1. Cancer (6/22-7/22)

   You’re ordinarily far more concerned with home and family matters than with anything that involves your ‘outer life,’ but right about now, you really will be thinking about only one thing: How to let the powers that be know that you’re entirely capable of getting the job done. Fortunately, you’ve been working so hard lately that even without what you’re doing at the moment, the higher-ups can’t help but see your efforts. Give yourself a break, and soon.

This vacation was supposed to be a break…..nah it was. But I ended up working from here anyway. Se La Ve. (or however it’s spelled.) This is part of being a tech and I accepted this challenge years ago. I don’t intend to let up now! But do “they” notice? I guess time will tell.

The IT Guys #1 Sin?

Working for free.

It is in our nature to love the puzzle. We are obsessed. The lot of us. We love puzzles. We love the challenge. We thrive on finding the answer. We hate disarray. It bothers us deep in our soul.

We love the accolades. We love to be seen as the digital white knight fixed the server, the computer, the email, and anything else that life depends on.

We love it so much, we sometimes make horrible decisions. Sometimes, we work “FOR FREE.”

We’ve all done it. A friend, a neighbor, a relative, a good client, a bad client, a pretty girl… Whoever it was, and for whatever reason, we all threw them a technological bone and fixed something for free. In rare instances, it can be a rewarding experience. Perhaps your buddy gave you a beer. Maybe someone said thank you. Maybe there was a smile on their face, and that was rewarding enough.

More likely, however, that five minute task you thought you were signing up for turned into 40 minutes, then an hour, then a commitment. Wow. You didn’t see that coming.

There are 5 reasons you should ALWAYS hand out a bill.

It’s felt for a long time now like I have been dragging my feet, not really sure where things were going. The economy sucks, I fear for my career and livelihood on a daily basis, etc etc and so on.  Several things hit me tonight like a ton of bricks. Maybe the stars aligned, maybe it’s because I am about to be 36, who knows how these things happen.

As I sat there driving on the way home from the movie (more on the movie in a second) talking to my daughter, I realized that I don’t have anything to worry about. Well ok maybe we ALL need a little worry from time to time, but what will get me through this is the same thing that got me through boot camp at 18. Dedication.

How many people in the world can say they guided $30 million aircraft to the ground when the pilots themselves couldn’t see it? How many people have stood in the ops below tower when an entire family awaits their Marines, and it was YOU that guided their husbands, dads, brothers home in ungodly fog? (ask me the story, It still brings chills to tell it.) How many people have pinned on a set of dress blues and strutted across a parade deck to EARN the title Marine? Why do I give a DAMN what anyone thinks about me when I already proved it to myself in a lifetime; and I still have another one to go!

You see, no one is perfect, we all know that. But what I finally realized tonight was that it’s not how bad it can get, but HOW GOOD it will be. Sure there are people in the world that are idiots, morons, flat out crazy. Karma always hits them where the good lord split them.

Yeah I’ve had a LOT of jobs, some good; some bad. I’ve made some money, but this life isn’t supposed to be about how much material we have, but how we LIVE it. To quote the older man in the movie tonight, “it’s just a house.” I have the full quote in my kitchen on a plaque; “a house is just a house, but a family is a home.”

Why these things happen the way they do I have no idea. People much smarter then I are educated to explain them. lol But tonight I renewed my OWN life, and as a result my family’s as well; they’ll see it in coming days, months, years.

You see, I have my mom and dad, step dad and step mom to thank for getting me to 18. I have the Marines to thank for getting me and turning me into a SOLID adult. Now it’s my turn, and what in the WORLD have I been waiting for? Yeah, it’s time to rebuild me again and take me and anyone that wants to ride along into someone that will glow with pride, determination, and stamina to get it done!

As for the movie? Disney never ceases to amaze me. GO SEE IT. Sure, it’s a little animated kids film, but there is SO MUCH for adults there too; besides, dads, it gives YOU a chance to take your kids to spend some time! To quote it again, and you’ll know what I mean when you see it, one adventure has ended, and one is about to begin.