Sunday night and still trying to get into BlogCatalog

Good evening everyone,

I have yet to get any views so far. I have tired to get my Blog on BlogCatalog but I keep getting declined. Did anyone else have this problem. The first time it was declined because...... Your blog is brand new and/or doesn't have enough content to make it truly valuable. So I resubmitted it. It was declined a total of 3 times after that saying...The URL you submitted is solely for commercial purposes, or is suspected to be spam. So I tried to change things around and add more to my blog. I resubmitted it again and DECLINED again for Your blog is brand new and/or doesn't have enough content to make it truly valuable. I have 6 posts and I try to add 2-3 every week. How many do I need to be truly valuable? I would thing one would be enough. Can anyone give me advise on this? Oh, I also tried senting an email but I have not received anything back.

Weekend is here

Hello everyone,

Well it is the weekend and I thought I'd make a post. Yesterday I worked a 10 hour shift, 2 hours of overtime. Last night wife and I headed to a buddy's home and played a little poker. When we pay its not for much money, usually $5. Last night we had 9 of us playing holdem. The game was taking soooooo long we finally got down to 3 players and we split the money. I miss the good old days of play DEAL CHOICE poker. The game changed at every person and we all had our own favorites. I know holdem is the most popular game right now and I do enjoy playing. But I can't wait to play all of the old games again.

Plans for today.

I need to get into the basement and start unpacking some boxes that have been down there for some time now. The last time I did this I told myself not to get rid of something because I would need it again. GUESS what. I never used it, wore it, needed it. So I believe its time to check the items over and either take it to Goodwill or sell it on ebay. That will take me a couple of hours. Then its the same thing for the shed. Right now I don't have room for my riding mower. I have two riding mowers and I store them in my neighbors barn. I did keep one mower in my shed but last year with the wedding and moving in together it turned my shed into a storage of all boxes. Mostly my wife's. (I need to build a BIGGER shed or barn.) So we will go and work on that as well.

I wish everyone a happy and safe weekend.

My 2008 Golf Journal

Living in Ohio has a BIG down fall. I love to golf and of course I can't play in the winter months. League play has started back up and I'm loving life again. I'm at an age now that when I golf poorly I don't get upset. I do play good golf for most part but there are those times that I don't play well at all. I have only played twice this year, and I am strike the ball well. I have yet to go to the driving range, but I will find time to go very some. Before I go I want to know where I need the most work. I having been keeping track of my play so far and I will list the rounds on here. This way I can see and others can see where I need to improve my game.

Week 1 - Back 9
Final score was a 47 I only had one par in this round. I did miss a couple of 10-15 ft putts for par.
The round by HOLES and where I went wrong.

#10 is a 358 yard (Hard dog leg Left) par 4. Flag was left rear
I started out with a nice 4 wood to the center of the fairway leaving me 115 yards to the green. It was a perfect spot to be.
2nd shot was with a 56 degree loft wedge and I fell short of the green. I took way to much divot on the soggy course. This left me about 10 yards from the green, but still in the fairway.
3rd shot I tried to do a bump and run with my 7 iron. The ball stopped about 10 feet short and it tailed off to the right of the hole.
PAR PUTT Made it to the hole, but tailed off to the left. Leaving a tap in BOGEY.

#11 is a 152 yard par 3 with water in front, and trees to the right, left and rear of hole.
I started with an 8 iron and was left of the pin and long and off the Green
2nd shot was a 60 degree loft wedge and I bladed the ball, but the ball stayed of the green with a LONG par putt coming.
Par Putt fell short but within range for a nice BOGEY putt. Bogey putt was made.

#12 is a 378 yard par 4 for with slight dog leg to the right.
I started with my driver. First time this year this club was out of my bag. I hit a long fade to the right side of the fairway and fall in the rough. Leaving the 130 yards to the Green
2nd was with my wedge. I topped the ball and it traveled 35 yards.
3rd was with my 56 wedge and placed in above the pin with a 15 foot downhill putt.
PAR PUTT I hit the putt too hard and it traveled past the hole to the left and stopped 10 feet away.
BOGEY putt went in.

#13 is a 409 yard par 4 with water (small stream) around 90 yards in front of the green. This hole has woods down the left side that I seem to find a lot. The yard on this hole seems a lot longer than what is listed.
Driver when down the right side with a little fade and left me 140 -145 out.
2nd was with an 8 iron and I topped the ball. Landed a couple of feet in front of me
3rd I used the same 8 and landed on the green but in the back about 25 feet to the pin
par putt FLEW past the hole and left a long putt than the first. OUCH
Bogey putt was within 5 feet of the pin
DOUBLE BOGEY. Putt was made. VERY BAD HOLE

#14 is a 360 yard par 4 with that same stream running down the whole left side of the fairway and ends into a pond next to the green.
Driver. I crushed my driver down the center of the fairway and left my next shot 80 yards out
2nd was with my 56 wedge and placed it on the green with a 10 foot putt for Birdie
Birdie putt stopped less than a foot from the cup.
Tap In PAR. First par of the year. I was glad to see I can have a bad hole followed it up with a good one.

#15 is a 540 yard par 5. It's hilly, with trees to the left and parking lot/driving range close by the right. I LOVE THIS HOLE.
Driver It was not the best looking shot, but it put me down range in the right rough leaving 250-275 away.
2nd was with a 3 wood. BIG MISTAKE. I took a BIG swing and tried to put it on the green from where I was. Needless to say but I went way right with a huge slice into some trees, but still in play.
3rd 150 yards out stuck behind trees with no clear shot. I had to take my 7 iron and punch it back into the fairway but behind me. Leaving 180 to the hole
4th 6 iron to the green but fell short.
PAR chip the ball past the hole and stopped on the edge of the green leaving me with a long 30 foot putt.
Bogey Fell short of the hole but within reach.
Double Bogey putt made. Another very bad hole.

#16 Is a 155 yard par 3. Not much to this hole. Trees to the right and left downhill.
First shot was with a 8 iron. Just on the right side of the green about pin high.
2nd bump and run with my 7 iron. Leaving a 12 foot putt
Par missed this straight in par put to the right of the hole but left an easy tap in BOGEY
Bogey putt made

#17 is a 374 yard par 4. Not much to this hole.
Driver straight down the middle and left me with just under 100 yards to the green.
2nd 56 wedge hit the green and rolled off the backside.
3rd bump and run 7 iron and chunked it.
4th bump and run 7 iron just missed the hole and stopped for a 2 foot Bogey putt
Bogey putt made

#18 530 yard par 5. Water down the middle of Fairway and water in front of and round both sides of the green.
Driver Nice drive to the right side of fairway leaving 220 to the green.
2nd 7 wood trying for the green. SPLASH. ball lands short and in the water.
3rd penalty stroke
4th over the water and green
5th chipped onto the green
2 putts later I'm in the cup.

Finished a not so great round with a 47. 11 over par. Not bad for my first time out. I won the match but lost 3 points.

My Driver was good to me and so was my putts for most part. The approach shots and chips need work.

Round 2 Played the back 9 again. So I won't type the holes again.

#10 par 4
4 wood went to the right side into some trees
2nd Clear shot to the green and about 130 yards out. Wedge shot over the green
3rd chipped up onto the green
2 putts for Bogey

#11 par 3
8 iron to the left side green and 2 putt for Par

#12 par 4
Driver middle of fairway 100 out
2nd short of the green with 56 wedge
3rd chipped past the hole
2 putts for Bogey

#13 par 4
Driver Topped the ball went about 75 yards.
2nd 3 wood Topped the ball and went about 25 yards
3rd 4 wood slice to the right side
4th about 140 out with trees in front. 8 iron over the trees, and over the green
5th lost ball penalty
6th chipped onto the green
2 putts and in the hole Snowman

#14 par 4
Driver down the middle with 80 left to green
2nd 56 wedge onto green with 15 foot putt
2 putts PAR....First putt rolled around the cup and out

#15 par 5
Driver to the right of fairway and about 220 left to the green, ball is on a uphill lie in the rough
2nd 3 wood TOPPED
3rd 3 wood to the left side of fairway short.
4th wedge over the green
5th bladed over the green again
6th on the green
2 putts Snowman

#16 par 3
8 iron left of green in a small group of trees
2nd chipped onto the green but its a long par putt
3 putts Double Bogey

#17 par 4
Driver left side rough 140 yards out
2nd 9 iron over the green right side
3rd chipped on and just missed the hole 3 foot par putt
Missed the par putt.....Bogey

#18 par 5
driver Long and straight. Left myself 200 yards to the green. I believe I'm losing the round and I'm going for the green.
2nd 7 wood just off the right side of green
3rd bump and run 7 iron. Again just missed putting it in.
4th tap in BIRDIE....First of the year.

Ended with another 47. Some really bad holes again. And some very good holes.
I tied the match and split the points

Power your car with WATER? Real or Scam?

Past ....................Present ................Future

I can not believe we are getting up to $4 a gallon for gas. And by summer we will be there if not over $4. I have read many web sites with using water for fuel and water/gas (hybrid) to power your car. And I know how the Internet is. Every other site you go to has the BEST of something. Most of the sites are a scam. Most tell you how to do something for nothing. Or how to get something cheaper but better. But it never quite works like they say. Heck even toy makes make a toy out to better than what it is. I remember seeing commercial when I was a kid, the commercial made the toy look like the best thing since sliced bread. After begging my father to get it for me and I got it home, it was not as exciting as it looks in those commercials. I learnt at a very young age not to buy into these things. However, it's getting harder and harder to put gas into my vehicle like it is for most people. We Americans use our vehicles everyday and we use a lot of gas. I do not have a large vehicle like most Americans, mine is a Pontiac Grand Am 4 door. I use to pay a little over $20 for my fill ups. Now its over $40. That's every week. My wife also has a car (Ford Taurus) and we pay $48 - $50 a week for gas for her. If I don't have to drive I don't, but I, like every other American have a lot on my plate. With work, cub scouts with my son, soccer practice and games, camp outs, girls scouts outings, and what ever else the girls get into. Also the school functions, stores for everyday living items. We can't keep this up.

I have decided to give the WATER/GAS (hybrid) a try. I believe it will cost $50 for the plans (one tank of gas) and another $60-$90 for the parts to convert my vehicle over. So for under $150 dollars (3 tanks of gas) I will give in and try to see if it works. If it works like they claim then I will be Doubling my mile per gallon cutting my fuel cost in half. Also if it works like they say I will be more apt to spend the $1500 - $2000 to convert my vehicle to run on just water. If anyone has converted their vehicle over PLEASE LET ME KNOW. If not I will give it a try and let everyone know how it works. When I do it I will video tape the procedure step by step and also keep data on my last tank of just gas before I convert and the the first tank after I converted. I will wait for 2 weeks before I give it a try in hopes someone will respond to this blog.

Different Ways We are saving money.

Ok. My wife and I have been sitting down trying to find ways to save money. One way was to drop our home phone. But there was one problem with doing this. We have a 12 year old that stays there once in a while for a short period of time so that wouldn't work. I was talking with a co worker and he advised me of Skype, an online phone system. He stated his wife has been using it for a couple of years. I looked into it and I signed up. I was paying $40 a month for a home phone. Yearly it costed $480. I signed up with Skype and I paid $36 for Skype Pro for the year, and $24 for a phone number to receive incoming calls. Total for the year is $60. A total savings of $420 a year, which will be used for those credit cards. Check out their web site. The only problem I have seen so far is the headset I bought for it. You can't walk to far away from the computer. I will be saving up my pennies for a cordless phone that they sell.

They do have other options to choice from. And your loved ones or friends DO NOT NEED a computer to call you. They call you from there phone to your computer.

Eliminate Debt-one step at a time

This is my first blog and hopefully not my last. My wife and I are on a mission to take control of our debt. Most of the debt is from the resent wedding we had. I am trying to retire in 11 years and want to be debt free before then. I have read many articles on the web about Eliminating Debt. Most I do not agree with but it is an options. I want to pay my DEBT off like I should and not have others do it for me. I will show the break down of what I owe and keep this blog updates monthly so anyone who wants to can also follow along.

Our Debt Right Now
Let the MISSION begin.
DEBT
1st mortgage $66,573.00
2nd $56,493.89
_________
$123,066.89 - Monthly payment $1166.04

Credit Cards
American Express $10,850.43 - payment $221
Discover $10,344.34 - payment $193
Chase $ 9,693.52 - payment $195
Bank Of Am $ 4,090.16 - payment $185
GM $ 3,774.78 - payment $115
Key Bank $ 1,159.17 - payment $25
________
$39912.40

We are increasing the payment for the Bank of America account and paying that one off first. It has the HIGHEST APR. GM, Chase, Key are all under 8% APR, Dicover is under 13% APR and Bank of Am is the HIGHEST at 19% OUCH....I can't believe I have a card that high. But this is the one we will TARGET first. We do have 2 cars with payments and both will be paid off next year in late summer (09). This will clear up $600+ to pay on the cards. This looks like a great deal of DEBT and it is. Most of it came from a our resent Wedding. The goal here is to have all cards paid in full and the 2nd Mortgage paid off within 7 years of this date. Thats a total of $96,406.29. It will start off slow, but once the first card it paid in full, all that money will be added to the next highest APR card, along with the min. payment we have been paying on that one, after it is paid in full then all that money will be moved to the next. This will continue til eveything is paid.
Here is what it will look like
1st mortgage 666.04
2nd 500.00
AM EX 221.00
Disc 193.00
Chase 195.00
Bank of AM 395.00 - Increased payment
Gm 115.00
Key Bank 25.00

When Bank of American is paid in full that 395.00 will go to to Discover. And it will look alike this.
1st Mortgage 666.04
2nd 500.00
Am Ex 221.00
Disc 588.00 (193.00 min + 395.00 from Bank of America)
Bank of AM 000.00
GM 115.00
Key Bank 25.00

Once all cards are paid and the Cars are paid all that money will be put onto the 2nd Mortgage.
1st Mortgage 666.04
2nd 2049.00

I have no doubt that we can achieve this goal within the 7 years. It will take a little time, a little tightening of the belt, but it will be well worth keeping my great credit score.