Support my AVON WALK TEAM

I am supporting  the Avon Walk For Breast Cancer on May 31st & June 1st.

I am unable to participate in the walk this year, but  I want to continue my support of the event. We are raising as a team which will allow us to assist each other in hitting our fundraising goals.

Your contribution will help to support medical research into the possible causes of and cure for breast cancer, education and early detection programs, and clinical care and support services for women with breast cancer in communities across the country. There is a special focus on helping medically underserved women, the poor, minorities, the elderly, or those with inadequate health insurance. And much of the money granted by the Foundation goes back to the communities where it was raised, supporting everything from local grassroots programs to national organizations.

Whatever you can give will help! I truly appreciate your support..

Please donate at:

http://info.avonfoundation.org/site/TR/Walk/Chicago?px=1001798&pg=personal&fr_id=2363

Thanks Again for your support.

TJ Shields.

Nurse reveals the top 5 regrets people make on their deathbed | The Mind Unleashed

Nurse reveals the top 5 regrets people make on their deathbed | The Mind Unleashed:

'via Blog this'

1. I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.
2. I wish I didn’t work so hard.
3. I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings.
4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.
5. I wish that I had let myself be happier.

What is important in your life? What Fills your life?

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, he wordlessly picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles roll
ed into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full.. The students responded with a unanimous ‘yes.’

The professor then produced two Beers from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar effectively filling the empty space between the sand.The students laughed..

‘Now,’ said the professor as the laughter subsided, ‘I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things—-your family, your children, your health, your friends and your favorite passions—-and if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house and your car.. The sand is everything else—-the small stuff.

‘If you put the sand into the jar first,’ he continued, ‘there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life.

If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff you will never have room for the things that are important to you.

Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness.

Spend time with your children. Spend time with your parents. Visit with grandparents. Take your spouse out to dinner. Play another 18. There will always be time to clean the house and mow the lawn.

Take care of the golf balls first—-the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the Beer represented. The professor smiled and said, ‘I’m glad you asked.’ The Beer just shows you that no matter how full your life may seem, there’s always room for a couple of Beers with a friend.

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Every day I wake up Scared.

You know what is the worst? Waking up scared every day.
  Every morning I wake up in pure dread. For myself, for my family and never knowing if it's going to get better.
  Faith helps. I believe in a higher power and that there is something beyond  human comprehension out there, but I can't rely on it to solve my problems or help me.
   Positive attitude helps. I try to see the bright side to all things. I know that; for every up there is a down. every dark cloud has a silver lining, every closed door has an open window, but me being Libra and knowing that there must be a balance, I can't know that the good things will come my way when there is a need stronger then mine in the world.
  Holding my son really helps. The comfort and security in knowing that my young son holds me and knows that I would do anything for him and keep him safe. The unconditional love of a child heals those worries and for only a few minutes I have hope that some good will come my way. Even if it's just that moment in the morning when I come in after he is awake, I see the smile on his face, then I pick him up and he just lays his head on my shoulder and I can feel his arms squeeze me gently and I just hold him for a minute or two. Boy man, that really helps me.

  Then I walk out that door and start walking to work. I have to listen to music or a book just to keep the dark thoughts from invading my brain.
 I can't even imagine what it's like for those who are homeless out on the streets where every day is a challenge just to find food or a safe place to sleep.   I can't even think about how a sick person in a hospital bed must feel. Whether in pain or waiting for the doctors to figure out what is wrong and fix them, all the while hoping that their medical insurance is enough or if they will have enough money to keep them well. Worse of all, those people who wake up in a war-torn country knowing that just walking out the door is a risk to them and their family. I can't figure out why I am able to think about my problems and even try to compare them to those who suffer around the world. Where human beings are treated cruelly just for their status or color or religious beliefs. Why do we do this to ourselves? Why can't we all see that we are all of the same race of humans and find a way to put our differences aside and work for the common good? Why does there have to be a separation of classes and people by money and power?  What is the Point of that?!

  I want so much to make the world NOT like this. But How? How can I, just one man, change the ways of thousands, upon millions, of people who are suffering just as much if not more then me? How do I change hundreds of years of stereotypes, hate and religious bigotry that exists between human beings?  How do I get people to see that there is enough for everyone to be happy? That we can all live with each other in peace and everyone can get what they want/need to be happy?  That we can all believe in whatever religious or personal belief system they want and no one is right or wrong?

  I just wish I could understand. To fine a point of logic to all this hurt, suffering, unhappiness and pain that human beings inflict on themselves for no logical point, other than to protect and provide for themselves and the people they care for. I just want to know what it would take.  What does the world need to know for every human being to stop and think about how what they are doing effects all the people in the world and how it is helping or hurt them?
 
 The sad thing I know is I may never find an answer. That though I pose this question, I may never get an answer that satisfies my want to help people make this world a better place for my son, my family and all the other people in the world. But you know what.....I'm going to do it anyway. SCREW IT! I don't care if I get help or not. I'm going to try the best I can to make this world a better place for my son, my family, my friends and every human being that is born on this world of ours and is trying to make a better life for themselves. I'm going to do it.  Even if it means giving up my life and having to lay it down for another, I'll do it.

Because I remember the words of my guru and faith, the words that have stoked a fire in my soul for years. "There is no greater love says the lord, than to lay down your life for a friend," & " DO or DO NOT, There is no TRY!"

The End of 3 Decade story that will cause a lake of Tears from Star Wars Fans

Op-ed: Disney takes a chainsaw to the Star Wars expanded universe

 The decision made by the Walt Disney company to tear down the Star Wars Expanded Universe canon (all stories/novels/comics/video games that existed outside of the 6 feature films) is truly sad for all Star Wars fans.
  I am one of those fans. I remember being on vacation with my family in Colorado in 1991, when I first saw Star Wars: Heir to the Empire by Timothy Zahn sitting on the book sales rack at the grocery store we were in.  I was shocked!!!  I had seen many a kid's book that referenced the Star Wars movies but Never had I seen a Novel. I instantly bought it. I must have read it 2-3 times. When the next book and the third book came out I read them both again and again. I was so excited to finally know what happened to my favorite characters and their continuing adventures. Also to read about all the new characters was even more impressive and fun.  Years later I would continue reading on and on about my favorite characters in the massive series of novels that came out. In addition to the Series' of comics that Dark Horse Publishing was releasing, all seeming to stick with the story line of the Star Wars Universe. Even novels like "Splinter of a Mind's Eye" and "Shadow's of the Empire" which took place in-between the original Trilogy movies were Excellent.
   I was well into the reading when the announcement of the re-releasing of original trilogy and the new 3 Star Wars movies. I was Thrilled! What I loved most about the movies was that they stayed within the Star Wars Expanded universe and didn't take away from any of what the novels had laid down.
 Now regardless of what the author Lee Hutchinson says about the novels and comics, I'm no expert on story and writing, but I know that the stories gave me the characters and excitement I wanted and allowed me to continue living in the Star Wars Universe from my youth up to my adulthood.
  Regardless of Disney wanting to create new movies for the Star Wars Series of Films, they should take into account the thousands of published works and that Lucasfilm both commissioned and allowed the novelists  and comic book writers to publish these works and keep the idea and values of the Star Wars series alive and current in the minds of it's fans and new interested readers.
  Even now, you can go on Amazon.com and Audible.com and read the reviews on these novels and comic book productions that have entertained fans for 3 decades (1980-2010).

  I'm not saying that they shouldn't change things. Cleaning out the published works that have no bearing on the movement of the story forward and concerning the characters from all 6 movies and the animated series that have been made for the current Star Wars Canon makes sense. But they should keep the works that have been responsible for keeping the fans interested and continued following the Star Wars Epic for all the years after Return of the Jedi left the theaters. For example, The Thrawn Trilogy by Timothy Zahn is regarded as the biggest and most accepted series in the Star Wars EU(expanded universe) and should be allowed to continue to exist in the story line.  Any novels and comics that have been written about the main characters and have kept the story moving forward through the years should be kept.
 I personally don't want any of the novels I grew up with to be taken out of the EU, but I will admit that taking steps to streamline the story for the new films makes sense. My only concern is that it benefit Disney more then hurt for them to keep the stories that the fans appreciate more than what could be created in the new films.  As with Episodes I-III, many fans were very disappointed in the stories that were created and what has come after them.  The Star Wars Saga has a chance to continue on for new generations to enjoy, But Disney must be careful to not offend too many fans that have stood by the name and story of Star Wars since their youth.

 I caution Disney in taking this action, but I fear that I won't be heard.
 I love Star Wars. The material has been a major part of who I am and the Man that I have become. It's ideas and mythology has been the strength behind my convictions and decisions I have made in my life. I will continue to love and look for guidance from the lessons that Star Wars gives. I will still hold onto my books and re-read them when they are taken out of the EU since they were the stories that gave me an escape from the cruel world around me. I will stand with Star Wars, but Disney has gone down a notch in my heart for taking something so precious away from me.

BREAK.com Prank it Forward!!!

Prank IT Forward

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLi4_17dTpNzUgGYAb2XgXDyEYfnQfuWpg

I am a Murphy's Law/Bad Luck/Karmatic Magnet!

I'm just going to lay it out like it is, but not in the order that it happened because honestly I just need to get this off my chest.
 Here we go....

 My wife and I got married, we moved into a house together and we have a son. All this happened in the last 2 years.
  Now to start, after moving into our new home, we planned on renting my old condo since we were not going to be able to get what I originally paid for it back in 2004. We even dropped the rental price to be less then the more expensive in the area.  NO HITS. We then decided to sell it. Unfortunately we decided this just before the winter and the holiday season set in, so we got very few hits. In the mean time, I'm now paying 2 mortgages (house and condo) and assessments for the condo. And to add insult to injury the mortgage company (Ellswa Argofa) decided to raise our house mortgage payments by about 20%.
  Next, my wife when she had our son was working as a High School English Teacher in Rockford IL. So her stress levels were very high.  The pregnancy went through some major turbulence because we live about 15 minutes from Chicago and Rockford IL is about a 2 hour drive from our house.  The spring/summer/fall portion of that period was VERY hot (check Rockford, IL weather for Summer 2013), and the school has NO central A/C and NO window units for the rooms.  Now after request for A/C as a medical need was sent from the doctors and insurance companies to the school, they refused to install AC for my wife.
   When my wife had our son, she only took about 2 weeks off to recover. She then started back almost immediately full time at the school. Our son had to make the treck to Rockford, IL with my wife for daycare because of our works schedules. Basically the ones closer to our home closed before either of us got home from work. Also one of us needed to be available to pick him up if there was an emergency. This was also a factor because of the financial demands above. Both paychecks were needed.
  Now about 4 months into the year my wife came under the weather with Postpartum Depression. This unfortunately came about because of the High Stresses of her job, combined with taking care of our son and the long commute to and from work. Not to mention the 36 hour delivery of our son and complications that occurred there-after. I tried my best to relieve her stress levels and take some of the load off, but it wasn't going to be enough.  My wife was under orders to take medical rest by her doctors and therapists, but almost all of her sick leave was used up when my son was born. In addition, her therapists requested from the school that because of her stress levels, she must be allowed to finish her day 2 hours early in order to pick up my son and have more time to handle the commute home. This would also allow us to have my son go to a local daycare, making it unnecessary to travel the 2 hrs to Rockford. Once again, the school refused. They demanded that my wife return to her full time schedule. When she refused they told her(basically) to stay home without pay. We have decided that this has been in effort to make her quit since firing her would violate the terms of her contract. She has been trying to find a new job that is closer to home and easier for her to manage, but no such luck.
  Now combine all this together with our regular stresses and financial amounts and we are now up to our necks in trouble. Basically, my pay check is the only one coming in and it hasn't been enough. I have burned through almost all of my savings and we are now coming into tax season and I have the State real estate taxes due on the condo plus the 2 mortgages and all the rest of our spending.  In short, with in 2 months my wife and I will be bankrupt and lose the house and condo.
  So my wife will again have to start working in Rockford and my son will have to travel with her as well to daycare.  We can only hope that we can sell my condo and my wife can find another job closer to home so that we can afford to keep the house and live a somewhat comfortable and economical life together.
 But I think are chances are better at winning lotto, then again i've been wrong before.....so Maybe?

Update: My wife's therapist thinks that if she goes back to work in Rockford, she will slip further into her postpartum depression and things could worsen.