Day 42 - Something Funny - #1

Day 42 - Something Funny

We all need to take a moment and laugh once in awhile.  Laughter releases endorphins - natural pain and stress relieving chemicals - into your body.  So I'm starting a little something I would like to call, "Something Funny" - posts that are funny and will hopefully encourage you to take a second and laugh.

My first "Something Funny" comes from the Ellen DeGeneres Show.  Ellen recently put together a spoof of Matthew McConaughey's Lincoln car commercial.  I saw this on Facebook the other day and have now watched it 4 or 5 times in the last week.  It's a fun one.  Enjoy!

Here's "Something Funny!"

Day 41 - What's on Your iPod?

Day 41 - What's on Your iPod?

Some might find the songs on my iPod to be unusual.  I used to listen to a lot of modern day hits ranging from rock to hip hop, but I've needed an extra boost.  There are several inspirational talks and speeches out there now from movies, speakers, and a number of other venues that are mixed together with soundtrack music in the background.  Soundtrack in and of itself can make whatever you're doing incredibly epic.  That being said, when you mix it with some of the greatest motivational dialogue out there, you're bound to hear some great stuff.

The following three videos are just a sneak peak of what's on my iPod and what gets me fire up.  Take a listen.  They're epic.  And I'm not just using that word because they are good.  They REALLY are EPIC.  :)

PLEASE NOTE: You may hear some of the same lyrics and/or speeches.  You also may hear some explicit words.  Despite some of the words, repetition, and some of the actual video clips, the messages are worthwhile and WORTH hearing over and over again.  These videos remind us to live and live well.  

DREAM

Why Do We Fall

Being Perfect

Day 40 - List 10 Awesome Things that Make You Awesome

Day 40 - List 10 Awesome Things that Make You Awesome

1. I haven't lost my childlike wonder and personality.

2. Despite challenges, setbacks, and enemies, I keep moving forward.

3. It's really pretty difficult to get on my bad side.  Those that do, regret/will regret they did; not from a revengeful frame of mind, rather a loss to them personally.

4. I'm not afraid to walk in the rain.

5. I am incredibly patient and kind.

6. When you take the time to get to know me, you'll find a truly good, loyal friend.

7. I'm not afraid to have fun in the workplace.

8. I'm an incredibly hard worker.

9. I am ever-cognizant of the way in which people feel/may feel (call it a SUPER power).  I am usually quick to ask forgiveness should I hurt those around me.

10. Bragging about myself is not my strong suit, nor an activity I wish to take part in.  I am a equal-level leader and I will strive to maintain a persona where others never feel as though they are inferior to me.

Day 39 - A Post from Awhile Back

Day 39 - A Post from Awhile Back

Here's a post from awhile back.  Patience.  :)

Monday, June 20, 2011

I don’t know about you, but when I was a kid, I would run to nearby room with a window when I first heard thunder, sit on the floor, and wait to catch a giant lightning bolt shoot across the sky (don’t worry.  I kept my distance.  Are you kidding me?  The newscasters constantly told me not to stand next to the window cause I would get struck.  There was no way I’d stand next to it!).  Anyway, I’d wait, and wait, and wait for the perfect lightning bolt to catch me by surprise and amaze me with it’s wonder.

CRASH!

“Woah…”

It took a lot of Patience at that age to do such a thing.  A lot of Patience.  And yet today, when the internet is taking a bit longer to load or my phone is acting up, I can’t wait a second more for it to start working again!  :)

What’s with that?!  Where did I learn this?!  How did we get so impatient?  At one point in our lives, we waited all the live long day to catch a shooting star streak across the sky.  And when we saw one, even the most amazing shooting star of all time, we had to wait just a bit longer after that to see if we could catch an even more amazing shooting star—at least I was that way—because we knew something bigger and better would come our way.

I guess let this be a lesson to us.  Maybe we should consider having Patience in our unbelievably fast paced, instant gratification society.  Who knows what that might bring.  Perhaps something BIGGER and better.  Yeah!  There’s gotta be something more worthy on the horizon when we have Patience.

Patience might take awhile, but it’s gonna be worthwhile.  :)

Day 38 - Free Write

Day 38 - Free Write

I'm not afraid to walk in the rain.  Why?  Because the rain won't make me melt.  It will make me stronger.  There will always be rain and tough times ahead...

"There are rough times that are gonna come, but they have not come to stay, they have come to pass." ~ Les Brown.

Sure, I'll get upset, frustrated, tired, angry...but I will not fear the rain.  No way, because on the other side of the rain, there's a rainbow.  On the other side, the sun will shine, and when the sun shines, that's where you'll find glory.  

Sweat + blood + tears = pain. 

Pain + perseverance = success.

"Keep moving forward." ~ Meet the Robinsons

I'm not afraid of the rain.  I'm not afraid of getting drenched with challenges.  The rain helps.  It pushes me to overcome and helps me rise above.  So if one thinks the rain's going to stop me; if one thinks they can stop me with a couple of rain drops, why that's just adding fuel to the fire.  Trust me.  I'll rise.

"Cause if you're willing to go through all the battling you got to go through to get where you want to get, who's got the right to stop you?  I mean maybe some of you guys got something you never finished, something you really want to do, something you never said to someone something...and you're told no, even after you paid your dues?  Who's got the right to tell you that, who?  Nobody!  It's your right to listen to your gut, it ain't nobody's right to say no after you earned the right to be where you want to be and do what you want to do!" ~ Rocky Balboa

Do what you want to do and don't let a little rain stop you.  Just keep moving forward.  It's the tough that makes it worthwhile...

Day 37 - You Know Who's Awesome?! - #9

Day 37 - You Know Who's Awesome?!

This cat:

TC during a Men's Basketball Intro

The one and only, TC Panther; the greatest mascot of all-time.  I had the privilege of being TC during my last year of graduate school.  It was something I had always wanted to do and I decided I had only one chance left to do it.  So my final year of graduate school, I went all out.  I hopped in the fur as much as I could.  I boogied at basketball games, I hung out with kids in schools, I even snapped a quick photo with Shawn Johnson at an Exercise Your Character event in Des Moines.  It truly was an amazing experience.  One I'll always remember.  And hey, if there's anyone out there that ever needs someone willing to be a mascot, give me a shout!  I'm all for it.  :)

TC doing the Evolution of Dance during a Men's Basketball Halftime Show

  

Snapping a Photo with TC's Feet During Graduation

TC and Shawn Johnson at the Exercise Your Character Event

Day 36 - What are You Looking Forward to?

Day 36 - What are You Looking Forward to?

Every year it's the same.  I look forward to Christmas.  There's something about the season that I just anticipate each and every year.  No matter what month it is, there is a day in there where I think, "Man, I wish it was Christmas time."  And the day after Christmas is probably the worst day of the year for me.  Simply because I look forward to Christmas so much that I get super bummed that I have to wait another 364 days for it to get here.

I don't know.  There's just something about the holiday season that I love.  I think the best part about it is everyone's mood seems to change a little bit, which is nice, and we SLOW down.

So yeah.  Call me crazy, but I'm looking forward to Christmas!  :)

My SUPER tree!

Day 35 - Where are You Happiest?

Day 35 - Where are You Happiest?

Right here.  Despite the chaotic lives we live sometimes and the struggles we have, when it all comes down to it, I am happiest spending time with the ones I love; for they are the ones who truly know me.  They know my daily pursuits and are my "why"; the why I live for each and everyday.  :)

Day 34 - What's on Your Bucket List?

Day 34 - What's on Your Bucket List?

Here's my current bucket list:

1. Write and illustrate my own children's book.

2. Write my own book.

3. Expand our family to four or five and make my wife happy and proud.

4. Purchase a home for our family.

5. Spark a trend within America to spend more time on the important things (dreams, family, friends, etc.).

6. Create a form of media that focuses on the positive.

7. Find a small group of men with similar interests that are willing to have deep conversations about faith, family, career, and life.  A group of men that are not quick to judge, are willing and able to gather regularly, and are committed to sustaining the relationships within the group.

8. Live long enough to see my children graduate, marry, and have children of their own. 

9. Run another marathon or two for charity. 

10. Overcome my biggest fears and maintain my child-at-heart personality as I grow old.

11. Create and deliver a message that is really worthwhile to the world.

12. To encounter and experience a "David and Goliath" moment.

13. Become a certified coach and Strengths Coach.

14. Travel to Alaska, Egypt (Pyramids), Australia/New Zealand (Lord of the Rings and Great Barrier Reef), South Africa (African Safari), and Israel.

15. To leave a legacy.  Hopefully something I've said, brought to light, or done has been viewed as a positive contribution to the world.

Day 33 - Do You Have a Hobby?

Day 33 - Do You Have a Hobby?

I do.  I have a couple different hobbies.  I think one should always have a hobby; something that allows them to escape and find some flow.  

"Flow is being completely involved in an activity for its own sake.  The ego falls away.  Time flies.  Every action, movement, and thought follow inevitably from the previous one, like playing jazz.  Your whole being is involved, and you're using your skills to the utmost." ~ Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

"Flow is a tremendously beneficial state of being.  It contributes to the best kind of happiness: intensely pleasurable, infinitely renewable, and within your control.  It also contributes to success, by enabling peak performance toward your goal and faster advancement toward mastery." ~ Tom Murcko

One hobby that I have jumped into more recently would be drawing.  I've always enjoyed drawing, but haven't really dug into it until these last couple of years.  I kick myself for never taking an art class.  Nevertheless, I enjoy drawing superheroes and cartoons.  Hopefully someday I will be able to put together my own children's book.  Below are a few of the things I've drawn within the last couple of years:  

Other hobbies I enjoy are writing, exercising, and digital production.

Day 32 - Post Your Favorite Recipe

Day 32 - Post Your Favorite Recipe

My wife used to make this all the time.  I love BUBBLE PIZZA!  Plus, how cool of a name, right?!  

Bubble Pizza Recipe and photo by Taste of Home

Ingredients

1-1/2 pounds of ground beef

1 15 oz can of pizza sauce

2 12 oz tubes of refrigerated buttermilk biscuits

1-1/2 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese

1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese

Directions

1. In a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain.  Stir in pizza sauce.  Cut each biscuit into quarters; place in a greased 13" x 9" baking dish.  Top with the beef mixture.

2. Bake, uncovered, at 400 degrees for 30 minutes.  Sprinkle with cheeses.  Bake 5-10 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.  Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Makes 6-8 servings

Day 31 - A Post from Awhile Back

Day 31 - A Post from Awhile Back

Here's a post from awhile back. One day.  :)

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Time.

It’s the only thing we truly possess. We best make the most of it, for we do not know what lies ahead.

So today, all there is is one day.
One day to make a difference.
One day to make someone smile.
One day to tell someone you care about them.
One day to tell someone you love them.
One day to leave an imprint.
One day to leave a legacy.

All we have is one day.  One day from sunrise, to sunset.  So let’s make the most of it.  And when tomorrow comes, we’ll do it all again.

“One day more.  Another day, another destiny!” ~Les Miserables

Day 30 - Solve Any Major Problem in the World

Day 30 - Solve Any Major Problem in the World

Egotism.  I think our society has a real problem with our egos.  I'm just as guilty.  We all want things done our way, we all believe we are above all else, we all judge one another before even truly getting to know one another, and we all think we are incapable of making mistakes (or we certainly present ourselves as being perfect).  Again, I'm just as guilty.  My ego really shows when I'm on the road.  I get so frustrated with other drivers riding my tail or cutting me off, when in reality, I probably do the same darn thing.  Why are we so full of ourselves?

I firmly believe that our egotistic mentalities are what fuel a lot of major problems within our world.  If our mentalities are not fueling the major problems of our world, they are certainly keeping us from solving some of the major issues.  Politics are an excellent example.  You're either left or right.  Sure you can be in the middle, but by golly, left's answer is correct and right's answer is correct also.  Since they are both correct, then nothing gets solved; we just argue professionally (and unprofessionally often times) in beautiful environments and get paid to do it.  Oh, and did I mention nothing gets done?  Sheesh...

But what if we were to drop our egos?  What if we dropped our guard and shoulders more often?  What would happen if we listened to one another and refrained from getting into screaming matches because of our own selfish perspectives?  What if we admitted our mistakes once in awhile, forgave each other, and moved on?!?!  What would happen then?  Well, I think we'd solve a lot more problems.

Some might think this is a small problem; that it's "small stuff."  Well, small stuff matters.  Andy Andrews says in his book, The Noticer:

"See, the 'small stuff' is what makes up the larger picture of our lives.  Many people are like you, young man.  But their perspective is distorted.  They ignore 'small stuff,' claiming to have an eye on the bigger picture, never understanding that the bigger picture is composed of nothing more than-are you ready?- 'small stuff'."

Ever seen this Georges Seurat painting?  

Guess what?  It's made up of a bunch of 'small stuff'; dots to be specific.  Maybe we need to focus on some of the smaller things to fix some of the bigger things.  Maybe a tiny switch in our attitudes and egos just might make this world a better place...

End scene "On Pedestal"

Day 29 - You Know Who's Awesome?! - #8

This guy:

Day 29 - You Know Who's Awesome?!

This here is my Dad (we look lovely don't we? - Christmas 2004).  My Dad adopted me when I was in middle school and I'm so glad that he did.  

Since I first met him, my Dad has been teaching me things.  He taught me how to fish, how to hunt, how to drive a boat, how to respect others (particularly my mom), how to be patient...the list goes on and on.  Seems like every time we get together my Dad is teaching me something.  No joke.  He always has an answer (and a damn good one.  I may not see at first, but I come around, understand, and appreciate his insight).  That's why I respect him so incredibly much.  He's got a big heart and one wise soul.  

All in all, those things he taught me about life, love, and the importance of working your tail off, I plan to share those life lessons with my daughter and pray to God I can be half the father he has been to me.  

I've been holding out on writing this "You Know Who's Awesome?!," because today's my Dad's birthday.  And although I wasn't there to celebrate, I've thought of him on several occasions throughout today.  The key word I want to emphasize in that third paragraph above is "father."  I have been blessed to have two Dads in my life, but only one of them has been a father to me, and that's the man you see in the picture above.  Again, I pray I can be half the man he is throughout my lifetime.

Dad, thank you for your unending support, love, and encouragement.  I think the world of you and know that I believe you're incredibly awesome.  And even though we didn't always see eye-to-eye in the beginning, we do now, more so than you can ever imagine.

Love you Dad, and Happy Birthday!     

Day 28 - What do You Collect?

Day 28 - What do You Collect?

There are three things that I collect(ed).  I say "collected" because one of them I no longer do.

What I used to collect: Legos.  Particularly all the Star Wars and superhero sets.  My favorite set of Legos would probably have to be this one:

The couple in the photo below are also pretty sweet.  One's a Darth Maul bust and the other is my medieval castle that I played with for hours and hours when I was a kid.

The reason I no longer collect Legos: because they got so expensive and there are SO MANY sets.  I'm not kidding you.  Within the last few years, Lego products have boomed.  There are Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle sets, Harry Potter sets, and they keep coming out with all sorts of Star Wars sets (even sets of ships and locations not in the films).  It just got insane.  So I backed off the Legos a couple years ago.

What I still collect are comic book movie posters and comic books.  I owe my movie poster collection to my mother-in-law Cindy Johns.  She puts in special calls to save them from our hometown movie theater.  Brittany and I have always talked about having a family movie theater room someday, so I'm anxious to display these posters in some "Now Showing" signs and change them in-and-out from month to month.  Here's a couple of the posters from my collection:

And lastly, my comic books.  I'll be honest, I don't have many rare ones, but I have a couple.  I have the first three issues of the Marvel Star Wars comics and a couple of rare TMNT and Superman issues.  I feel fortunate to purchase my comic books from Rob Rogers who owns Limited Edition Comics here in Cedar Falls.  A great guy, a great friend, and he cuts my hair incredibly well.  You're the best Rob!  

Here are a few of those rare covers:

Day 27 - Kicked in the Face

Day 27 - Kicked in the Face

Today, I got kicked in the face.  Not by a foot or some object headed my way.  No, I watched this video...

This video was a little challenging to watch, particularly when I think of my daughter and the rate she's growing.  I'm so incredibly guilty of being glued to my cell phone.  Some days, its my worst enemy.  It sucks me away from precious moments with my family.  It takes my attention away from spectacular events.  It even makes me feel inadequate and unimportant at times...  

Even though they are essential and something necessary to have in today's society, perhaps this video could help remind us to "look up" once in awhile.

"Life moves pretty fast.  If you don't stop and look around once in awhile, you could miss it." ~Ferris Bueller

Day 26 - List 15 of Your Favorite Things

Day 26 - List 15 of Your Favorite Things

Okay, so I'm really going to stick to the 15 today.  I promise I won't go past the number.  :)

1. Sour Patch Kids

2. Books

3. Nintendo

4. Exercising

5. Music

6. Books

7. Comic Books

8. Drawing

9. Movies

10. Holidays

11. Free Time

12. Superheroes

13. Traveling

14. Fall

15. Family and Friends

Some may think posts like these are pointless, and to that I say, "umm, no."  You see, when we take time to remember our favorite things, it reminds us of what's truly important and what we are living for.  Our "why?"  That's what our favorite things are.  They are our "why?"

Day 25 - A Day of Remembrance

Day 25 - A Day of Remembrance

It was a sunshiny, fall day.  I had just walked into my musical class and was getting ready for one of our first practices of West Side Story.  We were all sitting around waiting for the bell to ring when suddenly one of our classmates--Jamie Sogard--came bursting into our classroom and announced, "you guys, a plane just crashed into one of the main towers in New York.  The World Trade Center."  We quickly turned on the TV and it was all over the news.  My classmates, my teachers--Mrs. Collins and Mr. Voss--and I just sat in silence with our eyes fixed on the TV.  Not long after, the second plane hit.  With gasps of air and utter shock as the second plane hit, we found our breathe and continued sitting in silence.  

Never have I felt so helpless in my entire life.  The news was paralyzing...unbelievable...and incredibly hurtful.  We didn't do anything in our musical class, and rightfully so.  Next on the agenda was chemistry class.  Mr. Hahn kept the TV off and attempted to move forward teaching his class.  It was no use.  The news kept pouring in through other teachers and students.  Another announcement was made of a plane crashing into the Pentagon.  Then another into a field in Pennsylvania.  The TV was turned back on and several of us sat with our heads on our books, our eyes on the TV, and our arms covering our face.

School was incredibly quiet the rest of the day and it just felt wrong to be doing anything at all.  That night, several members throughout various churches in our community came together at the court house to pray and say a few words in light of the tragedy.  At one point during the remembrance service, I felt a tug on my heart to get up and say a prayer or offer a word...I can't for the life of me remember what I said...I had been at a loss for words the entire day.  It was just one wretched day.  I just prayed for those involved.

9/11.  A day we'll never forget.  Nor should we.  Many innocent lives were lost that day.  May we always remember those we lost and those who fought and continue to fight for our great country.  We hold you in our hearts and prayers, for you are true superheroes...  

Day 24 - A Cool Moment

Day 24 - A Cool Moment

This morning as I was leaving for my workout, I encountered the unexpected.  Something incredible happened.  It's a sign and I'm still trying to figure out what it means.  I'm not lying.  It was A COOL MOMENT!

So, I'm headed back to the house to lock the door and look down at our cement step attached to our duplex.  When I look down to watch my step, I saw something.  What do you think I saw?

A toad?  Too predictable.

A newspaper?  Nah.  We read our news online.

A pair of socks from my workout bag?  Nope!  Done that before and hope never to go barefoot in dress shoes again at work.  :)

What I saw were my shoe prints from walking on the damp grass.  Now, I know what you're thinking.  You're thinking, "Big deal TeeJ!  Who really cares that you saw your footprints from the wet ground."  Well, look for yourselves.  Do you see the formation in which they were laid out?!  Do you see it?!  My footprints were in the formation of my initials, "TJ!"  

No joke, this was not planned!  I saw it, smiled and laughed.  Then I had to take a snapshot.  I was totally blown away!  I had to share this cool moment.  :)  Now if I can only figure out what it means...

Day 23 - Lessons from Superman - #7

Day 23 - Lessons from Superman

"He was never here to merely save us.  To cure humankinds' ails.  To vanquish society's evils.  No, his purpose was far greater...In light of everything he was never corrupted by such grand power, by any grand labor.  He could have led us, conquered us, slaughtered us.  Yet he remained true to himself, true to what he is, true to what we are.  It's in this that his true purpose lies."

The excerpt above was taken from issue #16 of Adventures of Superman.  The most gifted, inspiring, and truly remarkable leaders are the ones who have incredible power and strength inside of them, but they use those gifts to better others.  They lead people effectively by standing next to them, rather than walking all over them.  

Are you trying to lead others?  How are you approaching your teammates, colleagues, friends, etc.?  Remain true to yourself by living out your purpose and lifting up those around you regularly, rather than breaking them down.  More likely than not, they will follow you with great enthusiasm and there's no limit to what you can accomplish working together.

"If you're not making someone else's life better, then you're wasting your time." ~Will Smith

Day 22 - List 7 Wishes

Day 22 - List 7 Wishes

I wish...

1. ...for all my family members--present and future--to live long, healthy, successful lives contributing to the greater good of our world.

2. ...every person on the planet would go out of their way to make someone's day better, all on the same day.  A chain reaction such as this could really--I believe--turn this world around.

3. ...we could literally jump into our TV screens like they used to do in a lot of late 80's and early 90's TV shows and cartoons.  I would totally dig hanging out with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Nickelodeon's Doug Funny.

4. ...a lot of the world's problems were easy to fix and the media wouldn't beat us up day in and day out.

5. ...when you beat a Mario game that you would actually collect from your Nintendo console the coins you collected throughout the game.  Every penny counts.

6. ...I could be Superman--to have his powers, save others, and get a whole lot done--even for a day.

7. ...I had more time.

Day 21 - List Your Top Five Favorite Song Lyrics

Day 21 - List Your Top Five Favorite Song Lyrics

We're going back to music again today.  You might see a couple songs from my top ten (eleven) "go-to" songs that I posted about on day 17.  Nevertheless, here they be:

I Need You - Relient K

"I've dug up miles and miles of sand searching for something I can't see.  And I've just got bruised and battered hands and a brand new void inside of me.  Complete with walls I did create, from all the earth that I've displaced.  A mess that I have made from what, I've just let pile and pile up.  I have not been abandoned, no I have not been.  Deserted and I have not been forgotten."

This is Your Life - Switchfoot

"Yesterday is a wrinkle on your forehead.  Yesterday is a promis that you've broken.  Don't close your eyes.  Don't close your eyes.  This is your life and today is all you've got now.  Yeah, and today is all you'll ever have.  Don't close your eyes.  Don't close your eyes.  This is your life, are you who you want to be?"

Simple Man - Shinedown (originally by Lynyrd Skynyrd)

"Well mama told me, when I was young.  Said sit beside me, my only son and listen closely to what I say, and if you do this, it's help you some sunny day...or take your time, don't live too fast.  Troubles will come, and they will pass.  You'll find a woman and you'll find love.  And don't forget that there is a someone, up above...Be a simple kind of man.  Be something you love and understand."

Slumber - Needtobreathe

"Days they force you, back under those covers.  Lazy mornings they multiply.  But glory's waiting outside your window.  Wake on up from your slumber, baby open up your eyes."

Superman (It's Not Easy) - Five for Fighting

"I'm more than a bird, I'm more than a plane, I'm more than some pretty face beside a train.  It's not easy to be me...it may sound absurd, but don't be naive.  Even heroes have the right to bleed.  I may be disturbed, but won't you concede.  Even heroes have the right to dream...only a man in a funny red sheet, looking for special things inside of me."

Day 20 - List Your Five Favorite Colors

Day 20 - List Your Five Favorite Colors

This one is easy!  I don't think I need to explain myself on these colors either.  :)

#0000A0 - Earth Blue

#C11B17 - Chilli Pepper

#FFD801 - Rubber Ducky Yellow

#F87217 - Pumpkin Orange

#571B7E - Purple Iris