So here we are ,Friday June 30th. 
It's not just another How am I doin' Friday.Today is the last day of the first half of 2017.
I thought about this a lot as I went about the early part of my daily routine.
I thought back to the end of 2016 and the beginning of this year and the 5 BHAGs (Big Hairy Audacious Goals) that I wanted to work on in 2017.
I am taking the opportunity to stop for a second, take a deep breath and see what has transpired before I look forward towards the second half of the year.
In the beginning of  Bereshis, Genesis, the first book of the Bible, ( yes it does start with In the beginning!) we read about creation.
For each of the first 7 days, The Lord set about creating. 
He created the Earth, the sky, the oceans and all manners of living things. 
Eventually he got around to creating Man. 
Man who he created in his own image.
I believe if He created us in his own image, He wanted us to be creators as well.
At the end of each day of creation, The Lord looked and saw what he created and he deemed his creation good.
As I look back to see what I have accomplished (read created) so far this year, I too can say I see what I have created and it is good.
I am the creator of my life.
It is a wonderful life.
Now, if in fact I follow this same line of reasoning, here on this How Am I Doin' Friday I am merely at a resting point before continuing my work. After all on the 7th day, He created the Sabbath, a place and time to rest.
 No where does it say he was done!
On the contrary, the work of creation is an on going process that will continue for as long as there is life.
As awesome as what has transpired in the first half of 2017 is, I must remind myself that there is more to accomplish, explore , learn and create.

Before I head off to do that, I must share something with you. 
What I wrote today came about as I drive my bus for 3 hours. 
I had not yet read my quote of the day.
 I had not yet listened to my Minute with Maxwell.
 I had not had my session with my mentor Darren Hardy.
If you have a minute, I would offer up that you might click on the links I provide or scroll to the top and re read today's QotD.
It's all so karmecally connected!

Shabbat Shalom!

Once again I find myself dealing with the one resource that ultimately is finite, time.
Every other commodity in life has no limits.
 If I want more wealth, I have the ability to create that.
If it's my health ,I can eat better or exercise or seek medical assistance.
If I want more friends, I can just jump on Facebook and in minutes begin 100 new relationships.
I can't think of any other resource as finite and defined as time.
 24 hours in a day,60 minutes in an hour.
There is nothing I can do to change that.
So when I find myself struggling with the idea that I don't have enough time, I have to remind myself that I have all the time that is available.
How I choose to use that time is ultimately the question.
I was asked to fill in for the other bus diver for the next 2 weeks while he is on vacation. 
My response......No problem!
Yeah right!
Today was day 1 and before I knew what was happening, my day was slipping completely away from me.
In what universe did I think I could add 3 hours of driving plus almost another hour of back and forth to the center, and still accomplish everything else that I do on a daily basis?
 It just won't or can't be.
24 hours....each made up of 60 minutes.
On Monday not only did I start a new cycle, I also committed to a very vigorous work out schedule. 
To facilitate these workouts, I would have to carve out a little more than an hour each day . 
One hour was manageable.
1 hour plus 3 hours plus 1 more hour for travel.....well you can do the math.
8 hours of sleep, plus these 5 new hours plus the 2.5 hours that I drive on a normal day, adds up to 15 1/2 hours.
Subtract that from 24 and we have a little over 8 hours to do what on a normal day takes me 13 or 14 hours.
Hmmm....maybe I could cut down on sleeping!
By noon on a day that started at 6:30 in the morning I realized that I would have to rethink my schedule and make some adjustments.
Bottom line is some things will have to wait.
Some things will be put on hold. 
And some things will just not be possible.
Prioritizing and then scheduling is the only way to address this.
24 hours.... each 60 minutes long.
Figure it out!
And I will.

Every now and again, , as the fog that often surrounds the mundane days of life lifts from around me, there is a day or 2 or maybe even a week, when inspiration catches fire inside of me and my energy level goes through the roof.
Today is one of those days.
Like lazily floating in your inner tube down a slow moving stream, completely unaware of the rapids ahead, I often get lulled into complacency. 
As the Sun beats down on me as I drift, I lose sight of the action that may be right around the next bend.
The constant lap, lap, lap,of the slow moving water is so mind numbing that I hardly notice that I am picking up speed.
And then in a moment, life shifts from ho hum to Holy Mackerel!
My heart starts racing and the blood starts coursing through my body.
Life becomes exciting again and it takes all of my energy to stay upright and safe.
The uphill climb of a roller coaster can be boring.
That is if you don't keep in mind the wild ride you are about to experience.I have always been cautioned that on the roller coaster of life,remember to always keep the bar down.It didn't take much to move me from sedate complacency to roaring through the day at 100 miles an hour.
That is where I find myself now.
The energy level is amazing. 
Still I must keep the bar down. 
Careless and reckless can and will result in catastrophic consequences.
I bought my ticket.
I have buckled myself in.
Now it's time for another wild ride!

 Extemporaneously:
(done, spoken, performed, etc., without special advance preparation;impromptu).
That is how I write to you every day.
I sit down at my computer, fill in my Quote of the Day, listen to and share with you my Minute with Maxwell and my Darren Daily and after updating the day and date I start typing whatever pops into my head. 
Sometimes as I begin this process, I remember a thought that I may have had or a tidbit that I wanted too share with you. 
Every once in a while, there is a day like today where I sit and stare at the screen and think to myself "I got nothin' today!"
Most times that occurs when my mind is looking ahead to what I want to get started on or how I want to go about getting my day underway. I just got a phone call asking for a favor.
It means carving out about 3 hours in the middle of my day to accomplish this task.
It really is no imposition, it was just unexpected and my mind needs a few minutes to revise my plans. 
It's like when I use a GPS (which is rare) and I miss a turn. There is that voice that comes on and says "recalculating!".
If I do not pay attention, the voice keeps repeating "recalculating....recalculating....recalculating" until I get back on course.
As I look ahead to the rest of my day, I find myself doing just that....recalculating.
I know what I want to accomplish today, (read:I know where I want my day to go) and now I must follow the map and the instructions to get me there.
 When I am in my car, I am never a big fan of back tracking.
I keep moving forward and plan out a new route.
How often do I see a driver who has missed his exit backing up on the highway.
There is no backing up on the highway of life.
If the speed limit on that highway of life is 55, I can't slow down to 35 while I try to figure out my next turn.
So now I am off. And as my GPS used to say to me..
"it's time to put the peddle to the metal!"
Zoom Zoom!

Today I find myself stuck between contented and conflicted.
It is a gorgeous, I mean spectacular day here.
I feel great.
My ankle has been bare able all morning which is more than just a rarity.
I got a ton of yard work done yesterday and I am actually quite impressed with myself.
I am beginning a new 40 day cycle today. 
I had plans to be at the gym this morning until my car broke down. We''ll see if  can find some time later on.
And after 21 days I have coffee back in my life!
All in all I would label myself content as the way I am feeling.
Now for the conflicted part.
I have a funeral to attend in a short while.
In recent years my attitude towards death and funerals in general has changed.
The default of "it's such a shame " or"I'm so sad" has become a quest to find the blessings in the life once led by the decedent.
I choose to look for the gifts that this person brought to their family and friends.
I choose to recount the wonderful stories and reminisce over how extraordinary their time on Earth was.
So even though my heart may feel heavy, I am conflicted knowing that the life that has ended was a beautiful thing.
I am also conflicted because I learned today that one of my early morning patrons on my bus will no longer be part of my run.
Due to deteriorating circumstances, she is moving to  facility that caters to individuals in her situation. 
She will be in a safe, nurturing environment, however, the life that once was will never be anymore.
This weighs heavy on my heart as well.
The idea that this is all too often the final act of way to many players on the stage of life is sad.
Heart breaking for those around them and Lord only knows how it affects the individual who no longer is that vibrant glowing life force.
So you may well understand where I find myself. 
Not necessarily at the corner of happy and healthy as the advertisement says, but at the intersection of contented and conflicted.
Carpe Diem!

I decided we would play hookie from traveling to South Jersey today. 
My to do list was getting out of control .
I wanted to finish getting the pool up and running.
I wanted to build a planter box for Susan.
I wanted to weed and mulch the flower beds.
The lawn needed to be cut. 
And I had to drive the bus this afternoon.
It was an easy decision to grab a day to attend to shortening my growing list of uncompleted chores.
The lawn got cut. 
The planter box got built.
The pool is open and ready for use.
And over half of the flower beds have been cleaned out and new mulch put down.
18 cubic ft. of potting soil and 14 bags of mulch later, I am done for the day.
Okay maybe not.
With approximately an hour and a half of daylight left I think I have enough time and possibly enough energy,, to take a shot at the bed behind the family room.
If I can knock that out tonight, it will leave only half of the pool perimeter for tomorrow evening.
Not terrible for a days work.
Until late last night, I was debating heading down to South Jersey with Susan Monday after my bus run.'That was until I learned of a funeral that will be held at noon tomorrow.
South Jersey will just have to do with out us for a week.
This may sound selfish, but it kind of felt good stealing some much needed time for ourselves, even if it was just to get some yard work done.
The strange thing is, I don't feel even a hint of remorse over my decision.
Every now and then saying "no" is a good thing!
Shavua Tov!

Yesterday was the first time in over 8 weeks that I did not write.
I had every intention to,however the day just kept slipping away.

My new Friday schedule has me running around and out of the house until at least 12:30, which is exactly when I got home yesterday.
No big deal...I'll write after dinner.
I had offered to take Max's car for an oil change, so after checking emails I went and took care of that . 
I also called on a customer and then picked up the last hose I needed to finish setting up the filter for my pool.
By the time I got home, it was after 3 p.m.
I proceeded to finish filling the pool and setting up the filter. 
When I next looked at the clock it was 4:30 and I had not even begun dinner preparation.
Off to the kitchen, I cut up potatoes and threw them in the oven.
(Roasted potatoes take an hour)
Back to my desk to answer some more emails. 
Now it's 5:30.
Out come the potatoes and time to start assembling the rest of dinner.
Brussel sprouts and corn went on the grill.
All of the other side dishes need plating and then back into the fridge.
5:45.
Chicken and potatoes back in the oven for warming.
Out back to check on the pool. 
All set...turn on the filter  and now we are cooking with gas!
Everything has come together .
Dinner is ready to be put on the table and my pool is sparkling .
The sounds of the surging water from my filter are like music to my ear. 
After a great Shabbat dinner and clearing the table I looked out of my window to see how well my filter was working.
It wasn't!
What the heck.......
So I went out in the yard to investigate.
That's when I saw that my water level had dropped below the filter.
How did that happen?
I must have a leak.
I walked the perimeter of the pool and eventually found where a significant amount of water was flowing.
It was now well after 9 and dark outside.
Max got out a flashlight and set about trying to determine where the hole might be.
What he found was disturbing.
Completely across from where the water was escaping,the patch we had put on on Sunday had failed.
I dragged out the submersible pump and spent the next 4.5 hours emptying the pool. To say I was disheartened would be an understatement.
Writing became a non-starter for me.
The last thing I wanted to engage in was a pity party.
After dropping Susan at the shop this morning, I went to the pool store for another patch kit. There I discussed my plan for rectifying the situation. 
The shop owner agreed with my course of action, wished me luck and sent me on my way after he pocketed his first sale of the day, my $9 for a patch kit.
So I have taken this time to sit down and catch up with you.
The washing machine man will be here sometime between 11-3.
Yes, it is actually the Maytag repair man!
Once Max is awake, we will set about repairing the hole. Barring any further unforeseen setbacks, I will fill my pool for the 3rd time in 2 weeks starting around dinner time.
And that is how and what I am doing on this Saturday after my How am I doin' Friday that never happened.

Shabbat Shalom!

One of the challenges that arose the other day when I was having my "hole in the sock" day was my bus breaking down. As I set out on my run,I noticed that none of my gauges were working. Neither was my radio. I knew this was an electrical issue, possibly a fuse. I also feared and eventually confirmed that this electrical problem effected my wheel chair lift.
On top of my buses issues, the other drivers bus had lost his side view mirror and it was out of commission as well.
This caused a great deal of commotion and rearranging of schedules until we could get these vehicles repaired and back on the road.
I did my run yesterday using a smaller van. 
It is much newer and rides more like a luxury car than the bus which rides a bit like an army tank.
However, for the patrons on my route, getting in and out of this vehicle is challenging at best. 
Being smaller, I also had to split my run in to 2 parts. There just would not be enough seating to accommodate every one.
This of course created the A group who I picked up first and then the B group that were on the second run.
You try telling seniors that they are not on the A list!
It gets ugly!
They like the routine they are accustomed to. 
So do I.
Yes the ride of the newer smaller van is far more comfortable than my bus.
But every one on my route is accustomed to the bus. 
Familiarity is comfortable.
Not to mention that we had no way to accommodate our wheel chair patrons.
Today my bus was back on the road.
Hallelujah!  
As I drove along, teeth rattling in my head with every bump and pot hole in the road,things seem normal once again. 
Every body was back on the A list.
Claire got so sit with Elaine!
The music was playing and the seniors were swaying.
Kind of like slipping on a pair of old slippers,comfortable.
It was a good day.

As I was killing a few minutes this morning and trolling Facebook, the whole smiling thing came back to the surface for me. As you know, smiling is just not something I am not very good at.
Never have been.
For as long as I can remember I have heard "yo Spiegel.....try smiling".Or as one of my friends commented on more than one occasion to me"if you are as happy as you say you are,maybe you should tell your face about it!"
I was as I said, trolling on Facebook where I came across pictures of friends and people I have known for decades. In each and every instance, I immediately recognized their smiles.
And then there were pictures of me with the uncomfortable look of constipation that always seems to adorn my face.
I even received an email from a dear friend who I will see for the first time in 40 years next month. I saw her smile in her words.
It filled me with joy .
And I am certain that my face did not reflect that joy.
I know I can do better at this.
Someone on my bus yesterday complimented me on my diction, pronunciation and enthusiasm in my speech. 
This gives me hope as I once was known as a mutterer.
If I can turn up my speech I can certainly figure out how to turn on my smile!
Honestly learning to choose to smile is harder for me than learning how to eat healthy.
As I said, there is hope. 
I did come across some pictures on Facebook where I actually did have a smile on my face. 
I also had hair on my head but I refuse to get a toupee or transplant!
I will however,continue to work on the smiling thing!
If I can tackle obesity I certainly can tackle a smile!

I am having a "Hole in your sock" kind of day so far today. 
What's a hole in your sock day?
Let me paint a picture for you.
As you start getting dressed in the morning, you pick out a pair of socks and as you put them on you notice a hole in the toe.
It's annoying but not a big deal. You get up to toss them away and grab another pair and you stub your toe on the foot of the bed.
 Sonuvabeeswax!
You rifle through your draw for another pair of brown socks and find all sorts of colors except brown.
So you decide to change the outfit you were wearing to one that might actually coordinate with the socks you have available.
As you get dressed,you start to put on your tie.
It's too short.
So you tie it again.
Still to short. So one more try....it's to long!
Finally you get it just right and head into the kitchen to grab a cup of coffee. It smells great and maybe a little break with a nice cup of Joe will calm things down. So you sit down with your cup of coffee and grab the newspaper and that's when your dog who misses you so much decides to jump up on your lap spilling the contents of your mug all over your outfit.
So you head back to your closet. pick out a whole new ensemble and change once more.
Finally you can start the day. You finish tying your tie, turn down the collar on your shirt and as you go to button that last button at your neck it falls off in 2 pieces in your hand.
That's a hole in your sock morning!
To say that I am a little on edge, a little frustrated and a little distracted would be a gross understatement.
While none of these things actually happened to me today, I can assure you that what has transpired makes these events pale in comparison.
So what do I do about that?
I just push on.
Take yet another deep breath and move forward.
Then take another deep breath, and another and another.
Eventually like an airline pilot climbing to find a clearing in the clouds, there will be daylight. 
If not, then we make due with the instrument panel in front of us and land this baby safely.
This ain't the first time I have had days like this and probably not the last time either.
So I just keep on keepin' on.
And make a note to buy some new socks!

Monday morning and my bus run is done for the day. In a few minutes Susan and I will head south to visit with her parents.
I have a situation with a shipment that is in search of an answer. At the moment, I am looking at a cancellation and a fairly significant financial hit. 
As is the case in many instances, other than being the conduit for flow of information, there is not a whole lot I can do to rectify the situation. 
My role in this is to pass on information and then basically sit back and wait for a response. 
It is unsettling,disturbing and ultimately frustrating.
Other than doing my part, my hands are tied .
I am handling this differently than I have in the past. In the past, I would be ringing my hands, racking my brain, trying to magically find a solution.
No matter how much I worried or stressed over these situations in the past, other than doing my part as the intermediary,I was of no real assistance. The only thing that would happen is my stress level would 
sky rocket.
I would lose sleep.
I would eat unconsciously.
I would be on edge with every one around me.
And in general I would be unpleasant to be around.
No matter the outcome, positive or negative, I would pay a huge emotional price until the issue was resolved.
I just can't afford to do that anymore.
Actually, I refuse to do that. 
I did not create the problem.
I can't resolve the problem.
I did my job.
Actually I have excelled at my job.
I normally worry how this will reflect on me.
I like being liked.
I like being counted on. 
When my vendors let me down or are let down by my clients, I take it personally.
Here's what I am certain of:
No matter how much I worry or stress  over this, I can't control what others do or think and therefore it just should not matter.
Easier said than done, but it must be!
So I am just going to ride this one out as best I can and know that everything works out.

Happy Father's Day!
The trainer's message board at the gym had this message today:
"If you wake up without a goal, go back to sleep!"Obviously it stuck in my head. I came home and Googled it to make sure I credited the right source. There doesn't seem to be any person attributed to this sage advice.
This whole Father's Day thing has me thinking. My kids all went to a memorial service yesterday for a friend's dad. A younger man, in his early 50's who got sick on Mother's Day . He didn't make it to another Father's Day.
I have a funeral to attend to later on today. Tomorrow I will light a candle for my aunt who passed away a number of years ago.
The reality of life is from the moment we are born, we are dying. Susan thinks that when I say this I am being negative.
Oh contrare!
I can't think of anything more life affirming. Yes, it is a reality that from day one we are all headed to the end.
The opportunity in that is to live each day as if there were no tomorrow. 
Live life to it's fullest.
Don't hold back!
Do not wait for tomorrow. 
There are no guarantees.
I have always heard 
people refer to "the promise of tomorrow".
How about the reality of today?
This is why I choose to load each and every day with as much as I possibly can. There is always an extra phone call to make.
There is always someone else for me to reach out to, to connect with.
I can always do one more good deed.
There is always an opportunity to make the most of today.
Do I fall short? 
Obviously!
That's what is so exciting when I open my eyes each morning and find that I have another day.
What a gift!
What a blessing!
We are not going to see Susan's dad today.
I have this funeral and I have to work, 
If all works out and I wake up tomorrow, we will head down after my bus run and celebrate Father's Day tomorrow.
So here's my thought. I will choose to celebrate every day as Father's Day and Mother's day, and my birthday, and my anniversary, and New years Day and even Yom Kippur,the day of atonement. 
Every day will be a day of remembrance as well as a day of celebration.
It is a fact, we are all dying.
I can choose to sit around and wait for that or I can  Live to Excel (Live2XL) every single time I wake up and find another day.
There is no negativity around that. 
There is nothing more life affirming than living!
Happy Father's Day!
Shavua Tov!

Not the start to my day that I had planned for!
Last night after dinner I strolled outside to see how far I had come along with filling the pool.
I peered over the side and saw that it was about 1/3 full. 
Not bad I thought. By tomorrow it will be completely filled and up and running.
As I turned to walk away I heard a noise.
Doink!!
Doink!
Doink!
What the hell is that I wondered?
Doink!
Doink!
 Doink!
This isn't a good sound.
Doink!
Doink!
Doink!
Oh crap! 
There's a hole in my liner!
I searched around the edges of the pool and saw no water seeping out.
Where is it going?
Oh crap!
It's pooling between the liner and the pool walls.
This is now causing buckling in the metal walls of the pool.
Quickly I sprang into action.
I pulled my submersible pump out and lowered it into the pool , ran an extension chord to it, placed the hose in an appropriate area and started draining the water as fast as possible.
In about an hour I had drained the water to below the level of the hole.
It's a fairly decent sized tear. I kind of think I know where it came from.
 I also know I probably have some culpability to how it got there.
Here's what didn't happen:
I didn't freak out.
I didn't catastrophise the event.
I didn't start cursing out my self or my life.
I didn't carry on as if the world was coming to an end.
I simply drained the water and made a plan to assess the situation in the daylight.
It's a hole.
I went to the pool store and bought a patch kit.
Later on today or tomorrow,with some assistance, I will get the hole patched over. Then I will start filling the pool once again. 
I can still get to work on my filter. 
I can still do the clean up work I had planned for the day.
I will still walk Sara's  dogs and then go help out at the shop.
And I will do all of that without having freaked out!
Pretty cool huh!


Shabbat Shalom!

Today is day 12 of 21 days without coffee. 
And you ask how am I doing? 
How do you think I'm doing!
Okay, just kidding. I'm doing just fine!
I can report that although I have proven that my indulgence in coffee is actually a habit and not a dependency,I have become acutely aware of just how intertwined coffee drinking is with my daily routine.
Over the last 12 days,I can't even begin to recount how many times I went to do something and realized that normally that activity would take place with a cup of coffee at hand.
Driving to South Jersey...need a travel cup of coffee.
Afternoon break ...cup of coffee. 
Visit to the shop in the middle of the day...cup of coffee. 
Waitress asks can I get you something to drink....I respond coffee.
Conference call...cup of coffee.
Return from morning bus run...yep , coffee!
I can hardly think of a daily activity that does not get rewarded or accompanied by a cup of coffee.
It's pretty amazing.
This is my third week with my new Friday schedule.
Thankfully the temperatures cooled enough yesterday for me to get the lawn mowed. I also finished cleaning out the pool.
This cleared my schedule enough or me to accommodate my revised calendar for the day. 
I still have plenty to do including work as well as readying for Shabbat. However the pressure seems to be off.
I drove, I shopped, I shopped some more and then after unpacking and checking my emails had some lunch.  
Then I went to work on the Halloween stuff that needed my attention. After all of that was cleaned up, I spent some time preparing as much as I could for tonight's dinner before once again attending to business matters.
I was just about to kick back and take a break when I realized I had not written to you today. 
It's almost 4:30 and dinner is ready to be heated up.
The dogs still have to be fed.
I have 1 must email to get out and I am waiting on an important phone call.
Still, there's no pressure.
Well maybe a little anxiousness surrounding the phone call I am expecting but hey, that's part of doing business.
The pool is filling which means tomorrow morning will be spent hooking up the filter. 
That will be my morning as the afternoon has me bathing dogs at the shop once again.
I have to admit I enjoy all of this. 
What's not to enjoy?
As the t-shirt says:
Life is good!

Shabbat Shalom!

If the good Lord could find a way to send me 364 more days a year that were like this I certainly would not complain!
It is absolutely perfect outside. 
My morning bus route was cool enough to allow me to drive with the windows open and just warm enough to not have to wear a jacket or sweatshirt.
As the day has moved along, the weather has gotten better and better. The whole area is bathed in bright warm sunshine .
Absolutely glorious!
The one cloud in my sky came when I received a phone call from a friend. He's roughly my age and finds himself in a place that I am only too familiar with.
In his early 60's, after decades of being an entrepreneur, he faces the same challenges I have struggled with for what seems like forever.
Smart, passionate,lovable,friendly,honest, hard working, yet feeling that because of his financial woes, he is struggling. And this is effecting his life in every arena.
What have I made of my life? 
What should my next move be?
Where did it go so wrong?
How did I get to this place, so far behind the financial 8 ball?
Where do I go from here?
As I said , I am way too familiar with that cursed house.
I have to admit,in this moment, at this particular time and place in my life, I feel as if I have moved out of that house.
You can't imagine how different that feels unless you have experienced life from both places.
I want to help. 
I would love to supply him with some answers, even guidance or suggestions.
To be honest, not only don't I have any, I am sure that they would not work or be appropriate. One thing I have learned along my Journey.....we have to find our own way.
So what can I offer?
My support.
My experiences.
My unyielding friendship.
And an ear whenever he feels the need to speak to some one .
Advise is usually a terrible offering.
Friendship and support .....like the credit card.....priceless!

Today marks the 17th anniversary of my father's passing.
As is custom in Judaism, I decided to go to services this morning so I could say the mourner's kaddish .
It was on my way to the synagogue that I realized that with my new bus schedule start time, I could, with a few adjustments to my morning routine, make it to services just about everyday.
To be clear, I am one who rarely connects to prayer in any way shape or form.
However,supporting the daily service , I can help fill a role by being one of the 10 men needed to make a minyan (Google it if you must).
In a flash, some of the dots that have been clouding my vision, became connected.
The other day I shared with my Rabbi my latest quote (yes every once in a while I am quotable!).
I stated:
"You can't start a fire with wet wood!"
I went on to share with him that lately I have been a piece of wet wood. A soggy , soaked,dripping wet log. 
I felt no spiritual or communal tug that would help draw me to be part of our congregation and community.
No matter what spark he could offer, no matter how much kindling the community could supply, my being wet wood could not catch on fire. 
Without the fire, there is no heat, no energy.
It's a fairly useless and generally unpleasant place to be.
Suddenly there is an opportunity for me to change all of  this.
I can take away the negative impact of my shortened work schedule and replace it with doing something positive,actually performing a mitzvah (good deed).
And how did I come to realize all of this?
By learning a lesson from my father. 
17 years in the grave and he still managed to find a way to show me a path towards being a mensch.
Thanks dad!
I needed that!

As I walked with the home appraiser around my house, we happened to get on the subject of weight loss

(Gee what a surprise!) 

Honestly he brought it up. So I kind of filled him in on my Journey and what we do at Why Weight.

I then pulled up a photo on my cell phone to give him an idea of where I have come from.

After the obligatory "WOW", he asked "how long ago was that?". It was only then that I realized it was 4 years ago today that I sent out my first email.

4 years!

My 100 day Journey is now 4 years old!

For 4 years you have kept me company, listened to me gripe and complain, and most importantly followed and supported me.

Words can not even begin to express the gratitude that I have for each and every person who has been there with me along the way.

There really is nothing else to say.

 In the words of  Lou Gehrig:

"Today, I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth."

Thank you my friend....you have no idea how wonderful this is and how much you mean to me!

"A Journey of 1000 miles DOES begin with a single step!"

A couple of weeks ago, I made a deal to augment my income by taking on another part time/spare time gig.
The project required me to put together a series of contact messages which eventually will be sent to each new client the company brings in.
My first challenge was to put together the dozen or so appropriate messages that will go to the clients. 
Once launched, every time a new client signs up, they will get these reminder emails . My job then becomes to make sure that as each client comes on board, the emails launch on the proper day as they are all time sensitive and address specific days in the program.
Today is launch day!
And I am actually nervous about this.
We're not talking about anything earth shattering or globally significant. 
Still, after weeks 2 weeks of putting this together, which comes after more than a year since the idea was first broached, I find myself both nervous and filled with a bit of anxious anticipation around this launch.
I am not sure what's at the root of all of this angst.
Possibly and most probably it is because for the first time in a long time it feels productive. 
There is no measurable result to let me know just how productive or useful these campaigns will be. 
The productive part is that I was tasked with a project and I have completed it.
No one stood over me and had to ask when will it be done.
No one had to prompt me or cajole me to meet a deadline. 
In fact other than a basic frame work of what was hoped for, the project fell squarely on my desk . But for a little bit of last minute polishing, I am ready to enter the email address of the new clients and press the send button.
I have no idea why this has me filled with so much anxious anticipation or nervousness. 
I just know how I am feeling about this and wanted to acknowledge that to some one.
Thanks for listening!

After a fairly productive Saturday, my Sunday continued with my regularly scheduled trip to the in-laws in South Jersey. This week instead of sitting around the old folks home ( literally, what else would you call an assisted living facility), Susan and I took her parents out for a "field trip".
We attempted to take them to church and then out to lunch. I say attempted because when we arrived at the church we found that they were celebrating this weeks service visiting with another congregation that they are considering merging with.
To say that my mother in-law was disappointed would be an understatement.
I tried to find the new location , however by the time we did, it was just too late to even attempt to go inside. The in-laws don't exactly move quickly nowadays and this new church had terrible access for someone in need of handicapped accommodations.
Undaunted, we made a mental note to make sure that the next time we attempt this we check with the church office before hand. 
So now it was off to an early lunch.
At one point during the drive my mother in-law turned to me and said"you must hate coming all the way down here every week" to which I replied "absolutely!".
I added I certainly have many other things I could be doing with my time and quite frankly our visits are about as much fun as a root canal without anesthesia.
I also added that how much I may dislike coming down or what I am giving up to make this weekly pilgrimage really doesn't matter. 
It's the right thing to do.
End of statement.
Maybe it's the price you pay as family.
Maybe it's my sense of responsibility. 
Maybe it's my way of making sure that they are not abandoned.
Maybe it's supporting my wife.
I can't tell you what it is other than it's my choice!
And quite honestly, it seems like a no brainer.
BTW.....lunch was very nice  and then we even took them on a little shopping trip.
 It was a very nice day.
Shavua Tov!

There will be no Spring this year!
We have had a lot of wet and cold up until now. 
Today Summer set in!
The work I have planned for the day is all outside and I'm telling you it's rough out there. 
The Sun is brutal and the sudden spike in temperature is miking getting a whole lot accomplished difficult.
So I make adjustments.
I am taking frequent breaks, drinking plenty of water and pacing myself. I have also made sure that the list of what I want to get accomplished today is not beyond my capabilities. 
At day's end, being able to say "Job well done!" to myself is important.
Expending this much energy and ultimately being disappointed in what didn't get done would be self defeating.
It's going on 2 p.m. and the Sun is at it's most oppressive point in the sky.
I will probably shut down for a couple of hours, recover and recuperate from the last few hours and then pick up again when the heat has subsided a bit.
With any kind of luck, I may be able to get a helping hand from my son to wrap up the day.
I know that with a modicum of assistance I will be able to summon the strength to finish strong. 
Shabbat Shalom!