DO I NEED IT OR WANT IT?

That is the question I will be asking myself every time I am considering a purchase. Do I need it or want it? I recently have been going over my finances and my income is decent, combined with my wife's it is great. So when I see these numbers on paper I ask myself, "Where does our money go?".  First, I redid the budget to see what our fixed expenses were.  I usually do that frequently so I can see if there is any way I can cut expenses.  Then I look at our checking account past history and past credit card statements to see where we have been spending money.  We try to pay for everything in cash or debit and try to limit use of our credit cards.  Looking at hard numbers on paper really opens up my eyes.  I see a lot of room for improvement in the budget.  I noticed that my wife and I dine out too much.  I also notice that there are random purchases for things we can do without.  I add these numbers and they are significant.  How else could I have applied these funds?  Savings sounds good.  Why not increase what we are putting in savings?  What about giving?  There are many in need of simple things we take for granted such as a hot meal or a warm coat.  Saving more for retirement is also a great idea.  I can't help but laugh when someone tells me they are going to depend on social security for their retirement.  I am sorry but have they been keeping up with the news?  Social Security may not even be around and even if it is, it will not be nearly enough for someone to live on.  

I firmly believe that if you are wise with your finances that regardless of recessions or unexpected expenses, you will be fine.  My goal this coming new year is to be more attentive with our finances.  Next time I am contemplating a purchase, I will surely be asking myself,

"DO I NEED IT, OR WANT IT?"

Some Of My Favorite Movie Quotes

I enjoy quoting movie quotes.  Some quotes are inspirational, others funny, and others just good.

"No. Try not.  Do or do not.  There is no try!"  -  Yoda (Star Wars)


"Your focus determines your reality."  -  Qui-Gon Jinn (Star Wars)


"The ability to speak does not make you intelligent."  -  Qui-Gon Jinn (Star Wars)


"Size matters not.  Look at me.  Judge me by size do you?"  -  Yoda (Star Wars)


"May the Force be with you."  - (Star Wars)


"It's not who I am underneath, but what I do that defines me."  -  Batman/Bruce Wayne (Batman Begins)


"And why do we fall, Bruce?  So we can learn to pick ourselves up."  -  Thomas Wayne (Batman Begins)


"Oh, and by the way, the suit, it wasn't cheap.  You oughta know, you bought it."  -  Joker (The Dark Knight)


"Why so serious?"  -  Joker (The Dark Knight)


"You guys want to get pancakes?"  -  Marvin Boggs (Red)


"Open the pig!  Open the pig!"  -  Frank Moses (Red)


"I kill people, dear."  -  Victoria (Red)


"At age 11, I audited my parents.  Believe me, there were some discrepancies, and I was grounded."  -  Allen Gamble (The Other Guys)


"I'm like a peacock, you gotta let me fly!"  -  Terry Hoitz (The Other Guys)


"Gentlemen, you have two choices: Mamma Mia or Jersey Boys."  -  David Ershon (The Other Guys)


"What do you wear, size 3?  Bring it happy feet!"  -  Gunner Jensen (The Expendables)


"I need a raise."  -  Yin Yang (The Expendables)


"Everything is harder for me.  When I'm hurt, wound is bigger, cause I'm smaller.  When I travel, I need to go farther."  -  Yin Yang (The Expendables)


"I love it when a plan comes together."  -  Col. John 'Hannibal' Smith (The A-Team)


"I'm B.A. and you're gonna be unconscious."  -  Sgt. Bosco 'B.A.' Baracus (The A-Team)


"Yes we have weapons.  No you may not wand us."  -  Lynch (The A-Team)


"You spin me right round baby, right round!"  -  Captain 'Howling Mad' Murdock (The A-Team)


"Light bulb."  -  Gru (Despicable Me)


"You may run the risks, my friend, but I do the cutting.  We cut down my percentage - uh, cigar? - liable to interfere with my aim."  -  Blondie (The Good, The Bad,and The Ugly)


"You see, in this world there's two kinds of people, my friend.  Those with loaded guns and those who dig.  You dig."  -  Blondie (The Good, The Bad,and The Ugly)


"When you have to shoot, shoot.  Don't talk."  -  Tuco (The Good, The Bad,and The Ugly)


"I don't know who you are.  I don't know what you want.  If you are looking for ransom, I can tell you I don't have money.  But what I do have are a very particular set of skills, skills I have acquired over a very long career, skills that make me a nightmare for people like you.  If you let my daughter go now, that will be the end of it.  I will not look for you, I will not pursue you.  But  if you don't, I will look for you, I will find you, and I will kill you."  -  Bryan (Taken)


"Hakuna Matata"  -  Timon (The Lion King)

Why Direct Selling?

There are just about 14 million Americans involved in direct selling having generated around $30 billion in revenue.  Got your attention yet?  Warren Buffet the billionaire investor and one of the world's wealthiest men started investing in several direct selling companies.  Would you take financial advice from Buffet?  I would.  He has also declared that, "Energy deregulation will be responsible for the largest transfer of wealth in American history."  I loved hearing that statement since I am a part of a direct selling company taking advantage of the deregulated energy market.  


What is direct selling otherwise known as network marketing, multilevel marketing, or relationship marketing?  For those of you that had this thought, "pyramid scheme", I will get to you in a moment. Direct selling is the sale of a product or a service, person to person, away from a fixed retail location. The person doing the selling is an independent associate whose focus is to sell and recruit other associates into the business.  I would even say that recruiting should be the primary focus as the selling will come naturally through recruiting.  The reason for recruiting new associates is that through their sales, you will receive residual income or passive income.  This is how most get wealthy.  Is money important?  Do we all need money?  We sure do but I have also discovered something else just as important.  Would you like to take a guess?  If you did guess TIME then you are correct.  I currently do also work a "9-5" job.  It takes me about an hour to get to work and another hour to get back home.  So I work an 8 hour day and spend another 2 hours commuting.  How are your stress levels in rush hour traffic? Do you find yourself tired when you get home with no energy to spend quality time with family or friends?  Are you also doing work at home and taking on extra projects so that you will be noticed and possibly be considered for a promotion?  Do you become upset when someone else less deserving gets that promotion?  Tired of office politics?  I want to spend quality time with my family.  I want to be available for someone in need socially and financially.  I want to be more involved in church and other charities.  Working in direct selling gives you both money and time.  Just to be clear, you do have to work hard with any direct selling venture you take on especially in the beginning.  You work hard to build the business, your business, and as you successfully grow the business will sustain itself meaning passive income will come to you regardless of whether you are working, on vacation, retired, playing golf, or whatever else you like to do in your spare time.


Direct selling is NOT a get rich quick business.  Any company that presents it as such should signal a red flag.  It is NOT about you buying a ton of products up front.  It is NOT expensive to get into.  It is NOT for the lazy.  You still have to work at it if you want to see growth.  It is NOT a pyramid.  A pyramid scheme is a non-sustainable business model that requires you to recruit people under you in order for you to make money without the selling of any product or service.  In a direct selling business, recruitment is required BUT you as the recruiter does not make a dime unless the associates you have recruited make money off the products or services they have sold.  The difference here is that in a direct selling business model, both you and the associate you have recruited benefit financially.  It is a win-win situation.  In a pyramid, only the person who has done the recruiting has made any money.  Oh, and by the way, pyramids are illegal.


Several reasons to consider direct selling:


1. The moment you join a direct selling company, you are in business. YOUR BUSINESS!
2. You do not have to reinvent the wheel.  The direct selling company you have joined has already figured out how you to work the business.
3. You are not alone!  You have joined a business under someone else and have the support of the team you have joined.  Remember direct selling is a win-win business.
4. You will make new friends.  As stated in reason 3, you will be part of a team all with the same goals as you.
5. Direct selling may be the ideal or ultimate people business.  What makes you successful in this business is the desire to help other people. WIN-WIN!
6. Having your own business grants you many tax incentives.
7. You make your own hours.
8. You are the boss.
9. It can be a family business.  Your family can be involved.
10. Make residual or passive income!  


In today's economy, people are hurting to make ends meet.  Direct selling can be the answer.  Whether you are looking to make an extra $500 a month or want to pursue it full time, the income possibilities are endless.

Olympic Airlines

For my Greek friends,

Very funny!

Hunter and Kali

Hunter and Kali

Meet Hunter and Kali or as I call them, Chocolate and Vanilla.  I inherited Hunter when I married my lovely bride.  He is currently 8 years old and a great dog.  He is very obedient.  He is lovable and loves to get affection. We got Kali when my wife decided to walk into a shelter, saw her and had to have her.  We may have saved her life.  The shelter sad to say was a kill shelter and any dog they took in that they thought had pit bull in them were given 7 days to be claimed otherwise were put down.Kali was thought to be a pit bull.  I don't think she is full pit bull but probably has some pit bull in her. She had arrived at the shelter the same day my wife saw her.  She was found wandering in a state park with no collar.  She is such a sweetheart.  It took me a while to warm up to her because Hunter was my boy but unlike Hunter she loves to give affection.  It was hard not to love her because of that.  She is currently 2 years old and was figured to be 6 months old when we got her.  One really good thing about her is that she got Hunter in shape really fast.  Before we adopted Kali, Hunter being an 8 year old mostly sat around the house and going on walks with my wife and I were the extent of his exercise.  Kali on the other hand is full of energy and would not leave Hunter alone.  She keeps him mobile all the time as she forces him to chase her.  Watching them in the backyard is fun because she is just too fast for him.

Needless to say, I love my dogs.  =)

Kali trying to get my attention

Direct Selling Offers Flexibility and Financial Freedom - SUCCESS magazine

SUCCESS magazine is one of my favorite magazines.  If you are one interested is topics such as business, wealth, relationships amongst many other topics, this is a great magazine to be subscribed to.  Below is an article that discusses the opportunity of direct selling or network marketing.  Check it out.

Direct Selling Offers Flexibility and Financial Freedom - SUCCESS magazine

Just for fun...

10. Places You Have Visited
1. Madrid, Spain
2. Munich, Germany
3. Chios, Greece
4. Daytona Beach, FL
5. Asheville, NC
6. Washington DC
7. San Diego, CA
8. Las Vegas, NV
9. Fredericksburg, TX
10. Toronto, Canada

9. Items On Your Bucket List
1. Sky diving
2. Write a book
3. Travel the world
4. Become fluent in at least 3 languages
5. Act in a movie
6. Cruise around Europe
7. Buy my own airplane
8. Fly a fighter (F-16, Mig, etc.) "I have a need for speed!"
9. Become an amateur race car driver

8. Things You Love to Eat
1. Ribeye
2. Spinach pie
3. Tzatziki sauce
4. Souvlaki
5. Good pizza
6. Cream cheese (Philadelphia brand)
7. Sweet potato
8. Chocolate

7. Items Currently On Your Desk
1. iMac
2. Calculator
3. Camera
4. One bill
5. Cell phone
6. ipod
7. Blank cd-r's

6. People (Not Living With You) That You Talk To/Text/Tweet At Least Once A Week
1. Parents
2. Sister
3. Bob
4. Karun
5. Debbie
6. Russ

5. Favorite Songs
1. I want to grow old with you - Adam Sandler (I proposed to my wife with that song)
2. No Easy Way Out - Robert Tepper
3. Bring Me To Life - Evanescence
4. Wanted Dead Or Alive - Bon Jovi
5. Danger Zone - Kenny Loggins

4. Things You Cannot Get Through The Day Without
1. God
2. At least one shower
3. Cell phone (I'd like to think I can go without this but I would be kidding myself)
4. Sleep

3. Models of Vehicles You Have Owned
1. 2011 Honda Accord
2. 2006 Honda Civic Si (loved that car)
3. 1995 Nissan Maxima

2. Physical Traits That Attract You to Someone
1. Smile
2. Eyes

1. Word to Describe Yourself
1. Teachable

BOEING 787 Dreamliner

Beautiful and elegant aircraft.  Enjoy the video!

What is your perspective? Are you quick to judge?

Ever have a negative impression of someone simply because you have heard or were told what others' opinions were of that person?  I have heard a lot of negative things of a manager in the company I work for.  When I was transferred to his department, I was excited about the move with one exception.  That manager.  I had a skewed impression of him simply because of things I have heard of him.  I actually got along with him but was still plagued with the impression that was ingrained in my mind.

One day, my perspective has taken a complete 180.  I was being interviewed by this manager and other members of management to be part of a special projects team.  During the interview, I handed out a small presentation I had created entitled, "Why Me?".  It is a small presentation that lists fun facts and achievements about me from high school, college and other places I used to work for. After the interview was done and as I was leaving, I heard this manager tell the other members of management to stay behind.  I had no idea what that was all about.  The next day, he approached me at my desk and asked me to meet him in the conference room.  I walked into the conference room not knowing what he wanted to talk to me about.  His first words were, "I asked everyone why you are still at the paygrade that you are still at?"  He then proceeded to tell me of how impressed he was with my background and that he was going to do everything he could to put me on the fast track for promotion labeling me as management material.  I was blown away.  All I could think of was that I judged him too quickly.  My perspective has drastically changed.

Everyone can have a different perspective of someone based on their experience with that person but I wonder how many of us have a negative perspective of someone simply because of what we have heard?  I have made up my mind to initially have a positive outlook of people and avoid being tangled up with negative perceptions.  

Flying Adventures

March 11, 1995  -  This was the day my flying adventure began.  My very first flying lesson took me from Farmingdale's Long Island Republic Airport and back.  My flight instructor and I flew around NYC.  It was nice seeing the sights such as the Statue of Liberty, World Trade Center (NEVER FORGET 9/11), Empire State Building and other great landmarks from the air.  My very first lesson was in a Piper Tomahawk such as the one in the photo below.

Piper Tomahawk N2322D

Tomahawk Cockpit

After a harsh winter in NY delayed my flight training for the private pilot certificate, I decided to head to Daytona Beach, Florida to complete my training.  At the time, I had only 32 hours total time and have not flown for six months.  After three weeks in Daytona Beach, I earned my private pilot certificate.  That awesome day was September 29, 1996.

It would be four years before I earned my next rating.  In the meantime, I flew mostly leisurely renting planes and taking friends up.  One such occasion, I took a friend up and flew around NYC (pre 9/11). Below are some photos.

Approaching NYC

Flying by Coney Island at 500'

Statue of Liberty

The World Trade Center - NYC
NEVER FORGET!

I earned the instrument rating on April 25, 2000.  It is such an awesome experience to fly above the clouds and feel the warmth of the sun when on the ground it is rainy and cool.  For anyone learning how to fly and just want to obtain the private pilot license, I definitely recommend pursuing the instrument rating as well.  I have two main reasons for this.  One, the weather can change quick. When that happens, you will be glad you are instrument rated.  Two, instrument training makes you a more disciplined pilot by flying more accurately.

My commercial certificate was probably the easiest to earn. I became a commercial pilot on October 3, 2000. Since becoming a commercial pilot, I decided it was time to put that to use.  I became a ferry pilot delivering aircraft to different owners around the country.  The experience was incredible.  I flew over all types of terrain and almost always encountered unfavorable weather.  Flying different types of aircraft was also fun.

Ferry flight from El Paso, TX to Orlando, FL.

Ferry flight from Portland, OR to Dallas, TX. 

After doing several ferry flights, I decided I wanted to teach others how to fly.  So, on June 13, 2001 after a 5.5 hour oral exam and a 2.9 hour flight test, I became a certified flight instructor.  I started flight instructing at a flight school out of Grand Prairie, TX.  I enjoyed teaching immensely and I flight instructed for several months up until I had to relocate from TX back to NY because of my other job at American Airlines.  At the time, I was a fleet service clerk or otherwise known as a baggage handler or ramp rat.  I wasn't in NY long and I was able to come back to TX but I never went back to flight instructing.  I exercised my flight instructor certificate mostly doing flight reviews and aircraft checkouts.

Today, I am not doing much flying.  I initially started flight training with the intent of becoming an airline pilot.  I have what I feel are very valid reasons as to why I decided not to pursue that career. Flying at this point in my life has become more of a hobby than a career pursuit.  It is a very expensive hobby thus a reason for not flying much.  I have a love/hate relationship for the airlines and I would have to explain in a separate post.  We'll see.

As for now, it is past my bedtime.

Good night!

Self-Confidence Formula

I am currently reading the book, "THINK & GROW RICH" by Napoleon Hill (a must read btw!) and thought I should share this formula for self-confidence.

First: I know that I have the ability to achieve the object of my Definite Purpose in life, therefore, I DEMAND of myself persistent, continuous action toward its attainment, and I here and now promise to render such action.

Second: I realize the dominating thoughts of my mind will eventually reproduce themselves in outward, physical action, and gradually transform themselves into physical reality, therefore, I will concentrate my thoughts for thirty minutes daily, upon the task of thinking of the person I intend to become, thereby creating in my mind a clear mental picture of that person.

Third: I know through the principle of auto-suggestion, any desire that I persistently hold in my mind will eventually seek expression through some practical means of attaining the object back of it, therefore, I will devote ten minutes daily to demanding of myself the development of SELF-CONFIDENCE.

Fourth: I have clearly written down a description of my DEFINITE CHIEF AIM in life, and I will never stop trying, until I shall have developed sufficient self-confidence for its attainment.

Fifth: I fully realize that no wealth or position can long endure, unless built upon truth and justice, therefore, I will engage in no transaction which does not benefit all whom it affects. I will succeed by attracting to myself the forces I wish to use, and the cooperation of other people. I will induce others to serve me, because of my willingness to serve others. I will eliminate hatred, envy, jealousy, selfishness, and cynicism, by developing love for all humanity, because I know that a negative attitude toward others can never bring me success. I will cause others to believe in me, because I will believe in them, and in myself.

I will sign my name to this formula, commit it to memory, and repeat it aloud once a day, with full FAITH that it will gradually influence my THOUGHTS and ACTIONS so that I will become a self-reliant, and successful person.

The Cost Of Staying Positive

"It's not as bad as it seems.  I'm cool.  I'm alright.  It could be worse.  No matter what, I will stay positive." 


Have you ever faced a difficult circumstance?  Struggling financially?  Did not get that promotion at work you were hoping for?  Are you that optimist that has motivational posters or sticky notes by your desk full of positive and motivational quotes?  Most of us are smart enough to know that a negative attitude will reap negative results.  A negative attitude will produce fear and fear can cripple you from moving on.  A negative attitude can also cripple your relationships.  It can be a friendship, dating relationship, work relationship or even marriage.  The reality is we have to be positive no matter what.  Is it as easy as just reciting positive quotes and putting up motivational posters by our desks?  They do help but you have to consistently and purposefully work at being positive.  Remember earlier I mentioned that a negative attitude will produce fear.  Well, action cures fear so "just do it"!  Listed below are some action steps you can take:

1.   Read motivational books, magazines, etc.
2.   Work out!  Exercise has many physical benefits but it also relieves mental stress and tension.
3.   Go out!  Be social.  Spend time with family and friends.
4.   Avoid negative people.
5.   No pity parties!
6.   Pursue what interests you.  What are your hobbies?
7.   Try new things.
8.   Take the time to learn something new.
9.   Procrastinating about something you have put aside that needs to get done?  Get it done!
10. Avoid burn out.  Reward yourself when you accomplish goals.

Staying positive means you have to take action.  Is there a cost to staying positive?  There sure is. Is it worth it?

ABSOLUTELY!

SO JUST DO IT!!!

Finally, I am blogging!

Tada!  


I have been wanting to start a blog for quite some time.  So finally, here I am!  Just please be patient with me as I figure out the ins and outs of blogging as I will be experimenting with the designs and templates and everything else that goes with blogging.


My goal is to blog about topics such as success in business, leadership skills, finances, aviation, and just about life in general.  Of course, I am not limiting myself to other topics.  These are just some of my favorites.


So stay tuned!