James Life (with my beautiful family)

Sad day personally for me....

2009-04-16T09:55:00.003-04:00

Today would have been my father's 71st birthday, unfortunately he passed away last year and this is the first time for all of us without him. I miss him tremendously but I know that he is at peace and he is always with me. My son misses him as my dad would always play with him and joke with him on the phone. I just pray for my mom today, as I know she will feel even more pain than I do as they were married for almost 40 years. I just ask God to give us the strength to deal with the pain of him not being here. I loved my dad and I miss talking to him and having him encourage me and give me fatherly advice with my own kids.

I love you dad!!!! Happy Birthday

Your son,

James

Cool Space Pics

2009-04-15T23:23:00.003-04:00

Supernova

The Hand of God

The Eye of God

Miami Dolphins 09 Schedule

2009-04-14T22:14:00.002-04:00

Wow, what a brutal schedule for the fish. Regardless... I am a fan for life... Go DOLPHINS!!!!

Sept. 13 at Atlanta, 1 p.m.
Sept. 21 Indianapolis, 8:30 p.m.
Sept. 27 at San Diego, 4:15 p.m.
Oct. 4 Buffalo, 4:05 p.m.
Oct. 12 N.Y. Jets, 8:30 p.m.
Oct. 18 BYE
Oct. 25 New Orleans, 4:15 p.m.
Nov. 1 at N.Y. Jets, 1 p.m.
Nov. 8 at New England, 1 p.m.
Nov. 15 Tampa Bay, 1 p.m.
Nov. 19 at Carolina, 8:20 p.m.
Nov. 29 at Buffalo, 1 p.m.
Dec. 6 New England, 8:20 p.m.
Dec. 13 at Jacksonville, 1 p.m.
Dec. 20 at Tennessee, 1 p.m.
Dec. 27 Houston, 1 p.m.
Jan. 3 Pittsburgh, 1 p.m.

Jobs Rate Soars to levels not seen since 1983

2009-04-03T10:52:00.002-04:00

Times are tough and we need to be more careful how we spend our money, even after this recession is over. I have begun to analyize how my spending and how I can cut back. This story is very disturbing and I hope that those jobless find something soon.

Jobless rate soars to 8.5 percent in March

Unemployment rate highest since late 1983; 663,000 jobs lost

The Associated Press

updated 10:01 a.m. ET, Fri., April. 3, 2009

The nation's unemployment rate jumped to 8.5 percent in March, the highest since late 1983, as a wide swath of employers eliminated 663,000 jobs. It's fresh evidence of the toll the recession has inflicted on America's workers, and economists say there's no relief in sight.

If part-time and discouraged workers are factored in, the unemployment rate would have been 15.6 percent in March, the highest on records dating to 1994, according to Labor Department data released Friday.

The average work week in March dropped to 33.2 hours, a new record low.

"It's an ugly report and April is going to be equally as bad," predicted Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody's Economy.com.

Last month's tally of job losses was slightly higher than the 654,000 that economists expected. The rise in the unemployment rate matched expectations.

Employers cut 651,000 jobs in February when the jobless rate was 8.1 percent, the same as initially estimated. January's job losses, however, were revised much higher, to 741,000 from 655,000.

Since the recession began in December 2007, the economy has lost a net total of 5.1 million jobs, with almost two-thirds of the losses occurring in the last five months.

The number of unemployed people climbed to 13.2 million in March. In addition, the number of people forced to work part time for "economic reasons" rose by 423,000 to 9 million. Those are people who would like to work full time but whose hours were cut back or were unable to find full-time work.

Looking forward, economists expect monthly job losses continuing for most — if not all of — this year.

However, they are hoping that payroll reductions in the current quarter won't be as deep as the roughly 685,000 average monthly job losses in the January-March period.

In the best-case scenario, employment losses in the present quarter would be about half that pace, some economists said. That scenario partly assumes the economy won't be shrinking nearly as much in the present quarter.

The deterioration in the jobs market comes despite a few hopeful signs recently that the recession — now the longest since World War II — could be easing.

Orders placed with U.S. factories actually rose in February, ending a six straight months of declines, the government reported Thursday. Earlier in the week, there was better-than-expected reports on construction spending and pending home sales. And last week a report showed that consumer spending — an engine of the economy — rose in February for the second month in a row — after a half-year of declines.

But as the economic downturn eats into their sales and profits, companies are laying off workers and resorting to other cost-saving measures. Those include holding down hours, and freezing or cutting pay, to survive the storm.

Job losses were widespread last month. Construction companies cut 126,000 jobs. Factories axed 161,000. Retailers got rid of nearly 50,000. Professional and business services eliminated 133,000. Leisure and hospitality reduced employment by 40,000. Even the government cut jobs — 5,000 of them.

Education and health care were the few industries showing any job gains.

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said the recession could end later this year, setting the stage for a recovery next year, if the government is successful in bolstering the banking system. Banks have been clobbered by the worst housing, credit and financial crises to hit the country since the 1930s.

Even if the recession ends this year, the economy will remain frail, analysts said. Companies will have little appetite to ramp up hiring until they feel the economy is truly out of the woods and any recovery has staying power.

Given that, many economists predict the unemployment rate will hit 10 percent at the end of this year. The Fed says unemployment will remain elevated into 2011.

Economists say the job market may not get back to normal — meaning a 5 percent unemployment rate — until 2013.

"There's going to quite a long haul before you see the jobless rate head down," said Bill Cheney, chief economist at John Hancock Financial Services.

To brace the economy, the Fed has slashed a key bank lending rate to an all-time low and has embarked on a series of radical programs to inject billions of dollars into the financial system.

And the Obama administration had launched a multi-pronged strategy to turn the economy around. Its $787 billion stimulus package includes money that will flow to states for public works projects, help them defray budget cuts, extend unemployment benefits and boost food stamp benefits.

The administration also is counting on programs to prop up financial companies and reduce home foreclosures to help turn the economy around.

Still, skittish employers announced more job layoffs this week.

3M Co., the maker of Scotch tape, Post-It Notes and other products, said it's cutting another 1,200 jobs, or 1.5 percent of its work force, because of the global economic slump. Fewer than half the jobs will be in the U.S., but include hundreds in its home state of Minnesota. The 1,200 figure includes cuts made earlier in the first quarter.

Elsewhere, healthcare products distributor Cardinal Health Inc. said it would eliminate 1,300 positions, or about 3 percent of its work force, and semiconductor equipment maker KLA-Tencor Corp. said it will cut about 600 jobs, or 10 percent of its employees.

Good News!!!

2009-03-12T22:25:00.002-04:00

Both my mom and my father-in-law are doing well. My mom had a "growth" removed from her breast but the doctors think it is scar tissue from a previous operation. She did have breast cancer some years ago but was able to defeat it with therapy.

My father-in-law is thankfully awake and alert. He did have a few complication but he passed the danger zone and now seems to be coming back to life.

It is truly God's work watching and healing my family and I am ever so grateful for everything I have and that our family is still intact.

Happy Birthday Mom!!!

2009-02-28T00:19:00.002-05:00

Happy Birthday to my mom, who is in Lee's Summit, MO, enjoying the cold weather. I hope you have a wonderful day and know that I love you for all that you have done for me.

Tough Times but we must never forget that God is in control!!!

2009-02-28T00:03:00.004-05:00

These days are very tough for me and my family right now. As an independent contractor and entreprenuer, it has been a long road filled with many setbacks and now with a bad economy. Thanks to God, we have been provided with what we need to survive and live a comfortable life.

I am praying for my father in-law, Claudio, who is currently in the hospital dealing with a variety of ailments. I am faithful that he is in God's hands and he will come out of this better than ever. Unfortunately, this brings up the painful memory of the loss of my father last year. This is a rough time for my wife and I will support her in any way she requires.

Here is my prayer:

Lord, please place your healing hand and bless a man who truly loves you. He is a man of faith, a father, husband and grandfather who is still full of life. I pray that you heal him just as Jesus healed many during his time here on earth. Nothing is impossible for you and thanks to the teachings of my pastor I can pray for the big things and know that nothing is too great for you handle.

Happy Valentine's Day

2009-02-15T18:11:00.003-05:00

Let these flowers show that you mean the world to me and their beauty cannot match yours. I am eternally grateful that we found each other and that our love will only grow in the years to come.

Love you, always.

New Testament Challenge - Days 3 - 8

2009-02-10T22:39:00.004-05:00

I fell behind but I caught up last night. It was quite a bit of reading, however it was very enlightening. I learned quite a bit about Jesus and his disciples, how they traveled and spread the word without regard for their own lives. I read quite a few parables and it is very interesting how he used common things to get his point across. It has been an intersting read and I look forward to continuing this challenge and see how it ends up for me.

Lifegroup tonight was awesome. Tonight, my wife and I led the group. We had a good time playing 2 truths 1 lie and learned some funny things about each other. The lessons itself were reflective and really brought up some great debate. My wife closed the group with a fanstatic prayer (look out Travis, she just might replace you!!!!) and showed just how committed she is to Jesus and the mission at Life Pointe Church.

National Signing Day

2009-02-04T22:41:00.004-05:00

The official sigining day for new recruits begain today, and with a frenzy and much anticipation we began to see the commitments to Miami Football. Lamar Miller, pictured above, was 1 of 19 recruits to sign their L.O.I. (Letter Of Intent) to play for the hurricanes. It was a mixed day as there were a few players who backed out of oral commitments and decided to go elsewhere. I am diappointed in their choices but I am happy that I see this team moving back to where they were in previous years, and that is in the national spotlight. I can't wait for this season to begin and watch these kids take this school back to the top.

With the new OC (Offensive Coordinator), Mark Whipple, this team will return to its roots as a pro-style offense. I am grateful he is the OC and I can look forward to watching this offense score some points!!!!

Here is the list of new players:

Malcolm Bunche	OL	6-5	315	Newark, Del.	Newark HS
Jared Wheeler	OL	6-6	305	Miami, Fla.	American Heritage HS
Lamar Miller	RB	5-11	205	Miami, Fla.	Killian HS
Luther Robinson	DL	6-3	281	Fort Pierce, Fla.	Westwood HS
Billy Sanders	TE	6-4	235	Coeur d'Alene, Idaho	Lake City HS
Jamal Reid	DB	6-1	175	Mayo, Fla.	Lafayette HS
Shayon Green	LB	6-2	235	Tifton, Ga.	Tifton County HS
Cory White	OL	6-5	235	Jacksonville, Fla.	Fleming Island HS
A.J. Highsmith	QB	6-0	190	Fort Bend, Texas	HightowerHS
Dyron Dye	DE	6-5	230	Sanford, Fla.	Seminole HS
Aravious "Ray Ray" Armstrong	DB	6-4	215	Sanford, Fla.	Seminole HS
Prince Kent	DB	6-3	195	Norcross, Ga.	Norcross HS
Stephen Plein	OL	6-6	250	Fort Myers, Fla.	Fort Myers HS
Mike James	RB	5-11	220	Davenport, Fla.	Ridge HS
Jermaine Johnson	OL	6-6	304	Fort Lauderdale, Fla.	Hargrave (Va.) Military Academy/St. Thomas Aquinas HS
Brandon McGee	DB	5-11	180	Plantation, Fla.	Plantation HS
Curtis Porter	DL	6-0	344	Charlotte, N.C.	Victory Christian HS
Olivier Vernon	DL	6-2	247	Miami, Fla.	American HS
Brandon Washington	OL	6-4	354	Miami, Fla.	Milford (N.Y.) Academy/Northwestern HS

New Testament Challenge.... Day One and Two

2009-02-03T22:10:00.003-05:00

I have accepted the challenge and began my quest today to complete the 63 days. I read Matthew 1-4 and Acts 1-6 and I learned quite a bit. In Matthew 1 I learned that the genealogy of Jesus is very confusing and as many times as I read it, it was still hard to follow. I learned about John the Baptist, how he preaches the word in such a convincing fashion and without fear. I learned more about the temptations offered by Satan to Jesus and how he rebuked every one of them with a perfect argument.

From Acts, I learned something I have been wondering about for some time now. What happened to Jesus, where did he go? I am not well versed on the bible (my own fault for not reading like I should) however these first few chapters have answered just about every question I had. I learned about the fate of Judas (very graphic!!!) and what happened to a couple who tried to cheat God out of his offering (both dropped dead after being confronted). What I really learned is that with faith, any situation can be overcome and there are numerous passages that describe this in detail, no matter the circumstances we need to just have faith in God and he will watch over us and protect us.

Super Sunday

2009-02-01T09:51:00.003-05:00

The final game of the NFL season has arrived. The Arizona Cardinals will face the Pittsburgh Steelers tonight in Tampa. Arizona is the cinderella story of the year, going from perrenial doormat to NFC Champions and a possible first NFL Superbowl championship. On the other side, the storied Steelers trying to win their sixth championship and be the first NFL franchise to do so. This game is hard to guage, as the Cardinals are mostly and offense oriented team and Steelers rely on their defense to win their games. I think the game will come down to if the Steelers can pressure Kurt Warner, if not then it will be a long day for a defense that will have matchup problems against the best crop of receivers of any team. I predict Arizona will stun the Steelers and pull off an improbable season. Final score: Arizona 38 - Pittsburgh 28

Awesome Saturday!!!

2009-01-31T18:54:00.003-05:00

Today was a great day. In the morning I was spending time with my kids while my wife went to school. When she came back, we took our daughter, Juliana, to ballet. This was my first opportunity to see her in class. It was an experience, to see her happily jumping around (and also not necessary pay attention to the instructor) and working on a choreographed dance. She also recieved her tap dancing shoes and loved to hear the clacking sounds they made with every step. I am so grateful she can go to these classes. Once the classes were over, we went home and began prepping for a BBQ with Travis and Kelly. Once they arrived, I fired up the grill and cooked some NY Strip for everyone. While the grill was cooking, we played some Wii Tennis and this time I didn't hit somebody in the back with the controller during a swing. Afterwards, the guys (Travis, Matt (Travis' visiting friend), Tyler and myself) played Halo 3. We had a good time (even though Tyler cheated) shooting everything in sight and kicking butt!!! The ladies and kids all went outside and enjoyed the nice weather. We are truly blessed to be a part of this community.

Weekend Recap

2009-01-25T21:11:00.002-05:00

Another weekend is over, and man do I miss football!!!!! There was nothing of interest on TV today, so I ended up spending the day out with the kids, and bbq us lunch. This morning my we went to the 9 AM service and listened to another great message from Travis. My wife (and the kids) stayed for the 10:3o service and she began working for Kids Life again. She really does enjoy it and she feels good working and being a part of the church. Once everyone was home, the kids were in and out of the house for most of the day and just enjoying the nice weather.

Homestead Parade

2009-01-24T22:14:00.003-05:00

Today was the first time I ever really witnessed a parade live. I never had an interest in them prior to today but the main difference was that my son, James Jr., was a part of this event. My family has lived in this area for almost four years now and I never heard of this parade before. Junior participated with his school, Christian Preparatory Academy, and sat in their float. He was so excited and really enjoyed riding with his classmates, fellow students and teachers. I found a spot on Campbell Dr, in front of the Winn Dixie and waited for him to pass by. I was shocked that there were so many people watching and I was pleasantly surprised by the turnout. Since this was my first parade, I enjoyed some of it but I think there were too many floats that were nothing more than advertisements for businesses and lacked creativity. I was happy when Jr's float came b by and I took as many pictures as I could. The only downer was that Luciana and Juliana couldn't attend as Luciana was in school until 11 AM and the took Juliana was in her new ballet class (post to come soon) at noon. I hope that next year we will all be in attendance to enjoy this great local custom.

The End of an Era

2009-01-23T22:55:00.003-05:00

It's always sad to see professional athletes retire. They work non stop and work under tremendous pressure to perform well in the public eye. Yesterday, Alonzo Mourning announced his retirement from basketball. I remember watching him play as a kid in Georgetown University, leading his team and dominating the competition. He was the greatest Miami Heat player to date. He poured his heart and soul to the team and gave everything he had to win. I was very happy to see him play an integral part of the 2006 championship season. I felt the same way when Dan Marino retired from the Dolphins. These are athletes I grew up watching and it feels like a part of me leaves with them as they exit the stage and move on to a different phase of their life.

Classical Music with a touch of Rock

2009-01-22T22:48:00.003-05:00

I can't get these songs out of my head. I first heard Canon Rock on YouTube and now I am hooked. I love the electric guitar approach to classical music and I spend my time practicing this song and The Turkish March version. It will take months for me to get it to sound right but I know in the end I will love it.

Canon Rock

Turkish March

2008 Guitar Idol

2009-01-14T21:00:00.002-05:00

A seemingly little known online competition took place where guitarists from around the world submitted videos of themselves playing and were voted on. The winner, Gustavo Guerra (Brazil) is an amazing musician. I have been watching his videos and his style is very impressive. He does some amazing covers of songs I have been wanting to learn to play myself. He is very inspiring and I know that as long as I keep practicing I will be able to play at his level.

Weekend Highlights

2009-01-13T21:57:00.002-05:00

Another weekend has come and gone as we begin a new year. I was VERY disappointed in Oklahoma's performance against the Gators (ugh!!). What a nightmare, another National Championship for them (excuse me while I vomit). I hate that school and I hope that we don't see a repeat. The NFL playoffs brought some mind boggling experiences. It seems like all of the "favorites" decided to play their worst games of the season. I thought the Giants would lose but I would never have thought Arizona could just destory Carolina, on the road no less. The AFC turned out as I expected, a rematch between the Ravens and Steelers. Now the final four is set and I believe we will see Arizona vs Baltimore in the Superbowl this year.

My family and I spent another quiet weekend here at home. Saturday was electric ride-on time during the morning. My kids, the neighbors kids and Travis' kids were all outside wreaking havoc and having a good time driving around (at least until the battery ran out). Then the kids decided to decorate our sidewalk and walkway with some chalk. Kids can be so creative and they just went crazy with a variety of drawings. Sunday, we went to the late service and listened to a great message from Travis. The rest of the day was spent relaxing and letting the kids have fun outside.

The Next Karate Kid!!!

2009-01-06T22:17:00.003-05:00

My son went to his first Karate class today. He was hyped up since yesterday to go in there and kick butt, literally. He struggled at first, trying to understand the rules and guidelines he has to follow. This class will definitely help my son's focus and give him a great resource to shape his life. I am very thankful that my wife and I can provide these activites to help shape our children into great citizens and productive members of society. Next up, ballet for my princess Juliana.

End of the season for the Fins...

2009-01-06T22:11:00.002-05:00

What a bad time for the team so play its worst game of the year. It was a rough game to watch as the Fins could hardly muster any offense and defensively struggle to stop the Raven's running attack. I had a bad feeling about this game, judging from the previous game earlier in the season. It was deja vu, almost the same type of game where Miami could do nothing to solve the mystery of the Ravens. It was disappointing but hopefully this team can build on this season and fill the gaps they need to make a stronger push next year.

Happy New Year

2008-12-30T22:59:00.001-05:00

I wish everyone a prosperous new year as we say goodbye to 2008. It was a tough year for all of us and hopefully 09 will be better. There were some historic moments, as in the election of the first black President, Barack Obama. Our nation still is racially divided, however this election did bring more of us together as a people. It also marks the end of the Bush era (09 End of an Error), which personally could not have come soon enough.

Regardless, my family has been blessed with everything we could have asked for. I pray for everyone to have a great New Year and God bless.

Weekend Highlights

2008-12-28T22:31:00.003-05:00

Miami Dolphins, AFC East Champions!!!!!!! What a game and what a way to finish the regular season. Next up, a second meeting with the Baltimore Ravens. On the flip side, it was a very frustrating Saturday night watching my beloved Canes blow another game. Jacory Harris played well but showed his inexperience late in the game and those mistakes cost UM the game. However, I was happy to see the team play better overall and we certainly have something to look forward to in the 09 season.

This weekend was a little quiet, after the holiday and getting ready for the new year to come. The kids spent most of the time playing outside and with their new toys from Christmas. My wife and I just spent time at home, trying to recover from a few long days prepping for Christmas eve and the following morning. I have been fighting a cold the whole week and finally am beginning to feel better. Today we went to the 10:30 service and listened to the latest message in the Anthems series. Afterwards, we went home and I ended up having to work for a few hours and missed almost the entire first half of the Fins game but that is the way my profession is at times.

Miami Dolphins.... WOW

2008-12-22T21:49:00.002-05:00

I don't know what else to say. This is a season that cannot be explained. It is so good to have a winning team again, I don't know what to do with myself. The fins are in first place and now face the J-E-T-S, who have nearly choked their way out of the playoffs. This is going to be an awesome game. Pennington returns to face his old team and show them that they made a mistake in releasing him and allowing him to come to Miami. I expect nothing but the best from the Jets here, their season and some of their jobs are on the line now. I will be disappointed if they lose but in reality they have exceeded all expectations. It would be a storybook ending to have Chad end the Jets season and gang green can watch the Fins in the playoffs. Yes... PLAYOFFS!!!! Who could honestlly have said that at the beginning of the year.

Fantasy Football Champion!!!!!

2008-12-22T21:44:00.002-05:00

Yes, I can officially say that I have won a league championship. It came down to last night's game, with my team having DeAngelo Williams and Brandon Jacobs going and seven touchdown later.... I was up for good. I still have two players in the Monday night game (Rogers and Hester) but I can wear the crown proudly. I never thought I had a chance after week one, losing my first pick (Brady) for the season but I managed to fight my way to the top. This is my first winning season ever in fantasy football. I am now hooked and will be playing in multiple leagues next season.