UPDATE

I’ve been jobless for more than 10 months. Thanks to the US Unemployment Insurance program, which I have paid into since I was 15 (36 years!), I have been receiving weekly paychecks this whole time. It’s a good thing, because jobs are hard to find. Never-the-less, I have faith I will find a good job before the money runs out. That’s my goal and as you know, setting and reaching goals is kind of “my thing”.

So what have I been up to since my last blog post?

I feel a little guilty because I haven’t written in six months. There are two reasons for my absence. First, I strive to keep my posts interesting, intriguing, positive, and thought-provoking. If I don’t have something to say that meets all those requirements I will usually say nothing. Second, I have been spending a lot of time outside and less time on my computer.

I read somewhere, years ago, that you should spend at least an hour every day outside. Something about nutrients you get from the sun and spiritual health that comes from the earth. I dunno about all that, but it does feel good to spend time outside, especially when the weather is nice.

Bicycling is still my favorite hobby. So far this year, I bought a used mountain bike on Craigslist, cleaned it, tuned it, adjusted it, and made several upgrades with new parts. Fun and easy stuff if you have any mechanical interest and a good assortment of metric tools. 

I rode this bike for about 3 months, then I donated it to a friend who wanted to buy her son a bike for his birthday but was having trouble finding a good used bike. It felt wonderful to help others and to know the bike I had cared for would be loved and ridden and enjoyed. Time to acquire another bike from Craigslist. I found a Schwinn I really liked at a good price and brought it home. I will probably keep this one forever. It just feels perfect for me.

At the beginning of this year, I couldn’t imagine riding my bike 10+ miles in one day. I mapped out some routes of 1 mile, 2 miles, and 4 miles. I really thought riding 4 miles one direction then back home would be the farthest I would travel on a bicycle. Wrong. As summer came and the weather warmed up, I found myself staying out longer and going farther and father on my bike.

To date, I have ridden more than 20 miles in a single trip and I now feel that 10 miles is a SHORT RIDE. Isn’t that interesting? Is there a lesson here? You tell me.

Now go take on the day!

Peace, out.

　
Check out Duane’s YouTube Channel　

RE-DISCOVERING A FAVORITE HOBBY

JOBLESS, 122 DAYS

I’ve had a lot of time to think and do what I want to do without the pressure of working at a job for 4 solid months. I have to tell you, I am loving the freedom I have now!

In the past, I have fantasized about how wonderful it would be to retire from my job and spend my time doing what I want to do. This first taste of what retirement will be like is as wonderful as I had imagined. I still get up early, 6am at the latest. But it is because I want to, because I love mornings. The world is quiet and the coffee tastes best first thing in the morning.

How about a hobby?
I got my first bike when I was 10 years old. The drawing above is from memory of that bike, drawn in 2008. My bike was my transportation, my freedom, and my independence. I rode it all over town. I rode every chance I got. I loved my bike more than all my other toys combined. Once I started working, I bought a car and sadly, my bike was forgotten and eventually given away. Now that I have no job and lots of free time, guess what? I bought a new bike! :)

I have re-discovered my love of bicycling. I am not a pro-bicycler. I don’t wear the Spandex bike clothing and I don’t push myself to the point of exhaustion. I wear comfortable clothes and I ride at my own pace. I usually take a snack and a bottle of water with me. I stop and take frequent breaks in beautiful city parks. It is the most fun I’ve had in years!

Bottom line:
At this point in my life, my time is my own and I’m enjoying every minute.

Now go take on the day.

Peace, out.


Check out Duane’s YouTube Channel

EXERCISE, WHAT A RUSH!

Factoid:
Exercise is good for the body and mind. There are hundreds of studies that show physical activity reduces stress, depression, and makes you feel more energized and confident throughout the day. Exercise helps stimulate the production of serotonin in the brain. The effect of this mood elevating chemical makes you feel good for hours afterward.
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I’ve been unemployed for 33 days. The job search is going about as expected. No interviews yet. Of course my recent experience in a research laboratory is not a high demand field. In fact, the field is shrinking. If you can score such a job, it’s great. Otherwise, you feel the curse of being far too specialized.

So what else have I been doing to keep myself busy? One thing I am committed to is keeping active. I have implemented an exercise routine that is easy, fun, and free. I know myself, and if it weren’t easy, fun, and free there is no way I would stick to it. So here it is:

Every day I will do one or more of the following--
INSIDE--
Stretching, at least 3 minutes
Push-ups, at least 10
Work out with nunchucks, at least 3 minutes
OUTSIDE--
Walk at least 1 mile
Bicycle at least 2 miles

So far in the last 33 days, I’ve only skipped 3 days. Not 100% but better than I have ever done with any exercise routine, ever! That’s a win in my book! I know it’s not much of a workout to do only one thing on the list. But I usually do more than the “required minimum”. Besides, even the minimum is much better than doing none at all.

This is the starting point of my do-it-yourself home fitness program. I would love to hear about your exercise/fitness success stories. What do you do for exercise and what do you do to stay motivated?

Your comments are always welcome!

No go take on the day!

Peace, out.


Check out Duane’s YouTube Channel

ONE GOAL

I normally have 5 or more current goals written down where I will see them every day, and I eventually reach every goal that is truly important to me. However, some of the goals I set for myself are eventually dropped from my list because I realize they aren’t really important to me after all.

Buying a motorhome was one of those goals. When the idea came to me, I was all gung-ho to get one and start traveling. But after a few months I realized I didn’t really want a motorhome and all the work and expenses that go along with it, so I dropped it from my list.

Anyway, I’m telling you this as a precursor to a different approach to goals. I know from experience that anybody with normal mental capacity can have different goals in different areas of life and achieve each one, such as:

A PROMOTION AT WORK
BUY A NEW CAR
HELP YOUR CHILD IMPROVE AT READING
TAKE YOUR FAMILY ON A CRUISE

But think about this-- What would happen if you only had ONE GOAL at a time. You would put the others on a separate list to deal with later. Then you would be free to focus all of your energy and attention on that ONE GOAL. Success would be an absolute certainty! Not only would you be focusing on ONE GOAL like a laser beam, but there would be no question that this is truly something you want.

Try it and let me know your results.

Now go take on the day!

Peace, out.
　
Check out
　Duane’s YouTube Channel

FISH OUT OF WATER

Yesterday was my last day working at the laboratory. Today is my first day of unemployment. As the title suggests, I feel a bit like a fish out or water. I’m not saying the lab job was my ideal job, not by a long shot. But it was part of me and I was part of it for nearly 8 years.

“Now what?”

It’s not hard to find the silver lining in this current chapter of my life, but I do feel the need to remind myself that there are positives to being jobless. At the top of that list is: “Free Time”. So what will I do with all my new-found free time? Part of it will be spent searching for a new job, but certainly not the 10 hours a day I previously spent working and commuting to my job.

I will invest more time posting YouTube videos and writing in this blog. I hope you, my viewers and readers will continue to find them both interesting and entertaining. As I have said many times, it wouldn’t be any fun without you.

Other plans include more minimizing of my stuff, and more exercise. This is my favorite time of year and I intend to take full advantage of the enthusiasm I feel right now. 2012 BRING IT ON!!

Your comments are always welcome and appreciated.

Now go take on the day!

Peace, out.
　

Check out Duane’s YouTube Channel

PLACES I DON’T GO

One day I was driving to work and I realized there are a lot of businesses that would not exist if everybody was like me. Here are a few of the businesses that I drive by but I almost never go into.

Bars, taverns, pubs, dance clubs—When I was younger and trying to go along with the crowd, I did. Not now.

Safeway, Albertsons, Yokes, Fred Meyer—These are over-priced grocery stores. I don’t care how nice the store is, I will not shop where prices are sky high.

Giant shopping malls—I may go inside to look around, people watch, or eat, but I won’t buy $200 jeans, $75 shirts, or any of the other over-priced stuff these places are famous for.

Any big bank that charges fees to bank there--I bank at my local Credit Union where everything is FREE and they pay me interest on my checking and savings accounts.

Casinos—I used to like to go to casinos and I went often. Now I rarely gamble. When I do gamble, I win a little or lose a little (less than $20). No stress, no regrets, and no worries.

1-Star hotels/motels—Back in the day I would stay at a $30 motel, but no longer. I don’t mind paying a premium for first class accommodations, but I always ask for a discount.

Just an observation I wanted to share with you.

Your comments are always welcome and appreciated.

Now go take on the day!

Peace, out.

　
Check out
Duane’s YouTube Channel

GO WITH THE FLOW

This is not my pic, I borrowed it from Google Images :)

When I was in my late 20’s I really wanted a kayak. I don’t remember exactly when or how I got the idea, but I thought about it constantly, especially when I saw a river or a lake. I visualized myself paddling around in the water, exploring and enjoying the exercise. The Internet hadn’t been invented yet, so I looked through magazines, catalogs and newspaper ads every chance I got to see what was available. I decided on an inflatable kayak, reasoning that it wouldn’t take up much space when it wasn’t in use.

I also bought the necessary accessories to go with it: the double-ended paddle, life jacket, some rope, a repair kit for leaks, and an air pump to inflate it.

I ordered it through a catalog and then waited. When it arrived, I was so happy and excited. I practiced inflating it and sitting in it in my living room for a few days before I was able to take it down to the river. Finally, the day arrived. I made sure it was firm and full of air, and then I put the kayak and all my gear in the back of my van and headed for the river.

I put the kayak in the water and tied it off so it didn’t get away from me before I could get in. This day was the culmination of months of dreaming and planning. I had thought of everything and planned every last detail. I put on my life jacket, grabbed my paddle, and carefully climbed in. I sat down, untied the rope and let the current take me away from the riverbank. YES, I was finally in my kayak, in the water! “WOO-HOO!”

My plan was to paddle upstream and then let the current carry me back downstream to my van. I reasoned that if I went downstream first, I would quickly be miles from my van. So I pointed my trusty kayak into the oncoming current and started paddling. “Hmm, this is not as easy as I thought.” I was actually getting carried downstream. No matter how hard or how fast I paddled, I was losing the fight. I was being swept farther and farther downstream. “Dammit!” I had no intention of carrying my kayak a mile or more back to the van, so I started paddling back to shore.

My first time out with my kayak was short, frustrating, and much less enjoyable that I had imagined. I felt angry, confused, exhausted, and discouraged. I honestly didn’t know where I had gone wrong.

Fast-forward about 10 years--
I was having trouble in my relationships and I was in a very stressful job. I often felt angry, frustrated, and confused about life in general. I fantasized about quitting, walking away. Instead, I spent more and more hours at work, trying to get caught up. That actually helped the job situation, but it had the opposite affect on my home life. I didn’t know how I had gotten to this point. Why was life so hard? I was exhausted and discouraged. What was I doing wrong?

One day it hit me. I was at work, thinking about the flow of the work I was doing, when a little voice in my head said to me, “You have to go with the flow, don’t paddle against the current!”

I hadn’t thought about my first adventure with my inflatable kayak in a long time, but that day it all came back to me and I finally realized what I did wrong that day and what I had been doing wrong in other areas of my life. I wasn’t going with the flow, I was fighting the current and the current always wins. You will never out-paddle the current. It will only lead to anger, frustration, and confusion. But if you can get yourself into the flow, the current will carry you along with it, effortlessly. Think about that.

Now go take on the day!

Peace, out.
　
Check out Duane’s YouTube Channel

MINIMALIST ART by Duane :)

I like to draw. I don’t draw very often, but when the mood strikes me I can spend a few hours drawing. I always have an image in my head of what I want my art to look like. Sometimes it’s close and sometimes it's miles from what I envisioned. Not sure why. Anyways, today I want to share with you my latest collection of very quick sketches I call “Minimalist Art”. Enjoy.
　

Sports Car

SUV

　

Cat

Coffee

Shapes

Thanks for stopping by.  Have a great day.

Peace, out.

　
Check out Duane’s YouTube Channel

Moving Toward Minimalism

Yes, Duane has caught the Minimalist bug! :)

Just to be clear, here is my definition of minimalism:
Minimalism means eliminating clutter and excess in both my possessions and in my schedule. It’s a way of simplifying my life and freeing up space and time, rather than filling my house and my time with things that really don’t matter to me.

My goal isn’t to own nothing; my goal is to only own things that I find beautiful and useful. As far as minimizing my schedule, having blocks of free time with nothing scheduled brings me peace and happiness that is hard to describe.

Here are my favorite book and website on minimalism--

THE JOY OF LESS by Francine Jay
(I bought the Kindle version because I don’t buy physical books any more.)
 
http://www.MissMinimalist.com also by Francine Jay
(Lots of free info and stories of other peoples’ minimalist journeys)

One of my biggest fears about deleting things from my life was, “Will I miss it when it’s gone?” Francine explains how to deal with that in her book. It goes something like this--

Some items will be easy to delete from your life and some will be easy to keep. But some items will be hard to decide on. Put those into an “undecided box”. Date the box and put it away for 6 months or so. If you haven’t missed or needed anything in the box, take it to Goodwill. Easy!

So, how much excess stuff have I deleted from my life? I’ve gone through every closet and every room in my house. I’ve sold a few things. I’ve given away about 30 boxes of stuff to my family and to the neighborhood thrift store. I’ve decluttered my filing cabinet and shredded dozens of old files. I’ve eliminated 5 boxes of kitchen stuff that I never use. Boxes of books and bookshelves are gone. I gave away most of my DVD’s, and will probably give away the rest, since I never watch the same movie twice. I know some people do, but it’s not my thing. I’ve eliminated about 30% of the stuff in my tool shed. There is no clutter in my car.

Some people think I’m crazy or I’m going through a mid-life crisis. Some people think I’m getting ready to move across the country. But honestly, I’m having a blast getting rid of things I don’t want, don’t need, and haven’t used in years. I keep asking myself, “Why was I keeping all this stuff?” LOL As my house gets lighter, I feel a sense of freedom and calm. I’m in awe of all the space I have now.

Your thoughts, ideas, and comments are always welcome.

Now go take on the day!

Peace, out.

　
Check out Duane’s YouTube Channel

PERFECT VERBAL COMMUNICATION

I’m writing this post because I have realized that many people don’t understand the basics of good communication. To illustrate, I will first tell you what good communication is not.

DON’T BE “THAT RUDE GUY”

I know some brilliant people who seem to be incapable of answering a yes or no question with less than 1000 words. I’m not exaggerating. If I ask a simple question, I expect a simple answer. If you ask me, “How you are doing?” I will not ramble on about myself for 20 minutes. That’s not a conversation, it’s just plain rude!

I know people who not only try to finish other people’s sentences for them, but also will interrupt someone in mid-sentence and start talking about themselves. That’s not a conversation, it’s just plain rude!
　
GUIDELINES FOR PERFECT VERBAL COMMUNICATION

If you are talking about yourself, your family, your hobby, or whatever, consider whether the person you are talking to is interested. They may just be listening out of politeness, but they really have no interest in your story. Think about it; put yourself in their place.

Keep it fair. Communication should be 50/50. Each person should be given the courtesy to share and contribute to the conversation. Nobody wants to be around someone who hijacks the conversation and makes it all about them.

Now go take on the day, and have great conversations.

Peace out.

MY SPACE

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about my space. Not the social networking website, but the space where I spend most of my time when I’m not at work.

Basically, I like things neat, tidy, and clutter-free. I honestly don’t understand hoarders, people who surround themselves with junk that is never used or even seen because it’s not easy to find or get to. Not to be mean, but it’s a fact that compulsive hoarders are mentally ill.

So, back to my space. I’m not a minimalist, but I tend to lean that way. Maybe one day I will reach minimalist status. At least once a year, I will go though drawers, closets, and cupboards and get rid of things I haven’t used in the last 12 months or so. This is my way of keeping life simple and organized. I usually make four piles as I’m going though things:
1) Things to keep.
2) Things to sell.
3) Things to give away.
4) Garbage.
That’s my system. It works for me.

Why have I been thinking about my space so much lately? Well, I’ve been reading stories and how-to’s about people who sell their home, buy an RV, and hit the road with only the things truly necessary to live comfortably in that lifestyle. No excess, no clutter, just what is necessary. For some reason, this idea really appeals to me. I first heard about “Full Time RVers” about 15 years ago, and I was fascinated with the idea. Eventually, I decided it was un-realistic (for me, at that time in my life) and gave up on the idea.

A few months ago, I was thinking about what I would do if I had to grab a few things as quickly as possible and get out of the city. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a fully stocked and ready to go RV, Van, or Pickup w/Camper for just such an emergency? Or maybe even to live in, to live a simpler and less expensive lifestyle. How cool would that be?

Anyways, here are three websites where I found tons of info about this sort of thing. Check them out if you’re interested.

http://cheaprvliving.com/index.html
http://cheapgreenrvliving.com/
http://www.stealthvandweller.com/

Your thoughts, ideas, and comments are always welcome.

Now go take on the day!

Peace, out.
　

Check out  Duane’s YouTube Channel

A Story About Marketing

In the United States, we are bombarded with more than 3000 advertisements per day! Some are passive, some are aggressive, some make us want to buy right now, some plant a seed that slowly grows, and we act on it days or weeks later and we don’t even realize it. That’s what happened to me over the past few months, and I just realized it today. Check this out.

I have a satellite dish and DVR so I can easily record my favorite TV shows and watch them later, when I have time. One of the advantages of this is that I can zip through the commercials and watch a 1-hour TV show in about 40 minutes. But sometimes a commercial catches my attention and I watch it. Sometimes I watch it over and over again. That’s what I did with these two commercials.

You can watch them here--

2010 KIA COMMERCIAL

2011 KIA COMMERCIAL

Cool commercials, right? I loved these commercials from the very first time I saw them. But, here is the strange part: On April 1, 2011, my Cadillac was gushing antifreeze all over my driveway, rendering it un-drivable. I had to work the next morning so I needed to find some transportation, fast. I had an appointment that afternoon to meet with my friend, Troy, who is a salesman at a car dealership. I walked the lot with Troy, looked at a few used cars, and settled on a black 2005 Kia Spectra. We did the paperwork, paid for the car, and I drove home happy.

Just today, April 13, 2011, it hit me. Those two TV commercials--the ONLY car commercials I have ever loved, and watched over and over again--were KIA COMMERCIALS! No way! Yes way! I’m still a little in awe over this. Do you think that’s just a weird coincidence, or is it awesome marketing?

If you have a similar story, I’d love to read about it. You can email me here: 
duanemyers2000@yahoo.com.

Now go take on the day!

Peace, out.

　
Check out Duane’s YouTube Channel

I Bought a Cadillac--Big Mistake!

I bought a Cadillac on January 11, 2011. Not a new Cadillac, but still a very nice 2002 American made luxury car. I have wanted one for a long time so I finally treated myself. I know it’s not a practical car. It’s bigger than it needs to be and it has a much bigger engine than is necessary to get me from point A to point B. The MPG is pathetic, around 16. So why did I buy it? It was part of my experiment to start living my life in a state of wealth and abundance (see my blog post “The Secret” from November 4, 2010). The hit to my savings account made me uncomfortable, but that was just the beginning of my grief.

I enjoyed driving the Cadillac. It was a smooth ride, lots of black leather and polished wood accents inside, with a GPS navigation system and DVD player in the dash. The Northstar V8 engine purred like a kitten but when I pressed down on the accelerator, it roared to life to declare, “I am the king of the road!”

The snowball effect--
It began with a dead battery. The dealership where I bought it happily replaced the dead battery with a brand new one. It was winter, dead batteries are common in cold weather so I didn’t worry about it. Then the heater didn’t work. The dealership was happy to fix that, too. Cool, I was happy.

As I drove home, a text message scrolled across the dash, “Check tire pressure”. Fine, I stopped at a filling station and checked the tires. I added air to 3 of them and filled up the gas tank, $64. Then I was back on the road.

It started to snow and the windshield wipers came on automatically--Cool! I tried to use the windshield washer to clean the glass better. It was empty. Turned on the fog lights, one was burned out.

Next day, the dash text message was back, “Check tire pressure”. I did. One of the tires was over-inflated so I let some air out.

Next day, noticed that passenger side of car always had hot air blowing from the vents. Not a problem in January, but something that needs to be addressed before summer.

Next day, dash text message reads, “Change oil”. I pushed “clear” and it went away.

Next day, dash text message reads, “Change oil… Check tire pressure… Headlights suggested”.

Next day, dash text message reads, “Change oil… Check tire pressure… Headlights suggested... ABS... Check brakes... Service engine”.

Next day, I noticed drops of oil on my driveway. Checked oil, it was a quart low. Added oil.

This harassment continued until April 1, 2011. I drove home after a long day at work. Got out of the Cadillac and walked toward the house. I smelled antifreeze, turned and looked under the car. Antifreeze was coming from the engine compartment and running down my driveway--LOTS of antifreeze!

FOR SALE

Evil Cadillac

Cheap!

So what did I learn? The Cadillac had 183,785 miles on it when I bought it. That’s why it seemed like a bargain at $5999. Cadillacs are quality luxury cars, but they don’t last forever. You can buy cheap like I did and spend a lot of money on repairs, or you can pay more up front and get something with a lot less problems. If you figure in the “cost of frustration and inconvenience”, this was a very expensive lesson for me. I hope you learned from it, too.

Now go take on the day!

Peace, out.


Check out Duane’s YouTube Channel

Results from “Where’s Duane?” Survey

Here is what I learned from your replies to my last post, when I asked if you would rather have more frequent posts.

I was a bit surprised by some of you. I think that’s a good thing because I learned some things. The main theme to your responses was that I should write about what’s important to me. After all, that is what you enjoy, and the reason you surf on over to Duane’s World. Thank you all for that.

The second thing I learned from you is that quality is important. You don’t want to waste your time reading pointless nonsense from an uninteresting author, and neither would I.

I will do my best to give you my best. Thank you all for your support. I truly appreciate every one of you.

Now go take on the day!

Peace, out.
　
Check out Duane’s YouTube Channel

Where's Duane?

I know, I know, I haven’t been keeping my promise to post at least once a week on this blog. But here’s the thing-- I want to write factual, thought provoking posts that are both an “Ah-ha!” and a call to action that will help you, my dear reader, make positive changes in your life. So, when I have no such topic on the tips of my typing fingers, I post nothing. I feel that is preferable to posting random rambling tidbits of my everyday thoughts and “Hey guess what happened to me today” or “Did you ever notice…” type of posts.

And how does that make me feel? I feel guilty, as if I’m withholding some precious jewels of wisdom from you, even though I haven’t a clue about what to write.

So, may I ask for your help? I know my readers enjoyed my first 22 posts. Visitor count to this page reads more than 3100, so I must be doing something right. My question to you is this: Would you like to see more frequent posts, even if they are slightly less awesome than you are used to seeing here?

You can leave a comment or send me a private email here: duanemyers2000@yahoo.com. Depending on how many comments and emails I get, I may not reply to every one, but I will read them all. Results to follow…

Thanks for being you! Have an awesome day!

Peace, out.

Check out  Duane’s YouTube Channel

Learning the Hard Way

I’ve always had to learn things the hard way. When I was little my mother told me "Don’t touch the stove, it’s hot." So naturally, I had to touch it to see if she was right. She was.

As I got older, I continued to use this learning method.

When I was in high school, I learned the hard way that a car never wins a fight with a tree.

When I was in my 30’s, I read an investment book that said, "95% of all commodity traders lose money, a lot of money." So I decided to trade commodities. I did well in the beginning. I actually made a few hundred dollars before I crashed and burned. I learned the hard way that the book I had read was right. I lost what was to me, a huge amount of money.

There were many other examples of me learning things the hard way but that’s enough for now. Why am I telling you all of this? I wanted you to know that I’m not perfect and I don’t always do everything right. I have done some really stupid things in the past. The thing is, every lesson I have learned the hard way has stuck with me. I thank God for these lessons. They have made me who I am today. I have learned to take risks, and I have learned that it’s OK to fail once in awhile. It’s all part of growing and learning, and gaining wisdom.

How about you? Do you usually play it safe? Or do you sometimes have to touch the stove to see if it really is hot?

Now go take on the day!

Peace, out.

　
Check out Duane’s YouTube Channel

MY MRI TEST RESULTS

I met with my doctor today to go over my MRI test results. What did they find? Well, first let me tell you what they did not find--

BRAIN SCAN:
There is no sign of brain tumors, aneurisms, bleeding, water on the brain, or brain swelling.

SPINE SCAN:
There was no sign of misalignment, bone marrow changes, disk abnormalities, bone lesions, or pressure on the spinal cord.

So what did they find?

BRAIN: Tiny bit of white matter, potentially related to migraine headaches.
SPINE: Tiny central disk protrusion, which could compromise nerve roots.

I thought it was interesting (and funny, and a relief) that both of these findings were described as TINY. That's a good thing. Maybe one or both of these are causing my headaches. Or maybe it's stress or tension. Or maybe it's an allergy to wheat or dairy or applesauce or pollen or dandelions... You get the idea.

In a nutshell, I'm glad I did the MRI because now I know for certain that I don't have any serious brain or spinal problems. Thank God!

But am I any closer to finding a cure for my headaches?  No.

OK, I won't bore you with any more of this headache stuff, unless I find a cure, then I will definitely share it with everybody who will listen. :)

Now go take on the day!

Peace, out.


Check out Duane’s YouTube Channel

My First MRI

Today was my first MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging). Why am I getting an MRI? My goal is to find out why I get headaches and then find the cure for them. I believe nobody should have frequent headaches. I had 89 headaches in 2010. If you have pain anywhere in your body that often, something is definitely wrong!

Anyway, I want to tell you about my experience with the MRI machine. Since I’ve never been subjected to this type of test before, it was a memorable experience.

First, let me tell you what the MRI machine does--
Your body is mostly made up of water. Water is made up of hydrogen and oxygen. The hydrogen atoms respond to a magnet. The MRI machine uses a very powerful magnet to line up the hydrogen atoms in your body in a straight line. About half of the atoms point toward your head and about half point toward your feet, but there are always a few unmatched atoms. Then a radio frequency pulse is added which causes the unmatched atoms to spin the other way. When the pulse is turned off, the unmatched atoms return to their normal position and emit energy. This energy sends a signal to a computer, which converts it into an image.

I felt honored that they were going to use this sterile, spaceship-looking mega-machine on me. I did some research before my appointment and learned that just the machine itself costs more than $3 Million. And that’s not including the highly trained staff that runs it. Impressive.

They had me lie on a narrow table, which is designed to slide your body into the machine. The table was surprisingly comfortable. They added a pillow under my legs to keep my back as flat as possible. Then they added pads under my arms (for comfort, I guess). I also got foam earplugs and headphones, which played music and allowed the technicians to talk to me while the machine was running. Last but not least, I got an emergency squeeze bulb attached to a cord. "If anything happens(!?!), just squeeze this and we will get you out of there." That was both worrisome and comforting at the same time. LOL I never had to squeeze it.

One of the technicians said my job was to hold still. In my head, I told myself, "Hold still, think positive thoughts, and smile". It may not help, but it sure can’t hurt! :)

They slid me in and went behind a glass wall. I wondered if the glass was explosion-proof. They turned on the music and started the machine. I was expecting a loud windy sound. Nope, what I heard was very loud pulses of varying frequencies and degrees. Sometimes it sounded like the bass beat of rock music. Sometimes it was just noise.

A lot of thoughts went through my head as the huge magnets and pulsing frequencies did their work. I remembered when I was a little boy, hiding in my toy box, which seemed oddly similar to where I was now. I also wondered if the lights in the rest of the hospital dimmed when they turned the MRI machine on. That led to thoughts of spinning electric meters, and people running the power plant having to turn a few dials to compensate for the increased power draw at Kadlec Hospital in Richland, Washington… Just for me…

I briefly wondered if this giant hydrogen sucking magnet would cause me to have a headache for the rest of the day. How ironic would that be? I tried to keep my thoughts positive. Feeling good, pushing back any negative thoughts, and smiling. I wondered if the MRI techs could see what I was thinking on their computer screen. His name was Don, he was nice. There was a woman, too, but she didn’t tell me her name. She talked to me through the headphones while I was in the machine. She asked me if I was ok, and gave me periodic updates of how much time was left.

They did two separate scans, one of my brain and one of my neck. Each took 20 minutes. There was about a 2 minute break in between. I can’t say it went fast or slow. I was very much aware of the time as it passed. I knew it was almost done before I heard her voice in my headphones, "only 4 more minutes to go".

When it was over, I wasn’t dizzy or disoriented at all. I felt like I had taken a 40 minute nap but I know I didn’t sleep. And I was very hungry!

I won’t have the results for a few days, but I expect a clear picture with no sign of trouble. I suspect my headaches are caused by some type of allergy. I will get to the bottom of this mystery, because that is my goal. :)

Now go take on the day!

Peace, out.
　

Check out Duane’s YouTube Channel

DUANE’S FAVORITE SAYINGS

This is just a fun post. I felt like sharing something fun/interesting/pointless with you.  Enjoy!

Here we go

I’m just sayin’

You’re gonna like this!

Oh yeah!

Check it out

That’s what I’m talking about!

You never know

Watch this

No worries

How do you like that?

I know, right

Now go take on the day!

Peace out.

Check out Duane’s YouTube Channel

My Rant -- Corporate Downsizing

I am one of the most positive people I know. Still, there are a few things that really tick me off. I don’t dwell on them but occasionally they come to the surface. This is one of those occasions.

DOWNSIZING is corporate speak for “deleting loyal, hard working employees as if they were last week’s spam.” Many companies do this as a way to trim their budgets, which will (hopefully) make them more profitable in the future. I’ve always maintained that companies don’t make decisions, people do. And this is no exception. The decision of whose life to ruin is made by one or more people farther up the ladder. I don’t believe these people are totally without a heart, but I do believe the decision to downsize has as much to do with protecting their own assets as it has to do with making the company appear more profitable. There are other ways to improve a company’s bottom line. IE: Increase sales, increase customer satisfaction, creative marketing, add new products and services, etc. Of course, these remedies take more time and effort. It’s much easier to tell 30% of your workers to pack their bags and tell the other 70% they will now have to work 30% harder, or they will be next.

I just had to get that out there. My next post will be more positive, I promise. :)

Now go take on the day!

Peace, out.
　
Check out Duane’s YouTube Channel

A Clean Slate

Would you believe my favorite holiday is New Years Day? I have always felt like the first day of the year is a perfect time for a brand new beginning. No matter how good last year was, or how many challenges I faced last year, I always look forward to starting the New Year with a clean slate.

Practically speaking, you can make any day a clean slate day for the next chapter in your life, and I have done it many times at all different times of the year. But New Years Day is special. I don’t know how else to say it.

So, what about this clean slate? What are you going to do with it? Start school? Finish school? Start a new job? Start a new business? Marry the love of your life? Buy your dream car? OMG, the possibilities are endless!

Whatever you decide to do with your clean slate, make it count. Make it something you can later say with pride, “Yeah, I did that!” The surest way to make it happen is to write it down and don’t give yourself an out. No excuses.

“Do, or do not. There is no try.” --Jedi Master Yoda

Now go take on 2011!!

Peace, out.
　
Check out Duane’s YouTube Channel

Mail Trolls and Phone Trolls

First, I will tell you what they are and then I will tell you how to get rid of them.

Mail Trolls are those people who send you mail that you don’t want and you have to spend time shredding it (recommended) or throwing it in the trash. You could blame it on the companies, but companies are run by people, so the people are the trolls. The junk they send you varies, but in this blog, I’m specifically talking about credit card offers.

I used to get 2-3 credit card offers in the mail every day. It is ridiculous how much time and money these trolls spend sending their junk to people. For a few months, I would take an offer from one company and stick it in the prepaid envelope from another company and mail it, and get rid of it that way. It was fun at first but I realized that was wasting even more of my time. LOL So I decided to get rid of the whole mess, once and for all. How did I do it? Read on.

Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, you have the right to Opt-Out of this never-ending merry-go-round of junk in your mailbox. Go to this website, https://www.optoutprescreen.com/ and follow the steps to Opt-Out, either for 5 years or permanently. In a couple weeks, you will wonder, “What ever happened to all that junk I used to get in my mailbox?” :)

Phone Trolls are people you don’t know who call you and try to talk you into giving them your money. They are more annoying than mail trolls because you have to deal with them right now instead of once a day when you check your mailbox. And they can call at any time, even several times a day.

I used to play with these people for my own amusement and to entertain the people around me. When I got a call from a number I didn’t recognize, I would answer the phone in a variety of ways, including speaking fake Chinese, pretending to be really angry at the caller, insisting that the caller was actually my friend Tom trying to play a joke on me, asking the caller about his family, how does he like his job, what kind of car does he drive, etc.

You get the point--he was wasting my time so I was wasting his. But eventually I got bored with that game and decided to simplify my life by getting rid of all these calls. How did I do that? Check this out.

The Federal Government has created the National Do Not Call Registry, a free and easy way to eliminate 99% of telemarketing calls to your home phone or your cell phone, or both. Call this number from any phone you want to protect from telemarketers 1-888-382-1222. Within a month, phone trolls will no longer be a problem.

Now go take on the day!

Peace, out.　

Check out Duane’s YouTube Channel

Poker Secrets

For a four-year period, from 2003 through 2007, I intended to become a professional poker player. I bought dozens of books on how to play poker, how to read your opponents, bluffing, the math of poker, etc. Pretty much the only thing I watched on TV for those four years was poker. I was learning and assimilating and trying to get inside the heads of the world’s leading poker players. I played online poker almost every day for four years. And I played in casinos, small casinos and big casinos every chance I got. But I eventually went a different way. So what made me decide to change my career path after investing so much time in my poker education?

Here are some secrets about poker that I didn't count on. They are very rarely talked about or written about. The first secret is a phenomenon that applies to all types of gambling, and even aggressive investment strategies. I don't know if it has a name, but it goes something like this--

First Secret--
When you lose $500 (or any significant amount), the pain you feel is worse than the joy you feel from winning that same amount of money. If you have an emotional attachment to money (and who doesn't?), you are constantly battling with your emotions. Because no matter how good you are, you are still going to have losing days.

Second Secret--
You can play mathematically perfect poker and still get your butt kicked. This happens for two reasons: First, if you are playing that way, people will eventually figure it out, start bluffing you more, and start folding when you come out betting strong. That's when you need to switch it around to throw them off. But it might be too late by then.

Third Secret--
There is enough luck involved in poker, that you can play world-class poker and still lose some major hands to some schmuck who just got lucky. Now that hurts! All of these things, for me at least, make poker very hard to master. I still love to play, but not as a profession.

Peace, out.
　
Check out Duane’s YouTube Channel

When Procrastination is a Good Thing

I’ve realized something over the past few years that I’ve never put into words before. I don’t believe I’m unique in this area, I believe there are others who have the same habit. Perhaps reading about it from your side of the computer screen will cause you to have one of those “Ah-ha!” moments and could possibly save you thousands of dollars and much wasted time. For me, putting this into words will help me to cement in my mind something I already know to be true.

My brother once said to me, “I have saved thousands of dollars by procrastinating.” He then explained, “When I see something I want, I don’t buy it right away. I wait, put it off, sleep on it, think about it for a few days, and in most cases, I decide I don’t really want it after all.

At the time, I thought he was crazy. I was more of a “seize the moment” type of person. I would buy whatever I wanted, whenever I felt like it. I would buy all sorts of things because I believed that having them would make me happy. Maybe you do the same thing.

What I eventually learned was that in many cases (70% or more), once I bought something, I no longer wanted it. This isn’t a big deal with little things, but lately I’ve been thinking about getting a new vehicle. I made a list of the types of vehicles I thought would make me happy, then I started looking for those vehicles in the newspaper, on Craigslist, on EBay Motors, etc, etc.

Now here is the strange part--
Since I didn’t buy right away, I eventually got bored with the search and realized that I don’t really want a new car any more. Isn’t that interesting? I saved thousands of dollars and I learned that I’m already happy with what I already have.

Something to think about, isn’t it? Now go take on the day!

Peace, out.
　
Check out Duane’s YouTube Channel

If you are going through hell, keep going!

“If you are going through hell, keep going!”
--Winston Churchill, Prime Minister of England during WWII

We all have good days and bad days, sometimes even good years and bad years. Here’s the thing--If today is not one of the good days, don’t give up, and don’t get stuck in the negative. Continue doing what you know is right and what is necessary to get you through today, because on the other side is a better day.

Years ago, I was reading men’s action novels. In one of them, the hero had been taken prisoner and was beaten very badly. After this, he was locked in a cell, to be interrogated later. There was a mirror in the cell. He was looking at his black and blue and bloody face in the mirror and he smiled. Why? Because he was still alive and that meant he still had a chance. Of course, he escaped and completed his mission, but what stuck with me was that he was able to smile because he could see past the hell that he was in, which drove him to keep going.

Now go take on the day!
Peace, out.

Check out Duane’s YouTube Channel

Count Your Blessings

I cried because I had no shoes, until I met a man who had no feet.

Think about that for awhile, and then count your blessings.

Peace, out.

Check out Duane’s YouTube Channel

Bigger Goals

Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you are right!
--Henry Ford

What if we lived our lives this way? Well, most of us do!

Many people don’t set big goals because they think they can’t do it. It’s a fact that if you never reach for something beyond your grasp, you will never know what you are truly capable of achieving. If you think you can’t, you won’t. You won’t even try. But if you think you can, read on…

Setting small goals is a good way to build confidence. As you reach each goal, congratulate yourself, smile, cross it off your list, and say, “I did it! What’s next?” This sets us up to try bigger and better things. Wouldn’t it be exciting if we set some big goals and then we got them? And then we set bigger goals, and got them, too!

What if every time we set a goal, we got it? What if every time we went after a new job, we got it? What if every time we asked someone out on a date, they said yes? What if we lived our lives this way?

OMG, there would be no stopping us!

Think about that for a while… Then set some goals and see what happens!

Peace, out.

Check out Duane’s YouTube Channel

The Secret

I bought a new cell phone a couple days ago. It’s a “smart phone” with all sorts of cool features like Internet access and GPS mapping capabilities. That may not seem like a big deal to some of you. I know lots of people who have had the latest, greatest, state of the art phones for a very long time. Why was I holding on to my old, low tech, low budget cell phone and denying myself the pleasure of owning a new phone with all the fun features that everybody else already had? Follow along and find out. You just may learn something.

I’ve recently realized something about me that stems from my childhood. Something that has quite possibly been holding me back from reaching the level of wealth and happiness that I’ve dreamed about, but never honestly expected to achieve…

I have been living in a state of scarcity all my life. Money has always been hard to come by, until the last 5-6 years. In the past, I never would have described myself as rich, but now that is exactly how I describe myself. However, I still have that voice in the back of my head that reminds me that “money is scarce”. It’s not now, but it was for so long, I haven’t let go of that idea.

I didn’t realize this until my friend, Theresa recommended I watch a DVD called “The Secret”. One of the things I learned from watching The Secret, is that you get what you think about (even the negative stuff!). If you are thinking about how hard money is to come by and that you should hang onto it whenever you get some, then guess what? That’s what happens in your life!

Ahaa!! That reminded me of something I read a very long time ago. I would like to give the author credit, but I don’t remember who wrote it or where I read it. Anyways, it goes something like this: “You cannot receive anything with closed fists; you have to be open to receive.” Oh yeah, now that is deep! :)

So I have assigned myself the task of living in a general state of wealth and abundance and I will not allow my old beliefs to take over and deny me from enjoying something I really want. Hence, the new phone.

Believe it or not, this is a brand new way of looking at life for me. So new in fact, that I will consider it an experiment at this point. I will post updates to keep you informed of my progress. For now, feel free to join me in focusing on wealth and abundance, even if you don’t know where it’s coming from. Believe it, and it will come.

By the way, I highly recommend you get a copy of The Secret. You can find it at Amazon.com for about $10.

Now go take on the day!
Peace, out.

Check out Duane’s YouTube Channel

Be Nice

If you have to start a conversation with, "No offense but..." you know darn well you are about to offend someone.  Might be a good time to ZIP IT.

Million Year Old Health Secret

Question: What is the most important nutrient for the human body?
Answer: Water
　
The human body is 2/3 water. Your blood is 83% water. Your brain is 90% water. It’s a fact that you can’t function properly if you don’t drink enough water. Water is necessary for every bodily function and for alertness, concentration, and thinking. It helps carry essential nutrients to all our cells, aids in circulation, digestion, metabolism, and waste removal. Throughout the day, we are constantly losing water through sweating, urination, and evaporation. That water must be replaced.

Drinking water may seem boring at first, but look at these AMAZING BENEFITS of drinking water--

Makes your skin look and feel better
Increases energy and endurance
Helps your brain think more clearly
Keeps your muscles and joints lubricated for better mobility and efficiency
Can cure headaches, muscle aches, hunger, and fatigue
Flushes disease causing toxins from your body
Makes you feel healthier and improves your mood

How much do we need to drink? The average-sized person requires 2 to 3 quarts of water a day. You can get some of your water through the foods you eat. For example, if you are eating 5-8 servings of fresh fruits and vegetables daily, then you are getting about one quart of water through your food.

Unfortunately, caffeinated drinks don’t count. In fact, for every cup of coffee and for every soda you drink, you need to drink an equal amount of water, just to compensate for the water lost due to the effects of caffeine. The same goes for caffeinated tea and alcohol.

Soda Facts: The amount of sugar in soda definitely packs on the pounds. If you are a regular soda drinker, you can replace your soda with water, and in one year, you will lose approximately 40-50 pounds! Also, did you know that diet soda has been proven to actually increase your appetite? All soda depletes calcium from your bones. 

Here’s my formula--
I drink a 12-ounce glass of water first thing in the morning when I get out of bed.
Then I have a cup of coffee.
I sip water throughout the day.
I have another cup of coffee about 9:00 am.
I drink water with lunch.
I fill my 24-ounce water bottle before I leave work and I finish it on my drive home.
I drink water, milk, or 100% fruit juice with dinner.
I continue to sip water until I go to bed.

I rarely drink soda, but sometimes I want something sweet so I will have a soda instead of candy.

I don’t buy bottled water. I have a Britta filter water picture and a stainless steel water bottle that always goes with me. When I’m at home, I sip water from a glass.

If water is just too boring for you, try adding a slice of lemon, lime, or cucumber to your water. It’s good! There are also flavored drink mix packets that you can add to a glass or bottle of water. I don’t use them, but they are becoming very popular.

Bottom line: Be smart, be healthy, drink water!

Peace, out.

Check out Duane’s YouTube Channel

Raise the Bar

I am an expert at goal setting and goal achievement. In 1992, I became a facilitator with an organization known as The Pacific Institute. It wasn’t a paid position, but what I learned has made me rich. I still use the same concepts today and that’s what I’m going to share with you.

What does the phrase, “Raise the bar“ mean? It was originally a sports term but it is used in many other areas now. When someone does a high jump, he or she jumps over a bar. Therefore, if you raise the bar, the jumper has to perform better to meet the new challenge. That’s what I want you to do.

If there is anything in your life that you want to improve, now is the time to raise the bar. How do you do that? Set some goals. If goal setting is new to you, here are some examples: A goal could be a bigger apartment or a nicer house, a newer car, a new set of matching dishes, or a new knife. Or it could be something big, something life changing: A new job, marriage, graduating high school or college, going back to school, or moving to Boston. It can be anything you want. You will have to work for it, but with what I‘m about to show you, it‘s much easier than you might think.

Step One: Write down your goals. Make a wish list. Write down everything you can think of. At this point, don’t worry about where it will come from or how you will get there. Just ask yourself, “What do I want?“ Have fun with this. Let your mind wander.

Step Two: Once you have your big want list, pick 3 things from your list that you really, really, REALLY want. These are your main goals. These are the things you will focus on and think about every day, several times a day. Keep the first list someplace safe. Once you see how easy this is, your confidence will grow and you will want to add more to both lists. That’s how it works. It’s an ongoing process.

Keep your list of 3 goals where you will see it every day. I keep my list on my computer where I see it several times a day. I like using Word documents because they are easy to edit. My list is constantly changing, but I keep my top 3 goals at the top.

Don’t worry about how long it will take to achieve a goal. It takes as long as it takes, but I guarantee you, this method speeds things up in your favor.

Note: My advice is don’t show your lists to anybody. People who don’t know about this method will try to bring you back down to Earth. Not in a mean way, but they might try to “save you from disappointment” and tell you things like, “your dreams are not realistic, that’s impossible, there is no way that will work…” You don’t need anybody’s approval. These are YOUR goals. Try this method and see for yourself. Once you become an expert at it, then you might want to share it with others. That’s fine. That’s what I did. :)

Step Three: We move toward and become what we think about. Visualize yourself achieving each goal. Close your eyes, take a deep breath, and visualize what it will be like once you have each goal. What will it look like, smell like, taste like, sound like, and feel like? Imagine your life with the goal already achieved. How wonderful does it feel? How happy are you? Those are strong emotions and they are part of the process. Do this every day. Here’s why:

We are at our inventive and creative best when we have a problem. Our brain will work overtime to find a solution to the problem. That’s just the way the brain functions. How does this work? While we are reading and thinking about our goals every day, and visualizing achieving our goals, we are programming our brains to get used to something new. But when we look around in our current situation, we are still stuck in the old reality. We see a conflict, a problem. So our brain goes to work to resolve the problem. That’s why sometimes you go to bed thinking about a problem and you wake up with a solution. Pretty cool, eh?

Sometimes you will put something on your list of goals and after awhile, you will realize you really don’t want that any more. No problem. That happens to me, too. Just delete it.

This method works 95% of the time. There are times when you don’t get the goal. It’s rare, but it does happen. Hey, that’s life. There are some things you cannot control, and that’s OK. I believe everything works out the way it’s supposed to. When the 5% happens, look for the lesson, cry if you have to, then pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and get back to work: “My new goal is…”

This has been working for me for 18 years so I know it works. It will work for you too if you give it a chance.

Now go set some goals!
Peace, out.

Check out Duane’s YouTube Channel