Por otra parte...

How much sleep DO you get each day?

I honestly think I get about the necessary amount of sleep I need most days. That turns out to be less than 6 hours. I seem to be both a night person and a morning person...if something is going on. If the night gets boring, I get sleepy. But, no matter how late I stay up, or how long a day I have, I still wake up easily. I am more of a morning person, though...maybe because breakfast is such a great meal.

Otro cuestión para hoy

How much sleep do you need each day?

Cuestión del Día

What is the best meal of the day?
Tell me about it.

For me, the best meal is breakfast. My standard: French Toast with scrapple and scrambled eggs. Cranberry juice and coffee. (Sometimes milk if its later and I already had juice). And the earlier in the morning, the better.
The best breakfast I ever had, however, was quite different from that. It was fried salmon, potatoes, and eggs with mozz. cheese, peppers and onions. The potatoes were fried in butter and garlic, with some hot-pepper seasoning added toward the end. I served this to a few employees, one of whom couldn't believe I was serving fish for breakfast...but they all loved it. Oh, there was also some white rice on the side for the 2 spanish girls who don't eat hot stuff. Breakfast was on at 6am that day.

save your appetite

So, Thanksgiving is Coming.

I get to experience Thanksgiving a new way this year. I will be visiting my other (Ecuador) family on Thursday. And I got a little heat for it last week. Of course, my mom wants to know why I'm not coming "home", then another family wants to know why I'm going for dessert this year. (I've been going there for dessert the last 6-7 years). I tried to explain that its because of 5-yr old Jenny..my mom bought that, "I guess". Umm...Dee (dessert friend), on the other hand, did not. When I made my plans known to her, she politely sat down next to me and started questioning. She asked the "5 why's", and got to the root of the situation. First, I want to say that Jenny's invitation really was all it took, seriously. But, I should maybe finally confess that Jenny's mom has a bit to do with it, as well. I have made friends with the entire family, and actually would have accepted an invitation from any one of them, especially Jenny. But, her mom is kinda cute. And, I have it on good authority that she might have a little crush on me...and I might have a little crush on her. There is nothing going on here, ella está muy tímida. She also needs a certain amount of time to get her daughter accustomed to not being around her father...that is going to take some time.

Anyway, I know I'm going to enjoy the day, being around the family, and especially Jenny. She stopped in my restaurant for breakfast this morning and asked me to come see her tonight.

iQue dulce!

Cuestión del día

What's the best Thanksgiving you can imagine?

Movie review #1

Crash 2004 Lion's Gate Films

Alright, I am not a big movie person. Seriously, I hit the theatre maybe once a year, and rent 3-4 times more. Most movies I will tell you are "okay", or maybe "good". I just saw a movie that I was promised I would cry, and promised it would change my life. So many lessons to learn in this movie. Its about a couple "normal" days in the life of several families in LA. You know, on any given day anything can happen. Anything. That can be awesome, or that can royally suck. I am not of the media, and I have recommended less than 5 movies in my life. I absolutely recommend this movie. Its rated 'R', and a little harsh at times...but wow! If you are an adult, you should see this movie. I have so much to think about after this movie. So much.


Oh, and yeah...I cried. Thanks Aryn.

country shout

This past Tuesday Sarah asked which country we would all most like to visit. My answer was Ecuador, for several reasons...so today I am giving a shout to Ecuador. This is a country full of a simpler people, with a much stronger sense of community and family than America. I love the USA, but I want to visit Ecuador...I have had a bunch of offers to move there....how much will I like it when I visit??? I already have friends there. Is there a country you would consider moving to?

Cuestión del día

What do you fear?

I suppose coming face to face with some wild beast, like an 800-pound grizzly bear would strike some fear in me, or being held at gun-point by someone who is visibly unstable. But what fear do you have that drives you in life? I think my driving fear is the potential to become useless.
¿Y Ud?

"Good" Advice

Is their such a thing as good or bad advice?

Isn't advice mainly subjective wisdom, or a method to solve a situation that someone has used that worked for them? It may or may not work for you...maybe that's where it becomes good or bad. This thought is brought to my mind by a story on the news this morning about one Dr. Richard Ferber. Okay, he has credentials. Does that make his advice good? He wrote a book on teaching babies to sleep, published in 1985, that is currently under scrutiny. Now, I have no babies, so I can offer no opinion on whether or not I like his advice. But, why is it just now (20 yrs later) becoming a contraversy, and can one really be mad at him for offering advice that may not have worked?

What exactly constitutes good advice?

Decision-Making

What kind of a decision-maker are you?
Do you consider everyone's feelings?
Do you take a vote and move on majority or consensus?
Do you discuss the matter until everyone agrees?
Do you steamroll over everyone?
Pleeeeaassse, don't give me that "it depends on the situation" stuff.
I am aware that some situations call for delicate handling, and some situations are urgent or time-sensitive. Which do you consider the best way overall, and at which are you best?

Personally, I like the consensus, but without killing the horse. Now, I have been known to skip the buy-in process from time to time and become a steamroller, thus hurting some feelings. I am told that I'm good at this one. I am but a man.

Cuestión del día

Do you have a mentor?

It seems to me that we all need guidance in life. I have 2 people at work who have helped me grow smarter in business and also in counseling others. I would not, however, consider them mentors. I also have plenty of friends who help me through life, some older and some close to my age--a few younger than myself--who teach me strong lessons in life. But a mentor is one who spends time with you in order to help you grow. Not grow with you--for "a student is not above his teacher" (Matt 10:24). This doesn't mean the mentor no longer grows. On the contrary--if he doesn't grow, how will he help you to grow? How can he expect you to grow?

My mentor was helping me grow well before I knew it. (He had plans for me..) I knew he was teaching me "Bible stuff", but he was also teaching me about faith. He baptized me, and has continued to teach me and to develop me spiritually into a teacher and a servant. May this work never grow tired.

I encourage all who read this to find a mentor, and to become a mentor. If you have a mentor, comment and describe (briefly).

Youth Group Blog

Guys, check out a new blog site--The Suga Shack--its about the Youth Group here in Collingswood. Why the "Suga Shack?" I guess you'll have to visit and find out.
God loves you!

Su Prima

Okay, I have posted plenty about Jenny, the cutest little girl en el mundo. Here is her cousin, Stephanie. I have finally been able to get a picture of her. She's not at all shy, just hasn't been available for the camera. I know this pic looks a little like a "feed the hungry children" ad because of her t-shirt, but don't worry-she's fine. These are 2 kids I would not let starve. She and her grandparents came over for dinner a couple nights ago. I actually cooked Ecuadorian style for them! The fried plantains--I was told tasted just like someone made them in Ecuador. I'm proud of that--it was the first time I ever did it. Now, I will confess the first couple slices burned in about 8 seconds...but I adjusted the temp and the rest came out perfectly. They showed me a video of some people in Ecuador sending greetings to family in the US, then Stephanie asked me if I would take her to see Ecuador. I asked her why not her mom. Apparently if you are a citizen, its hard to get out of the country-they want to make sure you come back. (explanation courtesy of abuelos) Stephanie was born here, so US citizen, naturally.
Her grandparents are Victor and Luisa...or better known at work as "Mami" and "Papi". They have become good friends. Oh, and they like the idea of me taking their nieta to Ecuador. I told them I might if they pay. They still seemed interested...maybe next year??

College Football, anyone?

I am not taking bets, but a few good games coming this Saturday:
Miami at Virginia Tech
Tennessee at Notre Dame (I would actually like to Tenn win that one..sorry Adam)
Wisconsin at Penn St.
I hopefully will be watching the last one...being a Penn St fan worried about Wisconsin.
Homefield advantage...we'll see.
V Tech over Miami in a close one? Or no contest?
I say close.