Change

Often, I hear that old people don't like change. Um, I don't like change. Oh well, guess I'm old. Most people tend to settle into a comfort zone and become complacent with their life, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors. And then, change strikes. Change presents a challenge. It's new and unfamiliar. A confrontational obstacle to overcome. Change presents adversity. It tests your inner strength and courage. You can either let it make you or break you. Here is a story about a big part of my life and how one change presented an umpteen amount of blessings and opportunities that I am still grateful for to this very day.

I was 13 years old. At the time, I stood at a staggering 5 foot 2 inches...just tall enough to get on roller coaster rides. I played for my dad's 17 and under basketball team, The Albany Outlaws. I didn't play much in the games because of my height and youth, but I learned a lot by watching and playing against the older guys in practice. In one of our earlier tournaments during the season, we played a team called the Columbus Blazers. They quickly became one of our rivals. The game was scrappy and everybody was talking trash to the opposition. They ended up beating us in a game that came down to the wire. I was utterly devastated.

Time passed, but the memory lingered.

The season started to draw to a close. After our last scheduled tournament, we found out that we weren't invited to the nationals. The season was over. Done. Finished. Suddenly, out of nowhere, my dad was contacted by a team--a 13 year-old team. The Columbus Blazers. They saw me play in a couple of games and wanted me to join their 13 year-old team who were going to the YBOA (Youth Basketball of America) nationals. My dad presented the idea to me. I didn't even have to think about it...NO! I didn't want to play on the same team with my rivals. I didn't want to play with other kids my age (I got accustomed to the thought of playing with older guys and viewed kids my age inferior to me...crazy thought, I know). However, my dad sat me down and told me how this change could open so many more doors and opportunities that can benefit me later in life. I was 13, young, naive, and wasn't trying to hear it. No!

After all of my complaining, there I was, riding in the backseat with my dad and mom on the way to Columbus, GA...boiling. I refused to talk to my dad. How could he do this to me? I told him straight up, "I am not playing for them if I can't get my number." For those who don't know, my favorite number is 11. After the hour and a half drive, we arrived at the gym. I got prepared to play when I realized that I didn't have a jersey. The head coach, Tony Adams, reached his hand into a bag full of jerseys and threw a random jersey at me. Lo and behold...number 11! You have got to be kidding me? Is this a sign or something? Is this a joke?! All I can do is put on the jersey in disbelief and play with the other guys. It didn't take me long to realize that these guys were as good as I was, if not better! Two guys on the team in particular really welcomed me and eased my discomfort a little. I quickly found myself calling them my brothers. Their names are De'Andre Johnson and Jarvis "The Beast" Jones.

We ended up winning the YBOA nationals. Our success landed my team and I in The Sports Illustrated For Kids Magazine. An unbelievable and humbling honor. I couldn't believe the achievements that we accomplished. I continued playing for the Blazers for the next 4 years--some of the best years of my life! I thank my dad for opening my eyes and showing me that not all change is bad. More of my thanks goes towards the Blazers' organization for giving me a chance to play for them. And of course, so much of my thanks goes towards God! How could any of this be possible without Him? Was this a coincidence? I think not. He presented this opportunity for me and blessed me with parents to show me what I couldn't see. Change treated me well...very well. I gained accolades and met some of the most important people in my life during the 5 years with the Blazers. Though change is hard, we have to learn to accept it. It is inevitable. It often seems to be associated with negativity; however, change is not always negative. Venture out of your comfort zone to maximize your blessings and opportunities. It worked for me!

Shopping With Women

The thought makes me cringe. As my cousin, Johan, eloquently described it, "Its like a going to the dentist. Its painful, expensive and sucks. But you gotta do it every once in awhile." After 21 blessed years of life on this Earth, one thing is painfully obvious... Women are complex creatures. They love to shop and want you to participate sometimes. What's even more crazy is that they want us men to ENJOY being there. Really ladies?! Absolutely absurd, but like I said, they are complex.

Indecisive, picky, passionate, enthused, excited, etc. You name it, they got it. It is one of the most time consuming events that you can participate in. It's like a sport to them. They take pride in what they do. Nothing is more frustrating than walking into a women's clothing store where other women lurk around every corner. If you are not tagging along with your mom, sister, girlfriend, etc., you are like a lost child in a super Walmart on a Christmas Eve night. You are scared and way out of your league. Therefore, you have to run behind the woman to make things less awkward. If you have tried this at all, you know how hard it is to do.

Some tips for guys who fall into the lethal trap:

1. Try to stay optimistic. I know it's hard, but you gotta do it. This will help when you are asked the inevitable questions, "How does this look?" or "Do you like this?"
2. Have something to entertain yourself with. A phone, a book, an ipod, buy a Rubik's cube if you have to! Anything!
3. Take occasional breaks to maintain your sanity. If you are in a mall, visit a men's store. Check out some sneakers at a Foot Locker store or Foot Action. Check out a game store to find out when the next Call of Duty comes out. You need a break, so reward yourself.
4. If you are getting really annoyed, get on their nerves. This is not suggested, especially if the woman is your wife, girlfriend, etc. But, it may be necessary depending on the situation. I found a farting app on my ipod that can get highly annoying. Every time your clothing hunter bends down to look at a pair of shoes or piece of clothing, pull out the ipod/iPhone and pick an ear splitting fart noise that will be sure to turn feminine heads with contorted faces of disgust (Don't tell her that I told you to do this. Please. For my own safety). If you choose to do this, you must suffer the consequences yourself.

If you have any other suggestions, please share. I know I'm going to end up in these inescapable scenarios sometime in the future. Just remember, there is no way we can survive without these complex creatures we have come to adore so much. Though they are a handful, they keep us men in line. This is our way of showing our thanks. Now, go! Venture out to overcome this difficult challenge to test your courage and manhood. And don't forget...optimism!

Free Time

Free time. My time. Invaluable time. As I get older, I find that it becomes more and more scarce. If I had to give advice concerning this topic, I would advise to choose hobbies that you enjoy doing; however, also try to find things that are productive and rewarding. It is always interesting to look back on life and witness your evolution as a person. What did you like to do when you were a kid? What do you like to do now? As we get older, our responsibilities don't add up...they multiply. With that being said, I think that what a person does with their free time speaks a lot on what kind of person he/she is. What kind of person are you? Let's talk about the two words separately.

Free. A concept that is pretty much nonexistent in our society today. So why don't we take this more seriously? I found myself asking this question recently. I take care of my obligations such as workouts and school. But then what? Sleep? Video games? Read a book? There are 24 hours in a day. My obligations only takes about 8-9 hours of the day. Up to this point in my life, a lot of my free time went to video games. It is something that I enjoy doing. But what am I getting out of playing video games? Nothing, really. So, I started looking for hobbies that I enjoy, but are also productive. Ever since I was a kid, I always wanted to learn to play piano. Currently, I practice the piano at least 30 minutes everyday. Also, I am starting to blog. I think this can help improve my writing skills and critical thinking. It can also be a process to find out more about myself and what my values and priorities are. Finally, but certainly not the least, I am reading the Bible. I want to be more knowledgeable on my Savior, Jesus Christ. I am so, very blessed to have the opportunities and talents that I have today because of Him. It is up to me to find out as much as I can about Him and live through His Word. In order to live through His Word, I have to know what the Word consists of. So remember, this time is free. So don't pay the consequences by wasting it.

Time. Something so invaluable, so precious. It's unconscious and slows down for no one. It should be taken seriously because once a day goes by, you can't get it back. Make your life worthwhile. Take life a second at a time. Learn as much as you can. Make an impact on a life. Pursue your dreams. Love those precious to you. Bless those who dislike you. Be unforgettable. Time is short. It has the ability to stop all together; however, it only stops for an individual. Life goes on for the rest. The physical body can not compete with time. It just isn't possible. However, a memory can. Will your memory conquer time?

As I bring this entry to a close, I already feel productive by just typing my ideas down on this blog. It is one thing to talk about doing something; it is totally different to actually do it. Now that I talked about each word separately, it is time to put them back together. Free time. My time. Invaluable time. What will you do with it?