As Bushie's World Turns (The Update Thread)

[Smash255]

A quick update on Kenya.  As many of you may know, one of our tasks when we get to the East African country is to help build a medical clinic for the Maisha Orphanage.  They just broke ground on it within the past few days and it should be ready for us to help build the walls during the week that we'll actually be on the ground.

You're going to be building walls? You know how to do that?

I'll probably end up being a "go-for".  It'll be interesting to learn a little masonry.

How will you be able to manage any physical labor?

[Smash255]

WTF??


Bushie,

When God starts "talking" to people, bad things usually happen.  See Iraq....

[Smash255]

BushOK is "trimming" his friends on Facebook. This might be a Kenyan custom but it hasn't been confirmed. Anyway, I survived the first round. My hopes are with the rest of you that you may survive.

Lucky you, I didn't make it. I guess he didn't like people telling him other than what he wants to hear. I'm heart broken Why has my god forsaken me.

Just because you or anyone didn't make the cut, doesn't mean I don't count you as friends, because I do.  I just need feedback that is founded on the Word of God and bathed in prayer and wisdom.  I may re-add people at a later time, I'm certainly not ruling that out.  Plus, advice aside, I am trying to provide a positive example for my adopted American sister so when she sees my news feed, she will see a Christian legacy.

So.. are you saying that my advise isn't good, because its not shared by people who worship God?

I think he is saying your advice isn't good because you are using your brain and facts to give the advice instead of prayer to give the advice, and he doesn't want little kids to be tempted by brain and facts instead of religion and prayer.

[Smash255]

I suppose the strength of people who are soooo blinkered by religion, they see everything, good-bad-indifferent as being from God, so take no responsibility for constant f*** ups.

It's stuff like this that I do ignore that is laughing at Christians and calling us stupid that it makes absolutely no sense.

Planning to move halfway across the world on a whim because God "told" you to do so is what makes absolutely no sense.

Bushie, with all due respect, we have been down this road before, with on company, the vacuum thing and a bunch of other crap.  It is one thing to have strong religious feelings, that is fine, no one is saying otherwise.  

However, its a completely different story when you decide to suspend all rationale thought and critical thinking because you asked God and he "told" you to do something.  Its simply a very dangerous way to live and go about things, you have been burned by it many times before.  

[Smash255]

Unfortunately, Walter, yes, we'll have to wait until Monday's episode to find out the results of the test.  However, I am still going into work tomorrow unless I'm up all night dodging tornadoes.  We have tornadic thunderstorms to our southwest that look like either an hour or so away.  We are under a tornado watch until 04:00 am, so we have a ways to go.  I may need to use tomorrow to get my rest as we're expecting an even worse night tomorrow night that could last well into the night.

Wait....   How in the f*** did we go from going to work Monday to now going to work tomorrow??

[Smash255]

Haha, well guys, you don't have to worry about that this weekend.  They cancelled OT on me at the last minute and now I am supposed to go in at 08:00 Monday Morning.

How would it have been OT if you haven't been at work in days??

[Smash255]

Haha, well guys, you don't have to worry about that this weekend.  They cancelled OT on me at the last minute and now I am supposed to go in at 08:00 Monday Morning.

How would it have been OT if you haven't been at work in days??

The new work week begins on Saturday at Dell.

Not to be nit picky, but until you actually work the rest of the week it doesn't yet count as OT, especially considering your health situation.

[Smash255]

Bushie, for once in your life, think with your brain.  Not your heart, not what you think God wants or tells you to do, but think with your very own brain and use the concept of rationale thought

[Smash255]

Bushie, for once in your life, think with your brain.  Not your heart, not what you think God wants or tells you to do, but think with your very own brain and use the concept of rationale thought

I am thinking with my brain.  That's what people don't understand.  This forum thinks the ONLY rational decision is to stay in Oklahoma and not move a muscle.

No you aren't.  If you were thinking with your actual brain you wouldn't be going on about God told you this or God told you that.  Use your own brain, think rationally and keep God out of the question.

Also no one is suggesting you should stay in Oklahoma all your life.  If I was there I would sure as hell want out.  However, there is a major difference between moving on with your life, trying a different direction, etc and moving halfway across the Globe  It doesn't have to be Kenya or Oklahoma forever

[Smash255]

Bushie, for once in your life, think with your brain.  Not your heart, not what you think God wants or tells you to do, but think with your very own brain and use the concept of rationale thought

I am thinking with my brain.  That's what people don't understand.  This forum thinks the ONLY rational decision is to stay in Oklahoma and not move a muscle.

No you aren't.  If you were thinking with your actual brain you wouldn't be going on about God told you this or God told you that.  Use your own brain, think rationally and keep God out of the question.

Also no one is suggesting you should stay in Oklahoma all your life.  If I was there I would sure as hell want out.  However, there is a major difference between moving on with your life, trying a different direction, etc and moving halfway across the Globe  It doesn't have to be Kenya or Oklahoma forever

If you expect me to leave God out of the equation, forget it.  He is my Rock and my Hiding Place.  He has brought me this far, I am not going to abandon Him now.

I'm not saying to abandon God I am saying to use your actual own brain rather than trying to be a mind reader of what you think God wants you to do.

[Smash255]

Jeff, you never addressed my question: If you don't go to Kenya, does that mean God changed his mind?

No, it would mean I read it wrong.  I don't forsee that happening, though.

But didn't you say he verbally spoke to you?

Exactly.  Read two things - read the second sentence of the quoted post and read my previous post in response to jmfcst's question.

OK.  But you said he spoke to you.  If he verbally spoke to you, what exactly did he say?  "Jeff, go to Kenya" or something you ahd to interpret?

I am not going to keep answering your questions. Obviously, you either don't belive that God still speaks to His children or you refuse to accept any answer I provide. I know what God told me so people need to accept that.

Besides, this forum thinks the only acceptable answer is to stay in Oklahoma. They refuse to consider that God sometimes asks His children to do things that go against societal thinking.

No one is suggesting that your only options in life is the hell hole of a state you live in or Kenya..

What is being said is you should actually think rationally about what it instead of deciding what you want to do and labeling it as God told you to do it. 

You seem to have such strong feelings about certain things that you convince yourself God is telling you to do something when in fact no such thing is happening.  We have been down this road before, it never ends well....

[Smash255]

What's a prayer plan?

Tricking yourself into believing God is talking to you??

[Smash255]

Bushie, back to the exercise thing..

If you can't afford a gym, one thing you can simply due is get a set of dumbbells for $20 or so and work out with that.

Also as was mentioned jogging and even walking is extremely good.  Its something I have started to take up a bit more myself.  Last few weeks I have gone into Manhattan once a week or so simply to enjoy the day and walk around.

Last Sunday I walked ll the way from Penn Station (34th and 7th) to the North Meadow in Central Park (near 5th and 98th) and back, and up and down some parts of 5th and 7th avenue several times as well as around Central Park several times.  I easily walked 10 miles with temps in the low to mid 90's and it actually felt great. 

Now I don't expect you to do something like that, but even walking round much smaller distances are good for you.  Granted walking around OKC s never gong to compare to Manhattan, but you can likely find somewhere, and if you don't want to deal with the head, something indoors.  I work real close to a large mall, and often get lunch in the mall.  After I et since I still have some time I will walk around for a bit. 

Something like that is also a good replacement if you don't want to go jogging in the heat, but want to get some exercise in and stay cool, which is something I have done also.  A real hot day, might not feel like jogging so will just walk around for a bit after work.

[Smash255]

So how's the exercise and diet going?

Honestly, not so well.  My mind has been preoccupied as of late.

----

This morning's update:
Nesting is over and so is training as a whole!  I am now ready to move to the floor, on my own, beginning on Sunday at 1:15 pm!  At the very end of the day on Friday, as we were in our final team huddle of Nesting, our General Manager gave us the Job Numbers for the Supervisor, QA, and Trainer positions that is open.  He said they will be conducting interviews next week.  There are 14 positions total and we ended nesting with around 30 advisors.  This means, I have a 50/50 shot at getting one of the positions!  Right now, though, I am focusing on getting ready for being on my own tomorrow afternoon (Sunday) at 1:15 pm.

Get up off your ass and go for a walk....

[Smash255]

What does preoccupied have anything to do with it?  Exercise is as easy as a 30-minute walk a day.  You were all gung-ho about this new doctor, but you're not putting any effort into it.  What's the point of having a good doctor if you don't follow his advice?

I am exercising, though.  I'm not just sitting on my rear end all day being sedentary.  I'm not doing as well as I would like, but I am doing something.  At work, from the front row parking spot to my desk is about a full 5 minute walk, do that 4 times a day, that's 20 minutes.  However, I tend to park farther back, so I can get out faster, which adds about 2 minutes.  That's 7 minutes * 4 times a day which is 28 minutes a day walking.  That's not all at once, of course, but it is cumulative.  I know what you're going to say, "if you're doing that 4 times a day, you're going out to eat for lunch and eating the junk food negating the walk, right?"  Yes, I am going out to eat, but I'm not eating junk food.  I'm not getting burgers and fries except for once a week, I'm getting Subway generally with a Diet Coke.  I have actually lost about 4 pounds in the past couple of weeks.  Again, it's not where I want to be, but it is better than nothing.  Sometimes, I walk 4 times a day, and just go right back into the building at lunch instead of eating.  I'll just eat a small sandwich or a granola bar.  It is a very big parking lot, so I could actually get out there and walk around the parking lot for 20 minutes before I go back in.
I'm not doing nothing, I'm just not doing enough (in my opinion).

That is nothing.......

[Smash255]

You do realize that stretching it out over the course of the day doesn't help. By the time you get your heart rate up, you're at your desk.

Yes, i realize that.

To counter that, I am thinking about taking advantage of that big parking lot at work and walk for about 25 minutes 3 times a week during my lunch hour and then coming back in and eating a quick bite before time to get back on the phones.

Honestly, though, I am not going to worry myself sick and make myself sick to get healthier.  Yes, I'm going to do what I can, but I am not going to go overboard and the last thing I want to turn into is a self-righteous health-freak.  I would rather work on my "insides" and purifying my heart before my God.  As much as physical health is important, it is all superficial, because nobody can take their health, in whatever state its in, with them when they die.  The only thing that truly matters in the long run is not the health of the body, but the health of the soul.  The health of the body is temporary, the health of the soul is permanent.  Am I going to use that as an excuse to sit on my lazy rear end?  No, because that is also contrary to the Bible.  I am called to take care of my physical temple, which is my body, but not to let fitness and nutrition become my god or sole focus in life.

The health of the body absolutely matters, the fact you don't believe so might play a huge factor in why you are obese.

No one is saying you should worry yourself sick to get healthier.  Eating healthier and getting regular exercise should not worry you.  Eating nothing but cap and not getting much exercise should worry you because its dangerous.  That is FAR FAR more unhealthy than thinking about eating better and exercising.

[Smash255]

you are a afraid to go to a park because you are a single man?  wtf?

there are no tracks or trials anywhere?   you dont have to have kids to exercise....outdoors.  is jokelahoma really that bad?

That's a pretty silly question, Ray.

It is a silly question because Oklahoma is a wonderful state.  It has plenty of parks and walking trails.  It all boils down to one thing and I'll admit, I'm lazy.  What I need is an accountability partner and walking buddy to keep me motivated.  We can discuss good suggestions and game plans all day long, but if the will is not on board, the train will never leave the depot.  Its something I am trying to work and not just in weight loss.  Dont expect results overnight.

How about looking at yourself in the mirror??

Or wanting to actually be around for your Kenyan "Children", you know not die on them because you are an unhealthy and obese?

[Smash255]

You had a minor heart attack??? And that wasn't enough motivation?

It was the motivation for losing 25 pounds.  I've since lost track of that motivation and I had to find a new motivation, that being my children.

Actually, that was my 2nd minor heart attack.  The first one was in my Junior Year of High School back in the Fall 1999.  I was actually a normal weight back in high school.  I was in the lunch cafeteria and I felt my chest tighten, my breath become laborous, and my left arm tingle.  I didn't have to leave school, I just had to rest in the principal's office all of 3rd period and was able to go back to 4th period to complete the day.  The first heart attack was a real quick one, while the second heart attack felt like it lasted most of the day.

Was the heart attack actually confirmed by an ECG?

And so what if it's 102 during the day?  You CAN walk at night, you know.  Stop making excuses.  If you really wanted to get in shape, you could easily start doing it right now.

No, neither heart attack was confirmed by ECG.  It just felt extremely similar to one.

I'm not going to start doing everything at once.  I'm going to start with the diet and then as time goes on add in the exercise.  I don't want to overwhelm myself at the very front.  I want to gradually ease into this.  Will I eventually do both?  Yes, but I want to ease into it first instead of starting full throttle right away and burning out.  The last thing I want to is burn out and see the 25 pounds I lost earlier this year come back.

How the f*** can you burn out by doing both eating healthier and exercising??

No one is suggesting you try to start running several miles a day, but you should be able to eat healthier and go for some walks without burning out.....

[Smash255]

I am in the 5th day of this Thanksgiving 2012 Diet.  I started at a weight of 263.8.  As of this morning, I am down to 257.  Nearly 7 pounds in just 4 days.  I've just been eating less.  Plain and simple.  I haven't developed or used a x-step program.  I've just been eating less.  That 257, puts me at a grand total of 28 pounds lost since I started my first diet on 14 November, 2011.

Just realize that this is likely around 90% water weight and you could be back up 5 lbs after a few glasses of water or a salty meal. This is why you shouldn't obsess on the scale.  Don't weigh yourself that often.  A real good judge of your progress is how your clothes fit.

Good point, as important as losing weight is losing body fat is even more important.  You should be able to find a scale that measures body fat % for $30.

Also weight fluctuates during the day a it, so getting excited over a few pounds either way might not actually mean anything.

[Smash255]

What type of job is it?  What are you going to do about housing?

[Smash255]

What type of job is it?  What are you going to do about housing?

It is a supervisor position with Xerox.  The pay screw up was more Apple's fault than Xerox.  As far as housing goes, I'm aiming for a furnished, efficiency apartment.  I'm going to try to avoid having to hire movers, so I'm going to travel light.

Wait, so you were just complaining about being misled about how you were being paid and the process being rigged and now you are moving to another part of the country to tale a job with the same company that just misled you??

[Smash255]

What type of job is it?  What are you going to do about housing?

It is a supervisor position with Xerox.  The pay screw up was more Apple's fault than Xerox.  As far as housing goes, I'm aiming for a furnished, efficiency apartment.  I'm going to try to avoid having to hire movers, so I'm going to travel light.

Wait, so you were just complaining about being misled about how you were being paid and the process being rigged and now you are moving to another part of the country to tale a job with the same company that just misled you??

When I take a step back, I think it was more Apple that rigged the pay and not Xerox, because in the same building in OKC, US Cellular offers their workers a flat $9.50 in training and $10.00 after.  I don't hold Xerox responsible.  As far as the rigging, I obviously don't think that now.

What are you going to do with your home?

[Smash255]

What type of job is it?  What are you going to do about housing?

It is a supervisor position with Xerox.  The pay screw up was more Apple's fault than Xerox.  As far as housing goes, I'm aiming for a furnished, efficiency apartment.  I'm going to try to avoid having to hire movers, so I'm going to travel light.

Wait, so you were just complaining about being misled about how you were being paid and the process being rigged and now you are moving to another part of the country to tale a job with the same company that just misled you??

When I take a step back, I think it was more Apple that rigged the pay and not Xerox, because in the same building in OKC, US Cellular offers their workers a flat $9.50 in training and $10.00 after.  I don't hold Xerox responsible.  As far as the rigging, I obviously don't think that now.

What are you going to do with your home?

I'm actually going to keep it for another year.  I want to have a safety net just in case things were to fail up there, especially with it being so far away and no family up there except for a great uncle whom I have only met one time in my entire life.  I don't anticipate that happening, but I want a safety net and a home to come back to just in case.  I will probably put the house on the market next Fall.  I've poured over my finances quite extensively this evening and I should be able to swing rent and a mortgage.  I'm going to transfer the utilites to my mother and dad and they're going to pay for those as they will checking on the house from time to time.  As far as my cat goes, I'll have to find him a new home.  I've got someone in mind that I'm going to ask first.

You need to be really careful here.  As someone who works in the industry I can tell you here are very few things that can screw up your credit worse than missing a mortgage payment.

Now I know you have claimed you went over your finances extensively, but your history on this is a bit suspect.  I know the costs are far cheaper where you are and in Utah than anything I am use to, but a mortgage and rent on $33k a year (if that is even true), doesn't seem to fit.


Anyway I have a few questions for you

1.  What do you owe on your mortgage?

2.  What do you think your home is worth?

3.  What is your mtg payment? (including escrows, or what is the taxes and ins if no escrow)

4.  How much do you think you would be able to rent for in SLC?  


If you don't want to answer this on the board, fine, I can certainly understand s its personal financial info (though you have given out just about everything else on here), but you really need to sit down and think this through rather than making any rash decisions.

[Smash255]

What type of job is it?  What are you going to do about housing?

It is a supervisor position with Xerox.  The pay screw up was more Apple's fault than Xerox.  As far as housing goes, I'm aiming for a furnished, efficiency apartment.  I'm going to try to avoid having to hire movers, so I'm going to travel light.

Wait, so you were just complaining about being misled about how you were being paid and the process being rigged and now you are moving to another part of the country to tale a job with the same company that just misled you??

When I take a step back, I think it was more Apple that rigged the pay and not Xerox, because in the same building in OKC, US Cellular offers their workers a flat $9.50 in training and $10.00 after.  I don't hold Xerox responsible.  As far as the rigging, I obviously don't think that now.

What are you going to do with your home?

I'm actually going to keep it for another year.  I want to have a safety net just in case things were to fail up there, especially with it being so far away and no family up there except for a great uncle whom I have only met one time in my entire life.  I don't anticipate that happening, but I want a safety net and a home to come back to just in case.  I will probably put the house on the market next Fall.  I've poured over my finances quite extensively this evening and I should be able to swing rent and a mortgage.  I'm going to transfer the utilites to my mother and dad and they're going to pay for those as they will checking on the house from time to time.  As far as my cat goes, I'll have to find him a new home.  I've got someone in mind that I'm going to ask first.

You need to be really careful here.  As someone who works in the industry I can tell you here are very few things that can screw up your credit worse than missing a mortgage payment.

Now I know you have claimed you went over your finances extensively, but your history on this is a bit suspect.  I know the costs are far cheaper where you are and in Utah than anything I am use to, but a mortgage and rent on $33k a year (if that is even true), doesn't seem to fit.


Anyway I have a few questions for you

1.  What do you owe on your mortgage?

2.  What do you think your home is worth?

3.  What is your mtg payment? (including escrows, or what is the taxes and ins if no escrow)

4.  How much do you think you would be able to rent for in SLC? 


If you don't want to answer this on the board, fine, I can certainly understand s its personal financial info (though you have given out just about everything else on here), but you really need to sit down and think this through rather than making any rash decisions.

I'm not going to reveal my answers here, but just know that my mother and I are taking all these questions into account and we're both going to sit down together probably this afternoon (Wednesday) or tomorrow (Thursday) and go over them together.  It would be a very tight squeeze, but I can do it, because I'm going to pay off one credit card entirely before I leave and get ready to start paying down the other.  That is a risk, I will agree, but I would rather take that risk and have a safety net in place just in case things fail.  I remember what happened in Dallas in Spring 2008.  The job turned out to be a bait and switch and I ended up coming back to Oklahoma City after just 2 months.  I'm well aware of that, so with that in mind, I'm also going to make absolutely sure that this is still going to happen the way they say.  I'm going to get it in writing complete with salary.  I've got several phone calls to make today to confirm several things.  One of which is the timing, which based on new information last evening while I was at my parents discussing it, I got an email tweaking the timing just a bit.  As of now, it turns out I will be ending my Xerox-Oklahoma City Tenure on August 15 and will be departing Oklahoma City on Thursday, August 23 with the start date no later than October 1.  I can start any Monday in September I want to, but no later than October 1.  They are giving me a lot of flexibility here and I'm going to take advantage of it.

After doing some quick calculations, based off what you would make, what comes out fir federal and state withholding and what not, considering you are single with no dependents you would clear approx $2,200  month after taxes, that number would drop a bit once the benefits kick in and you start paying for that.  You could technically have less withheld, but that wouldn't be smart since you would wind up owing that anyway.

I find it extremely difficult anyone can handle a mortgage and rent when they are only clearing $2,200 a month

[Smash255]

Things have changed a bit.  I am going to be keeping the utilities of the house (~$150) and will be leasing it out on a month to month basis. I am having them pay the mortgage and I'll pay the utilities.

Does the rent you can get for the property cover the mortgage?