THE NEXT THIRTY-SEVEN YEARS

I was reading a report the other day----you know, the kind they use to fill newspaper pages---that the average life expectancy for men was 73.4 years. Well, as I just turned 37 a few months ago, that means I am on the downhill slope....It, along with some other things, has got me thinking about the decisions you make over the course of your life. It's a scientific fact that novody ever sets out to make mistakes----at least no one I have ever met. However, it's a given that over the course of time, we all screw up. I'm not going to make any mid-life resolutions, but here's a few things that I hope I do better on during the second half.....

HEALTH------I am taking somewhat better care of myself than I have in a while. I have lost 40-50 (depending on scale) pounds over the past few months, am making an effort to eat more salads and things of that nature, though I do slip up and turn the wrong way into a Dairy Queen sometimes. At 37, I know I feel different than I did at 27......and I really don't want the trend to continue at 47......It's all about motivation. If you order the hamburger, throw away the bread. That's not that hard for me, but go into a Dollar General or a Wal-Mart, and the cheapest food is the kind you don't need.....Kind of ironic, isn't it!

FINANCES-----Dave Ramsey I will never be, but it is apparent that I need to do a better job on this. Of course, everyone says "Don't Spend." But, that it easier said than done......I'm aiming to do better, but this one is tough....but I've got to.

RELATIONSHIPS-----Over the past two years, I have been in somewhat of a funk----depression-----whatever you want to call it. That caused me to pull away from some of my friendships a little. I had a true scare about one of those friends a couple of weeks ago, so that's something that I am going to work on. Thankfully, the scare looks like it was a false alarm...but let's just say it was a wake-up call to do things differently.

GOD-------Being 37 is a little more intricate than it was at 17. Back then, you tend to think of your spirituality in terms of black and white.....As you get older, other colors / factors tend to coem into view.I don't know if that is right or wrong, or maybe I do.......But, I want.....I need to get closer to who I used to be in that area than I am now.

CAREER-----This is one huge hurdle for me right now. I have been extremely blessed to do what I do for a living for two decades now. My love for music and journalism has always been the one thing that has set me apart and made me different. I don't have hobbies, and sitting by the pool for six-seven hours a day doesn't attract me too much. I'd rather be interviewing, covering a concert / soccer game / two men playing checkers on the front porch than anything. But, I need to steo my career up a notch financially if I am going to make it work as my sole career focus. I am open to any ideas about this, because while I don't think I'm Robert K. Oermann or Peter Cooper.......I think I'm pretty good at it, and I don't know if there's anyone out there who is writing as much as I am.....(You know, you get the e-mails!....LOL)

Well, that's what is on my mind this morning. Again, any ideas about these topics would be considered. Have a good week!