About ME

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Grand Prairie, Texas, United States
Mr. E is a Christian, Husband, Father of 2, former Army Officer and Texas Rangers Baseball fan.

Thursday, January 5, 2012

Day 5 - Eating Frogs & Journal Writing

This morning my wife told me about a way to help your day go a bit smoother. She told me to "eat my frog first, then the rest of the day will move along smoother." Eat a frog? Turns out that your "frog" is the one thing that you need to do that day that you really don't want to do. If you do that one horrible, hard, time consuming thing first, then your day should be easier to deal with because the hard part it already done. So "Eat your Frog" first!

In the spirit of "frog eating", I started to put together a set of chest of drawers for my son. I have had them in the garage since late September. I figured it was about time to get that out of the way. Shortly after getting started, I realized that an important piece was missing from the materials in the box. I called the company and they are shipping me a new part, which should arrive in a few days. So, I guess I will eat this frog in pieces.

I also decided today that I will resume my journal writing. Not only will it help me write down my goals and steps to meet them; but it will also help me evaluate certain feelings and actions that I have been struggling with recently. I also plan to resume my Bible reading/studies. I also need to re-connect with my Creator. Pray for me!

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Day 4 - It's Officially Presidential Election Time (Dang it!)

It's that time again where every 4th year we endure month after month of annoying advertisements from politicians with aspirations of becoming the next President of the United States. As an American I love the fact that we can freely choose who the next leaders of our nation will be, I just hate the "politics" we have to endure to do it. I also wish we had at least one more, or two less, political parties to choose from. Until then I will try to stay informed as possible about the current candidates who are running.
1st the Democratic Party -- Since the current President of the United States is a Democrat, there are no other Democrats challenging his re-election. In case you live in a hole in the ground, our current President, Barack Obama is seeking reelection.




Now, the Republican Party -- At first candidates were joining the race as fast as flies find road kill, (sorry for the sappy choice of words) now they are dropping one by one, until only one remains to challenge the President. With Rep. Michele Bachmann ending her candidacy today, there are currently there are seven well known candidates to choose from (although at least two of them really have no chance at all). In alphabetical order here they are:


1. Former Speaker of the House and U.S. Representative from Georgia -- Newt Gingrich.
2. Former U.S. Ambassador to China and Former Governor of Utah -- John Huntsman, Jr.
3. Current U.S. Representative from Texas - Ron Paul.
4. Current Governor of Texas -- Rick Perry.
5. Former Governor of Louisiana -- Buddy Roemer.
6. Former Governor of Massachusetts -- Mitt Romney.
7. Former U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania -- Rick Santorum.

Stay informed and choose wisely!

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

2012 - Day 3 - It's a Smallville After All

Day 3 of 2012 begins with me filling out a job application to become a sub and a Math tutor for Mansfield ISD. Once again, I am looking for a new job. Don't really wish to discuss how/why I need to do this, just back job hunting mode again. I am also going to be working at Starbucks again, hopefully for at least 20 + hours a week, so I can get insurance for me and the kids.

I have also started watching Smallville on DVD. My kids started watching it with their cousins over the holidays and now they want to get it through Netflix. So I borrow Season 1 from my sister-in-law and I am trying to catch up to the kids, so we can watch the rest of it together.

I am also trying to help my kiddos do a little catch up work with their home-schooling so they will be ready to re-enter public schools next year.

Sorry about the corny pun in the title! :)

Monday, January 2, 2012

2012 - Day 2 -- Please Approach the Elephant, Your Adventure is About to Begin

Today my family and I took a trip to visit Jamie's aunt in Lewisville. (We actually went to seen her new cats). After a short visit, we went to the Grapevine Mills Mall, where Rachel used her Books-A-Million gift card and we ate lunch at The Rainforest Cafe. While waiting almost 40 minutes to be seated, I purchased a stuffed King Penguin at their Build-a-Bear Workshop. I named the penguin "Nero" mistakenly thinking I got an "emperor" penguin. The guacamole hamburger I got was so big I couldn't open my mouth wide enough to bite it. As a result, a lot of the fixins fell out of the back onto my plate; it was sort of like eating a burger and a salad.

Despite the delicious food, the cost of the experience was a little pricey, which is probably why we don't visit there very often. It was fun though. I think I want to spend the rest of the afternoon, just sleeping off the burger, before heading out to do a little grocery shopping for the rest of the week.

Sunday, January 1, 2012

2012 - Day 1

Happy New Year 2012!

It's another year and it's time to...time to...well...let's see...eat more healthy, try to exercise more, read more, and try to spend more quality time with the family. Seem's like I've heard or resolved all of this before. So, I try again!

Today, I started reading my first new book of the year. I am reading Inheritance by Christopher Paolini. I am also reading Bloom County Babylon: Five Years of Basic Naughtiness by Berke Breathed. I know Bloom County may not be considered literature by some people; however, it is classic reading.

My family and I tried a new place to eat today as well. We tried Babe's Chicken. We have been hearing for a while how great this place is; so, today we tried it. The food was good (I got Catfish, Jamie got Hickory Smoked Chicken, Caleb got a huge Chicken Fried Steak and Rachel got some Pork Ribs) and our waitress was fantastic. Overall the taste of the food couldn't outweigh the price of the food. Considering the price we paid, we would have expected our meal to be some of the best food we have ever eaten. Like I said, the food was good, but it was not great! It was a little disappointing.

So 2012 starts. I hope this year fairs better than 2011.

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Books I've Read in 2011

Due to a heavy work load with my job as a teacher, moving and looking for full time work, the number of books I read this year, decreased slightly. Maybe I can get the numbers back up for next year.

Books I’ve Read in 2011

1. God Attachment: Why You Believe, Act, and Feel the Way You Do About God - - Dr. Tim Clinton & Dr. Joshua Straub

2. Scarlet (King Raven Trilogy - Book 2) - Stephen R. Lawhead

3. 10 Great Dates to Energize Your Marriage -- David & Claudia Arp

4. The Evolution of a Creationist -- Jobe Martin, PHD

5. Tuck (King Raven Trilogy - Book 3) -- Stephen R. Lawhead

6. On Her Majesty’s Secret Service -- Ian Fleming

7. Bridge to Terabithia -- Katherine Peterson

8. Love and Respect For a Lifetime -- Dr. Emerson Eggerichs

9. Pirate Latitudes -- Michael Crichton

10. Crocodile Tears -- Anthony Horowitz

11. You Only Live Twice -- Ian Fleming

12. The Gospel According to Starbucks: Living Life With a Grande Passion --
Leonard Sweet

13. The Man With the Golden Gun -- Ian Fleming

14. Inkheart -- Cornelia Funke

15. Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIHM -- Robert C. O’Brien

16. A Generous Orthodoxy: Why I Am a Missional, Evangelical, Post/Protestant, Liberal/Conservative, Mystical/Poetic, Biblical, Charismatic/Contemplative, Fundamentalist/Calvinist, Anabaptist/Anglican, Methodist, Catholic, Green, Incarnational, Depressed-Yet Hopeful, Emergent, Unfinished Christian -- Brian D. McLaren

17. Into the Wild -- Jon Krakauer

18. Alice in Wonderland -- Lewis Carroll

19. Onward: How Starbucks Fought For It’s Life Without Losing It’s Soul -- Howard Schultz

20. The Associate - John Grisham

21. Read, Think, Pray, Live: A Guide to Reading the Bible in a New Way - Tony Jones

22. A Treasure Deep - Alton Gansky

23. Beneath the Ice - Alton Gansky

24. Submerged - Alton Gansky

25. Heaven is for Real: A Little Boy’s Astounding Story of His Trip to Heaven and Back -- Todd Burpo

26. Scorpia Rising -- Anthony Horowitz

27. A Stolen Life: A Memoir -- Jaycee Dugard

28. Bad Kitty Gets a Bath -- Nick Bruel

29. No More Cotton Candy: Energizing Your Spiritual Life with More of God’s Presence and Power -- Jim Hennesy

30. Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats -- T.S. Eliot

31. The Confession -- John Grisham

32. Portrait of a Killer: Jack the Ripper, Case Closed -- Patricia Cornwell

33. Chasing Darkness -- Robert Crais

34. Contrary to Popular Belief - Joey Green