My challenge to all for the new year

Happy New Year everyone!

Since I noticed that one of my blogger friends has blogged again I felt that it was time for me to do so.

So many things have happened since the last blog I wrote that it would take too long to write about so let's just say everything has been good and I am ready for 2007.

This year hopefully will be a time of change for me as I have plans to do an awful lot professionally and personally. As a good friend told me my resume is weak, so I am going to spend some time "beefing" it up, getting my house ready to sell before the market drops, visit some old friends, take a trip or two with my sweetie and then hopefully by the end of the year leave Tallahassee for a while. My goals are very lofty but I think with the support group of family and friends I have around me nothing is impossible.

This is where you come in....I want to make this a "Drama Free" 2007 as another friend of mine said in a wish list and I also know this is possible but within this there is a challenge that I ask of you...as I also ask of myself. It's not a difficult challenge and I hope it doesn't scare you, but it does ask a lot...if you're not willing then you're not helping.

These are the things I ask of you...and yourself:

• Spend at least 30 minutes to an hour reading the news, paper or Internet: Spend that time learning about your area and the world as well. You can't make informed decisions or have interesting conversations with anyone unless you're versed in local, National and Global events.
• Take the time every morning to say "Hello" or "Good Morning" to everyone that walks by you at work: You might think it's silly at first, but it's really contagious and it does more to someone's disposition in the morning if you acknoledge their presence. You never know what kind of night they had or how their drive was, but that hello might do wonders...
• Don't Sweat the Small Stuff: I know it's the title of a book, but the statement is so true. We spend so much time worrying about things we can't control or people that we can't change that you put yourself in a foul mood or cause drama that's not necessary. Are there things that bother me...sure. Do people make me angry...you bet! But I don't let it bother me as much as I used to. The more you let those things get to you the higher probably you have in causing serious discourse to yourself. I had one of my employees worry so much about things that he had a slight heart attack over the New Year's Break...so don't say holding things in doesn't cause problems...it does.
• Reconnect with old friends: Take the time to find someone from your past and strike up that old friendship. Who knows what might be going on in their lives, but the call or email from an old friend might be the one thing that helps them through the tough times and it also might help you as well. Now that doesn't mean go finding old boyfriends and girlfriends and start sleeping with them, but maybe burying the hatchet with someone from your past might help you remove the walls and blocks that you have in your life.
• Get over it: Life is way to short to hold grudges, resentment, anger, frustration and all those things that basically in the big scheme of things just make you a negative person. I have held a lot of anger over people that have hurt me, pissed me off, "did me wrong" and a ton of other BS. Now that I sit here and type I think to myself...what good does it do to MY health and well-being to keep holding in stuff that I should just let go. Think about this...if you treat other people different because someone treated you like crap you're just as bad as they are. I am always going to be Toker and I love it, but it's time for me to be my loving, caring, good-hearted person I used to be. I've blamed work, my ex-wife, my girlfriend, my friends for so much that honestly I need to look at myself and say this...it IS my fault and I am okay with it. I think we should all do the same. Life would be much easier. You can't change anyone, but you can love them for the person they are. No more..no less. If you're friends with people because they give you nice things, kiss your ass or fills your ego I think you need to evaluate your thought processes...cause to be honest..it's plain wrong.
• and finally...Don't start Drama: This can be a tough one for most people but I have my solution to this problem. I have decided that this blog from now on won't devil that much into my thoughts as it used to. This blog caused a lot of drama to a lot of people who I will never name. I think that boils down to them not reading the top of my page...and I will quote: Welcome to my ramblings. I rant and bitch about anything and everything from politics to religion but especially about people because someone has to call them out and I've taken that responsibility. Take everything with a grain of salt, but know that this is MY world and what I say might have a little truth to it. I hope you enjoy your stay. Now that I've placed that out there for everyone to read, My thoughts are still my thoughts and will speak about anything I see fit, but I do talk and think in streams of consciousness...which means I'm not going to let everyone read my stuff or even talk to people before I put it on the page. I hope you understand and if there is a problem with that I would hope that you understand but if you cannot there is nothing I can do to help you.

Anyway, I know it's a tough list, but if we "Stay the Course" I feel things are going to be okay. I expect all of you to keep your promise and also keep me honest as well. There's nothing wrong with a joke or two about someone but hurtful things are in the past.

Now that the serious stuff is off my chest I can talk about some of the thigns that are going to happen in the next few months.

If I am not in Tampa with my sweetie I am more than likely back home in Milton spending time with my mother. My sister and her family haven't been very nice lately and my mother has done an awful lot for them ever since the hurricane. I know she won't ask for it, but I want to spend more time with her and that is something that has been lacking in the past couple years. It has been kinda tough to go home since my brother passed away but it has been nice to go home like I did in December.

I am also planning my trip to Mardi Gras to fulfill the promise I made back in 2004 that I would join my friends at Bacchus. Good times will be had by all. The weekend afterward one of my good friends is getting married. I can't wait as she is a really sweet person and deserves to be happy and I know she's found it. I wish them both all the happiness in the world.

March will be filled with good times as well as hopefully I can spend St. Patrick's Day with my lady somewhere and my 39th B-day is in that month as well...yes, I am getting close to the big 4-0 and when that b-day happens the biggest party on the planet will take place.

I could go on and on, but then again I won't have a lot to write about will I??

I hope everyone had a great New Year's and let's get through 2007 together..safe and sound!!