Amid so many things that are going on right now in this country, this might be one thing that could be overlooked--fall out of what happens after losing your job.  My job affords me the opportunity to peer into peoples private and financial lives.  Being a Financial Adviser most of my clients see me as their "go to" guy for almost anything.  They tend to call me even when they just want someone to talk too (of which I never mind).  I would like to think they would call me (though its not my job) if things go so bad to the point where if they going to do something desperate as this man did with his family, they would call someone, let alone me.  However after seeing what has happened, I will reach out to my clients and let them know I am here for them.  I do so already but maybe not as often as I should.  I do know when a client does tell me they are out of work, I do make it a point to let them know I will keep my ears open if I know of anything that comes up (this I do all the time).  Recently someone on my LinkedIn account reached out to me for a job opportunity and I was able to point them in the right direction at least for an interview that they never would've gotten otherwise. 

Another point is what drives someone to the limits of killing their entire family and killing themselves, I don't know.  I suppose this is a question for a psychiatrist and for the police as well.  Its just nuts to think that there is no other way out of a situation than to annihilate your family.  There should be no reason on the planet to do this.  If there is a reason to ever do this, losing your job shouldn't be one of them.

The ink isn't even dry yet on the President's orders to put the brakes on any tribunals in Gitmo and NY Times has already turned on its favorite son.  An article this morning about a detainee from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba being released last year has now surfaced as being involved in the bombing of a U.S. Embassy (all embassies are considered American soil and are all guarded by U.S. Marines) in Yemen.

Now that our new President has ideas of shutting  down this facility and putting the brakes on any future or current tribunals, he and the rest of the politicians need to know what they hell they are going to do with those detainees they are going to release (if they ever do get released).  I'm certain the article is being eyeballed by the President at this very moment and can't be too happy that his "favorite" newspaper made it front page news.  I'm certain cooler heads will prevail now that this has come out but what remains to be seen?  We shall see.

Sometimes when I come home late from work, I will miss seeing my kids before they went to bed.  What I will do is go in to check on them; I will go see my five year old son first since he might still be up, most times he is already sound asleep.  I will sit with him for a few minutes then stroke and rub his head and kiss him goodnight.  Then I will go see my 22 month old daughter in her room, she is always cutting a few logs by the time I see pretty little face.  I will also stroke and rub her head along with running my fingers through her hair (she never wakes from this) and set with her for a bit and blow her a kiss and leave (she is in a crib and too low for me to get to her without waking her).

I will be a somewhat sad that I didnt get to see them but glad in the fact that they were with their mom (probably drove her to drink) when they finally went to bed and not with a baby sitter or something like that.  I am also comforted by that fact that I am home as well and my family is safe and well. 

It's done, we have a new President.  First, farewell to our Commander-in-Chief President Bush, may God Bless you and your family, your service was greatly appreciated!  Second, I didn't vote for our current President but I'm a citizen of this country and will serve him just as I have served all others.  I just hope he will be HALF of what he is being built up to be.  May God Bless him and his family and all he does (and doesn't do).  Good luck Mr. President.

Today is the day we will see how the rest of our lives will pan out with our new President.  Most are optimistic however I am relatively cautious.  I want him to succeed, I want him to be everything he is being built up to be.  I know one thing, months after 9-11 President Bush had the highest approval rating (which was 90%) any president has ever had (I would imagine since approval ratings have been in existence); and the ultimately had the lowest.  I hope for the markets sake, since they have been taking a beating for the last year that he will be the difference on Wall St.  We shall see.

In the coming days and weeks things will change.  The format in which my blog has been run will be vastly different from what you have been use to seeing.  Its old format may make a cameo appearance from time to time but it will be different.  I won't get into to what exactly but I will just let you just for yourself.

Change is good.

Today is the anniversary of the death of Bobby Fischer, the greatest chess player to ever play the game.  Yeah, the greatest, we owe him that much, I would prefer to remember him how he was here in this picture, not what he became in the later part of his life.

To all veterans, young and old, thank you.

Today is our day, a day we remember our fellow brothers and sisters past and present and yell OORAH!  A day we know each other's heart and say Semper Fidelis.  A day where the youngest and the oldest cuts the cake on our behalf and we know have some cool nicknames and rehash our history as to how we have came about.  Today is our day when you could be the Marine thats on the bottom of the totem pole and still know you are the baddest of them all.  Today is our day.

If I can borrow a line from the script of the movie, "Full Metal Jacket", "Its a huge shit sandwich and we're all gonna have to take a bite".  Please make mine with extra mayo and extra dressing, thats usually how I take my American Hero (yes, another play on words) at the deli.  What dreams may come (another movie insert), I don't know but Im a "solja" and serve whomever commands from the White House.  nuff sed

Last Sunday I decided to do something different--not go to church.  I made a promise to my son many months ago and it was time to make good on that promise.  My son had turned five a few days earlier, so it was part of a birthday surprise for him.  I suppose it doesnt really matter what it was we did that morning since it really isnt the point of the story.  After we were done with our fun that morning, we decided to get something to eat.  When we were sitting down across from each other, it sure felt like were in the church that morning, I was awestruck by the moment.   I guess you had to be there.  It was amazing.

Big brother has been hunting me down, so I have had to make some changes since even having this blog would create huge problems for me.  I know, I know Cathy, the picture, I am sorry that had to go.  Big Brother has been quite aggressive in their search for me and I can't afford the drama that would follow if they cornered me in some back alley.  Until the net that has been cast is raised, I will have to tread lightly.

I have spoken to Barack on many occasions however there was one night many years ago when he was contemplating a serious move for the Presidency.  Well while I was berating him about the evils of smoking cigarettes--he mentioned this little career move and of course I jumped all over him about it being too soon; how I wouldnt want to see him get his head blown off since he would be a secret service nightmare; and how Joe Biden is a loser (he intimated to me then he would be his VP pick).  With all that being said, he wasnt buying what I was selling that night.  He topped it off by blowing his last puff of his cigarette in my face.

Me and Barack that long night.

To all of my fellow bloggers in the path of Gustav, good luck, be safe, and God Bless.

I am still trying to decide whether or not I like my iphone.  I always feel like I have to be so careful with it and the battery life bites,  not like my blackberry which I abused to no end (and still worked) and didn't have to recharge for a couple of days.  However there is no denying the capabilities of my iphone when its on.

I feel like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders today. Yes, its done, all done. No need to elaborate, just that its done.

It's done, I bought the iphone.  I didn't overpay for it on Ebay or anything like that.  I went to my local AT&T Store and paid retail.  I got the black one.  Now I have to wait just a bit longer, apparently once you order one you have to wait 12-14 days.  I have waited this long, I can wait a bit longer.

I find the comment: "I support the troops but I don't support the war"--very disturbing, its almost a complete contradiction.  I have found that troops abroad don't appreciate this comment at all.  I suppose you can find anyone to say whatever you want them to say in conjunction with what you want to believe.  I just wanted to put that out there.