So it has been a while since I blogged on this particular forum, so what the hell, I'm doing it now.
Has anyone ever said the phrase to you "Get Real"? If any of you said no then you obviously live outside of this existence. Someone said that to me the other day and it got me thinking. Was I not "real"? Wait, what is "real"?
Well let me get "real" real quick. I'm a recovering alcoholic, I have a slight issue with anger, I expect too much out of myself, I'm a Christian, I like all kinds of music, my family is my life, I enjoy breathing every day, I hate the mornings, I enjoy video games, I love tattoo's...I could go on for a while. But is that what people think is "real"?
To me being "real" is not about where you came from, or how you act. Being real is knowing your passions and making them come to life whenever possible. Being real is about being true to those around you, not acting like someone you are not.
I have changed over the course of my life. I am totally different on October 17, 2007 than I was on October 17th, 1997. Sure 10 years takes it toll on people, but I changed drastically. Those who knew me at the prestigous Hopewell High School would not recognize me now aside from pictures. But am I more "real" now than I was then?
No.
I was real then, and I am real now. What makes me real is my ability and drive to be the truest person I can be. Not for you, but for me.
Wake up people and GET REAL!
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Monday, September 24, 2007
NFL Views and Opinions
Well we are just ending week 3 of the fresh NFL Season, and what a load of crap it's been thus far. Don't get me wrong, the football has been great! It's everything off the field that is irritating.
We all know about Michael Vick and the dogfighting, I wrote a post about it a while back and of course all of the arrests that took place during the offseason. It was just nice to finally sit down and watch some football. So what happens during the very first game of the freaking season?!? The New England Patriots are caught video taping the Jets Defensive signs...seriously...the Jets??? This puts everything that the Pats have done over their dynasty years up in the air, did they video tape the Panthers during their Super Bowl? We'll never know, but as a Panther fan I'm saying Yes!!!
After that died down, we had Donovan McNabb come out and pull a race card. I seriously have a hard time believing that a privelaged African American kid that grew up to make millions upon millions of dollars is being more critized than Payton Manning. If he is, it's because he's not as good, not because he's black. Either way this is one more distraction in an otherwise great football season.
Lastly came DeAngelo Hall's antics against Steve Smith yesterday in the game that pit the number one receiver in the league against argueably the number one corner in the league. These two have always talked, but DeAngelo took it to another level. After a third down sack, DeAngelo started running his mouth to Steve, after the official intervened and broke it up, DeAngelo kept talking resulting in a 15 yard penalty and an automatic first down. Carolina went down and scored and won the game by a touchdown. Now I'm not saying that DeAngelo cost Atlanta the game, but it did not help the situation. Any momentum that might have been in Atlanta's favor was gone, and Carolina capitalized. By the way DeAngelo plays for Atlanta, the same team Michael Vick played for...maybe it is stupidity that they look for in players.
Regardless of the dumb ass antics off the field, and the trash talking on the field, the football has been great. I look forward to what the rest of the season has in store ON THE FIELD!!!
P.S.-GO UVA!!! Undefeated in the ACC!!!
We all know about Michael Vick and the dogfighting, I wrote a post about it a while back and of course all of the arrests that took place during the offseason. It was just nice to finally sit down and watch some football. So what happens during the very first game of the freaking season?!? The New England Patriots are caught video taping the Jets Defensive signs...seriously...the Jets??? This puts everything that the Pats have done over their dynasty years up in the air, did they video tape the Panthers during their Super Bowl? We'll never know, but as a Panther fan I'm saying Yes!!!
After that died down, we had Donovan McNabb come out and pull a race card. I seriously have a hard time believing that a privelaged African American kid that grew up to make millions upon millions of dollars is being more critized than Payton Manning. If he is, it's because he's not as good, not because he's black. Either way this is one more distraction in an otherwise great football season.
Lastly came DeAngelo Hall's antics against Steve Smith yesterday in the game that pit the number one receiver in the league against argueably the number one corner in the league. These two have always talked, but DeAngelo took it to another level. After a third down sack, DeAngelo started running his mouth to Steve, after the official intervened and broke it up, DeAngelo kept talking resulting in a 15 yard penalty and an automatic first down. Carolina went down and scored and won the game by a touchdown. Now I'm not saying that DeAngelo cost Atlanta the game, but it did not help the situation. Any momentum that might have been in Atlanta's favor was gone, and Carolina capitalized. By the way DeAngelo plays for Atlanta, the same team Michael Vick played for...maybe it is stupidity that they look for in players.
Regardless of the dumb ass antics off the field, and the trash talking on the field, the football has been great. I look forward to what the rest of the season has in store ON THE FIELD!!!
P.S.-GO UVA!!! Undefeated in the ACC!!!
Monday, September 17, 2007
Never Forget the Americans that Serve
I was driving home last Thursday night from my soccer practice and I heard a song from Tim McGraw that I had heard bits and pieces of for about a month or so. It's a song that is tremendously sad, but has such a powerful meaning in the lyrics. Anyone that knows me knows that it is one of my best attributes, I can get lost in the lyrics of a great song. This is one of those songs.
With that being said I want you all to take a moment of your day to say a prayer for our soldiers in harms way everyday to make sure that we can live in peace and freedom in this great country of ours. I do not care if you support the war, or oppose it, you have your freedom for that choice because of the brave men and women that risk their lives so we can live ours here.
Watch the entire video and see the support that the families get from the crowd...that's Patriotism...that's something that we all should be doing. Every time we see a soldier that is going to war, or coming home, they deserve our utmost respect and gratitude. Most of us will never see the things they have seen, so please remember to include the soldiers and their families in your thoughts and prayers. If prayer is not you thing, then find what is and do that. They deserve it more than anyone in the world.
God Bless...
With that being said I want you all to take a moment of your day to say a prayer for our soldiers in harms way everyday to make sure that we can live in peace and freedom in this great country of ours. I do not care if you support the war, or oppose it, you have your freedom for that choice because of the brave men and women that risk their lives so we can live ours here.
Watch the entire video and see the support that the families get from the crowd...that's Patriotism...that's something that we all should be doing. Every time we see a soldier that is going to war, or coming home, they deserve our utmost respect and gratitude. Most of us will never see the things they have seen, so please remember to include the soldiers and their families in your thoughts and prayers. If prayer is not you thing, then find what is and do that. They deserve it more than anyone in the world.
God Bless...
Monday, August 20, 2007
Useless Talent
Today was a unique day in the world of sports, Michael Vick (Quarterback of the Atlanta Falcons) pleaded guilty to a number of stupid crimes. The most widely known and published throughout the country was his funding of an illegal dogfighting syndicate in the state of Virginia. Dogfighting is a cruel and unfathomable "sport" that has been thriving in the underground for years. Hopefully with this bust the Fed's can get a grip and get this hanious act of animal cruelty stopped for good all over the country.
Now many of you are going to say this idiot, he had the world by the balls and screwed it up. And I would agree with you, but aside from these charges of dogfighting, Vick is facing gambling charges, transporting dogs across state lines for the benefit of gambling, as well as Racketeering. Yes you heard me correctly, racketeering. These charges have given the Fed's the ability to do a RICO trial on Vick (Basically pin him if there is any link to him at all). Something that was made famous by the Fed's during the hey day of the mafia is coming back to bite this moron in the ass. The dogfighting is probably the most dispicable by far, but the Fed's are more interested in the other charges than they are the dogfighting and cruelty to animals.
What makes this whole situation make you want to stop and say "Seriously! What were you thinking?" is that Vick just recently signed a $130 million dollar contract, the largest in NFL history! $44 million of that has been paid to him, and he blows it by doing something stupid and hanging out with the wrong "Friends", and I use that term loosly as they turned long before Vick did to the Fed's. Obviously these guys were not "friends", however Vick is no longer classified as a human being to me. To me he is no more than a useless gathering of molecules that had all the talent in the world, but the mentality of dumb ass. The most ironic thing about this whole situation is that dogfighting is still LEGAL in Georgia. So if Vick had done his homework and set up shop in his resident state of GA, this would be a non-issue. Dogfighting is disgusting and everyone who participates in it should be malled by the pit bulls themselves, but the other charges of gambling, transportation and racketeering? Null in Void in GA, but not in VA.
Enjoy jail Michael Vick, you deserve it.
Now many of you are going to say this idiot, he had the world by the balls and screwed it up. And I would agree with you, but aside from these charges of dogfighting, Vick is facing gambling charges, transporting dogs across state lines for the benefit of gambling, as well as Racketeering. Yes you heard me correctly, racketeering. These charges have given the Fed's the ability to do a RICO trial on Vick (Basically pin him if there is any link to him at all). Something that was made famous by the Fed's during the hey day of the mafia is coming back to bite this moron in the ass. The dogfighting is probably the most dispicable by far, but the Fed's are more interested in the other charges than they are the dogfighting and cruelty to animals.
What makes this whole situation make you want to stop and say "Seriously! What were you thinking?" is that Vick just recently signed a $130 million dollar contract, the largest in NFL history! $44 million of that has been paid to him, and he blows it by doing something stupid and hanging out with the wrong "Friends", and I use that term loosly as they turned long before Vick did to the Fed's. Obviously these guys were not "friends", however Vick is no longer classified as a human being to me. To me he is no more than a useless gathering of molecules that had all the talent in the world, but the mentality of dumb ass. The most ironic thing about this whole situation is that dogfighting is still LEGAL in Georgia. So if Vick had done his homework and set up shop in his resident state of GA, this would be a non-issue. Dogfighting is disgusting and everyone who participates in it should be malled by the pit bulls themselves, but the other charges of gambling, transportation and racketeering? Null in Void in GA, but not in VA.
Enjoy jail Michael Vick, you deserve it.
Monday, August 6, 2007
Splitting and Planting
Well where to start on this topic? The recent letting go of a good friend of mine and the youth pastor at the church I was a member of has left me in quite a pickle to say the least. One, I do not feel comfortable in the church anymore, and without getting into the details I am not happy with the way it was managed financially or in the business sense. There is a lot of ways that a church can grow, but with no leadership, it is destined to grow no where. So this leaves me without a home to worship my God...what do I do? Find another church? Anyone who knows me knows that is easier said than done, for the love of everything holy my Grandfather passed away in a church. That's enough for me to never want to step foot in another one, however this was the first church that I have ever felt "comfortable" in, and to see it so poorly managed just breaks my heart. There is so much potential with the right leadership in place, however this is not the case. I wonder what God is thinking about this situation right now? Anyways I have been left a void in my life where church once stood firm, what next?
Planting is an option, someone once told me that God wants you to use what you know best to help worship him, and what I know best is business. So maybe it is time to really start thinking about planting a church and trying my hand at that, granted I know I am in no way, shape or form someone to be preaching. However I think with the right people surrounding me it could be extremely successful. Not in the monetary sense, but to bring people to Jesus Christ and God would be reward enough. Maybe this is not the right time, or the right place for such a large undertaking...but what if it is? Will I be able to find the right people to surround myself with? The best thing I can do is to ask God, he will lead me the right direction, either here and now, or away and later. But when it happens...I'll know it.
Planting is an option, someone once told me that God wants you to use what you know best to help worship him, and what I know best is business. So maybe it is time to really start thinking about planting a church and trying my hand at that, granted I know I am in no way, shape or form someone to be preaching. However I think with the right people surrounding me it could be extremely successful. Not in the monetary sense, but to bring people to Jesus Christ and God would be reward enough. Maybe this is not the right time, or the right place for such a large undertaking...but what if it is? Will I be able to find the right people to surround myself with? The best thing I can do is to ask God, he will lead me the right direction, either here and now, or away and later. But when it happens...I'll know it.
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Ocean Conservation
Over time there have been great crusades about conservation, the rain forests in South America, endangered species, etc. Last night I saw a program about the Hawaiian Islands and ocean conservation. It struck a nerve with me because not too long ago Dara, Lily and myself all went out there to visit my brother-in-law on the island of Oahu. Beautiful country to say the least, bluest oceans you'll ever see. Unfortunately we only made it to Oahu, and not to the other islands, but Oahu is the biggest tourist attraction of the islands and there is an abundance of people on it.
What does all this have to do with ocean conservation you ask yourself, and what does this rambling idiot have to say? While watching the program last night the showed one of the islands that is filled with debris from foreign soil, the pacific rim as it is known. And because of this trash that is floating in the ocean it is killing several species of fish and birds and is creating an unliveable habitat for our ecosystem. One of the items that was found in many of the Albatross birds on the island of Midway were lighters. This is disturbing to me, and it should be to everyone else that saw the program or reads this post, all I ask is that you take care of the environment and try to keep it the way you left it.
How would you like it if other creatures came into your kitchen and dropped plastic lighters on your spaghetti? Let's keep the oceans clean of crap that we can very easily dispose of on shore.
What does all this have to do with ocean conservation you ask yourself, and what does this rambling idiot have to say? While watching the program last night the showed one of the islands that is filled with debris from foreign soil, the pacific rim as it is known. And because of this trash that is floating in the ocean it is killing several species of fish and birds and is creating an unliveable habitat for our ecosystem. One of the items that was found in many of the Albatross birds on the island of Midway were lighters. This is disturbing to me, and it should be to everyone else that saw the program or reads this post, all I ask is that you take care of the environment and try to keep it the way you left it.
How would you like it if other creatures came into your kitchen and dropped plastic lighters on your spaghetti? Let's keep the oceans clean of crap that we can very easily dispose of on shore.
Friday, July 27, 2007
Beckhammania
Since David Beckham decided to leave the European soccer scene and join the LA Galaxy here in the US, I have been asked by several people how I feel his impact will be. Well, since the Beckham area has begun in the MLS, I think it is time for an update on how I think Beckhammania will impact the beautiful game here in the United States.
For starters Beckham brings a ton of publicity to a sport that is last in the minds of Americans, even behind hockey. Though the Gold Cup final between the US and Mexico had higher ratings than the NHL Finals, and the game was only shown on Fox Soccer Channel (Which you have to pay for) and Univision (Which is on basic). The NHL Finals were on a network that everyone gets that shall remain nameless. Anyway with this publicity comes awareness, and since it is a slow sports time in America, it is a prime spot for Beckham to gain the interest of the American public.
Unfortunately for the MLS and Beckham, he is not a scorer, and Americans like to see high scoring games or flare. Aside from free kicks Beckham is not flashy by any means. He will play well and will bring credit to a league that has been viewed upon many as a "Mickey Mouse" league. Hopefully as well he will bring other international stars to the league and maybe we'll see a more continuous version of the NY Cosmos, when they had Pele', Beckenbauer and Best. The US was fascinated by the high scores and the talent on the field. We will never see another NY Cosmo's effect, but Beckham has the US soccer community excited that this might be our time to shine in a market that is dominated by American Football and Basketball.
One other thing that everyone tends to forget about with soccer is our increasing latino community, which their number one sport is soccer. If Beckham can bring them around, then there will be more money in the league, and it will attract more players. Overall I think it looks good for the MLS, but everything must go well in order for them to grow in a market that wants nothing to do with change. Good Luck Beckham, it's a daunting task.
For starters Beckham brings a ton of publicity to a sport that is last in the minds of Americans, even behind hockey. Though the Gold Cup final between the US and Mexico had higher ratings than the NHL Finals, and the game was only shown on Fox Soccer Channel (Which you have to pay for) and Univision (Which is on basic). The NHL Finals were on a network that everyone gets that shall remain nameless. Anyway with this publicity comes awareness, and since it is a slow sports time in America, it is a prime spot for Beckham to gain the interest of the American public.
Unfortunately for the MLS and Beckham, he is not a scorer, and Americans like to see high scoring games or flare. Aside from free kicks Beckham is not flashy by any means. He will play well and will bring credit to a league that has been viewed upon many as a "Mickey Mouse" league. Hopefully as well he will bring other international stars to the league and maybe we'll see a more continuous version of the NY Cosmos, when they had Pele', Beckenbauer and Best. The US was fascinated by the high scores and the talent on the field. We will never see another NY Cosmo's effect, but Beckham has the US soccer community excited that this might be our time to shine in a market that is dominated by American Football and Basketball.
One other thing that everyone tends to forget about with soccer is our increasing latino community, which their number one sport is soccer. If Beckham can bring them around, then there will be more money in the league, and it will attract more players. Overall I think it looks good for the MLS, but everything must go well in order for them to grow in a market that wants nothing to do with change. Good Luck Beckham, it's a daunting task.
Thursday, July 26, 2007
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