The fun of the game!

Tonight is the 2010 NFL PRO Bowl. This is the first year since 1980 that it is not in Hawaii. It is being played in Miami, Florida which is where the Super Bowl is next Sunday. The PRO Bowl is a great event and all of the NFL stars get to play in the game. They are a lot more laid back and they are out there to have fun and show the fans a great game. Many different players get to play and show off their abilities. It is usually a high scoring game because it is more focused on offense and the defense doesn't put as much pressure on. There are a lot of different things going on during the week leading up to the game and it is awesome for all the players because of what they get to experience together. A lot of their families come as well and it is something that I am sure they appreciate very much. Sports is not all about winning, it is about having fun.

" Don't take life too serious, it is meant to enjoy." -Brandon Zornado

Say no to Drama!

This world is filled with so much drama and it is all because there is no communication. Most people like to do things their own way and if they just talked about it with other's from the beginning then many problems would not occur. I don't like drama, because it is stressful and it is unnecessary. Things won't get out of hand if you control them at first. With a big group of people, everyone is going to have different opinions on things and that is why it is so important to talk about it before you begin anything. Things will go a lot smoother and there will be much less stress. Drama happens for a reason and the way to stop it from happening is to have a plan and communicate it.

" Pick your battles, don't let a little fight turn into a big war." -Brandon Zornado

Don't be the quiet one!

There will be times in your life when you witness something that shouldn't be happening. I know that most people will keep it to themselves and not say anything, but that will not help the problem. People might not know something is wrong unless they are told. They could go on doing the same old thing when it is not good for them, and they are so use to it that it is hard for them to stop. I believe on doing what is right and making every situation positive. When you see something that should be changed, let it be know and fix the problem.

" Stand up for the right, don't let the wrong get the best of you." -Brandon Zornado

Kids should be kids!

Shelley is watching, " Toddlers & Tiaras." It is a show about 4 and 5 year old girls that are in beauty pageants. Of course the little girls are cute, but it is absolutely crazy to have kids that are that young doing modeling and pageants. Kids need to play with balls, dolls, paper air planes, and they need to get dirty because that is what they do. Kids should experience certain things and should not be put into pageants where all of their time is spent. I can understand doing ballet, or dress up but this has taken it too far.

" There is a time and place for everything, things are better when you have to wait for them. -Brandon Zornado

The most important meal!

A lot of people don't eat breakfast. It might be because they are in a hurry in the morning and feel that it isn't important. Breakfast happens to be the most important meal of the day and it is so beneficial because it gives you the energy you need to get your day started. You don't need to have a heavy meal in the morning, but you should eat something and fuel your system. I love to eat breakfast, sometimes I will even have breakfast food for dinner. If you are in a hurry then take something with you, but I promise you that you will benefit from eating breakfast and you will find yourself with more energy.

" Always make time for the important things in your life." -Brandon Zornado

Workout partner!

It is very beneficial to work out with a partner. You will still get results working out by yourself, but facts prove that when you have a partner, you will not give up as easy. When you have someone there working out with you, they push you when you want to stop and they help motivate you. I love to workout but I get a lot more out of it when there is someone else there with me. I know that sometimes if I did not have a spotter I would stop at 9 or 10 reps instead of pushing for 11 or 12. The little things make a difference and if you are finding it hard to stay motivated and your not getting the results that you want then find a workout partner and do the same routine with them, believe me it will help.

" Life shouldn't be boring, make it interesting and switch things up."
-Brandon Zornado

Team Unity!

Baseball season is going to be starting soon and this year it is a little harder for all of us on the team to pay league fees. So, we are going to do a couple different fundraisers to raise money that will go towards our league fess. It is a struggle out there for a lot of people and playing baseball is so much fun and I would hate to see anyone not be able to play. I have played competitive baseball my whole life , and now I am playing city league. It is still competitive, but it is more laid back and everyone on our team gets along great! We had a meeting tonight at Pietro's Pizza, where we talked about the upcoming season and different fundraising opportunities. Surprisingly everyone had really good ideas and was very excited. Our team is called the Royals and we are all good players but we don't have any cocky one's on the team. It isn't about how good you are, it is about having a good time and also still trying to win, but letting everyone get playing time. I am very excited for the upcoming season and I know it will be a great one.

" It's not about one player winning the game, it's about a team working together to reach a goal." -Brandon Zornado

Food Experimentation!

So tonight we are going to make a pot roast in the " Slow Cooker." We have not used it yet so it will be interesting. Shelley is preparing the meal and inside the cooker she is putting: pot roast beef, onions, potatoes, beef broth and cream of mushroom soup. It will take 4 hours to cook and we are very excited to see how it turns out. There are many different recipes out there that you can experiment with. Some of them might not turn out exactly how you thought at first, but you will know how to improve them the next time around.

" Something new can be a challenge, but don't give up on it." - Brandon Zornado

Hope for Haiti!

The Haitian people are hurting right now. Many families have been heartbroken by the tragedy of the earthquake that just took place in Haiti. At first people who live here in the United States and have families in Haiti didn't know if their family member's were alive or dead. The economy is bad Nation Wide, but we still have our families and our city. Buildings in Haiti are crumbled and what took seconds to destroy will takes years to rebuild. The Haitian Nation needs are help and tonight there was a "Hope for Haiti" special which was live on tv and it will be replayed at 8:00pm on Fox. Over 100 actor's/actresses are running the phone lines for donations. It is a very touching show and I suggest that everyone watch it if they are able to. It will take a lot of work and patience to rebuild what was broken but with our help a little at a time it can happen. I hope on going to Haiti within the next couple months to help out with the kids and the community. It truly breaks my heart to see what they have had to go through and it would be an honor to say that I helped out and it would be an experience that I will never forget. With our support we can give them hope. Find it in your heart to help in anyway.

" A little piece at a time will make the puzzle complete." -Brandon Zornado

Look for coupons!

Every week the Sunday paper is filled with different ads that have a variety of coupons. Believe it or not, they are actually really good deals and you can save a lot of money using them at different stores. Fred Meyers also puts out a weekly paper with different coupons for items in their store. It usually comes out on Sunday as well and it is good for the entire week. Don't be hesitant about using coupons, because most people do it. Take a little time and cut out the one's that you might use and then when you go shopping you will see how much you can really save.

" Take the time to find the right price." -Brandon Zornado

Karma!

We all have things happen to us that we would rather not, but that is life. Sometimes we are given little breaks in life and we should be thankful for that. Never should we ever take advantage of something though, because it will come back on us. Karma is a real thing and it can happen to anyone. It can be very easy to find loop wholes in things and go the easy way out, but if we do that then what are we learning? We are learning nothing, and if there is something that we want we should work for it. Times are tough these days for a lot of people, but that doesn't mean that we need to make the situation worse by taking from someone else. Be responsible for yourself and don't always take the free ride.

" If something is special to you, never let it leave your heart."
-Brandon Zornado

Be smart about your grocery shopping!

There are so many different types of grocery stores out there. All of them have pretty much the same items and usually they are all over priced. Tonight we went grocery shopping at Winco and then Costco. We got all our smaller essential items at Winco and our bulk items at Costco. The prices at Winco are way better than competitors such as Fred Meyers, Safeway and Albertson's. Costco is one of my favorite places to go, they have everything there. Most of the food comes in bulk but it's a way cheaper way to go. If you are smart you will buy your larger items there that you can store, because the price per single unit is way less if you do it that way. Going to Costco is not just grocery shopping, it is more of an experience. Next time you go shopping for food, make the right choice and pick the store that will save you more.

" Buy smart and save big." -Brando Zornado

The naked eye!

It is crazy how sometimes you can't see what is right in front of you. Tonight I went and played pool with my best friend Jake and then after that we went back to his place and played Country Rock Band. It was a lot of fun by the way and we jammed out. I was lead singer and on bass and he was on guitar. When I was getting ready to go I couldn't find my keys anywhere. I could have sworn that I set them on his mantle, but when I looked they weren't there. We drove back to the bar where we played pool and they were not there as well. I left my number with them in case someone turned them in. I have a great memory and I tracked back everywhere that I was tonight once we got to the bar and I still came up with my keys being at Jake's place. So we went back there to look again and I was talking to him about a song that was playing and I grabbed his I-Pod case on the mantle and my keys were jammed inside it. We both had no idea how they got there but they were right in front of us the whole time. It's funny how these sort of things happen, I knew that I did not set them anywhere else tonight and I was determined to find them and I did.

" You will find the things that you are looking for in life when you least expect it"
-Brandon Zornado

Life is a Journey!

Growing up I always thought that I was going to be a professional Baseball player. I played baseball ever since I was 5 years old, and it was my favorite thing to do. I went to college and played baseball at Clackamas Community College and then transferred my junior year to Western Oregon University. I started the year off great and then I injured my right arm which ended my baseball career. Life throws you curve balls and it is your turn to hit the ball in another direction when that happens. After I was injured I started playing my guitar and really fell in love with country music. There are a lot of things that have inspired me throughout my life and I know that I am meant to be a writer. I love to write so much and I have taken a lot of my time this last year to really learn how writing is developed and how it is structured in songs. I am recently engaged and I am the luckiest guy ever. My fiance is beautiful inside and out and she is without a doubt in my mind, the perfect girl for me. We have dated for over 4 and a half years and it has been such an amazing journey. We will be getting married Oct 1 2010. We just recently went on vacation to Nashville TN where I hope to move later this fall to pursue my music career as a songwriter. I was amazed when I went to Nashville TN and I fell in love with the people, the buildings, the houses, the little towns, and the atmosphere. It is a perfect place to live and start the journey of marriage. I have a lot of inspiring things to write about in my songs, such as friends, my parents, sports, and everything in life but one of the main things is my fiance. I love her so much and I am so excited to get married and share the rest of my life with her. Moving to Nashville would be a huge step for us and it would be an amazing experience that we would share together. Something new is always something exciting and she will be finishing up at the Art Institute of Portland this summer. She is a very talented girl and I support her in everything that she does.I know that it will be different for her at first if we move, but I want her to know that I will always be by her side and love her forever. My dream is not only to make it as a country songwriter, but is to be the best husband that I can be and give my future wife and kids a wonderful life. I will work hard to provide for them and I will always put them first. We are so close to our families and it would be hard to move away because we love them so much, but we would be in contact with them every single day and we would make sure that we came home to visit a lot.
"Life is a journey, so make sure that you experience things when you can and don't hold back." -Brandon Zornado

Honesty!

No matter what the situation is, you should never lie about something. We all will make mistakes in our lives, but if we are upfront and honest about it then we will get in less trouble later on. When you lie about something that means you are hiding from the truth and you are afraid. Knowone is perfect, but when it comes time to admitting your mistakes, you should always confess. You will feel so much better when you are honest because you are telling the truth.

" The biggest mistake is not the one you made, it is the one you
are making by not telling the truth." -Brandon Zornado

No Pain No Gain!

Today I was at the gym doing my workout and I was in the middle of a set. I was on my fifth repetition and I became tired, I could have just ended that set with 5 reps but I pushed myself to get 10. After I finished I was happy that I finished the full set and didn't give up in the middle just because I was a little winded. This is just one example, but I know that everyone has day's when they just want to give up on something and half-ass it. Fight through the struggle and it will be rewarding once you have finished. You will endure pain, but you will be thankful you did it!

" Don't ever give up half way, it doesn't matter how you finish,
it matters that you finish." -Brandon Zornado

A Challenge!

Things can be difficult, and I know it can be frustrating when you try to accomplish something and you can't the first time you do it. If we could always conquer something on the first try then it wouldn't have any challenge to it and the fun would be taken out of it. If there is something that you want to accomplish and it is difficult, then challenge yourself to keep getting better at it each time you try. Of course there will be times that you want to give up, but what makes us stronger and better at something is overcoming the challenges and pushing ourselves till we get it right. Always believe in your abilities, it might take some time for them to truly be shown, but they are there and you are the one that can make them shine.

" A challenge wouldn't be called a, "challenge." if you didn't have to work for it.
-Brandon Zornado

Health

Health should be the most important thing for a person. Staying healthy takes work but once you get into a routine then everything will become second nature. You should try to drink at least 64 oz of water a day, drink a 8 oz glass of milk each day, take a multi-vitamin, have 6 to 8 servings of fruits and vegetables each day, incorporate some sort of exercise into your life 3 to 4 days a week, and try to get 8hours of sleep each night. As we get older we will start to encounter health problems but if we take care of our bodies now then it will minimize problems down the road.

" Make a change before it is too late." -Brandon Zornado

You never know!

In 1887 John W. Nordstrom left his home in Sweden and headed for New York City. At this time he was 16 years old and only had five dollars in his wallet. He then ventured to states such as California and Alaska. He made 13,000 dollars while living in Alaska and he realized that it was too expensive to live there. Once he left Alaska, he moved to Seattle WA where he opened a shoe store with a friend in 1901. The company was called Nordstrom Inc. Once the company started making more profit they opened more shoes stores throughout Washington and Oregon. They purchased a Seattle based clothing store and then also bought a fashion retail operation in Oregon. In 1971 the company was handed down to the third generation which was then owned by the son's. At this time Nordstrom had reached $100,000,000 in sales. Today there is a Nordstrom in every major city throughout the United States and they are still expanding. You really never know what can happen in life, so keep motivated in what you are doing and never give up.

" You have the power to turn nothing into something."
-Brandon Zornado

Keep it simple!

There are so many things that we are going to want as we grow older. We are going to want to get married, buy a house, start a family, go on vacations, etc. Things in life don't always have to be extravagant and branded. Sometimes the small things are the best. Don't get me wrong, I always love to be on the go and doing fun things but I truly believe that simple is better. When things are more simple then there is less stress and you can still have just as much fun. So when you come to a decision in your life that involves a lot of planning, step back and think about it for a second and ask yourself, " What is really necessary?"

" A simple punch can still knock someone out." -Brandon Zornado

Dreaming!

When we go to bed at night our bodies sleep but our minds dont. Believe it or not, we all have dreams every single night but we usually forget what they are about by the time we wake up in the morning. Dreams can be happy or they can be sad, we should be open to many different types of dreams and let our mind wonder. The more we experience in our lives, the more we can dream about. When we sleep we tend to have more of an imagination and that is why we have such drawn out and crazy dreams. I have a great imagination so all of my dreams are very entertaining and very detailed. I have always had a really good memory since I was a kid so I tend to remember most of my dreams. I do however suggest that you keep a notepad close to your bed so if you wake up in the middle of the night you can write down what your dreams were about. Don't be afraid of your dreams, have an open mind and go along for the journey.

" It is up to you to turn your dreams into reality." -Brandon Zornado

The trip to Nashville!

Hello everyone! We are back from our trip to Nashville TN. It was honestly one of the best trips of my life. We had such an amazing time and we saw so many different things. Downtown is awesome and full of many different country boot stores, bars with live music all day, cafes, restaurants, guitar shops, Hatch Show Print shop, Rhyman Auditorium, Soubert Center where they have the CMA's and where the Predator's Hockey Team plays, the Convention Center,the Country Music Hall of Fame, and much more. Right across the river from downtown is Titans Stadium, where the NFL team plays. We checked out surrounding cities as well and they were all different but great in their own ways. Right outside Nashville is, "Greenhills," which is full of shops, writers cafes, a huge mall and really nice housing. When we move we are going to rent a house in Greenhills and then save up for a house a little further out into the country. We took many pictures and you will be able to see them on facebook. The city has so much going on and everyone there is so welcoming and nice. People always have a smile on their face and it seems like everyone is loving life. The music scene there is absolutley amazing. Everywhere you go there is music, which is perfect for me. We went to Vanderbilt University which is a mile from downtown Nashville, and it is a beautiful campus. We went to the city of Franklin which is such a pretty little town and a perfect place to start a family. We took a drive out in the country and saw some amazing land and houses and then ate at a little cafe where I played a Gibson guitar on the stage. We went to the Country Music Hall of Fame and that place is a must go if you are ever there. We went to the Donnelson Mansion, Hilsboro Village, The Blue Bird Cafe where everyone starts there career in music, the Gibson Showcase where they make all the expensive Gibson Guitars, the Grand Ole Opry, and probably my favorite place which was the Gaylord Opryland Resort. The resort is the most amazing place I have ever seen in my entire life. It covers almost a mile of property and inside there are gardens, waterfalls, a river, boat ride, amazing restaurants, fitness center, 2 pools, bars, dance halls, penthouse suites, and so much more. The whole resort is inside but it feels like you are outside. All of the plants are real and they have people who work there and their job is just to take care of the plants and flowers. It is so beautiful and there was a wedding that was going to take place yesterday at 5:00pm inside the resort. It was such a pretty setup and the perfect location for a wedding. While we were in TN it snowed which made the trip even better. Nashville is a great place to go on vacation and I cant wait to call it home.

" Appreciate everything, you never know when you will have nothing to appreciate."
-Brandon Zornado

Off to Nashville!

Tonight my fiance and I are leaving for Nashville TN to check out the surrounding areas and look for houses. We both are so excited about the trip and the future ahead of us. We have everything planned out for where we want to go and visit. The weather is ok there right now, just a little cold. Don't worry everyone we have packed warm clothes. We are taking the red eye tonight so that we can sleep on the plane and not waste anytime when we get there tomorrow morning. I hope that everyone enjoys their week and I will let you know all about the trip when we return.

" The country life isn't for everyone, but it sure is for me."
-Brandon Zornado

Drink Tea!

Tea is one of the best beverages you can drink. It is so healthy for you and it is known as the, " wonder drug." Tea is prepared from linder leaves, leaf buds and tender stalks of different varieties of the warm weather evergreen known as camellia sinensis. There are many different types of tea and they are all good for you in different ways. Drinking tea can : help prevent blood clotting, help stimulate the immune system, help neutralize enzymes that aid in the growth of tumors, help lower cholesterol levels, and help deactivate cancer promoters. There is never really a bad time or setting to drink a cup of tea. It is very relaxing for your body and also very soothing on your throat. I try to drink tea as much as possible and my favorite time to drink it is when I am reading or writing.

" Do the good things to help prevent the bad." -Brandon Zornado

Direction!

In life we all need to have some sort of direction in the way that we want to go. I really think that it is helpful because we know what to work hard for. Things sometimes don't work out the way we plan, but what matters is that we try. There are things I want to accomplish in my life, and I will do whatever I need to in order to achieve them. Direction is a way of motivation and can lead us to the places we want to be later on in life.

" Have a plan, and attack it to the fullest." -Brandon Zornado

2010!

I hope that everyone had a wonderful night last night! It is now 2010, which means that it is a new year. If there was anything that happened bad during 2009, leave it in the past and move on. Be positive and tell yourself that it will be a better year. I hope everyone made their New Year's Resolutions and please try to stick to them. Yesterday was the best day of my life. My girlfriend and I had breakfast together then did a little workout. Then we drove to Multnomah Fall's and we took the back roads through the hills and it was beautiful. It was raining out but we brought umbrella's. Once we got there we looked around in the gift shop and she got a post card for the scrap book. The rain did not let up but we made it to the half way bridge. There was snow everywhere and it was amazing. It was too icy to go to the top so we stayed by the bridge for a bit and took pictures. I wrote out this story about " Love Stones" which I made up. I read her the story and each stone represented us. Alone they are still significant, but together they are magical. The guy goes first and closes his eyes and the girl counts for 15 seconds. After that the guy makes a wish and throws his stone into the waterfall off of the bridge then it is the girls turn to go. Once both stones have been thrown into the waterfall it signifies the deep love that they have for each other and it will live on forever. Shelley closed her eyes and made her wish and then she threw her stone into the water. When she turned around and opened her eyes, I was on one knee in the snow with the ring in my hand. She said , "Yes!" I am so happy to be getting married to the girl of my dreams. After we left Multnomah Falls, I surprised Shelley and took her to dinner at Skamania Lodge. That place is absolutely breath taking and the food is amazing. The lodge was covered with snow and the views were gorgeous. After that we met my parents at a party and hung out with them for a bit. Then we met some friends for a drink and went to a re-gift exchange party at our other friends house downtown which overlooked all of Portland. It was amazing and the perfect day to end 2009 and say hello to 2010.

" Life is amazing, especially when you share it with the ones you love."
-Brandon Zornado