Robert Stinnett

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Who Wants Some Free Stuff?

Aug 21

Posted by Robert Stinnett in My Adventures | View Comments

You can’t beat free, right?  Well then have I got a deal for you!  How would you like to be the owner of three (not 1, not 2, but 3!) orange wristbands to help you “Get Motivated!” In fact, they even say “Get Motivated!” right on them.  Just think how cool you will look – people will be mistaking you for a frat boy or an urban trendsetter!  Wear them to the gym and use it for your own personal motivation tool and make everyone else jealous! 

wrist-bands-1So here’s the scoop.  I ordered 300 of these wristbands for a website I was working on.  As things often happen, the name of the website changed.  Oops!  So now I have 300 wristbands that say “Get Motivated!” plus the name of the website that didn’t quite make it to prime-time, JoinOn.In.

I certainly don’t want to throw these away – and truth be told I wear one everyday because they do look good, and they are a great way to be fashionable and find some motivation at the same time.  I’m not kidding when I say these are high quality either; they are made of 100% silicone and are flexible and durable – not cheap rubber that can often irritate the skin and tear easily.

So how do you get your FREE stuff?  All it takes is an envelope and some stamps (Ok, so for the picky folks out there it will cost you $0.88 in postage – but hey, just think of it this way, you are doing your part to help support the post office and keep Saturday delivery alive!)wrist-bands-2-modeling

So get our those pens and envelopes and send a S.A.S.E. (Self-Address, Stamped Envelope) to:

Robert Stinnett
PO BOX 287
Boonville, MO 65233

For those of you who have never heard of the term S.A.S.E. before, it was popular back in the pre-Internet days when people actually used to have to write away for things!  Simply address your envelope back to you, put a stamp on it, fold it and put it inside another envelope addressed to me above.

Come on guys – I need help getting rid of these things!

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Good Morning! Now Start Eating!

Aug 10

Posted by Robert Stinnett in Get Fit | View Comments

If I had known that I get to eat more meals in a day when losing weight, I would have started a lot sooner!  The last thing you probably think about when trying to lose weight is eating more often, but it’s true – the tired, old philosophy of eating “3 big meals a day” is horribly out of date and just plain wrong.  To really boost your metabolism and help you achieve your fitness and weight loss goals you should be eating smaller meals every 3-5 hours.  The key here is smaller meals (you cannot have a 5-course meal every time you sit down!) and making sure what you put into your body is stuff that it can use.

Our bodies are strange creatures, and they very easily start to think that food is scarce when they don’t get nutrition every few hours.  By eating smaller meals more frequently you are telling your body “Hey, it’s ok, there is plenty of food – here, try this and enjoy!”  It helps your metabolism to keep going throughout the day and helps to provide regular doses of energy that your body can use to keep you feeling better and helps give you the motivation to be more active. 

Without a doubt the most important meal of the day is breakfast.  I can’t tell you how many years went by when I was skipping breakfast and just grabbing a donut or some other junk food from the convenience store or the break room at work.  Is it any wonder I was 342lbs and growing?  Make sure that you start your day off right – you want to fill your plate with proteins, healthy fats and a few carbohydrates.  Think of this combination as the perfect “Good Morning Body” breakfast!

Here is a sample of what I had for breakfast this morning:

Scrambled eggs (yes, eggs are good for you!), slice of whole wheat toast with a teaspoon of peanut butter, a tablespoon or so (I don’t measure things exactly) of pecans and a glass of skim milk.

Now feel free to get creative with those eggs – why don’t you chop up some of those garden fresh tomatoes and put into them?  How about a dash of cinnamon?  Can I interest you in some chopped onion? Just avoid the salt and the cheeses and you will be fine!

Mmmm, let me tell you it was good!  I’m not a morning person, but this boost of energy really got me up and going.

Losing weight isn’t easy, but we can do things to make it a little more enjoyable.  Eating a good, healthy breakfast and making sure that we are eating multiple small meals during the day can go a long way to making this journey a lot more enjoyable – and helping you to stick to it.

So if you haven’t done so already, get off the computer and go make you some breakfast!

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Finding Motivation

Aug 9

Posted by Robert Stinnett in Get Fit | View Comments

Working towards a goal, in my case weight loss, can be taxing at times.  There are days (weeks even) when the end goal seems so far away that you wonder why you keep chasing it.  I’ve fallen off the proverbial horse so many times, but each and every time I’ve managed to dust myself off and get right back on it.  After 8 months I’m 65lbs healthier for it, with another 85lbs to go to reach my “goal” weight of 200lbs.  Sometimes it’s the number on the scale that motivates me, and sometimes motivation can come from the unlikeliest of places.

Another hot summer weekend here in Missouri – the type of heat and humidity that makes you want to stay inside with the blinds shut and the AC cranked down real low.  It’s 3pm on a Saturday, and the YMCA closes at 5pm and I’m having a hard time motivating myself to get up, get out and get over there.  I feel good about how much I’ve achieved, yet at the same time on this particular day I just want to dive into a huge bowl of rocky road ice cream.

A lot of us nowadays struggle with motivation.  The average American works more hours than their parents or grandparents did.  We face so much uncertainty about our future and our children’s future that just picking up the paper or turning on the evening news can be a challenge.  After all, the news has turned into nothing more than a mixed bag of celebrity gossip, political mudslinging and the latest tale of how the rich are getting richer while the rest of us wonder how in the world we are ever going to be able to afford to retire.  Walter Cronkite, we could really use you nowadays!

Yet in the middle of all this gloom and doom, gossip and mudslinging, constantly beeping cell phones and days that seem shorter and shorter I have found that the best way to find motivation is by simple tuning out.

Technology is great – it’s also a great way to be lazy and lose track of time.  I have stopped carrying my cell phone with me every time I go from room to room, or outside for a bit, because I really don’t want to be bothered by it.  Nothing is that important it can’t wait 15 or 30 minutes.  Instead of sitting in front of the TV watching non-stop crime shows and the latest incarnation of CSI I have instead turned off the TV, or when I do watch it a bit watch shows that expand my horizon – such as the Science Channel or the History Channel. 

I’ve also made a concentrated effort to form more local friendships.  Sure, it’s great to have thousands of Facebook friends – but it’s also good to have local friends.  The kind you can go out and do something with on the weekend, or maybe just go over and help them work on their car or shoot the breeze with.

I’m guilty, like so many others, of getting caught up in the 24×7, technology driven, non-stop news cycle of a world we live in nowadays that I tended to isolate myself and forget that there really is more to life than surfing the web or watching Youtube videos. 

So what happened yesterday when I was searching for my motivation?  I actually found it by remembering that one of the staff members who work at the YMCA was working that Saturday and I knew she’d know if I was playing hooky – and I enjoy shooting the breeze with her.  So I got up, got dressed and got my ass over there.

When it was all said and done – I left the Y feeling better than I had all day long.  In the end, my personal motivator was people – and the joy that comes from turning off the computer, getting up from the desk and realizing that not all conversations have to take place over txt messaging or Facebook.

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Lights, Camera, Action! Weight Loss Video Update

Aug 4

Posted by Robert Stinnett in Get Fit | View Comments

I figured it was time to come from behind the keyboard and show myself on video.  I put together this short video to update everyone on my weight loss progress and give some tips and advice about what I found has been working well for me.

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Looking Good and Feeling Great

Aug 1

Posted by Robert Stinnett in Get Fit | View Comments

I thought it was about time I gave everyone an update on my weight loss and fitness journey.  It’s been a while, and a few folks have been asking.  So here goes – I’m doing TERRIFIC!  I have to tell you, I’ve never felt better in my life and knowing that it’s going to get even better down the road – man, it’s a total rush.

So here we are in July of 2010 (well technically as I write this the clock just ticked over to August, but we’ll call it July) and I’m down to…drum roll please… 287lbs!  To put it into perspective, I started 2010 clocking in at a gut busting 342lbs.  Wow!

How did I do it?  No magic diets, no magic pills, no self-help nonsense.  I did it by doing a lot of cardio exercise, lifting some weights and watching what I eat.  It was that simple.  I didn’t starve myself and I didn’t do some fad diet where I got rid of all the stuff I love to eat – I just watched the portions and tried to substitute healthy snacks and healthier alternatives in where I could.  So, for example, instead of eating french fries I switched to a nice baked sweet potato.  Instead of ice cream, frozen yogurt.  Simple things like that.  I also started reading the boxes of what I buy in the store and started steering clear of the high fructose corn syrup crap and started going for the whole grains and whole wheat.

So how about a picture?  They say a picture is worth a thousand words!

Look at that handsome guy!

I couldn’t even fit into those jeans and shirt back in January!

Now don’t get me wrong – I still got a ways to go.  My goal is 205lbs.  So I got another 82lbs to go and I know it’s going to take time.  However, I’m more motivated now than ever!

Getting fit and feeling great – it’s worth it folks, believe me.  If you need some motivation please, please contact me and let me be your motivator.  I’ll help you and along the way we can encourage each other!

Now if only I could find a sponsor to supply me with gym shoes – Finish Line or Reebok, you listening?  I’m going through gym shoes like crazy because of all the workouts I do.  You should change your shoes every 500 miles because they lose their support and comfort – and I’ve been through probably 3 pair so far!

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Why the Post Office Matters

Jul 8

Posted by Robert Stinnett in Home Life | View Comments

There has been a lot of talk lately about the United States Postal Service and the challenges they are facing.  Mail volume has dropped dramatically since 2007 thanks in part to the Great Recession and the increasing number of businesses and people using electronic communication methods.  In an effort to get on better financial footing the Post Office has suggested stopping mail delivery on Saturday along with other measures they hope will turn the tide.  Some people argue that it doesn’t matter if mail delivery stops on Saturday, and others say that the Post Office itself is irrelevant in this digital age we now live in.  However, I disagree and believe strongly that the Post Office still matters in our everyday lives.

I’ll dispense with the usual arguments made about how Post Offices are still gathering places for the community, and how they help connect rural towns across America to friends, businesses and neighbors.  While these arguments are true, I want to instead focus in why the Post Office matters to you and I, whether we live in a big city or a small rural town regardless of how we actually use the buildings themselves.  They matter because the mail is still one of the best ways of communicating and getting

Andy Rooney talks about why the mail matters.

my attention.  Andy Rooney of 60-Minutes did a piece on this subject in which he said that there is something about getting a letter in the mail that still excites us all – and it’s true.  One of the first things I do every day when coming home from work is check the mail – wondering what might be waiting for me inside that box.

Sure, I have e-mail.  In fact at last count I have over 6 different e-mail accounts that I check on a regular basis.  This inlcudes work-related email, personal email and some email accounts for different projects I am involved with.  On any given day I am probably reading (and ignoring) well over 200 pieces of e-mail. 

That’s the problem, though.  E-mail is so impersonal, and I get so much of it, that I tend to ignore it.  Work e-mail is different, of course, but even that has a lot of noise in it that I don’t pay too much attention too.  If you are a business trying to get my attention – or even a long lost friend wanting to drop me a line – sending me an e-mail is probably one of the worst ways you can attempt to get my attention.  You have probably less than a 50% chance that I will ever read it and respond.  That’s just the way e-mail is!

But it’s different with regular mail.  Even the junk mail that I get is something I at least give a few seconds of attention too.  I take the time to look at and open every piece of mail I get at home.  Why?  Because when its only 3-5 pieces of mail it’s a lot different than 200+ emails.  With the mail I pay more attention to it because, after all, someone took the time and expense of sending that to me and I feel some sort of obligation to at least give it a brief glance.

It’s rare nowadays, but when I get a personal letter from someone I know in the mail (or a card or just a thank you note) it really stands out.  I can’t stand those electronic birthday cards and e-greetings.  They are impersonal, and thanks to the constant threat of spyware and viruses I never open them anymore anyway.  If you send me an e-card rest assured it will never get seen.  You send me a real birthday card in the mail you can rest assured I not only will read it, but I will remember the gesture.

I am not a fan of stopping Saturday delivery because I like getting mail – and even though I’m a very tech oriented guy I am finding a renewed renaissance as it were in using the Post Office.  I find myself mailing more things off nowadays – I’ve even went back to mailing off a few of my bills.  Sure, electronic billing is great – but do you know how it easy it is to forget to pay a bill electronically when you don’t have that reminder sitting in front of you?  Sure businesses love it – more late fees for them!  But for me, I’ve actually went back to getting paper bills and doing more of my bill payment by mail.  There is something that gets “driven home” in my mind when I write that check out.  It’s like its real money and I know where my dollars are being spent instead of just sending electronic bits and bytes down the wire.  I find I pay more attention to my budget and how I’m spending money when I actually get a paper bill in the mail and pay with an old fashioned check.  Not to mention I take the time to read paper bills – so I can see if charges are on there that shouldn’t be, something that when I get a bill electronically I don’t take the time to do. 

So does the Post Office matter in this day in age?  You bet it does – and even now I still look forward to seeing the mailman come because there is that excitement that comes with actually getting something in the mail.  That is a feeling that I will never get from some electronic e-mail that looks exactly the same as the other 200+ emails I will get today.

Why not reach out and share a little bit about where you live with me – and see how exciting it can be to get something in the mail!  Send me a postcard from where you live and I’ll return the favor.

 

Robert Stinnett
PO BOX 287
Boonville, MO 65233

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Want to Work for a Cool Company in Columbia, MO?

Jun 18

Posted by Robert Stinnett in My Adventures | View Comments

I normally don’t like to mix business and my personal life, but I wanted to share with everyone a new opening we have at CARFAX where I work.  If you live in or around the Columbia, MO area this may be the job you’ve been waiting for.  You get to work with a lot of cool people – like me!  Feel free to e-mail me at robert@robertstinnett.com for more information!

Software Administrator

Overview:

The number of purchased and developed software tools continues to grow within Infrastructure as well as within the Data Center.  Software tools under the IS umbrella have increased to more than 90 products.  Some tools go without upgrades, roadmaps or plans to upgrade them.  This position will be to lead and manage the software upgrading process.  The goal is to improve infrastructure productivity by keeping these software tools current and maximizing their effectiveness.

The Software Administrator is responsible for researching, evaluating, developing, and administering programs and software in response to the identified needs of the CARFAX Data Center.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Conduct Software and Program Planning

  • Consult with client groups to identify software needs
  • Develop long range plans, programs and strategies
  • Monitor software and services to ensure it meets stated goals
  • Assist with software evaluations and updates to programs and services
  • Act as a resource about software development and initiatives
  • Interface with Vendors and Suppliers

2. Research and develop programs

  • Review and adapt existing software as needed
  • Research new software
  • Make recommendations about software to meet unique needs
  • Research training needs and options

3. Administer Programs

  • Install and monitor all software and systems
  • Patch and maintain systems as needed
  • Provide high availability and performance
  • Manage software licensing agreements

 KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

  • 5+ years of experience in Systems Administration
  • 4+ years of experience in supporting applications
  • Demonstrated experience in multiple operating systems including:  Microsoft Windows and Red Hat Linux
  • Overall understanding of software and systems design
  • Ability to recognize and respond to situations with the appropriate amount of urgency
  • Must be willing to participate in an on-call rotation to provide 24×7 support
  • Self-starter with the ability to manage multiple priorities and thrive in a fast-paced environment

Physical Requirements:

  • Ability to lift and carry 60 pounds (workstations, servers, printers, etc.)
  • Ability to stand, bend, reach, sit, and crawl (hardware installations, cabling, etc.)

 CARFAX is an Equal Opportunity Employer.  We offer an outstanding work environment, excellent benefits, competitive salary and bonus program and a casual but professional atmosphere.

Instant Messaging is so 2000 and Late

May 7

Posted by Robert Stinnett in Tech Stuff | View Comments

While doing some work here at home tonight I realized something – for corporate communications in our workplace, I love instant messaging.  It helps us keep connected even though we have offices and employees scattered across the US.  With just a quick “ping” I can engage in a conversation with one of my colleagues in Virginia, or with a click of the mouse I can share my desktop and hold a virtual conference with folks working in the field, at home, wherever!

I then realized that as much as I love IM in the workplace, here at home I haven’t used IM actively in probably three or four years now.  For social connections its a “dead” technology to me.  Who wants to have to run a myriad of instant messenger clients because friends are scattered across different IM networks – that is, if they even have an IM account to begin with.  Not to mention it seems like its no longer real-time communications.  If I wanted to IM someone socially I’d have to catch them when they were logged in, and then hope we had the same version of the software running so we could share a file or send a picture.  What a hassle.

Besides, who needs IM at home when you have things like Twitter or Facebook?  I don’t have to worry about what “version” of Facebook you are using, or if you are logged into Twitter.  It’s an always-on, connect any way you like, wherever you like technology.  You aren’t there?  Fine – you’ll get my message later.  It’s a pull technology as well – Twitter, for example, let’s you follow me but you don’t have to get an annoying pop-up every time I send out a message.  IM on the other had was a push technology.  If I wanted to talk with you I had to push a message to you (and only you).  Talk about social isolation – one to one conversations that were intrusive and hard to manage on the go.

Perhaps I’m getting “old”.  I remember when instant messaging was the revolutionary app. Logging into AOL to “chat” with my friends or downloading the latest beta build of ICQ to keep in touch with other Internet nerds like me.  Then again, maybe I’m not getting old and it’s the technology that is changing.  For every need there is a technological solution it seems, and for keeping up with friends nowadays IM isn’t it.  For keeping up with co-workers IM fits the bill just fine.

That is, until the next technological revolution begins…

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School Is Almost Out – Summer Ideas

May 1

Posted by Robert Stinnett in Home Life | View Comments

It’s hard to believe we are already in May, but before you know it school will be out for the summer and for many families it’s time to start thinking about summer vacation and activity plans. With a little help from the Internet, and a few basic supplies, you can help keep kids entertained and their minds active all summer long – not to mention help get them outside and active instead of parked in front of a video game console for the next 2-3 months!

Muppet LabsI remember growing up one summer my parents bought me a subscription to a bi-weekly science kit. Every two weeks a little kit would arrive in the mail and would teach me the basics of magnetism, electricity, flowers, etc. They included the basics needed for the activity and were a great way to keep me occupied! You can do something similar for your kids without spending a fortune and using supplies commonly found around the home. Great resources for making these kits can be found at a variety of websites including the American Chemical Society (http://portal.acs.org; look under Volunteer in a Classroom), Science Bob (http://www.sciencebob.com/), and Science Buddies (http://www.sciencebuddies.org/). These sites are chocked full of ideas for you and your kids to explore some of the wonders of science this summer without spending a fortune.

Another great way to keep kids busy over the summer while keeping their minds active at the same time is through planting a garden. Gardens are a great way to teach kids about the effects of water, sun (photosynthesis), soil, and plant nutrition. Set aside a small part of your yard and encourage your kids to experiment growing different types of vegetables. Encourage them to think about what is going on by posing questions such as, “What happens when you give a plant only one-half the water you give another?” or “What happens if you plant one tomato plant in the sun and another one in the shade?” This is also an excellent opportunity to introduce them to organic gardening, a process by which they use natural methods for pest control and cultivation. An excellent resource to get you started, as well as give you ideas on how to challenge your kids to think and keep them active, can be found at http://www.kidsgardening.com/.

If you have kids that are a bit older, perhaps getting ready to enter high school next year, why not consider a lengthier project that they can use as a foundation for a lifelong hobby or career. Restoring or fixing up an old car can be a project that is not only fun, but can be very educational and profitable. What kid out there wouldn’t love to have a classic muscle car? Even if you are your son or daughter knows nothing about mechanics, this is a great time to start learning! Often old cars can be found for cheap (check out www.craigslist.org) and with effort and time they can be turned into true showpieces. It may take 2 or 3 summers to finish the project, but when it is all said and done you will have something that you and your kids will remember for the rest of their life.

This summer make it a family effort to get everyone – kids and adults alike – outside and active. Keep their minds active by challenging them in fun projects and ideas. Most importantly, do something together that you all will remember for years to come!

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Breaking 300: A Reason to Celebrate

Apr 18

Posted by Robert Stinnett in Get Fit | View Comments

About two weeks ago I celebrated a major milestone in my quest to get fit – I finally fell below 300!  As of today (April 18, 2010) I’m sitting at 294.5 – or roughly 50lbs lighter than when I started my journey in late December 2009.  Talk about a motivator – seeing those magical numbers on the scale really gave me a confidence boost!

Looking back so far, I’ve learned a few things – first, you really can enjoy what you eat, just as long as you enjoy it in moderation.  Starting out I told myself I wasn’t getting involved in any fad diet.  I’m always amazed at the amount of money people throw away on the “diet of the moment” thinking that by denying themselves something they are going to be able to take weight off and keep it off.  By watching what I eat I’ve managed to cut the calories and fat without really changing what I eat.  I still enjoy frozen yogurt, the occasional order of french fries (maybe once or twice a month!) and my favorite – baked potatoes.  The big difference between now and then is that I make better decisions instead of eliminating foods altogether.  For example, I love a good baked potato – but I will skip the sour cream and butter and instead sprinkle some olive oil on it and pile on the garlic and chives.  Mmmmm!

Secondly, no matter what you do, you have to get up and get moving.  There is no doubt in my mind at this stage of the game that without regular physical exercise any of this would have been possible.  Sure, there have been plenty of times when I was just wore out or just plain lazy and didn’t want to go to the gym – but I went anyway.  What I found out is that after my 40 minutes or so at the gym I had more energy than ever.  You just have to get motivated to do something – anything!  Sitting Pecan Saladaround watching TV doesn’t count!

It’s not an easy journey – nobody said it would be – but if you have the motivation and desire you can make it an exciting one.  If I could offer anyone advice to get them started it would be this:

  • Put down the processed foods (ready-to-eat meals in a box from the store, fast food burgers and sandwiches, etc.)
  • Get up and get active – even if it means just walking for 30 minutes a day
  • Add strength training to your exercise – lift some weights, you will be surprised how much it boosts your cardio routines!
  • Don’t sweat it when you fall off the wagon or indulge for a day; it’s OK to be bad once in a while as long as you keep moving towards your goal
  • Get creative in the kitchen – you’d be surprised what you can create at home that is far, far better than the fat-laden, calorie-laden meals you will get when you eat out.  Pecan salad anyone?

If I can do it – YOU can do it!

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