Christmas is

The other day I was at the mall with my family and came to realize that the true meaning of Christmas is gone. We are all so lost in getting STUFF for others that we have truly lost our way.

What is Chistmas to me, you ask?

To me it is about being with the most important people in my life. My wife, my child my mother, brother, sister, and yes I know that this is hard to believe, but also my mother and father-in-Law.

Don't get me wrong, I like the gifts I get, I am human after all.

What eles do I like about chrismas
The music
The trees
the food
The sounds
The snow (or lack of)

Oh heck I just love Chrismas.

Back to the Future Shop.....

How I hate Future Shop and their great service. A few months ago my wife came to me and told me that we needed to get a new computer. Our old work horse the Dell had finally sent its last giga bite over the information super highway.

So with a few bucks in my pocket we set off to Future Shop to get a new computer. When we arrived at the store my wife found a new sleek pink computer that she just had to have. After a few moments of protest, and my man hood gone, I agreed to get the new light weight pink computer.

Now the fun begins. I get to buy the computer and their "Customer Protection Program". While I am speaking with the "nice" sales guy he tells me "you can spill coffee on your computer and you will be covered" and I think to myself, wow this is great. So just like the rest of the people I get sucked in and buy the "Customer Protection".

So here we are about five months later, and our power cord breaks. I first decided to go to my local Future Shop to see what they can do for me. I enter the store and am immediately met by a sales guy trying to sell me something I don't need. I dodge him and make my way to the computer help section. This is where I get to talk to Mr. Personality who looks at the cord and says "it is not covered" and hands it back to me. I then mention to him that I got the "Customer Protection Program" because I was told that this type of problem was covered. He then looked at me and said "No, and if you don't like the service don't shop here". Now I am little upset and heated over this whole ordeal. I go home and talk to my wife who is trying to calm me down.

I then called the store that I bought the computer at and am told to bring in the part and they will replace it for us without issue. I can tell you that is the mother of all lies. When we took the part in, I am greeted by a 16 year old computer tech who tells me that his manager would have to have a look at the part before we can get it. He also tells us that it probably won't be covered.

The good news is I got the part covered. However it was not Future Shop that helped, it was Toshiba the maker of the computer.

I am telling you I will pay the extra cash before I go through that kind of crap again.

I have come up with a new motto for Future Shop.

FUTURE SHOP, THE NOT SO FRIENDLY FUTURE THAT IS.

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Thinking About Life

I have been thinking a lot about life in the past few weeks and have come the conclusion that life is short. I have realized that we have no way of controlling what is going to take place next week, next month on next year. I have come to realize that I must live every day to the fullest and love every moment of it.

I began to think this when my father in law was told that he had cancer. Then on September 2 2009 I lost my own father to cancer. When I lost him I not only lost my dad, I lost my best friend and my personal hero.

Now today once again we are faced with another round of cancer as my father in law was told that his cancer is back. Over the last year he has grown on me, and he has become some what of a sounding board for my thought and problems.

So what is the point of this, you ask? Well, I am now a husband and father myself. I love my wife and child and would do anything for them. I now try and live every day to the fullest with them, and I want to fill their lives with good memories. Even when things are tight for our little family, I am determined to fill our time with fun and love.

I have plans for my little family and want to show them the world, literally...whether it be by plain, train, auto, or ship.

Life is short and why waste it always working and trying to make a buck, when the most important things in the world are right here at home.

Steve life coach, I am here to help.

The other day I was at my mother and Father in laws and noted that one of the kids was in need of direction. I started to think to myself " This kid needs HELP I think I am going to become her life coach".

Now in order for my plan to work I need the full attention of the "client" . Well let me tell you this kid is one hard nut to crack. She will not shower, change her clothing, or clean her room.

I started my task by telling her to change her pants and shirts when they were covered in a brown substance that I still can't identify. I thought that she would be receptive to my observation and go and change. What I found was the opposite. The "Client" stated 'oh, okay' and proceded to go out covered in this unknown brown substance.

A few days later my "client" returned from school and looked like she was in need of a shower and a change of clothing. At that time Steve the life coach went to work saying "I think that you need a shower and perhaps a change of clothing." Although my client sat and looked at me like I was nuts for about half an hour I was able to have her go and clean up.

Now I have only been doing this gig for about a month and I am finding it hard to break this kid. I have to say that this "client" is one of the oddest people I have ever met. Perhaps I am going to have to take this one to the next level in the life coaching continuum.

In fact if I am able to change this "client" I may have found another calling.

Frustration Vented...

I have come to realize there are some jobs that pick the person not the other way around. For instance my current partner.

In my line of work you have to be on the ball from the time you start work until the time you shut off the car and hang up the keys. My partner seems to have missed that part of the class. In fact I think that he was sleeping during every class at school.

I have also found that I have little time for his lack of knowledge in many areas of our job. On many occasions I have asked him questions such as " Okay what are we going to do when we get to this call?" and I am met with a response of " I am not sure, I am going to have to look at you for this one".

Now in the last three weeks I have produced more work and created more files than anyone else on my squad. I try to get him involved with these files, train him further and teach him, but with his lack of knowledge he just isn't there. Although he's been trained, he still just doesn't seem to get it.

I know that this may seem harsh and unfair, but I have good reason to feel so strongly. Every working day I depend on my partner to be there when I need him/her. I rely on them to know the law whether it be a bylaw or a criminal code offence. I need my partner to be a quick thinker who is able to digest information and act on that information within seconds if needed. I am in a hard place because I love to go to work and have a good time, but when I feel like my partner thinks that he is on an episode of 'Cops,' it is hard to relax and have a good time. I have a duty to my wife and family to come home at the end of each and every shift.

My challenge now is to find a way to let him come to the conclusion on his own that he needs to find a new line of work. Not only does he not get it, he is just not safe to work with.

What is important

Over the past few years I've had a number of changes in my life that have made me realize what is important. Only three years ago I could go out and do what I wanted, and answered to no one but me.

Now I am married with one great baby girl. This has added a level of responsibility to my life that I have never known.

Do I miss the life I had? Sure I do, but I would not change anything about my life. I have a great wife who I love, and yes she is my best friend. I have a great baby girl who can be a pain at times, but when she smiles it just melts my heart.

I have a great job that I love and for that I am lucky. My job allows my wife to stay home and raise our little one, although at times it seems like we have no money. This too is an odd feeling. I am used to having money and being able to go out and have a good time. But all I have to do is ask what is important.

If I had to choose the life I had three years ago or the life I have now? Without a thought I would take the life I have now.

I have the best job in the world, the best wife in the world, and the best baby in the world.

My family is the most important thing in my life and I would not change it for the world.

Why I love the fall:

I love the storms that roll in from the ocean. The wind will cool you to the core, The rain will cut right through to the bones.

I love sit and watch the show from a warm and cozy home with my wife snuggled in to my side. By the glow of the fire place all my worries drift away.

I love the fall.

Hello

Hello I am Steve

I am a:
Husband
father
and son

I love my family very much