What I am thankful for...

Having a wonderful family that can always get along, even on six-hour road trips.
Loving and being loved by a girl I look up to more than she knows.
Really enjoying what I do for a profession. It is a wonderful feeling to be creating something not many others do (or know how to do) and is used by some of the most important people in the world.
Owning my own home.
Having a wild dog that can not stand still whenever I come home.
Being healthy and fit.
Having goals and surpassing them.
Never being satisfied.
Oh yeah, Borat the movie, should be hilarious...

Have a great week!

Up North In the Canoe With Millie

How Dumb Can TV Game Shows Get?

I have never watched a full episode of Deal or No Deal. Nonethelesss, this past Monday I turned the TV on to watch the new show Heroes (fun show) and caught the last five minutes of Deal or No Deal. WOW! How stupid can a game show be? My dog could actually play the game! The commercials claim that it is a hit, and if it truly is, I find this news to be really, really depressing. The one individual I saw playing asked his buddy for help, who supposedly "crunched the numbers," since he is an engineer, and determined he should go for it. How complicated can it really be?

Markets are picking up in volatility, making life more exciting. Hopefully, it will continue now that the summer months are behind us.

Janna and I went "Up North" this weekend, which was fantastic. Cast a few times for a musky. Got out on the lake on the canoe. Hiked Wolf Mountain. Roamed the woods with Millie (dog). It was a great time and hopefully we will be spending more time up there in the future.

Have a great rest of the week!

Taking Time Off From a Long Distance Running Routine Isn't Smart

About four weeks ago, I decided to give my legs/arms a break after a summer of swimming, biking, and/or running everyday but Monday. Every other day or so I have only been jogging 3 to 6 miles, sometimes skipping an extra day. Well, last night I set out to run 6 miles quite quickly (goal = 7 min 30 sec miles) and failed at it miserably. It is amazing how quickly one's endurance can slide! Well, I'll have to continue to take it easy for the winter OR start doing some more tempo and long distance runs. Mixing the two is not good. A part of me wants to really pull back on running and start to lift weights, I am sick of being thinner than a rail.

What is it with other people my age spending just about every dollar they make on things they do not need!!! I have gotten a few e-mails lately from friends (who do not make more than $100K/year), blowing their money on BMW's, wide-screen LCD TV's, boats, and vacations. One of my friends just got a bonus and decided to rush out and lease a BMW 5 series. He actually leased it!!! Crazy stuff. I thought this would end once people realized that the housing market is in trouble and those ARM's are going to re-set. It is great to live in the moment, but we all need at least some savings.

P.S. I am a little jealous about the BMW 5 Series...