No Regrets

As I begin to unwind and relax over the holidays, it gives me time to reflect over the past year.  It was definitely a busy year.  It was a year with plenty of change.  It was a year of challenge.  I challenged myself to accomplish academic goals; I now have a 3.7 GPA.  Yes, even with my procrastination.  I admit I procrastinate but because of that, I work through days without sleep to complete assignments...which I don't recommend.  I challenged myself to step out of my comfort zone and I was successful.  I challenged myself to present my thoughts to the world and created my blog.  It's been running a few months and I enjoy it.  I feel this year I'm a bit closer to my friends and family.  There was and still is some pain in my life after someone close to me passed away this year.  I'm glad that I was able to see him before this happened.  Through the joy and the pain, I continue to live my life to the fullest.  I continue to live with no regrets as I welcome 2012.  Let's see what the year will bring!

You Better Recognize

When someone does something good, they should be recognized.  Often, people are recognized for the bad things they do.  If someone is only told about the negative things they do, they may begin to believe that they can't do anything right.  And that is not the case.  Everyone is capable of doing great things.  Recognition can be as simple as saying, "Good job!" or "I really appreciate your help."  These are small gestures to recognize someone.  There are bigger ways to recognize people such as cards, gifts, or awards.  You can also treat the person to lunch.  The main goal of recognition is to acknowledge the good deed someone accomplished.  Though many people don't expect recognition, it is nice to receive it.

Don't Stop Believing

If you really push yourself, there will be times when you begin to question yourself.  You will wonder if you can succeed.  You may ask yourself questions like...Am I strong enough?  Am I smart enough?  Am I mentally tough enough?  When you are in this situation, one of two things needs to happen to get you through this moment.  One, if you have someone in your life that believes in you, you can turn to them and they should provide you the added boost you need to get through.  A loved one should be your biggest fan and they can tell you why you are great and push you higher.  Two, you can know your own strength and value and never stop believing in yourself.  You have to determine which scenario works best for you.  Probably, the best solution is to have both in your favor.  If you never stop believing in yourself and you have a loved one that believes in you, this will provide a lot of strength in your corner.

Outside the Comfort Zone

Most people are aware of their comfort zone and even more aware when they step outside of it.  Lots of people choose to remain in their comfort zone.  Why?  Because it's easy.  It's comfortable.  I used to stay inside my comfort zone.  I'm introverted and my shyness always prevented me from doing more.  Then one day I took a look at myself and decided I will try to be better and step outside my comfort zone.  Once I did it, it was scary.  It was highly stressful but I survived.  It was exciting.  I didn't have to wonder if I was capable of doing something anymore.  I knew because I had already done it.  Now, I like to step outside my comfort zone.  I still get the same feelings each time I try something new.  Worry, doubt, frightened, excited.  But, at the end, I get the sense of accomplishment.  That makes it more than worth it.

Remember When?

I enjoy technology and the Internet, but I look at how it has changed some parts of our lives.  I'm sure most inventions are for the better; I just like to think back to a time that wasn't so long ago.

Remember when...

You used to go to the movie rental store to rent movies?

You used to watch movie previews before a movie at home?

You used to have to get home by a certain time to watch your favorite TV show?

You used to have a large DVD rack to hold your collection?

You used to have a larger CD rack to hold your collection?

Your TV was so heavy and not thin that you never thought about mounting it on the wall?

You used a VCR?

You jogged with a portable CD player?

You used to go inside your bank or use the Drive-up Teller?

You carried a checkbook?

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hello to everyone that's tuning in.  Today is a day when most of us enjoy a much needed day off.  No sitting in traffic during your daily commute or any other work hassles.  It's a day that we don't worry about the politics of the world.  We can just relax and enjoy good food and good company.  Don't forget to take the time out to think about who and what you are thankful for.  Enjoy the time off and share it with your friends and family.  Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Derailed

We all have plans or ideas for how we anticipate things will happen.  When it works out, that's great.  Sometimes plans go awry; sometimes we just fall off our path.  We desire the end result but sometimes the road is so long, you can't maintain your focus.  If you truly want the end result though, the realistic answer is you have to refocus and keep pushing towards your end goal.  Nobody ever said it would be easy.  Most of the difficult goals in life are worth the struggle and sacrifice.  So when you feel like you are no longer focused, you have to reach deeper into your soul and find the strength and focus to persevere.  Show the world you can do it!  Most importantly, prove it to yourself!

Connections

One of the most priceless things about this world is the connections we make.  Love connections are great but that's not my focus here.  The connections we have with family can be just as wonderful.  My family has always been close and with that, you love the good and you expect, accept, and move past the bad.  Of course it's family so sometimes it doesn't move that quickly through the process.  Some family members can be very stubborn.  Sometimes it's justifiable, but it's hard to see it being worth the rift in the relationship.  I mean it's family!  That's one of your closest bonds.  Then you have the connections you make with friends.  It's interesting how you may be the new person in any given situation and everyone welcomes you into the group.  You feel like you are part of something much larger.  They give you strength; they make you laugh.  You all can share your past experiences and ideas and you learn from it.  It makes you wiser and you can see more than just your own perspective.  That's priceless!  That's why I welcome my connections.

RIP Heavy D

I guess I haven't paid enough attention to the news lately because I'm just finding out Heavy D has passed away.  He was only 44 years old.  This is a tragedy.  I feel like everyone should have enjoyed his music or watched him perform.  I never saw him live but just from the music videos, he was always awesome.  Even though he was overweight, his performance was always energetic.  His music was always positive; he wanted people to dance.  I believe that he enjoyed dancing.  I truly feel he was a true artist.  

Mini Me

I'm at a point in my life where I would like to have a child.  I would like a boy.  I imagine a mini me.  That would be so cool to watch a small version of me.  To watch how he would make decisions.  To see if he thinks and acts like me.  I would teach him to be better than me.  I heard that somewhere...don't remember where.  "Don't be like me...be better than me."  I would like to watch him grow up and see the man he would become.  I would like to see how Nature vs Nurture plays out because he wouldn't grow up in the same environment as me.

Fear Itself

"The only thing to fear is fear itself." - Franklin D. Roosevelt

That's a famous phrase that I often repeat to myself whenever I have fear.  Honestly, I really dislike fear.  I guess I'm a bit of a control freak and I feel like I don't have control when I'm scared and vulnerable.  For a control freak, that's a weird feeling to be out of control.  I can try to rationalize and calm myself down after the fact; but in the moment when the fear overcomes you, you get a glimpse at how you respond to fear.  It's pure instinct...fight or fly.  It really sucks when your instinct is to flee.  But that's what makes courage so interesting.  You are scared of what's happening or about to happen but you take the risk anyway.  That's courageous!  Courage is weathering the storm of fear.

Extra Extra

Sometimes I feel like I never sleep or I'm just never on a consistent schedule.  There are just so many things I want to accomplish, but I feel there is too little time in the day.  I watched the "Making of 25/8" on VEVO.  I hope that's the correct name for the song.  It's a new song by the extremely talented Mary J. Blige.  She talks about how the song is about if people had extra time in their life...an extra hour in their day, an extra day in their week.  It looks at what a person would do with that extra time.  That's time for what or who you love the most.  I haven't even seen the actual video yet (I don't think it's available yet) and I'm already relating to it and trying to analyze it.  Since I don't have 25/8, I need to make sure I make time for what's truly important in my life with the time I have.

The Day No Music Played

Music is a large industry.  From singers, musicians, promoters, producers, and on and on, many people live out their dreams and profit from the music we listen to.  I don't know the exact breakdown of how much each person makes from every song or album.  Music is an accepted form of art and it means a lot to many people.  Think about how often you listen to and/or create music.  Now, imagine a day where there is no music.  You would take a shower in silence.  What sound would your phone make without a custom ring tone?  There would be nothing to distract and motivate you while you exercise.  You would only have traffic and road noise to enjoy on your daily commute to and from work.  Television shows would have no theme music.  Movies would have no soundtrack.  Wow!  Imagine calling a company and being placed on hold.  There is no music!  What would you dance to?  Regardless of the music you prefer, continue to listen.  I really enjoy music.  I don't want to ever see the Day No Music Played.

Accent

I feel a lot better today.  I have rested and everything seems clearer.  Sleep deprivation really messes with me.  I was just watching television and this commercial came on with a lady with an accent.  I really like accents.  I'm sure I'm not alone thinking this.  Accents are attractive.  Well, at least most accents.  I'm sure there are some that aren't as appealing.  Why do people like accents? I guess people like the difference; it's something new.  When I say accents, everyone probably thinks about British, French, Italian, or Spanish accents.  Well, that's just Europe.  You may think about an African, Canadian, or Australian accent.  Do you ever wonder what American accents sound like to other people around the world?  I'm curious because I don't think I have an accent but to someone from another part of the world, it may be easy to recognize my accent.  So now, I'll be thinking about how I sound to other people.

Deprived

Please excuse the fog that envelopes my writing.  I didn't sleep much last night and I had to do some errands that took the place of my sleep time.  Now, I feel exhausted.  I feel like I have already worked a full day...and now, I'm about to go to work.  It's probably not healthy that I'm depriving myself of sleep.  I'm yawning as I write this.  My eyes are beginning to water and my eyelids feel so heavy.  I lean back and close my eyes briefly.  I can't leave them closed or I will fall asleep.   I can only imagine how well I will sleep tonight and I look forward to it.  I'm not sure why I'm putting myself in this position.  As the heaviness of my eyelids begins to subside, I prepare for the day that lies ahead.  Though I'm tired, I am still focused.  I will get through the remainder of the day and I will reward myself with rest.

The Biggest Critic

Who is your biggest critic?  I had a boss once that was very demanding.  It seemed like nothing I ever did was good enough so I worked harder and harder.  Eventually our minds aligned and I was able to produce the results expected of me.  Even though this boss was difficult, he was not my biggest critic.  In relationships, your significant other may advise, subtly suggest, or demand that you make some changes in your life or personality for the success of the relationship.  Sometimes this can seem like a lot but most likely, your significant other is your biggest supporter...not your biggest critic.  In my experience, my biggest critic is me.  I criticize everything I do, always questioning if I'm doing my best.  This can include work, education, volunteering, exercise, finance, and relationships.  This can end with great results but it can also waste precious time when I obsess over perfection.  My biggest critic will always be around.  It's up to me to determine if his critiques have merit and should be addressed or if they are petty.

Inevitable Change

Change happens...this is simple, but very true.  We can change our jobs or careers.  We can change our cars.  I'm not changing my car yet even with it's half hanging bumper.  We can change how we dress and even how we think.  These are just a few examples of change.  I think the largest change is the growth of a person.  Sometimes this happens quickly; for some people, it takes longer.  I can remember days that all I cared about was partying.  I didn't have a lot of money but I would gladly spend it on clubs and alcohol.  I thought the world was mine.  So young, so naive.  It was a happy time because I could do whatever I wanted but I was irresponsible.  When I was younger, I didn't make the wisest decisions and whenever alcohol was involved, my smart decisions plummeted.  Today, I try to be wiser.  I still consume alcohol but in moderation.  I'm just talking about me...I'm not telling anyone what they should or should not do.  My goal is not to lecture anyone, just to share my experiences.  Everyone should live their own lives and make their own mistakes.  The key is learning from those mistakes.  I kind of drifted a little.  Now, I perceive myself as more responsible with my decisions and my actions.  I'm not perfect so I may have a lapse or two in judgment but this is still far fewer than I had at a younger age.  I like to look back (not too far, only about 10 years) and reflect on the differences.  I like to talk to younger people and see the person they are now and imagine the person they will be in the future.  To wrap up, change happens to everyone.  It's a good thing as long as it's positive.    

Negativity

I try to be a positive person.  I think most people do but there is always a few negative people that can ruin a positive person's day.  My last couple of weeks has been wonderful.  Things were falling into place.  Things that were difficult at first now seemed so easy.  Most importantly, I was spending time with someone very special to me.  Overall, a very positive situation.  Then came the negativity.  I was having dinner in a local restaurant and everything was going well.  Then I heard an intercom announcement that there was an issue with my car.  I thought maybe I had parked in the wrong spot.  The news was that someone had hit my car.  I walked outside to see my front bumper hanging to the ground.  I had to take a few deep breaths to remain calm.  Whoever hit my car did not stick around.  It was a hit and run.  I don't know why the person just left.  I can only speculate.  It was this negative act that almost ruined my night.  This is the type of moment when you have to decide if you will go down a negative path or if you will remain positive.  I remained positive.  What would you have done?

RIP Steve Jobs

From the short time that my blog has been up and running, you have probably seen me mention Apple a few times.  I probably talk about Apple and Apple products more in person.  I'm an Apple supporter but my blog is about more than that so I limit my Apple discussions.  Maybe one day I will create a blog about Apple.  Today, I just want to take a moment to remember Steve Jobs.  It is truly sad that this uber-intellectual has passed away.  He has truly impacted the world of computing and mobile computing.  Some people say that Apple is all about making money.  I don't believe this.  Of course, any company wants to be successful but Apple has always wanted to create the best product for users.  Steve Jobs has touched so many lives with the products that he and his team have created.  Many of us use them daily, maybe even hourly.  Because of his creativity and vision, the iPod is now synonymous with MP3 player, Apple computers are known for their quality, and the iPhone is a computer in your hand.  Steve Jobs will live on through his products and his vision.

Work-a-holic

I prefer to do a good job at work.  I would consider myself an overachiever.  I may not be the best of the best at everything.  I may not be the smartest; I may not be the most creative.  I try to make up for it with the effort I put into my work.  Sometimes all that effort to do a great job can consume me and I become a work-a-holic.  It's good to do a great job at work but you have to balance it with life.  You can't give your all to work and nothing to the rest of your life.  Your relationships can and will suffer.  Some people realize this and put off starting relationships until they have achieved their work goals or achieved success.  The problem is you can't control when and where you find love.  I don't know the reason why people become workaholics.  It can vary depending on the person and their circumstances.  For me, sometimes I dive deeper into work because I'm hiding from other problems in my life.  Sometimes I'm just motivated to be the best me I can be.  Regardless of the reason, you still have to keep it in moderation.  You can't just live to work.  What happens if you no longer have that job?  You have to live for you and find your happiness in life.  Work hard, play harder.  Be a great worker but don't take it to far.  Life is short so you have to enjoy the time you can spend with friends and family.

Give and Take

There are a lot of times when I am self centered; I focus only on my wants and needs.  In any relationship, whether a friendship or a romantic relationship, you have to be considerate of the other person.  That person may like to spend time with you because of the qualities that you bring to the relationship but you should not bring selfishness into the relationship.  Sure, there will be times when you are selfish because you really want to have it your way.  You can't be selfish all the time or even make it seem like something normal in your relationship if you want longevity.  If you value the relationship, you will value that person's thoughts and opinions as well as you own.  If you create the relationship, the other person must have qualities that you like and enjoy.  I try to keep that in mind so that any time I'm riding the line on being too selfish, I can make the corrections before I damage the relationship.  Even riding the line is probably cutting it too close.  I just try to remember...in any relationship, there has to be Give and Take.  May all your relationships be positive, long lasting relationships. 

Stay Focused

It's a beautiful day outside; the sun is shining brightly.  It could be a great day to go to the beach.  But that's not currently in my plans.  Today is a homework day for me.  I will spend most of my day trying to do my homework...with emphasis on trying.  I love technology.  It keeps us entertained but when I have homework to complete, it is the worst thing.  It's good that I can use my laptop to complete my work and it's good I can go to the Internet to research topics.  It's not good that I would rather be watching movies on my AppleTV (Support Apple!) or Netflix.  Should I even mention Netflix with so many people being upset with Netflix?  Regardless, I will mention them.  I'm not upset with them but that's because I've never used the DVD ordering side of Netflix.  Overall, technology is great but it can make us waist time so like everything else, it's good in moderation.  We must stay focused and continue working towards our goals.  Right now, my focus is on completing my degree so it's back to the daily grind...homework time!

Diversity

Everyone is different; everyone is special.  You may meet people in life that have similar personalities but each person is unique.  That's what makes the world so interesting.  I may say something and someone may disagree with it.  That's how a discussion starts.  Interacting with different people can actually help you grow as a person.  It can be quite interesting to look at life through someone's eyes.  It shouldn't stop at meeting people in your city.  When you're open to learning about people all over the world, your view begins to change.  I used to sit in a geography class and learn about the different countries of the world but I didn't value the instruction.  I never thought I would see any of those countries.  Now that I have seen some of the countries, the lessons learned are priceless.  With the creation of the Internet, anyone can meet people from all over the world.  Even if you don't have the opportunity to visit the country, you can still converse with new, exciting people.  Regardless of race, age, sexuality, or religion...you should challenge yourself to see the world from their perspective.

MultitasKing

We live in a world where we rely on multitasking.  We multitask and the devices we use have to multitask.  Now, just because we multitask doesn't mean that we are good at it.  Often men have a hard time multitasking.  Of course there are exceptions, but women are usually better at multitasking.  Personally, I'm not good at multitasking.  I will admit it.  I can do multiple tasks in a time period but not simultaneously.  Things move smoother for me when I devote an amount of time to focus on one thing...then a certain amount of time for the next item...and so on.  This works to give the illusion that I am a multitasker because it seems like I am working on all these things in an hour.  I am working multiple items, just not simultaneously.  I have tried to truly multitask but it just does not work for me.  If I'm working on something and someone is talking to me.  During this time period, there are times when I'm missing parts of the discussion and other times where I'm losing my place on what I'm working on.  This means that it is about prioritizing in the moment.  At any given time, I'm deciding which is more important.  The conversation and my work may be equally important but some parts of the conversation may be extra or repetitive.  During this part, I would focus on work but if I hear words that trigger me to pay attention, then I would focus back to the conversation.  In summary, some people can truly multitask and I admire them for it.  If you struggle to multitask, then do multiple tasks in a sequence to create the illusion.

Results of a Procrastinator

Well, let's take a look at how procrastinating played out.  I went to sleep instead of working through the night thinking that I would wake up early enough to allow myself 4 hours to finish my work.  My alarm goes off...I turn it off and lay back down for a few minutes.  Minutes turn into hours.  When I actually get up, I only have 2 hours to do what I planned to do in 4.  So I'm rushing to complete my work.  An hour and a half goes by, then my doorbell rings.  It's my friend/neighbor.  His truck was towed and he needs me to drive him to the place to pick it up.  I thought about the work I needed to do briefly and I said, "Sure, not problem."  He helped me recently when I had problems with my car so I owed him.  Was it at an inconvenient time?  Yes, but that's what friends are for.  A good friend is there when you need them.  Okay, how does the story end?  I completed my work on time, finishing some of it 1 minute prior to the deadline.  So things worked out in the end, but if I had planned better, I would have had a lot less stress.

Procrastination

I'm having one of those weird days.  Sometimes you hear something or you see something on TV and then it happens to you.  Yesterday, I saw a commercial about one of those metal wallets and one of the qualities they stressed was how it was waterproof.  One guy said you can get it wet and that's something you don't want to do with a leather wallet.  I remember thinking I've never gotten my wallet wet in all these years.  Today, I washed my wallet.  Everything is out of it now and I'm trying to dry it.  Well, life goes on.  That still doesn't mean I'm going to buy a metal wallet.  On to the topic, procrastination.  A lot of people put off doing things they really don't want to do.  I'm doing it now.  I should be writing a paper for class but for some reason, I always have writer's block until the deadline gets close.  I'm not advocating procrastination but the truth is, some people perform better under pressure.  With papers, I tend to be more creative as the deadline approaches.  It's funny how I can't write for class but I can write here with no problem.  I've probably gotten used to procrastinating.  I'm trying to plan ahead to avoid the last minute rush.  I'd rather work ahead of schedule and have less stress.  I'm not saying procrastination is good or bad.  It always depends on the situation and the person.  While for some, it just creates unnecessary stress, others can use that stress and create amazing products.

Be the Early Bird

It's another day.  I've watched a bit of television...mostly CNBC.  I have to see how stocks are doing.  I don't invest a lot because I'm far from wealthy but I would like to learn.  There are so many rules and ways to invest but often the middle to lower class population don't really learn about them.  I'm not sure why.  Possibly because the parents are busy trying to make their ends meet.  Possibly the parents never really learned about saving and investing.  Sure, you can have a savings account but if you spend everything in it every month, it's not going to be beneficial.  After I graduated school, I probably let a decade of investing slip away from me because I decided to live paycheck to paycheck, buying all the things I thought were "needs".  Most were "wants".  Doing so even though I learned this a long time ago in a business class.  "Wants" are unlimited.  No matter what you have, you can always want more.  This is such a simple statement but very true.  When you grow up with a modest lifestyle, the moment you have a steady paycheck can be a bit overwhelming.  You begin to think about all the things you can buy or if you decide to save, it's only so you can purchase something larger.  Sure, not everyone goes through this but this was what I did.  I always wanted the American Dream...to be wealthy and happy...thinking that the two things correlated.  But you can be wealthy and not happy.  You can be happy and not wealthy.  With saving and investing, it's about time.  You want to allow more time for your savings and investments to grow so you should begin saving and investing as early as possible.  When you're young, you can still enjoy life but you should still save and invest because smaller amounts can grow large with more time than larger amounts with less time.  I hope that's understandable.  Save and invest when you're younger and let time work for you instead of waiting to do it later in life when you will have to race against time.

My First Post

It's 2 a.m. and I'm frustrated.  I'm not working so I wanted to relax...and not worry about school work or anything.  I decided to play NBA 2K11 and kick some butt.  Unfortunately, I recently raised the difficulty level and this showed me that I'm not as good as I thought I was.  My offense wasn't as great and my defense was just horrible.  I'm got destroyed by the Cavaliers minus Lebron...not cool.  I'm ashamed to admit it.  So now I'm watching TV and relaxing.  I'm excited about my new blog, Thoughts by TigerDG.  I hope everyone that views this can find something to relate to and enjoy.  I didn't want to narrow down my topics of discussion.  I just want to talk about whatever I feel like sharing.  Also, I want to say...Support Apple!!!  I think Steve Jobs and the rest of the company are doing amazing things for computing and mobile computing.  I wouldn't classify myself as an Apple fanboy but I admire the products that they put out.  But don't worry, I won't post about Apple a lot.  Since this is my first post, I'm just skimming the surface until I get more comfortable...so stay tuned.