Kudos to Brad who picked us up at the airport...and took us home after Chinatown dinner. In between we had a 3 hour spa treatment at Body Restoration 1611 Walnut...215 569 9599. Had a facial, body scrub by Janel. Massage by Rachael Garcia, who happens to be an opera singer. Saturday night, Gem took us home. The next morning, he took us to the airport. Unfortunately, someone broke off the side door mirror. If I was going to be out of the box, it will be with family and friends. A memorable weekend. Great times!!!
Monday, March 30, 2009
OUT OF THE BOX
The FIND/Drexel in Philly...to the Tower Of Power concert. I ate way out of the box: Philly Cheese Steak subs upon arrival....dinner at Chinatown.....salad and pizza across the street...another Philly cheese steak, fries, carrot cake (homemade and awesome)....Susan's Kitchenette....Steak and eggs at Village Inn. I'm feelin it today. Golfed at Signature with Max and Roy on a beautiful, breezy day. what a memorable weekend.
AUTOGRAPHS
Emilio Castillo, Doc Kupka, Rocco Prestia and David Garibaldi. The remaining four who gigged with us.
tower of power - soul vaccination
the real deal. saw them at Sandler Hall. Got 4 of the originals to autograph my Lake Hills ticket.
TOWER OF POWER
We saw them at Sandler Hall. They were kicking mucho ass!!! The highlight was getting the remaining four originals to autograph my Lake Hills Ticket. Yep...Yepp....
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Thursday, March 19, 2009
STAYING IN THE BOX
Had a rest day. I felt hungry more than anytime since I started the diet. In last night's class, it was mentioned this week and next are important to stay in the box. I stayed in the box and just added 3 more shakes than usual. Watched the Huskies dominate Mississippi St. It's the start of March madness. A time of year when I recalled my spring break jaunts to the Bay area. My oh my has time flown by.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
ECONOMIC WOES
With the economy going down hill, here is a letter from a small business owner.
-------------------------------------
To All My Valued Employees,
There have been some rumblings around the office about the future of this company, and more specifically, your job. As you know, the economy has changed for the worse and presents many challenges. However, the good news is this: the economy doesn't pose a threat to your job. What does threaten your job, however, is the changing political landscape in this country.However, let me tell you some little tidbits of fact which might help you decide what is in your best interests.
First, while it is easy to spew rhetoric that casts employers against employees, you have to understand that for every business owner there is a back story. This back story is often neglected and overshadowed by what you see and hear. Sure, you see me park my Mercedes outside. You've seen my big home at last year's Christmas party. I'm sure all these flashy icons of luxury conjure up some idealized thoughts about my life. However, what you don't see is the back story.I started this company 28 years ago. At that time, I lived in a 300 square foot studio apartment for 3 years. My entire living apartment was converted into an office so I could put forth 100% effort into building a company which, by the way, would eventually employ you.My diet consisted of Ramen Pride noodles because every dollar I spent went back into this company. I drove a rusty Toyota Corolla with a defective transmission. I didn't have time to date. Oftentimes, I stayed home on weekends while my friends went out drinking and partying. In fact, I was married to my business -- hard work, discipline, and sacrifice.Meanwhile, my friends got jobs. They worked 40 hours a week and made a modest $50K a year and spent every dime they earned. They drove flashy cars and lived in expensive homes and wore fancy designer clothes. Instead of hitting the Nordstrom's for the latest hot fashion item, I was trolling through the Goodwill store extracting any clothing item that didn't look like it was birthed in the 70's. My friends refinanced their mortgages and lived a life of luxury. I, however, did not. I put my time, my money, and my life into a business with the vision that eventually, some day, I too would be able to afford these luxuries my friends supposedly had.
So, while you physically arrive at the office at 9 a. m., mentally check in at about noon, and then leave at 5 p.m., I don't. There is no "off" button for me. When you leave the office, you are done and you have a weekend all to yourself. I unfortunately do not have the freedom. I eat and breathe this company every minute of the day. There is no rest. There is no weekend. There is no happy hour. Every day this business is attached to my hip like a 1 year old special-needs child. You, of course, only see the fruits of that garden -- the nice house, the Mercedes, the vacations... You never realize the back story and the sacrifices I've made...Now the economy is falling apart and I, the guy that made all the right decisions and saved his money, have to bail out all the people who didn't. The people that overspent their paychecks suddenly feel entitled to the same luxuries that I earned and sacrificed a decade of my life for.Yes, business ownership has its benefits but the price I've paid is steep and not without wounds.
Unfortunately, the cost of running this business and employing you is starting to eclipse the threshold of marginal benefit and let me tell you why:I am being taxed to death and the government thinks I don't pay enough. I have state taxes. Federal taxes. Property taxes. Sales and use taxes. Payroll taxes. Workers compensation taxes. Unemployment taxes. Taxes on taxes. I have to hire a tax man to manage all these taxes and then guess what? I have to pay taxes for employing him. Government mandates and regulations and all the accounting that goes with it, now occupy most of my time. On Oct 15th, I wrote a check to the US Treasury for $288,000 for quarterly taxes. You know what my "stimulus" check was? Zero. Nada. Zilch.The question I have is this: Who is stimulating the economy? Me, the guy who has provided 14 people good paying jobs and serves over 2,200,000 people per year with a flourishing business? Or, the single mother sitting at home pregnant with her fourth child waiting for her next welfare check? Obviously, government feels the latter is the economic stimulus of this country.The fact is, if I deducted (read: stole) 50% of your paycheck, you'd quit and you wouldn't work here. I mean, why should you? That's nuts. Who wants to get rewarded only 50% of their hard work? Well, I agree which is why your job is in jeopardy.Here is what many of you don't understand ... to stimulate the economy you need to stimulate what runs the economy. Had suddenly government mandated to me that I didn't need to pay taxes, guess what? Instead of depositing that $288,000 into the Washington black-hole, I would have spent it, hired more employees, and generated substantial economic growth. My employees would have enjoyed the wealth of that tax cut in the form of promotions and better salaries. But you can forget it now.When you have a comatose man on the verge of death, you don't defibrillate and shock his thumb thinking that will bring him back to life, do you? Or, do you defibrillate his heart?
Business is at the heart of America and always has been. To restart it, you must stimulate it, not kill it. Suddenly, the power brokers in Washington believe the poor of America are the essential drivers of the American economic engine. Nothing could be further from the truth and this is the type of change you can keep.So where am I going with all this?It's quite simple.If any new taxes are levied on me, or my company, my reaction will be swift and simple. I fire you. I fire your co-workers. You can then plead with the government to pay for your mortgage, your SUV, and your child's future. Frankly, it isn't my problem any more.Then, I will close this company down, move to another country, and retire. You see, I'm done. I'm done with a country that penalizes the productive and gives to the unproductive. My motivation to work and to provide jobs will be destroyed, and with it, will be my citizenship.If you lose your job, it won't be at the hands of the economy. It will be at the hands of a political hurricane that swept through this country, steamrolled the Constitution, and will have changed its landscape forever. If that happens, you can find me sitting on a beach, retired, and with no employees to worry about....
Signed,Your boss
-------------------------------------
To All My Valued Employees,
There have been some rumblings around the office about the future of this company, and more specifically, your job. As you know, the economy has changed for the worse and presents many challenges. However, the good news is this: the economy doesn't pose a threat to your job. What does threaten your job, however, is the changing political landscape in this country.However, let me tell you some little tidbits of fact which might help you decide what is in your best interests.
First, while it is easy to spew rhetoric that casts employers against employees, you have to understand that for every business owner there is a back story. This back story is often neglected and overshadowed by what you see and hear. Sure, you see me park my Mercedes outside. You've seen my big home at last year's Christmas party. I'm sure all these flashy icons of luxury conjure up some idealized thoughts about my life. However, what you don't see is the back story.I started this company 28 years ago. At that time, I lived in a 300 square foot studio apartment for 3 years. My entire living apartment was converted into an office so I could put forth 100% effort into building a company which, by the way, would eventually employ you.My diet consisted of Ramen Pride noodles because every dollar I spent went back into this company. I drove a rusty Toyota Corolla with a defective transmission. I didn't have time to date. Oftentimes, I stayed home on weekends while my friends went out drinking and partying. In fact, I was married to my business -- hard work, discipline, and sacrifice.Meanwhile, my friends got jobs. They worked 40 hours a week and made a modest $50K a year and spent every dime they earned. They drove flashy cars and lived in expensive homes and wore fancy designer clothes. Instead of hitting the Nordstrom's for the latest hot fashion item, I was trolling through the Goodwill store extracting any clothing item that didn't look like it was birthed in the 70's. My friends refinanced their mortgages and lived a life of luxury. I, however, did not. I put my time, my money, and my life into a business with the vision that eventually, some day, I too would be able to afford these luxuries my friends supposedly had.
So, while you physically arrive at the office at 9 a. m., mentally check in at about noon, and then leave at 5 p.m., I don't. There is no "off" button for me. When you leave the office, you are done and you have a weekend all to yourself. I unfortunately do not have the freedom. I eat and breathe this company every minute of the day. There is no rest. There is no weekend. There is no happy hour. Every day this business is attached to my hip like a 1 year old special-needs child. You, of course, only see the fruits of that garden -- the nice house, the Mercedes, the vacations... You never realize the back story and the sacrifices I've made...Now the economy is falling apart and I, the guy that made all the right decisions and saved his money, have to bail out all the people who didn't. The people that overspent their paychecks suddenly feel entitled to the same luxuries that I earned and sacrificed a decade of my life for.Yes, business ownership has its benefits but the price I've paid is steep and not without wounds.
Unfortunately, the cost of running this business and employing you is starting to eclipse the threshold of marginal benefit and let me tell you why:I am being taxed to death and the government thinks I don't pay enough. I have state taxes. Federal taxes. Property taxes. Sales and use taxes. Payroll taxes. Workers compensation taxes. Unemployment taxes. Taxes on taxes. I have to hire a tax man to manage all these taxes and then guess what? I have to pay taxes for employing him. Government mandates and regulations and all the accounting that goes with it, now occupy most of my time. On Oct 15th, I wrote a check to the US Treasury for $288,000 for quarterly taxes. You know what my "stimulus" check was? Zero. Nada. Zilch.The question I have is this: Who is stimulating the economy? Me, the guy who has provided 14 people good paying jobs and serves over 2,200,000 people per year with a flourishing business? Or, the single mother sitting at home pregnant with her fourth child waiting for her next welfare check? Obviously, government feels the latter is the economic stimulus of this country.The fact is, if I deducted (read: stole) 50% of your paycheck, you'd quit and you wouldn't work here. I mean, why should you? That's nuts. Who wants to get rewarded only 50% of their hard work? Well, I agree which is why your job is in jeopardy.Here is what many of you don't understand ... to stimulate the economy you need to stimulate what runs the economy. Had suddenly government mandated to me that I didn't need to pay taxes, guess what? Instead of depositing that $288,000 into the Washington black-hole, I would have spent it, hired more employees, and generated substantial economic growth. My employees would have enjoyed the wealth of that tax cut in the form of promotions and better salaries. But you can forget it now.When you have a comatose man on the verge of death, you don't defibrillate and shock his thumb thinking that will bring him back to life, do you? Or, do you defibrillate his heart?
Business is at the heart of America and always has been. To restart it, you must stimulate it, not kill it. Suddenly, the power brokers in Washington believe the poor of America are the essential drivers of the American economic engine. Nothing could be further from the truth and this is the type of change you can keep.So where am I going with all this?It's quite simple.If any new taxes are levied on me, or my company, my reaction will be swift and simple. I fire you. I fire your co-workers. You can then plead with the government to pay for your mortgage, your SUV, and your child's future. Frankly, it isn't my problem any more.Then, I will close this company down, move to another country, and retire. You see, I'm done. I'm done with a country that penalizes the productive and gives to the unproductive. My motivation to work and to provide jobs will be destroyed, and with it, will be my citizenship.If you lose your job, it won't be at the hands of the economy. It will be at the hands of a political hurricane that swept through this country, steamrolled the Constitution, and will have changed its landscape forever. If that happens, you can find me sitting on a beach, retired, and with no employees to worry about....
Signed,Your boss
Sunday, March 8, 2009
DAYLIGHT SAVINGS
Did 2 miles on Great Neck in total darkness. The temps were quite mild...lower 50s...as I wore shorts and a long sleeve shirt. Afterward, went to the 7AM Mass. The sermon was on transfiguration...which was on point with wait I am going through. After Mass, did one loop around Mt. Trashmore. According to my watch, it is 1.83 miles. Total 3.83 miles in 1:03...16.29 min/mile. Lifted weights and hit balls before checking out YFAM bowling fundraiser. I'm getting lean and mean....but extremely grateful for having this rare chance in getting healthy.
Saturday, March 7, 2009
BACK SPASMS
I wore my new Brooks Beast while on the treadmill last night. I woke up with an unsual back problem. Was it the shoes? I don't know. What I do know is I really have to incorporate stretching. Despite the back problem, I still managed to do 4.5 miles in 1:20:00. The weather was moderate...I wore shorts. Not bad!!
Friday, March 6, 2009
OUT OF THE BOX
For the first time in 30 days, Edwina and I are out of the box on our diet. So far, I've lost 24 pounds....259 to 235. The diet is going extremely well. If anything, my body is getting used to portion size.
We went to Zushi's for dinner. We split tuna tartar, tofu, volcano and hamachi. What was amazing we couldn't finish...even after splitting the meal. It felt really good to eat real food. It felt even better to know we are empowering ourselves in not over eating.
Afterwards, we went to see Randy Brecker and Spyro Gyra.
The concert was amazing. The musicians still can jam....especially Jay Brekenstein and Brecker. Last time I saw SG was in the 70s. What I remember was smokin weed, drinking and just getting loaded. Last night, was so sterile. The sound wasn't booming. I think it was we were too close to the stage. Next time when we see Tower of Power, we will be sitting next to the sound board. Really looking forward to that.
The concert was amazing. The musicians still can jam....especially Jay Brekenstein and Brecker. Last time I saw SG was in the 70s. What I remember was smokin weed, drinking and just getting loaded. Last night, was so sterile. The sound wasn't booming. I think it was we were too close to the stage. Next time when we see Tower of Power, we will be sitting next to the sound board. Really looking forward to that.
Out of the box was kinda nice. But, I'm anxiously await getting back on the wagon of health.
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