Still fooling around with the layout

As you can see I'm still trying to make this thing look right. I didn't like the old layout so I chose a totally different template. I think this one is easier on the eyes.

Yesterday evening we had a totally awesome thunderstorm. In our county someone's garage burned down after being struck by lightning, and one of the guys who works for me called in because he had a tree sticking through his house. Some people will use any excuse to miss work.

Speaking of work, some of these people are really starting to irritate me. They keep coming in here when I'm trying to blog and interrupting me with work related problems and issues. So I guess I should probably do this in my off hours from now on.

Someone was giving me a hard time about my blog not having any photos, so I'll try to do better. Here's a recent photo of me:

Until next time.

What I miss about California

In keeping with the theme of my last post, these are the things I miss about California...

The Good and Bad of living in Atlanta

I've been living in the South for just a little over a year, after living my whole life in California. Now that we're "settled in", I can reflect on what I like and don't like about living here.

THE GOOD

• The cost of living is more reasonable. Gas is about 25 cents a gallon cheaper than California, and home prices are way better. Plus you get a lot more house for your money.
• Georgia has awesome thunderstorms!
• People here are generally friendly. Not as many "y'alls" and Gomer-speak as people usually think, but people do say "sir" and "ma'am" a lot more than in California.
• Lots of hills, trees and foliage. I enjoy driving through my neighborhood just to see the scenery.
• It is fun living somewhere totally different.

THE BAD

• The traffic here is famously TERRIBLE. Forbes.com recently rated Atlanta as the nation's worst commute (We're Number One!). In addition to just too many cars on the road, people don't know how to drive. I've commuted in the worst of California traffic, and people weren't crashing all the time like they do here.
• Giant roaches and killer mosquitos
• Humidity
• No In-N-Out Burger (but Five Guys is really good)
• It is totally retarded the way street names change without warning. For example, a major boulevard near our house is Indian Hill Road. Then at one intersection it turns into Killian Hill Road for no apparent reason. This happens everywhere around here.

On balance I really enjoy living in Georgia. Everything is new to us - we haven't even scratched the surface on all there is to see and do. Now if I could just eliminate my daily commute.

Oregon man is world's oldest living Goddard on his street.

Today is my Dad's birthday! Although he isn't sensitive about his age, I won't mention it except to say he is old enough to have reigned terror on the Japanese during WW2.

Dad later raised a family and worked for many years in the restaurant industry, both of which are probably just as hard as reigning terror on the Japanese.

He has been successful at many different things, but one of Dad's most interesting and rewarding jobs was producing radio programming for Family Radio in Oakland, CA. He even got some air time as "scary voice man" on one of the kid's shows.

Now retired, my dad continues his role as the Patriarch of the Goddard Dynasty, which reaches all across these United States.

We love you Dad, thank you for your service and for your love and guidance.

You can send a birthday greeting to Darrell Goddard at darbobbieg@comcast.net

Marketing Lesson

I'm experimenting with font size and color, let me know what you think.

Yesterday I bought gas for $3.89 a gallon. The posted price was $3.99 and average for the area is just over $4.00. How did I get ten cents a gallon off? I bought groceries AND gas at Kroger.

Kroger has a "Plus Card" that you scan whenever you buy gas or groceries. It gives you a discount price on many grocery items, and once you spend a certain amount on groceries, you get a certain amount off the gas price. I think the minimum is 3 cents, then it goes to 10 cents and then 15 cents.

Do you think I go out of my way to buy groceries at Kroger? Of course because if I don't, I miss out on savings on gas. Do you think I go out of my way to buy gas at Kroger? Of course - same reason.

Kroger is using gas as a loss-leader and using it to lock their customers in. I don't think Kroger is such a great store really, I might or might not shop there otherwise, but I can't ignore the savings on gas. And by the line I see at the pumps their plan is working. I admire their marketing savvy and I will happily let them lock me in as long as they're saving me money.

Why are we in Atlanta?

It's hard to believe it's been a year since we moved to Atlanta. As a lifelong Californian and having never even been to the South, a move to Atlanta wasn't even on my radar 18 months ago. Then the job that brought us here turned out to be just the worse "opportunity" ever imagined!

As time goes on it is becoming clearer to me why God brought us here. These might not be the only reasons, but I am convinced they are at least part of His plan:

First, he brought us here to teach us to rely totally on Him. A year ago we were about as far away from friends, family and familiar surroundings as you can get. And without getting into a lot of detail, we were going through some very hard times with career and finances. We really had no option but to turn to God to sustain us and help us through. It would not be accurate to say it has been "smooth sailing", but He did provide a much better job for me, and has met all our needs.

Second, I firmly believe God wanted me to hear Dr. Charles Stanley at First Baptist Church of Atlanta, where we have been attending since we moved here. Carol and I have always enjoyed hearing Dr. Stanley on the radio and TV, but I would only hear him occasionally. The last few Sundays especially, I am confident God wanted me in that particular church at that particular time.

Could it be these are the only two reasons the Goddards were brought to Atlanta? I don't know, but it has become crystal clear to me that these ARE at least some of the reasons we are here today.

Over and out for now.