ConcernedCitizen

2019-04-01T16:05:00.001-07:00

It has been a loooooong time since I last blogged. There are no specific reasons. Family. Work. Life. Friends. Travel. Weather. Who knows. Who really cares. I'm back for now.

In the background, Wheel of Fortune is on the television. They seem to have interesting guests. One thing that irritates me is the "canned" bio that I guess they are requested. I'm so and so. I'm married, dating, etc. I have so many children, ages and a pet....whatever. Get over yourselves. Viewers will forget their bios as soon as the wheel is spun for the first time and Vanna turns those letters.

That's it for now. I just wanted to get started again. IF you are a reader, comment. Let me know that you've read it. By the way, I must have violated some rule. I am not longer getting paid for the blogs that I write. I do not completely understand why. Maybe my blogs were too good? Naw…..I don't think so. Too funny. I'll keep pursuing, just in case.

More to follow! Laters! Aloha!

Who Are You?

2013-08-18T18:57:00.002-07:00

Who are you and why are you reading my blog? Where are you reading it from? What country? While at home or at work? Have I written anything that has touched you emotionally?

These are just some of the questions I have when I see how many people have read my blog. I'm always wondering why they read it and if they think I'm as good as a writer as I think I am. I really kind of doubt that but as the old adage goes, "Practice makes perfect."

So, if and when you have an opportunity to write something after reading my blog, let me know what you think. Look at the opening queries and answer them if you'd like.

In other news.........

Summer is coming to an end! Nooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I like summer! Why does it have to end so quickly? Unfortunately last week was unseasonably cool and at the beginning of this week, it's suppose to rain for a few days. We need the rain. The reservoirs need the rain. But I need the sun. I need the heat. I want the beach. I need the beach! Maybe I'll head there again soon. In the meantime, I'll keep saving my leave for that ultimate vacation. Ultimate vacation did I write? Yeah, the one that is going to cost me an arm and a leg....but then again, my wife and I seem to enjoy those vacations......a lot!

As this week begins, I have few personal goals. I'm looking forward to hitting the road for a few miles here and there. I'm looking to complete one project at work and start another. I looking forward to a class I'm taking on Saturdays. Oh, I almost forgot. My sons and I will be attending a sporting event this weekend. Preseason football is upon us!!

That's all for now.
Life is good.
No complaints.
Aloha my friends! :-)

Forever Lost

2013-07-27T16:30:00.000-07:00

This past week, I became aware of two deaths. One local. One thousands of miles away.

The local passing of a neighbor's wife was surprising. Surprising because we ultimately heard about it through another neighbor. We have "known" our neighbors since we moved into the neighborhood in 1998. We've seen them in their yard. We've seen them going to and fro. Though we didn't have a friendship based relationship, we had a mutual respect relationship. We lived in the same neighborhood. We waved from time to time. So when I heard that his wife had passed from breast cancer. It hit me hard. I had to look up the obituary in the local online news paper. My wife picked up a condolence card and we mailed it. I'm hoping they received it today.

The other death I became aware of was a "young" lady of 52 who lived in Alaska. She was the sister of a very good friend of mine. He and I had served in the Marine Corps together. I met his sister during the summer of 1977 or 1978 when she came to Beaufort, SC with another sister. We had texted each other briefly due to my friend's bad health and his seemingly "I don't care" attitude about it. She thanked me for contacting her brother. In fact, she said that she loved me for harping on her brother about his health. I was hoping to see her again before the end of this year. Unfortunately, I will not.

I cried when I heard about my neighbor. I cried when my friend told me about his sister. I cried because all family and friends of these two ladies lost a wife, a sister, a mother, a daughter, a grandmother, an aunt, a friend.......a neighbor.

If I think about these two human losses, I tear up.
I never got to know my neighbor.
We never barbequed.
I only met my friend's sister once.
I'll never see her again.

Life is too short.
Get to know your neighbors.
Keep in contact with friends and their families.
You'll be happy that you did.

How Lucky I Am!

2013-07-19T18:24:00.001-07:00

After a brief discussion about parents, children and grandchildren, one of my co-workers mentioned to me that I am so lucky to have my grandchildren live with my wife and I. Her parents, who live in a very northern state, hardly get to see their grandchild. After walking away, I let her comment sink in...really deep. Just the way she said it. Just the look on her face.

I have realized this before. But sometimes it takes another person to say it to really realize how lucky my wife and I are to have our grandchildren living with us.

My granddaughter is almost 9 years old. She has lived with us since she was 2 years old. Our two grandsons have lived with us since they were born. (7 and 5 years respectfully) We have seen them grow and blossom. We've been there for their first days of school. We've there for their school programs. We've been there to mend the scrapes and bruises. We've been there to comfort them. We've been there as they played sports, rode their bikes, made friends, wrote their names and even fallen asleep in our arms, so many times. In essence, our grandchildren are our children. We have helped raise them.

How lucky we are. How so very lucky!

Random Thoughts on a Saturday

2013-01-26T08:30:00.002-08:00

Why does life seem to go by so fast? How do we slow this phenomena?

Why are we full of energy on a Monday morning but dragging by physically, emotionally and spiritually at the end of the week?

If we complete more of our weekend tasks during the week, will the weekend "seem" longer?

Why are weather people so wrong about the weather?

Why waste time on movies in the middle of the night that have no redeeming value?

Why are there penalties if you stop a cell phone or cable plan? Does it really cost that much to "flip a switch"?

Why does eBay charge so much for posting items online?

Better yet, why does PayPal take such a serious cut of your earnings?

Why don't people eat dessert first more often when they go out for dinner?

Why do people come up with random questions instead of thoughts on a Saturday morning?

Have an awesome weekend!

Another Happy New Year Post!

2013-01-10T05:41:00.001-08:00

Have you ever noticed that many of the blogs you read have started with a "Happy New Year" post? I guess for some it's a subliminal suggestion to oneself that it's something they have started and something they may have failed to maintain and something they would like to reactivate and finally keep up with. Maybe that's the reason why I'm writing again.

So to make short order of this particular posting:
Holidays were fine.
Family is well.
Job is great!
And I'm looking forward to 2013. :-)

New Year Resolutions:
Numerous

Major plans for the Year:
Minimal

Goals:
Many

As you can see, one can minimalize what they post instead of dragging on about this and that and this and that. But then again, that's how I feel today. Tomorrow, IF I happen to feel like blogging, I could end up writing a small novel! Who knows!

But for now, this is life. Short, sweet and to the point.

For those that follow, "Thanks"! I hope your holidays went well and that you are looking forward to great or at least good things for 2013.

For those that are suffering, hang in there.
That's all I can say.

That's it for now.

Have an awesome 2013.....or at least try to.

Out! :-)

Other People's Drama.....Ugh!!

2012-08-28T05:11:00.000-07:00

Other people's drama is interesting and it makes for great conversation. But after reading this article, I asked myself.....why? Why waste my time on other people's drama when I have personal issues I could be taking care of myself. Read through the article. Then read through it again. I'm sure the moire you read it, the more you will realize how correct Gotomer really is. Enjoy!
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Got drama? Which kind?

The checkout aisle of the grocery store was full of magazines. People, InTouch, US Weekly, Soap, and other assorted, or should I say “sordid” publications that can be summed up in three words, other people’s drama.

They all had similar themes: who got divorced, separated, engaged, married, or jilted. What celebrity is loving the other, beating the other, making love with the other, or killing the other. I looked at all the covers, smiled, and went about my business. But it got me thinking: What else is in the category of “other people’s drama” and what is the net effect – to you?

There are an endless number of “celebrity news” programs and crime shows on TV. Drivel about who did what to who. Watch them? Why? As if this wasn’t enough, there are soap operas, where the drama never ends – for 20 years. Watch them? Why? To see how someone else’s life turns out? Why not focus on YOUR life?

But wait! There’s more drama: News and interviews about what some dumb lying politician thinks, what some “expert” predicts will happen to the world, or what some dumber radio talk show host thinks. There are also some local TV news programs that features killing, bombings, fires, floods, kidnappings, the weather, politics, and other assorted drivel and drama that ROBS YOU of your time.

NOTE WELL: Business news is important. Especially when it pertains to your business and your economy.

But wait! There’s more drama: Reality shows. Enough said.

But wait! There’s more drama: Your neighbor’s drama, your friend’s drama, and your workplace drama could fill volumes… your volumes.

It dawned on me that if you just eliminated “other people’s drama” from your life, time management would no longer be an issue. Ever. You’d have 20 extra hours a week. Minimum. Maybe you could use that time to change your dorky voicemail, or build a website or blog, or something for YOU.

Other people’s drama is a complete and utter waste of your time, energy, and attitude. It does NOTHING to build your character, intelligence, knowledge, reputation, career, success, or wealth. Yikes!

Here are a few painful questions:

Do you spend more time on other people’s drama or your career?

Other people’s drama or your children?

Other people’s drama or building your personal brand?

Other people’s drama or your success?

Other people’s drama or your marriage? (ouch!)

IDEA: Put a stopwatch to it. Click it on when you’re watching or reading about other people’s drama, and click it off when you stop. Put the number into memory, and total it at the end of the day. Then multiply it times 365. Then divide by 60 (minutes in an hour) then divide it by 24 (hours in a day). Then look at the number in horror. That’s the number of DAYS you wasted focusing on other people’s drama.

An hour a day = 15 FULL, 24 hour days at the end of the year – a three-week (full 24 hour day) vacation’s worth of time, pissed away on what Brad and Angelina did, or what Lady Gaga is wearing, or how octo mom is surviving.

What about YOU? What are you doing? Let me give you an answer: not enough for yourself or your loved ones.

Where is your time being spent?

Where could it be invested?

Here are a few “time investment” ideas:

• If you gotta have some drama, create a Facebook page. Reunite with some old friends or relatives. It’s fun, and will teach you Internet skills, and social media skills.

• Register yourname.com and start a website. Do the same for your children or grandchildren. The Internet is here to stay, why not master your presence on it?

• Read or listen to a self-help book. Attitude, creativity, service, and networking are all business skills you can improve, and are certainly more powerful for your earnings and your family than what’s happening to some drunken, drugged out celebrity in Hollywood, or some idiot trying for their 15 minutes of fame.

• Take a walk. Clear your mind to think for yourself, instead of cluttering it with useless information. BONUS: When you take a walk, you also get the local weather report. Just look up.

It’s easy to get caught in the drama time trap, but consider the rewards for ignoring it. Think of the time you’ll have for YOU.

CHALLENGE: Try ignoring drama for 30 days. Start working on yourself instead of flushing your time down the toilet focusing on other people. I promise you won’t miss anything. The same drama will be there should you decide to go back, and it won’t matter if you don’t.

There’s one more major AHA! about other people’s drama I’d like to share with you. To get it, go to www.gitomer.com and enter DRAMA in the GitBit box.

Jeffrey Gitomer is the author of The Little Red Book of Selling and eight other business books on sales, customer loyalty, and personal development. President of Charlotte-based Buy Gitomer, he gives seminars, runs annual sales meetings, and conducts Internet training programs on sales, customer loyalty, and personal development at http://www.trainone.com/. Jeffrey conducts more than 100 personalized, customized seminars and keynotes a year. To find out more, visit http://www.gitomer.com/. Jeffrey can be reached at 704.333.1112 or by e-mail at salesman@gitomer.com

© All Rights Reserved - Don't even think about reproducing this document without

written permission from Jeffrey H. Gitomer and Buy Gitomer, Inc • 704/333-1112 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting FREE 704/333-1112 end_of_the_skype_highlighting

Give More. Get More.

2012-08-16T06:34:00.006-07:00

While cleaning out some old files, I found an article I had saved. Read it once. Read it twice. Give more. Enjoy!

Give More. Get More.

by: Dan Jourdan

There is something magical that goes on in this world. It is some powerful law of nature that we all know, but can’t see. It’s the formula that the cycle of giving comes back to you tenfold. Simple math would tell you then, that if you want to succeed in business, look at whatever you are providing to your customer and give more. Give more than you reasonably should. More than your competitors -- and more than your customers expect. At this point you become more than a supplier…you become an indispensable asset, a resource. You become a friend and an ally.

How many of you have a friend you can call at two in the morning to pick you up from the airport? Most of you will have someone. Are you that person for someone else? Can you be counted on for anything or everything? I have a friend, Bill, who would stop the world to help me for anything. The funny thing is that he does this for everyone. He has made a career out of it. One time when I was preparing for a trip, I asked if I could borrow a cooler. He gave me one… but it was filled with food and even the ice packs to keep things cool. He calls his neighbors when he is having renovations done to the house and has a dumpster in his driveway so his neighbors can use it while it's there. When Bill got sick, he had many friends who left work early to mow his lawn, bring him food, and stay on call while he was hospitalized.

His illness has revealed how his life's work of giving has paid off in tangible ways by the love and affection of so many. People are fighting to be in the front of the line to care for this man. Would that be the case with you and your customers?

Here are five things you can do to increase your power through giving:

1. Take time to think about the needs and wants of the other person or customer. That doesn’t mean ten seconds before you walk into your customers office -- but actually set aside time to think. Think as if their success would impact yours…because it does.

2. Put yourself in others’ shoes. Sympathy is useless...empathy gets results. This means to really put yourself in the place of your customer and imagine what you would want if you were in his situation. Play this game for every customer and results will become evident quickly.

3. Come up with solutions, not excuses. Never has a statue been raised for a really good excuse maker. Excuse makers are reviled and avoided at all costs. Your value will be based on what you bring to the table. Bring solutions and you will be invited to stay at the table forever.

4. Recruit assistance. Here’s the thing; people love to help if you simply give them some credit. In fact, give them all the credit for your success. They will brag about how they knew you when, and how you would be nothing without them. (Which is good… because that means that you are something with them.)

5. Take action! This entire plan means nothing if you are still on your couch watching reruns of Gilligan’s Island.

The secret to remember is that underneath the title on a business card is a person. A real person that just like you fell off his bicycle when he was four and a half, and needed someone to help him get back up so he could learn for himself how to ride. Your job is to always be on the lookout for people who may be falling down. Give help and assistance -- more than you think you should -- and you will receive more than you think you deserve. Every time.

Dan Jourdan is a Gitomer-Certified Speaker who delivers customized and personalized seminars on sales, customer loyalty, and personal development. To book Dan for your next event, visit www.GitomerCertified.com or contact the friendly folks at Buy Gitomer via email or by calling 704-333-1112.

It's All Over But the Party

2012-08-12T07:47:00.000-07:00

Tonight, the Olympics come to an end. I have enjoyed watching the athletes and listening to their stories as happy or sad, as they may be. Though while watching the Olympics, I lost a lot of sleep, for me, it was all worth it. In fact, I woke up today a little after 6 am to watch the running of the men's marathon. Normally I would sleep in until 8:30 or 9 am. Not today. The marathon is one of those events dating back to the original games. Who could run the farthest and how fast. It was a great race with an Ugandan runner taking the lead with about 3 miles to go and never relinquishing it. It seems that the past Kenyan dominance in the middle and long distance races has come to an end.....for now. A pleasant surprise was the American marathoner, Meb Keflezighi, who finished 4th. Not a bad run or finish! Kudos!

But with the end of the Olympics, comes the realization that life as we mortal human beings understand, goes back to normal. No more late nights. No more "spoiler alerts" about who won Olympic events, etc. Life does seem to get a little boring when the world stage is no longer on television and we are shut off into our own little worlds again. How sad. How can we keep this "Olympic spirit" alive you might ask?

I haven't the slightest idea. Having studied international affairs, I have a better understanding about what is going on in the world. In some respects, better than most people my wife and I know or work with. (I will say though that my co-workers are more knowledgeable than where my wife works.) It is a sad fact that many Americans are oblivious to the world outside their four walls. They simply do not understand that the world is a much bigger place and more connected than it was even five years ago. Travel, communications, and business are done at almost a lightening speed compared to 40 or 50 years ago. SO why are we still so ignorant of the world?

Maybe it's because we just don't care. We are so involved in our own daily lives that we do not take a few moments to read or watch the news. We don't feel anything for anyone outside our own personal bubble. If children are starving in some far off land (or even in the US) and we don't see or hear about it, we don't care. In other words, we are not aware of our surroundings, be they locally, statewide, nationally or internationally. We as Americans have lost our edge. We need to get it back. The only way for this to happen is to become more involved in the world. Keep up with what is happening. Give a damn about Syria and South Sudan. Just give a damn about something other than yourselves.

I've lamented enough. It's Sunday and I have a few chores to attend to. Thanks for reading.

Have an awesome week! :-)

Sorting through Stuff

2012-08-05T05:46:00.001-07:00

Another hot day during the summer has me sorting through old papers again. This time I ran across old work papers about "Next Generation Wargaming (NGW)", tax filings from 2005, college loan papers and a multitude of others. Why do we keep such things?

I kept the NGW readings just in case I'd be working on it again. The likelihood of that happening is nil. Out it goes.

Tax papers from 2005.....well, let's just say, I keep any paperwork that the government might want to audit later. But since it has been seven (7) years, maybe it's time to shred them? I know there a general understanding that you keep papers like that for a certain amount of time. I think that timeframe has passed.

College loan papers? Ummm, it's paid off. Next!

I did find a lot of old college papers from a couple of writing classes I took in 2007. While the stories my classmates had written were interesting, I just don't see any reason to keep and savor them for future read. Besides, they have been sitting on the bottom of a shelf for the past five (5) years. Am I really going to read them again? Probably not.

As I continue to downsize, I ask myself a lot of questions. Many of those questions I have read in other articles about downsizing. When was the last time I read/used/moved it? Am I likely to read/use/move it again? Is there someone else that can use it? After going through these questions and others, I make the final decision. Unless it has extreme sentimental value or is of great monetary value, out it goes. I don't have the room nor the time to keep up with items that take up space and I will probably never read/use again.

By the way, for those that read this blog, be sure to stop by www.livingunstoppable.com. It's a website of a friend of mine who has had some severe challenges in his life.

It's Sunday. I started this Saturday. Time to go through a few more folders, drink another cup of coffee and watch some Olympics. Go USA!!

Has it been that long?

2012-07-27T09:53:00.002-07:00

On 31 July 2012, I have been retired from the United States Marine Corps for 12 years. Has it been that long? In remembrance of that day, I am publishing for the first time online, "Yellow Footprints". It is a short story about my last few minutes in the Marine Corps. It starts with me arriving at Parris Island and completing my journey at Parris island. Of course, there's some "filler" in between the beginning and end. Read. Enjoy. Tell me what you think. Semper Fi!

Yellow Footprints

Written by Ricardo C. Pinzon, Jr.

Master Gunnery Sergeant

United States Marine Corps, Retired

UPDATE: 14 June 2013

I have placed the titled story on Amazon.com and have to remove it from here. Sorry!

Look for the Kindle version of this story and buy a copy!

Thanks!

Another Hot One!

2012-07-18T05:20:00.000-07:00

Another hot day is expected in Virginia. The high is expected to be about 100 degrees with a heat temperature index near 105 degrees. Alighty then!

Recommendations are to stay inside, keep cool, hydrate, eat and IF you have to go outside, wear a hat and use sunscreen.

Now is not the time to be "playin da fool"!

By the way, stay tuned for a cool story coming up on 31 July.
I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

Until later.......................

Viewing My Posts?

2012-07-17T14:39:00.001-07:00

Good evening!

I always like to see how many views my blog has on any given day. It is sometimes none, sometimes one and other days maybe 4-5. Cool!

Well, if you're looking at my blog, drop me a line. Tell me who you are and why you are visiting. Tell me if there is anything you'd like for me to write about. I'll do my darndest to write a little bit about everything. :-)

It's another hot day in Virginia. The temp was 100 degrees when I got home. I had to turn on some fans to get the air moving. It's finally cooling down. Tomorrow it'll be a little cooler.

Hope all is well on your end. Drop me a line. Say hey!

Enjoy the rest of your week! :-)

Ok, ok........

2012-07-14T07:23:00.000-07:00

Someone tried to hack into my blog? For what? There is nothing secret or sacred on this site. So.....if it was you, please stop. I hate having to go through the verification process and giving up even MORE information about myself.

Now on to better things. :-)

Great week! Accomplished a lot! My job keeps me fully engaged and I am having fun. Those sound like the words of someone who enjoys what they're doing! :-) That's me! Thogh I cannot and will not discuss what I'm working on, suffice it to say, it is cool stuff! ;-)

As I have already crested a certain threshold as far as age is concerned, I am finding what I do more and more satisfying. I like the early morning hours which allows me to get home earlier. Travel is closer than my last job and in some respects, the people are friendlier. That is always a plus. Bottom line, I like where I am. I'd like to be closer to retirement, but that will come in time.

I hope your week has gone well. If you're working one of those those jobs where you dred getting up in the morning, find another job. Believe me....life is too short to be stuck in a deadend job with people you do not like working with. And for those that know me....you know who you are! ;-)

Later folks! Drop me a line to say hello.

Outta here!

Missed a Day!

2012-07-09T19:54:00.000-07:00

Hey! What happened to Sunday? I didn't post anything. Does that mean that the entire day was uneventful? By no means! I actually spent Saturday and Sunday doing a lot of writing and editing. On what you might ask? Sorry.

The rain on Sunday afternoon helped to break the stifling heat wave that has gripped our part of the world. Temps on Sunday afternoon reached close to 99 if not 100 degrees! This was followed by a storm that apparently did some severe damage to a cheerleading facility in Fredericksburg, Virginia. Luckily, no one was seriously injured. If it was not for the fast thinking of a few individuals, many deaths may have occurred.

Back to work on Monday was a welcome relief from sitting at home while the weather cooked us. The air conditioning was blasting and at times, it was a lot cooler than expected. But I'm not complaining! Don't get me wrong. I have a fleece if needed. :-)

Bottom line, being back to work on Monday, after the storm on Sunday and after the heat wave has broken, actually felt pretty good. I hope the rest of the week will be just as comfortable.

Until later...........Stay cool and comfortable. :-)

Another Scorcher!

2012-07-07T08:53:00.000-07:00

According to the National Weather Service, temperatures in the Stafford, Virginia area could reach between 103-105 degrees with the Heat Index reaching between 110-155 degrees. Alrighty then! What does this mean to you? Stay cool. Drink plenty of fluids. Limit your time outside. If you're one of those unfortunate households without electricity or air conditioning, go to a cooling center , mall or library. Do whatever you can to keep cool and hydrated.

As for me, I'll be following my own advice and monitoring the temperature in our home as the day progresses. With this excessive heat, I'm always looking for ways to keep the home cool. Yesterday I placed a towel on the external portion of the kitchen window to keep the sun from "blasting" in. It worked! It'll stay there throughout this heat wave. I was also fortunate enough to purchase a couple more fans to move the cool air about. I can only hope that these two measures will assist in keeping the house cool.

Hang in there friends!
Cooler temperatures next week!

Storm and Heat Hangover?

2012-07-05T14:33:00.000-07:00

The storm that swept through Friday evening was one of the worst seen in years. Faster than the most recent hurricane, this, "derecho", caused death, destruction and an enormous amount of financial loss across the board. It's been almost a week and there are still thousands of homes without electricity. Maybe I have written this before, but don't we live in the United States of America? Our technological advances are way beyond many Third World countries yet we continue to do the same things and achieve the same results. A storm hits, the power goes out and our citizenry suffer. Hmmmm, is this a forebearance of things to come IF the Mayan calendar is correct and something catastrophic is going to happen later this year? Start getting ready now. Heed the advice of "experts" and do a "lessons learned" about the most recent storm. How could you have been better prepared.

And now for the heat. Yes, it's hot. But heat is a relative term depending where you live in the world. In Saudi Arabia, 100 degrees is mild. 115 degrees is hot! But I personally am getting a little tired of the heat. Unfortunately there is not a lot I can do about it. It's comfortable in the morning, warm in the afternoon and hot by the time I get home from work. This in turn causes the AC to run longer as it struggles to keep up to cool our home. So go the savings from a mild Winter.

But maybe with the almost 90 hours power outage, things will balance out and my electric bill will not be that high. I did run a generator for almost 90 hours straight. (With intermittent breaks to refuel.) We'll see what happens.

Bottomline, I'm done and over with the storm. It's a nagging memory right now. As for the heat, we're all still suffering as if we have had a long night of drinking. That "hangover" from the heat feeling is not going away anytime soon.

Hang in there! It'll be in the upper 80s next week! Break out those jackets!

Stay cool my friends!

Happy Birthday America!

2012-07-04T07:54:00.001-07:00

It's a beautiful day in Stafford, Virginia.
The temperature is expected to get close to 99 degrees. Whew!
No major plans scheduled.
I'm still recovering from the storm this past weekend.
Simple things on the agenda include dishes and laundry.
I might mix in a few alcoholic beverages.

Whatever your plans are, be safe and be happy!
Enjoy America's birthday!

What a Weekend!

2012-07-03T17:25:00.000-07:00

Friday evening, 29 June 2012, a storm of immense strength, swept through our area. We lost electricity at approximately 10:35 pm. Our power was finally restored at approximately 1:05 pm on 2 July 2012. Amidst a heat wave, we survived. I am now going through my personal lessons learned about this experience.

Unfortunately as I write this, there are thousands of other households without electricity. All I can say to them is, "Hang in there!"

For those that read this blog from time to time, have noticed that I haven't written anything since February 2012. My situation has changed.

I am now employed by QinetiQ-North America.
I enjoy the work.
I enjoy the people.
I enjoy the location.
I enjoy the environment.
I am looking forward to a long tenure.

Overall, our family is doing well.

Drop me a line when you have an opportunity!

Stay well my friends! :-)

Adsense Account Disabled

2012-02-25T11:01:00.000-08:00

Hmmmmm. My Adsense account was disabled because I apparently violated one of their rules. After reading through the "rules", I discovered by posting a link to my blog on sites such as Twitter and LinkedIn, is in violation of their Terms of Agreement. Oh well. Keep the $58 and some odd cents I had earned by people clicking on the advertisements on my blog! Since this action was taken, I have disabled all ads on my blog. If I were trying to earn a living by doing this, I'd be upset. But I'm not. If anyone asks me if using Adsense is a good idea, I would say no.

So there you have it. If you do not see ads on my blog, now you'll know why. Maybe I'll use something other than Adsense. :-)

Windy, cool but sunny today!

Have a great weekend!

PS STill job hunting! :-)

Another Weekend!

2012-02-19T08:21:00.000-08:00

It's President's Day Weekend in the United States and from my perspective as I look out the window, it's gloomy with snow expected later today. How I yearn for those warm winter days in Hawaii. But I digress.

For a three day weekend, nothing was really planned and if it were, I'd probably not do it because of other things. In fact, I decided to spend sometime with my wife, not really "wasting time", but having "together time". Instead of cleaning out our storage shed ($250 per month), we decided to catchup on what was on our DVR. Here is a listing of what we watched, both on and off the DVR:

It's Academic
Undercover Boss (Checker and Rally's fast food restaurants)
Doc Martin - PBS
Sundance Channel - John Lennon "Time wounds all heels." (Great quote!)
Whitney Houston funeral (CNN) - Thank goodness I didn't watch all 4 hours!
Paris (2008) - Interesting little subtitled movie with Juliette Binoche
A Day in the Life - 24 July 2010 expose. Very interesting!
The Exam (Netflix) - Waste of time.
Beyond Mombasa - Not bad for a 1957 movie.

As for today, Sunday, between Twitter, Accu-Weather and email, there are no major plans for television watching today. I think I burned myself out. But then again, I do have Netflix and there are thousands of movies I haven't watched. I may just grab a cup of coffee and sit at the edge of the garage and wait for the snow. (Now that would be relaxing!) Or I could continue the job hunt. (Yes, I'm still unemployed. Any leads?) Or grab one of many books and kick back with an adventure in some faraway land.

No idea what today will bring. But it is the weekend and weekends are made for unpredictability and spontaneous activity. Whatever you decide to do today, have fun!

Aloha!

Syria on the Brink of Civil War?

2012-02-13T16:19:00.000-08:00

If you're not following the news, Syria is already in a civil war....and Assad's military is proving to be cruel, malicious and deadly. A strongly worded United Nations resolution is in the works. In it, I hope to hear strong language condemning the killing of innocent civilians, including women and children. But as it was stated in the movie, Rambo, "there are no innocent civilians."

On the domestic front, long time singer, Whitney Houston has died. The cause of her death is yet to be determined. On almost every channel that I turn to, there is a discussion of her death, her drug addiction and her troubled marriage to Bobby Brown. I was surprised when I read a tweet about it Saturday. I was more astounded when it finally made it to mainstream media. Will she be missed? In some circles, yes. In others, she may have been considered a has been with no more voice. Which ever way you decided to remember her, rest in peace, Whitney. I will miss you.

Finally, where the heck is winter? The almost white out squall that passed through our region was fun to watch, photograph and experience. But it came and went too fast. My grandson didn't even have time to get his outside clothes on. He was sad. I was sad. Hopefully Mother Nature will stop listening to those that complain about the snow and listen to those that want her to dump 2 to 3 feet of the white fluffy stuff.

It's Monday. The day is over. Time to relax.
Thanks for reading!

PS I'm still looking for a job! Pass it on!

Ten Minutes of Twitter

2012-02-10T17:32:00.000-08:00

It's a Friday night.
Some people do not like to cook on Fridays.
Instead, they'll pickup a pizza or some fried chicken.
Others will go out for thai or chinese food.
My wife brought home calzones. Awesome!

In the time it took to go downstairs and eat one-quarter of a calzone with a hot cup of Jasmine tea and talk about the day's events, I had missed almost 200 tweets. I cannot tell you what they were all about because I ended up skipping them and coming back to the more current ones.

Oops......I did it again. I just missed another 50 tweets while I helped my wife bring in some groceries. There is definitely too much stuff going on. Do I really need to know all that is occuring at this precise moment?

With that stated, maybe it's time for me to start cleaning out the tweeters I follow, whether they be people or organizations. I think I'll spend some time this weekend slowly and methodically deleting those that I follow that are no longer interesting or worth my time and effort to read. Who says I have to follow so many in the first place?

Quick update on the homefront........I'm still looking for a job. If you're interested in getting a copy of my resume, send me an email or better yet, a tweet. Oh wait, I may not see it.

Have a great weekend!

Things To Do When You're Unemployed

2012-02-07T13:42:00.000-08:00

1. Look for work
2. Dishes
3. Laundry
4. Look for work
5. Mop the floor
6. Vacuum the carpets
7. Watch the news
8. Look for work
9. Grocery shop
10. Drop off/Pick up dry cleaning
11. Read and write emails
12. Look for work

Did I mention look for work?
I think I did a few times.

That is what I do.
Today, I mixed in a little storage room cleanout session trying to save $$.
There are a few more dishes but I'll wait until after supper to do those.

Wait.....did I say supper?
Who says supper nowadays?
Isn't it dinner?

Oh well.....whatever you call it, it has been one of those days looking for work, doing small odds and ends around the house and mixing it up with a trip to the storage shed.

Hmmmmm, found some interesting stuff out there.
Maybe I'll write about that later.

Have a great evening!

Yes, I am looking for a job!

2012-02-06T14:30:00.000-08:00

I am a 25 year retired Marine veteran.

I have been working in the contracting arena for the past eleven years at the Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory, Wargaming Division, Quantico, Virginia as a Senior Wargaming analyst.

My responsibilities have included everything from administrative and logistical planning for the conduct of wargames with 25 to over 300 participants in various locations within the National Capital Region. In addition, I have assisted in the development, planning, coordination, and facilitation of over 20 wargames and scenario driven exercises.

I am seeking employment with a company that will allow me to bring and utilize the skills I have attained from over 36 years of military and contracting experience and at the same time values my status as a seasoned professional.

I have a Secret clearance. I am a team player. I am willing to travel. My passport is current. I am available after submitting a two weeks notice and I'm looking forward to see if there's a fit with me in your company.

I do have a resume and references! If you're interested, send me an email or just comment here.

EMail: rcpinzonjr@gmail.com

I look forward to hearing from you!

Out.