Stay Strong - Run Long

When you look at the title of this blog you really have to open your mind up to how bad life really could be and people that are living in absolute hell. Yesterday as I was walking in to work, with sitting at my desk all day on my mind, I saw a homeless man standing in front of Starbucks. My initial human response is to avoid eye contact and just keep walking. Which is what I did. As I crossed the street I tried to envision what this guy might have gone through to end up sitting outside of Starbucks, wearing no shoes asking people for money. I obviously don't know him and don't know his ambitions or his past, but a guy driving his Cadillac CTS (one of my favorite cars) comes out of Starbucks and just walks past like I did. I realized that this was an extremely arrogant and pompous gesture as I have been blessed with a job that pays well and I don't have to beg for money. I didn't have any money on me as I never carry cash or credit cards, so I did the only thing that I

With the rumbling of chainsaws, the groaning of tractors and the still of a once bustling small town I entered what was once known as southern Parkersburg, IA. I, like many of you, have been trying to keep an eye on what has been happening after one of the most destructive tornadoes ripped through a town of nearly 2,000 people destroying homes and lives. A small group has formed in the company that I work for to act as a disaster response team and this was our very first assignment. I don't want to say that we have been waiting for something to happen, but the people involved have been itching to get out and help people that have recently effected by severe weather. With the heavy rains that have hit Iowa in the past couple of months causing flooding we all thought that we would be heading out to sandbag or clean up debris left by rising flood waters. We never really thought that our first assignment would be something that basically flattened a town. We all have been watching the