My cousin’s are helping a charity by FirstGiving called Echo. It is a fundraiser for kids that need food, clothes, and other important items. They are doing a fashion show to raise money and my cousins are models in the fashion show. Please help them raise money for the fashion show so they can help other kids in need.
You can donate money to them at the link below, and check out my cousin Teanna’s video!
Thank you!
Lex
Okay, I’m going to try and be fair and balanced on this one because as you know from my Xbox Kinect posts (see HERE & HERE), I think we are all still opening our selves up more and more each day without even caring…and one day we may care but it’ll be too late.
Apple’s new Fingerprint Tech is the latest prime example and when something gets featured on an Apple-product, many already assume it’s “fine and safe”. Combine that with the fact that Apple-fans are especially trusting of the company and what Apple does today gets copied by everyone and their grandmother tomorrow and well, I’m just not feeling it.
This article on Business Insider seems to be giving the technology a “maybe it’s okay if Apple protects your fingerprint” grade.
While this may be true, do you believe that the data will never get stored on the Cloud?
Is this just much about nothing as we already trust companies (who are not people, they are in business to make money, not protect you) with data about our lives, so what’s the big deal?
Do you trust Apple over other companies in keeping your fingerprint safe?
One person pointed out that as much as we hate the endless amount of passwords we must generate, if a person hacks the PW, you change it and move on. However, we only have 10 fingerprints, and they will eventually be used to open everything!
So check out this article on Business Insider and let us know in the comments section below what you think.
CSD
Smashed that stretch goal of 500 miles! Actually, I passed the mark earlier this week, but I’ve been too busy to post an update.
Since my hip-flexor injury, I gave up riding a bit to speed recovery. But since there’s only one more week of games left, I’m going to try to get as much riding as possible in while the weather allows because there might not be any warm days left for 2013 either!
Set goals, stretch yourself and be determined not to give up!
This is one bad fluffy kitten!
Week three is over and again there were some pretty close games in our fantasy league this week. I honestly thought that I was going to lose my game. Others I knew for sure that were going to lose, but they held on, but anyway, let’s get to the recaps.
Baldhead Slick Mascot
BaldHeadSlicks against Father_N_TwoBoys. This matchup was more of a lead swapping than anything else. BaldHeadSlicks was first to draw blood with 29.4 points going into Sunday while Father_N_TwoBoys had to start from zero. Then Father_N_TwoBoys took the lead early Sunday but couldn’t hold on to it letting BaldHeadSlicks late Sunday. After that, BaldHeadSlicks wouldn’t give it up. They won 117.48 – 100.88.
The closest game all season was this week three matchup, The Best Team trying to take down FluffyKittens. I never had to taste the bitterness of not being in the lead, being The Best Team. But this was the part where I thought I was going to lose. I had a 17 point lead leaving Sunday night. You might think that that is enough to get me the win. But FluffyKittens still had their player with the highest points to play. I ended up beating them 120.56 – 118.56 in, again, the closest matchup of the season thus far.
FluffyKittens owner had this to say after the game,
“Please give [Cornerstone Kid] my congrats for beating the mighty Fluffy Kittens. I went to bed up one point on him and woke up to find I lost by two. Even in the FF world close ones are tough to stomach.
Knowshon Moreno was to be the difference, but he has a no-show. Noshow Moreno.”
I like the recap that Yahoo! gave for this matchup:
william’s Team got the third-highest score of the week from Cam Newton on the way to their third win in as many matchups when they beat The Crushers 114.62 – 90.64. Both sides missed scoring opportunities as william’s Team had one starter turn in zero points and The Crushers had two. The Crushers falls to sixth place with a 0-3 record. william’s Team remains undefeated and on top of the league having also run over The Best Team (132.70 – 99.32) and Father_N_TwoBoys (108.76 – 96.88).
I was not very happy about that lose to william’s Team, but like my dad always said, “The best way to get payback is on the baseball field.” Well, when he said that, we were talking about baseball. But the meaning is still the same.
I hope you enjoyed this week’s fantasy update. See you next week!
Cornerstone Kid
The scores are in, and week 2 is in the books. But what exactly is in the books? Some made a great comeback; while others didn’t even get to taste the lead (I’m not naming anybody). All I can say to that person is… keep on trying. I had the chance to talk to one of the fantasy owners, and he said something that could be very encouraging. He hasn’t looked at the league since he joined, and he doesn’t know anything that’s been going on in the league all season. That man is now 2-0. The moral of the story: if you have the right players on your team, you can leave them starting all season and still be good. I’m going to give you my summary for two of the games.
The Best Team against BaldHeadSlicks. There aren’t many chances you get to beat your dad in things, but this time, I got the best of him. The Best Team won 149.60 – 136.50 in a comeback, putting up the highest score in the league this week. Both teams played very well, but Seattle sealed the deal for The Best Team. The Best Team is 1-1 in fourth place while BaldHeadSlicks remains in last with a record of 0-2.
This is what Yahoo! said about this matchup:
FluffyKittens got past The Crushers, who had trouble scoring points this week, 114.38 – 86.18. While each team fell short of expectations, FluffyKittens scored 91.9% of a projected 124.42 points to get the win. The Crushers was done in by a substantial drop in scoring from last week’s 176.18 – 149.18 loss against Father_N_TwoBoys. FluffyKittens (2-0, 244.86 points) shifts into first place while The Crushers (0-2, 235.36 points) goes to fifth place.
This matchup was the closest of all in week 2. william’s Team and Father_N_TwoBoys traded the lead a couple of times before william’s Team wouldn’t give it up anymore and won 108.76 – 96.88.
That’s all I have for this week’s update, and remember to check in every week to see what’s going on the league! Have a great day and see you next week.
Cornerstone Kid
Source: All-Pro Dad’s Blog: http://www.allprodad.com/blog/2013/09/13/how-do-you-know-if-you-are-a-successful-father/
People define success many ways. One version goes like this:
At age 4, success is…not wetting your pants.
At age 12, success is…having friends.
At age 17, success is…having a driver’s license.
At age 35, success is…having a good career.
At age 60, success is…getting out of your career.
At age 70, success is…having a driver’s license.
At age 80, success is…having friends.
At age 90, success is…not wetting your pants.
Perhaps a better definition of success, at least for fathers, is passion for his duty and the ability to love unconditionally. Possession of those two traits is the common denominator in all successful dads. Here are 10 ways to know you are a successful father.
Huddle up with your children tonight and ask them: “What is success?”
“Sometimes the poorest man leaves his children the richest inheritance.” (Ruth E. Renkel) There is not one single path to successful parenting. All fathers are not created equal in method nor in standards. What sets a successful father apart from the pack is passion for his duty and the ability to love unconditionally. Possession of those two traits is the common denominator in all successful parents. The following list can be considered the “greatest hits” of an awesome Dad.
Talking is the most valuable tool in a father’s belt. Conversation is information and information is understanding. Serious, funny, or totally random. Every conversation had with your child is invaluable to you as a parent. Know your child better than they know themselves. Then tailor your guidance towards that knowledge.
“The most important thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother.” (Rev. Theodore Hesburgh) Your son will grow up one day to treat a woman the same way his father treated women. Your daughter will grow to expect the treatment that was provided in Dad’s example. This country has an epidemic of disrespectful young men and young women with low self-esteem. We are daily bombarded with examples of male prowess and female promiscuity. That’s no accident. We have a duty to stand and fight this battle against good family principles. That starts by always showing your wife the love and respect she deserves.
Every time you read to your child, it’s an intimate and special moment. They have your full attention, and that’s the thing they crave most. Daddy adds the funny voices and physical animations as he reads. Your daughter’s eyes light up and a smile takes over her face as you talk in your moose voice and put pretend antlers on your head. Silliness is something you both enjoy and understand, but more importantly this time together builds trust and makes your child feel secure.
Speaking of security, children crave it like you crave that Kit-Kat™ you have tucked away in your desk. A successful father has children who know that Dad will always be there to protect them—no matter what. He’s a big, hairy, loveable guard-dog…ferocious when required, but gentle, loving and loyal to the very end
We are usually only as good as the company we keep. Friends are an important part of your child’s life. Chances are they spend more time in the company of their close friends than with you. That is a very large amount of influence that is not under your control. It is imperative that you have a relationship with these friends. Make the effort to know them as well as their parents. Your child’s friends should be diverse and inspiring.
“Just wait until your father comes home.” What child hasn’t heard that at some point? Discipline is a responsibility that all parents experience. It’s not pretty and certainly not easy. The alternative is a spoiled and out of control child with no boundaries of behavior. There’s good news, though. A successful dad follows through on discipline enough times to gain respect from his children. They have learned from experience not to test Dad. He means exactly what he says, and they can trust him to be consistent.
A great dad has fun with his kids. They joke, they laugh, they play and they hug. No need to be a world class comedian. To your kids, Dad, even when you’re not funny, it’s still comical. Joking around with Dad is great fun for all children. Let them. Of course, there is a level of respect that should be maintained, but other than that, let yourself be teased occasionally. They love it. They love you.
Class is in session and you are the professor. Life has many lessons that will either be learned the easy way or the hard way. Dad is the voice of experience. Share your wisdom early and often with your children. Your advice will not always be followed, but it should always be given. Don’t be afraid to let your child fail. Just be there afterwards to lovingly explain why failure occurred and sow the seeds to future success.
A wise father realizes that God is in control. Worship is a cornerstone in the life of a successful family. Guide them as they grow in their faith. Be the man God would have you be.
“My Father didn’t tell me how to live; he lived and let me watch him do it.” (Clarence Budington Kelland) Many parents make the mistake of stopping their own lives once they have children. Dedicating themselves and immersing their own hopes and dreams into the lives of their children. This is a tragic mistake for all involved. Be the example for them. Show them how to live in a positive way—with passion, desire and joy in everything you do.
The first week of football is over and we found out who was good and who was, well, not so good. There are going to be some losers and there are going to be some winners in the league. However, all in my household lost by 25+ points. But this is just the start of a 14-game season and Yahoo thinks my brother is going to be 1-13 (which you can’t help but hope happens if you’re me), but you cannot always believe them. Granted, at least they say that I’m going to be nice and cozy in third place. Here is what Yahoo said about the fantasy games:
William’s Team picked up the third-highest player point total of the week from Victor Cruz (29.80) and defeated The Best Team [me] 132.70 –
99.32. The Best Team was led by Aaron Rodgers with 25.62 points and Andre Johnson who scored 14.60. The Best Team opens at 0-1 and FluffyKittens picked up the highest score this week from Peyton Manning (46.28) to put a thrashing on BaldHeadSlicks 130.48 – 88.92.
Father_N_TwoBoys put up the highest point total this week to get the win over The Crushers 176.18 – 149.18. While both sides played quite well, Father_N_TwoBoys scored 41.1% more points than projected (124.82) to pick up the win. Colin Kaepernick brought in the second-highest score for the week with 30.68 points for The Crushers.
Opening 0-1 is not good for me (especially because I’m named the Best Team) but it was the first week and I was not online for the draft and consequently, I didn’t know my team’s capabilities.
Come back every week for an update on the fantasy league and don’t forget; go Best Team!
Cornerstone Kid
I was feeling pretty old last night and bummed-out after being injured yesterday. But the more I thought, I remembered a post by Dante Trudel (inventor of the Doggcrapp training program) about getting injured. To paraphrase, he pointed out that if you are really training hard and you get after it in the weight room, you will likely get injured at one time or another. To not get hurt likely means that you aren’t pushing yourself hard enough. Fitness-folk will always treat injuries as if it’s due to irresponsibility of “being macho”, yet in no other sport is being injured considered this way. Groin pulls, hamstring pulls, ankle sprains are all a part of giving your all and part of the job.
Unfortunately when you get older, you don’t have that Adrian Peterson recovery any longer.
Just ask Derek Jeter:
“Jeter, 39, played in just 17 games this season as he recovered from two ankle surgeries. Jeter fractured his left ankle in Game 1 of the 2012 American League Championship Series, came back to play in spring-training games, but underwent a second procedure in April. He made his season debut on July 11, but immediately suffered a quadriceps injury, and has been dogged by leg ailments since. Jeter hasn’t played since Saturday, complaining of more pain in his left ankle.
“It’s very disappointing not to be able to play,” Jeter said at a press conference at Baltimore’s Camden Yards, before the Yankees played the Orioles, “especially this time of year. This is when I want to play the most.”
Pre-bed treatment: BioFreeze
A.M. Treatment – Ice bag – 30 minutes / 2x200mg ibuprofen
Noon Treatment – BioFreeze
Some believe, some don’t, but at least it’s the most convenient way to “ice” in the office that I can think of!
Moderate stretching as I get up from my desk frequently just to kneel on one knee.
Afternoon Treatment – Ice bag – 30 minutes
Tonight – Ice bag – 30 minutes
Good part:
My hips actually feel better than they did this time last week. Shifting the Stang last week was brutal! I could barely flex my legs and had to depend a lot on dorsiflexion to move my feet to handle the pedals.
Bad part:
I’m walking with more of a noticeable limp than last week. Walking and standing without my butt sticking out is very difficult (and I’m not a flat-booty brotha either), but it is actually quite painful to push my hips forward as it stretches the hip flexor muscles. My glutes are also sore as well, because yesterday I had to continuously use them to extend my stride when my feet hit the ground since I could not get my leg high in the air to propel my body. Times like now, you’re definitely remind of what a marvelously integrated-system God designed.
Of course the atheists out there would say evolution did it. But they would never go out and not have their car start one day and just not take it to a mechanic. But perhaps it has evolved to another state for no reason? Oh, just leave it there for 100,000 years and then it’ll turn into a perfectly running Boeing 757.
But I digress…
Take a look at the diagram below and you’ll get an idea of all of the muscles involved just for us to walk and run (e.g. hip extension and hip flexion are only two motions!)
In my next post, I’ll introduce you to the best drug/therapy you can use for most injuries, and it’s probably not what you think!
CSD
Big Kev left this in the comment section of yesterday’s post (see here) and I felt it deserved to be front and center. I’m sorry, but the Urgent Care transition gets the LOL for real!
I’ve been here before as well, as I distinctly remember the day Kory beat me running for the first time. I would have beat him if it would’ve been a 25- yard race, but it was 40-yards and he ended up smoking me!
Derek Redmond in the 1992 Olympics – CSD Strength is being able and ready to carry our kid’s home, no matter what their age.
“Well sir, I hope you reach your 90% / one week goal, as I too am in the process of recuperating. Out taking a leisurely walk with the family Saturday evening and was feeling rather good after returning home. My teenage sons had taken off on a foot race….had I allowed my brain to complete its factoring of variables as to why I would have been the perfect spectator…I would not have taken pursuit. Now, I must say that I surprised them both at the rate I was able to “catch” them but catching them wasn’t good enough, heyday memories began to cloud my judgement and I lined my oldest up for a “I’ll show you” sprint!!
We were given the ready, set, go….I shot out of the blocks seeing victory ahead…I lost? After leaving Urgent Care, I was told its only a sprained knee and I only have to wear the knee brace for about a week.
I’ll get him next time.”
Thanks Big Kev!
I wish you a speedy recovery as well my man and I’m glad it was only a sprain.
If we have something from Big Kev, I gotta throw up a pic of a Comet GT! The times we had in that ride…
CSD
Well folks, now you see why 430 at 43 was so important. It’s absolutely vital that I try to maintain my physical fitness level as I get older. Not that I’m the best or strongest because I’m surely not, but I need to be the best and strongest that I can be to live the kind of life I would like and do the things I want to do in the future.
I’m truly learning that 43 is no joke either. I decided to play fall softball with the church and the first week is always the worse. Unless you’ve been practicing the movement of that particular sport, the amount of soreness after those first two games is extreme (if you’re playing hard at least). Overall, I was a bit winded, but my legs felt really good, tired, but good. Then on one bang-bang play at first, I over-stretched trying to leg out and get an infield hit.
Yea, all I saw was my man Ichiro out running a ball thrown by the infield, but the final stretch to the bag came with a cost. I felt immediate pain in my right hip flexor upon landing (i.e. the eccentric portion of the stride where the landing force is at an extreme amount).
After the seven minute drive home from the field, both hip flexors were so sore, I could barely get out the car. Over the next 24-hours, I could barely pick my legs up.
However, this didn’t stop me from continuing my weight lifting and cycling! Yet, maybe it should have as today, seven days later, I found out that this was beyond just muscle soreness.
During warm-up, I felt “okay”. It was a hot 90-degree (yes, in September, love it!) so it didn’t take much to get my muscles up to a good warm temperature. The first ball I ran after in the outfield didn’t feel exactly right, but okay, I’m just loosening up. But I wasn’t prepared for what I would feel next.
I came up for my first at-bat, tried to swing and it was like my mind was moving, but my body was going nowhere! I hit a lazy-dribbler to SS and when I tried to run, my legs didn’t move!
No joke, I looked like Fred Sanford and was SO embarrassed.
Well, I wasn’t about to quit, especially since we only had nine guys, plus my sons were there to support me so dear old dad was just going to have to play the two games through pain and that I did. After all, what, I won’t be able to sit on my butt in the office tomorrow if it gets worse? That’s the main reason they are likely tight and weak in the first place despite all of the “stretch breaks” that I take throughout the day.
My abs look just like that as well, I just have too much fat over it for verification.
I have not hurt myself this badly in quite a while and I get asked about injury treatment on almost a monthly basis. Therefore, I’m going to chronicle my treatment and rehab to help others in the future. The goal is to be back to at least 90% IN ONE WEEK. I don’t know if it’s possible, but I know I do not want to go out like this because of an injury suffered in my first week of playing.
Therefore, if you always wonder, ice or heat? Stretch or rest? Massage or, well, is there ever a bad time for a massage…keep reading. My plan may not be the exact prescription you need (disclaimer: I’m not a doctor), but it may provide some general guidelines when you suffer acute injuries as well.
So I’m pulling out my old Athletic Training skills (I was a Sports Med major before I became a sociology major…after “My Lexi” was born, I had to choose between internship or making loot and I had to go the loot route) and I’m going to try some self-rehab to be ready for next week.
Self-diagnosis: Hip flexor strain
Pain level as of today (1 being none and 10 being excruciating): 7 – There’s pain when trying to walk or perform any activity that flexes my hips.
Mobility: 1 being none and 10 being “my normal”: 2 – Right now, I cannot actively lift my legs.
After showering, applied gel-ice pack to each hip (would have preferred real ice, but going the convenient route first so I can wrap my quad as well) – took off after 30 minutes.
Elevated legs for 20 minutes (following the tried-and-true RICE: Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation).
Ibuprofen: 2 x 200 mg
Almost 2 hours later, my legs feel a little better than they did this time last week when I did nothing and thought, “It’s just soreness and a few days from now I’ll feel fine.”
We’ll see what tomorrow will bring, so stay tuned.
You know what I just got done doing this Saturday morning? I’ll tell you.
Going through the ultimate uncomfortable exercise of budget-balancing with my paycheck. To add extra hot sauce into the mix, my wife and I (because our money is our money, not his/her money) we did it with our two oldest sitting at the table.
Why?
So they learn many important things such as cooperation, negotiation, being humble (because the Stang could use parts over the kids needing a new textbook right guys?), that I do not work for free nor do we have the liberty to spend without knowing where it goes, and the sacrifices that we are making to live off of one income, etc..
Of course, we just really hope they learn how to handle money wisely as no one ever taught me.
In the end, this is never comfortable, depressing, and we end thinking, “Will we ever be able to just enjoy a “few luxuries” that other people enjoy without breaking the budget?”
But you know, my mouth dropped when I read the blog post below about 30 minutes after our meeting.
Money sure isn’t everything and I don’t know if I’d want to get my brains beat-out to make it, but WOW.
When I’m seeing the crazy reality-show stars or some other “celebrity” that seems to have never-ending stacks, I look at my wife and say, “So why did I go to college and get a degree?”
Oh, and I still owe up to my neck for that decision to add insult to that injury as well.
Also, just because you have the ability to make it, doesn’t mean you have the brains to use and keep it.
In the meantime, I’ll keep remembering the following verse:
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,
“Never will I leave you;
never will I forsake you.”
Hebrews 13:5
Floyd Mayweather loves money, which is good, because he has lots of it.
The champion boxer, who has never been afraid to flaunt his fortune, was at one point the highest earning athlete in the world, bringing in $85 million in winnings alone.
And with all that dough, you’d think Mayweather might want to spread his assets across a few accounts. Perhaps stash it in different banks and/or different accounts. You know, just in case.
Mayweather, however, doesn’t think that way.
In an excellent profile of the 36-year-old prizefighter in ESPN The Magazine, Tim Keown discovered just how many bank accounts Mayweather has — one.
That’s right, Mayweather keeps his fortune in a single account. Below is Keown’s reaction to seeing one of Mayweather’s bank slips.
I look up to see Floyd smiling. He begins to laugh. I say something unintelligible about too many numbers. I’m not sure what prompted this. Perhaps he mistook my look of fatigue for disapproval? Given his spending habits, is he concerned with pre-empting the inevitable talk that he will end up broke? Or is it simply one more example of the man’s hubris? I look down one more time to make sure I got it right. And yes, it’s right there, 11 numbers long.
There is more than $123 million in Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s bank account.
He nods, folds the slip and says, “One account, baby.”
This doesn’t seem like the greatest idea, but in Mayweather’s defense, he’s earned his money so he can do whatever he wants with it. And according to recent reports, his fortune is about to get a whole lot bigger.
Taken from: http://www.thepostgame.com/blog/dish/201309/floyd-mayweather-only-has-one-bank-account-and-its-got-123-million-it
Finally we have some players in the CSD Fantasy Football League!
I hope this is a great way to have fun with the kids and add some new spice when you are all watching the game.
Below is a listing of how the first six rounds played out, the teams and how Yahoo graded their draft picks. Unfortunately, I know the Baldhead Slicks, The Crushers and The Best Team didn’t participate in the draft because their dad committed to playing softball just before the draft date, so he had a game (okay, that was me).
Way to go dad, way to go…
So my kids learned already that sometimes, you’re a victim of things you just can’t control. You know, like the Lakers not getting Chris Paul because of David Stern.
Best wishes teams! May you all play hard, but I hope the Bald-one gets bragging rights in the end.
Signed,
The Commish – BaldHeadSlick
Furious Fathering 