Aim for the Sky

Gone Till November

Blessed & Not Stressed

This video highlights my experiences from May/June 2010.

Success

Whew, I can't believe it is already March! 2010 has been a blessed year. I'm preparing to transition from my current role at my company and enter an area that I have explored and taken interest in. Long hour days have been the norm for several months but I was finally able to sneak away for a 4 day vacation in Los Angeles. I had a great ticket to watch the defending world championship Lakers compete on Sunday. Lenny Kravitz, Cuttino Mobley, Adam Levine, Leo, Wanda Sykes, John Travolta, Denzel, Jack Nicholson, T.O., Maria Shriver and Jessica Alba were all in plain sight. The Lakers defeated the Nuggets in a rematch of 2009's Western Conference Finals and I even made it on the jumbo tron! Two pretty girls sat in my row and I somehow ended up at their dinner table at Katsuya following the game - but that's another story.

I love L.A. I've been in love with Southern California since the 5th grade when my family first vacationed there. Each visit enables me to refresh my mind, body and re-evaluate my life's goals. Success motivates me and drives my work ethic. For me, success is not concretely defined because I am never satisfied. No matter how well I succeed, I continuously work to develop, improve and better myself. L.A. serves as a benchmark for the success and lifestyle I work towards living. I feed off the warm climate, scenic mountains, Pacific coast and streets flooded with fame and wealth. I always lock in a final impression before each departure. The morning of my flight, I went jogging down the street from my hotel in Beverly Hills and believed one day I will own a home in a prestigious Los Angeles neighborhood. I made sure to snap a photo because according to Chris Tucker (who performed stand-up while in town), "We can't remember sh*t these days!"

2009 Year In Review

I thank God for a year of life lessons. For the first time in my life I experienced what many refer to as, "girl problems." I never let things get to me but was stripped of being myself for nearly three months. I would rank this period as the worst time in my life. I never thought I was going to snap out of it. I cared a lot for the girl but having her in my life was making me insane! It was so bad that I actually prayed to God to end our relationship. We eventually severed ties and I bounced back. Life has never been so great.

After realizing my life wasn't perfect, I ventured out of my bubble and had a better sense of compassion for troubles that plagued other's lives. For the first time in my life, I could relate. I matured more this year than in any other year in my life. Socially, I didn’t feel the need or want to party every weekend. Professionally, I began to interact more with my colleagues and have taken broader steps to grow in my career. Spiritually, I returned to Sunday church services for the first time since high school.

Since graduating college I’ve been trying to find myself. I was a student athlete for 17.5 years. During this time, I was ambitious about where my education would lead me and passionate about each sport I competed in. Since my college football career has ended and I've graduated, I have found it difficult to find a passion that drives me in my career. I’m blessed that I work for a company where I am able to express this and have colleagues who support me. This year, I have built a network of executive level professionals and have received thoughtful advice, in search of a career path that best suits me.

I usually travel alone. For one, it's too difficult to coordinate schedules with others and I really enjoy the company of myself. I always enjoy meeting new people and connecting with friends when I travel. One memorable encounter was during a trip to Los Angeles. I had just parked my car in Beverly Hills and was walking towards Rodeo Drive and randomly ran into a high school friend. She happened to be there on spring break from med school in Chicago. It was a random encounter but it’s always good to see a familiar face when I’m away from home. Other notable ’09 travel experiences: Exploring NYC, walking past Stevie Wonder (on Rodeo Drive as well), first day at the spa (SLS Ciel Spa) and celebrating my birthday at the Playboy Mansion.

Having a finance and economics background, I found it very interesting to follow our economic recession. I watched more business/financial news this year than I had since college. I enjoyed following our country’s first African-American President and government's plans to stimulate the economy. I was fortunate to not have been adversely impacted by the recession. I love to shop and I can’t tell you how many great deals I found this year on merchandise. It was Christmas all year for me!

I lived both "the dream" and a movie this year. Each year tends to improve for me so I am optimistic about another great year in 2010. I wish my readers the same. I plan to lay low the remainder of the year. I do not like to celebrate New Year's eve so I will probably play video games and enjoy time at home with my family. Happy Holidays to everyone. Feel free to comment about your own experiences this year or any New Year resolutions.

Play It By Ear

I have enjoyed 9 days vacationing in Orlando, FL! This is probably my last opportunity to take time away from the office until March so I've been relaxing, staying with my favorite uncle and have spent my days in the gym (sometimes twice a day), running miles under the sun, catching up on my rest and playing video games.

I spend my vacations two ways. There are the party "trips" where after I return, I feel like a need another vacation to recover and there are my FL vacations which are always laid back get-a-ways. My week long adventures to LA are usually a hybrid between the two, but that is another story...The beauty of vacationing is being able to do everything on YOUR schedule, whenever and however you want. Some people rather plan each and every minute with activities but I choose to go with the flow. In fact, my mantra for the week: "play it by ear."

Thanksgiving was really chill. I could have went to a restaurant for a traditional dinner but opted to eat egg whites, fruit and watch football. Call me lame, but I'm simple and that made me happy. My uncle introduced me to a colleague of his and we all went out Friday night in downtown Orlando. It was a good time but I didn't get too crazy. I'll make up for that in NYC this upcoming weekend. Haha.

One regret of being away from home is that I've missed every Lakers' game this week! I have not missed a game this season (thanks to NBA League Pass) so I will have to watch on DVR when I return. I'm flying back to Cincy in the morning and heading to the Bengals' game. 'Dre Caldwell gave me and his cousin game tickets again so I'm excited to watch the Bengals potentially sweep the AFC North vs. Cleveland. There may be a celebration afterward which may void this relaxing trip as I return to a busy week in the office on Monday morning. Sigh, but I shouldn't complain. I blessed and I love my life.

My 26th Birthday

I celebrated my 26th birthday in Los Angeles. Check out my video to see what I was up too.

Closet Space

I thought I'd spice up my blog with a vlog! I promise each of my posts won't be about my purchases/fashion. But I was pretty geeked about my recent acquisition of wooden hangers and wanted everyone to know!

Fat, Sugar, Salt?

I'm a retired jock, but I still maintain a healthy lifestyle through a nutritious diet and exercise. America is obese. Discussions of imposing a "fat tax" are being discussed in Congress. I don't think a bill will ever pass but to even bring up the idea has to make you think. I was recently in NYC and loved how nearly every (overpriced) menu listed the amount of calories per item. Personally, I don't know if this helps deter those from purchasing foods heavy in fat, sugar and salt but when I shop, I always read the nutrition facts. In fact, I've memorized quite a few. I don't necessarily choose what I consume from the food pyramid or any of of those "scientific" Hollywood diets. I do what works well for me. I know my body and how different types of food affects it. The purpose of this post isn't to stir up debates of food politics. I post this blog to encourage you to be responsible for what you consume in your bodies, because you are what you eat.

Dressed to Impress

The greatest economic recession in recent U.S. history is nearing an end. After months of saving, I decided to splurge and pump some hard earned discretionary income into the economy. What did I purchase? Two pairs of Cole Haan shoes: Martino Penny II (left) and Air Lucarno Bit II (right). Usually, I would find myself buying shoes at department stores such as Kohls, not exceeding $50-75. No more of that! Let me tell you, these are the most comfortable pairs of shoes I've ever purchased. Both look great with trousers or jeans. My favorite of the two: The Air Lucarno Bit II. These are made of clafskin leather and the soles are constructed by Nike Air and sewn together by hand. A pair of these will set you back a few hundred dollars but well worth the price. I think of these as investments. A well crafted shoe will last for years (with proper care and maintenance). Yes, shoe horns, cedar shoe trees, heel taps, routine polish, etc. These items are essential for gaining the full life out of a pair. So the next time you buy a new pair of dress shoes, ask yourself if you want to continue spending $50-75 on a replacement pair of kicks or should you cough up a few extra dollars and stretch your investment over the next few years? Think about it.

1st Vlog

Here is my first attempt at making a video blog. P.S. I don't like the sound of my voice. Haha.