Sometimes a picture says it best ...

It wasn't words, but it was enough for me to get how he was doing and to respond in kind. How do you or did you communicate with your kids in college?

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I've developed a new exercise to keep my daughter grounded in what matters and to keep her from focusing on the negative (as far too many of us adults do). I felt I needed to do something different than lecturing her, daily, on why she should be grateful and running down the list of all the things we do as parents. It was growing tiresome and something about didn't feel right. And I wasn't certain she was even listening. What I opted to do is very simple. So simple, I didn't believe it would work:

Before bedtime, I ask her what she was thankful for during that day.
In the morning, I ask her what she is thankful for.

The first couple of days I was getting answers such as, "sleep," and "no school" but a few days in something pretty amazing began to happen. Not only did her answers suddenly become more substantial, such as, "I'm glad I had a good night's rest so I can have a good day at school," she makes a point to remind me when I don't ask her. Now, we are even having conversations around the things she's grateful for.

What are you thankful for? Think about it. What if, everyday, you had to dwell on what you are thankful for? Imagine the difference in could make in your life.

What are you thankful for?

photo credit: MTSOfan via photopin cc

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I fell in love with this video the first time I saw it while watching it with my colleagues at work. It literary spoke to my soul. At the time, I thought of it as a great piece of brand storytelling. I even referenced it in an industry blog post. But there was something that haunted me about the video and it wasn't the state of modified foods. It was the scarecrow himself and his smoldering dissatisfaction with everything going on around him. Things that most folks were giving no thought to, tossing off the continual perversion of their lives (or in this case, the food they were eating) as normal.

And so it goes with me, your friendly neighborhood Dad-Man, who's consistently been at this blogging game since 2008. I often find myself heartbroken by this world where we currently live. I tire daily of the gong that social media has become for hatred. I tire of the ongoing battle of the sexes in the supposed game of love because at it's core there is mostly lust being inaccurately referenced as love. Divorce is now commonplace and a topic of conversation for those who should just be focused on playing and drawing.

I've only recently moved into a place of mental peace that will allow me to begin sharing what my beloved, college-age son has done to my car over the years and when in particular he's committed his offenses. But until then, know this: his most recent attack on my vehicle left it virtually un-drivable. Meaning, I could get behind the wheel and get where I needed to go but it was only a matter of time before I caused an accident due to the driver's side mirror dangling like a drooping eyelid off the side of my car. Of course this didn't stop me from driving it until I simply couldn't take it anymore. It being the helplessness of not being able to see without fully turning my head and taking my attention off of what was going on in front of me, and it being, I recently was blessed with a great promotion. I'm in the position to take care of and repair what belongs to me. There is simply no point to dragging my feet on necessary repairs. For my sake and that of my family.

A couple weeks back I was on my way to the body shop during my lunch break. Thankfully, a coworker asked me where I was headed and when I told him he challenged me to do the work myself. The rest is detailed in the collage below.

It All Starts With The Tires

What you're riding on is just as important, if not more important than what you're riding in. Your tires truly do matter, not simply for style and riding comfort, but for safety as well. Don't believe me? Try stopping in the rain on some worn-down tires. Actually, PLEASE, do not try this ever! Whether you have a family or not, your life is too important to risk on faulty tires. Additionally, the quality of your tires can positively or negative impact your vehicle's fuel efficiency. One way to check wear and tear on your tires is to do the penny test or you can do what I did. One day I got out of my car, looked at my tires and saw that all of them were bald and not only were they bald, the steel belts beneath the treads were beginning to show through. Think of a pair of your favorite worn our sneakers that you love so much you don't notice you're walking on your feet instead of the sole of the shoe when you wear them. Whatever your personal standards are for footwear driving on bald tires is simply unacceptable and it's downright dangerous. I will never do that again.

If you live in the South like I do, you know that winter is wetter than it is snowy. The Hankook Ventus S1 Noble 2 tire features an Asymmetric tread pattern and incorporates a Four Channel Rib Design for efficient water evacuation and an advanced silica rubber compound to offer impressive wet handling and braking.

If the mailers you're receiving at home are any indication, many automakers are pushing owners to purchase new tires. They know you are prepping for the winter and want to be ther with you. But before pulling into the dealership and paying way more money than you need to, consider purchasing Hankook tires from your local tire dealer. They've even got a mail-in rebate to ease the burden of this very necessary aspect of vehicle maintenance.

Before your holiday schedule gets crazy, take care of your car now - especially your tires. Save with Hankook Tire’s Great Hit Rebate, $80 off a set of 4 Ventus S1 noble2 tires.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Hankook Tires. The opinions and text are all mine.

If you are in the care of a teen, sexting may not be a part of your conversation with them. But best believe, they've had a conversation about it, at least once, with someone else. Here is an infographic from www.uKnowKids.com that presents some pretty hard facts that will bring the subject home for you:

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