IFYL!!! (August 28, 2008)

Ever have a morning when you don't wanna be bothered? Feel like telling your significant other to "get outta your face"??? Well this "getting up on the wrong side of the bed syndrome" plagues many people on a daily basis.

What is a cause?:

- Hormone levels

• In the morning hours, the hormone cortisone is prevalent; It elevates blood pressure and prepares the body for the "fight or flight" response


• The hormone testosterone (which is more concentrated in males) is present at its highest level of the day in the morning time; It creates a higher desire for competition which may lead to grumpiness if one doesn't get his way

How to rid yourself of this "tuuudddde"...

- Plan to reward/pamper yourself

• By making a plan to treat yourself, you are giving yourself something to look forward to; This anticipation helps the grumpiness subside

- Do something for someone else

• It would feel REALLY abnormal to do a good deed with a mean mug, so try this method if you wanna get over your "moody Rudy blues"

Yet another useful, yet random, tip from Intelligence For Your Life!

Intelligence For Your Life c/o The John Tesh Radio Show

IFYL!!! (August 21, 2008)

Did you know that people who leave traces of the food they've consumed (i.e. pile of bones), eat 20% less than those who constantly have their tables cleared?

• The remnants of the food serve as a reminder of what's been eaten
• Once your table has been cleared your mind isn't focused on the food recently consumed, but rather the next course coming out!

Intelligence For Your Life!!! c/o The John Tesh Radio Show

Bolt strikes TWICE!

For those of you fellow red-eyed, baggy-eyed, squinty-eyed, sleep encrusted-eyed followers of the Olympics--we have witnessed more history in the making! The 100m and 200m domination of Jamaica's superstar sprinter, Usain Bolt, has been at the forefront of news (most notably after Phelps-mania subsided).

Bolt, 22, gained notoriety for his early celebration in the 100m race. Many have criticized the sprinter for his seemingly premature "chest pat" claiming it to be unsportsmanlike and disrespectful to the other runners. In any other situation, I'd probably feel the same way...but as for this case--WHO CARES?! This guy brings a combination of intensity and confidence to the sport.

Not since the 1996 games in Atlanta (da "A") has a runner captured my full attention (Michael Johnson). Bolt's height of 6' 5" has definitely given him an advantage over most sprinters. His long legs make his strides seem effortless.

I don't know about you--but I was completely FLOORED by the fact that this guy has time to frickin' slow down at the end of the race!!! Most runners are trucking full-speed ahead at the finish line, but this guy is easing up and looking at his watch as he pulls into the station!

If you aren't on the Bolt Bandwagon yet, you may wanna pull up a seat beside me! (I bit that from Madden NFL 2005)

Intelligence For Your Life!!!

Everyday I find myself listening to the John Tesh Radio Show on Sunny 100. Tesh does a segment called "Intelligence For Your Life" which distributes little nuggets of wisdom regarding daily activities and useful info on a variety of subjects. It's interesting because it's just embedded in me to be skeptical about everything before I get background information on it. So...naturally I was skeptical about this show and the "intelligence" they call themselves spreading!

After several listens (is that used in the correct context???), I found myself realizing the validity of this guy's suggestions!

So from now on--I'm going to be sharing some of the more interesting suggestions from John with you all. Hopefully you can find some use for these random factoids!

1) Take time to eat your food SLOWLY

• Studies have shown that people have a tendency to overeat when they consume their meals quickly
• It takes the brain 15-20 minutes to send signals to your stomach that you are full or satisfied; People who eat a little more slowly find that they are less likely to overeat or stuff themselves!

2) Bring a bottle of water with you to most places

• Sometimes when you think you're hungry, it's really your body's reaction to dehydration
• If you carry a bottle of water around with you, it may lessen your chances of eating when you aren't really hungry. Now you can be sure when you're on the brink of hallucinogenic madness due to lack of water!

3) Be wary of the send button!

• Studies have shown that the office/workplace contains more rampant germs than a bathroom toilet
• Where's the epicenter of all this germ-ridden activity, you ask? (dun, dun, dunnnnn) Yeah, that's right...the send button on the fax machine
• Due to the constant use of the send button moreso than any other button, the send button has become a cesspool of filth and disease-laden germs
• What to do??? Periodically wipe down machines/equipment with buttons that are frequented by various individuals throughout the day (i.e. computer keyboards, phone keypads, fax machine buttons, copy machine buttons)

Well...that's all I have from John for today. Stay tuned for more tidbits to help you get through the day a little more intelligently!

Shaving off layers of concrete...

Wow. As I sat in my office, I realized how far I've come along as a man/human being/believer. The past four years of my life have been like a calm-yet-turbulent windstorm. In other words--things have been bittersweet at best.

During my last year of college, I experienced love/betrayal/happiness/rage and many other paradoxical outlooks on life. I told myself that I'd never feel that way again. So--I began to plop on layers of concrete around my heart. If no one can get through to your heart, you can't be hurt again--right? Right. (you expected me to say 'wrong', didn't you?) So I caked this cement-laden mixture around every valve and ventricle to make sure this feeling never returned. It's one thing to make a promise to others, but when you make a vow to yourself--it's seals the deal a little tighter.

Since that time, I went through various insignificant "relationship-lets". Relationship-lets are those relationships that didn't even have enough substance to be worthy enough to be mentioned. In these I realized that all I wanted was a companion to hold my attention for about a month or so, then move on her way. It was somewhat of a vampiric thirst for attention. Once all the desired attention was "sucked" from that particular person...Count Dracula (me) moved to his next victim.

After a while, a new prospect made her way onto the scene. She was great. Maybe a tad different from the previous women I had dated--but that may be what I needed. After months of long-distance dating, I realized she and I had nothing in common. I don't know how that happened. How can you not know basic things about someone you've dated for close to 5 months??? Easy. Just make sure that you've only physically hungout twice...then try to start up a long-distance "thing". ...like I did.

I'm rambling--I know. But after this last endeavor ended like the 1986 Space Shuttle Challenger, I began to allow God to take control. I was sick of things going sour in my life and in love and in my career... Something needed to change.

I finally came to the realization that I no longer knew how to love. The more I truly sought a closer relationship with God, the more I learned how to love again. God began to let his light shine within me again--and as this happened, bits of the dried concrete started to chip off my "ticker". It's a wonderful feeling to be able to feel love again. Not romantic love or parental love...but God's agape love.

Now, don't get me wrong... I haven't shaved off all the concrete left, but a huge chunk just fell off as I typed this...

Different Male Role Models...Please!

Throughout the recent decades, we've been engulfed in the battle for our young ethnic youth. We're always telling our youth to "stay in school", "say no to drugs", "go to college", "become educated", and various other cliches which have been stretched as far as the eye can see... I have no qualms with raising our progeny up to be more than thugs, wannabe gangstas, the next-big-hip-hop-star, or the next LeBron James (keep in mind that this is not intended to knock music artists or athletes). I, along with many Black Americans out there, believe that kids need to be introduced to lifestyles which show that you don't have to be a "hustla", "cd slanger", or star athlete to be successful and blessed.

There's only one problem with this. Our EDUCATED "role models" are now exhibiting unsavory behavior at alarming rates! Imagine this: You're explaining to little Nick why he should grow up to be a lawyer, doctor, or businessman and right behind you the television is broadcasting Jesse Jackson whisper about chopping off Barack Obama's genitals! What the heck?! You have Jesse and Al (Sharpton) who both claim to be reverends in their own right. When do we ever hear about them? Soon as something remotely racist occurs, someone turns on their searchlight to display the "Black-signal" in the skies. Then it's one or the other to rescue.

If someone in the media says the word "Black" incorrectly, you can bet that there's a Rainbow PUSH supporter who's got their finger on the switch--just ready to turn on the "Black-signal"! To the "Black cave", Robin!

In this day and age, we no longer need to resort to the methods that were used in the 60s and 70s. For the most part--America is in tune to the struggles of the African-American community. Our job now is to educate each other and have unwavering men and women of God in leadership roles. That's the secret... Include God. He's what's missing from a lot of these formulas for success.

Oh, and let's not forget about our brother--the Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick. Charges stemming from perjury, unfair termination (of law enforcement), and now leaving the country without notifying the courts. A Detroit mayor is IN JAIL, people! That looks horrendous! Not to mention, he's a member of my fraternity and it does not reflect well. In any other situation, I'd have compassion upon an individual. But to me (maybe I'm alone in this one) I get an air that he feels somewhat "above the law". You lie in court, lie to your family, lie to the city of Detroit and still decide that it's okay to head to Canada without telling anyone. Not the best decision there, Kwame.

We seem to be at a crossroads where the lifestyles that we're trying to steer our children away from are slowly growing parallel to the lifestyles we promote! An old cliche' comes to mind... In order to see change occur and spread throughout our neighborhoods, communities, and country--we have to BE that change! Change is inevitable. Let's make it positive.

I've Been Here WAYYYY Too Long!!!

When you're somewhere you don't want to be, it's easy to begin to pick up on subtle things that seem to get...bigger. For instance--I work for a very well-known insurance company. My job is relatively easy. Give quotes and issue out policies for the various clients we deal with.

Within the past two months, we've had numerous transitions in the office. Our Agent has resigned from his/her position, so now our office is limited on the activities we can do on a daily basis. Namely, we can't actively go out and solicit business (which was a regulation issued directly from the execs). As business has dwindled down and leveled out...my day-to-day activities have gotten more routine than my daily hygenic habits. I come in and turn on the radio, pull up all the required software needed to assist clients, and then locate my gaming websites. I haven't forgotten my point--just sit tight...

As this monotony continues from day-to-day, I've noticed things that just can't be overlooked anymore. It's becoming too much...

My Office Manager and I are the only remaining employees in our office. She isn't exactly the epitome of a "leader". She has a tendency to release her daily woes into the office atmosphere by means of a phrase which has begun to irk me to no end... "Oh me, oh me, oh my...". You all may not understand the level of aggravation that I experience because you haven't been subjected to this torture--but I say it's validated. In addition to this daily utterance, she also talks low enough to where I can only hear her Charlie Brown-ish sounding words right under the radio. I hear my radio and then "whahhh whahhh whahhh" in the background. Numerous times during the day I have to turn the radio down to ask her to clarify her past sentences that I missed and it ends up being less than breaking news! "I need to pay my car payments", "I do not want to deal with Randy's mother", or "I wonder what they're doing outside..." ends up being the cause of my approaching carpal tunnel from the repeated raising/lowering of the radio.

I wish you all could see me on camera as I go through my workday... Just this morning, I was engaging in the solace of cheesy 80s love tunes. Not the Al B. Sure, Peabo Bryson, or Anita Baker variety... I'm talking--Michael Bolton. Don't hate. So as I listened to Michael croon his way through other's songs, I hear the faint mumble of what seems to be a voice. What is it??? None other than the Charlie Brown-ish utterance of...(say it with me everybody) "Oh me, oh me, oh my"... I felt like I was George Costanza in an episode of Seinfeld as I raised my fists in the air and silently shouted "NO!!!"!

Uh oh...some vintage Rod Stewart just came on... So, as I venture from day-to-day I'm afraid that I'm going to end up going off on the Manager for sneezing or something. Letting this stuff build up isn't good for me! I've learned from my past experiences that I don't tend to make sense when I go off after a fuse has blown! I'm just a big no sense-making ball of fury. Let's pray that I don't get to that point.

The Inaugural Post...

I'm extremely excited about my decision to begin this blog. The inspiration for this came from a very good friend who seems to share many of the same ambitions/desires/heartaches that I have. We've been friends for about 2-3 years, but we seem to just be scratching the surface of what makes each other tick. Go figure.

I'm excited that this blog will be my gateway to letting the world in on my thoughts, grievances, hopes, prayers, and simply put--life. A revolt has been awakened from within. A revolt against the "norms" of society. A revolt against just taking things for what they are. A revolt against the suppression of God-given gifts. And most of all--a revolt against monotony.