"These Pretzels Are Making Me Thirsty."

So You Think You Can Dance......???

2009-01-27T10:30:00.000-06:00

Ive been looking for a new job these past couple of weeks. It started when my current employer was handing out layoffs (like most of the nation) a few months ago. I begin to realize, over the last couple of days, that it wasnt that I didnt like my current job or company, but that I am more suited to work in another field. I had been wanting to get into Pharmaceutical sales ever since I was at Tech. At first, I guess you could say I was drawn in by the salary. As a pharma rep you can make a very decent living, some even make six figures...the first year! And yeah, I guess that was inticing enough for a guy that just got married, wants to start a family and tends to have a taste for the finer things in life. But as I researched more in-depth into the day to day aspects of the job, I began to notice that not only is it very similar to what I do now with L'Oreal, but that if I could only be in a field where not only is it competitive, but its very rewarding for those who have the drive. Do I strive when there is competiton? ABSOLUTELY. Have I been given a challenge, currently? NOT REALLY. The field has been given a bad rep lately, but with new regulations and laws, its starting to make a comeback. I quickly realized in '05, after I graduated that if you want to work full time in Lubbock, TX you have to be one of three things....1) in the Ag business 2) in the Medical business or 3) Lucky. Both ag and medical positions are abundant here in the 806. Amy and I love it here in Lubbock and I really feel God has us here for quite some time. (Especially if things work out and my sister and Dave move back) I am beginnning my new job search this week and have found a couple of leads into Pharamceuticals Sales. Middlebrook Pharamecutical has shown some interest in me but I am still waiting to hear from them for an interview (which are EXTREMELY difficult to get). So this is the beginning of what looks to be a very long, hard, but rewarding journey of one man in search of breaking into the buisness of pharamceutical sales. Step 1: Build a Knock out resume.....

....WELCOME BACK, KOTTER!!...

2009-01-27T09:11:00.000-06:00

Hey all, I know I lost a few soliders because I havent updated since the turn of the millenium but, hey..I'm back!

UPDATE

1. Got married.
2. Went to Costa Rica.
3. Still have a job.
4. Looking for a new job.
5. Started a photography business. (Amy did, not me. I am more of the marketing dept.)
6. Played golf....lots of golf.
7. Got a new president. Shout out!!!

UPDATE

2009-01-15T08:03:00.000-06:00

ok ok ok, Ill update this tonight.....What?!? I've been busy...getting married, making a home office, working, saving homeless animals. Stay tuned...

WAITING..........

2008-08-12T20:39:00.000-05:00

Yo, so first let me tell you how hard it is for a college graduate with ample loads of experience to find a part time job. Yes, I am looking for a part time job. Well, since my day job has required less travel from me lately and I have yet to put any money down on our exotic honeymoon (3 months away from deadline), nor have I started saving for a Las Vegas Bachelor trip and the extra cash wouldnt hurt, I decided to find a weekend/night job. Well........waiting tables is the easiest and fastest way to make money. Period. Ask any server. The cold hard cash you get every night from busting your ass is so gratifying. Look, anywhere else you go, you get hired, you fill out paperwork, you train, and ohhh wait....you started on the pay week so you will get your first paycheck at the end of the month...and its the 3rd of the month!! Yeah. Not for me. Nor do I have the time. So after 2 weeks of not getting called back for interviews, I finally decided to use my connections. I am starting at The Double Nickel Steakhouse this coming Monday. I will be both a server AND a bartender. I figure if youre going to do it, do it at the nicest place in town, right? So this week I have to study and know a food menu, an extensive wine list, a martini list and again re-learn almost every drink recipe that people most commonly drink. I think I can, I think I can, I think I can...............................................come see me!

Tascosa CC

2008-07-23T22:43:00.000-05:00

I was working in the panhandle today so we arranged to play at TCC today. Great course. Looooooong. Fast greens. Enjoyed every minute of it. I am still improving for the city championship next month. Its a 3 day tournament of the best city area golfers. I am a virgin to the tournament but not the course. (I play it close to 7 times a month.) The winning player will have to shoot low 70s all three days to compete. I will not even sniff that but am more anxious to see where I stand in competitive golf and against myself for 3 days. Like I said, its more of an experience and something I can put on the resume.

Prayer Request

2008-07-19T00:49:00.001-05:00

Nothing new tonight, just that I (Mike) am really worried about the health of a couple of people in my life and could really use some prayer...

"Test me, O Lord and try me, examine my heart and my mind, for your love is ever before me and I walk continually in your truth."
-Psalm 26:2-3

Not This Year, Buddy........

2008-07-16T18:09:00.000-05:00

THE OPEN starts tomorrow early morning for all those golfers out there. You have to get up (or stay awake later) to catch some of the action. I wont. I will be in Abilene Thurs & Friday but will have some recorded on TiVo. This one, as you know (or don't) will be the first major without Tiger in as far back as I can remember. Everyone says this opens up the field for everyone else. (Hadn't they all before him?) Nonetheless, this will make it interesting considering there isnt really a "favorite" to win and as anyone knows, the weather at Birkdale is make or break. Its hard to root for the 10-1 odds Sergio Garcia and Phil (16-1)is still inconsistent in his majors so I guess I'll root for my dog Adam Scott (22-1). He aint American but boy can play. (He is Australian, by the way). I leave you with some facts from "Postbulletin.com"............

• WHEN, WHERE: Thursday-Sunday, Royal Birkdale Golf Club, Southport, England

• COURSE FACTS: 7,173 yards, par 70. Considered the fairest of Open venues, Royal Birkdale dates back to 1889 but took its signature path between sand dunes in a 1922 overhaul by J.H. Taylor and Fred Hawtree. A 1940 Open debut was scuttled by World War II, with the course finally getting its opportunity in 1954. Peter Thomson won the first and last of his five Open crowns at Royal Birkdale, and Arnold Palmer's 1961 triumph is considered a turning point in the Open's fortunes.

• FORMAT: 72 holes, stroke play. Field cut after 36 holes to top 70 and ties. Four-hole playoff, if necessary, immediately after final round.

• FIELD: 156 players. Openings remain for this week's highest top-five finisher not yet qualified at both the John Deere Classic and Scottish Open.

• PURSE: $8.3 million at current exchange rates ($1.48 million to winner).

• DEFENDING CHAMPION: Padraig Harrington (69-73-68-67--277 at Carnoustie), beating Sergio Garcia 15-16 in a four-hole playoff.

• TELEVISION: Thursday-Friday, 6 a.m.-6 p.m. (TNT). Saturday, 6-8 a.m. (TNT), 8 a.m.-1:30 p.m. ABC. Sunday, 5-7 a.m. (TNT), 7 a.m.-12:30 p.m. ABC.

• LAST YEAR: Harrington ended Europe's eight-year major drought in nerve-wracking fashion, making up a six-shot deficit despite twice finding the Barry Burn at Carnoustie's wicked 18th. Garcia could have won with a par at No. 18, but bogeyed to trigger extra holes. Harrington quickly gained control in the playoff, opening with a birdie to the Spaniard's bogey. Until the playoff, Europeans had endured 31 empty majors since Paul Lawrie's 1999 British Open win.

• LAST TIME AT ROYAL BIRKDALE: In 1998, Mark O'Meara caught Brian Watts with a closing 68, then won the ensuing playoff to become the oldest man to claim two majors in the same year. Watts, an Oklahoman who made the Japanese Tour his home, led by two going to the final day but needed a splendid bunker save to make the playoff. O'Meara then birdied the first extra hole to gain a quick edge. Tiger Woods missed the playoff by a shot; 17-year-old Justin Rose took fourth as an amateur.

• OPEN CHAMPIONS AT ROYAL BIRKDALE: Peter Thomson (1954, '65), Arnold Palmer (1961), Lee Trevino (1971), Johnny Miller (1976), Tom Watson (1983), Ian Baker-Finch (1991), Mark O'Meara (1998).

• CHANGES: All but two holes have been altered since the Open's last visit a decade ago, mostly through the addition of 20 new bunkers. Sixteen of those are fairway bunkers, tightening the driving area. Mounding also was added to seven greens, calling for more imaginative recovery shots. Royal Birkdale measures 155 yards longer than in 1998.

• FORMER CHAMPIONS IN FIELD: Tom Watson (1975, '77, '80, '82, '83), Sandy Lyle (1985), Greg Norman (1986, '93), Mark Calcavecchia (1989), John Daly (1995), Tom Lehman (1996), Justin Leonard (1997), Mark O'Meara (1998), Paul Lawrie (1999), David Duval (2001), Ernie Els (2002), Ben Curtis (2003), Todd Hamilton (2004), Padraig Harrington (2007).

• NOTEWORTHY: Plans for the Open to become the first major to conduct drug testing had to be shelved because of inadequate time this spring to educate applicants from outside the U.S. and Europe. Next month's PGA Championship now stands as the majors' first testing ground.

• QUOTE:"Someone is going to win these couple of majors British Open and PGA, and it's not Tiger Woods. How often can you say that?"

Redemption in a blessing.......

2008-07-14T19:19:00.000-05:00

As I sit in a lonely hotel room, miles away from any family or friends, I cant help but think how sad I am, right now. Not because I am away from my home, my dogs or my best friend in the world, I am sad because once again I've managed to make mistakes in my life that will ulitmately affect those I love the most. I used to have the "ME" mentality of that what I do only affects me. Well it doesnt.....at least not anymore. As you get older, you should become more accountable for your actions. Right? I read a passage this morning in my Bible on accountabilty (2 Corinthians 5:10) We all will be accountable for our lives when our number gets called. Have I lived in a way that I can be proud of? No. Can I change, starting today, my life so that I am? Yes. And thats what I intend to do. Doing the little things right. Give more and take less. Treat my body as a temple of God. Be a better son, brother, uncle and most importantly a even better husband. 27 years on this earth and I cant be proud of a single day, month, or year. But this will all change and it'll be the most dramatic and single most life changing day I can live. Because isnt that the blessing of each morning, I chance to turn it around?

R.I.P. 11/28/07-07/05/08

2008-07-07T22:25:00.000-05:00

iPhone. So, I offically will be on my third cell phone of 2008. (Check last yr stats: 3 phones total in '07) Which means I am on pace to break my personal best..er or worst, and have #4 and 5 by the end of the year. oh joy (sarcastic). Apparently Apple thought of every bell and whistle to put on the iPhone except a water proof battery. (Right, Orlie?) I got dumped into a pool over "El Quatro" by the one that shall remain nameless, and now must wait for the NEW and FASTER iPhone 3G. But in the interim, what about my music, my pics, checking my facebook status, and oh no.....TEXT MESSAGING. Grrrrrrrrr. Could it be that all this time with my phone that I have lost the art of conversation??? Come to think of it, when have I actually spoken with someone on the phone for more than 2 mins?? YIKES. Maybe a break was in order......maybe it was a signs from up above.......I wonder if texting is a sin.....thats probably a whole other discussion.......

Wreck 'Em

2008-06-26T15:56:00.000-05:00

THE HEISMAN COUNTDOWN BEGINS.......

UPDATE

2008-06-23T12:26:00.000-05:00

Ok ok ok ok, I will update this soon. I promise.

HOMEOWNERS

2007-12-13T22:01:00.000-06:00

We are truly blessed! After getting engaged, and completing my first marathon, Amy and I finally pulled the trigger and God led us to our perfect first home. We had been searching for a home to buy next year. We knew it would be awhile before we could find something that we both loved and that we could afforfd. Today, we found a home that fits all that...AND some! God led us to a home in Lubbock that was bang bang for the buck and that we both felt good about. We just bought a little 3 bedroom 2 bath home (1400 sq ft) in North Lubbock that is only 3 years old. Its perfect and I know was the right decision for us. Take a look.....

COMPLETED

2007-12-11T08:31:00.000-06:00

WE DID IT!!!!!!!

4:51:20 (official)

LAS VEGAS

2007-11-19T20:25:00.001-06:00

HAPPY THANKSGIVING, EVERYONE!!!!!!

18 mile run thru LBK

2007-11-02T08:53:00.002-05:00

Every Friday or Saturday (considering how i feel) is the day on my training schedule that I am scheduled to stretch out my runs and do a similar marathon run (i.e. outside, trail running with increased distance) This week is 18 miles, the most I have ever ran in one session. I used mapmyrun.com to help map out my route. This will take me around SW and central LBK this morning for a total of 17.7 miles. If you see me on the side of the road, dont worry, 9-1-1 has already been notified. One love.

18 miles
Find more Runs in Lubbock, Texas

Fair Request...

2007-10-26T08:41:00.000-05:00

Urine Testing

Like a lot of folks in this country, I have a job (two, actually). I work, they pay me. I pay my taxes and the government distributes my taxes as they see fit. In order to get that paycheck, I am required to pass a random urine test, which I have no problem with. What I do have a problem with is the distribution of my taxes to people who don't have to pass a urine test. Shouldn't one have to pass a urine test to get a welfare check, because I have to pass one to earn it for them? Please understand, I have no problem with helping people get back on their feet. I do, on the other hand, have a problem with helping someone sit on their butt, and buy dope and booze with my hard earned money. Could you imagine how much money the government would save if people had to pass a urine test to get a public assistance check?

"How To Hack a Marathon"

2007-10-25T09:07:00.000-05:00

My cousin in Portland emailed me this website which gives you a little insight and tips on how to prepare for race day, written by a first-timer. Helped me out since this being my first marathon, as well. Thanks Jake!

From the LIFEHACKER website http://lifehacker.com/software/marathon/hack-attack-how-to-hack-a-marathon-209645.php
by Adam Pash
This weekend I ran the Chicago marathon, my first marathon ever. Before I completed the 26.2 miles, I knew marathons can be a grueling test of will and a ridiculous punishment for your body. What I didn't know is that it's an experience well worth the punishment.
Prior to the race, I was sure this whole marathon thing would be a one-time thing. I'd finish the race, check "marathon" off my to-do list, and move on. After finishing the marathon, I changed my mind. I've never experienced such uplifting goodwill as that exchanged between the participants and the spectators (and it goes on for hours like this), and completing the race ranks high on my list of euphoric life events. Even though I'm excited to take a break from the strenuous, time-consuming training regimen, I'm also looking forward to completing at least one more marathon in my life (and improving my time).
Despite my great experience, I could have done a lot to make the experience better. Here's what I wish I had known before race day.
NOTE: I'm assuming at this point you've done all of the training. (And if you have, good for you! It's really the hardest part.) On the other hand, if you're looking for a good marathon training program, I'd suggest checking out Hal Higdon's novice training program - Hal's a crazy-prolific runner and writer, and his training programs and books are like bibles to many a marathon runner. The novice program is what I trained with, and I had no complaints with Hal come race day.

I'm going to give you a brief day-by-day rundown (pun intended!) of my marathon experience, highlighting where I went right and where I went wrong, to give you an idea of what tack you might want to take the weekend of your race.
Day one: Packing and preparation It's Thursday and the race is Sunday. If you're worried about your energy for race day, start your carb loading today.
If you're traveling to your marathon, you want to make sure you've packed for every possibility. For example, I knew that it was potentially going to be damn cold in Chicago, but I still (foolishly) didn't pack enough cold weather attire. Just be sure you've packed for every eventuality.

My biggest regret on race day was that I didn't pack a pair of disposable (i.e., crappy) sweats I could throw away at the start line once the race began. Pack clothes you can throw away. It will feel good, and it's one less thing to stress about before you hit the start line.

Day two: Travel time
If you're traveling to your marathon and you have the option, go two days before the race. The last thing you want to do is spend 5 hours on a cramped plane the day before you're slated to run 26.2 miles. Leave on Friday and give yourself that extra day to prepare mentally for the race without the added stress of travel.
Also, get yourself a hotel as close to the marathon as possible - and book early, since hotels will fill up fast, and prices will rise quickly.
When you get to the hotel (and this goes for the whole weekend): Keep things low key. Don't screw around too much. Don't, for example, run around your hotel room barefoot, slip, and somehow manage to force your big toe through the bottom of your hotel door. Ripping off 3/4 of your big toenail less than 2 days before the marathon is not the road to a stress-free weekend. You will feel like an idiot (though you'll never admit culpability), and you'll worry all weekend that this will stop you from running the marathon. Also, because she's mad at you for screwing around and potentially abandoning her at the race you've been training for together for months, you'll have to pretend to your significant other for the next 2 days that your toe doesn't hurt - even though it does - a lot.
Again, eat well and eat plenty of carbs. Your body's going to burn everything you've ingested by about mile 20 of the marathon, anyway, but there's absolutely no reason this should happen any sooner.

Day three: Registration and relaxation
T-minus-one day to the marathon. Generally the most important thing you do on the Saturday before the race is pick up your race materials, like your bib number (you have no idea how thrilled I was that my bib number was the elementary school-ish #1234) and your timing chip (which attaches to your shoe and keeps track of your time throughout the race).
You'll be tempted by the gods of running commerce to walk the floor of the Expo, which is a huge floor show where you can get all sorts of free samples and marathon goodies. Ultimately it's up to you, but after about 20 minutes of walking the "Health and Fitness Expo" floor on Saturday, I decided my legs would thank me on race day if I decided instead to head back to the hotel and get some rest.
Which I did, and god am I glad. Instead of walking the Expo floor (an exercise that will just make your hypothetical toe hurt that much more, anyway), I was able to take in a nap Saturday afternoon, which was huge for me, since Saturday night promised to be relatively sleepless (a promise which was kept).

Day four: Marathons and meetings
The day of the marathon is here, and you probably need to get up pretty early. For me, an 8:00am start time meant a 5:30am wakeup call. This is what you've been training for months for - get there early, because if you don't, the other 40,000 people running the race will, and you'll be stuck trying to find a place among the masses.
Like I said earlier, disposable sweats are a must before the race. I blew it on this front, but on the plus side, if your friend's savvy sister is a marathon veteran, you may be lucky enough to get an extra garbage bag (a source of surprising warmth) and some warm cotton gloves (Thank you, Beth!).

If you're running with someone, get together a system for meeting up, because if you get separated, you'll find it impossible to pick out one dark-haired girl from the thousand others packed together in the start corral. My nervous bladder sent me to one of the army of portable toilets in formation near the start line and separated me from my girlfriend; 15 minutes later, she had been enveloped in the herd. Even with a plan for meeting back up, we found each other less than five minutes before the gun. (If you saw an embarrassed Lifehacker frantically searching the crowd and yelling, "Ellen," that was me; if you were one of the many people I bumped against while navigating the crowd, I'm sorry!)
Likewise, if you're meeting with anyone after the marathon, set up a good and specific meeting place. The race may have its own meet-up areas (for example, the Chicago marathon had set up lettered meeting areas A through Z), but these are packed, and, believe me, the last thing you want to do as soon as you finish is push through thousands of people to find the P's. Make it easy on yourself (and your friends/family) and find an inconspicuous meeting place near the finish.

Day five: Recovery and rewards
If you have any choice in the matter, do not plan on going to work the day after the marathon. (You may have noticed a lack of Adam yesterday?) Give yourself time to recover. You probably ran up to 20 miles during your training, but you'd be surprised how much the extra 6.2 miles will wear down your body (at least I was).
Take an extra day for recovery, and if you haven't already, reward yourself. After all, a good reward can be exactly what you need to motivate yourself to run this thing in the first place.

WHITE ROCK MARATHON

2007-10-13T20:02:00.000-05:00

So Monica and the kids are in town and my sister and I went on a jog this morning @ 7am. 15 miles and 2 and a half hours later, I had the worst case of a bruised toe! Not to mention we stood at the Tech/A&M game in the blistering sun all afternoon. I am worn out. But after the great jog we did this morning, I am feeling more confident about actually accomplishing this goal. I am still not where I need to be, but I feel more and more capable. Would you ever try to do this?

Wellstone's Dallas White Rock Marathon – Full Marathon Distance Sunday, December 9, 2007 • 8:00 a.m. Victory Park – American Airlines Center – Dallas, Texas USA

Its Kinda Cloudy....

2007-10-06T07:52:00.000-05:00

8am-Training 10 miles
12pm-Lunch
2pm-Pumpkin carving party
6pm-Tech vs. Iowa State.

"Roller Coaster of Love" by The Red Hot Chili Peppers

2007-10-05T17:52:00.000-05:00

Man, what a day! Today, I had a roller coaster of emotions (hence the title) I started the day with one of my buyers finally deciding to put an offer in on a great property (emotion=excited). This house had it all and was right on the price. However, we were not the only ones to think so. After running around town trying to have all bases covered, we submitted the offer. Its a gamble on multi-offer because you have one shot and you hope its the best deal on the table (emotion=anxious). Once I got back to the office, I got a call from a prospect from earlier this week. My team (Andrew and I) nailed our presentation on a seller and won the listing!!! A Creative home built in 2003 3/2/2 2065 sq. ft. with a basement in Lakewood Estates listed at $177,900. (emotion=accomplished). To say the least, we were boasting. Up until I got the call.............the offer I had put in on behalf of one of my clients didnt get accepted and we lost the house. Its was THE house, too. And we knew it. (emotion=frustrated). I am still pissed about the offer, but around 2 oclock this afternoon, I got a call from the District Sales Manager for the SW region from L'Oreal USA. They want to offer me the job I applied for! The job is in Lubbock (its was thought I might have to move to Albuquerque and be relocated) and I start Jan.1st. Salary, company car, mileage, expense account, 401k, insurance, quartly and yearly bonuses. They did however say that they want me working ASAP, so I will work as casual help until Jan.1st. That means I will be doing the same thing I am doing at the first of the year, only ill be paid hourly and have to use my own car. (emotion=STOKED!!!) needless to say its been a very trying, but oh so eventful day. I am a little sad, though. I guess what they say is true....you can always tell when your professional life is on the right track, when your personal life is going to crap. huh, who knew....................

2nd Interview with L'Oreal USA

2007-10-04T13:04:00.001-05:00

My 2nd interview with L'Oreal USA couldnt have gone any better. I am in the top 2 candidates for the position. This job is a full time, salaried sales position with great opportunity to move up. I get all the benefits of a 401k and stock options, quarterly and yearly bonuses, a company car and an expense account. My territory would consist of Lubbock, Midland/Odessa, Sweetwater, Snyder, Hobbs, NM and Abilene. Two days a week of overnight travel and the freedom to make my planning. I am going to still be doing real estate as much as I can. This sales job allows me that freedom. I am super stoked!!!!! More details to come...........

L'OrealUSA

2007-09-26T20:29:00.000-05:00

I have an interview with Loreal USA for a Territory Sales Rep. tomorrow @ 9am............

www.lorealusa.com

The History of La Michoacana

2007-09-26T15:00:00.000-05:00

One of the things I enjoy more than anything in this world is the time I get to spend with my Grandpa during the week. Occasionally, we will take a shopping trip to a supermarket here in Lubbock that specializes in Mexican groceries. Its very nostalgic because when you walk in the door, you almost feel south of the border. From Pan de Huevo to Jarritos by the bottle, the novelty of this place is quite a unique experience for me. Today, Grandpa and I had a quick chat about the history of a "La Michoacana". He told me that "Michoacana" is an area south of Mexico. As he spoke, I couldnt help but think of the knowledge that this man must have and what a great resource he is to my Mexican heritage. Back at the office, I looked up the whole history of this place. I know its something that may be overlooked or not really thought about by many people, but knowing where you came from is the only way you can know where you re going. One Love. read below....

"In order to understand the impact of La Michoacana peleterías (Popsicle shop), it is necessary to understand the history of Michoacán.Throughout much of the 20th century, Michoacán offered very little for the uneducated and the poor. Two economic possibilities existed: immigration to the United States in order to find work, or become involved in Michoacán’s trade in marijuana. During the 1940s, however, Agustin Andrade and Ignacio Alcazar, cousins, set up Popsicle shops, or peleterías, in Mexico City separately. Still, after 60 years, it is disputed who set up the first Popsicle shop in Mexico City. Both shops were named La Michoacana, appearing at relatively the same time. As the shops became successful, the cousins realized that had an opportunity to creatively help the poor, unemployed of Michoacán.Soon Andrade and Alcazar began selling the successful businesses to employees, relatives, and neighbors in Tocumbo, expanding La Michoacana throughout Mexico City, and later, all throughout Mexico. Today, La Michoacana is even in the United States (US), located in cities such as Modesto, California (Modesto, California Government Website) and Denver, Colorado (Aguilar). As more and more people of Hispanic decent immigrate to the United States, many from Mexico, I believe La Michoacana paletearías will become more prevalent throughout the United StatesThe expansion of La Michoacana throughout Mexico occurred in a very unique manner, creating a particularly effective business model in Mexico. As stated earlier, the creators of the original La Michoacana paletearías expanded by selling their original businesses to a number of interested parties. The new owners, once established, often sold their first paletearías to friends, relatives, and trusted employees, further expanding La Michoacana name. Today, it is not uncommon to have several La Michoacana stores, often owned by different people, in the same town.
In this manner, several families in Tocumbo became tied to la peletería business, helping to finance paletearías all throughout Mexico.
The success of such a business model is due to the following factors:

1.Owners wishing to expand their La Michoacana franchise provide low interest loans to those who wish to purchase a La Michoacana store. Money received from the sale of these stores is often used to finance new La Michoacana stores. This is especially important in Mexico, where it is extremely difficult to obtain financing.

2.Family and community ties, especially important in Mexican society, bind agreements (such as financing agreements) between La Michoacana owners. As a result of these community and family ties, the town of Tocumbo, Michoacán contains several families that own La Michoacanas. Today, the town even contains a statue of a paleta (Photo 4).

3.La Michoacana paleterías use fresh fruit, which is readily available throughout Mexico. In addition, La Michoacana’s have traditionally varied flavors to local taste. Flavors you may find in one La Michoacana store may not be found in another. For example, in Uman, I was able to purchase a guanábana Popsicle; in Progresso, the flavor was not offered.La Michoacana’s tradition of mass customization and intimate knowledge of the Mexican market have allowed it to compete very successfully against large US ice cream franchises. This tradition may allow La Michoacana to compete successfully in the US market.

Source: "The Surprising Success of La Michoacana" by Lindsey Russell

My First Attempt @ Blogging

2007-09-25T23:11:00.000-05:00

Good evening. 26 yrs into "my so-called life", I have finally come to a crossroad in my life both professionally and emotionally. Initially, I had wanted to start this blog as a way to communicate with friends, family and other interested parties and open a window into my life. however, I feel I should just let this thing be an electronic journal. This will not only be a window into my life but a therapeutic way to express myself. I met with a business coach today (similar to a life coach but more focus on your professional side of life) Now everyone has goals they would like to obtain. Whether it be a new car, or to finish school, have children or lose weight. But did you know only 3% of Americans actually WRITE down these goals and interpret what steps to take to obtain this goal. Its also proven that this small percentile makes TWICE as much income as the remaining 97%. Now, I am not saying I am doing this to become rich. (Although that would be nice) But it puts things into perspective that something as small as simply writing down a few ideas, whether it be just that, ideas, but the thought that putting into visual context really makes you see the whole picture. Now I labeled this blog "Picture Me Rolling..." and I used to thing that was just some great lyric from the late Tupac Shakur, but after this sitting here typing my thoughts for the evening, its taken a whole new meaning. "Picture Me Rolling" is exactly the way to set myself apart, and into something great. Not only "picturing" my goals could eventually make things begin to "roll", but writing (or typing) down goals.........One Love.