Author Archives: site author

I’ve mentioned the influence my Dad had on me in many of my posts. I was lucky enough to have an amazing Mom too. One of her more common sayings was, “You’ll get used to it.” That often was regarding a food I didn’t care for, but it also applied to other things in myContinue reading “Mom Was Right”

I’ve been competitive all my life. I’ve always wanted to be first. I didn’t handle losing well at all. As I got older I still had a burning desire to win, but was better at dealing with losses, at least in public.  In the last few decades I found a healthy way satisfy my urgeContinue reading “Being First”

Last week an NFL player was running for a touchdown. Just before reaching the goal line he showed off by letting go of the ball. It cost his team the touchdown and ultimately the game. It reminded me of a line a sports commentator said years ago about another bonehead play. “Stupid gets you beat.”Continue reading “The Tail is Already Mine”

Being a rancher my dad often needed to make purchases for our place. The list included cattle, horses, feed and often used equipment. His motto was “What’s mine is mine and what’s your’s is negotiable.” I’ve also seen other members of my family drive a hard bargain. That hasn’t been my strength.  However, long agoContinue reading “Bargain Hunting”

About forty five years ago I was at my parents house playing basketball with friends. I came in limping. My dad saw me and said, “You know until you get to be about thirty you keep doing those things you did as a kid and you hurt yourself. After fifty things start hurting on theirContinue reading “Ice for the Soul”

When my daughters were little they went to lots of summer camps, music camp, cooking camp ect. One day they asked me if I ever went to camp. I said,”Yes, camp Francitas.” Our family ranch was on the outskirts of a small Texas ghost town, Francitas. I wasn’t interested in any camps. I was busyContinue reading “P Times 5”

I really like to eat. I was hungry for ten years when I became a teenager. I decided in my mid twenties to modify what I ate. I started cutting out empty calories, food with no nutritional value except calories. Eliminating all those foods would be too hard, so I focused on what I calledContinue reading “Empty Calories”

My dad grew up in the dust bowl during the great depression. It left a lasting impression on him. One of the main lessons he taught me was to save my money. I started when I was seven years old. I’ve heard several financial professionals speak in my adult years. Every one of them talkedContinue reading “Dust Bowl Wisdom”

I’m fortunate to live in a town that has a beautiful hike and bike trail along a river. It traverses most of the community. I can hop on it fairly close to my home and travel all the way to the recreation center. About fifteen years ago I started riding my bike there. I gotContinue reading “Unplug”

In owning an insurance agency for over thirty one years I learned the most important rule in business. Make it easy for people to give you money. I sold something people were required to have, either by the state and/or their mortgage company. It wasn’t a question of if they would buy it, just whoContinue reading “Easy Does It”