Bonding Agent

Backpacking for a weekend has never let me down. Especially when everything goes according to plan, and you and your brother get to experience a solitude weekend of bonding in the wilderness. This trip to the Red River Gorge was more meaningful and special than previous hikes I have been on in the past. Not because the Gorge is more exciting than Dolly Sods and other various wilderness areas in West Virginia. We certainly didn't have gourmet food to munch on this weekend. This trip was really awesome because it was Joe's first time backpacking and it also gave us a chance for a true brotherly bond.

Work by day consisted of exploring, gathering trees, chopping wood, skipping stones, fishing, playing in the creek (some may say "crick", but not me,) and taking a dump. There is nothing like pooping in the woods. A small afternoon nap was kind of nice too. Play by night was enjoyable under the direct supervision Jack. He is a tough guy!!! Burning the tree's, branches, and logs we gathered was a blast. At one point, the flames from the fire were as tall as me and wide as my wingspan. What a blast! Topics of conversation that came up frequently where Iraq, family, work, the awesome fire we built, and sports.

I can't wait to get out there again.

Idiots!!!

I don't think these guy's are very smart. Because if they were, they would have used a leather couch that folded out into a bed. I can't tell...Is that Nike?

He has risen.

Mesopotamia/Middle East is where it all began. It is hard to believe that the region where Christ lived, preached, and healed is now home to the some of the darkest sin in the world. When I was deployed with the 3rd Battalion 25th Marines in Iraq, one of my duties was to provide security for our F.O.B. (Forward Observation Base.) Whether it was patrolling through the surrounding villages, working with the Iraqi army, or sitting on roof tops, it was my duty to provide some sense of relief to the Marines with other duties.
As I have said before, I enjoy and appreciate a sunrise much more than a sunset. Especially as a Marine trying to provide security in a dark place. I have witnessed the huge ball of fire rise on hundreds of occasions. But one stands out far above the rest.
On Easter morning, the day Christ fulfilled his promise, I took awe at a once in a lifetime sunrise. To me, it was Gods way of saying "I am with you." "This dark and disturbing place you are in right now holds nothing over the power and the ability I have to prepare a way home for you." And that's exactly what this magnificent sunrise was. It was God giving me warmth and the ability to see.
I was moved by the same morning star that rose over the same land when Christ came from the dead to show his power. Pretty cool!

Mitchell Memorial Park

Mitchell Memorial Park is just one of the many places around
Cincinnati that offers awesome trails to hike.

I love and admire the opening days of Spring. They make me so happy.

You can never admire old glory too often. So many men have sacrificed

their lives to give us the freedoms we appreciate today.

There were park rangers touching upon some of the beauties of Gods

creation.

Hank was pretty thirsty after our long walk.

Everyone taking advantage of the wonderful weather.

A beautiful Saturday afternoon without a cloud in the sky.

This was my little Saturday adventure Hank and I went on before I had to work at Red Lobster. My second to last day! It was just one of those perfect, cool days were you can hike for two hours and barely break a sweat. Hiking and backpacking in the wilderness without any one else around is such a wonderful experience. I truly do come in touch with myself and experience true solitude. But I also love being at the park even when its crowded. I usually hates crowds! Who doesn't? Who wants to wait an extra 30 seconds for a gas pump after they pull into a Speedway? Who smiles when a person with a cart filled with groceries cuts them off right before the check out counter?

But the park is different. Especially on this day. I really did enjoy seeing every one out enjoying and taking advantage of the weather. Fishing, roller blading, hiking, walking their dogs...I even saw some teenagers making out in the woods. I was thinking of letting Hank off his leash to go and bother them, but the good little birdie inside said "no."

All in all, everything was fantastic.

Me New Job

If you like old school, vintage t-shirts, I highly recommend that you check this place out at http://www.ripplejunction.com/ This designers company has been in business since 1992 and seems to grow more successful each year. I will be serving as customer service/sales representative for RJ. Thus I will be speaking to our whole sale buyers, entering data such as orders, shipping, where, what , who, when , and why... I believe it was Mr. Green in the Kitchen with the Knife.
This place is pretty sweet. Everyone is pretty much my age, the environment is laid back, and there is even a gym in the office. What more is there to ask for. You know, I might feel the next to do a set of squats or bench press to get geared up before speaking to customers.
The only thing I am unsure of is whether or not I am going to order a Seinfeld or Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles shirt first. Which one do you think I should get?
For those of you wondering....I did not get fired from Red Lobster. Every thing was actually going really well. But we both knew going into it that I was not trying to make a career run at being a server. Nothing against that line of work, because the money can be pretty good at times, it just was not a long term fit for me. My new job will be more long term and give me great experience as well.
Jobs are so scarce to come by now-a-days! I mean, even just an interview is soooo tough to get. I was sick and tired of using career builder because any job that I applied for was something that 500 other people were also competing for. And even with my outstanding portfolio, those are more than difficult to land.
So I just want to say thank you to my special cousin Annie whom was thoughtful enough to think of me and put in a good word. God bless her little heart.

Fertilizer

The paparazzi has struck again. Since Hank has had this lamp shade on his head, I have been waiting for the perfect moment to get this shot. I actually would have had a better angle, but I went to take another action photo and my batteries didn't hold up. What are the chances? I finally get this opportunity and my batteries die! I guess I should have went with the copper top instead of saving 49 cents.
So why does my poor little guy have this alien thing on his head any way? A couple of weeks ago Hank and I were helping my friend Ryan clear his yard of branches, brush, and an old shed. Ryan rented a wood chipper and we were just going at it. FYI...where safety goggles when using one of those things, especially when it is windy. Well, Hank was running around with Ryan's two dogs, Harlan and Saul, and managed to find broken glass. From there he had stitches...Then he ate them out...Got stitched up again, for FREE, and managed to eat those out as well.
Sort of off topic... But..I don't know if its the little kid inside of me, but I always wonder what dogs think when their owners pick up their poop. Its a shame that dogs don't have the ability to laugh, because then I think I might know what is going on in their little heads.
Maybe I am just weird.

I still have dreams of being able to make a bomb out of a paper clip and a hang glider from a torn fishing net. Just give me a little duct tape, chewing gum, and my pocket knife. I love life... Family, friends, nature, golf, ice cream, chipotle, and MacGyver. I have recently discovered a website where I can watch any MacGyver episode there is. Life just got better. 45 minutes of commercial free non-stop action with Mac's buddy Pete Thorton and his trust sidekick Jack Dalton. It even gets interesting when Mac's arch nemesis Murdock throws a wrench into the situation.
If I had to make a decision of which three TV shows I had to watch for the rest of my life, they would be Jeopardy, Seinfeld, and Macgyver. Really, I don't see any other options. These are the top three of all time.
As for movies...My favorite is Stand By Me. Such a classic. Four friends head out on an adventure that would remain with them for the rest of their lives.
What are your favorite shows and movies?

The Real American Hero

House sitting has brought me back to an extremely important part of my life. And that when I played with GI Joe's. I loved these little things (up until junior high even.) I can still remember throwing these action figures off my dresser as if they might be falling off a cliff. It was so much fun. The Cobra base, GI space ships, off road trucks, weapons, and so much more...
Jude (5 years old) and John (12 years old) are two of the cousins Laura and I are sitting for until Monday. And I can't wait till we have a chance to set some forts and have the GI's storm the Cobra base.
Am I easily amused or what? What are some things you played with until a late age?

Quick Fix Part 2

Like I said. If you don't have this product, you life is going to be in black and white. Everything you do will turn into a disaster. And you will never be able to get rid of that Costanza wallet.
If you follow the Slim Clip orders, your life will be simplified and you will love yourself in a whole new way.

410 Billion!!!!!

What the heck are earmarks?? Earmarks are non-competitive spending provisions a government official, including Governors, Representatives, or Senators, slip into legislation that forces the federal government to spend taxpayer dollars on the politician's project.
I know that every person has a portion of there brain specifically designated to make logical decisions. Lets just say some portions are larger than others. Take this stinkin $410 BILLION bill that Hussein is expected to sign. When people fall into debt, have no way off paying their bills, and struggle finding work...Does it make sense for them to open up new credit cards and max them out? Essentially, that is what is happening to us now. These earmark things..Hussein actually opposed them in all of his debates during his campaign. Hmmmm....I'm no Sherlock Holmes here, but I think what our president is doing completely contradicts what he said he was going to do.
If Obama proclaimed in his running that he would spend over a TRILLION dollars in his first 6 weeks in office, do you think he would have been elected? I don't know, maybe I am just naive. But it seems to me that the worst thing to do during this time is see if we can break the spending record.

Quick Fixes

Think about it...Just $8.99 a month and ten minutes a day, you could be ripped like this dude. We will even toss in his hair and sneakers for you too. He went from looking like John Candy to Arnold in less than a month.
I hate seeing "quick fix-it" type crap. If you don't know, I have been looking for a better job for some time now. One of the sites I have been religiously visiting is Career Builder. They do have good intentions, and bless their little hearts, but, are you serious! According to these guys, I can work from my home in my underwear and make $275,000 a year without having any background experience whatsoever. I think this one might even be worse than the bow flex.
Do you ever see these stupid commercials for weight loss pills? What the heck are these people thinking! Yeah..."Take this pill three time a day for a month. And if you don't lose 25 lbs, we will refund your money." Usually people relate losing weight to exercising, jogging, lifting weights, and eating healthy. It all pretty much boils down to being HEALTHY. I bet these pills that help you lose 25 lbs in one month without lifting a finger and eating pizza all day is really healthy??? They probably just raise your heart rate by 1000% and force you not too eat anything because you always feel like you just drank 3 pots of coffee.
You know the dude with the beard that does the Oxy Clean infomercials? Everybody knows who he is. Almost everything he advertises makes the alternative look as though only a brain surgeon could figure it out. You know what I mean... Take zip lock bags for example. If you buy these special, taste savoring bags from the bearded dude, life will be easy, enjoyable, and your make-up will be beautiful. But if you stick with what you have been using the past 5 years, your life will be in black and white, everything will get tangled, and you will never be able to accomplish anything! These are my favorite of the quick fixes.
I do love duct tape though.

Forgiven

At the cross is where you called for me. You drew me gently to my knees. I was so lost in so many different directions. Now I am just lost in love, simply broken with a holy surrender...
-These are not the words of my own. I did alter them just a bit, but they belong to a Christian artist.
A Marine Corps standard is to never surrender under any circumstances. The military issue M16 rifle has a small compartment located in the butt stock. (The butt stock is the part that goes firmly into your shoulder.) This is where the cleaning gear and utensils are located. But many don't know that Marines keep more than just brushes and oil in this little kuby hole. Most Marines will Carry one extra round in this small compartment just big enough to fit maybe 4 toothbrushes. But what is this single round for?
Never surrender! If your in a cat fight, surrounded, and have no way out...keep fighting. Even up until your final round. And if you run out of ammunition while fending off the enemy, use that final round to take your life. Never let the enemy have it! Though all Marines do not follow this tradition, every Marine holds a strong value of never surrendering.
Well, don't live your life in a Marine sense of mind. At least not in the "no surrender" mode. Christ happily accepted a brutal murder simply just to have a relationship with us. And to do so, we need to surrender our ways of life and live according to his will. This does not mean living a perfect life and never doing something stupid. That's impossible! If you haven't experienced it, surrendering to Christ feels so good. It's almost as if you have been released of something..Weight taken off your shoulders, burdens dropped, insecurities let go, and promises made.
Surrender you life. We have already been forgiven. Christ is standing at the door of you heart just waiting for a relationship. Talk to him. Invite the Lord in for a conversation. I have problems in my life, so does the most righteous pastor in the world. But we all need forgiveness.

Remember When

These clips reminded me of my brother Joe when we were kids and we would ride bikes together.

Want To Get Away

I would consider my first evening as a Red Lobster server to be a success, simply because I didn't drop a tray of popcorn shrimp on someones head. Lucky for them they only had to wait extra long because I goofed and mixed up my orders. At least I can blame something like that on the kitchen. But who really knows how much my customers bought that excuse any way.

There's always going to be a learning curve when you start something new. I just wish I could get some straight fast balls though. Instead, I get nothing but sliders in the dirt. I'm batting like 2 for 5, and no RBI's.

Brain fart. I think that would be an appropriate word for how I accidentally misplaced a customers meal.

While spead walking across Red Lobster like a mad man and running food to tables, my brain froze and began to move into clog mode. I then approach one of my tables and kindly said...

"Did you folks save any room for desert?" After I was given an uncomfortable blank stair, I went further and said "The chocolate chip lava cookie is pretty delicious!" My customers look at me with a foolish grin and said.."Yeah, that does sound really good, but we didn't even get our food yet. Uhhhhh...... I felt like I should be on one of those Snicker commercials where they say...

"Want to get away?"

Oh well, like I said..Curve balls.

On A Boat

I never thought I would be on a boat and see something this majestic. Then God said "I feel like painting something for James to admire while he is visiting my beautiful Florida shores." Evan (my college roommate), his mom Deb, and myself were visiting Evans grandmother Shirley in Marco Island Florida on our spring break. When you picture college spring break, most people think of keg stands, Corona, and lots of stuff that I won't get into. But not on this trip. All we did was relax and enjoy the ride.
This picture was taken on a sunset cruise we took on a catamaran one evening. The beginning of our venture was sort of cloudy and Evan was scared of possible drizzle. Me being the sympathetic type that I am, I sang him a lullaby and all was good. The captain of the boat was referred to himself as John Silver, and he even wore a black patch over his left eye. John was nice enough to bring us fresh shrimp, cold beer, and chilled wine on our venture.
I was like a little girl...I never thought I would take so many pictures of a sunset in my whole life. I actually had to go back and delete other pictures that I didn't want to make enough room for Gods painting. By the way, how much do you think this particular portrait would go for in an auction? What about ebay?

I never thought I'd be on a boat like this!

Semper Fidelis

It's a shame that many Americans have forgotten about one of the most important battles in U.S. history. Yeah, most people recognize that the patriots in this picture are Marines, and it was taken in the bloody Pacific during World War Two, but do we really know and honor this incredible yet tragic event?
On this day in 1945, the Marines entrenched into what they knew would be a horrific struggle for their lives. Iwo JIma was a highly strategic ground because it served as a buffer zone between U.S. forces and the Japanese mainland. Our men knew this enemy stronghold would be a battle to the death, but they were aware of the situation and how this sulfurous island could play such a dramatic role in the outcome of the war. Being located between the American bombing base Mariana and the Japanese mainland, Iwo Jima would serve as a highly strategic airfield and fortress in the Pacific.
The Japanese warriors were able to give such a fierce fight under the leadership of General Kuribayashi because they simply did not care about death. There battleground philosophy was no Japanese survivors. They simply just wanted to take as many American lives with them as they could. More than 16 miles of tunnels were dug into this mountainous island in order for the enemy forces to move freely and surprise attack.
It took 40 days for 880 ships to carry 110 thousand U.S. Marines from Hawaii. And after a tenacious grapple, 6,821 American lives were lost, while 21,703 Japanese lives were lost. After the horrific struggle, five Marines and a Navy Corpsman hoisted the symbol of American pride over the Mount Suribachi, the islands highest point.

Invisible Children

And we think our nation is in grave danger. Yes, our economy needs a massive set of jumper cables, our housing market is clogging the toilet, and our leaders don't agree on anything. But at least our drinking water isn't infested with rats and sewage. Ans instead of scrounging for rotten scraps like these little kids do, we can stop at Sub-Way and have our snack made fresh just the way we like it.
I encourage everyone to research the "Invisible Children." For almost two decades they have been running for their lives. If abducted, these children are forced to become blood-thirsty killers. Even at the innocent age of 8, little boys are trained to have no feeling except death.
I just hope I can be a person that cares enough not to turn my cheek like I have done so often in the past. I would say to myself.."yeah, that sucks, but I have my own bills to pay. I'm pretty busy with work n' stuff. I really don't have any extra cash to send away right now. These poeple probably just keep the money anyway..ect..." Excuses and more excuses keep me from doing the right things whenever I know I could be doing something to make a difference in someones life. I hope I can get over that hump.

You can check it out further at http://www.invisiblechildren.com/home.php

Honest Abe

February 12th will always be a special day in U.S. history. On this day in 1809, "Honest Abe" was born in a one room log cabin in Hodgenville, Kentucky. Common knowledge tells us that Abe Lincoln was elected to be the 16th president in 1861, but most don't know how or when he earned the nickname Honest Abe.
When he was a young lad living in the Hoosier state, Abraham borrowed a booked on George Washington from a friend of his. Somehow, the book was ruined by rainwater. Lincoln, taking credit for what had happened, offered to work for his friend in the cornfield to raise money for the cost of the book.
Also, when Lincoln was working as a young store clerk in Illinois, he shortchanged a customer by six cents. Sounds like a pretty minor deal, doesn't it. But not to Abe..He then closed down the store and walked six miles just to give the gentleman the money he owed him.
So remember... Every 12th day in February, don't forget that it's a day of great significance. Not only do we celebrate the birth of such an admirable and well rounded individual, we also recognize much more than that......
And thats ME! Thats right... 2-12-1982 is also an extraordinary in Falmouth, Mansfield, Columbus, and Cincinnati history. Why? Because it was the day a handsome stud was brought into this earth.
James Thomas Massey, aka Son of Thunder, aka Sledge, aka Risk Champion...

Savior

I saw this video last weekend in church, and it would be selfish of me to keep something so great and majestic to myself.

Tiger Look-A-Like

I received this shot of my brother Joe supposedly sinking a 25 foot putt. I know Joe has the capability to drain long distance shot such as this is one because he has done it to me time and time again. But I also know that Joe could be the one to tell someone to simply stand back and take a picture of his Tiger imitation so everyone will admire his skill. I guess I will find out before too long.
Joe and his wife Jen are in Arizona enjoying a much needed break from work, snow, and the daily shenanigans of everyday life. Later this week they will renting a cabin in the Grand Canyon. I told Joe to take as many pictures as humanly possible. He better! Because if he doesn't, I'm gonna have to scold him.
Visiting the Grand Canyon is actually one of my lifetime goals. I think by now, anyone who has read anything on my blog understands my appreciation for nature and what God has given us. So enough said about that.
Quick shift in gears...Have you ever seen the movie Tombstone? You know, the gun slinging story of Wyatt Earp and his trusty sidekick Doc Holiday. That's actually one of my favorite movies, Kurt Russell played an awesome role. Anyway.... Tombstone is actually a real town where Wyatt took care of business. And Joe and Jen are going there..Pretty sweet!!
I wonder if they miss Columbus Ohio yet? What do you think???

Honor Courage Commitment

John 15:13 Greater love has no one than this, that a man lay down his own life for his friends.
If you don't firmly believe this passage with all your heart, body, mind, and soul, don't even think about joining The Marines!
Corporal Jason Dunham was a 22 year old Marine from New York. And on April 14th 2004, God called Cpl Dunham to lay down his life and make the ultimate sacrifice. Cpl Dunham and a squad of Marines were en route to assist another squad of Marines in the middle of an ambush in western Iraq. During this time, an insurgent unexpectedly leaped onto Dunham and began to attack him. As two Marines swiftly came to his aid, Dunham saw the insurgent reaching for something. Dunham then screamed "No, no, no..watch his hand!"
The frisky Iraqi was reaching for a grenade. If you have ever had the experience of handling and throwing live grenades, you know that it does not take much effort to pull the pin and employ the deadly explosive. That being said, Dunham was unable to stop the enemy from releasing the deadly weapon. The live grenade should have easily took the lives of at least three Marines. But because of Cpl Dunhams love, friendship, and selfless attitude, he offered his own life and jumped on the grenade.
For those who don't know, a grenade only takes 3-5 seconds to explode after releasing it. Which means that Dunham had very little time to think and react. It is extremely obvious that there was no thinking involved whatsoever. Dunham wanted his friends to live. Long before his deployment to Iraq, along with any other Marine, Dunham knew he would do what was necessary to save the lives of other Marines around him.
Cpl Dunham was an admirable hero before he even left the states. His enlistment and time of service in the Corps had expired. Therefore, he was not required to leave his family and travel with his Marine battalion into harms way. But because of his commitment to the Corps and the other Marines around him, he did. Another Marine told him that he was crazy for extending his enlistment. Jason Dunham answered "I want to make sure everyone makes it home alive."

Jason Dunham: November 10, 1981- April 22, 2004
God bless the family of Jason Dunham.

I am William Wallace

For those of you who don't really know, Mel Gibson did actually play a real life character in Braveheart. William Wallace was born sometime in 1272 in Elerslie, Scotland. He spent much of his life as a witness to the repulsive English army and how they frequently raped, murdered, and took hostage of innocent Scottish farmers. Many characteristics about Wallace remain a legend, but all recognize his compassion for English blood.
To make a long story short, Wallace finally blew a gasket and took charge to lead a rebellion. Because he was skilled in the arts of war and military tactics, Sir William was able to feed his drive for killing the English and grant Scotland sovereignty over their own nation.
Watching this movie inspires me. No, I don't want to lead a rebellion against the U.S. Government! They have more guns than me. The story of William Wallace is just so unique. He rose up to defy all odds. Even most of his own people didn't have an ounce of faith in what he could do. But he accomplished what he set out to do. Sir William broke the chains of captivity and ripped apart the English vise.
There is a huge part of me who want to be like William Wallace. Defy odds, accomplish goals, break habits, travel the world, and escape any vise I might have. Of course seeing the world really isn't in the same ballpark as invading England and winning freedom, but its something I want to do.
I guess I'm just tired of being a talker instead of a doer. I talk about how much money I want to give for Gods glory, but then I start thinking of my monetary situation and back out to some degree. I constantly tell others of how reading in Gods word is so crucial for growth in Christ, but I guess sometimes I dont' really digest all that is given to me.
Proverbs 16:3: Trust in the Lord, and whatever your plans, they will succeed.
I love reading the word of God, and I know he will take care of me and my family in every way. So why can't I let a little bit of greed go? There is where the William Wallace factor comes in. Just like Sir William broke the jaws of English tyranny, I want to collapse my greedy vise.

Snow cone

Who wants a lemon flavored snow cone? Hank really enjoys making them and it would make him happy if you would try it.
Before I uploaded this pic of Hanks morning pee, I tried to upload a video I took of Hank and how he acts after he gets a bath. Its pretty funny. But for some reason I was trouble putting the clip on the page so I said forget it. I thought this had the potential of making some people laugh, so why not.
One time I had to pee so bad, I was actually able to spell my full name in the snow: James Thomas Massey. I even underlined it a few times! I bet that your jealous now.

Mountain Mama

"Country roads, take me home to the place I belong. West Virginia, Mountain Mama, take me home, country roads." John Denver will always hold a place in my heart. Not because his 70's hair style or his glasses that cover more than half his face, but simply for his love of the coolest place east of the Mississippi.
From left to right: My brother Joe, myself, and my college roommate Evan. We had such a blast on this snowboarding trip. We did spend close to six hours crammed in a car with all our gear, but it was all worth it. Just to let you know, if you ever go on a trip with us, don't be the first one to fall asleep. Evan will tell you that waking up with mustard all over your body is not worth a couple minutes of shut eye.
I even used my military I.D. to get out of a speeding ticket on the way home!
Seriously, unless your looking for a job, this beautiful state has so much to offer. Snowboarding, Backpacking, fishing, wildlife, shotguns, and plenty of chewing tobacco. Do yourself a favor and visit WV for a bit. If you value nature and what it has to offer, you will not be let down.

Nicknames

I find it quite amusing how nicknames can hang around. "Sledge"...Where does it come from? Am I just one of those guys who likes to make nicknames for themselves just to sound cooler and more manly? Well, I tried that once, and it backfired with a vengeance.

A group of guys and myself would get together and play poker frequently, so we decided to give each other nicknames. For example: one guy was named "No Face" because he displayed almost as good of a poker face a Chris Moneymaker. My buddy Nate (now known as Wardog whom is also a Marine) was awarded the name "Honker" for his overly large snout. And me, trying to be cool with my aviator sunglasses, tried to name myself "Mav." When the guys heard this, they laughed and said "too bad. Since you tried to name yourself, you are now known as tampon!" That sucked!

But that's not the feature nickname story for the day. Where, when, and how did some start to refer to me as Sledge? It was in early March of 2005, in Hit Iraq. Hit (pronounced heat) is roughly 40 west of Fallujah. Our FOB (Forward Observation Base) was actually an old Iraqi morgue. We slept on slabs of concrete about knee high, and a shade over six feet long. I can't go too much further because I would be getting off topic.

Back to the Sledge story. If you are unaware, a FOB is far different than a camp. A camp is much more established and has many extras a Forward Observation Base does not. For example: when we arrived in early March, our company realized that the simple line of defense, that being perimeter wire, was not there. Wow! So being part of our security platoon, myself and a handful of other Marines were volun-told to set up the razor wire around our perimeter.

Being master engineers in constructing walls and building lines of defense, we used 4 foot long stakes and a sledgehammer to pound them into the rocky desert. The razor wire would then be wrapped around the stakes, and from there be held in place. After a few hours of work under the sun, we were almost finished. All we needed to do is walk the line and shake each stake to make sure of its stability.

This is where "Sledge" comes from. While walking and shaking, I discovered a stake that was not up to par. So be trying to be cool like I always do, in a rugged cowboy voice, I said "gimme the sledge." And instead of tapping the stake lightly, driving it down a little at a time, I wanted to swing it like a man. So I grabbed the man hammer, swung it up and over my shoulder, and drove it down on top of the stake. The only problem...I didn't hit the stake like I planned.

Instead of driving that sucker down in one punch, I ended up driving that bad boy down and smashing my big toe. From there my toe nail fell off and the nickname Sledge took rise. Obviously, not everyone calls me Sledge. Pretty much only the people I was around I that time do.

Ice Ice Baby

Just because there is five inches of snow and another half inch of ice, it doesn't mean we can't have a little fun while shoveling the driveway. Snow days don't only apply to kids you know. They can also serve as the time during the winter when you and the dog can go outside and blow the stink off.

Hank is so funny. For some oddball reason, he goes crazy at the site of any broom or shovel. He immediately crouches down at first glimpse and goes into play mode. So instead of a shoveling the driveway for 35 minutes and coming into my hot cocoa, I was forced to chase the prankster around the yard like I was starring in Rocky 4.

I couldn't resist taking a few shots of the action to show our backyard fun and beauty. But like I always do, I got hungry. There was warm stew, ham sandwiches, and pickles with my name written all over em'. I just wish I would have splurged the extra 90 cents to buy the Clausens. They taste way better than the Kroger kind. Oh well...

My Haven

Experiencing the creativity, the power, and the wondrous works of God is so amazing. And one way I do that is by venturing out into the wilderness with anything I might need on my shoulders. There is just something about being away from the cell phones, radio stations, sidewalks, and refrigerators I admire. Well, if I were strong enough, I would still carry a refrigerator. But I just love to experience Gods gift of nature. Stepping away from my vehicle with a 50 pound pack, and not knowing where exactly I am going to camp is so exciting to me. The wilderness, being a man, making fires, crossing streams, the mud, and chopping wood, I enjoy all of it.

A good friend of mine once said, "I can imagine God looking from the Heavens above and seeing us admire what He has created. How do you think that makes him feel?" God loves when we admire and gauche over his work. He is so jealous for a relationship and a connection. There are a number of ways for me to connect with Christ on an emotional level, and one of them is by backpacking. The trails are not congested with traffic, much of my time is spent thinking about my past and where I am going, and I am surrounded by God and his gift of recreation for me and my spiritual relationship with him. What more is there to ask for.

If you havn't ventured on the trail before, I highly recomend it. But if you don't like that sort of thing, I strongly recomend finding some sort of connection with our creator.

What is your favorite recreation?

Have you experienced Christ?

10 Things That Annoy Me

Some of the random things that happen in your ordinary day to day life can test your last nerve. These are some of mine.

10: Stepping in a puddle of water after putting on a fresh pair of socks.

9: Trying to fold the stupid bed sheet that has that darn alastic in it. I always just ball it up.

8: Pimples and dry skin.

7: Sun burns on vacation.

6: Not packing enough underwear when I go out of town.

5: Unclogging other peoples dump.

4: Filling up my gas tank and see the prices drop by 18 cents the next day.

3: Driving to Blockbuster to return a movie and not realizing the dvd case is emty until you get

there.

2: Taping a sports event because of a conflicting schedule, and having someone tell you the

outcome just as you are sitting down to watch.

1. Seeing a spider crawling on my bed just as I am turning in.

Take this HGTV!

The demolition team, made up of my father-in-law Mark McAllister, my dad Frank, and myself, had an absolute blast ripping up the tile floors and installing a beautiful red oak floor with a golden oak stain. I think Mark may have had the best time because he was the one to enjoy smashing the bathroom sink into tiny pieces in order for proper removal.

My dad, whom will be 55 later this year, has been installing and refinishing hardwood flooring for more than 40 years. My grandfather started Cardinal Flooring in 1962 and initiated my dad into the business by giving him a vacuum for his birthday when he was 11. If there is a better way to encourage your son into following in your footsteps, let me know.

I'm not sure if my dad was more interested in making a hard worker out of his son or having me carry on the Cardinal torch, but this is the same way he brought me up...minus the vacuum at the age of 11. To be honest, when I was in junior high, I complained about sanding with my dad on the weekends because I would have rather played with my GI-Joe's. But I look back and am so thankful that he did what he did to make me a hard working, responsible person.
Back to the flooring. I think we were able to have so much fun on this project because of the male bond that accompanies hard work. Our time spent together working hard, learning new things, and taking 30 second breaks is what made our time so great together. Oh and I can't forget the most important thing, Power Tools! We love em'.

Books-R- Us

I said to Laura yesterday, "too bad you don't have a locker to stop at in between periods." Classes such as organic and biochemistry, pharmaceutical math, and diagnostic nursing make me want to take a nap.
Laura started her second semester of nursing school yesterday at Good Samaritan Hospital. I know she definitely has the intelligence to overcome these difficult classes and rigorous schedules, but this tower of terminology frightens me.
It will be a long haul for the both of us. But we are willing to accept this high endurance challenge from Old Spice. They even offer up to 25% higher performing odor protection!

Significant Dates

Sig-nif-i-cance n.
1. The state or quality of being significant: see synonyms at Importance.
2. A meaning that is expressed.
3. A covert or implied meaning.
Why did I graduate from The Ohio State University with a degree in history? And why do I want to teach high school history? Easy. I love, love, love history. To read and understand how our country and civilization has evolved over thousands of years is so fascinating to me.
-In 1492 Columbus sailed the ocean blue and forever changed world civilizations.
-On June 6th, 1944 Dwight D. Eisenhower led a massive assault on the Normandy beaches in hopes to crush the Nazi regime.
-On July 20th, 1969 Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin opened a new door for science and what our solar system has to offer.
So many dates, so many significant times and places in our history that affect our daily life. But instead of focusing on something like World War Two and the Allied invasion, I would like to mention an extremely significant date in my time.
January 20th, 1979....
This was the day in which my older brother Joseph T. Massey was extracted from the womb of Kim E. Reihl (my Mom.) I would hate to even fathom of what life would be like without an older brother like Joe. Playing sports and riding bikes when we were kids, pretending to be pro wrestlers and jumping off the top bunks, snow boarding, sanding floors together, rough times in Iraq, best men in each others wedding, ect..ect..ect.. Mr. Webster should have put a picture of Joe in his dictionary next to the definition of significant.
January 20th, 2008....
The day Christ made his call to Nana. The thought of not having my Nana around still makes me sad. But thank God there is a quick fix for my sadness. All I have need to do is realize she is never gone and think of my time with her and how she and my Pop have had such a tremendous impact on my life. Collecting sea shells and skipping stones, playing nine holes at Otis, walking around Great Harbors, singing Christmas carols, witnessing a true level of commitment, ect..ect...
When I see people wearing hats or t-shirts with the logo "life is good" I smile to myself and utter "It sure is."