Stepping Stones

by chasemradio #Tryharder, What's your story?

“You don’t have to have it all figured out.  The decisions you make today do not need to control the rest of your life or even the rest of your career. Nothing is absolute and hardly ever final.  What you do now is merely a stepping stone to whatever is NEXT”.   These are the words that were used when I spoke to a friend of mine this past week. I quickly typed them into the notes app on my iPhone because I thought that they might have some value to others that read them. I write everything down in my phone. This is not an endorsement for Apple, but I did write my last book #Tryharder and the new […]

One cockroach was harmed in the making of this chapter.

by chasemradio #Tryharder, What's your story?

The Catholic Church that I go to has been under renovation for the past few months. Each Sunday, as I take a seat, I look around to see the changes from the previous week. The new carpet, hardwoods, upholstery, paint on the walls, etc. It was a pretty dated looking church when I started going, but now it looks a little more “fresh” and modern. I don’t know anyone that attends the church when I do and even through the renovation, I’ve continued go for the following reasons. 1). It’s close to my house. 2). they do a 7:30am mass and 3). I need to worship somewhere. The 7:30am mass is important because, as I was doing my research on […]

Fish Tales

by chasemradio #Tryharder, What's your story?

When I was a kid, I loved to fish. Fishing was pretty much my favorite thing. I loved baseball, football, riding my bike and fishing.  My mom and dad used to make the joke that if it wasn’t for class pictures, there wouldn’t be any pictures of me that didn’t also have a fish in them. (Likely taken with one of my mom’s super sweet disposable cameras).   I could tie my own line and bait my own hook by the time I was nine years old, but I still needed my parents to help me out with all the times I got hung up on a rock or cast my line into a tree. My dad never got to […]

Why?

by chasemradio #Tryharder, What's your story?

Why?     You know the close elevator doors buttons?  They don’t actually work. Not since 1990 as part of legislation to allow wheelchairs enough time to get in. Yet, all of us, as we find ourselves in a hurry to get to work and avoid the smelly guy from riding in the same elevator, frantically push that button not once, but repeatedly 83 times before they close. Because I work on the 19th floor of a 20 story building, I see it every day. I’ve known about this close elevator door button thing for a few years and I’m just now sharing my knowledge with others. Honestly, I enjoy being the only person on the elevator that knows this secret and […]

Stand by Me

by chasemradio #Tryharder, What's your story?

Sitting in bed, about to fall asleep and I stumble upon the movie Stand by Me. One of the few movies I still own on VHS and one that helped to define much of my childhood.  To be honest, I don’t believe I have a way to watch any of the movies I own on VHS.  Does anyone anymore? I guess I could always sell my collection of VHS movies in the next neighborhood garage sale, but the 50 cents that I would make off of each tape is not equal to the memories and lessons they have provided me.  So, for now, they will sit in a box in the garage till VHS becomes cool again.  It’s only a […]

Everything I own fits in the back of a truck!

by chasemradio #Tryharder, What's your story?

We have officially moved!   After several months of living in two cities and traveling back and forth between San Antonio and Houston, we are finally all under the same roof with all of our belongings. Now the challenge is to find that balance again as well as locate all the proper places in the new house for all of our old stuff.   We didn’t throw a lot away going into the move and we have come across things that the movers should have never had to shove in a box. The phrase “why did we move this” has been said more than once in the past few weeks. My wife looked at the moving manifest and informed me […]

I do what I can

by chasemradio #Tryharder, What's your story?

I may not be the best friend, boss, father, husband, brother, son or person in the world, but let it be known that I at least try. I wake up every morning with the desire to make an impact in someone’s life.  It doesn’t need to be a grand contribution, but I do try to go to bed at night leaving the world better than when I woke up.  Before I close my eyes, I take inventory on my day and think of ways I might have contributed to the betterment of others.  Some days are better than others and sometimes I have to make up today for a misstep from yesterday.  Nobody is perfect.   Random thought?  How many […]

The NOW

by chasemradio #Tryharder, What's your story?

The NOW.   Since February, I have been commuting from Houston to San Antonio and back. In order to spend the weekend with my family, I leave work early on Fridays and drive 3.5 hours to San Antonio, where my wife and kids are still living till school gets out for the year. I wake up at 4am on Mondays, get on the road by 5am, so I can make it to work by 8:30am. It’s 202 miles each way and the scenery is pretty boring. We are now into our 4th month of doing this and it’s certainly not the easiest thing we have ever had to do, but we make it work.  Other people have it tougher than […]

Shut up and Listen

by chasemradio What's your story?

Fun fact. I’m colorblind.   I also draw like a 4 year old kid and my fashion sense could be described as “challenged”. Although I don’t wear glasses, I have issues with putting together certain visuals. I’m great with the visualization of goals and purpose, but terrible at suggesting what color the bedroom needs to be painted. My wife will show me all sorts of colors in Home Depot’s paint department and all I can do is just nod and try to support whatever decision she will inevitably make with or without my input. She doesn’t really trust my judgement, and I think she just ask to be nice. I am however a great listener. So, as my wife makes […]

Revenge is a tricky thing.

by chasemradio #Tryharder, What's your story?

I’ve had many opportunities in life to be vengeful. I’ve been broken up with, screwed over and wronged just as many times as the next guy. I’ve had a front row seat to moments where people have attempted to extinguish my flame, but I’ve never once seen anyone be successful at finishing the job. In the end, I will always come out stronger and wiser…because that’s what I do and I do it without stooping to their level.   You have to be careful on what you allow to be a driver in your life. Many of our actions (or reactions) can be rooted in revenge. It often serves as a powerful motivator and pushes you to achieve more, but […]