The Butterfly Effect

I feel like each and every one of the members at Fords Fort should carry some pride in my posts, because each of you has helped guide my words, even without realizing it.  From the conversations I’ve had with my track buddies on Saturday long runs, to my fraternity brothers sharing memories on a retreat, even words exchanged with a stranger on a plane. My conversations with you end up building my philosophies on life, and in turn my blog’s at FF. Our interactions with each other will inevitably shape some aspect of our future, whether we realize it or not.

Butterfly effect: the phenomenon whereby a small change at one place in a complex system can have large effects elsewhere.

Self-Esteem
 From the day we are born we define ourselves by the messages we receive from the people around us. 
 I for one am a victim of my past.  From my life to my relationships, my history will indefinitely affect me.  My buddy Zeke and I shared countless miles running together as we discussed “life.” One of the most meaningful philosophies we developed was “It’s not what it is, it’s what it seems to be.” Think about that for a second…







What we mean by that is perception becomes reality, people are incredibly judgmental and you truly don’t have the opportunity to explain or defend yourself.  I will use myself as an example because most of my life the image I have projected has been far from the truth. Even today I come across as confident and happy, and for the most part I strive to be both, but it hasn’t always been that way.  My childhood was quite different.  There was a time where I kept some painful and hurtful feelings from my friends and family and took it out on myself.  It is not comfortable for me to talk about these things, and to this day I have a journal I simply won’t open, but I do this today so that you can step back and realize…if Taylor, one of the happiest guys in the world can hide pain behind a smile…imagine how many people you encounter are doing the same daily?

 Think of all the people we come in contact with on a daily basis, some of which we may not be the nicest to.  Your words, your actions, and that moment could be what sets them off. Good or bad, our actions can mean the world to someone or even ruin theirs.  (I know some beautiful young women who make my day by something as simple as a smile…okay back to the topic…) Making a statement about someone being overweight, unpretty, unintelligent, all of which could carry with someone for the rest of their lives

On numerous occasions I have found out years later how much my little actions meant to some of my peers growing up.  Like a note in my yearbook from a young kid stating “Taylor, thank you for being there when no one else cared.” to a recent facebook comment from a friend I had no idea appreciated me looking out for him untill years later.  

My lesson learned here is quite simple, often we can be oblivious to how heavily impacted the people around us can be by our actions towards them, especially to young kids at such defining ages.  Today may be the worst day of their lives, are you going to be the guy asking them how they are doing…or are you going to be the guy that was the last straw before they do something outrageous to get attention?

Relationships
I can’t tell you how many women I have met that I just couldn’t quite figure out.  I would compare women to a puzzle, and some women have such a deep dark history of repressed memories that have significantly defined the person they are today.  The way they treat you, the way they define men, the way they react to love or push themselves away from it.  I tried and tried to understand one girl in particular, but this puzzle was impossible; she was simply hiding some of the pieces of the puzzle from me.  Later when she explained a piece of her childhood, every past action was suddenly clear and understood. To say the word baggage would carry a negative connotation, so I will refer to their past events and developed current state as scars.  These scars are there for good, period.  Some women have been disrespected, hurt, or unappreciated.  These scars are part of them, and unchangeable…you can’t remove them…you can only hope you are fortunate enough to earn their trust and hear their story; helping you understand the effect it had on who you know today.  We as people define the world around us by our past experiences...  Love is vulnerability, and if a series of men have broken a young lady’s heart in the past, the next man is inevitably fighting an uphill battle that he had no part in creating.

Aberdeen to Phoenix
People often ask me what is the difference between Aberdeen, South Dakota and Phoenix, Arizona.  The simple answer: the people.  A place like Aberdeen is full of good people, doing good things.  I personally think that humans in nature have compassion and want to help others.  This compassion is lost when someone hurts/burns/disrespects/or takes advantage of them.  After that…their trust is gone and they no longer look out for others and simply look out for themselves.  Aberdeen still has compassionate people, where as a place like Phoenix (or any other large metropolis) is full of people looking out for themselves.  It is a vicious cycle: a good person gets burned and decides to look out for themselves going forward. Don’t get me wrong, Phoenix has some incredible people who do some truly great things…but the general mentality is “I’m looking out for me.”  Sadly, a place like Aberdeen seems to be a thing of the past…unless we choose to stop the cycle, everyday.

The world is a small place, and your actions DEFINITELY have an impact on the people around you…

Be careful of your words be aware of the implications…If you are going to make a ripple in this world, why not make it a good one?
 


     
      Keep your head up like your nose is bleedin',
      TJF

Success: money's inhibition of our dreams & the perfect wife!

I try to write about things that are relevant to the people at FF; experiences I have learned through my own life, and sometimes wisdom learned through friends and theirs. Oftentimes advice comes from the most random people, and even in the most unexpected places.

My fraternity has given me the privilege of connecting with some incredible and diverse gentleman.  The conversations I have with my brothers will often guide my thoughts forever.  One of those conversations, with one of those incredible brothers, was at a bar with Mark Perkins.

Mark and myself, already two talkative guys, had had a few drinks and got to really talking…specifically about success.  Mark is one of those guys you know will be great, at whatever he does, so when he talks… I listen. When the question came up of what success meant to him, his answer was simple yet impactful.  “Success to me is never having to say no.”

Huh?  Let me break this down for you, because I have fully embraced that mindset.  What I think he meant by that, and what I took from it, was really quite simple:

Money should never inhibit your life and especially not your dreams.

If your friends want you to go out of town for a weekend, and you have to say no, money is inhibiting you living your life the way you want to.  If you can’t afford to fly home for Christmas, money is inhibiting your life.  Success to me is living your life the way you want to, and not allowing money to deny you of doing so.  Look at it this way, money is access… to the memories and experiences we desire.

 

The flip side of this: greed. You have to want to be successful for the right reasons, and not want things you truly don’t need.  My grandpa said it best "I don't need to drive a Mercedes, knowing that I have the money to buy one is enough for me.  My father has spent every day of his life working to make money which he spends on me and my dreams.  

Trust me, I want it all.  But not for me, for the people around me, my family.  I am more than happy with my Yellow Jeep and small condo in Arizona.  What I do want is to have the money to fly and see my family when I miss them, to buy my brother that Dodge Viper he’s been talking about since he was 8, buy my parents that house in sunny Arizona, and pay for my little brothers’ to go to college.  Those things are dreams of the people who I care about that are simply inhibited by money

The next piece of success, at least my definition of it, has nothing to do with monetary value of any sort.  This definition of success, I have learned through my own experiences and interpretations: the importance of a wife.

I may have grown up in a simple place with some old fashioned beliefs, but I still live by the values created in the atmosphere of a strong family. And that atmosphere, that success, it starts with the right partner. I feel like by finding the right wife, and creating the right team, then you can truly achieve all that you want in life. By creating a positive environment for your family, you are consequently starting the same cycle for your kids.  My family was far from wealthy growing up, but my dad found ways to create some incredible memories.  Like bringing us to Legoland or Disney World despite our situation. Or literally driving/flying to every track race I ever ran in.  He built us Fords Fort in our backyard, with a few dollars and his own hard work.  My mom always made birthdays and holidays a big deal, not to mention her favorite way of showing love: cookies and baked goods.  Love you too Dixie (she just got a computer the other day so I know she is reading this... I am beyond proud of her and the random skype calls I get =D ).

Life gets crazy sometimes, it is inevitable, and I’ve found some of the most difficult times for me have been when I am simply alone.  With a solid woman in your life, your foundation, I think that team attitude can attack anything life throws at you. I think with the perfect wife comes a perfect family, and for me…the perfect life. Trust me, I know its not that easy, and I am far from a patient guy, but you better believe I will be with the next women I bring into my life. Call me an idealist, but that is one thing I will never settle on, I will find the perfect woman for me. I will find my success.

I will step down from my soapbox, and close up my thoughts for the day. I am broke, I am 24, I am single, and far from marriage.  But you have to define success in order to take the steps to achieve it, right?

So now you know what gets me up in the morning when that snooze button sounds so good…what does success mean to you?  And are you currently taking the steps to achieve it?

Keep your head up like your nose is bleedin'

TJF

Princess, if you don't know...now you know.

Be You.

           

As of recently, I have decided to go back to my roots: 
 A simple guy, who likes making people smile.
That’s what I do.

When I think about this blog, and even the purpose of blogs in general, I question what would truly make someone want to read this…and especially what would make them want to come back.

In a world full of commercials, advertising, and propaganda, people have literally become numb to the never-ending bombardment of messages around them.  What I have to offer, what I am willing to share, is true, genuine, thoughtful, and above all…real.  This is me, unhesitantly.

As of recently, I have decided to go back to my roots:  A simple guy, who likes making people smile.
That’s what I do.

I care, probably too much. I love, probably too deep. And I forgive, probably too easily. But that’s me, any variation of that would not be me.  I won’t backstab someone to get a promotion at work, I won’t manipulate women to get them to be interested in me, and I won’t lie to project an image of someone I am not.  I have full faith that me, being me, will accomplish all of those things…

The world today has kind of made everyone numb (including myself), and a general paradigm shift from caring about others to simply caring about ourselves has definitely occurred.  Our world is significantly smaller than we think, and our attitudes and beliefs are incredibly infectious. To be yourself, fully and truly, is harder than ever before.  I know for a fact that many things about me have changed for the worse since I moved to Arizona, due to the people and experiences amongst other things. Recently I have been questioning the people I surround myself with, and what sort of person I am around them.  Lately I have been hanging out with my buddy Gerald more than ever before, and for some reason unknown to me at the time…I was suddenly happy, optimistic, and simply rejuvenated.  Why? Because he supports the person I truly am…rather than pressuring me to be someone I am not.

Good things happen to good people.  As lame as it may sound, I stand by that statement.  Karma can be a $#)@*, but it can also be an angel.  Just because someone screwed you over in the past does not mean you need to do the same to the next (undeserving) person.  Change the cycle, and maybe someday it will come back in your favor. 

Pressure in life is neverending. I challenge you to believe in something, believe in yourself, and stand by it.

Be You. Unhesitantly.



Keep your head up like your nose is bleedin'
TJF

PS: My ringback...my motto...call me, I dare you

Become Legendary

Look me in the eye.

Its okay if you’re scared.

So am I. 

But we’re scared for different reasons.

I’m scared of what I won’t become.

And You’re scared of what I could become.

Look at me.

I won’t let myself end where I started.

I won’t let myself finish where I began.

I know what is within me.

Even if you can’t see it yet.

Look me in the eyes.

I have something more important than courage.

I have patience.

I will become what I know I am.

-Michael Jordan-

Blind Faith

Blind Faith 

Please forgive me, for it has been far too long. I try to write only when I truly feel it. I have to feel like the content of my blog should be relevant and above all, inspiring. I am not a man of excuses, but I guess as of recently… life got real. I suppose you could say I am facing a lot of defining moments in my life. Lately I feel pretty alone. I joke that I’m in hibernation or something, but with such a short time left in such a defining window of my life, focus is the essence.

Through running High School, Division I, and Division II track, I have had the fortunate opportunity to learn from some incredibly talented and knowledgeable coaches; Coaches who are on top of current knowledge, but also have competed at level’s I only dream of. At a track banquet a while back, one of the coaches talked about Blind Faith.

At the time he mentioned it, I kind of brushed it off and I guess it didn’t hit me until recently. Athletics, and life in general, are filled with constant doubts from the outside and from within. Many of the goals in life we strive to achieve are big, complex, and sometimes seemingly impossible. There are a lot of people out there who simply hate on ambition (my friends and I see it daily as we run around in short shorts and spandex), mostly because deep inside they are jealous that you are actually bold enough to follow through with your dreams.
If me and my teammates were to yell back at every person making fun of us running, we wouldn’t be any closer to the National Meet, and we may even get beat up along the way, if they could catch us ; ) If I were to debate every pessimistic naysayer who told me I simply wasn’t good enough for Division I, I wouldn’t be any closer to where I wanted to be.

The same theory holds true for internal doubts. Like the grass is greener saying, how are you supposed to truly focus on your grass if you spend all your time worried about your neighbors? That is where Blind Faith truly hits home for me.

My coach and I have had a lot of talks about ignorance. Some of the greatest athletes ever are simply ignorant, or should I say fearless? Blind Faith is confidently walking into a situation  despite not knowing the outcome. Blind Faith is stepping onto the track, the court, or the classroom knowing that you’ve done everything in your power to succeed. The fact that others may be more talented and possibly even more prepared than you are is entirely irrelevant. You are so focused that naysayers should be speaking gibberish to you at this point. You are the fastest, strongest, smartest, and most prepared. Focus is a pretty lonely place, but someday your successes will overshadow your sacrifices.

Don’t ever let someone tell you that you can’t do something. The only person who can decide that is you.

Blind Faith is intimately listening to the only voice that truly matters, yours. Anything else is simply gibberish.


Keep your head up like your nose is bleedin'
TJF

PS: This video gives me the chills every time...

Everything I'm not made me everything I am.

First of all, forgive me if it has been far too long.  I cannot tell you how wonderful I feel getting such positive feedback from all the wonderful friends stumbling upon Ford’s Fort.

I have to be honest, my life these days has been quite full of failure. With that being said, I suppose a lot of my inspiration and “rubber-band-man” attitude seemed to have left me for a while there.  

I recently went home to South Dakota to visit my family, and I swear that place has a way of helping me find myself. One night I had a conversation with my brother about our childhood. It is quite remarkable how perceptions can lead us to develop such faulty interpretations of the past.  My brother, like many, thought I have always been the happiest most confident individual.  In reality, that is far from the truth.  Certain events, people, and memories made me hate myself growing up.

I’m good now.  I’m Happy. But for me to brush those memories under the rug was wrong, and completely unhealthy.

Kanye West said it best, “everything I’m not made me everything I am.” All my life people have told me I can’t do this, I’ll never make it, I’m not smart enough, I’m not fast enough, I’m not strong enough, and so on.  For the longest time I let them crush my aspirations, as well as my dreams. Why people hate on ambition is beyond me. 

For the longest time I listened to them…I didn’t always keep my head up like my nose was bleeding. I let peoples’ negative thoughts affect my happiness. Somewhere along my journey to Arizona, I had a change of attitude…and I found the Taylor you know today. 

I quit caring about what everyone else thought, and focused more on the opinions of the people who truly loved me. Most importantly, I started to value what I thought about myself. My fraternity has this truly amazing program called Push America, which raises awareness and funds for people with disabilities.  Push America shifts the focus to what people can do, rather than what they can’t.  What abilities they do have, not their involuntary setbacks.  I decided to do the same. 

I may never run an 800 in 1:47, get straight A’s, or make a million dollars, but maybe that’s not what God intended me to do.  Maybe all I will ever achieve is making a few people smile, marrying an incredible wife, raising some wonderful kids, and smiling more days than not.  What’s so wrong with that? I’m not about to complain that I wasn’t given the talent that others have been given, because I was given the same…in a different regard. 

I will step off my soap box, and quit preaching.  That’s my story, or snapshot at it I suppose. 

In closing, I will quote a man by the name of Steve:

            To give anything less than your best would be to sacrifice the gift.

What’s yours?

Keep your head up like your nose is bleedin',

TJF

True Story Nas, you tell em.

My little secret...

I am going to let you in on a little secret, I am in a fraternity.  I surprised you didn’t I?  That’s probably because me, and my fraternity, we are different.  Yes, I fully understand “different” seems to be cliché in the fraternity world…but hear me out before you judge me.

I would like to introduce you to Pi Kappa Phi. First and foremost, I want to clarify that I am in a fraternity, not a frat.  I am a fraternity member, not a frat boy, there is a distinct difference.  I am not here to downgrade any other fraternity, but to state the facts and truths about mine which set us apart.

Every fraternity has a mission, we don’t just talk about ours…we live it. Pi Kappa Phi’s mission is “We Will Lead.” On the campus of Arizona State University you cannot step foot in a building where Pi Kapp leaders are not making a difference.  The current student government President O’Kelly, and the hopeful currently campaigning future president Corrigan both proudly represent ΠΚΦ. The Greek Council last year was run by Brice Kohara, another proud Pi Kapp, and The Resident Hall Association is run by Will Aja and loaded with Pi Kapps like Brian Kehoe and Peter Chang...Pi Kapp’s are leaders by choice.

Every fraternity gives back to some sort of philanthropy, Pi Kappa Phi is the only fraternity in the United States that owns and operates its own non-profit organization, Push America.  Pi Kapp is building leaders of tomorrow by serving people with disabilities today. Journey of Hope is a bike ride across America to raise funds and awareness for people with disabilities. My roommate Cody Compau personally raised $5,000 and rode his bike a total of 4,000 miles. My good friend Tyler Quinn spent 7 weeks of his summer building amenities at camps for people with disabilities for the Push American program called Build America.

I would love to elaborate on the best part of fraternity, the brotherhood, but it isn’t that siple. Brotherhood is beautiful in its shared meaning, and unfortunately that shared meaning is created and known only by the people associated with that fraternity.  Whether it be Pi Kappa Phi, or any other fraternity on campus, I encourage you to give it a shot.

Pi Kapp doesn’t haze. Period. Rather than wasting energy on mutilating, degrading, and hazing associate members, we instead reinforce our values as men of CLASS by bringing them together through raising funds and awareness for Push America.

Some fraternities claim they are one of the fastest growing in the country, Pi Kappa Phi is the fastest growing fraternity in the country with 14 new chapters a year.

Being a gentleman is a word commonly associated with fraternity, but Pi Kapp truly takes that to heart.  Chivalry is incredibly important to Pi Kapp, and it shows.  Myself, and Brother David Jude were 2 of the 10 men selected to the 2010 ASU Gentlemen’s Showcase by the Network of Enlightened Women. The ASU chapter actually created its own event, now held every April, called Miss Push America Ambassadorial Competition.  Miss Push is like Miss America, but Miss Push is crowned by the audience voting on who will best spread awareness for Push America. This year’s Miss Push will be April 21^st at Tempe Center For the Arts, and I may even have the honor of hosting it!

I am very selective with anything that I associate with my life, whether it be women, friends, clubs, or interests.  Time and time again people will realize that I am in a fraternity and look at me in shock.  Don’t judge someone without hearing their story first ; )

Keep your head up like your nose is bleedin'

TJF

The Spotlight

Last night I went on one of those midnight runs, where everything seemed to click.   To me, my spontaneous late night runs come in the form of therapy, and I really am running from my problems. Last night the stress seemed to slip off my shoulders with every beautiful step of my Nike’s, and with every stride I found new clarity in my life. With the right song, the perfect stride, and that new found clarity, I can honestly say that as I cut through the darkness it gave me the chills.  It is quite uncommon for me to feel that good on a run, and in my own little world…I felt unstoppable.

Forgive me as I day dream, but through last night’s experiences I had an epiphany:  About myself, about track, about the people in my life, but most of all…about success.

Last night I felt unstoppable, but unstoppable is truly subjective. In my own world I felt on top of my game, but in the real world I am far from unstoppable.  Trust me, I am a dreamer like none other, and I fully aspire to be a top-caliber athlete, but I am also a realist. I may never be an All-American track star, and I may never stand on the podium again, but I refuse to be defined by my lack of recognition in the spotlight.  And I hate to resort to reference the cliché quote, but isn’t life about the journey…not the destination?

What is success?  Money, cars, houses, awards, trophies? For the fortunate select few, standing on that podium is success, but being in the spotlight isn’t the sole definition of success. Many people might look at the recent years of my life as a failure, I left many great opportunities in my hometown for a very risky and uncertain future in Arizona.  I could have been an All-American at a small school, but instead I am an injury ridden walk-on at a Division 1 Track Powerhouse. But that is the superficial light you could shine on my life, I prefer to define my success in other terms.  Instead of talking about “doing”…I “did”, and I am here doing what I always dreamed of.  Although I am constantly injured, there is nowhere else I would rather be than running for Coach Quintana at Arizona State University. I have faith that by being here I will reach my full potential in every aspect of my life, whether it be a time on a track or simply defining myself. The people I have positively affected, the jobs and internships I have attained, and the countless, priceless memories I have experienced define my success…not my absence on the podium.

“The Podium” contains only a fraction of the excellence taking place in the world. Altruism, although unappreciated and often unnoticed, does exist. I did not fully appreciate my mom until I came to Arizona.  My mom, Dixie, defines altruism.  Every day she does little things to help others, without asking anything in return. She can warm your soul with her kindness or her delicious baked goods.  For such a small woman, the size of her heart is astronomical. For all that my mom does, I can almost guarantee that Martha Stewart or Oprah Winfrey won’t be stopping by with Dixie’s Mother of the Year award any time soon.

Every day, people are doing extraordinary things beyond the spotlight, completely unrecognized and unappreciated. 

For all the “little” people, who do big things, you have my respect…this post is for you.

Keep your head up like your nose is bleedin',
TJF


PS:  My video of the week, Israel Kamakawiwo'Ole singing Somewhere Over the Rainbow.  I specifically bought a Ukulele for the sole purpose of learning to play this song.  I am not quite as good as the big man, but I try.

Damn my grass looks good =D

 In society, we are trained and guided by excess and multitude. Nearly every aspect of your life you have the ability to buy another when the other gets old, or get the new model just because you can.  Tiger Woods probably has a garage full of extravagant cars, a closet overflowing with clothes, and mansions in every area code, why not have a girl in every area code as well? Every piece of his life comes in abundance, but yet the most important piece in every man’s life should come individually wrapped in a white dress, hand chosen by you.

Tiger Woods has reached a level of success in golf that should be envied by any man of any craft.  Tiger didn’t reach that level of success without an intense competitive drive, unfortunately that attitude carried over into his love life.  On his journey to the top, he essentially created a monster that would later take control of other areas of his life.  His desire to be the best, and get the best, eventually led him to cheat on his wife on numerous occasions.

I grew up in a family full of love. My parents have been married for almost 30 years now, and not a day went by that I didn’t hear the “L” word growing up.  I fully believe behind every great man is a wonderful woman.  The most important lesson my dad ever taught me was never spoken, but was found in his everyday actions towards my mom.  To me, this lesson is the key ingredient in any friendship, relationship, or marriage:

Appreciation.   

To me, the word “Appreciation” seems to encompass every little detail that goes into a successful relationship.  Success, or happiness is found in appreciating the little things, everyday:  the coffee she has ready when you wake up,  the fresh pressed shirt you put on, the incredible dinner you come home to,  and the wonderful kids she helps you raise.  If you take time to Appreciate the little things, everyday, you wouldn’t even question whether the grass is greener…you would come home with a smile saying “Damn that looks good…and that’s mine” =D

The beauty behind Appreciation lies in its reciprocation.  I am willing to guarantee that if you start the cycle, if  you make a little extra effort to appreciate someone today, they will return the favor.

If there is one thing that Steve Ford taught me, it was to Appreciate the little things, every day.

Keep your head up like your nose is bleedin',

TJF

PS: With all the negative hype towards male celebrities and their family life, my video of the week is by a man who knows how to handle his fame and his family:  Will Smith - Just the two of us

SPRING BREAK 2010!

Spring Break is here, and my Facebook newsfeed is literally exploding with everyone uploading photos from their vacations.  The destinations seem repetitive: Mexico, Hawaii, Florida, and many other exotic places.  Each get-away seems to have sun, beaches, palm trees, shopping, food, and don’t forget mind-blurring amounts of alcohol.

I went to this incredible place for spring break called Tempe, Arizona.  I didn’t mess with the jacked-up airline fees, or wait in line at the airport, and I definitely didn’t drop a few hundred dollars on a hotel, I actually stayed in my own cozy bed.

 Maybe this is just me being a “the cup is half full” kind of guy, but I am happy to be in Arizona for spring break.  Let me go through the check-list for spring break get-aways:

• Warm Weather: Check.  80’s all week.
• Palm Trees: Check.
• Beaches: Okay, so we have pools…and Tempe Town Lake!?
• Consuming large amounts of alcohol with friends: Check.  Mill Ave and Scottsdale will make you forget your middle name ; )
• Beautiful Women in very little clothing: Check.  Palm Walk gives ASU students that daily =D
• Shopping: Check. Fashion Square, Tempe Marketplace, Chandler Fashion Center, Scottsdale Quarter, AZ Mills, The Biltmore, Kierland Commons, the list goes on.
• Restaurants: Check. From Oregano’s Pizza and Pizzacookies to Blanco’s Tacos, the food in the valley will make your belly happy, quote me on that.
• Nature:  Check. From the Phoenix Zoo to hiking Camelback and South Mountain, you can enjoy nature and exercise all at once.  Also, a great way to sweat off that hangover = \

Spring break is what you make it.  My spring break has entailed me sleeping in, getting a tan at track practice, enjoying some amazing restaurants with my friends, and falling asleep in my own bed while watching Man v. Food on Netflix. Heaven, right?

So to my wonderful Spring Break 2010, and the fortunate others here in the valley over break: 

Tempe, Arizona…We Salute You.

(Fashion Square Shopping Center, Tempe Town Lake, and Oregano's Pizza Bistro)

Keep your head up like your nose is bleedin,

TJF

Vision Quest: What is your legacy?

Yesterday I had one of those beautiful days.  Beautiful in that I woke up at 11:00, and spent the majority of my afternoon watching a random movie from the 80’s.  The movie, Vision Quest, was surprisingly intriguing, and incredibly inspiring.

Vision Quest is a movie about a Louden Swain, a young high school wrestler.  With his 18^th birthday he realizes that up to this point, he had no true meaning to his life.  Louden makes the drastic decision to embark on a journey that many others doubt and don’t fully understand.  Louden, in his journey to find meaning, decides to drop 2 weight classes to wrestle Schute, the most unbeatable man-beast wrestling machine from his rival high school.

This movie, and Louden’s journey, shadows that of a Native American teen embarking on a “Vision Quest.” A Vision Quest is a journey taken by Native American boys nearing puberty, in hopes to define themselves and guide their life at a crucial turning point in their transition to manhood.

I feel can truly relate to Louden, in that his dream was doubted and not fully understood by the people around him.  These doubts and these feeling of loneliness only heightened his intimate passion for the journey.  He closed himself off from the outside world in every way, and focused every grueling detail of his life towards his quest.  Louden worked his body to unthinkable levels and deprived himself of food to his begging un-nourished body. 

I will not go into detail on how his vision quest ended, or even how his match against Schute turned out, but I feel the American Novelist Don Williams says it best:

"...our lessons come from the journey, not the destination."

This movie really got me thinking about legacy.  Yesterday I received a text message from my dad saying that my dying, Alzheimer’s ridden, Grandma Joe had passed away.  He was my inspiration, my hero, and my twin from a different generation.  Your time in life is precious, and what you do with your time should truly mean something.  How will people remember you?  If you truly find meaning in your life, affect and inspire others, you and your legacy will live on. 

My lesson of the day to you: step outside your ordinary and challenge yourself.  If you are addicted to soda, take a week off.  If you are afraid of heights, hike camelback mountain. Obsessed with shopping, donate a few old items to charity.  By deliberately placing yourself in discomfort, I guarantee you will discover a new found strength in your life.

Keep your head up like your nose is bleedin’

TJF

Mario is my homeboy.

1080p? Wireless controllers? 120 gigabyte harddrive? Blu-Ray?

I will trade all that nonsense in for my Super Nintendo. Thanks.
There comes a point where commodification shatters life’s simplicities. Growing up, Mario was my homeboy. My brother and I escaped into the world of Mario, and even ended up naming our dog Princess after the lead heroine. The game was simple, you run, jump, and save the girl. Back then, there were so few games available that nearly everyone played the same games. If for some reason you had the rare privilege of introducing someone to the world of Mario or Nintendo…you could literally teach them in minutes. I remember my dad used to hop in and play with us every once in a while.

These days the game systems have changed. The technological changes seen in the video game industry over the past 10 years are down-right incredible, but some fundamental functions of these video games has been lost through this transformation.

New video games seem to be centered around extensive individual game play, where you don’t need to have real live friends by your side. The social aspect of video games has been lost. Rather than calling up a buddy down the street, kids these days are playing with strangers from across the country, often twice their age, through online play.
Even if you do call up a friend to play by your side, it usually takes nearly an hour to explain all the complicated button combinations, and that’s assuming he is interested in learning. Mario took minutes, I will go ahead and teach you again real quick: run, jump, save the girl. Got it?

I have a hard time picturing Mario rolling around in a lowrider, strapped with his glock, making blood spill and picking up prostitutes. Mario was a gentleman who saved the day. Now we have 7 year old kids aspiring to be thugs through Grand Theft Auto. Here is a glock, go get em Tiger…?


Don’t get me wrong, I fully appreciate a little Guitar Hero after a long day, and nothing brings the boys together like a good game of Madden, but I can’t help but miss the simplicity of Super Nintendo. I still love my Xbox 360, and I guarantee that someday I will buy my kids the new game system that everyone other kid on the block has. I guess the lesson of the day is to embrace change.


PS: It looks like I am not the only person getting nostalgic these day, this link should give you a good laugh.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Stadium-Events-Nes-game_W0QQitemZ110499541029

Also, beings that I created this blog to make people smile, I decided to add a music video each week.

Keep your head up like your nose is bleedin,
TJF

Pride

I am an Aberdeen Central High School Golden Eagle

I am a Northern State University Wolf

I am a Sun Devil.

I am a brother of Pi Kappa Phi

I am a South Dakotan.

I am an Arizonian.

And I am an American.

I have to be honest…when the Olympics come around I get a little excited.  One of the few things in this world that truly brings us together is Pride. The Olympics has this incredible ability to unite us, and remind us of the wonderful country we live in.  As Americans, I feel we truly take for granted the beauty associated with that red, white, and blue.

This lack of appreciation is evident in many places, especially in politics.  Everyone seems to be fixated on our economic slump, health care debate, or the newly elected President Obama.  Whether it be the high unemployment rate, or constant disagreement about health care plans, there is nowhere else I would rather been than in the United States.  Yes, I completely understand we are currently having a little trouble, but other countries have their problems as well. America seems to have started a vicious cycle of electing heroes to save the day, and then kicking them to the curb when the change doesn’t happen overnight. I am far from a political person, but it truly bothers me to see President Bush be disrespected the way he was, only to see our next President, Obama, be treated with the same blatant disrespect.  We made the choice, live with the decision.  Disrespect and hate will not solve our problems.

 It has been my dream to be at Arizona State University since I was a little kid. My grandma constantly bought clothing with some scary looking guy grinning with a pitch fork embroidered on it.   Eventually I took a tour and fell in love with the land of Sparky.  I came to my first football game proud in gold, but was later incredibly disappointed with the pride of others.  Our football team had somewhat of a rough season, and the student section voiced their angry opinion at every game.  If it wasn’t for the gold they were wearing, you would have thought Oregon, USC, or Cal brought a real big student section full of ASU haters.  Our fans constantly complained, especially about our quarterback.  This embarrassing lack of pride killed me, for many reasons.

I run track and lift side by side with the football guys…I know damn well how hard those guys work out in the weight room.  They are incredible athletes, who dedicate their lives to what they do, and to some extent…they do it for you.  What do they get in return?  Booed, hated, and disrespected on their home field.  It really is comical when I hear some overweight drunk guy in the stands yell “How did you not make that pass?” Could you do any better? Hey big guy…this isn’t Madden.

Trust me, I want our football team to do well just as much as the others.  Our athletic department’s budget relies heavily on the success of our major programs like football and basketball; I completely understand Track and Field doesn’t make the big bucks. By booing and hating, they are not helping the situation.  Have a little patience, and especially some pride, and eventually success will come our way.  In the meanwhile, how about you support the already successful athletic teams?  Like the 2008 Men’s and Women’s Track and Field National Indoor Champions, or the 2008 Women’s Softball National Champions, and the defending National Champions on our Women’s Golf Team?  

I will never forget where I came from, and every day I fully appreciate where I am. Whether it be your high school basketball team competing for a state title, or our US Olympic Team competing for gold, have a little pride.

Keep your head up like your nose is bleedin,

TJF

Find meaning.

I am a firm believer that inspiration should be the guiding focus in our lives.  I also believe that inspiration can be found any and everywhere.  As I have said before, the cup is either half full, or half empty. Your interpretation of life’s everyday messages heavily impacts the direction of your life.  I have always been a fan of Will Smith movies, but “Pursuit of Happyness” particularly had a profound impact on me.  One scene
 in particular:

“You got a dream, you gotta protect it. If people can't do something themselves, they want to tell you that you can't do it.

"You want something? 

Go get it. 

Period.”

This fall I had mono, and I found myself, a ridiculously energetic and inspired individual, stuck inside my room for a month and a half, slowly but surely losing all heart.  I spent every day sleeping, eating, and watching meaningless movies. Every day I saw my dreams of running fade further into the dark abyss that was my lack of motivation.  I have watched “Pursuit of Happyness”  a million times, but one day that scene and it’s meaning truly hit me.  I literally paused the movie, and printed off the words
You want something? 
Go Get it. 
Period.
in enormous letters, and pasted it to the center of my wall. 

To me, that one line, from that one movie, that one day, guides my life.  Looking at it deeper, it is really quite simple.  Whatever it is in your life, whether it be a job, a sport, a date, an ideal body, or an A on a final exam, if you want something bad enough, go get it. Period. 

Obviously there should be steps, a progression, into achieving your dream.  As a kid I fell asleep many nights reading Michael Jordan’s biographies, and he truly embraced the idea of stepping stone success.  He didn’t wake up one day as the best player to ever play his sport, broke things down and took things step by step.  First he had to be the best in high school, then college, then the pros, etc.  The real guiding force in any journey is the inspiration, the motivation.  You have to decide what you want, and then go after it.  If you truly want something as bad as you say you do, you will make every other aspect of your life form in the right direction to guide you to your goal. I know this sounds like it came straight from “The Secret”, so please forgive me if it seems like I am going all philosophical on you.  I don’t believe in the planets magically aligning to help you get that “A” you want in Comm class, but I do firmly believe in complete and utter focus.  I am sure you know people who talk but never follow with action.  They say they want this job, or that girl, or to lose a few pounds but are afraid to try, and unwilling to actually put in the work that is necessary.  If you truly want something bad enough your priorities will shift.

For example, after truly embracing the quote from “Pursuit of Happyness”, I arranged my life in a way that would positively guide me towards my dream of running.  I am much like a “Rudy” on the track team, and I wasn’t gifted with the incredible talent that many of my friends and teammates were given, so I need to do all the little things right, perfect in fact, to see the success I want. I knew I wanted it bad enough, so the pain and hard work were irrelevant. I changed my social life, I still went out to see my friends, but I didn’t drink, and I went to bed at a decent time.  I changed my diet, and focused on what I needed, not what I wanted.  Many of my teammates are on scholarship, since I am not that fortunate I have to work.  I had way too much on my plate, so I quit one of my jobs and focused more on being financially efficient.  I was completely willing to sacrifice minor necessities for the ultimate goal.

The essence of my example is focus.  I do not focus on all the little things that I cannot control, like natural ability and scholarship money.  Instead, I focus on all the little things in my life that I do have control over, like my social life, nutrition, time management, and financial efficiency.  All these little changes executed daily, cumulatively bring me closer to my dream.

This is my dream, and my experience, all of which is rooted from a random movie on a random day.  Think of how many songs, books, articles, shows, and movies you experience daily.

Find meaning.


Keep your head up like your nose is bleedin,
TJF