Life Advice

Where is Big Daddy?

2010-12-02T17:05:00.000-08:00

That answer will be coming soon. Many dear friends have encouraged me to resume my blog and I feel led to do so. First, let me say I will be taking baby steps as not to become overwhelmed. Therefore, I leave you with a great "Life Advice," quote I ran across today. Enjoy and see you soon!

Big Daddy of Climbing Back in the Saddle

"Don't waste your time giving explanations. Your friends don't need them and your enemies won't believe them."

Did you get pinched today?

2010-03-17T07:17:00.000-07:00

Happy Saint Patrick's day!! Above is a picture of Saint Patrick. Saint Patrick is generally recognized as the patron Saint of Ireland. It was widely believed that he drove snakes out of Ireland, but that has since been proven untrue.

The leprechaun usually makes an appearance on this day. The leprechaun is said to be a solitary creature, whose principal occupation is making and mending shoes, and who enjoys practical jokes.

The Blarney stone has become a fixture of Irish lore. According to legend, kissing the stone endows the kisser with the gift of gab (great eloquence of skill at flattery). The stone itself was set into a tower of the Blarney castle in 1446. The term Blarney has come to mean clever, flattering or coaxing talk.

Although it may seem simple enough to kiss a stone, but kissing the Blarney stone is not as simple as you might imagine. Instead of trying to describe it in written word, I thought I would post a youtube video to better capture the act.

The three leafed shamrock is a staple on St. Patty's day as well. It's significance is rooted in Christianity.The leaves represent the Holy Trinity.

Last but certainly not least, the most important thing about Saint Patrick's Day is that it is my Dad's birthday. Happy Birthday, Dad!! I hope you have a wonderful day!!

Pinching was started by school children who thought it would be fun to do as a joke. The joke caught on and has found its place in today's celebration.

If you are not wearing green consider yourself pinched!!

Big O'Daddy

You are late. Late for a very important date!

2010-03-16T03:38:00.000-07:00

Sorry. I couldn't resist this header after my rant about oversleeping due to Daylight Savings Time.

The men (Joseph and James), Frannie, and myself, went to see Alice in Wonderland on Saturday. We all went in with not the highest of expectations and came out being glad we went. Our thought was that James would enjoy it, but were afraid that Joseph might not. Our fears were rooted in a 13 year old young man, possibly being a little too old for this movie. I will say that he thoroughly enjoyed it.

Frannie explained to us that although it was about Alice in Wonderland, more of the story in this movie

came from Lewis Carroll's, Through the Looking Glass. That was cool to learn, but it didn't matter to us. We just enjoyed the movie. The consensus amongst us was that Johnny Depp was great, but the Cheshire Cat owned us.

We all gave it two thumbs up. We each agree that we would enjoy seeing it again. I can tell you that the next time we see it will be when it comes out on DVD.

After yesterday's rant, I thought I would use this little guy's image to warn the reader that I am about to jump up on my soapbox. Sorry. Hang in there.

One of my favorite things in the world to do is go to the movies. I have enjoyed it since I was a youngster. That being said, I should known better through a lifetime of experience, but I still cannot stand the cost of the refreshments in the movie house.

Although I shouldn't buy popcorn and cokes at the movie house, I do it anyway. We set the precedent years ago and just haven't ever stopped. We do draw the line at the candy, nachos and hot dogs. Guess what. The movie house tricked me. They saw that I would buy popcorn, so they now have special popcorns. Saturday , they had "Limited time only" Alice in Wonderland popcorn. A popcorn dunked in a blue cotton candy flavored coating. A must have for any seven year old kid. Yes, James it is popcorn, but it is also candy. But Dad, it is only for a limited time. Yes, James, that is right, but don't you realize that it will be the same popcorn just a different name when the next movie comes out? Sometimes, you have to let a seven year old be a seven year old. I relented. James got the popcorn and we got our regular two cokes and large popcorn to share amongst ourselves. $22.50 later, we were entering the movie house to sate our hunger for popcorn and a good movie.

I almost forgot the movie was in 3D. I think that the 3D movie has come an incredibly long way from when I was a kid. The movie is highly enjoyable in 3D. I even like the fact that you get effects that are not just in place to scare you. The last few that I have seen have caught me off guard once or twice when I wasn't expecting it. Each time, I have moved to one side or the other to avoid something coming at me. The biggest thing for me and 3D is that after the novelty, I can take it or leave it. Unfortunately, I don't get a choice anymore. Just about every movie geared toward the younger audience has a 3D format these days. The biggest problem for me is that each person in my party is subject to a $2.50 surcharge for the cost of the special projector. That was a total of $10.00 extra for my little group.

With tickets being matinee priced at $7.00 plus the surcharge, the total after all fees was $38.00.

No wonder these movies are setting all time record sales. With surcharges and the like, the movies continue to find ways to make more money off its patrons.

When I was younger, the movies I liked, I might go see more than once. With today's prices, I guess the movie house is trying to get as much as they can, because they figure that might be their only chance to get someone's money.

At the end of the day, we had spent $60.50. The cost may have been steep and might give me pause the next time I think about going. I realize the time spent together with my Mom and my boys was priceless.

Until the next time the lights go down,

Big Daddy Ebert

BEWARE!!!!

2010-03-15T03:17:00.000-07:00

Do you know what I am talking about? Think about it. Look at the calendar. Still don't know what I am talking about? Just ask this guy in the next picture.

Do you know who this is? That's right, it's Julius Caesar. Now do you know why we are supposed to beware?

That's right! Today is the Ides of March. What is the Ides of March?

The gentleman above, William Shakespeare, made the term famous with his play about Julius Caesar, when he warned "beware the ides of March."

The Ides of March is referred to as March 15th on the Roman calendar. The Ides refers to the 15th of the months of March, May, July, and October.

According to Plutarch, Caesar was warned by a seer to be on his guard against a great peril on the Ides of March. On his way to the Theater of Pompey (where he would be assassinated) Caesar saw the seer and joked, "Well, the Ides of March have come," to which the seer replied, "Ay, they have come, but they are not gone." Therefore, the Ides of March has come to be known as the day Caesar was killed.

Many strange things happened on this day, including my favorite, the appearance of St. Elmo's fire. That will be saved for another post. I hope this day ends for you a little better than it did for Caesar.

Et tu, Brute?

Big Daddy of the Bard

Daylight Savings Time (Hooray!!)

2010-03-14T13:36:00.000-07:00

Did you know that Daylight Savings Time has its roots back to the railroad days? Back in the day, each locality set their own times. This played havoc on the railroad system who tried to set up their schedules and keep up with the different times. Finally, enough was enough and time zones were set up that were uniform throughout the country.

Daylight Savings Time was initially put into place to save energy. The rationale, with it being lighter outside an hour later, less energy would be needed. Lights wouldn't be turned on until later and thus energy would be reduced. Initially, that may have worked, but now we have come to realize that it may use more energy. With it being lighter later, people are taking care of the things they may not have when it was dark outside. Running to the store to shop, catching up on errands , or cutting the grass after work have become the norm during this time.

Whatever the reason we do it, I sure do like it being lighter later. I feel like Spring has sprung and life is a little happier this time of year!

One thing I don't understand. How does anyone wake up late on Daylight Savings Time? With all of the constant reminders on television, radio, and newspapers, there is no excuse why anybody should sleep late and use Daylight Savings Time as their reason.

Happy with the changes and never late,

Big Daddy Father Time

Emily Margaret where are you????

2010-03-08T13:05:00.000-08:00

I am ready to get you home, little lady. I knew that there was a lot of work involved with adopting, I just didn't realize how much!!

I have been all over the country side today. Between giving blood and urine (Poor Dr. Freeman) and everything else in one office, I was juggling the patients in my office. After that I was chasing down lab work in other offices. I am glad I had my lovely wife working with me and pushing me in the right direction. Otherwise, nothing would have been done and she would be all over me like nobody's business.

I am not the best in the world at being assertive, even when I have every reason and right to be. Side note- even if you hate your job treat the customer with the utmost respect. Not only does the customer deserve it, but he should command it. Also, if you aren't the one signing the paycheck, that person may not appreciate your customer care and find somebody that does a better job of it. (Hint: That was your advice today!)

Anyway, I can't wait to put all the tedious work behind me, and just chase you all over the house. That's the kind of work I want to be doing!!!

If you are following along in my blog and thinking about adopting internationally, my beautiful wife Sarah is the contact you need. If she hasn't dealt with it or organized it, then the adoption agency hasn't figured how to implement it into the adoption process. Follow her in this journey over at Her Name Will Be Emily Margaret.

Paperwork poor and lab worked out,

Big Daddy in Waiting

Post Script - Happy Birthday, Dr. Phil. Thanks for all you do for our family. You are a blessing to us, as well as the community. I feel like a better person just for having known you. By the way, I think James is needing a quarter! Side note--Not everybody can stand as far away from the counter as you.

Somewhere over the rainbow......

2010-03-07T16:10:00.000-08:00

Today was jam packed at the home of Life Advice. We got up early, followed Aunt Rachel's Princess run, went to church and taught Sunday School. All before 10:00 am.

We went home, walked the dogs, powdered our noses and were then off to eat lunch.

We ate lunch at our new favorite place to eat in Decatur, AL. We went to Fulin's Asian restaurant. It is good food and really hits the spot for us. With it being an Asian flavor we often talk and wonder about our little Emily Margaret and what she will be like when we finally get her home. After eating a nice relaxed lunch we still had a couple of minutes to kill and apparently my budget as well. Nestled within walking distance is none other than.......(drum roll, please!!!!

There is absolutely no way we could pass up this opportunity. So we didn't. Sixty dollars and a little bit of happiness later, and a couple of bags not anywhere near capacity we began the final leg of our journey. We made our way to the Hunstville, AL civic center for the Broadway production of The Wizard of Oz. I am always amazed at how talented these actors and actresses are.

My advice today is to remember the Arts and support them when you can. More importantly, spend a day with your family that they will never forget. Along the way, don't forget to take mental snapshots of the joy and laughter shared. There will be days when you will call on them and remember vividly how blessed you are to have such a wonderful family.

Looking for the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow and very happy when I found my family there!!

Big Daddy and his little dog Toto, too

Public service reminder....Where in the world is Aunt Rachel??

2010-03-06T08:08:00.000-08:00

While some of us carry on with our daily routines tomorrow, just wanted to remind you that Princess Aunt Rachel is running her half marathon at WDW. The race starts at 5 am central time, so don't forget to drop in and track her progress.

Following along like finding Waldo would be tortuous, therefore, I am posting a link that will do all the work for you. Just sign up and follow along. I am sure she will enjoy your company.

http://live.activeresult.com/msg/MSG-signup.tcl?event_id=50

Good luck, Princess Rach!! We are cheering for you!!

PS Say hey to Uncle "Big P". Addison, Nana, Boompa, and Gigi for me.

Run, Rachel,Run.

Big Daddy Gump

Friday evening, what a feeling...

2010-03-05T17:35:00.000-08:00

Every week we seem to pick up more and more things to do. The momentum crashes into Friday like a runaway freight train. We are often exhausted when the evening comes. Here At Home With the Hinsons (Ms. Sarah's blog), we look forward to chillaxin' with the family! Tonight's particular agenda is no different than most Friday's, therefore I will give you a little peek into our world!

The most important thing is dinner. This can make or break a Friday evening, especially with Joseph and James being an integral part of Family Friday Night!!

Tonight's particular fare was a couple of cheese pizzas, garlic bread, and some sweet tea. We actually tried a couple of the new sandwiches as well. We feel the Habanero and Buffalo chicken sandwiches were particularly tasty. The only downside was that the sandwiches seemed to be a little chicken poor. At five bucks a sandwich one would expect to walk away with a little more chicken to go with all that bread.

Most Friday's we try to watch a movie or some television together and this evening is no exception. With baseball practices, church, and LOST, it is hard to keep up with much more during the week. Because of the aforementioned, tonight while "decompensating" (Sarah's newest word) we enjoyed catching up on American Idol. For all its faults and sometimes quirkiness, American Idol still entertains and is enjoyable for the whole clan.

I know you are wondering where the Life Advice comes in to this post and I promise there is some coming from an unusual suspect. Hold on. I will tell you that this post is already dotted with advice starting with family night at home enjoying each others company and just being together without a deadline or homework.

Who is this unusual suspect I was talking about???

It is none other than................................................

I know, you didn't expect Mr. Cowell as being someone that I would use for Life Advice. While watching Idol with you guys he gave a wonderful quote that I felt was one of the best quotes I have heard in a while. It rang so true that I felt it should be shared with you again in this post.

"The only time you should be nervous is if you are useless."

-Simon Cowell

Read it again, with an English accent. Great Advice.

Friday's and Family....It doesn't get any better than that!!

Big Daddy of Chillaxin

Princess talk has led me to think about my Queen!!

2010-03-04T13:04:00.000-08:00

No, I am not talking about Queen Elizabeth. However, her Lady in waiting has corresponded with us in the past. We'll talk about that in another post.

No, I am not talking about Freddie Mercury and his band. I will say that they were pretty awesome. Great songs such as, Bohemian Rhapsody, Another One Bites the Dust, and A Crazy Little Thing Called Love, just to name a few.

Without a doubt, Queen had the greatest Side A and Side B "45," of all time. We are the Champions, back to back with We Will Rock You, will forever be played out as an anthem of my youth for the rest of my life.

One of my Top 10 songs of all time was sung by Queen and David Bowie- Under Pressure. Funny how a young man by the name of Vanilla Ice would later take some of the music from this song tweak it just a little and forever by remembered for Ice, Ice, Baby, which owes a lot of its success to Under Pressure.

All of that is great, but none of this can hold a candle to my Sarah!

Although it is a great song, no I am not talking about Hall and Oats classic song Sara Smile. They spelled it wrong. Don't get me wrong, I do love Sarah's smile.

Eventually if you live long enough and the good Lord blesses you well, your Queen will come along and sweep you off of your feet. Well let me tell you, I was BLESSED!! Looking at my sweet love's picture you know it was all a God thing. In the country, I would be told that I out kicked my coverage. You know what, I did!

The great thing about my Sarah is that I got the total package. Grace, beauty, and smarts! And to top it all she still loves me in spite of myself. God has richly blessed me with a woman I don't deserve, but I'm tickled I got her anyway.

A Christian woman with a "Heart of Gold". The wonderful thing about Sarah is that she is my Ms. America as far as her looks are concerned. The icing on the cake is that she is Ms. Universe as far as her heart is concerned. Beauty on the outside and even prettier on the inside, I've got to say I stumbled across my once in a million chance and won!!

I am the luckiest man in the world I tell you. Thank you Ms. Sarah for saying "Yes," when everything inside was surely screaming, "No!!!!"

The reason for posting this today is to put my little woman up on a pedestal, but more importantly, we heard from our adoption agency today. We are going to be placed with Ms. Emily Margaret much sooner than we expected. Maybe within the next week. This means She will be home in time for Christmas!!! Sarah, the love of my life, our little girl is coming home!! I can't wait!!

God is GOOD ALL THE TIME!!

Blessed beyond my wildest dreams,

Luckiest and Most Thankful Big Daddy

Princess Rachel and Mickey Mouse-What a wonderful combination!!

2010-03-04T06:44:00.000-08:00

They are having A Princess marathon this weekend at Walt Disney World!! As always, Mickey will be there! The other usual suspects will be Cinderella, Jasmine, and Mulan (China girl connection), but this year there will be a special treat!! Our favorite and cutest Princess, Aunt Rachel will be attending. Look at her picture, there is no way the Princesses could even think about running without her.

I fully expect her next running picture will have all the Disney characters chasing after her wanting to get pictures with her and her autograph.

We are very proud of Aunt Rachel and her running endeavors. YOU GO GIRL!!! Sorry we can't be there with you, but I promise we will be following along and praying for you throughout your adventure.

Be careful and Godspeed!!!

I have included a link below so you can follow along on Princess Rachel's journey!! Drop in and say hey and wish her well. Tell her Big Daddy sent you.

http://live.activeresult.com/msg/MSG-signup.tcl?event_id=50

The proudest brother-in-law in the WHOLE Kingdom,

Big Daddy of Princess Pride

Chess and Jesus. GLORY!!

2010-03-03T19:09:00.000-08:00

Chess and Jesus and what they have in common. Tonight we went to our Lenton service and heard a message from Dr. Fisher as part of our lead up to the Easter celebration.

The message he delivered was great. One of his stories that he related dealt with the game of chess. No, he did not discuss what you may think about when discussing chess. Most folks, myself included, thought that maybe he would relate that the contrast of the black and white pieces resemble good versus evil. Or maybe even the two different Kings facing each other like God and Lucifer.

Dr. Fisher related to us that he was a pretty good player and that he enjoyed the competition. He joined a University chess club and quickly became a member in a group of a few hundred students of the game. As he became more comfortable with his strategies and play, he entered a tournament put on by the club.

The big day arrived and it was then that he learned he was one of only twelve people to have signed up. The tournament was set up as a round robin and each contestant would play each other. Dr. Fisher beamed with pride as he explained that he had a perfect record, The fleeting glint quickly faded when he explained that he had lost every match up to his last match. His last opponent he described as meek and giving the air that he was an adversary he might be able to overcome.

The match started and Dr. Fisher lost in eleven moves. The fastest loss he experienced in the tournament. He went on to explain this particular tournament allowed for the players to discuss the match after the game was completed. His opponent, he later came to learn was the University chess champion of England. While discussing his game the Champion explained that his first and second moves were good moves, but that his third move is where he lost the game. Scratching his head, Dr. Fisher reminded him that it took eleven moves to complete the game. The Champion smiled and agreed, but taught him how his third move was the move that sealed his fate and caused the match to be complete in eleven moves. Dr. Fisher excitedly explained it was then that the light came on for him!

When Jesus was crucified, buried, and resurrected, it was the third move by God!! GLORY!! In the battle of God versus Lucifer, this is when God won the battle and in turn we have one the battle. By His blood we are healed!! Satan continues to unleash evil on our world and we continue to see it all around us in society, but we have already won!! The reason Satan continues his fight is because he has yet to realize that check mate was when Christ was resurrected and all he is doing is going through the motions. Jesus and chess, what better way to celebrate the King of Kings!!

Glad He is my King,

Big Daddy Humble and Undeserving Servant

Girlfriends!!!!

2010-03-02T17:49:00.000-08:00

With the subject of girlfriends I feel it important that I share a picture of my first girlfriend with you. Ms. Macpherson and I were on again and off again for a long time. If it hadn't been for your mother rescuing me from her, who knows where we would be.

A big thing to take from this, is to never settle. If you want to reach for the stars, DO IT! The worst thing that could happen is that she will say no and miss out on the best thing that could have ever happened to her.

Having a girlfriend is not near as important as having girls who are friends! If you didn't read that REAL CLOSELY, I want you to read it again.

The great thing about girls is that they are easy on the eyes, softer in all the right places, and they smell good. Sorry, but you won't get that from any of the guys you hang out with.

Girls are not always easy to understand. Heck, we aren't so easy to understand either! Talking is the best way to fix that problem. If you really want to get to know girls, make friends with them, talk to them, and most importantly, listen to them. Always let the ladies lead the conversations. I promise you will be way ahead of your knucklehead friends in your relationships if you just take the time and hear what the ladies are telling you.

Everything I have written in today's post is very important and very serious. The next few sentences may be some of the most important advice I will ever give you, so read carefully and incorporate this into your life.

Society makes a big deal out of having a partner in your life. Many of the Hollywood movies and a lot of the advertising agencies, push the importance of having a girlfriend to be complete. What they don't tell you is that if you feel that way, you'll always be looking for the next one, a "better" one. That is not a way to live.

One day find a young lady you want to get to know better. Talk, listen, and learn. Through this process, I promise you will find and make many friends. After you've learned how to have girl friends, then you will be ready to have girlfriends!!

Elle Macpherson's loss,

Big Daddy of Love

Above All, Be Honest

2010-03-01T10:18:00.000-08:00

Be honest to everyone, your friends, enemies, teammates, and coworkers. Did I leave anyone out? Yes, I did. Probably the most important person in this equation. That person is you. Regardless of anyone around you, if you are not true to yourself, you have already lost.

If you have the faintest hesitation at all regarding your words or actions, think again before acting. Much like the rule of the carpenter to measure twice and cut once, make sure you get it right the first time.

At the end of the day, you will have to answer to yourself. When that time of reflection comes, you want to be proud of yourself and the choices you have made. Here comes that word accountability again.

A true man takes the consequences of his actions and doesn't try to deny them or act like they didn't happen, but makes his best attempt at making things right even at the cost to himself. You will make mistakes, that is one of the few things I can guarantee. Take the high road. Admit your mistake and make it right. Many times, that will be easier said than done. I promise, if you take this advice, you will be a better man for it. At the end of the day, you should be able to look in the mirror and know that even though you are not perfect, you did your best to do the right thing.

The best advice is to do it right the first time. If you can't, be accountable and make it right.

I love you,

Big Daddy Lincoln

Pawn Stars??? Don't let the title fool you!!!

2010-02-25T17:24:00.000-08:00

As you know, Big Daddy is all about learning stuff. Most of the "stuff" is not going to help solve world peace or anything like that, but it is cool learning along the way.

Pawn Stars on the History channel is a home run!!! It has been a long time since I have been so engrossed in a reality type show. I have learned about pawn stores and how they work. I have seen things that I never thought I would see on this series.

Pawn Stars at the end of thirty minutes leaves me wanting for more. My surprise comes in the fact that it feeds my insatiable appetite for edification. I actually feel like I have bettered myself and not just wasted a half hour of my time.

The cast is great. Old Man, Big Hoss, and Rick, are a very intelligent group of men who teach as well as they entertain. Throw in Chumlee, and I would feel at home with these guys in the backyard grilling steaks and chewing the fat.

Do yourself a favor, drop in sometime at the Gold and Silver Pawn Shop and listen to what Rick has to say about the next treasure to walk into his store. Tell them Big Daddy sent you. I promise you will be glad you stopped by.

Did you know?

Trench coats were worn in WWI and got their name because they were worn in the trenches that the soldiers bunkered. The heavy wool provided warmth, but also provided protection form many of the small hand held weapons used in close combat.

Prohibition alcohol could only be sold for medicinal purposes. A prescription was required to obtain the alcohol.

These are just a couple of the things I learned on Pawn Stars.

Meet you at Rick's counter with my comic book collection,

Smarter for having watched Big Daddy

What do the yellow brick road and growing up have in common?

2010-02-24T03:33:00.000-08:00

As it turns out, not a whole lot, but there is a theme in there that I would like to pursue. That theme would be following. That being said, following the yellow brick road is a segue into today's life lesson.

Following the yellow brick road led Dorothy and crew to the Emerald City, where their wants and needs could be fulfilled. What we find to be true, is that along the way there are different paths off of the yellow brick road that can lead us away from the promised fulfillments.

This lesson rings true throughout life. You must follow the right paths in order to obtain your goals and desires. Hard work, perseverance, and the will to succeed, will go very far in helping to make these achievements a reality. These are important, but there is something else I feel must be addressed before we get to this point.

There is a time in the very near future, where you will find yourselves at a crossroad with a decision to make. This is the intersection of leading versus following. There is certainly times in life where you will do both dependent on the circumstance presented.

Your Mom and I have given you all of the tools and the foundation to succeed in life. We both have come to know each of you and feel that you are leaders. You can succeed at both, but we fill leadership is your calling.

What do I mean by leadership? We feel that the leader in a group sets the standards for those that follow. Regardless of the setting, you have the skills necessary to control any situation you may find yourself. Whether it be setting positive peer pressure, picking the right friends, or simply going to the restaurant that you want to visit.

In the group photo of you and your friends above, I promise you want to be the leader. Because the best thing about being the leader is when you stand up and become accountable for your actions, you will be the one calling the shots.

Is it easy being a leader? NO! I can promise you, that if you take your role seriously and live the life you have in front of you to the best of your ability, with the help of God's guidance, you will be the great leader we envision you to be!!

I will meet you on the road less taken,

Your Biggest Daddy Cheerleader

Tuesday Treat- To Kill a Mockingbird

2010-02-23T03:30:00.000-08:00

As each of you know, I am an avid reader. As late, I haven't read as much as I'd like, but it does not change the fact I have a passion for the written word. Initially, I was not much of a reader, but my Mom, whom is the most prolific reader I know, knew just how to get me to read. She turned me on to the classics, and the rest as they say is history (pun intended). One of the first was, "To Kill A Mockingbird." It was written by Harper Lee. The cool thing for me is that my Dad's, Father was born and raised close to Monroeville, Alabama, which happens to be the birthplace of Ms. Lee.

The book is a timeless classic that deals with coming of age, prejudices, and justice as seen through the eyes of a child in rural Alabama. The story is one of an awakening to a not so perfect world. This fictional account paints a picture of a simpler life and of growing up in a community dealing with racial prejudice, false accusations, and figuring out how to live through it.

If there is ever a book you read, I would encourage you to put "To Kill a Mockingbird," at the top of your list.

Although, there has never been a movie that is as good as the book, I would venture to guess that the movie adaptation may be in the top 5 of books brought to film. It is as engrossing as the book and has a cast of characters that are exactly who you would envision while reading the book. Gregory Peck's role as Atticus Finch is quite possibly my all time favorite portrayal by an actor in a movie.

After reading this book for yourself, I feel certain you will agree with many critics who claimed that "To Kill a Mockingbird," was the novel of the 20th century.

I will meet you in the balcony of the courtroom,

Boo Daddy

Happy Birthday, Mr Washington!!

2010-02-22T17:22:00.000-08:00

One of my all time favorite Presidents, behind Mr. Ronald Reagan, is George Washington. Mr. Washington is probably the most recognizable President there has ever been. Why? Because his face is on the dollar bill.

George Washington trivia:

He was neither Republican nor a Democrat. He was a Federalist.

His annual salary as president was $25,000.

He had no formal education.

The only president to be unanimously elected when he received all 69 electoral votes in 1789.

One of the largest and tallest presidents weighing in at over 200 lbs. and standing tall at 6'3". He wore size 13 boots as well.

He had to borrow money to attend his own inauguration.

He, in fact, never chopped down a cherry tree. The story was made up by a man named Mason Weems shortly after his death to show people how honest Washington was as a child.

He loved ice cream so much that he kept ice boxes full for family and friends. He was said to have ordered thousands of gallons of the wonderful treat.

He was the only member of the founding fathers to emancipate his slaves.

He introduced the mule into farming in the United States.

He was the first president to have his picture on a postage stamp.

**********************************************************************************

A little known fact very important to us here at Life Advice, is the list of "110 rules"- rules to live by. When George Washington was fourteen years old he was given this list. Originally thought to be written in the year 1595 by Jesuit priests. These rules are timeless in their application and invaluable in their content. Click here to view George Washington's 110 rules.

Pay special attention to these rules:

1st Treat everyone with respect.

3rd Be considerate of others. Do not embarrass others.

24th Don't draw attention to yourself.

48th Actions speak louder than words.

56th ASSOCIATE WITH GOOD PEOPLE. IT IS BETTER TO BE ALONE THAN IN BAD COMPANY.

60th Some things are better kept secret.

63rd A person should not overly value their own accomplishments.

82nd Do not start what you can't finish. KEEP YOUR PROMISES.

This list written in 1595, still contains good Life Advice, that can be used today.

Thanks to the Father of our country, who never fathered children of his own, but raised his wife Martha's two children, as his own.

It would be my hope that each of us would have a story made up to tell of our high moral values to others.

I am headed out to chop down a cherry tree,

President of the Big Daddy fan club

Shaving: A How To with a little How Not To thrown in!!

2010-02-21T15:15:00.000-08:00

I have come to find that blogging takes some time. Obviously, sometimes that can be the problem. With the weekends being short as always, spending all day out of town on Saturday at a continuing education conference sure makes it tough.

On to the subject at hand. Shaving. I will eventually get around to a step by step tutorial, but I would be very unfair to you the follower, if I did not add our youtube video we did a little while back regarding shaving.

After watching the video, I am sure you will want to send out $9.99 in hopes this is one of the rare lost 3 Stooges episodes that got misplaced years ago.

Can't get much better than that!! Hope you guys have a great week!!

Clean Shaven Daddy

Valentine's Day revisited...

2010-02-18T19:42:00.000-08:00

I always get great gifts for each and every holiday. This past Valentine's was no exception. Sarah outdid herself as always. The real surprise was when I found the DVD Babe in my little treasure trove. I had mentioned months ago that I wanted this movie, but never seemed to get around to adding it to my library. God love her, she remembered and made my day. It had been years since I had seen it, but the memories I had was that I thought it was pretty good.

We watched it together as a family tonight. What a wonderful movie. Sarah, you knocked it out of the park. Thank you, baby.

If you are looking for a wonderful family movie that the whole clan can watch and come away feeling better for having seen it, you would be hard pressed to top Babe.

Until next time.........That'll do Pig!!

Big D

Did you know that you have something on your forehead???

2010-02-17T03:58:00.000-08:00

Today is Ash Wednesday, it is the first day of Lent. Ash Wednesday gets in name from the practice of placing ashes on the foreheads of the faithful as a sign of repentance. The ashes used are gathered after the Palm Crosses from the previous year's Palm Sunday are burned. The ashes are mixed with an oil and the resultant paste is the placed on the forehead in the form of the cross by the priest. When dispensing the ashes the priest usually says, "Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return."

If you see this mark, realize that this is a common practice on Ash Wednesday. Although it can be distracting to the viewer, the believer is showing his repentance to God as well as to you.

My prayers for those of you beginning your sacrifices for Lent.

Godspeed!!

Andy

Fat Tuesday, Pancakes, Lent and 991....

2010-02-16T17:28:00.000-08:00

Quick rehash from an earlier post, but hang in there with me a minute. As we have established, Fat Tuesday is the English translation of the French phrase Mardi Gras. Fat Tuesday is also known as Shrove Tuesday. Fat Tuesday refers to the practice of the last night of eating richer, fatty foods before the ritual fasting of the Lenten season, which begins on Ash Wednesday.

Why do many Church's have pancake suppers on Shrove Tuesday? For years, I thought it was because pancakes were simple and easy to make. I was wrong. Because Lent is a time of fasting and sacrifice, the finer foods are considered a part of your sacrifices. So back in the day, (I said it again, I've earned it) to prevent waste, the eggs, butter, flour and sugar, as well as syrup were used up to prevent spoilage as well as ridding the cabinets of any temptations. Many Church's forbid any products from animals, such as meat, eggs, and dairy products, as well as fats during Lent.

Lent, in Christian tradition, is the period in the liturgical year leading up to Easter. The traditional purpose of Lent is to prepare the believer for the annual commemoration during Holy Week of the Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. This is accomplished through prayer, penitence, almsgiving and self denial. This will follow a forty day period which is symbolic of the fast Jesus had in the wilderness where he was tempted by Satan three times, before leaving victorious and beginning his ministry.

I realize that this doesn't really fit in here, but I will explain. Last week, I asked James, if there is an emergency what phone number would he call? He replied, "991." I asked ,what number!? He said, you know, 991. NINE, NINE, ONE!!! That is what they taught us in school. After a good laugh at his innocent mistake, I did teach him the correct number is 911. Hope he never has to actually do it though. hate to think my whole balance is dependent on somebody answering 991.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!

February 16, 1968, the first 911 service in America started forty two years ago. Believe it or not, it was started in Haleyville, Alabama. Shout out to my Alabama brethren.

Get in your last minute goodies, cause tomorrow we begin our forty day walk in Grace!

Glory!! Hang up that phone and pass the syrup!!

Fat Tuesday Daddy

Mardi Gras!!

2010-02-16T13:15:00.000-08:00

Unless you know someone involved in Mardi Gras or live near a community that celebrates it, it can be confusing over what all of the fuss is about. Therefore, I want to give you a quick primer.

The words Mardi Gras are French in origin and translate in English to Fat Tuesday.

There are three colors used in association with Mardi Gras. These colors each have a specific meaning.

Purple represents justice, gold represents power and green represents faith.

Mardi Gras always starts on January 6th. This date is also recognized as the twelfth day of Christmas or Epiphany.

There are many celebrations, but each night is capped off with a parade of revelers. The revelers are also called members of the krewe. These members are usually selected by a certain ceremonial practice. The societies have many by laws and secret ways in which they conduct their business. When celebrating in public the traditional masks are worn, so that the member remains anonymous to those around him/her.

Many people attend the parades seeking out the many throws that can be obtained from the revelers. The krewe members riding the floats will "throw" candies, trinkets, and baubles, to the crowds. In Mobile, AL, candy is thrown along with the little treasures. New Orleans Mardi Gras does not allow candy and foods to be thrown due to their city being below sea level. Above you see a picture of the beads. Beads have become synonymous with Mardi Gras. Although, some will tell you it is tradition, one doesn't have to lift their shirt in order to obtain them.

Moon Pies are a staple of Mardi Gras that have been around since I can remember. I don't eat them often, but when I do I am usually flooded with memories from Mardi Gras past.

Above is a King Cake. It is adorned with the three traditional colors and represents each of the Wise Men who came to find and see the baby Jesus on the Twelfth Day of Christmas. Initially, it was baked in a round form to symbolize the circular route the Magi took in order to confuse King Herod, whose army was attempting to follow the wise men so that the Christ Child could be killed. In recent years, bakers have placed a small plastic Baby Jesus in the King Cakes as a surprise gift for the person lucky enough to get the piece with the figure inside.

There is much more to teach and learn about Mardi Gras, but for now we will call it a day!!

Put your shirts down and let's go grab an RC and a Moon Pie!!

Big Daddy of the Wannabe Mystics

Black roses??

2010-02-15T14:09:00.000-08:00

I left black roses out on purpose, but not for the reason many of you may think.

Black roses can have many different meanings, therefore, I didn't address them in my Valentine's post. With so many people asking about them, I figured I should do a quick addendum.

Many people say that black represents death and can therefore be meant as vengeance towards a foe. Others see the black roses as the death of old habits and signaling rebirth. It can also be associated with mourning or sadness. It can be given in love as a symbol of tragic love, dying love, or the end of a relationship.

Unless you are goth or trying to be funny, with so many meanings the black rose is not the ideal rose to send to anyone!

Yours truly,

Gomez (Big Daddy)

The Olympic Games.....

2010-02-15T13:41:00.000-08:00

Let the games begin!!! So much for being on time. I realize the games started a couple of days ago, but I would be remiss if I didn't mention them.

The Olympic games are really fun to watch. It gives you something to watch on television that is different from what you normally see and introduces the viewer to new things. You may learn something new about a sport, a country, a tradition, a food, or any number of things.

The Olympics also brings about a national pride that sometimes needs to be rekindled. There is nothing like cheering on a young man or woman that has sacrificed the better part of their lives to master a sport and represent their country on the biggest sports stage in the world.

For the better part of two weeks, the world is watching to see how "their" teams and individuals are fairing against the best of the best. It really is something to behold. It is also amazing that in a short period of time these athletes can endear themselves to your hearts for a lifetime. There are many, but at the top would be the 1980 Men's Hockey Team. The chant USA,USA,USA, for me, will forever be synonymous with their gold medal win.

When I was growing up, I will remind you that we only had three channels on the television (four if you counted the local PBS channel). So when the Olympics were on, there was very little they had to compete with. Now with all of the different television channels on cable and satellite, the Olympics are up against a little more competition for the viewers. I think you will be pleasantly surprised, if you make them a part of your routine every two years. The Olympics come every four years, but now the Winter and Summer games have situated themselves so that they occur every second year from each other.

Give the Olympics a chance, I think as you get older you will come to realize that they are actually very enjoyable.

So now that I've gone all the way around the world (pun intended), I will get to the main reason for this post.

What does the Olympic flag represent?

The five interlocking rings, represent the five inhabited continents of the world. The colors represent every flag of every country that participates. There may only be one color represented on a given country's flag, but rest assured that one of the six colors on the Olympic flag will be found. No, you read that right, there are six colors. The rings comprise of five of these colors, most people forget to count the white field the rings are placed on as a color as well.

In honor of Rich Brooks and his team, I leave you with this: USA!USA!USA!

Big Daddy

The year of the Tiger!!

2010-02-14T05:03:00.000-08:00

No, this is not a post about my college football team the Auburn Tigers. This is a note to say Happy Chinese New Year!! With Emily Margaret joining our family (hopefully soon), we have kept a close watch on everything China.

That being said, just wanted to do a quick blog to say, "Happy Chinese New Year in this the year of the Tiger." Also, here at home, I wanted to say Happy Valentine's Day.

Happy Valentine's to all my family and especially Ms. Emily Margaret, my heart is all yours, today and everyday!!

Love you, Sarah.

Andy

Roses and Valentine's Day!!

2010-02-13T18:07:00.000-08:00

As long as I can remember, roses have played a big part of Valentine's Day!! Whether it was walking by the office at school and seeing all of the different roses lined up on the counter waiting to be delivered to all the expectant young ladies or seeing the normally sparse parking lot at the local florist filled to a point that cars were lined up twenty to thirty deep in each direction leading away from the store. I knew at a very young age that roses were POWERFUL!!

In fact, I was heartbroken, when Jan Walker, got roses when I was in the fifth grade!! I always had a soft spot in my heart for Ms. Jan. I remember going through my Valentine's and finding the "special Snoopy," one just for her (Jan loved Snoopy). I took special care to write my name very neatly and I even put "Your Friend" on it, hoping she would get the hint. So all of my hard work and trepidation was shot down in a blaze of glory, by a carefully created bouquet of three red roses!! Snoopy could not hold a candle to the fragrant LOVE flowers. That was my first experience with the POWER of roses.

Later on (years later), I would come to learn that her Dad sent her those flowers. Doesn't change the fact, that I took a whole lot of grief from my friends, because I passed out Charlie Brown Valentine's cards and not something cool like G.I. Joe. Those knuckleheads would later find out that I was ahead of the times and that G.I. Joe wasn't the coolest as far as the girls were concerned, but that is another story.

One thing I need to point out is that roses were not as easy to come by, as they are now. Earlier, I mentioned the florist being so busy on Valentine's Day. The reason is that the florist was the only place that you could get roses. Now, you can get roses anywhere this time of year. From the Chinese buffet restaurant, to WalMart, and even the local gas station, you can get the last minute rose to fulfill your Valentine's needs.

Since this is an advice blog, pay attention, if roses are the direction you are going, only use a florist. Florists will have the best roses available and they will arrange them with the loving care you want to demonstrate when giving them to your special friend. The little bit extra you spend will pay off in the long run. I promise.

I don't give roses on Valentine's, because I think it is too easy. It takes a little more work and attention to get something else. Taking the road less travelled is not always a bad idea. This advice may be best used as you get older. Roses are probably what young ladies equate more with Valentine's than that carefully picked out necklace or charm bracelet.

The best time to give roses is July 12th, November 2nd, or March 15th. What I am saying is you send roses on a day that has nothing to do with anything. (I know March 15th is the Ides of March, but your girlfriend probably won't) You get my point, giving roses just "because" is the best way to send flowers. By doing it this way, she gets roses every so often and you get to be the hero.

Roses and Valentine's Day. If this is the road you take, make sure you send the right color. You didn't realize that each color has a different meaning? Well they do. Here is a primer for some of the basic colors. If you have questions about less common colors, call the local florist, I promise they will be able to point you in the right direction.

Red is the classic color of beauty and love. By sending these roses, you are saying "I love you." These are the most popular color sent, just remember their symbolism when you send them.

As a symbol of grace and elegance, the pink rose is often given as an expression of admiration. Pink roses also convey appreciation and joyfulness.

The bright, sunny color of yellow roses conveys a feeling of warmth and happiness. The warm feelings associated with the yellow rose are often akin to those of shared with a true friend. As such, the yellow rose is an ideal symbol for joy and friendship.

Peach roses are my favorite and the color I always try to send. Why? Because, I think they are beautiful, also, because it takes a little more work to get than the traditional colors. Their meaning involves thankfulness, appreciation, and admiration. All of the things I want to convey to your Mom. For me peach roses are the ultimate win-win situation.

White roses represent purity and innocence and are traditionally associated with marriages and new beginnings.

I could go on and on, but you get the point. When sending roses, pick out the right occasion, the right person and the right meaning. I promise, if you will invest as much time and effort as you do money, your efforts will be greatly rewarded!!

Take time to stop and smell the roses. I love you guys,

Daddy

The most important Valentine's Day card you will ever give-

2010-02-13T13:41:00.000-08:00

We have talked about this before, but now you are getting to an age that it's time to stop talking and begin acting!

The question on the table is: What is the most important Valentine's card/candy gram/gift you will ever give?

I expect the following answers:

#1 To my Mom. Although, you can't go wrong here, not what I'm looking for.

#2 To my girlfriend. You better or she might not be your girlfriend for long. Still not what I am looking for.

#3 My wife. See #2. If you don't, I can guarantee, you will be number 2.

#4 The one I gave to Elle Macpherson. Just kidding, but you have to be real careful with that one. You could be a hero or just as easily a stalker with that one.

I know, this is kind of a trick question. I promise you that once you read my answer, this could possibly be one of the best things you will ever do in your life.

The most important Valentine you could ever give is to the young lady that probably won't get one. I am not asking you to put yourself in a position that will embarrass you or make you feel uncomfortable. I am asking you to carry out the tradition of Valentine's day!! Give a young lady a Valentine's, but don't sign it or let her see you getting it to her.

I am not naive enough to think that you don't know any young ladies that will fill this role. There are always people who don't fit in or are misunderstood. This is one of the few times in your life where you can do something really nice and realize that the anonymity of the gesture will only intensify the mystery for the young lady who receives this joy!! If somebody does find out (which I highly doubt, as sneaky as you two are), the young lady you are really trying to impress will be over the moon with you, when you explain to her why you gave that special Valentine's to the one person you felt deserved it more than anybody else!!

Happy Valentine's Day!!

I love you, Sarah!

Big Daddy of Love

What tricks can you do with your gas cap?

2010-02-06T13:39:00.000-08:00

Before I get to the title subject, allow me to tell you what is going on. First and foremost, Sarah has gone to teach breast feeding to all of the new and expectant parents at the hospital. Secondly, I am taking Joseph just down the street to the little young lady's house, that I talked about in the NBC post. Lastly, James and I are staying home and hanging out together.

That was a short sweet paragraph. Don't be fooled, it is a very condensed version and will assuredly be addressed in future posts.

James decided that we would watch a movie, so we set out to rent a DVD. The weather is cold, windy, with periods of very light sleet mixed with snow, James had the perfect plan. We would sit around in our sleep pants and eat popcorn popped the old fashioned way. Once we got in the car, I realized that I was almost out of gas. It always happens when it is the nastiest weather.

Joseph went with us, because it was a little early for his party. Credit goes to him for the pictures. We were not going to get far without gas, so in spite of the weather, we headed straight to the gas station.

Am I the only person this happens to when the weather is bad? I always pick the gas station that doesn't have the clip on the handle that holds the lever in place causing the gas to fill automatically allowing me to stay in the car while the tank is filling.

This leads us into the subject of my post. What tricks can you do with your gas cap?

Other than keeping gas from pouring out of your tank, what else can you do with your gas cap? Look at the size of the cap. How tall is it? That's right. It is just the right height to do this!!

The gas cap is just the right height to slide into the handle (like above) allowing you to sit in the car while your tank fills. The gas flow will automatically shut off when the sensor in the handle tells it to. Once the gas handle shuts off, you can get out of the car, remove the cap, top off the tank, and replace the cap.

So the next time you find yourself in just such a situation, see what tricks your gas cap can do!!

Aliens in the Attic wound up being the choice for our afternoon entertainment. James and I are headed to put on our sleep pants.

Not quite so messed up by the weather,

Warm and Dry Daddy

What does NBC have to do with young love?!

2010-02-06T09:22:00.000-08:00

What does NBC have to do with young love?
Well, you probably would get a better idea from visiting my beautiful Wife's blog over at At Home With the Hinsons, but I will try to do it justice.

The other day, I drove home from work and as I was pulling in to the house, I noticed this cute young lady walking up the street. James and Blake were running around shooting their AirSoft guns, the dogs were chasing each other, but I didn't see Joseph. I knew he couldn't be far away, because the kids and dogs wouldn't be outside the fence otherwise. Closing the door of the car, I saw Joseph come around the corner of the fence with his AirsSoft gun and the cute young lady squarely in his sights. In his deepest voice he said, "Hello, Dad. How was your day?"

A couple of things happened before I could respond. Joseph's chest puffed out and his peacock feathers spread out real wide all around him. The young lady stopped, turned and noticed his feathers. She must have been impressed, because she walked over to talk to him. They spent the better part of an hour talking, toeing at the ground, and giggling, before she had to go home.

My little man is growing up. I am proud of him. Nothing like young love to remind me of the wonderful NBC commercials with the peacock spreading his feathers!!

Have a wonderful day,

Casanova's Dad

What happened to the eating at the fancy table?

2010-02-02T17:24:00.000-08:00

Added the Harry Potter table, because I always thought it was cool as well as fancy.

Just a couple of things to note today. Having already posted, don't want to overwhelm.

*When going to a dinner party, ALWAYS arrive ten minutes early.

*Make sure you introduce your date to everyone you know. When introducing to more than one person, you introduce the host first, then the next most important person, and so on down the line. An example would be introducing your host, then maybe your boss, assistant manager, and coworkers. If you are not in a setting where you know the order of people, the rule of thumb, is to introduce from the eldest to the youngest.

*When mixing prior to sitting down for your meal, always keep one hand free for shaking hands. It may be awkward holding a drink and balancing hors d'oeuvres in one hand, but to follow etiquette, you will have to do the best you can.

*Always use good manners.

What are good manners? That will be the subject of other posts in the future. For now, begin learning these nuggets, and I promise you will be ahead of the game when that invitation to the "Big Dinner" comes your way.

A side note, you don't always have to introduce me first. I am not the most important, but probably the oldest. Remember, old folks like to feel young every once in a while.

Love you,

Tired Old Daddy

We interrupt this blog with a Daddy obsession..

2010-02-02T16:26:00.000-08:00

My love of entertainment, whether it be a good television show, book, or movie, keeps me sane and grounded. Many people have different means of escape, these are mine.

In ten years, you will probably still remember that everything came to a halt when LOST was playing. Ten years from now, people will still be studying LOST as one of the best (if not the BEST television show) ever. What makes it so good? Storytelling that leaves a little bit of mystery, little bit of intrigue, and a little bit of magic! That is what LOST brings with each and every episode. It begs its audience to be smart. It challenges its audience to be on top of its game. One of the few shows that gives its viewers the credit for having the intelligence to not only follow along, but strive to figure out what is around the next corner!!

Thanks to JJ Abrams, Damon Lindelof, and Carlton Cuse for taking me along on this Magical Mystery Tour!!

I leave you with one of my favorite scenes from the show.

John Locke in one of the most notable scenes of LOST. A quote to live by spoken by him was, "Don't tell me what I can't do." Tonight begins the end of the series and I can't wait to see how it all turns out.

Until next time,

Big Daddy

How does a person eat at a fancy restaurant and how would you set the table?

2010-02-01T15:22:00.000-08:00

Looking back at some of my posts, I realize my heart was in the right place, but I was getting away (a little) from my intended subjects. So today's post will be a reboot of sorts.

It wasn't long ago that we were watching something on TV and there was a big fancy dinner table with all kinds of fancy place settings. The question quickly posed went like this, how can somebody eat with all that fancy stuff on the table, and how would you know where to put all of that fancy stuff?

The above place setting begs the initial questions the boys asked. I am here to tell you that I have probably eaten no more than five times in my life at a place that is this fancy. A couple of things to say here, would be that the food was probably pretty good, but not better than something Mom could do. Also, if you are not on expense account, the price of the meal is probably a little higher than your Dad's pay grade.

All of that being said, I want you to be comfortable if you ever find yourself at this table. The best rule of thumb regarding the silverware is to work from the outside in toward the plate. Also, if you are not sure, make light conversation with those around you, while stealing a quick glance to see what others are doing (more often than not they may be doing the same thing). If you are in a fancy restaurant, generally, the wait staff, will guide you along in the correct manner.

The above diagram shows a legend for how to set up a formal place setting.

This is a fairly simple diagram for correct placement. If you are put in a situation where you are asked to help set up these settings, tell the host that you are not comfortable with doing so. If that answer falls on deaf ears, here is a solution that might help you wing your way through the task. Place the items with even amounts of letters in its name to the left of the plate and place the items with odd amounts of letters in its name to the right side of the plate. Simple rule that works and is easy to remember. Another rule, although not steadfast, is to place the smallest items on the outside and gradually increase with the largest items winding up closest to the plate .

Gracious, that is a lot to learn. I am proud that we have that under our belts. Tomorrow, we will tackle some more etiquette and eating issues.

Just a quick note to-Sarah, Joseph, James, and Ms. Emily Margaret: If I haven't told you today, I sure do love you guys.

Have a wonderful day!!

The Wolf Moon

2010-01-31T15:31:00.000-08:00

Sadly, I have missed a couple of days posting, but I hope to get back on track. We enjoy looking at the night sky together and are always interested when we hear something new to us. I heard about the "Wolf Moon," on a local news broadcast and thought we would make a point to check it out.

This term was new to us, so we went about doing a little research to find out what the "big deal," was regarding a Wolf Moon. Come to find out, the "Wolf Moon," is the first new moon of the year. The "big deal," in regards to this particular one is that it was to be 30% brighter and about 14% wider in appearance. Unfortunately, living in North Alabama, we were on the outside edge of the recent winter storm that passed through and the cloud cover didn't allow for viewing. We did see some pictures, but they are just not the same as seeing it ourselves. I have included one of the pictures that we saw. I am sure you will agree, it is just not the same.

We have discussed the "Blue Moon," in the past and thought we might talk about that in a post, but finding out that each full moon has a name, was something new to us, so we thought we might better share. If you are curious about the names of all of the full moons, you can click on the highlighted words and it will take you straight to the Farmer's Almanac legend that discusses the stories behind each month's full moon.

Also, I didn't forget!! A Blue Moon was wrongly interpreted as occurring when there is a second full moon in a given calender month. Actually, the Blue Moon is the moon that is a thirteenth moon in a calender year. The Blue Moon occurs during the year, dependent on the tradition that the observer is following. I kind of like the second full moon in a given month the best, because it is simple.

Next time you look up to see a full moon, I hope you have a little different appreciation for what you are looking.

Andy

Potpourri Thursday: Random thoughts and quotes.

2010-01-28T17:36:00.000-08:00

As I continue to bring this project together, I am faced with the task of putting some order to my ramblings.....

Seeing as how I have not put the finishing touches on said plan, I reserve the right to hodgepodge it today.

Quotes given to me today from a couple of people at work. Don't know who to credit these to, but rest assured, if I find out, I will give due credit.

*Don't criticize a person, until you have walked a mile in their shoes. That way you will be a mile away and have their shoes!

*Live your life, like you are on a job interview.

Do you recognize the object in the picture below???

That's right!!! It is the New Year's ball that is dropped in Times Square to ring in the New Year.

Do you know why the lit ball was initially dropped from this location at midnight??

I skipped down a little to give you a chance to think about the answer, before you read it. May seem juvenile, but I thought I'd give you a choice. The answer is:

The ball when initially dropped in 1907, was made of iron and wood, weighed 700 pounds, and was adorned with one hundred 25 watt light bulbs. Times Square had a high vantage point that made the ball highly visible from very far away. The ball was called a time ball, but not why you think. Although the drop coincided with New Year's revelers ringing in the year, it actually served a more practical purpose. That purpose was to alert the ship captain's out in the harbor the precise time that midnight occurred. Once the captain's saw the ball light up, they would synchronize their chronometers (a precise navigational instrument which could be used to determine longitude by celestial navigation).

I told you I liked learning and teaching. Hope you enjoyed!

What is wrong with these pictures? The answer can be found in one of my all time favorite quotes.

2010-01-27T09:39:00.000-08:00

There will be many times in your lives when you will have to make decisions. Some of these decisions will be difficult, others relatively easy. As we follow along this journey together, I hope to touch on as many of these subjects as possible.

Your Mother came up with a quote that will be an essential one to remember as you get older and begin making decisions on your own.

The people in the pictures above have obviously not heard your Mother's quote. Because if they had, they probably wouldn't have wound up on this post.

Here is the quote. Use it in your decision making process. Share it with your friends and even some strangers. I promise not only will you be happy you followed her advice, but you won't ever have to be an example in somebody else's blog.

Just because you can, doesn't mean you should!

Sarah (Mom)

Have a great day!

Now that we have the serious groundwork in place, let's move on to some of the fun stuff.

2010-01-26T18:04:00.000-08:00

As this blog takes shape, I think the "and such" part of the title will become a prominent piece in this puzzle. What is "and such"?

This is the part of the blog that will consist of the many fun things I want to add along the way. This will be the part where I ask for and need audience participation. I am looking from Life Advice, to favorite quotes, books, movies, vacation destinations, or anything that you feel worthy of sharing. You can post such things in comments or feel free to email me at lifeadviceandsuch@yahoo.com

Those of you who don't know me, will quickly find out that I LOVE learning new things. Once I have learned these things, I enjoy sharing. Maybe I inherited some of that from my Mom, the school teacher.

Look closely at the picture above and tell me what you see. I am sure the responses would include, loaves of bread, two different bread companies, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, or even bread ties. All of those answers would be correct. The specific thing I was looking for was the bread ties.

What is the big deal with bread ties you may ask? I guess the fact that they help keep the bag closed and the bread fresh is an important function. If your household is like ours, chances are that bread tie will disappear long before the bread does.

I realize you want me to cut to the chase. The most important thing to notice in this picture is the fact that the bread ties are different colors. This brings me to the point of this post. Did you realize that there were different colored bread ties? More importantly did you know that these colors have a very specific meaning?

If you did, give yourself a high five. You are the person I am looking for to help me with the "and such" part of this blog. If you didn't know this, then you are exactly the reason I have started this blog.

I worked in a grocery store when I was growing up and had to rotate the stock at the end of the day. The bread was something you had to rotate to ensure the older bread left the store first. The Sunbeam bakery man taught me this lesson that I am going to share with you.

First of all, bread is generally not baked on Wednesdays and Sundays. Which leaves the rest of the week to bake bread. The way the bread guy knows which day the bread was baked is by looking at the color of the bread tie on a particular loaf of bread.

This is how the legend generally breaks down:
Monday-Blue
Tuesday-Green
Thursday-Red or Orange (dependent on the bakery)
Friday-White
Saturday-Yellow

If you forget the specific color, remember that the colors are placed in alphabetical order as well.

The next time you find yourself buying bread for that unexpected snow, now you will be armed with the knowledge to get the freshest loaf of bread on the shelf.

Happy Bread Buying,

Big Daddy

If there is only one thing you want people to remember you by, first and foremost, it should be ACCOUNTABILITY.

2010-01-25T09:16:00.000-08:00

Accountablility is an adjective that describes a person. The accountability of a person is required or expected justification of actions or decisions;responsible.

Used in a sentence, parents should be accountable for their children's actions.

Cutting to the chase. Stand up and be a man or stand up and be a woman when it comes to your life. If you do right or do wrong, admit to it. Don't take the easy way out and blame it on something or someone else. Regardless of the outcome, good or bad, learn from it.

The bottom line is this, by taking accountability, you will always go to bed knowing that you stood up and took responsibility for your actions. There is nothing harder in the world to do sometimes, but you will always be able to look yourself in the mirror and hold your head high.

Andy

A piece of my heart to my wonderful children.

2010-01-24T17:33:00.000-08:00

Welcome and thanks for stopping by to support our little project of love. Who do I mean by "our"? Most importantly, my wife, with whom I collaborated to form the idea of this project. She also, put together the beautiful format and background on which this blog is published. The rest of the "our," are family, friends, and anyone who has some advice to share.

A couple of people, rgilliam and SocialCircle, have been very instrumental in helping compile a lot of advice and subject material to use. There are many other people that I will introduce to you as my blog unfolds. My parents, in-laws, co-workers, and peers who have given of their time and shared experiences that will prove invaluable as we help to shape the lives of our children and hopefully, learn some things ourselves as well.

This site continues to be a work in progress and will hopefully gain steam as it begins to take shape.

Last year, my wife and I made a New Year's resolution, that we agree was the best resolution we ever made. We decided that instead doing something that may or may not last more than a couple weeks, we would put together a project that would be beneficial to our whole family. We decided, that we wanted our children to get to know us. Getting to know us would consist of sharing "everything" we could with them. We would share our highs and lows, our accomplishments and defeats, our joys and sorrows, and the lessons we learned from them all. Those of you who know me, know that I have learned a lot of things the hard way. It is my hope, I can point these mistakes out to my children so that they don't make the same, but if they do, they will understand the things I did to better myself through these experiences.

I encourage each and every one of you that follow along, to share experiences that you feel are important life lessons with us. Send recommendations that you think would be important subjects or issues to pursue. We will go from silly and light hearted to deep and serious conversations that may be difficult, but necessary to discuss.

Again, I am not perfect and thankfully don't claim to be. I hope to make "life lessons" a little easier for my children. We are a Christian family and by saying that, realize, that ALL of our advice will have come with prayerful reflection and a Godly heart.

Thanks again, for all you do Sarah. Not only are you a wonderful wife and mother, you are the best thing I could have ever hoped. Thanks to my wonderful children Joseph (13) and James (7), two fine young men whom I am proud and honored to call my sons. Lastly, my daughter, Ms. Emily Margaret, whom I have yet to meet, but know that God has chosen especially for our family. I can't wait until you join our family in the next few months.

Thanks for patiently following along with this tedious opening. It is my hope that not only will you participate along with us, but that you will find this to be something that you can share along with your family as well.

Sincerely,

Andy