Shameless

OK, I don't want to do this, but I feel that I have to. I have this platform to express my thoughts and opinions and I need to express something that, well, might appear shameless. A year ago, I published my first novel, Better Days. I am currently in the process of writing the sequel, which doesn't have a title yet, but I do have ideas. I self published, and the book is available online through my publisher, xlibris.com, my own website, prestonkerr.com, or through barnes and noble and borders. It is also on Amazon.

BUY MY BOOK people! :) Just kidding. But seriously, buy my book. I personally think that I written a pretty good book, and I am proud of it.

Here's the jist. What makes you happy in this life? Your job? Friends? Things? Car? Family? What happens to you when those things are taken from you? The joy of your life is lessened because you found joy in is no longer there. Therefore, your life is less happy and you feel less fulfilled.

In my book, I explore that feeling through my main character Brady McEwing. I know great name, right? Brady is a good guy. He does things for the right reasons, and his friends love him for his selfless ways. However, the role of being there has created a feeling in him that joy is wrapped up in being needed.

Slowly the friends come to rely on him less and less, which makes his joy less and less and reveals what happens when you place joy in the things that can be taken away at any given moment.

Now, being happy with your friends and people the mean something to you are important, I don't take anything away from that. But, when it's you SOLE source of joy, that's where things get bad.

So where are you supposed to find this joy? Well, read the book and find out! I am not going to spoil the whole thing for you.

My story centers around Brady McEwing and his friends, Jordan Miller, Sean Cunningham, Nelson Matthews, and and Amanda McCoy. I start you off at their high school graduation, take you through college, and early adulthood. Each chapter is a new year. Highlighting the events of the year and showing how Brady is slowly turning into a joyless person who's lost and in desperate need of guidance.

Yes, I know, this is a shameless way to promote my own book, but like I said, I have this forum available to me, and I will use it in anyway that I see fit.

Please, go buy my book. It's good. I promise. Just ask my wife, she read it.

Until next time.
P

Resolve

Welcome to 2011, a new decade. I’m excited. I’m looking forward to a new year, a new opportunity, a new season of life. It’s a time for new beginnings, new events, and new chances. However, what it is not time for, is resolutions.

I am against making New Year’s resolutions. Always have been, always will be. I don’t see the need to make this declaration of change at the start of the New Year. To me, if you’re set on making changes in your life, like losing weight, getting a job, having children, or writing a book, why did you have to wait till the New Year to do it? Why couldn’t you do it last year?

Then there are the other things that people decide will be different in this coming year like, “I’ll be nicer to people,” or “I’ll stop procrastinating.” I don’t get it. I don’t understand how the power of the year changing makes it all right to make serious changes in your life? Why did you wait? Why couldn’t you just make these changes when you first thought of them?

That brings up the other question, why didn’t you think of them before? What made New Year’s Eve so powerful that you couldn’t think of these important things in the previous year? I get that you want to make changes, and I applaud that. I am too am in the process of making changes in my life. The only difference was I didn’t wait till the clock stuck midnight on January 1st to enact those changes.

I believe that if it’s important, then you shouldn’t wait for a date on the calendar, you should do it right away. You should make the impact that you desire immediately. I resolve that I will not make any declaration this year to be done in the future. If I need to do something, and or make changes, the moment I think of it, is the moment I will start doing it.

I don’t want to offend people who take the time to make their resolutions. If it’s something you’ve done for years and look forward to, go for it. Maybe you need to dedicate yourself to a fresh idea and give yourself a time table so that you can build up your courage to make this change in your life. That makes sense to me. But, I want you to know that you already have the courage. You’re admitting that you want to change something or make things better, or bottom line, become a better person. You don’t need the change of a calendar to make this change. Do it now, do it when you realize it. Resolve to be a better person now, and not to wait until 2012. No need for it. You can do it.

Until next time
P

Chad

I received word today that a dear friend of mine passed away last week. Unless you were part of Laguna Hills High School in the late 90s, you may not know the man Chad Underkoffler, but he was a great friend and a great man.

I was working there at the time as an assistant varsity basketball coach and was the head coach for the Sophomore team when I met Chad. He was the basketball programs team manager and his love and passion then was being around the guys. They loved him right back and appreciated his work and his fun spirit.

I fondly remember sitting with him during games and his laughter and joking ways making light of some intense situations. He was funny, he was kind hearted, and he always had something positive to say. I lost contact with him after I left the school but learned that he got married and had a daughter. I was so very happy and proud for him. He deserved that kind of happiness. He deserved to be loved on after all the love he gave to others.

During practice he was like another coach, always telling guys what they need to work on, and would get guys the ball, or water, or whatever. He saw his role not as a lackey, which he was not, but more of a person who could help, and that he did. He ran the scoreboard during games for me, he filmed games, he did the book, he did it all. He did it all with a smile. He was just happy to be part of something at the school that was great.

I can remember bus trips with him and the guys talking and laughing with him, sharing stories, whatever, they respected him. I felt like I had a friend to talk to in Chad. Run ideas by him, and generally, just talk. He was a great listener, and a very insightful person.

My thoughts and prayers go out to his family. He was a great man, father, husband, and friend. The world is a sadder place without his laughter and smile and to brighten our days.

Rest in peace, Chad. Take care my friend. God bless you and your family.

Until next time
P