Are you a big giver?

A ritual has formed in my house. Every Sunday my wife and I watch Oprah's Big Give and I can't begin to tell you what that show does to me. I make no secret that I am a big softie inside and that I have a tendency to cry during sad movies but for some reason I cannot make it five minutes into the Big Give without crying my eyes out. And every week I love it!

Now one thing that most people don't know about me is that I worked as a volunteer for almost four years with a group named Coarzon. During the last few years that I lived in California I spent most of my weekends in Mexico helping to build houses for poor people. I'm not talking Habitat For Humanity (which is a great organization that I totally want to work with someday). I'm talking, get your hands dirty and really change a families life; in eight hours! That's what most people who go on a Corazon trip get out of it. But if you become really involved, then you get so much more. The basic philosophy of Corazon is, "Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day, teach him to fish and he will eat for a lifetime." And so an entire program has been built on this philosophy and I am proud to have contributed.

But what does this have to do with the Big Give? Well I'll tell you. First, watching the contestants week after week make such dramatic gestures to struggling people has reawakened my spirit of giving. Instead of dreaming about taking a big vacation with the family or the day I can buy a new car, I've started dreaming about the day I can take my family and go back to Mexico with my Corazon friends and have that experience again. And I hope that day comes soon.

Second, I've redefined my dream-job. I'd like to be a professional Big Giver! So now I need to find a way to start giving big, even if I don't have allot to give myself...how about you?

Google Ad Words

Much to my consternation Hillary has purchased advertising and now I have a pesky ad on my site for Hillary. Just for the record I do not endorse Hillary for president!

Great Quote

I know I haven't blogged in a while, so I thought I would just get something out there.

I saw this quote and I just had to share it...

"In spite of the cost of living, it's still popular." -- Laurence J. Peter

My Presidential Endorsement

So I figured that after railing against Hillary it would only be fair to announce my endorsement for President.

Now this is going to shock some people who know me, but I actually re-registered as a Democrat so I could participate in the Presidential Preference Primary in Arizona. And I am pleased to announce that I support Barack Obama.

Now why would I support Barack you say. Let me tell you. While Hillary has been claiming that actions speak louder than words and that Barack does not have the experience to lead our country, he has been out there, CHANGING the world. For example, in Arizona, where I live, 60% of all registered voters turned out to vote in the primary election. Pretty impressive considering the last Presidential Primary had only 30% turnout. Imagine, more than half the registered votes actually voted! And the story is the same all over the country.

I believe that one of the primary reasons that so many people are turning out is that they are sick of the same old cast of characters in Washington. I also think it is simply amazing that someone like Barack, who was discounted as a contender, is actually doing as well as he should. It's pretty obvious that Mrs. Clinton hasn't garnered the overwhelming mandate that she claimed would make her the inevitable Democratic nominee! Obama is running neck and neck and I have faith that in the end he will lead our country into a new era of prosperity and change.

I think that the record turn out all over the country has started to put the power of democracy back into the hands of the people and supporting Barack and his message of change is the first step to a better country.

Last, I'll leave you with this, the talk has heated up and it looks like the only way Hillary will be able to make a serious bid for the nomination is to cheat and try to get the delegates from Michigan and Florida re-seated. This is one voter who will certainly vote against that kind of political maneuvering!

Why parents should not have Coffee tables

My wife and I spent some time in the emergency room at Del Webb hospital on New Year's Eve with our four year old, Camden. He had a full-thickness facial laceration that required three stitches. Now I am firmly convinced that Coffee tables have no place in a home with children.

The good news is that he'll have a pretty cool scar on his forehead just like his dad.