I try to live a positive life and not let things get to me. Don't sweat the small stuff is an important motto that I and others try to live by. However, we are an imperfect people. I cannot and will not ever be perfect, no matter how hard I try. All I can do is try my best. That being said, one statement truly gets on my nerves everytime I hear it and I just hate the phrase. The phrase that annoys me is in the title of this piece. Why does it annoy me so though?
The phrase I can't wait until you son or daughter...blah blah is a phrase that is rooted with evil undertones and hopes of misfortune. There is absolutely no positive spin that can be put on this statement and I hear it far too often. At best the meaning of this statement is to be happy at someones misery. At worst it is assuming the parent is a self-absorbed ego-maniac that will not be proud of their child and the life choices that they make. Either way it is a misguided and foolish statement unless it is something to the effect of...I can't wait until your child is incredibly successful. That statement seems weak.
When I hear this statement, it usually comes in the form of...I can't wait until your son is a gator. Now, you have to understand I am a Seminole and my blood burns deep garnet and gold. You have to understand that my wife and I met at Florida State and we are each lifelong Seminole fans. Sure we both really want our kids to be Seminoles and hate the Gators, but pump the breaks for a minute....
1) You are assuming we won't raise our child to make the right choice for them...
Sure we have already shown our boys the Seminole traditions. We have shown them our love for the Seminoles and will continue to do so. However, as deep as our love goes for the Seminoles our children know already that their purpose in life is to serve God. Nobody and nothing supersedes that purpose. They will go where they best serve God. I am pretty sure that will be at Florida State, but if God has different plans for my children, I will be happy they are serving his purpose.
2) You are doubting our parenting skills...
You are assuming our kids are making choices that we don't like. You are assuming that our kids are meant to hurt us. That just isn't how we roll. We are and will always be proud of our children. This will be true with any choice they make in life and it will typically be the right decision because that is how they have been raised.
3) You are wanting us to be upset...
Even if you were just trying to get under our skin with the statement, why do it? Why say that you can't wait for something that we dislike? This is the best case scenario as I said for the statement. You are thinking that we will be miserable if this happens and secretly wishing for it so that we can become miserable. Okay, if that's what you want in life fine, but we are called to be much more.
4) If a child is making the choice that is best for them, no parent will get in the way....
Are you saying that we won't be good parents? Sure, rivalries run deep and FSU fans dislike Florida and vice versa. That does not mean a Florida State parent will stand in the way of a kid going to Florida if there is a sport scholarship there that isn't at FSU or in rare cases vice versa. If there is a better or more reliable coach at one of the institutions. Or a better program for the major that the child wants. Heck, one school may have a major that the other doesn't. Assuming the parent won't want what is best for the child based on a rivalry is assuming the parent isn't worth much.
5) So you'd let your kid go to that awful orange and blue school?
Again, I'd let my kid do what is best for them and best for serving the Lord. On the off chance that it is in Gainesville and even possibly playing for the Gators, yes I'd be okay with that. It will never be my first choice or a high choice, but the child comes first. I will always be my kids biggest supporter along with their mom. The only difference if they were to choose that awful school would be that we would never get ourselves apparel from UF. We won't be caught ever in Gator gear, but we will support our children.
This statement is just stupid and if you use it, I ask you to stop immediately. There is no purpose to this foolish statement. Whether it be something silly like college to attend or something much more serious like a political stance, it is a foolish statement. Serve a higher purpose don't aim to take others down because you personally are insecure. I am sure nobody that reads this blog makes this kind of statements though and.....
My older son asked for a Seminole room in the new house and thanks God for it every night though....so I'd say they are on a pretty good track.
-Noland
Friday, August 28, 2015
Friday, August 21, 2015
Sarasota Jungle Gardens
We are all settled with the move and baby is here so we are able to go through some of the old pics and get back to ZooZooReview. We have about 6 zoos to do that we visited this year before the year is out and will post about each zoo every couple of weeks.
Sarasota Jungle Gardens
Sarasota, FL
Hours: 10 AM-5
Admission: $15.99
Date of Visit: 2/7/2015
Highlights:
A few weeks earlier our visit to the Gulf World Marine Park was the closest we had been to flamingos. However, at this park you can walk among the flamingos and even feed them. I enjoyed their Koi Pond as I love those fish. The American Crocodile was pretty cool and not expected at this place. I expected the alligators and the pets, but not the crocodile. The spider monkeys were also really neat.
Disappointments:
Not a lot of variety and the birds were mostly macaws. I enjoy macaws, but I thought there would be a wider variety of birds. There was a lot of empty space that was used for just plant life as well. They could do some really cool things with the extra space they have, but some of it was wasted space.
Additional Tips:
Do not buy lunch there. Pack a lunch and eat it as they will let you bring it in. We wasted money on lunch and I felt sick afterwards.
The shows are cool, but not a necessity.
Pictures
Sign
They May Have Had An Alligator or 2
And a Big Ol' Crocodile
This fake one bit my son
My son loved mommy time
And family time
Also this cow
This show was his favorite though
Until the Iguana
And of course the flamingos!
We gave this zoo 2.5 out of 5 Elephants
There were some really cool experiences and the zoo does great work. However, the zoo didn't really have too much of a wow factor. There was no super crazy animal or new animal. It was all stuff we had seen before. Since all of the animals were exotic pets there were no huge surprises. However, some of the stuff was really neat for what it was. It was cool for what it was. If you are comparing it to a major zoo though you will be disappointed. I do not plan on going back.
-Noland
Friday, August 14, 2015
2015 Disney Character Rankings (90-81)
A few weeks back, I started an updated Disney character countdown. The preview was followed by the rankings for 102-91. Today we continue the countdown.....
Chip Potts is one of the most memorable characters from one of Disney's best movies. If the movies were ranked by a large group of people, I think this would finish between 2nd and 5th for most popular movie. It happened to have some of the best and most memorable characters as well. One of those characters was the little chipped cup named Chip. He has virtually no presence in the parks, but his part in the mega-hit earns him a spot here at 89.
I do not know anyone who has this movie rated as their number 1. It is more recent though and most kids do know it. Flik also is the main character in the Bug's Life show in Disney's Animal Kingdom. Because of that show and him being the main character in the movie he belongs on the list. However, if that show inside the tree of life were to be replaced or removed as some suggest, then he will no longer be on this list. Flik drops 29 spots, but will stay on this list so long as that show stays in a Disney Park.
The main bad guy in Toy Story 3 is shown he strapped to the front of Sid's truck which happened at the end of the movie. He is quite popular among Toy Story fans, but he only was in the final movie of the series (so far). He cannot be ranked as high as most characters from the franchise and I have left him ranked in the 80s for a 2nd time. This is a good spot for him and I think he will always be somewhere from 80-100 unless he makes another appearance or other characters emerge.
Iago had a slight drop to 85 on the countdown this year. He is an incredibly memorable character for an iconic movie franchise, but doesn't have the staying power of some others. Iago is one that won't really be booted from this countdown having appeared in all 3 movies and the TV Show, but he will never be as high as the genie or other characters from the movie. The biggest reason for this is that Iago has 0 presence at the parks unlike the characters from Aladdin that will finish higher than him.
Zazu is a character that everyone loves from Disney's most popular movie. It also happens to be my older son's favorite movie and he loves Zazu. Because he is such a major piece of Disney's top film, it would be hard for him to be removed from the countdown. However, similar to Iago with Aladdin, other characters from Lion King will always be higher than Zazu. He just will not be as popular as the others and has no presence at the parks still.
Top Disney Characters 90-81
90. J. Thaddeus Toad
Previous Ranking: 64
J. Thaddeus Toad is a Disney legend and had this list been made 20 years ago, a top 50 ranking would have been easily justified. However, now many have no idea who Mr. Toad is. His ride has been replaced at Disney World and this photo is the only memory of it existing. Him handing over the deed of the ride to a character from the much more popular Winnie the Pooh franchise should tell you all you need to know about how he has faded from the parks. Still worthy of a spot on the countdown, that may not be true in a year or so.
Previously Unranked
Previous Ranking: 56
Scrooge falls more than 30 spots and it is because he doesn't really have a presence for Disney anymore. Sure, kids can watch DuckTales reruns and they are still fantastic, but he hasn't been in anything new in over a decade. Other than Mickey's Christmas Carol he really isn't seen anymore ever. At the parks he can be seen at Christmas time and that is it. He still belongs on the the list though because people still love DuckTales and the line to see him at Mickey's Holiday Party are insane.
Previous Ranking: 58
Previous Ranking: 82
85. Iago
Previous Ranking: 78
Previous Ranking: 76
83. Mater
Previously Unranked
There is really no good reason for not having mater in the 1st countdown. The only reason he was not in that countdown is because I am not a fan of the Cars franchise. That franchise though has two movies and merchandise galore. People love Mater and he is the 2nd most popular character from the movie. You can also see him at Disney's Hollywood Studios. Mater absolutely belongs on this countdown and an argument could be made for him being higher than he is.
82. Cogsworth
Previously Unranked
Cogsworth is the clock that turns into a human in Beauty and the Beast. He was a major character in the film, but not as major as his best friend Lumiere. He was like Lumiere's side kick/rival of sorts. However, he is not as memorable which is why he is much lower on the countdown. That being said, he certainly belongs and fits nicely at #82.
81. Figaro
Previous Ranking: 95
Figaro has been re-branded from the cat of Gepetto to the cat of Minnie Mouse. While I didn't think so the last time I did rankings, that actually makes Figaro even more popular than he was before. This character is known to multiple generations of Disney fans. This ranking at 81 might even still be too low. He is a strong personality in the Disney Universe when you think about it.
Stay tuned for our next ranking of characters 80-71 in a few weeks. Next week, we will do a zoo review of Sarasota Jungle Gardens.
- Noland
Friday, August 7, 2015
The Need For More Money
The truth is that no matter what anybody says, money does make the world go round. We could all use more of it and we don't act like we couldn't. Everybody could use more comfort and more security. However, we don't really NEED more money in most cases we just need to prepare better for the tough times usually. We need to use our money more wisely and we don't NEED certain things.
Now this is not to say that people should not use their money the way they see fit. This is not to say people should not get some nice things that they desire. This is not to say that people need to give away ALL of their wordly possessions. This is just to say that people need to get a reality check sometimes and that can occasionally include me. There are some things that I want and some things I plan on getting, but wants are unlimited and you have to know where to draw the line.
"It's not having what you want, it's wanting what you got." - Sheryl Crow
I never thought that Sheryl Crow would be quoted in this blog. However, that quote from the song Soak Up the Sun is perfect. Life is not about having every single thing that you want because that is impossible. Life is about wanting everything that you have. Life is about appreciating what you have. I believe that I have everything that I need and I am truly greatly for that. I would say that I am truly blessed because I have all these things and a little bit more, + a loving family. It is really a goal of mine to rarely complain about money or say other things that we need. We have a plan for how we will spend vs. save in the future and I believe that helps make our marriage stronger.
The #1 cause of divorce is finances.
It isn't falling out of love, it isn't an unfaithful spouse, the #1 cause of divorce is finances. We all need to communicate and we all need to be realistic. It is okay that you make only 50k, I won't make that for a while. I live fine and everything will be okay with me.
My first year teaching I made $31,500 teaching. That is a ridiculously low amount. During that first year teaching, I got married to the most amazing person in the world. The money cynic though would have said it is financial suicide to marry a girl that is still in school and not earning an income. That put me on raising two on that meager salary. I didn't panic though and I made it work. During that same first year, against the financial wisdom of most, my wife and I got pregnant with our first child. Most would panic at that moment, but we were ecstatic!
Now, we couldn't imagine life without the little guy. Imagine if we were more concerned about getting every single thing we wanted than growing our family. Had we put off kids, we wouldn't have the greatest thing in our life, which is a growing family. That child has brought so much more joy into our lives and made every single thing in life better. We put it up to the lord and let him guide us and it just works. The key is trusting in the lord and making sound financial decisions.
Noland Jr. was born in my second year teaching while I was still making a good deal less than 40k. While Jenna was still in school. I bring him up to say that there is no PERFECT time to start a family. There never will be a perfect time to start a family. There is also no time you will get everything you want. The timing and what you truly want is up to you. This decision just delayed some of our other achievements in life, which again is fine.
The amount of time it took us to buy a house was prolonged. We couldn't get a house until this year when I am 28. Through smart financial decisions, prioritization, and prayer though, we now are proud homeowners, Not only that, but we also have two kids to enjoy in our new home. Had we waited to have everything perfect, it wouldn't be as perfect as it is now. Life isn't perfect. Nothing is perfect. If you think this way and that you are waiting on such and such you will never get there and you will never be happy.
Everyone just needs to really think about what they truly want in life. We need to be able to prioritize what we want and stick to that plan. Wants are limitless, but we need to take care of those wants most important to us. There needs to be an effort to block out what others think and do what is best for us. We need to make sure what we want is something that we will still want once we have it. Having possessions is okay and they make life easier and more enjoyable for us. I enjoy being in our house that's ours and watching sports after a long day with my family. However, I realize that these are finite things that we cannot take with us. What is really important is our family, friends, and community.
If you put your love in finite things and all your energy goes towards procuring them, you will always be empty. One of the 10 commandments is though shall not covet thy neighbor's goods. Don't worry about what others have, worry about what you need. The only infinite in life is God. He is the only infinite. 3 persons in one God the Holy Trinity, that is infinite. The only way to fill our infinite desire is to put it to God. If you try to put your infinite desire into a finite item, life will get very long. When you love others, love yourself, and love God, you will obtain some amount of happiness.
"Love one another as I have loved you." - Jesus
Love one another and more importantly love Jesus. It is important to put those unlimited wants and desires into the only infinite and perfect being to walk this Earth.
-Noland
Now this is not to say that people should not use their money the way they see fit. This is not to say people should not get some nice things that they desire. This is not to say that people need to give away ALL of their wordly possessions. This is just to say that people need to get a reality check sometimes and that can occasionally include me. There are some things that I want and some things I plan on getting, but wants are unlimited and you have to know where to draw the line.
"It's not having what you want, it's wanting what you got." - Sheryl Crow
I never thought that Sheryl Crow would be quoted in this blog. However, that quote from the song Soak Up the Sun is perfect. Life is not about having every single thing that you want because that is impossible. Life is about wanting everything that you have. Life is about appreciating what you have. I believe that I have everything that I need and I am truly greatly for that. I would say that I am truly blessed because I have all these things and a little bit more, + a loving family. It is really a goal of mine to rarely complain about money or say other things that we need. We have a plan for how we will spend vs. save in the future and I believe that helps make our marriage stronger.
The #1 cause of divorce is finances.
It isn't falling out of love, it isn't an unfaithful spouse, the #1 cause of divorce is finances. We all need to communicate and we all need to be realistic. It is okay that you make only 50k, I won't make that for a while. I live fine and everything will be okay with me.
My first year teaching I made $31,500 teaching. That is a ridiculously low amount. During that first year teaching, I got married to the most amazing person in the world. The money cynic though would have said it is financial suicide to marry a girl that is still in school and not earning an income. That put me on raising two on that meager salary. I didn't panic though and I made it work. During that same first year, against the financial wisdom of most, my wife and I got pregnant with our first child. Most would panic at that moment, but we were ecstatic!
Now, we couldn't imagine life without the little guy. Imagine if we were more concerned about getting every single thing we wanted than growing our family. Had we put off kids, we wouldn't have the greatest thing in our life, which is a growing family. That child has brought so much more joy into our lives and made every single thing in life better. We put it up to the lord and let him guide us and it just works. The key is trusting in the lord and making sound financial decisions.
Noland Jr. was born in my second year teaching while I was still making a good deal less than 40k. While Jenna was still in school. I bring him up to say that there is no PERFECT time to start a family. There never will be a perfect time to start a family. There is also no time you will get everything you want. The timing and what you truly want is up to you. This decision just delayed some of our other achievements in life, which again is fine.
The amount of time it took us to buy a house was prolonged. We couldn't get a house until this year when I am 28. Through smart financial decisions, prioritization, and prayer though, we now are proud homeowners, Not only that, but we also have two kids to enjoy in our new home. Had we waited to have everything perfect, it wouldn't be as perfect as it is now. Life isn't perfect. Nothing is perfect. If you think this way and that you are waiting on such and such you will never get there and you will never be happy.
Everyone just needs to really think about what they truly want in life. We need to be able to prioritize what we want and stick to that plan. Wants are limitless, but we need to take care of those wants most important to us. There needs to be an effort to block out what others think and do what is best for us. We need to make sure what we want is something that we will still want once we have it. Having possessions is okay and they make life easier and more enjoyable for us. I enjoy being in our house that's ours and watching sports after a long day with my family. However, I realize that these are finite things that we cannot take with us. What is really important is our family, friends, and community.
If you put your love in finite things and all your energy goes towards procuring them, you will always be empty. One of the 10 commandments is though shall not covet thy neighbor's goods. Don't worry about what others have, worry about what you need. The only infinite in life is God. He is the only infinite. 3 persons in one God the Holy Trinity, that is infinite. The only way to fill our infinite desire is to put it to God. If you try to put your infinite desire into a finite item, life will get very long. When you love others, love yourself, and love God, you will obtain some amount of happiness.
"Love one another as I have loved you." - Jesus
Love one another and more importantly love Jesus. It is important to put those unlimited wants and desires into the only infinite and perfect being to walk this Earth.
-Noland
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