Thanksgiving in Wisconsin

Just wanted to give a quick update of what's been up lately. Lots of stories to tell between the last time I posted and now, but I think I am going to go with one experience I had talking to my 7 year old little brother yesterday.


First, I'll go over what I've been up to since the last update.

Not much. Ha. I mean, Greg and I cleaned out our apartment, with plans to move into his brand new house here soon, which should be pretty great. I'm pretty excited, and can only imagine how excited Greg is. Good luck to any ladies we bring back there. I mean, really.

I spent a few days in Fort Lauderdale for work. I love Florida, and the people there. I don't understand why people live in California. Sure, Hurricanes suck, but you get a warning. The water is warm. There are gators to go and see. Real Estate is cheap. I think I'll be one of those Jews who move to Florida one day.

I'm on a flight to Fort Lauderdale, Again, right now. Have a few more days there to meet with dealerships. I'm hoping the visits are more productive than my last ones. People are so laid back out here, so it's hard to push business. We'll see how it goes.

I spend Thanksgiving in Wisconsin. Dinner at both Dad and Mom's. Both meals were awesome, spending time with everyone was great. Even got a night with John and Beardo, which was great, even though we didn't do much. But what more can you ask for than hanging out with your best friends? John was worried that I was bored, but, I can't think of anything I'd rather do with those two. Just hang out. Sure, we could have gotten black out drunk, but I'm two weeks sober, and trying to make it to the end of the year. So maybe on New Years!

Anyway, back to my story with my little brother, Nick. I picked him up from school Monday at 3. Surprised him with him getting to choose whatever he wanted to do. He decided first on a movie, so we got on the road.

This is when we started talking about his "girlfriend." I asked him what he did at school, and he went strait to her.

"I gave her bunny ears at recess."

"Oh yeah? That's awesome. That's how it is when you are young! You love to tease the girls you like! What does she think of it?"

"Oh she doesn't really care, so I asked her, "What DO you care about?" because I am going to find out, and do the opposite.

I love it. There are a lot of guys out there who'd say this is exactly how you get girls. Give them the exact opposite of what they say they want. It cracked me up. My little brother is awesome, and he is going to be quite the ladies man one day.

Hell, he already is.

He went on to tell me that he dreamt that they were married, and they kissed a lot. Considering he is 7, I said, "Ew! Kissing!?" He said, "Yep. On the mouth, and I liked it, that's why I want her to be my girlfriend."

So I told him that was awesome, to slow down, and to have as many girlfriends as he wanted. Also gave him a box of condoms, just in case. Well, the condom thing isn't true, but, seriously, it wouldn't be a bad idea.

I love Nick. Maya was awesome too. A little scared and shy the first day, but warmed up to me pretty quick, as long as I do whatever she wants. After Thanksgiving dinner, she told me, "Hey Derek! Clean this up!" pointing to the entire table. So I started cleaning, but eventually got distracted talking to my Dad.
"Derek! Hey! CLEAN THIS UP!" Bossy little Maya. She's so cute. And yes, I finished cleaning off the table.

November is going to be a good month...

Sure, there are a lot of the same old things that will be going on. Like work trips, time with friends and such, but there's the beginning of the holiday season on the horizon!

This weekend, as long as I have someone to go with me, I should be able to make a drive out to
California for a soccer match, but at the same time, I'll be able to see my Dad, brother, nieces and nephews. It's been a few months since I have seen them, and I am sure I'll get to play a little football too!

At the end of the month, I should be able to spend about 5 days in Wisconsin for Thanksgiving with my Mom, her boyfriend, my Dad, sisters, brother, step mom, and John! It feels like forever since I have seen them. Sure, it's only been 7 months, but really, that's one of the longest times I've been away from then in quite awhile. I really am excited to spend a few days with them all :)

Also, the big interview is on Thursday. The nerves are starting to stack up, but I have a a decent plan to put together a presentation for that interview. I think I'm the right guy for the job, and I think I can do well at it.

I'm very, very excited for the chance to move up, and make myself more useful to eBay. I even have a lovely friend that's willing to keep my mind off
The big interview the night before, so I don't burn out with nerves!

Anyway, here's to what should be an epic November. I'll update in December to let you know how things panned out, but heck, if all I get to do is play with Nick and Maya, I think I can consider it a success. Love those sweet kids. Never thought I'd have to say "they are growing up too fast" before having kids, but, my little bro and sis ARE growing up so fast. I'm so thankful for them and the rest of
The family. So so thankful.

Obviously, life really IS all about enjoying, and being thankful. Simple.

The New York / New Jersey Accent

So I met this girl on Long Island while I was out on a business trip.  She had one of those thick New York accents.

I found out that night, that I absolutely love the way my name sounds being said by a woman from that area of the country.  Absolutely amazing. 

I've got so much work to do in the next few hours to catch up on logging things from the trip I just went on, follow up on things I promised everyone, and getting ahead with accounts that haven't been contacted in about two weeks, that I probably shouldn't go into too much detail about my week in NYC, but I can say two things:

1-) My independent eDealer shows have been frustrating me, and this one was no different

2-) I love the NYC area.  I ran in central park, went to broadway, had dinner, beers, and espresso with some Jersey guys who used the word fuck more that I use the word I, and I found out that I can't get enough of the NY/Jersey accent out of attractive woman (who don't talk too much.  Nothing was more annoying than the lady on the plane who I was seriously considering reminding to breathe on my flight from NYC to Detroit.  I didn't remind her because I was actually kind of hoping she'd pass out or die.  Well, not die.  That's evil.  But definitely pass out.)

So that was kind of more than two things.  I also have another thing.

Ragnar starts tomorrow, bright and early.  I just ate enchilladas, a double espresso and a "Bell's Amber Ale."  There obviously is some sort of disconnect between my brain and my mind right now.  I will update you post race and let you know how much I am regretty the choices I am making tonigth.
BTW... Don't eat enchilladas at the Mexican Cantina in the A Concourse at the Detroit Airport.  It's terrible.  Seriously, seriously terrible.  Worse mexican food I ever ate, and you have to remember, I lived in Wisconsin, damn near the anti-mexico.

Anyway... Is that all I have to share?  I guess, for now.  Oh Wait, this story is worth documenting.

I got sick of being honked at in NY this week. Everyone honks.  It drives me crazy.  So as I made a left turn on a left arrow, and the car going the opposite way tried to turn right and nearly hit me, then honked at ME like I made a mistake... I snapped.

I slammed on my brakes with him and his girl behind me.  Parked my car, got out, and flipped out.  No joke.  I walked up this window, let out a stream of obscenties that I'd compare to average conversation of the guys I met in Jersey.  He freaked out, drove around me on the shoulder, and kept going.

That'll teach him.  One less stupid New Yorker using his horn all too often.

Booyah.

Being a man is hard work. For some people. Not for this guy.

Anyway, enough on that subject. I realized today that poor September didn't get a blog post from me. She deserved one, but I just had nothing I wanted to blog about. I traveled to a few new cities here recently: Salem and Raleigh. I also spent a few days in Denver. I really liked Oregon. Denver is the slightly more liberal Salt Lake, so I like it, and Raleigh... Well.. It's just not for me. I can't believe I lived in NC for 3 years. Granted, I was young, and lived on the military base, so... It's a different story.

I'm starting to feel Bad for October. Should have given her a better first blog post. I'll make this commitment though. I'll follow up and post one blog while in NY/NJ next week. Then one in Nashville the week after. I've got to post about Ragnar, obviously.

Oh. Here's something cool: I ran 8 miles tonight. In 1hour 25minutes. Furthest distance, and longest time ever spent running. I'm that much closer to getting to a half marathon. I think I'll be able to officially run one by the time late winter / early spring comes around. I'll practice this winter on the treadmill. The goal is 10 miles a week, which I think will soon get pushed to 15. I still hate running, I'm just learning to respect it.

I also applied for a new job! I've been looking for new and exciting opportunities, and one happened to come up at eBay! Win-win! I might be able to do something new and exciting, and I get to stay with the company that I love! Heck, I've been here nearly 5 years, why not try to stretch that out for a few more!

Wish me luck, I really really really want the new position!

Oh, any "you're greats!" "You're awesomes!" would be appreciated. Completely unnecessary, because I know already, but, still appreciated.

October didn't get a bad first post after all!

I need a Sunday routine...

So many of my Sundays lately have been so unproductive. Heck, I could almost call them counterproductive. I wake up late, tale my time to get moving... Eat too much, watch too many movies, and barely touch the things that need to get done.

So, my plan is to plan out my Sundays a bit better. Here's the new goal:

1-) Be up by 10am. 10am is plenty of sleep.

2-) Have either a little cardio or a lift finished by 11. The movement will keep me on path towards being productive.

3-) Have things cleaned up by 2pm. The bathroom, dishes, laundry. The things I let pile up. Even small steps in these areas should help.

4-) Enjoy my day through 8pm (depending on what I have planned)

5-) Have whatever needs to be prepared for the next day done by 10pm, whether that's packing for a flight, cooking food, or planning my Monday at work.

6-) Bed by midnight. Anything later, and I'll start my week off on a weird schedule. Not good.

Anyway, these aren't too har of goals, and these are really just a minimum. I'll keep you updated on my Next Sunday. Let you know if I can stick to this.

Student Loans.

For being a guy who was always good with math and financials, I sure did do a number on myself when it comes to student loans.  It's probably time to buckle down and get those out of my life forever.  But a debt pushing the size of my yearly income isn't an easy thing to overcome. 

You'd think I'd have my degree by now if you saw how much I owe.  Atleast eBay will take care of the rest of my degree for me.  But seriously.  Ouch.
I've got to say, getting my first degree at American Intercontinental University was great and all, but it didn't really get me anywhere.  It really just got the ball rolling on spending too much on education.  I really really regret registering for classes through them.  I should have gone to school the traditional way, at a physical campus, and learned all I could about the Financial Aid Process.

Now I'm old, too late for scholarships, make too much for really any aid.  Luckily,  like I said, eBay will help finish off my Marketing degree, and I am sure they'll help with any supplemental education I want to get when I finish with that.  But, until I push hard and get this mountain of a student loan taken care of, I'm probably not going to be really happy with my financial status.

But hey, working TOWARD paying it off will feel good.  The checks won't be a happy thing to write, but, I'm going to write them.  And when I write that final one, I am going to throw a giant party.  And at that party, I'll have worked too hard to be ballin' on a budget.

Deciding to perfect myself.

Had an interesting thought tonight.  I'm proud to say it's not a chemically induced one.  I was thinking about death tonight, and how close I could be to it, not knowing what each moment holds.  Obviously it's not just me, anyone of us could be gone tomorrow.

Everyday we're getting one day closer to death.  If all I do is have fun all the time, where will I be when I am 70?

If I only live to be 35, and I've worked too hard to have been happy with the short time lived, how will that feel?

Since we can't know what will come next, after this life, it's important to make the most of this one.  I can't imagine sitting around over-contemplating death is the best use of my time.  So I started over-thinking life.

If I were end up having a shorter-than planned life, I'm not going to know it too far in advance. So maybe the feeling of setting goals, and accomplishing them to be on track to be that person I am proud of when I'm 70 will be the best I can feel. And who am I kidding, it's easy for a guy like me to find time here and there to really enjoy myself.

I need to "get started". Right now, I feel like I've just gotten lucky.  Fate favors me for some reason.  Maybe I'm just extra likable, which some people would claim, or maybe I have so much potential, that the successes I have seen so far is a reelection of a rough, uncut and polished diamond. 

I like the diamond analogy.  While the rough, uncut diamond still has value, and can stand out compared to other rough, uncut stones, it's value greatly increases with time, effort, and a highly focused hand perfects it.  Maybe some that have been around me have seen my potential, as a diamond expert would of an uncut stone, but it's up to me to perfect myself.

What I really have to do now, is commit to doing it.  Not just know I have to, and plan on it.  I have to decide to do it.  It's overwhelming, but not more overwhelming than I am underwhelmed with where I am at now that I am 26.

I'm going to revisit this Sunday.  Tomorrow is Saturday, and I'm headed to Lagoon with some friends.  Tomorrow will be a very nice "uncut" day.  Sunday will be a good chance to sit down, think, plan, research, plan, set some goals, plan, and most importantly, decide.  A decision takes 2 seconds.  I'm going to decide. The fun part is, perfecting myself could end up being a whole list of different things. I'm excited to see what changes I want to make. Don't be surprised if you get to know a different kind of Derek. Don't be scared of him. He'll be just as new and different to me too.