Hi, I’m Mike!

Very glad you’re here. I’m the father of two great kids (my bad) Young Adults. Happily married, most of the time, now since 1983 to Kris who retired as a Registered Nurse (RN). I’ve been an Electrical Design Engineer since 1974 and counting. Still working full-time because I love what I do … uh, usually.

For fun I study Mixed Martial Arts which includes kick boxing and Brazilian Jujitsu. Now in my 9th year proving without question that I’m not 20 anymore. Before this I studied Shito Ryu Karate for a combined total of 6-1/2 years. And yes, I can hurt myself severely if I have to.   🙂 

I’m doing my best to Live Life by Growing Less Young (GLY, pronounced ‘GLEE’), not growing older. This just might explain why Kris says she has 3 kids but I only count 2. Marriage can be so confusing at times.

I’ve learned quite a bit about Living Life, building Love, and better understanding my relationship with God. This has been done both on my own and with some very special people and circumstances God has cross my paths occasionally. 

Information I want to share with you as it’s been shared with me. With much more for both of us to learn, grow and share.

GLY’s Life Blog will help you to

• Make your own decisions to create and build a truer, deeper, more meaningful joy in your Life and in the Lives of those you love and care for
• Build and maintain a personally healthy Life and Lifestyle
• Repair a damaged or failing marriage like ours was. If this isn’t you maybe you know another couple whose marriage might benefit. Feel free to pass our emails and Life Blogs along.
• Financial issues and concerns – Do’s and Don’ts. Some we learned hard, expensive ways.
• Plus some very neat and easy ways we’ve found to $ave Money that can help you save money, too. You’ll enjoy saving money! Really! You will!

And while we’re at it why not bypass or at least be prepared for some of Life’s pitfalls as you move through Life

• Teen, Young Adult, to college or the work force, out on your own
• The ups and downs of working on your own or for someone else – not as different as you might think
• Having children whether biological or adopted, raising them … as they raise you.
  • “Pushing buttons”, “divide and conquer”, “wait them out”, “reason with them” – and other schemes children use to control their parents. Hah! You thought I was talking about ways parents can control their kids, weren’t you.

As for Marriage, Kids, and Shocking Advice!

• Newly married and not-so-newly married, and how work, finances, health, kids and more add joys and stresses. How to deal with the stresses and store up the joys.
• Surviving the “kid phases” while at the same time surviving the “marriage phases” –  a double whammy that hit you simultaneously. You can and will survive. Even not having kids can add special stresses all their own. And yes, there is Hope.
• Keeping a marriage healthy and vibrant – takes Love, Forgiveness, Ongoing Communications, Trust, Faith, Hope, Together Time and Separate Alone Time, and Help.
  • The shocker – Feelings have nothing to do with Love, Forgiveness, Trust, etc.. Let me repeat this, it’s that important –
    Feelings have nothing to do with Love, Forgiveness, Trust, etc.. This surprising fact definitely helped save our marriage.
  • Ok, so how do feelings NOT have anything to do with Love? Stick around and find out what I finally learned. Even after learning this truth it still took time for me to really understand and accept this. But when I did … Wow!

And the Afterlife – I mean after the kids move out! What did you think I was talking about?

• Becoming empty-nesters – GREAT, WONDERFUL, “The day I’ve been dreaming of,” at first. Eventually though the house gets awfully quiet. Even lonely.
  • I felt detached a bit. Like part of my “Dad-ness” had just walked out the door when the kids left.
  • I’ll share different ways to look at this, ways to deal, creative ways to move on with a productive and exciting Life.
• Downsizing, leaving the familiar for … for what, you’re not 100% sure.
• Retirement – both exciting and unexciting at the very same time.
  • How to prepare
    • Physically, yes physically
    • Mentally
    • Financially
    • Marriage-wise
    • Family-wise
  • How to look forward to a truly bright, hope-filled, joy-filled, and secure future

All while asking where God fits into this always changing Life we’re Living.

What I am NOT and don’t even pretend to be:

• A Doctor – Medical, Psychiatric or any otherwise
• Psychologist
• Lawyer
• Marriage Counselor
• Family Counselor
• Child Counselor
• Accountant
• Financial Counselor or Specialist
• Priest, Minister, Rabbi, Guru, Imam, Yogi, Swami, Monk, Deacon, Lay-Minister, or any one of many other holy leaders of faith
  • I like to believe I am holy, but I know I’m just not ‘THAT’ holy
• Expert in any of these fields

I am sharing what I’ve learned and continue to learn in Life and from others in the Hope of helping you and your family Live Your Best Lives Now.

 I am a man who

• Works to Believe in God and Learn His Purposes for My Life. Some days I find are hard, some days just flow.
• Live My Life the best I can – most days successfully, some not so much.
• Has a burning desire in my heart to help you live your Best Life. Just as I’ve been Blessed throughout My Life by others and situations that God brings across my paths. I want to be one of those people God brings across your paths to improve your life.
• Wants you to have a more Active, Fuller, more Joy-filled Life
• Wants you to have a healthy, vibrant, active, love-filled, joy-filled, secure marriage. There is HOPE! We and some of our closest friends are living proof.
• Wants to help you share your growing enjoyment with Life with those you Love and Cherish so they can have the same

Since you asked, Kris and I aren’t perfect and we don’t have the “perfect marriage,” which doesn’t exist any way
The only truly perfect Person I know is Jesus. And I’ll bet even Mary and Joseph didn’t have the “Perfect Marriage.” Like when they were hoping to find Jesus after they had to leave the caravan to go all the way back to town because Jesus was no where to be found in the caravan. I sincerely doubt Mary and Joseph were simply all smiles, hands folded, looking into the sky. And the thought never crossed their lips to say “I thought you checked on Him before we left!”

OK, OK I admit it‘s true that being Irish I come as close to Perfection as humanly possible. 😇 Coupled with my great and undeniable Humility you’re in for a treat. Maybe?

We’re always learning. Learn with us! Get new perspectives. And share your perspectives with us. That’s how we all learn and grow together.

Ask questions       Consider different viewpoints       Make your decisions

 We want to hear from you!

 Say … we have a detailed list of Some of Life’s Questions that we will soon make available to you. Along with an amazing compilation of Special Quotes I’ve been collecting for several years. All free, no strings attached.

Kris and I don’t pretend to have “all the answers.” If you find someone who claims to have all the perfect answers for you, I suggest you get some serious distance between you and them.