of all, relationships. It’s written specifically from a business point of view and how we can improve our business relationships.

The author makes three main points to improving your business relationships, add knowledge (read books and invest into your wealth of knowledge), add to your network (add people and then connect those people to other people in your network), and finally be compassionate.

I love this approach to relationships. In a world where “More me now” seems to be the dominating paradigm it’s amazing to see someone successful saying that there’s another way. By giving away what you know and championing others you can find success. It was a good read.

I did feel that the first 1/3 of the book was where I took most of my notes and that the rest of it wasn’t as impactful (but that was only my opinion). It’s a short, quick read and I would encourage anyone who’s in the business world, wants to be in the business world, or simply anyone who’s looking for a healthy way to relate to others, to pick this book up.

Enjoy this day,
Matt

Vikings at Saints LIVE GAME THREAD

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 23:28:00 +0000

The NFL season kicks off today! And what better way than a rematch of last year’s NFC Championship game. As a Vikings fan, I have mixed feelings about this game. It makes me nervous to think of Brett Favre getting teed off on all game long, but on the other hand, we lost in overtime AFTER TURNING THE BALL OVER 7 TIMES! If a team can’t put a game away in 4 quarters after getting 7 turnovers, they’re not a good team. So if the Vikes can come out and play their game without the turnovers, I think we can win. My prediction:

Vikings 31 Saints 20

Post your comments below as we follow the game:

SKOL VIKINGS!

One Man’s Wilderness book review

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 19:04:00 +0000

One Man’s Wilderness is a book about Robert L. Proenneke and his adventures in moving to the Alaskan wilderness. It’s a work of non-fiction, which makes it so much more enjoyable. And although Robert successfully moves to the wilderness and lives for the last thirty years of his life; the book is mostly about the first year of him living there. How he managed to build his own cabin as well as how he sustains life in the wilderness, were things I loved reading about. What makes this remarkable true story even more amazing is that Robert moved to the wilderness and built his own cabin when he was 50 years old!

Things I liked about this book:
The adventure of Robert’s life was such an interesting thing to read about. I also loved seeing a person following their loves/passions even to the extreme measures of living in the wilderness, alone. Hearing how he did it was also something that I found fascinating and knowing that it was a true story made it a real fun read. I think part of the reason I like this book stems from my childhood love of “The Hatchet”.

Things I didn’t like about this book:
A lot of attention was given to building details that I can’t follow or envision so it left me lost. As much as I found it interesting that he built everything by hand, it was hard to follow the writer in his descriptions of the process. Also, not much background was given as to why Robert decided to make this his life’s goal. I really wanted to hear more about his experience and things he learned/gained from being there for thirty years. (Although a lot of this is addressed in a small section at the end of the book)

My favorite quote from this book was “I don’t think a man knows what he can actually do until he is challenged”.

I enjoyed reading this book. But I also realize not many people would enjoy reading about a guy living by himself in the middle of Alaska.

Enjoy this day,
Matt

Need Information about Xian, China

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 14:45:00 +0000

Are you coming to Xian on business, to study or see the sites? Are you looking for more information about this lovely city? Then check out this site http://talkxian.com/, which has lots of information and is a place to connect with local Chinese people as well as expats.

Hope that helps!

Enjoy this day,
Matt

Toy Story 3 in 3D Movie Review

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 16:26:00 +0000

Well. If you don’t know it already, I love all the Toy Story movies. You can read my top ten kids movies list, here and the worst kids movies, here. But I wrote my top ten list before going to see Toy Story 3 in 3D with my daughter. To be honest, I loved this movie and thought it was a great fit with the previous two movies.

But when considering a kids movie -it doesn’t really matter if I liked- what matters is if my kids enjoyed it. And I can say that, yes, my daughter did love this movie. It was especially fun getting to go see it in a movie theater, a first for her. The movie wasn’t very scary which is important to consider when you have young kids and I felt that it was appropriate for her age (She’s four years old).

The only downside to our experience was that it was in 3D. Here’s what I don’t like about 3D. First, it seems super trendy right now, which means that movies that don’t need to be in 3D end up in it, because they have to be. I didn’t see a need for this movie to be in 3D, and would have preferred seeing it without 3D. Second, it’s more expensive. And I know that I’m a cheap person, but it adds up if you have a few people in your family seeing the movie. Lastly, my daughter wasn’t really digging wearing the glasses. She would take them off and we would try to get her to put them back on. Although that didn’t happen the whole movie, it is something to think about when taking your kid to a movie in 3D.

Overall, I didn’t like the 3D, but I loved the movie, more importantly my daughter did and we will have good memories of our time together.

Enjoy this day,
Matt

11 things to do in Xian, China

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 21:50:00 +0000

I haven't done all of these, but if you're heading to Xian here's a list of some things you can do. In the future I would like to expand on each of these, but for now, it's just a list.

1. Go to the Terracotta Warriors

2. See the Big Goose Pagoda

3. Ride a bike on the old city wall

4. Hit a drum in the drum tower at the center of the city

5. Hit the bell in the bell tower found in the center of the city

6. Eat Pao Mo

7. Walk through the Great Mosque

8. Eat Xian roast duck

9. Shop in the Muslim quarter

10. See the Banpo village remains

11. Come visit me and my family

Enjoy this day,
Matt

Chinese New Year Dates, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 13:53:00 +0000

I’ve needed this information twice in the past two weeks, which means, that maybe there are others who also need this info also. So here are the Chinese New Year dates and animal signs for the next 10 years. The Chinese New Year is the most important holiday in Chinese culture. It signifies the start of the lunar calendar year.

Chinese New Year 2010-2019
YEAR STARTING DATE ANIMAL SIGN

2010 February 14th Tiger
2011 February 3rd Rabbit
2012 January 23rd Dragon
2013 February 10th Snake
2014 January 31st Horse
2015 February 19th Sheep
2016 February 8th Monkey
2017 January 28th Rooster
2018 February 16th Dog
2019 February 5th Pig

Need a Guest Blogger?

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 02:53:00 +0000

I’m looking to write a guest blog post for anyone who’s interested. I can write about; travel, China, Xian, Teaching English, Studying Chinese, blogging, or parenting. If you’re interested, leave a comment or email me.

Enjoy this day,
Matt

Dieting tips - drink Citrucel

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 14:20:00 +0000

So I was recently given a weight lose tip that I now fully support (I was a skeptic at first). The tip is that when you’re hungry at night, chug a glass of Citrucel.

Citrucel is a fiber substitute (they call it Smartfiber) that you add to water. The thing is, it turns into a thick jello (If you don’t drink it fast enough you will see if happen in your glass). It’s supposed to help you stay regular, but it also leaves you feeling full.

So at night, when that late night snack craving monster comes around, just drink a glass of Citrucel and you’ll feel full and be able to resist the urge to eat a big snack before bed. Or at least it’s helped me in a big way to do this.

Hope that this tip helps you succeed in losing some weight.

Enjoy this day,
Matt

Are Wal-Mart vitamins good for you?

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 14:07:00 +0000

I recently came by the best deal of my life; a bottle of the vitamin B6 for only $3. Where can you get an amazing deal like this? Wal-Mart. Here’s the problem. I also have a friend, a Miss Jae Van Winkle, tell me, “Not all vitamins are made equal”, or something like that. She told me that the vitamins at Wal-Mart just flush through your system. So does anyone out there have an opinion on this, because I don’t want to take these vitamins if they really don’t do anything for me.

Enjoy this day,
Matt

Personally I think my friend is crazy.

My first Guest Post about Xian

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 16:26:00 +0000

So I was recently asked if I would be willing to write a guest blog post about Xian, China for a travel website. “Of course!” was my answer. I love telling people about my lovely city! So anyways, you can find it on this site:

http://onetravel.wordpress.com

It should be up today or so. Let me know what you think about it. And if you want me to write a guest blog post for your blog, I write about… well, anything, and would love to.

Enjoy this day,
Matt

cheap flights

How to get a visa for China

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 16:16:00 +0000

So you wanna go to China? Well to get into China you need to get a visa. And there are three types of visas you can choose from. Each has their own pro’s and con’s. So what you first need to do is figure out how long you want to be in China for and what you want to do. Once you know what you’re looking for you can decide which route is best for suiting your needs.

Travel visa - This is the most basic visa for getting into any country that requires you to have a visa. It’s nice because you have no time commitments with this visa (Student and Work visas both have time commitments). So you can do whatever you want, wanna travel to Beijing for a week? Done. Want to check out Shanghai for a few days? No problem. The downside to getting into China with a travel visa is that you’re only allowed to stay in the country for 3 months at a time. So if you want to learn the language, build relationships and study the culture, you’ll find that three months isn’t going to be long enough.

Student visa - Another option is to get a student visa. You do this by finding a Chinese college or language school that you would like to study at and you enroll with their school. When you do this you’ll also apply for a student visa. What’s nice about a student visa is that it’s good for as long as you’re studying at that school. So you can stay in the country for years without having to leave. So it’s nice if your plans are to study Chinese and be there for a while, because with this visa you will be able to stay a while. The downside to this visa is that you’re required to attend the school. This isn’t a huge time commitment (maybe 15 hours or so a week), but it isn’t like you can just travel the whole time and not attend school.

Work visa - This is another option for getting into China. It requires you to first find a job that offers a visa (in most cases this will be a college or school looking for native English speakers to teach) and through that job you can apply for a work visa. What’s nice about this visa is that you can stay in China for as long as your work contract allows you. So if you want to be in China for a while, this is a great option. You can also make a little money while you’re in China, which is nice. The downside is similar to the Student visa, you’re required to show up at your work and teach (usually demanding 12-40 hours a week). So you can’t just pick up and go to Beijing for a few weeks whenever you want.

If you need more information on; China, Xian, teaching English, or living in China, feel free to look over my site or write me your questions. I’ll do my best to answer them. Thanks for reading this.

Enjoy this day,
Matt

Tips for losing weight -with kids

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 14:57:00 +0000

Let me start by telling you my dilemma. I have three kids -all under the age of five- and I’m 50-60 pounds overweight. Well although it might seem obvious what my dilemma is, let me lay it out for you. If I fail in my work life, if I never achieve anything, never have a nice new home, car and huge bank account, it doesn’t matter. If I fail as a Father and Husband… it matters. Raising our children is the most important job any of us will ever have, and part of that job is the responsibility of teaching our kids how to live a healthy life as well as being there for them when they need us.

And how can I teach them how to live healthy and be there for them if I’m not living a healthy life and on my way to an early exit in life? I can’t.

So something needs to change. And it starts with me. But if you’re reading this and nodding in agreement, you also know something else about losing weight while having a family, it’s MUCH more difficult than if you were single and had no responsibilities. I mean, your family needs you and your time and it’s impossible to find the time to exercise.

In fact, I would guess most of us are the same, by the time our kids go to bed all we can think of is laying in bed or on the couch and watching TV. But I have some tips for you and me to implement to make weight lose a reality, while not striping our families of our time/attention.

I’m new to this (dieting and losing weight that is) so my list will be incomplete, but I would love for you to send me your tips if you have the time. So here are my tips:

Eat proper portions - This is obvious, right? Well this becomes even more important when you have a family, because IT TAKES NO TIME TO DO! Why spend hours in a gym working off all the junk food and massive portions we eat, when we can just simply eat smarter. I would guess if ALL you did was this, you could promote a healthy lifestyle to your children and not be away from them at the gym.

Incorporate kids into workout - What’s more important to a kid then your love, time and attention… nothing. So why not make playing with your kids a time in your day when you can also burn some calories? Try doing a push up with a two year old on your back, it will burn. Or how about lunges while carrying your four year old, ouch! Even just lying on your back and lifting them up can get your heart rate going. Make it fun for your kids to be involved and teach them that exercise is important in life.

Walk/Jog with a stroller - This one’s obvious, but my personal favorite. I love getting my kids out of the house (which also provides a great way for them to learn about plants/animals outside that you see as you walk). So when you need a walk, throw your kids in the stroller and bust that walk out.

Don’t drink soda - Again, why work out in the gym what you can work off by simply not drinking it. Soda is a killer and the easiest thing to drop. I LOVE my soda, but after a few weeks of not drinking it, it’s gotten a lot easier to not need. The hardest part (As is with any addiction) is getting through your trigger moments. For me it’s; pizza, burgers, popcorn and a movie, and anytime I’m; depressed, sad, happy or celebrating. OK. That’s a long list, but as you push through those moments without your trusted sidekick, soda, you will begin to not crave it as much in those times.

Drink water - I’ve always hated drinking water. But a few weeks ago I made a bet with a couple of my relatives. The bet was to see how long we can go drinking only water and nothing else (Not even milk or juice). And it sucks. A lot. But after a few weeks I now find myself craving water. So make a choice today and drink your water. I heard of a family friend who lost 25 pounds by drinking 100 ounces of water a day. And if all you’re drinking is water, that number will become very reachable.

No snacking after 7 - This is obvious to anyone who reads anything about dieting and losing weight, but it’s so hard to adhere to. Remember though, work smarter, not harder. Why kill yourself all day by not eating junk food and working out, only to cave at the end of the night with a snack that stops you from losing weight that day? If you’re hungry, chug some water. Stay strong!

10,000 steps a day - I have a close relative who recently had a doctor tell him to walk 10,000 steps a day and 8 months later he’s lost 40 pounds. To be honest, I hate running, but I LOVE to walk. It’s peaceful and not to strenuous. Like I mentioned earlier, grab the kids, a stroller, and you’re in business.

Nap time - If losing weight is important to you, you will be willing to sacrifice the most treasured part of your day, nap time. Get a workout video going or some free weights at your house to do some exercises when your kiddos are all asleep.

Late night/early morning - Another great time to work out is when your kids are asleep. Get your spouse to stay with them and that will free you up to go to the gym or get a walk in. Make it happen.

Remind yourself of what’s important - Are your kids important to you? Is your time with them and future with them something you think about? Well if it is, keep that in mind as you start to make changes in your diet and time spent, they are our motivation!

Well this is it for now, if you have a tip or comment, feel free to post it at the bottom of this. Thanks for taking the time to read this. Remember that your job as a parent is more important than anything else you do in your life, so live healthy, live long and teach good habits to your children.

Enjoy this day,
Matt

Customer Review of www.teflonline.com/

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 01:52:00 +0000

Hey everyone! How are you doing today? I hope that you’re doing well.

So I wanted to take a moment to share my opinion on the 40 hour course I just took online to get my TEFL certificate (Teaching English as a Foreign Language). I went with TEFLonline.com, which is sponsored by BridgeTEFL. The course was a basic 40 hour one, but you can find many more options on their website. The course costs $185 and certifies you to teach English all around the world.

Here are some things I liked about the website and the Basic 40 hour course I took. First off, the website is designed well and laid out in a very easy to follow way. I can’t stress how important this is, if you’re going to spend 40 some hours on the website, it makes a big difference if you can navigate it well and your eyes don’t bleed every time you look at the site. But hey, that’s just my opinion. I also like that they have instructional videos included with the material they present. They lay out a lot of material that will help you manage a classroom and to teach English in an effective way.

It I had any criticism of this particular course; it would be that it didn’t seem like I learned a TON. I mean, maybe my expectations were to high, but I just don’t feel a whole lot more equipped to teach. But hey, that’s just me.

I do feel like I came away with a lot of resources to help me teach better and help my students. In the end, I’m glad I took the course -I had too- but still I’m glad I did. Getting your TEFL certificate is VERY important when getting a teaching job overseas. If you have any more questions, feel free to comment on here or write me.

Enjoy this day,
Matt

The Other Guys Movie Review

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 12:43:00 +0000

This movie disappointed me. I say that as a fan of Will Ferrell and most of the movies he makes. I enjoyed everything from; Anchorman, Talladega Nights, Blades of Glory, to Step brothers. I just flat out didn’t think this movie was all that funny. It had a couple laughs, but had a lot of clunky scenes that weren’t funny and we’re just awkward. But that’s just my opinion. If I were you and I were deciding on going to this movie, I would just save my money and stay at home.

Enjoy this day,
Matt

11 Fantasy Football Tips

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 18:05:00 +0000

As you prepare for the Fantasy Football season, here are some tips to consider. Some of them are more basic, but hopefully some of them help you.

Handcuff your number one RB - This one is a tip that’s been around for a while and isn’t going to be anything new to any long time Fantasy Football gamers. But the tip is this, if you draft a running back, make sure you draft his back-up. Why would you do this? Because if your RB goes down, SOMEONE has to pick up his carries, so make sure you have the running back that does.

Know the depth of each position and draft accordingly - Every draft year is different and one strategy that worked last year, might not necessarily work this year. For example, there have been years where there are TONS of good Running Backs and then there are years where there are none. So if you think “I’ll just wait to get a running back, since that’s what I did last year”, you could be outta luck if the depth at the Running back position is less than the year before.

No RBs after 30 years old - This one is a bit new to me, but seems to hold water. It doesn’t need much explanation, be careful when drafting a RB who’s 30 years or older. Why is that? Because there have only been 4 RB’s that have had more than 1,000 rushing yards in a season after they turned 30. So be careful of the oldies.

Contract year - The old school theory goes like this, if a player is in the last year of his contract he will play harder to ensure his next contract is larger. This is one that has been around for a while and I’m not sure if it’s a lock or not. I guess what I mean is, I wouldn’t let a contract year be a huge factor in deciding on a player, but maybe I would use it if I think both players are even and I need to decide on one of them.

Don’t draft RB-RB in rounds 1 and 2 - It’s an OLD SCHOOL fantasy football myth that you NEED to draft two RB’s in the first two rounds. I just don’t think that it’s a Fantasy Football truth anymore. This is mainly because there are a lot LESS running backs who get the bulk of the carries for a team. So instead of risking one of your top picks on a running back who isn’t guaranteed a lot of carries, instead grab a top wide receiver or quarterback.

Wait on a QB - This is something I have implemented in my draft day strategy. The way I see it is like this, there really isn’t a HUGE gap between the top QB and the 10th one. So why waste a top pick on a quarterback when you can get a solid one in the later rounds? The answer is that you don’t.

Is it a PPR format? - PPR stands for Points Per Reception and is a format most leagues have shifted too. It’s important to look at how many catches a wide receiver gets and not just his yards/touchdowns.

Strength of schedule - This one can make a huge difference. Let’s say you’re looking at two QB’s, you like both of them and their situations. How do you decide on one? Look at the schedule of teams they will face. Sometimes there are teams with a weak schedule, which translates into lots of scoring opportunities. And then there are other teams that face MUCH TOUGHER schedules. I wouldn’t always look at this when determining a player I wanna take, but I would use this to break up a tie between two players I’m looking at.

Don’t even look at bye weeks - For the past decade all I ever heard were people telling you to draft players that have different bye weeks. It hit me about a couple of years ago that bye weeks were the dumbest thing to let determine who you take draft day. Why? Because I’m not going to let my roster that I will use for a 16 week schedule be altered because of one week. It just doesn’t make sense. If half your team shares the same bye week, good, maybe you’ll lose that week, but you’ll have all those starters back the next week.

Be aware of past injuries, but not too aware - This has become less of an issue then, say, 10 years ago. Obviously that’s because of advancements in medicine and rehabbing injuries. So don’t be too worried about previous year injuries. I say that, but you can’t totally write off an injury past. Look at Ronnie Brown, he came off a major surgery last season and tore it up, that’s until he got injured again. So be aware, but don’t let an injury scare you away.

Ride the waiver wire - If you’re not active in the free agent market, you’re not going to win your league. It’s as simple as that. Some of the biggest performers you will have at the end of the season are players that you picked up during the season. Don’t fall asleep on the free agents out there, keep an eye on them.

That’s it for now.

Enjoy this day,
Matt

10 Reasons to homeschool your kids

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 16:14:00 +0000

First off, I need to say this. There are FAR more important things you need to do for your kids than give them an education. Like developing their character and confidence, as well as, showing them that you love them unconditionally. In my opinion those few things alone will ensure that your kid succeeds, NOT an education. Of course, an education is important to give your kids. So with my wife and I on the cusp of needing to decide how our kids will be educated, we’ve decided to Homeschool. It’s a little scary, but as I sit here I can think of a lot of good reasons to do it and I want to share them with you in case you too are worried about homeschooling your kids. (I should also mention that my family and I are living abroad, in China). So here’s my list of 10 reasons to homeschool your kids.

Time with your kids - Again, going back to what I said when I opened up this post, showing your child you love them is far more important than their education. Not that you can’t show your love to a kid that’s in the public school system, it’s just that, well, kids spell love T-I-M-E, and what better way to spend time with your kids, than when you’re educating them.

Trust the government or yourself to teach your kids? - This to me is obvious. Do I really want a clumsy government be in charge of educating my kids? No. I would rather be the one who decides what to teach my kids, when and in what way. But that’s just me.

Teacher ratio - What makes more sense to you, your child sharing one teacher’s time with 25 students or your student having their very own teacher? Again, in my opinion, I will be able to give far more attention to my child and their needs in a one-on-one setting than a teacher could who’s trying to manage 25 (or more) students.

Specific curriculum - I alluded to this earlier, but here it is in its own category. I would rather be able to help my child with areas they specifically struggle with, instead of, having my child just thrust into a general course that’s outlined by the government. What happens in a public school when your child needs extra help? Nothing. The class moves on to their next subject.

Can focus on their likes - I think that even more important than giving your child an education, you want to give them a desire to learn. As a teacher, you want to make yourself obsolete, not make the student dependent on you. How can you do that? Well when you’re in control of your child’s education you can give extra time to focus on topics that they enjoy. In a public school, it seems like the students are totally dependent on the teacher. Not only that, but if your child has a desire to study, say, geography, they only have a small little time to do that during the school day.

Good memories with your kids - Again, more important than your child’s education is your bond with them. That will mean more and go much further than an education. Homeschooling seems to be a great way to build that bond and fun memories.

Start later in the day, when your kid is awake - One thing that the public school system is lacking is the ability to have a specific schedule for your unique child. How much better would your kid do if they had the ability to start a little later, when they were awake? I would bet that they would do a lot better. So it’s nice to be able to control that with your own schedule and start at 10am or even in the afternoon.

Safety - As a parent one of your jobs is to protect your child. And although you can’t always control that, you can ensure their safety at home as opposed to being in a public school. Your child is in a delicate time of their life, where their views of themselves are being shaped. Do you want that image to be formed by bullies and negative teachers? Or do you think you could do a better job? I bet you could.

Just teach them to read - I think that being overwhelmed is an easy thing when you think of being in charge of your child’s education. But really, what did you learn in school? What did you learn in College? I can’t remember a single lesson or thing that I learned in school. Most of my education has come from my own study pursuits. This leads me to this point, the most important thing you can do for your child is to teach them to read and give them the desire to study. Give them the tools to learn, it doesn’t have to be overwhelming.

Character and Values - I opened with this, but I think that if you can develop your child’s character, you’re already WAY ahead of where the public school system is. In a world where people don’t value things like; honesty, sacrificial love, integrity, sharing, and instead value only selfish pursuits, I think we can do a great service to our kids by teaching them these values. Of course, you can do this while your kid is in public school, but you can also do it as you’re homeschooling your child as well.

So anyways, these are a sample of my thoughts on homeschooling. I know it will be hard and it’s not as easy as just deciding to do it, you need to work at it. But really, everything in life that’s worth something needs to be worked at. Let’s love and teach our kids to be great spouses, parents, friends and contributors to the community and world around them.

Enjoy this day,
Matt

Sorry For the Neglect

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 14:55:00 +0000

Lately I’ve been in the States and pretty busy. My family just welcomed our little boy into the world, Caleb Matthew. We’re now getting ready to head back to China. We’re going to continue studying Chinese and serving Chinese people as much as we can. I (Matt) will also resume teaching English, which I’m really excited for. This time around, I will have a TEFL certificate under my belt which should help. I will be writing more about my experience getting a TEFL certificate in the future.

Well, that’s it for now, I will be adding more content in the months to come. Thanks for stopping by to read this

Enjoy this day,
Matt

A Walk in the Woods Book Review

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Fri, 14 May 2010 04:11:00 +0000

I love Bill Bryson, I reviewed I’m a Stranger Here Myself here, and also loved reading Lost Continent. So for my birthday I thought I would continue the trend of Bryson books by picking up both A Walk in the Woods and A Sunburned Country.

I just finished A Walk in the Woods and thoroughly enjoyed it. Bryson has an incredible way of combining elements of; day-to-day observations, wit and humor, as well as historical notes on places and people. He makes the history and significance of the places he’s traveling incredibly interesting. As soon as I began reading this book I found it hard to put down.

The book is about how Bill Bryson decides to hike the Appalachian Trail, which covers over 2000 miles, in total. It is something that demands everything from those who are brave enough to give it a go. After months of planning, Bryson invites friends to come along with him on this adventure. To his surprise, one of his friends, Katz, agrees to go with him.

It’s obvious (Because Bill makes it so) that both of our characters are badly out of place, being out of shape and not experienced in hiking. None-the-less they push on towards their goal of completing the Appalachian Trail. With tons of memorable moments along the way, as well as, memorable people, this is a really fun book to read.

Again, something I love that Bryson does is that he interjects history and science that are relevant to his travel books. It adds an interesting dynamic to his books. I will, for as long as I can, read any new Bryson book that finds their way into my hands. If I were to ever become a writer, I would hope to write with a similar style to Bill Bryson.

Enjoy this day,
Matt

Most Beautiful Places in the World

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Wed, 12 May 2010 13:24:00 +0000

I've had the joy of traveling to many different places over the past 7 years, here are the most beautiful places. In no particular order they read:

Medellin, Colombia - Medellin, was once a place of terrible drug wars and the home of Pablo Escobar. Honestly, I heard when we were there that only 15 years ago you could have someone killed in a drive-by for like $5 or $10 bucks. I mean that’s crazy. I will never forget driving around the outskirts of this city which is cradled on all sides by mountains, as soon as the city came into view below us, in this naturally shaped bowl, I was shocked by its beauty. And that wasn’t even the most amazing sight. That came late one night when I stepped outside to run and get a Coke or some candy (I’m guessing, but I know myself well) and when I began my walk down the street I looked up to the surrounding mountains to find that they were lit up by the lights of homes that climbed the steep mountain side. It was an amazing site to see. These memories sold me on the beauty of Medellin.

Thailand (To be more specific, an island, but I forget the name of it) - The Thai people are amazing, that can’t be understated enough. There’s a saying I heard once, Thai people have 8 types of smiles, one for when they’re mad, one for when they’re disappointed, one for when they’re sad, ect. Point being, Thai people are friendly. We spent a month in Thailand and for two weeks we had the privilege of staying in little cabins on an island just off of the Thai coast. It was beautiful and the food was amazing. If I ever win the lottery (which everyone does at least once in life, right?) I would have this as one of the places to go.

Colorado - I called her home for 5 years. Living near the foothills of the Rocky Mountains was a real treat. Being able to just drive an hour (if that) and find yourself surrounded by mountains was incredible.

Hong Kong - Hong Kong is a breathe takingly beautiful place. I love getting the opportunity to travel to Hong Kong and experience all this city has to offer. At night, taking the tram to the top of Mount Victoria and seeing Hong Kong lit up by its night lights is amazing. Also, TONS of amazing parks within the city, that are awesome to spend an afternoon at.

Minnesota (only cause my mom will kill me if I don’t mention it) - Seriously if I write a blog post about the most beautiful places I’ve been and I don’t include Minnesota, I’m signing my death wish for the next time I see my mom. To Minnesotans, it’s that serious, that you would end your son’s life, because he didn’t acknowledge Minnesota’s beauty. It truly is a beautiful place though. After seeing more of America since leaving Minnesota I’ve become aware of how much we have that all comes together there. We have trees, lakes, rivers and even the flat farm land that some crazy people enjoy. As a kid my Dad and I would go up north do the Minnesota/Canada border to hike and you would always come away with a fresh reminder of the beauty Minnesota has. I’m glad to call her my home.

Montana (only cause my in-laws will kill me if I don’t mention it) - Again, if I don’t include this one I will have trouble next time I see relatives. I would always tease my wife about Montana being one of the worst places in the world, but then I actually saw Montana with my own eyes and was truly amazed. I think that there are a few different reasons a place would land on this list, but Montana is here because of its quietness and simple beauty. Sitting up on a hill looking in every direction with only the wind against your face as a companion, has a deep value to it, a value not experienced in many other places. I love Montana’s mountains and landscape; the people aren’t half bad either.

Canada - That’s a joke.

Well that’s it, hope you enjoyed reading this, feel free to add your favorite travel locations in the comment area.

Enjoy this day,
Matt

Top Ten Movies from the 90’s

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Mon, 10 May 2010 13:14:00 +0000

Weren’t the 90’s the best? Let’s be honest, they were way better then the 80’s. I might be a bit biased since I don’t really remember the 80’s. Anyways, I was thinking of the greatest movies from my teen years and decided to put together a list. Add your thoughts, or corrections, at the bottom of this post in the comments section. Here’s to the 90’s, thank you for helping us forget the 80’s and prepare us for Y2K. The list as follows reads like this:

10. Apollo 13 - When you write a top ten list, it seems that number’s 1 and 10 are the most difficult. I had a bunch of movies I could have put here, but settled with Apollo 13. I love a true story (even if it’s only loosely based on a true story) and the drama with this was great. Great cast as well, Tom Hanks crushed in the 90’s.

9. Jurassic Park - Every time this movie comes on I still love watching it. A really creative movie with tons of action and was totally ahead of its time. I still feel bad for Newman getting eaten by that Raptor, but really, he had it coming for trying to steal the Dinosaur DNA.

8. Forrest Gump - Man what is it about this movie that is so appealing? I guess its part of my American fabric that loves to see the underdog do well. Even though this movie is like a million hours long, I still love watching it. One of the great lines of this movie is when Forrest says “I might not be a smart man, but I know what love is”.

7. The Sixth Sense - Talk about a movie that was ahead of its time. The Sixth Sense was great for many reasons, but the twist at the end is what marks this movie as a truly unique and creative movie. Even though M. Night Shyamalan has his haters out there, I love his movies, and here’s where they started.

6. The Usual Suspects - I love twist endings and The Usual Suspects brings it with this one. How great is it when it’s revealed that Kevin Spacey is Keyser Soze? I mean, not only was it a great twist, but they did such a good job with telling it. And do you remember all the stories they told about Keyser Soze in the movie? Well, I heard that it wasn’t until after the movie was done that the writers (or maybe it was the directors) found out that they disagreed on if Keyser Soze’s history was true or not. Interesting.

5. The Matrix - I know a lot of people disliked numbers 2 and 3, but I enjoyed the entire series. However, the original Matrix is easily the best of the 3, and I doubt many people would argue that. Action movies where forever changed by this movie. With a super creative plot and incredible graphics/fight scenes, this movie was cutting edge. I love the last half hour of this movie, when Neo realizes he’s the “chosen one”, and then proceeds to crush Mr. Anderson, incredible.

4. Fight Club - I know that many people will find a lot of the things in this movie offensive, but if you can get past that and see the message, it can really open your eyes. I remember going through a phase in my teen years where I watched this movie nearly every day. The message of your identity not being in your possessions and your job really impacted me. “You are not the contents of your wallet”.

3. Braveheart - How great is it when a movie combines a love story with hardcore action/fighting. It instantly becomes the best date movie, both guys and girls win. OK, maybe this one is a little bloodier then most prefer, but the story is amazing. I would be a liar if I said I don’t tear up each time they kill William Wallace as he watches his wife walking towards him… (Excuse me, I will be back in a minute, I got something in my eye).

2. Saving Private Ryan - Remember what I said about the most difficult part of a top ten list is numbers 1 and 10? Yeah, no exception for the top of this list, because both these next two movies are absolutely incredible and could be exchanged. Honestly, I don’t know what to say about this movie, it has action, but also transitions well into deeper and more profound themes. One of my favorite parts of this movie is when all the soldiers are kinda losing it and Captain Miller (Tom Hanks) breaks them up by telling them his life story, I can’t place my finger on it, but that part sticks with me the most.

1. Shawshank Redemption - I absolutely love this movie and have probably watched it no less than 10 times, which is saying something since it’s like 3 hours long (ok, maybe it’s 2 and a half). It’s timeless, I could literally watch it most nights that I want to sit down and watch a movie. I love the deeper topics of this movie of; redemption, hope, friendship, and becoming institutionalized (which I think can be applied to life outside of jail as well). This is an all around great movie. Love it.

Honorable Mentions: Pulp Fiction, Dumb and Dumber, Fargo, Silence of the Lambs, Reservoir Dogs, Terminator 2, Good Will Hunting, The Fugitive, American History X, 12 Monkeys.

Even looking over this list I wonder if I got it right. With tons of really good movies, I’m glad that my teen years belong to the 90’s. If I were to re-do this list I would maybe exchange “The Fugitive” for Apollo 13. What are your thoughts on the 90’s movie scene?

Enjoy this day,
Matt