Just a Thought....Cramps.

Just a Thought....Cramps. Every day I creep closer to the middle of what will hopefully be life spectrum I have a goal age of 80. What is the significance of that number you ask, well let me tell you? That is the age I want to get to, if God willing, before my time on earth is done. My age is steadily increasing every 365 days and as I get closer to closing out another year. I start to realize how much a body can start to breakdown. I will be 45 on October 9 and as I see it in my heart, I have another 35 years to make an impactful impression on the world. Now as I transform my life, I also am transforming my body and health as well. I think both will coincide with each other so it is best to change both aspects of your life at the same time. Your mind, body, and soul all need to be renewed. So going through such a drastic change also hinder your growth if you do too much, too fast. I learned the hard way that my body ain't what it used to be. It has it fair share of problems now just like a lot of people who are reaching these ages and are overweight or have some kind of illness that prevents someone from engaging in physical activity. I have been running on a treadmill and also pushing my physical work at my job. Steadily climbing up and down from the bed of the truck to the ground and hand unloading heavy material is always a killer in my book. I find myself trying to stay hydrated in the heat and sweating so much takes quite a bit out of me. I am not anywhere close to being my desired weight and having a BMI (Body Mass Index) that is is within the range i am supposed to be in for my height. When I rest after such a physical day at work when I lay down and my body is supposed to be totally at rest is when I have the most problems. I fall asleep to only be awakened by the tightening of my calf or hamstrings that cramp from dehydration. I drink a lot of water but not as much as I should. I am sure it would help me from getting a freaking charlie horse. Or the stiffness in the calf that debilitates me like nothing else. I hate getting cramps and not trying to compare the pain of birth with the wimpy pain of getting a stomach cramp but that shit still hurts. I have been taking a multivitamin and magnesium and B12 to keep me nimble and agile to make it through four quarters of a football game or at least a full workday. So as I stretch for the bed to avoid the dreaded pressure of cramps, I bid you adieu my friends. So until tomorrow, this was.....just a thought

Just a Thought...Passing Gas.

Just a Thought...Passing Gas. Well, tonight I experienced something that kind of caught me off guard tonight. I went to Wal-Mart to buy a few items that I needed for the kids' lunches tomorrow. So as I strolled down the aisle to get some bread there was an older lady down the aisle where I was headed. I guess she figured that no one was going to come where she was standing and she just without hesitation ripped out a huge fart. The bad part about the whole ordeal was that I had already started making my way to the middle of the aisle where she was standing. Needless to say that I caught her backdraft in all its glory. I must give her props because that noise that extruded from her rear end was quite impressive and let's not talk about the smell. I don't have a strong sense of smell, so for me to be able to smell it. She let out all the demons that have been trapped inside, it was pungent. I was totally caught off guard by these circumstances so I did what I thought anybody in the same situation would have done. I turned my cart as quickly as possible almost knock down a small display stand. I guess she realized that I was back there and she dashed off with her cart. I know I have been guilty of passing gas in an elevator with nobody in there with me. I felt bad as soon as the doors opened and I immediately stepped out know what the person entering was headed for inside. I would have at least looked around before just cutting one loose in the store. I know that when you gotta go, you gotta go. There is no holding it in. There are times when you can but those usually end up being worse because although there is no audible sound the smell is quick, it is strong and it is usually rancid. Those are actually worse simply because the smell is a dead give away. So to end the story I walked away with a nose full of toot and as I exited the store with my groceries guess who just happened to be parked next to me in the parking lot, Queen Toot. I have never seen anyone toss their bags into their vehicle than she did as she hopped in the car without putting on her seatbelt. She was gone in the blink of an eye and probably embarrassed with what had happened. All I could do was have a laugh and thought to myself that I should thank her for giving me a good story tonight. Until tomorrow friends this was....just a thought.

Just a Thought....Home Alone.

Just a Thought...Home Alone. It is Saturday and for once I don't have any commitments for this night. So I am staying home doing some writing and working on other projects. It has been a while that I have actually been able to write one of these posts on a Saturday and looking at my upcoming schedule it will be a while before I can do it again. So as I sit in the comforts of my chair and think about things to write about for future posts. I wonder to myself if it is sad that I don't have a more active social life. I have always found it easy to make friends but as I sit here and write, I think to myself "Why don't I have friends my age that I could go out with and just hang out?" People all over town tonight are with a group of friends either enjoying a nice dinner and fellowship or having a drink at the bar. They are hanging out at the State Fair of Texas or playing at Top Golf. Which makes me think that I need to make some friends with whom I can hang out with and get out of the house. I don't want to go to singles bars or strip clubs. Just not my bag anymore..I want more developed people to hang out with and have adult conversations. Enjoy a nice beer without having to get plastered. Maybe I am just too old to make those kinds of friendships. I see my wife, who has a group of friends that she can hang with on any given weekend. But these are people that she has known for years. A lot of the people that I grew up with are no longer close. I still live in the town I grew up in and a lot of those people that I would have grown up with left this one-horsed town a long time ago. There has to be an alternative to staying at home with the kids. I also want to make friends that I can grow within to build lasting friendships. Guess that at least for tonight I will alone in front of my screen with my thoughts. But that isn't always a bad thing. So until tomorrow..this was just a thought.

Just a Thought...The Doctor's Office.

Just a Thought....The Doctor's Office. I had the privilege to take my brother to see the doctor today. As soon as we walked in I knew we were at a doctor's office simply by the sterile smell that floats in the air like the smell of smoked brisket. It is strong that you know exactly where you are at. The seat and the interiors are usually the dead giveaways, apart from a few different things most of the offices I have been in feel like the same. As I walked into sit down it was like Deja Vu, like I felt that I have been here before and then I remember that last year I spent quite a bit of time in doctor's offices because of my foot injury. It's like that when a doctor decides to open a small practice he or she hires the small interior decorator. The color schemes always seem the same. I just walked in and knew we were at a doctor's. The setup is always just about the same. You walk up to the window, sign the sign-in sheet. Then the chairs are always the worst part unless simply because they are not made for comfort. As we sat there and awaited our turn the magazines were old, from last year, which is not bad for a story about the problems of living in Honduras but when it is a sports magazine the main story is more often than not about a certain game which has probably already been played. So you know the outcome and it ruins the story. The predictions that the writer had made with his compelling case why this team will win. When you know that the team he or she had picked actually lost. The staff is in scrubs and the flowers are all fake and the painting on the wall are all very generic looking. I get that the purpose of the visit is to get to feeling better but c'mon Doc. Add a little spice or flavor to the place. The only good thing about the visit is that the candy the office was giving out was of really good quality. Well maybe next time I actually go to the doctor for myself it will be a bit different but I doubt it. So until tomorrow folks, this was just a thought.

Just a Thought....Our Phones.

Just a Thought...Our Phones. So many of us rely on our cell phones so much these days that we can't imagine not having one at all. We do all our social media, we do our business meetings, you name and we can do from the palm of our hands. Just imagine how far we have come in the last ten years in the technology of smartphones. I have been able to meet and network with so many new and different people who share the same passion with me. We can talk and chat as though we're all sitting down at a coffee table having a discussion about writing faux pas. It's a different world that we live in nowadays and to tell you the truth I absolutely enjoy it. I find it so awesome that I can connect with someone in Europe and talk about a certain writer or shoot back ideas and encouragement. 20 years ago we had cell phones they just weren't as advanced and their sole purpose back then was to call people and if you were lucky you could send text messages. Which for some people was the preferred method of communication so that you didn't have to deal with business people face to face. I remember a few years ago that I broke my phone at work. I actually ran over it with a forklift and cracked the whole phone. I had to wait seven days before they could send me a new phone. Lucky for me they sent me a new model phone because the one I broke was still under warranty. They also stopped making that familiar model of phone. I had to go a whole week without my smartphone. You know what...I loved it. Loved being away from people having instant access to my life all the time. I felt free, I actually had the freedom to do what I wanted within the structure of the law. One of the best time was when I was needed for something, I could use the excuse that I didn't have my phone. I could turn it around and make myself the victim. I would say things like "Do you think that I want to be without my phone for all this time?" Of course, my real answer was yes. I do enjoy seeing the new phone but just not too thrilled about the price. But that is another story for another day. So until we agree to meet here again tomorrow. Remember that this was...just a thought.

Just a Thought...Lemons into Lemon Bars.

Just a Thought...turning lemons into lemon bars. Well just as you think that you have everything under control, life throws you the dreaded curveball. I have been so lucky to not see Murphy and his stupid laws. Well, that was until today. My wife's car started to act up I took it to my brother-in-law's house so that we could try to fix it. We did our best but to no avail. I have contacted a mechanic friend and hopefully, we will back and running again. Why do I bring all this up you ask? Well, I'll tell why. If something like this would have happened to me ten years ago, it would have been a major catastrophe. It would have literally crippled me and caused me so much grief and worry. Why not now? Well as time has passed and given me more wisdom. I have learned to, first of all, put my worries up to God. Second is that I have learned that I can't do it alone and it is okay to ask for help. I still don't have all the answers and don't know how this will be resolved but I know that my family is going to be okay and that this too shall pass. I just have to trust my faith in God and whatever his plans will be for me. I know that things will not miracle themselves fixed. I have to take action and trust in God will show me the right moves to fix my problems. I still find myself wanting to withdraw because I don't have all the answers. But in trusting in my Lord, I know that not having all the answers is okay. We must take the good with the bad and treat them both the same. Tomorrow will be another day and hopefully a better outcome. So to say that this day was wasted, I think not. I got a better outline of my book and will throw the kitchen sink at it this weekend. I know that some people don't know how to look at the silver lining in bad situations but I can no longer ignore feeling happy. I really do enjoy life and although something bad like your car breaking down can be a downer. I saw it as an opportunity to hang with my brother in law and work on cars. Tomorrow will be another chance to get things right and I pray tonight and tomorrow that God will guide me in the right direction. So until we meet here again this was....just a thought.

Just a Thought....Mentors.

Just a Thought....Mentors. On my journey to pursue my passion and become a better person. I have learned that it is easier when you have someone who can help you learn on your journey. Whether it is losing weight, getting out of debt or motivating yourself to chase your dreams. When you find someone that can help mentor you in whatever you're passionate about it. It truly is a blessing. I have been very fortunate over this time in search of self-discovery of becoming my better self that I have found people who are willing to help or I have asked to help mentor me. I have dreamed of becoming a writer or creator since I was little. I started with my own comic strip, a mouse named Hugo. I did the artwork and came up with the stories of his adventures. That was the first time I ever felt normal. I kind of always knew that I wanted to write. My brother was the next influence on my writing. He stared my love with screenwriting and seeing how the creative process can go from beyond your words. That there were people that not only wrote their own movies but created them. Their visions were translated from their minds onto the silver screen. So as I let life push me around and being a victim of my own procrastination. I put my hopes and dreams on hold because of fear and rejection. I made the excuses up as I went along. Then one day a light went off in my head and my heart and it couldn't be described as anything else but divine intervention. I realized that my time here on earth is finite. If I didn't get off my ass and do some living and chasing the dreams that I always wanted then I would live the rest of my life with regret. So as I started this journey and continue down the path, it has been a learning experience. I have met wonderful new people online with whom I networked and found some that hopefully will become new friends. Then there are some that I have asked to help mentor me when they can. Most have been very receptive. I have not tried to be needy and I study and read about the craft as much as I can, but it helps to have people to ask advice or for tips and pointers. To those who have help and continue to help and reach out, I am greatly appreciative for any help or advice. This is only the beginning of what will be a life long journey for me. I don't plan on stopping short of what I have envisioned for myself. Each day is a struggle but always an opportunity to gain new experience. It is the greatest challenge that I have faced but one day be my greatest triumph. I know that my age has helped me realize to enjoy the journey. I know that one day I will be in the position to help that someone searching for help and guidance and I look forward to that opportunity. So until tomorrow my friends. Keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for the stars. This was....just a thought.

Just a Thought....Ice Cream.

Just a Thought....Ice Cream. I have been very hard to lose weight. Not just for the vane reasons that most do it. I am really trying to lose weight because I have made the conscious decision that I want to live for a long time and still be able to do many of the functions that I can do. I know that somethings will go away with the time that I am going to be unable to prevent, but I want to be proactive in being able to ward off certain diseases that are controllable by the lifestyle that I live and how I eat. Age is the one thing that will wait on no man to figure out. You must learn and adjust your way of living in order to at least have the chance to have a happy and healthy life once you are in your golden years. I want to be the old man who still drives at 80 years of age. I want to be able to walk in the park on a nice spring day. I have been able to give up most things that have sugar, I can do away with most of the carbs and I am taking a steady diet of supplements and vitamins to help with things like heart health, joints, muscles. Most of the terrible foods that I use to eat, I have no longer craving for. I eat a fatty hamburger and I feel sick. I indulge in sweets, I feel like crap. I crash hard after the sugar rush wears off. Most of these bad things, I have learned to deal without on an everyday basis except for one thing. My kryptonite that I just have the hardest time letting of and that is Ice Cream. They say every superhero has weakness and just happens to be the frozen concoction made just about any flavor. My biggest guilty indulgence is Mint Chocolate Ice Cream. I am trying really hard to stay away from it at all cost. I walk by the frozen aisle in the store and cuss at the Blue Bell section. I just start swinging in anger like Tre from Boyz in The Hood. I've tried frozen yogurt and it can sometimes placate the cravings sometimes but there is nothing like the taste of a Mint Chocolate Chip shake from Braum's. This is one fight that will go twelve rounds. The urge is there to stop and say "get one you deserve it, you've been good." but there is a part of me that knows better and knows when staying steadfast in working to achieve my goal of getting down to a healthier weight. So please know folks that I am giving it my best effort. So until tomorrow folks, this was...just a thought.

Just a Thought....Effort.

Just a Thought....Effort. So I was watching a game today. Seeing the athletes do what comes naturally like it didn't require ant effort. What we don't see is all the work these amazing athletes do behind the scenes. The discipline that goes into what these people do for a living is incredible. The attention paid to eating, exercise and the amount of practice they do to become the best of the best. I wondered why can't we as normal everyday people don't take the same approach in life. It seems these days we want to get results and don't want to put in the work and the effort to achieve our best possible selves. I hear ads on the radio for weight loss supplements that say lose the weight and not have to exercise. I can't wrap my head around people wanting to be thin and fit but don't want to give up eating McDonald's and Jack in Box. They want to have their cake and eat it too. That is not how life works. You want results, you have to put in the work and have to become dedicated to your goals. I am on a journey to lose weight, get out of debt and become a writer. I have taken notice that each of these goals requires discipline, patience, and faith. Each goal that I have set will require me to put in the work. There is no magic pill or supplement to buy or get prescribed. Every day is a struggle to stay on track. There are days that I don't want to get up and go to work, to eat right or write. But these are my goals and the effort that I put into my dreams will only go as far as the amount of effort I put into pushing myself. I still have a ways to go but I know that no matter what happens I still to try. I may never get to be a published writer, I may never be skinny and I may never be wealthy but I have hope and faith in my efforts and that is enough to keep me going. So for everyone that doesn't even try, you will never know what might have been. I don't want to leave this earth not knowing I didn't try to follow my dreams. It is all about the effort and I have plenty of that to give. Until we meet again folks, this was....just a thought.

Just a Thought....Baths.

Just a Thought....Baths. Just about everyone that has a shower has a bathtub. My question to you is this, why don't so many people use it? Unless you have a small child, most adults don't use a bathtub except to stand in it while taking a shower. I know that they do make showers without tubs. When was the last time you actually took the time to take a long, relaxing bath? I remember that before I got injured. I never took baths, they just took to long and I didn't see the payoff in wasting my time. Boy was I wrong. So it was difficult to take a shower with a fractured leg, so I decided to take baths to help relieve the stress on my only good foot. The first time was so magical. I probably sat in the tub for almost an hour. When I was done, I felt so calm and relaxed. I decided to take one tonight before I wrote my post and man am I glad that I did. It really cleared my mind and made me feel so stress-free. Writing when you have no pressure is probably when you are at your best. Free from inhibition and worry about critique. I sit in my chair and feel like I could sleep for days. My body feels loose and my muscle isn't as tense. I have been experiencing tension in my shoulder and now in the middle of my back. Taking a dip in the magical hot water for about 45 minutes has me feeling like a new man. At least for a little while. I don't remember as a kid when my parents decided that taking baths was too much of a hassle and had me start taking baths like my older brothers. I think that taking a bath is a small bit of nostalgia for me. Takes me back to being a kid and sitting the tub playing with small toys and other junk. I hope that many of you out there will either consider taking a bath tonight or tomorrow or at least give it strong consideration. It will change your life if you let it. So much so for me that it was easy to figure out what I wanted to write about tonight. If you don't want to go full dip, consider soaking your feet in the tub with just a bit of Epsom salts. It is divine. So until tomorrow folks, this writer is going to lay down and relax. So goodnight and this was...just a thought.

Just a Thought...What's for dinner?

Just a Thought....What's for Dinner? One of the things that I have been doing lately is trying different things. So tonight for dinner I decided to make a beef stir fry. The idea was good but the delivery wasn't so much. I had the best intentions of trying something different from what I was used to making for dinner. Last week I made a turkey meatloaf that didn't turn out half bad. It gave me the courage to try completely new again. Maybe lighting might strike twice. I prepared all the veggies for the meal. Then it was time for the meat to cook. Didn't notice that I had grab stew meat when I bought it at the store. She informed me that stew meat was tough. It is meant to be slow-cooked in a...duh, stew. I didn't have any other meat available so my only options were either this was going to be a vegetarian stir fry or I was going to stagger on with the stew meat. I cooked the meat first just enough to brown it, then I cooked the veggies and as the softened, I add the meat back to the mixture. I just warmed it through so that the meal would be hot and ready. I love my wife, simply because she put on a brave face as she ate it. It wasn't my best cooking effort but I felt good that at least I had tried something different. They are a few things that I liked about the veggies and the whole mixture, just next time I know to get a better quality of meat. I like to cook and I like to add a new wrinkle to my cooking repertoire. I mean who wants to eat the same things over and over again. Talk about monotonous relationships. I know what is good for me and my body and nowadays it is a good home-cooked meal for me and my family. Even now, I have to make three different dinners for everyone in the house to eat. It is maddening sometimes when there is hardly anything to cook and you still have to find a way to feed everyone in the household and leave them satisfied. It's tough but is getting easier as my older kids already know what they want and at the behest of their mother, it is for them prepare their easy microwaved meals when both myself and the kids' mother are busy. Even now I am hungry a bit because dinner wasn't too good. So I will end it here as I go look for something light to munch on. Until tomorrow my friends. This was....just a thought.

Just a Thought....Teachers.

Just a Thought...Teachers. This is one of the most under-appreciated jobs in the country. When you find out how much teachers make a year and compare it to the educational cost they might have spent getting a degree or teachers certificate it makes you wonder why would someone even go through the process. Knowing that you're going to be underpaid and undervalued. Nine times out of the ten the answer will be the same. They have the heart to reach out to those who are willing to learn, they have a passion to teach the next generation. I can remember that there were teachers that I loved their class in school just because they made their influence on me as a kid in their classroom. One was in Coach Moore's English class. You could say Coach Moore was not the most disciplined person but he made me fall in love with writing and was one of the first teachers who actually told me I was a good creative writer. If I had only listened and not have been too worried about the comings and goings in the halls of the junior high. That was the first time I felt good about myself and my ability to write. My other favorite was my drafting teacher, Mr. Harvey. I actually landed in his classes because the Electronics class that I wanted to take was done away after the citizens had voted yes on rollbacks for taxes. So the school had to do away with that class. I was prompted by my school counselor to take drafting. Best decision ever, Mr. Harvey's class was the closest thing to feeling like an adult in a workplace environment. To this day I feel he had that impact on many other students who came through his doors. So I know what kind of impact a caring teacher can make on a kid who might be struggling or just need guidance. I have the utmost respect for those who choose to help educate the minds of many children including my own. For those of you who get up every day during the school year to make an impact on the minds of our future leaders, I want to say Thank you. The work you do is greatly appreciated by me and many others. I want to say thank you to these amazing teachers. Delanne Camp, Jennifer Rendon Williams, C Hdz Medrano, Monica Jolly-Williams and so many other countless teachers whom I admire for teaching us that your impact goes beyond the classroom. To Fred Harvey, thank you for all that you showed as young adults. Your impact is still felt today. So until tomorrow friend, this was.....just a thought.