Zone Day 1

Today I am starting the Zone. I am doing it not just to drop a couple pounds, but more to develop a way of eating for the rest of my life. I need to avoid Syndrome X(HTN, Diabetes, Cholesterol, Heart Disease) at all costs. I am excited about the challenge. I will update.

Been too long

I haven't posted in quite a while. I hoping that will change, I would like this to be a progress/log type of place for me. We'll be in touch.

2 Days done, 11 1/2 more weeks to go!

The first 2 days of my new job were a success for sure. So far the Santa Rosa FD has been a great place. We have been taken care of, both financially and in other ways. They have supplied us with waters, gatorades, sunscreen, hats, shirts. I think it just says a lot about the department that they want to take care of us as best as possible. The other 8 guys in my academy are all great as well. Very diverse backgrounds, ages, and personalities. A couple of the guys I can definitely see myself becoming very good friends with.
We mostly did paperwork on our first day, but we did find out that we got a 3.25% raise, before we even start! That was great news, as was exactly how good the benefits are going to be. The city really takes care of it's employees. All in all it was a great first 2 days. I am however, overwhelmed about going through this process again, and being away from my family...again. We started with "building construction", which is by far my weakest area in the fire service. I need to learn this stuff, especially if I every want to think about promoting/advancing. So far so good!

Guys Retreat

Got back from the guys retreat from our Church last night. I came home a night early so I could prepare for tomorrow as well as be available for Jaz and the family(I missed them!). The retreat was worth the trip for sure. I had two significant conversations with guys that were very important. I feel like that those validated me going on the whole trip, even if I had to leave early. The campground we went was beautiful, and better yet...FREE! Granted it was 11 miles down the mountainside to the banks of the river, it was worth it. Anyways, I'm glad I went and will go next year for sure.

Been too long

I think I'll start this thing up again. Funny that last time I posted, we were a few weeks away from Abigail being born, well things have changed! Abigail is almost 2 years old, and Isaiah, our first son and second child was born on June 4th! He is wonderful, maybe has a little more gas than Abby, but like father like son. Things have really changed since my post 2 years ago about my life and the direction it was going. I have changed careers and gotten hired on with the Santa Rosa Fire Department. I'm halfway through my schooling to become a Paramedic, and we no longer own a house (condo), but we are renting an awesome place in Walnut Creek.

Here's Abby driving 9E


This is Isaiah Kostas Kalogirou, born 6/4/07

Fatherhood in 8 weeks

My wife is about 8 weeks away from giving birth to our first child...a little girl. We think she'll be named Abigail Patricia. Sometimes i stay awake at night, so overwhelmed by what is about to take place. This world is massive, and sometimes very cruel. I want so much to protect my little girl from all of it, but i know i wont be able to. Someone will be mean to her, someone will hurt her feelings, someone will wrong her, she will have her heart broken, the list goes on. Luckily for me, my wife is amazing. She is a natural mother and will easily make up for all the areas i lack in regards to parenting. I'm so excited to meet my little girl, i just wish she was here now!

Sitting at work, dreaming...

I'm at work now, i work EVERY weekend. I guess really i can't complain too much. I have a "good" job, a "good" income, i "own" my house...etc. I put quotes around that because those are all the requirements of living in the Bay Area right? As much as i have always claimed to want to avoid the rat race, i have failed. I am immersed in it actually. I have a mortgage, two car payments, DSL, HDTV, Netflix, cell phones, etc, etc.

I guess i'm wondering...why? What exactly am i trying to accomplish, or where am i trying to go? When i actually sit down and think about what matters, it's certainly not these things i'm working 50hrs/wk to pay for. The thing that matter are my wife, soon to be child, my father, few close friends, snowboarding is high up there as well. What can i do? quit, move, sell, what?