I love this time of year. Of course here in Atlanta everything outside turns this lime green color from all the pollen in the air. I’ve been living here since 1992 and still not use to seeing such thick pollen you actually see it on everything.

It’s a big week this week and I’ll be taking some time off, but still wanted to write something this week.

Today happens to be my birthday, and I’m hoping that nobody catches on that I’ve been celebrating 29 for who knows how long. We’ll do our traditional Publix birthday cake (a birthday isn’t a birthday without a Publix birthday cake!) and head on over to Provino’s Italian Restaurant for dinner tonight with the family where your birthday dinner is free! (Whoo Hooo!)

The kids also have the week off for Spring Break and we have some special events planned with them. Other than storms coming in Tuesday night the weather should be absolutely perfect this week!

The kids also want to ride around this week in “the coolest car ever”. We have a new (used) convertible as part of the family. A Chrysler Sebring JXi, which is just the ticket after a rough couple of weeks with only one car. Yours truly totaled our 300M a couple weeks ago after plowing into a deer in the middle of I-85.

Ideally, we were going after a hybrid and that’s still in the cards, just at a later date. We’ll tackle a new hybrid later this year when the budget allows for it and the down payment is where we want it. The leading candidate right now is the Ford Escape Hybrid, which we owned once before. (Although a hybrid wasn’t even an option back then.)

And we can’t forget that it’s Masters Week. Won’t be going to a practice round or Tournament Round this year and I’m due. Still have the connections – but like the last couple of years, it sneaks up on me. Practice rounds to me are the way to see this course. Just more laid back and you don’t have to worry about missing “the shot” while watching in Hi-Def at home. I’ll never forget the first year I went probably 10 years ago now. Augusta National is absolutely pristine and hallowed ground. Once you’ve been there, it changes the entire view of the course on television.

All Masters shirts are pressed and ready to be worn this week. (The only time of year I really ever wear them.)

Before I close, I wanted to add a special congratulations to Melissa Boston, YTB/ZamZuu’s newest Circle of Champions Director. For those of you in YTB – you know what that means in regards to earnings. We’ve known Melissa for some time and she’s one of the most dynamic speakers and presenters we’ve seen in any company, let alone YTB. Smart business woman too. She surrounded herself with other smart business minds and worked steadily to achieve her goal. We couldn’t be happier for her.

We couldn’t be happier for the company either. By Melissa reaching the Circle of Champions at this point in time, it’s a clear sign that the the company is growing and could signal other top level Directors who will move into this level of achievement. (That should rattle some cages, huh?)

Here’s one last point before heading out to enjoy my week.

Name me one other business model where a Representative of the company can earn more than the CEO, Founders or other Top Executives? Name me one other company where someone can earn more than the people above them period. Doesn’t happen in any other business than Network Marketing folks. You can talk all you want about the theories you’ve heard, average everything out like some Socialist society all you want. The reality of it is, folks like Melissa Boston do happen. That’s real world – not some trumped up fear mongering line of BS.

But alas – much like the fact that there has never been a single example of any MLM or Networking company running out of “suckers” – this myth about all the poeple at the top making all the money will undoubtedly live on. You have a choice you know. You could follow dumb schmucks who’ve never had an ounce of experience in the industry – or take a tip or two from people who not only know the truth, but aren’t intimidated one bit by it.

Enjoy your week! (We will!)

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By the time you read this, we’ll be off enjoying time together as a family.

We picked an additional half week to spend with extended family to celebrate “Googley-Bears” birthday on Friday. He’s been talking about turning 7 for weeks now and we wanted to do something special for him.

Yes, he’ll turn 7 in spite of the fact that I’ve asked…

I’ve pleaded…

I’ve even made an attempt at ordering that he must remain at six for at least one more year but he won’t have any of it.

Little does he know that I have this picture already framed and prepared give to his bride on his wedding day. I’ve entitled it “Sand in Diaper” which was shot on a Weekend Getaway to Sandestin Resort several years ago.

Teach him to disobey his father. ;-P

Because I want to enjoy as much family time together as possible, I don’t plan on posting again here until after the 11th.

The newsletter will still go out as scheduled. (Part of this weeks publication is already done.)

Here’s wishing everyone a happy and safe holiday weekend!

Chow!

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I know I’m on vacation this week, but I wanted to post a quick thank you for all the Birthday wishes yesterday. My e-mail and my Facebook page were covered with well wishes and it’s a real honor to have such good friends who take the time to send their comments and wishes – especially on a day like yesterday.

It was a really good day. My wife made my favorite dish, lasagna, and the kids decided that “everybody needs to play games on their birthday”, so that’s exactly what we did. To see a birthday through a child’s eyes is really something.

Absolutely adorable!

After seeing all the comments and wishes from you, I felt compelled to return my thanks for thinking of me as well. You’re a good group of friends and your thoughts and comments mean more than you’ll ever know.

I am grateful for having you as a friend. Thank you!

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Yesterday, my bride turned 40. I got her one of those new age cards to help her celebrate.

It said that her new age was 34.

She really liked that card!

We were out at dinner last night and started talking about all the things that have changed, didn’t exist, or means something completely different than it did 40 years ago when she was born. Here are a dozen things that use to mean one thing back then, but today means something completely different.

1. Call waiting referred to a line outside of a phone booth.

2. A flat screen was something you put in your window to keep out insects.

3. An airbag was someone who talked too much.

4. Spam was found only in the kitchen.

5. A cell phone was what you used to make your one call from jail.

6. Guys only got pierced ears from going to really loud concerts

7. High-speed access was an on-ramp to the freeway.

8. A mouse referred to an animal you wanted to keep out of the house.

9. A dish was something you put on the kitchen table, not the side of the house.

10. A virus was something that was only found in the body.

11. A CD was put into a bank.

12. A birthday was something you actually looked forward too.

Lordy, lordy how things have changed!

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7 years ago today, I was hired for one of the most important, most rewarding, and most demanding jobs I’ve ever had.

 I became a father.

I’ve written about my little girl, AKA: Schmoopsie Pooh, along with her younger brother of 20 months AKA: Googley Bear here before. I don’t know how in the world I did it, but I happened to produce two of the most beautiful children on the fact of this earth. Being a father of these two souls, and watching them grow and learn has got to be the absolutely best experience I’ve ever had.

While Brittany turns 7, and acts like she’s 17 at times, there is such a beautiful innocents and wonder about this age and stage in her life. Over the last year I’ve begun to see “my little girl” grow up and mature right before my eyes. Gone are the kids shows that her brother still enjoys. Gone are the little toys that are replaced with things like books and writing tablet. Gone is the dependence on either myself or my wife to do things for her. And she now shares in some form of responsibility in maintaining a couple of chores around the house.

I always knew I wanted to be a father and I’ve always had a very special bond with children my entire life. I get a lot of this from my mother as she has a very special touch that I don’t hold a candle too. I worked my way through high school and college working in day care centers, and also acting in children’s theatres in the Northeast. I have the distinct honor of being an original cast member in a not so wildly successful play called “Patchwork”. Though it was never ready for any prime time players, my name is in the book as being the first cast member of this children’s play.

I remember people, more specifically other “parents” telling me how being a father would “change my life”. While I thought I had some concept of what they were talking about, I’ve come to find out that honestly, I didn’t have a clue. To this day I remember the very first time I set eyes on her in the hospital just seconds after she came into this world. The second thing I remember thinking, (right after “my God, she looks just like me”.) was “Oh, this is what they were talking about.”

Being a parent isn’t something you can explain, it’s something you have to experience in order to get the full meaning of. Even for someone like myself who is well versed in putting things down on paper, or in my case this blog. The “Parent” experience just can’t be put into words to help those who haven’t or are about to experience what it’s like. Sure we can give you story after story, lesson after lesson, but until you actually do it yourself, it just doesn’t have the same effect.

It’s that special. It’s that meaningful.

I’ll be heading to school at lunch today to deliver a special “birthday cookie” for her and her friends and probably embarrass the hell out her as I’ll be singing “Happy Birthday” the loudest of the entire bunch. (Remember, I have “theatre” experience.) We’ll sit and enjoy some time together mid day with her class mates some of whom spent their first sleep over at our house this weekend. (Another long post in itself, trust me!) I’m just thankful I missed the high pitched screams of all the girls as they wooed all over Zac Efron in High School Musical 3 in theatres all across the country.

I remember being in the hospital with her just days after she was born. Pittsburgh was playing Tennessee on Monday Night Football. I of course had gotten a very cute sleeper with Steelers logo’s as I wore my Kordell Stewart jersey to watch the game together in the hospital room. She was an angel right from the start, and didn’t say a word. (The staff on the floor however, did have a few choice words over the noise I was making.)

We brought her home just a few days later on Halloween. While I was ready and willing to start my fatherly duties that night and take her trick or treating, Ronda had other ideas. Fortunately being only a few days old, I don’t think Brittany has any memories of missing her first Halloween and I can assure you that missing the experience did not scar her for life.

Another year has passed, and she’s another year older. Hard to believe and yes it’s blown by in the blink of an eye. Next thing you know I’m going to writing about walking her down the isle. I realize that’s another 30 years away, but if the last 7 have gone by this fast, she’ll be dating in just 29 years.

There is something she’ll never outgrow with me. When she does turn 36 and I let her start dating, I’ll still be saying “Happy Birthday little girl”.

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