life, and a little more

MMX, part 2

Dec 31

metalman777Life, family 2010, looking ahead No Comments

In MMX, part 1, I looked back on 2009 and reminisced on the good times I had with my family.

Part 2 looks ahead at the coming 2010 year. I don’t plan to make resolutions, but instead want I want to write about a few things that I’m quite looking forward to this year!

1. My middle daughter turning the big 13 in March! She is so excited to finally get a cell phone! Now I’ll have two teenagers! God save me! (just kidding, as my Bekah is an awesome girl and I love her very, very much!)
2. Running my first Half-Marathon in April. It will be in Santa Cruz, running alongside the ocean. How awesome is that?
3. Summer break with the kids. We’re gonna try to do a cheap Disneyland trip; the kids are finally old enough to ride ALL the rides. Just no “It’s A Small World” for me please.
4. Celebrating anniversary number 17 with Cindy. I honestly can’t believe it’s been that long! I’m grateful for every day!
5. Getting the kids back in school. We’ll have a Junior, 8th Grader and a 6th Grader. 3 kids in 2 different schools instead of three. That’ll be nice for Cindy!
6. Finally getting out of debt. I’m working my butt off right now and we should be debt free by next fall. That is a major burden off my shoulders.
7. Hannah turning 16 and getting her driver’s license. Yes, I’m nervous as heck, but at the same time I’m super excited for her. I definitely feel more gray hair sprouting even as I type this.

2010 is going to be an awesome year. I can just feel it.

MMX, part 1

Dec 30

metalman777Life, family 2010, looking ahead No Comments

This time of year is usually spent doing two things.

People look back at the past year and reflect if it was a good or bad. A few sum up the best of the year in top 10 lists, as I have done with my best music of 2009 playlist.

After looking back, those same people usually cast a glance at the year to come and make a list of resolutions they plan to keep. I did this very thing last year.

My resolutions for were:
That said, here are those goals for 2009:

1. Follow Jesus where ever He takes me.

2. Get healthy and drop some pounds.

3. Make family a priority.

4. Definitely read more and watch less movies.

5. Pick up the bass guitar and learn some sweet bass lines.

6. Buy Guitar Hero Metallica the minute it comes out!

I have to say I actually made some headway this year and did accomplish most everything on the list.

1. Follow Jesus where ever He takes me? I’ll be honest and say it has been a tad uncomfortable at times. Not in the martyr, follow-Jesus-to-the-death way, but in the shedding some more of my religious, dogmatic underpinnings and not-wanting-to-be-part-of-the-churchy-do-it-like-this-because-we’ve-always-done-it-like-this way. I love Jesus more than ever and am so grateful to see Him in new ways. He is my shepherd and leader, and no one else.

2. I started running in June and have lost almost 20 pounds! [in my best Austin Powers impersonation] Yeah baby!

3. Family is the priority. It is tough because I’ve been working so much overtime to get out of debt that I feel as though I’m neglecting them at times. It helps to know this is a temporary thing and soon I’ll have time to be with them AND have money to take ‘em on a nice vacation!

4. Read some great books and watched a lot of great movies.

5. I borrowed a bass guitar and took a few lessons, but it just didn’t fit into my schedule. But I tried!

6. Guitar Hero Metallica is awesome and a blast to play. I just hate being crushed by my 15 year old daughter. Seriously, she can beat my by 100,000 points and she’s playing on expert!

My 2009 Top 10 Playlist

Dec 20

metalman777music, videos best of 2009, playlist, youtube No Comments

Just in case you don’t want to visit my individual blog posts with my individual Top 10 videos, you can scroll through this playlist and watch the ones you want!