Real Talk

"All I want from you today, is all you've got."

Thankful

Thanksgiving. Pretty awesome for me, I have so much to be thankful for. During this 4 day weekend, I've already seen old friends, made new ones, played a competitive football game, had mom's cooking (best food ever), saw an awesome sunset, and took a nap. Who knows what else is in store for the weekend?

Life can be stressful, not every day has to be a good day. But I think you can make every day all right if you approach it right. Holidays like this help. We get to look back and think of how fortunate we are. I've always had a home, a place to live as well as a supportive family and group of friends. I've never had to worry about food, I'm healthy, physically and mentally (I think). I feel like every day becomes more and more beautiful. My friend once told me something along the lines of 'nature and life are so beautiful, they have a way of taking care of themselves, working themselves out, which allows us to worry about the things that don't matter.' Sometimes we get caught up in these things that don't matter, so it's nice to have days to just be happy that the grass is growing towards us.

I used to think it was kind of lame that we needed Thanksgiving to tell someone that we appreciate them as a friend/family member/ anything else. Why can't you just say it whenever, why do you need this holiday as an excuse to say it? But the truth is, I don't say it enough. Sometimes it's awkward to 'randomly' tell someone that you appreciate them. And if this holiday helps to open up, rebuild relationships, maintain friendships, show love, then I'm all for it.

"Always eat everything on your plate." - Mom

Stay Loose, Be Confident

Today was the first time in a very long time that I really panicked. Actually, it made me think about all of college, and I couldn't think of a single time that I was so stressed out about something. And it's pretty ridiculous because I'm in probably the best situation I could be in, and my problem might fix itself by tomorrow. I have great friends, great support, great options for the future. But for some reason I almost broke down. I started thinking, I don't know what to do, I don't who to listen to, I don't know if 'following my heart' is enough. How much money is going to be enough? How will I handle living on my own? What's the best career path? What do I really want to do?

And then it just came back to two things my high school football coaches told me. First, "Stay loose, and adjust." - Coach Cooper.
 I hear it all the time in my head. We had new coaches, a completely new defense that kept changing every day. Coaches were telling us different things, everyone's confused, team's falling apart. And those four words, for whatever reason, focused me. I had a new mentality for the rest of the season, and really, for the rest of my life. I still think of those words today and live by it, no matter how simple/silly it sounds.
Second, "You're locking their one all day. Just do what you do."- Coach Arneson.
When I was a sophomore, the speed of varsity was too much for me. Everything was a blur. During a camp the next summer, Arneson told me, not only was I going to start, but I would be guarding the best receiver. But the way he said it, the way he gave it to me, he gave me so much confidence. I went out and played really well. It's a really weird thing, but everything slowed down. Dramatically, almost movie-like. I was no longer struggling to keep up, I was in total control. I wish that everyone could feel what I felt that day at least once in their life.

Back to today. I realized, I need to just be confident in what I know I can do. Slow things down, roll with the punches. I've been picked for a reason, I'm in a good situation, I just need to work hard and good things will follow.

"That's a champion. Because if I was on the outside looking in, that's somebody who ain't afraid to work. And anybody who ain't afraid to work, greatness will chase them, most of the time they don't have to chase it." - Ray Lewis

Singing

I'm a terrible singer, one of the worst. But I don't mind making an ass of myself, and I love hanging out with friends. Did some karaoke this weekend and have just been listening to great songs for the past few days. 

Good morning, look at the valedictorian, scared of the future while I hop in the Delorean. Scared to face the world, complacent career student. Some people graduate, but we still stupid. They tell you read this, eat this, don't look around just peep this, preach us, teach us, Jesus. Okay look up now, they done stole your streetness. After all of that, you receive this, Good Morning.

Don't worry, about a thing, cause every little thing, gonna be all right.

If I had eyes in the back of my head, I would have told you that you looked good as I walked away.

No one's perfect. And if you think that you can't count your mistakes, think again, cause I know that you can. Dear sir, I'm pretty sure that we grow every day, based on simple mistakes that we make.

Since I met you I begun to feel so strange, every time I speak your name... I don't need all those things that used to bring me joy, you make me such a happy boy. And honey you'll always be the one for me, meeting you was me destiny.

The hard times make a true friend afraid to ask, for currency, but you could run to me when you need me, I never leave, I just need someone to believe in, as you can see. It's a small thing through and true, what could I do? Real homies help you get through, and coming new, he'd do the same thing if he could, cause in the hood true homies make you feel good.

11/16

"Somebody said to me, ‘wow, so you’re really beating the grim reaper.’ And I said to him, ‘we don’t beat the reaper by living longer, we beat the reaper by living well and living fully, for the reaper will come for all of us. The question is what do we do between the time we’re born and the time he shows up. Because when he shows up, it’s too late to do the things that you’re going to kind of get around to." Randy Pausch

We all owe God a death, it's a shame some are taken so early. But from death we learn, we reflect, we reprioritize. It's been five years since Whitney passed. She looked out for me when we were kids, and I'm sure even now she's looking over all of those who were close to her. I've moved on, but not away from her, rather with her even closer to my heart.

November Update

Monthly Challenge Update

Taking one picture a day. One picture and one picture only. Also taking a notebook with me everywhere.

Some things I've learned this month. Notebook's pretty handy to keep around. Nothing really interesting I've written, but it's nice to have when I want to remember something. I'm not a great photographer, a lot of the pictures are blurry. Sometimes I would get upset about the picture, because I only get one. If the picture was bad, I would get mad that I didn't take more time to make sure it was right.

A big thing I realized is that looking back, every picture could have been better in some way. A lot of of days I had a picture in my mind, and I would be excited to take a picture, but somehow I would miss it or the thing I imagined wouldn't happen. There were some days where I said, 'I'm going to take a picture when we do this'. And I would take a picture, but even then, I would look at the picture and say oh this isn't right, this could have been better.

But this is why pictures aren't so great. They're a second hand experience. When I look at the picture, I think of what's wrong with it. But when I think about the time, it seems like it was perfect. I've been having so much fun these past few months. I've been sincerely happy. In a lot of these days where I was taking a picture I would think 'there's nowhere else I would rather be right now, there's nothing else I would rather do than this. I'm living the dream, life is good.' But the pictures don't capture that. They never will.

I never liked when people took massive amounts of pictures. But I kind of see the value in looking back at pictures and reminiscing the good times. I think all you need is one. We'll see, still half a month to go!

Murmurations

A collection of starlings is called a murmuration.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TeA_P3Bn9Yw&feature=youtu.be

I saw this video and thought it was pretty awesome. It also made me wonder, do animals ever see what we do and think it's amazing/beautiful/incredible? Do birds ever look at us and think, wow those buildings those humans are making are pretty spectacular? Probably not, since they crap all over them, but there's got to be something impressive that we're doing, right?

Warrior

When everything falls apart, true warriors stand up

'Warriors don't ask questions, they give answers. They don't play house, they build homes. They don't make babies, they raise children. They don't invent excuses for failure, they produce strategies for success. They don't look for somebody to take care of them, they look for someone to take care of. They don't seek popularity, they  demand respect.'

'When you challenge a warrior, a warrior responds.'

'I'm one of the greatest warriors, one of the greatest servants on this earth.'

'If you can't find something to live for, you best find something to die for.'

Monthly Challenge

October is done!
Pull ups- 1350
average - 45 per day
last few days were hard, happy to be finished.

My challenges for next month:

1. Bring a notebook with me. Write down any questions I have at any time of day and look the answers up. Or write down whatever I feel like writing down.

2. Take one picture a day. Interesting part about this one is it's one picture and one picture only. Gotta make it count!

Should be fun! Can't wait for tomorrow!

"Every day when I'm breathing, it's for us to go farther." -Tupac