Chocov
I blog about everything!
Friday, October 26, 2012
Let's rock this party
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
48 hours without media
How will I survive without media? I didn’t like that I didn’t know how cold it was by just being able to look at my phone. I had to walk outside to look at the thermostat. I knew it wasn’t going to rain that day, but I didn’t know a storm was on the way. Also, I wanted to call my Dad just to say “hello”, since he doesn’t live here in town.
Will my daily commute be affected by driving without media? My radio stayed off, but was able to talk to my employees to pass the time between jobs. Also, I got lost more often than not.
What will my mood be like without media? I like to stay in a good mood, so I didn’t have a problem with this one. I would go nuts whenever I had to turn in invoices and makes checks. And I’m pretty sure I over paid a few employees too.
Will I make new friends? I always make new friends, I always like to know who is in the room with me, and I am very aware of my surroundings. Also, have to watch out for who would probably want to rob me. I think it is harder for a thief to steal from me if he/she likes me.
Will anyone notice that I am doing this activity? Yes, my employees are used to me constantly changing the radio stations. I get really bored when I am driving; I tend to think a lot about, well, just about everything. When they road with me, the radio was off and I talked a lot more and asked more questions.
Will there be a surprise result? Not really. Although I was surprise what a terrible driver I am when the radio is off, since that is one less thing to think about. When I have many distractions going on, I tend to pay attention more.
How will I eat, sleep, and workout without media? I usually use my bible app to read to me when I am going to sleep. The first night I was restless, the second I went right to sleep praying. I also found out that my gym plays some horrible music.
How will I change any of my usual media use patterns permanently? I think I have a good balance right now. I use media for all parts of my life, but my life is very balanced. Being the extrovert that I am, if the Apocalypse was to happen, and I was to survive, I think I would be alright. I can tell if it is going to rain, I don’t need a computer screen to communicate with people (and actually prefer to communicate without a computer screen). And I know how use the five functions (air, water, food, shelter, clothing) without technology.
Will I be inspired to be more creative through this experience? Yes, I need to brush up on my meteorologist skills, want to learn sign language, and to send smoke signals.
Will I save any money?
I don’t own a TV for the sole purpose of not being drawn into wasting time on not being productive. So as far as spending money, no, I didn’t spend any more money on not being productive. I did spend more money on gas, since I couldn’t use Google maps or call anyone to get to a friend’s house. I could have bought a map of San Antonio, but then I would have spent more money on a map.
Monday, January 10, 2011
Getting Knocked Down
Reggie “Mr. October” Jackson helped win three consecutive World Series titles as a member of the Oakland A's in the early 1970s and also helped win two consecutive titles with the New York Yankees. He was also inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Brett Favre led his teams to eight division championships, five NFC championships, two Superbowl appearances, winning one of them. He is also the only quarterback to throw for over seventy thousand yards and over five hundred touchdowns.
At the young age of 7, I started collecting cans to make money, and then I started mowing yards. I would also help my dad at his concrete and construction company during the summers. During high-school I did my own concrete jobs. After I graduated, I started my own construction company; I have built custom homes, apartments, metal and tilt wall buildings. Later in life, I owned two taco stands, a mechanical shop, a pizza parlor, an oilfield delivery service, hunting and fishing service, and a quail hunting/guiding business.
Mr. Jackson holds the most strikeouts at bat in baseball history.
Mr. Favre holds the most interceptions thrown in football history.
I owned a dozen or so businesses that I can’t/don’t want to remember, some businesses I did really great at and some I failed at.
I’m not trying to compare myself to these great athletes. All I’m saying is you can’t give up after a few failures/strikeouts/interceptions. You have to be willing to want to take a chance, willing to gamble on a long shot. This new year, seek new opportunities and envision them happening. Be optimistic and determined, plan on having a great attitude all the time. Make your goals attainable. Most of all keep the faith!
God Bless and Happy New Year!
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Balls
Sunday I went to the Rock N Roll marathon San Antonio. I have never attended a race , but I have a few friends that run these races all the time and tell me about all the emotions you go through. “You cry, you laugh, you sing, you yell, you dance.”
Ten minutes on premises I see Christine Chapa and Chris Godfrey. I stopped and chatted with them and start to see people I know like, Elizabeth Anderson, Amber Rodriguez, Simon Ponder and Stephen Chavez. They are all moving fast with no problems.
I get to the finish line area and I’m standing on Montana St. taking pictures of people and cheering for the runners. I see a few clowns dressed humorously as they speed by. I also keep noticing the reactions on people’s faces. Some were laughing, some singing/dancing, some were yelling or asking for encouragement for someone next to them having a hard time. Some were enjoying the crowds’ applause and receiving high-fives from spectators. Some were so focused, I would yell their name and they just kept going either singing/talking to themselves or just attentively looking forward.
On the other hand I saw some people crying out of pure agony! So much pain and hurt, but they just pushed through. Mostly the guys would stop and rest or be out of breath/cramp up, but you could really tell they were in pain and had just run 26.1 miles!
I was wondering, if I was to train, could I do this? Really I was thinking “do I have the balls to pull this off?!” Just then I see a gentleman pedaling a specially designed wheelchair doing a half marathon! This gentleman was not paralyzed; he just didn’t have the use of his arms. So at sometime in his life he had to make a physical and metal decision that he wanted to enter this race on his own. I looked on in disbelief. A little while later a lady came up on the full marathon side in a wheelchair. Remember that she has to go up this hill. With every push of the wheels with her arms up she would come back down. Sometimes she went up two feet sometimes she went up six inches, sometimes she went sideways, but she didn’t stop until she got to the top!
After seeing this display of determination my eyes were a little misty. I was thinking this is the way life is, whether it is with God or not. In life people are going to be rushing by, passing you up, bumping into you, and distracting you. It’s up to you and only you to be determined and be willing push yourself!
If you say you suck well then you will collapse and people run over you! If you don’t train, consume the wrong things, read the wrong messages and live a life of excess you will fail. On the other hand if you train, consume the right things, live a life of purpose, and have the right people around encouraging you, you can do anything you want!
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Pumpkin Beer
Five years ago if you asked me to put my seat belt on, I would tell you to go to hell. Nicely, of course. If you asked me to try pumpkin beer I would tell you the same thing, while I was opening a Natural Light or some other “inside the box” beer. I had what my Dad calls “$*!% for brains.”
I thought I knew it all and tried it all. Yes, I had done a lot for a kid my age. At the beginning of 2004 I had a good pick up, it was nice but just like everyone else, I wanted to upgrade. Fast-forward to the end of the year and I had an injector pump go out. I didn’t want to spend the money for a new one so what did I do? I upgraded. I bought a brand new truck.
Fast forward another two years and my company work load was almost at a standstill. I took a job for a crane company, operating cranes and big haul trucks. I had a hard time getting in and moving up in the company because I needed a special crane license. After working for a while there I got to work at a refinery for the company. I was working fourteen/sixteen hour days, seven days a week. One morning, coming off of the night shift, I fell asleep driving. I also found out I had sleep apnea. After sending my truck flying and crashing down, I crushed my heel in seven pieces, totaled my truck and was bedridden for two months.
Since I was not working, I had no income. I moved back in with my parents. While lying in bed doing nothing but going crazy, I decided I needed to do something with my life when I healed. I decided to pay to get my crane license myself... I was in my walking boot going to school. I earned my license and got a job in San Antonio.
One of my best friends from high school lived in town and he introduced me to all of his friends and his church. I met great leaders and volunteers there. It was with their help that I found God. Yes I was born and raised a Catholic, but I was a dead Catholic. After finding God, things started to turn around. I got a free car. I got to go to SXSWi. Really, I got a second family. Also I got to meet people in industries I would have never seen or even heard of if I would stayed on the path I was on. Now, when someone asks me to try something new, like pumpkin beer, a new computer program/tech gadget or an art show? I jump at the chance to go because I know I will meet/see someone interesting, or get to experience something different. Besides I found out I have a passion for architecture. My point is that if a few bad things didn’t happen I would not be where I am at today and I would not be at peace with God!
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Sometimes
In the early 2000’s I had the three different motorcycles. All were crotch rockets and fast. I learned to do a few tricks like, pop wheelies, ride stoppies, ride with no hands, and such.
One night, like many nights before, one of my crazy friends had a party. I show up to his house on my motorcycle driving in the party while riding on the gas tank. No big deal to me but to them not so much. Now I have been told that I am a 250 lb liver. I drink tequila like water and can consume more than my fair share of beer. Am I telling you this to brag or start a drinking contest? No. I know when to say when, especially when riding my motorcycle. After drinking all night I was ready to leave. I did my goodbyes and climbed on my motorcycle when my buddies stopped me. Their persistence fueled my anger and I was about to fight two of my best friends because they wouldn’t let me leave.
Both of these stories are similar because I can be riding high on life and not really know what is down the road. During the birthday party, I could have had too much to drink and allowed things to get out of hand. I could have said or done something that I would have regretted in the morning. With the motorcycle ride home, I could have dropped the bike, run into a tree or gotten pulled over.
Sometimes good friends help you stay in check and sometimes good friends keep you in check. Sometimes you may not know you are close to disaster and sometimes you know you are in the deep end but don’t know how or when to stop.
Next time someone is trying to stop you from doing something, stop and listen. They are seeing things from a different angle and maybe see something you don’t. Sometimes they know better or sometimes they are just worried about you.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
So You Learn
God doesn’t want you to fail! God wants you to be happy!! God does put all kinds of people in your life for you to learn from. Some are good and some are bad. If bad things are always happening to you, over and over you’re not learning anything! We are put here on earth to serve God. If you’re unhappy you won’t be a very good servant. Yes you might get done what God wants you to get done but your not going to be very happy doing it!
How to do this? If you do fail learn everything you can from it and move on. Don’t be a debbie downer or frank the frowner. Be accountable. If you screw something up, fess up to it! Always read between the lines. We live in a society that loves to play all kinds of games. I don’t care who you are everyone plays one game or another. Yes the guy maybe able to make you laugh or do something that someone else can’t do or tell you everything you want to hear or buy you the moon or maybe he’s one of the lucky ones and doesn’t have to say anything at all. Just stands their and looks good! Use your discernment ladies it goes a long way. Guys start by using your head and I’m talking about the head on your shoulders. Also as much as we like to think, you can’t save them all!