Today, it seems that no one wants to be the boss. In my 30 years of running our family business, I have not had the opportunity to work side by side with someone who could be the “boss”. Oh yeah, I have had a few  who say they want to be but no one who had what it takes to be one. The main reason usually turns out to be the inability to tell people what to do. More often than not, no one wants to be what many employees perceive to be the “bad guy”. That’s it in a nutshell. You have to be the kind of person that doesn’t give a damn what their co workers think of them,( as long as you are fair and respectful). To often managers or bosses don’t want to be disliked so they wind up doing the job instead of delegating it and holding that person responsible to get it done.

The boss isn’t supposed to be your friend. Friendly yes, but friends absolutely not. There has to be a distinct separation between worker and boss and those lines should never be crossed. Hanging out with or taking interest in a workers life puts you at a disadvantage when it comes to having to direct that employee on what they need to do. You begin allowing your feelings to rule your decision making because you have now allowed emotion into the equation.

I am quite sure General Patton didn’t have many friends or men who liked him but they sure as hell respected him and followed where he led because they believed in what he stood for. His strong leadership didn’t come from hanging out with his soldiers, it came from his ability to separate himself from his troops in order to accomplish the task at hand. If he allowed his emotions and feelings to rule his decisions, we might be saluting the German flag right now.

Being a boss I learned something about hiring employees. There are what I believe, four things a good employee and perhaps future boss should have.

 1.Talent

 2.Strong character

 3.Passion about their work/life

 4.Desire and ability to learn

I have nothing to base this on but my own life and my experience with the people I have employed over the years, but I do know that without these four things, you do not have a chance at success in either work or more importantly life. I have never thought of myself as being perfect but have always strived for perfection in my work. Believing that if you don’t aim high you will always hit low, can be a curse for a boss. You tend to believe that everyone should think the same and that frustrates you to your wits end when employees constantly fall short. As a person, you can’t understand how anyone wouldn’t want the same things in life and feel deprived when you give it but don’t get it back.

Everyone wants to “be the boss” but few actually have what it takes. At the end of the day and perhaps my career, I know that I have led people on a long journey and did what I believed best for both my business and its employees. There are very few thank you’s along the way because most if not all of what you do for people is expected of you. Even so, being the boss and knowing that you gave people an opportunity to succeed in a safe, respectful environment, with a chance to earn a fair wage, makes what anyone might perceive of you, not matter all that much. Deep down inside you know you gave it everything it took to lead your troops on the road to success.

Just one mans opinion

The Regular Guy

Looks as if the Department of Homeland Security  is readying for a war on US soil, or as many believe a war against the people of this country.

Just recently the DHS purchased more rounds of ammunition than the entire US military, 1 billion rounds of HOLLOW POINT ammo( not used for target practice ) and some 3000 armored vehicles to be used on US soil. Looks like we better prepare for an invasion of Canadians or something. What could this President be up to when he is spending more on Homeland security and less on overseas military operations.

Read here and again..start doing your homework!!! Scary stuff

The Regular Guy

http://mychal-massie.com/premium/the-obama-regime-paramilitary/

and http://freedomoutpost.com/2013/03/army-captain-demands-dhs-give-up-their-weapons-of-war/comment-page-1/

IIsent the following letter to all my local, State and Federal Representatives because I don’t believe that I can stand by and do nothing but complain about what is taking place in our country. I am not convinced that any of them will even read this letter let alone act on it, but I know if for only my own good, that I did something. I know that a lot of my friends and people I am in contact with everyday think that guns are bad and no one should own them. I can see why they feel as they do because they don’t have any desire to own one or even shoot one, but that isn’t reason enough to just go along with what is happening with our Constitutional rights. Even though I would miss shooting, I would go along with banning all guns if it meant EVERYONE would no longer have access to them. Do people really believe that our government has our best interest in mind? Why are they then exempt from all the new laws they are presenting to Congress? Perhaps because they feel they are more deserving of our rights than we are. Maybe because they believe they need the protection more than we do. For what ever reason, they shouldn’t be above the law that we would have to live by. My guess is Joe Biden feels he shouldn’t be included if only because of  his recent ridiculous comments about how he and his wife should handle a shotgun. Now HE’S one person that shouldn’t be allowed access to guns!!

Our Constitutional rights were meant to protect us not only from outside attacks on our country but also to fight tyranny from within. I know that if that time ever comes, I at least spoke up against this unfair treatment. Can you say the same?

The Regular Guy

Open letter to my Representatives:

I have been an avid gun owner and target shooter since I was a teenager and I am writing today in hopes that some or all of you are as passionate about our 2nd Amendment rights as I am. With all the talk again about gun banning, I find it necessary that I speak out against further constraints against my Constitutional Rights. I, like the vast majority of gun owners, practice safe control of our arms and do not need further legislation prevent us from legally owning guns of our choice. These new proposals and past laws have done nothing to stop the criminal element that has been present since the dawn of time. Tougher laws do nothing to protect good people from bad, but only make it easier to become a target for criminals. Its time to enforce the laws we have now and keep criminals off the streets, protect our schools if need be with trained armed professionals and don’t continue to punish good honest people with laws that protect no one. I ask that you please fight for our continued Constitutional rights, for we as a nation were built on these principals for a reason. God bless you.

Lately I have been catching up on a History channel show “Mankind, the story of all of us”and I can’t seem to get enough of it. But the one thing that stands out most about our history as portrayed here, is that we are all killers. Every civilization since the beginning of time has killed to expand their religion, territory etc..I couldn’t help but notice that with each episode, one tribe, one civilization, one religious group or even people from the same community, inevitably turn on each.

We have been killing each other for centuries and way before the gun was invented. The gun perhaps has made it easier for evil men to do harm to another, but what if your not evil? How does one protect themselves against such?

I know the arguments for gun control but none of them make sense to me. They always seem to hurt the innocent more than the guilty. With each new gun control law that is passed, it seems our civilization gets worse in spite of the tougher laws. Probably because the laws only make it harder for good people to obtain guns. I always said that no matter how tough the law it won’t stop the bad guy because he doesn’t file for a permit, clear  the wait period and then buy his gun in a store such as Dicks sporting goods. Bad guys will always have guns but with each new “tough “law, the good guys lose.

Perhaps the most important thing that Americans fail to realize is that with each new law that is passed we lose more and more of our rights as Americans. The politicians who would champion tough gun laws, need not worry about protecting themselves as they won’t have to surrender their guns. Its just like the healthcare reform. Pass a new law that doesn’t pertain to them. Sure its always “best ” for us, but not good enough for them.

Its time that people start doing their homework and open up their eyes to what is happening around us. This isn’t about saving lives, this is about controlling them. Did everyone forget why our Bill of Rights was written? Did everyone forget how we fought our government to be free from England’s rule? Did everyone forget the saying ” if you don’t learn from history your destined to repeat it?” Yeah, I know its all conspiracy theory, right? That’s always the way peoples rights are taken away. Everyone’s so busy with their lives that most of us just stand by and watch this happen until its too late.

Guns don’t kill, people do. Watch that History channel show and witness just how evil people are and don’t be so surprised when you wake up one day and this country is no longer what it was meant to be. History always has a way of repeating itself and governments just love to rule.

Fair warning. Just one man’s opinion…..

The Regular Guy

Sometimes life takes you to places that make you stop for a moment and just take it all in. I know your thinking ,( “he must be talking about something like the Grand Canyon”) something big. Nope. Not this time.

Simple things in my life usually make me stop and notice. This past weekend, while visiting friends, I happened upon a small boutique in Doylestown Pa, where I couldn’t help but think this place is special. Located on a corner on main street and if not careful, you might just walk past it, Lilies was definitely one of the highlights of my visit.

A fresh take on clothing for women  and one HUGE  ( pun intended) table display for  men, the articles on sale were not what caught my attention. Arizona, a lively and attentive sales person, was standing behind the front counter when we entered and quickly offered us hot Cider and cookies. Not long after,  Jona ( the shops owner) entered the store with more fresh made cookies from a local bakery. As excited as one could be about cookies and a bakery, Jona couldn’t wait to offer the extended variety of cookies she had purchased for her store.

At this point I realized that unlike most shops along the streets of Doysletown, this one was different. Jona and Arizona’s spirit and freshness made my visit both fun and interesting, as both women seemed as if they truly liked being there. So many times you wander into stores to find sales help absent or perhaps they are off playing with their phones, and even if they acknowledge your being there, they rarely take interest in that fact. At Lilies, I felt like it was appreciated that I happened to be there and both ladies upbeat mood made the visit extremely enjoyable. I found myself waiting to hear the next interesting thing that Jona was going to say. After discussing the local bake shops fare and how much she liked it, her attention then turned to area restaurants that she would recommend for this evenings dinner. While this was happening, Arizona filled me in on the stores clothing, all  made in the USA, and some of which are from local merchants.

As I stood and listened to the conversations and laughter, I couldn’t help but think that I should use my Blog to tell people about this great little shop and the experience awaiting customers when they pass through the doors. If for nothing else, I felt compelled to do something nice for Jona since she had made both my friends and I feel so welcome.

Thanks Jona!

Just one man’s opinion..

The Regular Guy

Lilies of the Field

www.facebook.com/pages/Lilies-of-the-Field/10150090483750693

1 South Main

Doylestown Pa 215-348-8355

Like most couples on their anniversary, celebrating the occasion while dining out is very common. For our anniversary  this would be one crazy dining experience.

With a “strong”suggested( as recommended on Mia website) dinner reservation for 7pm we arrive 15 minutes early, full of anticipation, hungry, and anxious to be seated. First impressions are important and the dark wood tables, subdued lighting and great furniture pieces give Mia an upscale look. While standing at the hostess station, we couldn’t help noticing that the dining room was empty, less 4 tables and with no host or staff in attendance. After a 5 minute wait and with no attention to our presence, we decided to call the restaurant in hopes that someone would come to the desk  and recognize that we were standing there. The idea worked as what turned out to be the waiter/owner rushed to respond to the ringing phone. Although we shared a laugh and thought it was kind of funny, we thought it would be a good way to get some one to notice us.

With only 4 other tables we expected service to be quick but that thought slowly faded as we waited 5 more minutes for menus and water. Again, the  waiter/owner greeted us with the menus and asked us questions such as “have we ever dined here before?” We told him that we believed we had some years back but the menu was very different and perhaps we were wrong. As it turned out, it is the same place but the menu was changed. He also told us that he believed he had the “best food in Ocean County”. I found that to be a pretty strong statement with Villa Amalfi and Il Giardenellos serving the same style food, right in his backyard. Regardless we looked over the menu and found some interesting and refreshing choices.

I chose the Veal Chop Milanese and the wife opted for the Filet Mignon. I also asked if I could have my pasta side with their house sauce that was spicy and light tomato based. My wife asked if the vegetable (broccoli) was frozen and the owner insured us that he only uses fresh vegetables, sauteed with butter and seasonings.We also ordered side salads as they do not come with the meal. I was told the Bleu cheese dressing was excellent so my wife chose that and I went with a Balsamic dressing.

At 7:55 pm, an hour and 10 minutes after being seated, our salad was served. All the time we waited we noticed no other servers but a young woman who bussed the tables and poured water. It seems the owner was the only person serving meals this evening. That would not have been a problem if one, he made it clear to us that they had a situation and two, he served us cheese, an appetizer or even our salads, while we waited. There is only so much bread a person can eat while waiting an hour for dinner.

Salads were nothing out of the norm and the Bleu cheese dressing wasn’t anything more than the bottled type you would find in any restaurant. We were expecting crumbled cheese at the very least, but instead received the basic creamy dressing. Our dinners followed shortly after and didn’t do much more to make our experience any better. My Veal Chop was so thick that it was under cooked and completely raw close to the bone. I was under the impression that the chop would be pounded thin while still on the bone, breaded and sauteed until crisp like most Milanese dishes I have eaten in the past. While it wasn’t a problem exchanging it for the Veal Cutlet Milanese, and although it was very good(sauteed not fried), I was disappointed that the cutlet weighed in about 3 ounces while the original chop was closer to 10 ounces. That in itself was okay if the price would have reflected such a difference, but alas it did not. My Rigatoni’s in the house sauce were very tasty but the sauce was too thin, didn’t stick to the pasta, and the peppers should have been diced instead of whole so as to get the most flavor and also to fit on the fork. No one wants a Fra Diavolo type sauce with whole Pepperoncini’s in it. My wife’s filet while tasty, was not tender enough to cut with a fork, which has always been a tell tale sign of a great steak. We would not have expected a “great” meal if the owner hadn’t boasted about how they had the best food in the County. Great food speaks for itself and doesn’t need the owner to brag about it.

We did however, experience some good and unexpected customer service before paying for the dinner. The owner gave us a 20% discount for the uncooked Veal dish and didn’t charge me for having the house sauce on my side pasta. That goes a long way with me as most places attempt to charge for dishes that patrons don’t care for or eat, and rarely offer a gesture like a discount for the inconvenience.

So with mixed feelings about our visit, I would have to say that I probably would give this establishment the benefit of the doubt and try Mia one more time, if only for the fact that the owner recognized the mistakes and offered to make good on them.

Regular Guy Rating * * *

Mia

1214 Rte #7 East

Toms River NJ 08753

732 929 0595

http://www.miaitalianrestaurant.com

This country is changing before our eyes and most people are ignoring it, don’t care or don’t believe it. This Presidential election is to date the most important one of mine and many others lifetime, with the chance that the next four years may either bring us back from near death or bury us for good.

With all the hype of the coming debates and election, what is everyone to believe? Americans have been force fed the same crap from both sides for too long and yet politicians continue down the same path because the majority of Americans buy into what their party is selling or they are just to stupid/lazy to do their due diligence on the candidates before them. Politicians know this all too well and play off the fact that they believe we are so busy with life and all the distractions from it, that we wont pay attention to what they are really doing. This had worked well  in the past but with groups like the  Tea party,  there has been more light shown on our politicians which is raising peoples awareness of what is really happening in our country.

I have never been one to just believe what I hear without reading into everything I can to research what is being said. I, like a lot of other people I know, get too many forwarded emails from friends and others that put information out there, most of which is old, proved false already or just plain made up nonsense. Over the past three years I have watched and or read, more programming on our countries past history, our present economic condition and also some items that portray what our country may look like in the coming years if we continue on this course. I have to say without hesitation, I went from skeptical to scared. At first I was mainly concerned with my financial situation and how it had been affected by the housing and banking disasters. Then as I read about what had happened I realized that it wasn’t so much the peoples fault as it was our so called “leaders” who created the mess and that most of them were a never held accountable for what happened. Although too many Americans lost life savings, our leaders continued to live the high life at our expense.

How many times have we heard that we all have to sacrifice more to get the federal deficit down. Why is it always the people who have to give more and the politicians  go on spending in ways that do not help alleviate the problem but continue to make it worse. How is it that our President, who consistently calls on us to sacrifice or pay our fair share, can take, between himself and his wife, more vacations at the tax payers expense, than any other President in our history. I never realized that our presidents use Air Force One to vacation, along with Secret Service at a rate of more than $200,000 an hour. This President has spent billions of taxpayers dollars on golf and vacations, while all the time standing in front of television cameras telling us how hard life is for the middle class. How can anyone believe that politicians on either side will ever change this lifestyle that they have all become accustomed to. Does anyone still wonder why a millionaire would want to be a politician?

Why are Americans so blind or stupid to realize what is happening and that we need to hold these people accountable for what they are doing. Most people are still arguing that the other party is the reason we are in this mess. Its not just one party people! Wake the hell up, do your homework and get involved. Stop playing that blame game and thinking your party can do no wrong. Those days are long gone. People need to wise up and work towards “REAL ” change.

Just recently, I watched “Monumental”, a film by Kirk Cameron, that is about the founding of this country. It is a film that everyone in this country should watch because it shows what the people on the Mayflower had to endure when they landed here and began to build America. It gives detailed history of the plan that was used to build a free nation, and although our leaders will tell you different, one nation built under God and his laws. Laws that were based on religious beliefs. Yes those same beliefs that we are now told, unless you are Muslim, that we can not show in public. Those same beliefs that many of the founding fathers wrote into the sides of state buildings that still exist today.I guess the point I am trying to make is that it worked back then when our ancestors ran from a  Kings rule to make them a free people. Without what they accomplished and believed in, we would not have the freedom we have today as Americans. The part of the film that most troubled me was when Kirk was talking with a gentleman about how our country has gone so far off the course that was given to us. He asked him if it was possible to get us back to our roots and save this country. The gentleman responded that our founding fathers had outlined how they built this country, on a “monument’,  and that it was fairly simple to fix this country if anyone truly wanted to, just by following the simple plan that originally made this country what it was. This monument, which the film was titled for, is in Plymouth Mass. stands some twenty or thirty feet high, and on which, is engraved the outline which was used to build this country. The reason I found this so troubling, was two fold. The first reason, sadly, is  that I, like most Americans, have never heard of  let alone seen a picture of this incredible monument. A monument which should  have been one of the most important pieces of our history. The second reason being, I found it scary that the people of this country have turned  their collective backs on the our leaders by continuing to allow them to take this country down a path that will surely lead us to a bad ending. We have allowed our leaders to little by little take our God given rights away from us, while all the time trying to tell us that it is for our own good. Just look at the Patriot act and some of the executive orders that our past and present Presidents have signed. Our government can at any time take our assets from us just by deeming a state of emergency. Who determines what the state of emergency is. Another attack like 911 and maybe they seize all our guns for government use or maybe they confiscate all the wheat in our farmers fields to do with what they deem best. It sounds unrealistic but we allowed this “law” because of our fear of terrorism.

Our federal government is suing the state of Arizona because they are trying to enforce a federal law pertaining to immigration. What we see in the press is Mexicans being handcuffed and placed in vans to be brought back to their country. We hear of Latinos being carded on the streets to see if they are here legally. We are told that it is wrong to do this and the federal government will put a stop to it. What you don’t read or hear about, unless you look for it, are the American citizens being raped and killed by the Mexican drug cartels and illegal aliens crossing the border. So when Arizona stands up and points to the Constitution and the laws of the land, and works to clean up the problem they are having, our federal government doesn’t assist them, they create “Fast and Furious” to try to scare the American people into believing that the guns the Cartels are using are being given to them from our gun makers here in the states.  But what really happened was our federal government was supplying the arms to the Cartels and when one of our own agents was killed it all came to light what was going on behind our backs. What is going on in this country? Our federal government who is sworn to protect us is doing just the opposite, and even worse, they aide the enemy.

I know, a great deal of you say that this is conspiracy theory stuff. That’s what always happens when a country puts their belief and blind faith in its leaders. Hitler started the same way. Scare enough people, give them what they need to survive and promise to take care of them and the people will flock like sheep to follow the leader. It’s happening right now, here, in this country. Scared, yes, I am scared. I didn’t think this could happen here but it is and we are watching as it as it does and many of us are riding the bandwagon thinking that the other half doesn’t know jack. When a government by the people for the people no longer exists as it “doesn’t” today, then it is only a matter of time before our God given rights will no longer be. Yes we have lost control of our government and our leaders know this, and depend on us to stay blind to it so “they” can control “us”. Don’t see it yet? How else then can they continue to steal from us, spend our money freely and live better lives than the common folk, while we all just keep voluntarily forking over more tax dollars to support the mess they create.

America has finally dumbed down. Just look around you. Everywhere you go the thing you see most is people, especially the young, thumbing a smart phone. Computers that were supposed to do great things for us have just become another way to distract us from the important things in life. While our country is changing it face, our people are changing their Face book page. While illegal aliens are helping to drain the heath care system, our people are tweeting that they are tired from partying all night. And while our President is taking time out of his busy golf schedule to appear on the “View” our countries strongest ally in the middle east, during a nuclear crisis, sits and waits for a meeting with him.

What do you believe? I just hope you believe its time to pay attention to what is changing around us. To put down the cell phone and read some unbiased news about what is happening in this country. To stand up and speak out about what is wrong and not worry about being politically correct. I hope you believe like I do that there’s nothing wrong with the Constitution and that this is the greatest country on earth, not in spite of it , but because of it!

What do you believe?

Just one man’s opinion

The Regular Guy

S

Time takes it’s toll on old cars. Dirt and road grime build up over the years as does rust which is always the biggest demon when restoring an old car. There’s only two ways to deal with rust and that’s cut it out or sand it off.

Although no one wants rust and grime, its pretty cool to see the changes that take place when cleaning up the parts that are in need. Scraping off dirt and old oil to reveal the part beneath it to later prime and paint. It is too damn expensive to pay for new parts when old ones are still good but only need cleaning or paint. Paying someone to do the work is also an option but again do you want to spend money on things like that when you still need new wheels and tires? Save the money for the good stuff. Check out the picture on the left. Rust removed and ready for paint, while the picture on the right shows the parts primed, painted and ready to be put back into the cars chassis.

Picking through the extra parts that came with the car, I found it wasn’t worth cleaning, repairing and recovering the cars original bucket seats. In hind sight, I should have inspected the extra parts more carefully because half of them weren’t worth taking. One call to a local Auto Recyclers netted me new set of buckets and a center console for $140.00.Perfect leather seats from a Mini Cooper which is a definite upgrade from the ’72 Chevelle bucket seats. The console with its cup holders and armrest/storage compartment adds a touch of today’s cockpit conveniences.

Restoring a car takes a lot of patience and time but its also very Zen in that it’s quiet time you spend detailing and thinking usually by yourself and in the end you feel good about the  results and that you accomplished something rewarding.

DON ‘ T expect the television actresses to serve you, DO expect a surprisingly great meal!

Always looking for a new place to try, this past Saturday evening was no different. Known for their catering prowess, I had been tempted to try their dining room for years but always seemed to forget about them when thinking of places to try. A mistake I won’t make again.

Starting out with two appetizers, Carpaccio and one of the specials that included Shrimp and Lump Crab meat with a Lime Chipotle dressing, was enough of a serving for the four of us. Although the Carpaccio was delicious, I have to say the Shrimp app was extremely good. I love fresh Lime on salads of any type, and the dressing on the Shrimp and Crab really sets off the seafood perfectly. Drag each morsel through the Chipotle drizzle and it makes it all that much tastier. What dressing that was left on the dish mops up nicely with the crusty bread served with the meal. Speaking of the bread, try not to overdo it because its served with a side of herb butter that makes you want to eat it as continuously.

Dinner plates were the following: Roman Pork Chop, Panzerroti, Rigatoni Marcia and my dish was the evenings special Penne with Lump Crab meat, Shrimp and Pancetta in a light( perfect amount) Sherry cream sauce. Since I only ate  from my plate,  I can only comment on my meal. I have to say that I was worried about the cream sauce as with most restaurants, they usually overdo it. Our waitress, I believe her name was Kathleen, bragged about how great the dish would be and I should definitely try it. I must admit she was spot on with her description and completely correct about how good it was. I always judge a restaurant by the size of their Shrimp and portion served. Shrimp should be sized  U-15 or bigger and ALWAYS at least SIX  Shrimp for a dish with a combination of ingredients. Both criteria were filled along with what seemed like eight ounces of Crab meat. It must have been quite a bit because I tasted it in every bite and you could see it’s wonderful lumpiness throughout the dish. It always makes me happy when I have a pasta dish that isn’t a pound of penne with a splattering of the dishes main item. Just the opposite was true with this fantastic dinner.  All the meals were so good that everyone tasted each others choice and none of us could decide who had the best dinner. That’s rare in itself, that everyone’s meal was just a s good as the others.

Writing a review wouldn’t be complete without mentioning the great service staff . Extremely friendly and able to describe in detail each menu item, the wait and bus staff were top notch and trained well. Next time your looking for a great meal and great service at affordable prices, look to Kate and Ally’s to make your dining experience a memorable one! Call ahead for reservations and be prepared not to be seated after 9pm.

Regular Guy rating  * * * *

Kate and Ally’s

216 North Main Street,
in Forked River. 08731

609-971-8888

www.kate-and-allys.com

It really can’t be that hard. A toilet is a pretty big target so I just can’t figure out why so many men can’t seem to get that yellow stuff in.

I have seen some pretty bad urinals in public places that I refuse to stand in front of. Urine on my shoe bottoms is not tolerable, so why then would I want to see it in my own house. I think I might have to get a “port-a-potty ” for the next party, or maybe a flexible shield for the rim. How about battleships in the bowl like they do for little boys potty training. Maybe I can make a game of it. Seriously, your mommy isn’t going to cleanup after you anymore and I sure as hell don’t want to. I almost cringe anymore when a guy comes to my house and needs to pee. Figure it out guys and aim for the water……or try using the white stuff on the roll next to you to wipe up the drops!!!

Just one man’s opinion

The Regular Guy