Musings – Final Thoughts on a First Impression

A Change of Plans…

There is an old saying that “life happens while you are making plans.” I started this year with some rather lofty goals and plans. Some of these lofty goals included running 1200 miles, adding to my existing half-marathon challenge, and beginning to outline an autobiography. Slowly, these goals began to fall by the wayside. I’ll touch on them later. So lets talk about goals I can mark off the list.

4. Raise the $1300 I committed myself to raise for the Bell Runners

For those of you wondering, I met my goal for fundraising for the Bell Center thanks to your generosity. Together, we raised over $1400 for a great cause. Thank you once again. The Mercedes Half-Marathon was one of my most memorable runs. Wearing that red Bell Runner shirt was a real honor. I got cheered on along the whole route because I was wearing that red shirt. It helped me finish when I did not feel like it.

3. Run my first marathon

My intention when making this goal was to run a full marathon this fall. In the spirit of the title of this blog, things changed. Sometimes you bite off more then you can chew and I was afraid that is what I had done when I signed up for the Run for Kids Challenge at Oak Mountain State Park. Instead of attempting to run my first marathon, I attempted an ultra-marathon of 50 kilometers. That’s roughly 5 more miles than a marathon. I told almost no one about the attempt until I was over half way done with the race. Despite a leg injury, I finished my first ultra-marathon. The real awesome part was being surprised by my parents when I crossed the finish line. To date, this is the last organized race in which I have participated.

So what happened to the other goals?

Life happens when you are making plans. Three months ago today I started back to school. It is something I had thought about for awhile. On a Tuesday night I was challenged by a Dean to go back to school and on Wednesday morning I was enrolled into classes. Going back to school after a 10 year hiatus brings its own challenges. The biggest one for me was reading. For the past three months I’ve pretty much had a headache every day. At first it was do to reading. Now there seems to be consensus that they have continued due to a pinched nerve that was a result from poor posture related to… reading. How’s that for irony?

So with a change in plans my time for running and other hobbies greatly diminished. The headache didn’t help either. On May 3rd, I ran 31.07 miles in one race. Over the next 2 months, I ran a total of 28 miles. This included not running a single mile during the month of July. I watched several of my ambitious goals die. But out of death comes rebirth. I replaced them with a thirst for knowledge and academic achievement. I haven’t added any new formal goals, but I will.

So what’s next?

This summer I completed four prerequisite classes online so that I could start the MBA Program at the University of Montevallo this fall. I’ll be taking two classes in the evening as I continue pursuing further education. I’m excited and nervous at the same time. I haven’t sat in a classroom since April of 2004. However, I am looking forward to the challenge.

On a side note, I’m back for a third straight year with my SEC football prediction site, JP Predicts. My friends Ash, Nate, and Honest Abe are back this year as well. Last year I was the most accurate person of record (print or internet) when it came to predicting winners in SEC football games. I’m hoping to keep up that track record as we go into football season. So if you like football and you enjoy a good laugh, please check out our website at www.jppredicts.com or like us on facebook. Until next time…

Goals, Goals, Goals… (a quick update)

photo (52) — Reaching for your goals can be tough… especially in a suit.

Way back in January, I made a brief blog post about why goals are so much better than resolutions. I haven’t written anything for the internetz since. I went as far as to include five realistic goals for this year. (I guess I can be thankful writing wasn’t one of my goals) They are:

1. Be more positive in everything I do.

2. Eliminate all unsecured debt.

3. Take another real vacation

4. Run a half marathon this year

5. Being Mario Mendoza

So how am I progressing on these goals? Well, I’ve made progress on all goals and after this weekend, I should have two of them completely marked off the list.

1. Being more positive in everything I do

The first goal on my list is more subjective than objective and can be difficult to measure. It is the most resolution sounding goal on my list. I honestly haven’t found the best way to try and measure this goal. However, I wake up every morning and try and find the good in the world around me. At the same time, I’m trying not to lose my objectivity when it comes to tough or problematic situations where being positive is not a realistic option. When this happens, I try to focus my energy on finding a positive solution. Often this involves asking myself the “miracle question” which is the key to Solution Focused Therapy. I’ve found it to be a tremendous help. I actually used this approach in coming up with my short term and long term goals.

Current status: On-going

2. Eliminate all unsecured debt

I actually started making a concerted effort to eliminate all unsecured debt last year. I’m very proud to say that I achieved this goal back in March. It’s quite nice not having to pay interest on a credit card. Now I’m actively starting to save all the money I was spending on paying off my credit cards to build a formidable savings account back up. Then the next step after that is active investing…

Sorry goggles, not this year... — Sorry goggles, not this year…

Current status: Completed

3. Take another real vacation

I haven’t taken vacation yet this year. I was tempted to take a ski trip, but I didn’t. I’m pretty sure I’ll take a trip to the beach sometime in August. If I could amend this goal, it would be to take an international vacation. I’m working on that right now…

Current Status: In progress

4. Run a half marathon this year

No caption necessary. You can make up your own.

My original plan called for me to run a half marathon sometime this far. Right now I’m way ahead of schedule. I’m signed up to run a half marathon this weekend in Homewood. For those of you who have been paying attention, I’ve started logging some miles and distance the last several weeks. I can thank the quicker than planned attempt at the half to my friends from the “Monday Runday” run group at Tin Roof.

Current Status: Soon, real soon…

5. Being Mario Mendoza

You’d think I would start shedding some serious pounds with as much running/working out as I have been doing.

I really haven’t. However, my metabolism has definitely started to shift into ludicrous speed. So I’m definitely eating more right now… and I’m continuing to be Mario Mendoza

Current Status: Steady as she goes

So what does this all mean? It’s about time to reassess and replace my completed goals with some new ones. Like running, it all begins by putting one foot in front of the other…

The Challenges of Staying Regular…

Those who have known me for a majority of my life would tell you I had two gifts growing up… drawing and writing. The last piece of art that I produced was completed in May of 1998 and hopefully still hangs on an old friend’s wall in Hoover. The last piece of composition that I produced that wasn’t a school assignment was July of 2000… That was until July of 2011 when I wrote my first “Tails From the Road” piece for a new blog I had started.

Looking back at it now, I find it hard to believe that I went eleven years without composing something of meaning or importance outside the classroom. It really makes me sad when I think about all the things I could have or should have written about. I might have to slowly start telling some of those stories over the next several months. As for the art, I still haven’t picked up the pencil and started drawing… I’m not sure I ever will.

Today’s challenge is staying regular when it comes to writing and blogging. I’m sure several of you opened this blog expecting something different because of my mother and her special tea… but that’s a story for another time. Last year, I composed all the material for the now defunct Tiger Tail Team website. Every week, I wrote a story about the prior weeks adventures as well as my weekly predictions. I pretty much did all the writing. However, they certainly wanted to read everything before I published it (which is understandable). What I did not appreciate was one of the particular people wanting to act as an editor on anything and everything I published.

The whole process got extremely exhausting. I was gone every weekend. I spent Sunday afternoons and Monday nights writing a 2000 -2500 word “Tails From the Road” piece. Then on Thursday, I would compose a 1500 – 2000 word politically incorrect prediction piece. Averaging 4000 words of composition a week for a hobby took its toll.

The first week of the tiger tail team website, it got a little over 200 hits on the pieces I produced. I got very excited. Two weeks later, that number was over 2000 hits. By the end of the season when I stopped, it was closer to 3000 hits a week. All told, the website got over 16,000 visitors in about a three month period. My stories ran concurrently on another website as well. That blog produced a staggering 60,000 hits last year.

By December, I was burned out. I had some amazing adventures, but those I was involved with did not share the same dream or vision for the venture that we had started together. We have since gone our separate ways. One day I will take the time and explain that story, but part of it is still playing out.

One of the best things to come out of the whole adventure/ordeal was that I had rekindled my passion for writing. I started this blog which you are reading shortly before the new year. The challenge has always been to find something that interested me enough to sit down and write. I’ve updated it on a very irregular basis, but I’ve kept it much more personal. I’m planning on keeping it that way…

This last summer, I decided I wanted to continue to still write about college football. Looking back through the old websites statistics, I discovered that the predictions part of the website were popular among people from other teams (“Tails From the Road” was very much an Auburn thing). They would read the “Tails From the Road” story that involved their team, but they would keep coming back for the weekly predictions. One of my goals was to write to a wider fan base than just the Auburn one. Writing a weekly predictions for all SEC teams would provide me with an avenue to do so. The predictions were one of my favorite things to write, hence www.jppredicts.com was born.

I can’t tell you the amount of time it takes that goes into the predictions every week (actually I can). It’s very time consuming and at times, there are a thousand other things I would rather be doing. The challenge is to produce something that is humorous, doesn’t cross too many invisible lines, and some how remains accurate. It’s not as easy as it sounds. I’ve picked up a couple of friends along the way to help me along this adventure (Ash and Honest Abe). I’m not sure where it is going, but it continues to grow. Many of you who read this post also read the politically incorrect predictions. The best thing you can do to help us is to like our Facebook page and “share” and “like” our posts and stories. It helps us grow and we want to keep growing. By doing so you can help us stay regular when it comes to posting new material.

Until next time…

Your Time, Your Heart, and Your Dues…

Jeff award — Jim Methvin presenting me with the Alumnus Loyalty Award last night.

These are the prepared remarks I gave last night at the University of Montevallo’s National Alumni Assocation Award Banquet…

Let me begin by saying I am truly honored and humbled to be standing in front of you right now. I’d like to thank the University of Montevallo National Alumni Association for presenting me with this award. I look out into the crowd and see people who I look up to as role models and mentors, and I many of you I call friend.

Before I get to my prepared remarks, there are several people out in the crowd who I feel need special recognition and I want to say thanks. Without them and their support, I would not be standing in front of you today.

Jim Methvin. Jim, you’ve been a mentor and a friend. My only regret is I didn’t know you when I was in college. It sure would have made my life easier at times.

Dr. Susan Vaughn. Thank you for always supporting me, yet challenging me. It has meant more to me than you may ever know. For those of you who don’t know, Montevallo has the top undergraduate social work program in the state. It did when I was in school, and Dr. Hitchcock, Dr. Newell, and Jeannie Duke are continuing on that tradition.

Last but certainly not least, my family who is sitting right in front of me. I don’t have time to thank you enough for all the love, support, and guidance you have given me. They are an amazing support network and I would like to introduce them to you.

Ryan Matson. Ryan is my childhood best friend. My Montevallo story doesn’t begin if not for you. I’m so thankful that you got to choose Montevallo to continue your story.

Jason Booi. My big brother when I got to Montevallo. I’ve learned so much from you and your family. Five years from now we will look back at this moment and smile my friend.

Jamie Purvis. My older brother who has watched over me far more than I realize at times.

Dad, you’ve always been there when I’ve needed you and given timely advice. It is still very much appreciated.

Mom, you are a social worker at heart. You never gave up on me, even after the doctors and other “professionals” did when I was a child. You didn’t take no for an answer. Thank you.

The story I want to tell you today comes from my time as a student and advisor to my fraternity. One of the things required of a pledge was to get an interview from every member of the organization. One of the questions they had to ask is “What do I owe the fraternity?” My answer for over a decade was always the same.

Your time, your heart, and your dues. Your time because you are going to get out of this organization exactly what you put into it. Your heart because if you don’t give it your all, you are just wasting your time and mine. Your dues because where friendship is free, insurance is not.

I’ve taken this same philosophy when it comes to being an alumnus of Montevallo. I give my time, my heart, and my dues. I volunteer my time and help when and where I can. As for my heart, let’s just say I have no shame supporting Montevallo. I really do give it my all. The purple suit has been probably one of the worst kept secrets. Last, but not least, I pay my dues. I was afforded many opportunities to further my education at Montevallo by alumni who gave to the social work program so that I could attend conferences and network as an undergraduate. I feel fortunate that I am able to help afford students the same opportunity now.

I don’t have to tell anybody in this room what a special place Montevallo is. You all already know it. I know I’m speaking to the choir in here, but my challenge to you is ask yourself am I giving my time, my heart, and my dues to help further the mission and vision of Montevallo? By giving of these things you make students, professors, staff, and administrators lives a little bit easier.

In closing, I would like to thank you once again for honoring me with the Alumnus Loyalty Award. Thank you from the whole of my heart. Now may I live up to the honor that you have bestowed upon me…

May You Live Up to the Honors Bestowed Upon You…

Twelve years ago, I was named to the First Team All Alabama Academic Team representing Jefferson State. I underwent a rigorous nomination and application process to be named to the team. A lot of good things were said and written about me. I was treated to an awards banquet at the Wynfrey Hotel and I even had my picture in the Birmingham News. Being named to the team opened up many doors for me. It was through this process that I would eventually end up spending the following summer in Washington, D.C.

The phrase that has stuck with me since that time was not something that was never written in a nomination letter or put in the application packet. “May you live up to the honors bestowed upon you.” It is a phrase that my uncle Doug used after I received word that I had been named to the team. It stayed in the back of my head the rest of that Spring as I continued to receive honors, awards, and scholarships.

major award — Not the award I’m receiving.

It has always been a humbling phrase reminding me that there is still work to be done. Enjoy the moment, but don’t rest on your laurels. I’ve always taken it as a challenge.

Tonight, I will be going back to another award banquet after being nominated and selected for a very prestigious award by the University of Montevallo National Alumni Association. I feel truly honored and humbled to be recognized by the university I fell in love with twelve years ago. At the same time, I feel overwhelmed and unworthy of such a prestigious award. The challenge still remains, “May I live up to the honors bestowed upon me…”