My alarm for Early AM Basketball is always music.  I feel like I'm waking up to my own personal life soundtrack.  Lately, it's been asking me this question. What's  Over Yonder?   Thanks Professor Toon...I'm still doing my research.  #takenotes #tendo #ballislife #motivation #squad #ynot #organicchemistry #physics101 #cp3 #kingmez #bigkrit #goodmorning #lifelessons




I met Professor Toon after he opened for Bone Thugs in Harmony in August of 2015... i think.  This is the best way I describe Toon's performance:  His passion in his performance always results in the same thing: He always leaves each show with more fans that he started with.  At his first NYC show, one guy who had never heard of Toon before said halfway through the show "This is crazy. All he needs is to be in front of like 10,000 people. I'm definitely a fan now. Wow."  Passion communicates volumes more than words can.   Below is  his latest project, Take Notes.  I recommend sitting down with headphones. You can listen for free, but I recommend buying the album, appreciating the artist, and keeping it on your phone's playlist.  

Let me know what your favorite tracks are. Mine are Who Gon' Stop Me? The Rain...Millions, and Yonder...and ..and pretty much all the tracks.  But maybe that's just me.

Until next time...as Toon says, T.E.N.D.O. :Take Extra Notes Defeat Obstacles

Peace.

--Greg

Throw Back Thursday: Crimson Tide Score Hans Zimmer

Throwback Thursday. 

Crimson Tide Main Theme by Hans Zimmer.

This is the music from the movie that made me realize how much the music in the movies is major. lol. Major key After I left the theater with my Dad in '95. I ordered this from BMG Music Club (who remembers that?) for like a penny or $1 or whatever deal they had back then. It was a game changer. 

Happy Thursday to ya. 

Feel free to put me on to any of your favorite score

Here's $200 Bucks, Now Here's the Catch...

That's exactly what I was looking for when I researched this $200 Checking account promotion SunTrust was offering.  Deadline to sign up: October 12th, 2015. SunTrust $200 Promo

> Here's the breakdown:

1) You open a Select Checking Account with at least $100
2) You have direct deposits totaling either $500 or $2000 within 60 days.
3) SunTrust will deposit $100 or $200 within 60 days after you make your qualifying deposits.

At that point you can either choose to close the account or keep it open.

I've read and asked questions and the catch seems to be that if you stop the the qualifying direct deposits or your balance drops below $2000, then you'll incur a monthly fee of around $15. That $15 will quickly eat into the $100 or $200 gain you set out for, so be careful.

I may have missed something else in the fine print or another catch somewhere, so if you something let me know.  I don't earn any money from this, just sharing. Good luck.

https://www.suntrust.com/Microsites/Checking/checking-offer/index.html

After Wheel of Fortune Goes Off...

When I was 17, I spent a summer with my Grandparents in NYC. They and therefore I had to call it a night by 8 o'clock, after Wheel of Fortune went off. That summer, I learned one of my greatest lessons. Patience.

How Are You Practicing to Become Who You Want to Be?

Think about your future self. What are you doing now to become that person?

1) Have a vision. Have a picture of who you want to be. What's dope to you? Imagine in as much detail as possible what your life looks and feels like when you're successful. Set specific, measurable goals. A Goal is a dream with a date on it. What is a date on one of your dreams?

 2) Represent. Know your why.  "He who has a why can deal with almost any how." Where you’re from… Who you’re with…and what you’re about. Your actions are a reflection, not just of you, but for those people who cared enough to help you get here too. Do your best and remember where you come from as you work towards where you want to go.  Ask yourself when your effort is low, am I thinking about this as an obligation or am I realizing the opportunity?

3) Focus. The ability to eliminate distractions in order to realize your vision. Learn not just to control, but to master you emotions. 

 4) Shut Up and Grind. S.U.A.G. Simply put: Do the work. You can plan, prepare, theorize, and get hyped all you want, but at some point you have to sit down, focus, shut up, and grind. "Everybody has the will to win, but not everybody has the will to prepare to win.  Michelangelo has a quote that sums this up “ If people know how hard I worked to gain my mastery, it wouldn’t seem so wonderful at all.” There will come a time when you face a challenge and initially you may not get the results you wanted. At that point you have to ask yourself am I’m really grinding like I can? Am I really putting in the maximum effort possible? Go the distance, pain is temporary. Like Nike says, Just Do It.

 5) Work Together. Harambee. “Means much more than I got your back.” The effect you have on others is the most powerful currency there is. There’s so much more you can accomplish by working together than trying to go it alone. It’s easy to ask your friend “what’s good?” or “what’s up?” but it’s much more difficult to say “are you ready for that test?” or “how’s everything at home?” Don’t be afraid to bond over the tougher issues in life and have the courage to step outside your comfort zone and the stereotypical expectations of you and your peers to achieve something greater together. You’ll be thankful that you did and amazed at what you all were able to achieve.

Five Points For the Future

As you read this post, Five Points for the Future. Here is a music playlist to listen to now and later.

1) Have a vision. Have a picture of who you want to be.

2) Focus. The ability to eliminate distractions in order to realize your vision.

 3) Represent. Where you’re from… Who you’re with…and what you’re about. Your actions are a reflection, not just of you, but for those people who cared enough to help you get here too. Do your best and remember where you come from as you work towards where you want to go.

 4) Shut Up and Grind. S.U.A.G. Simply put: Do the work. You can plan, prepare, theorize, and get hyped all you want, but at some point you have to sit down, focus, shut up, and grind. The work won’t get done just because you want it to. Michelangelo has a quote that sums this up “ If people know how hard I worked to gain my mastery, it wouldn’t seem so wonderful at all.” There will come a time when you face a challenge and initially you may not get the results you wanted. At that point you have to ask yourself am I’m really grinding like I can? Am I really putting in the maximum effort possible? Go the distance, pain is temporary. Like Nike says, Just Do It.

 5) Work Together. Harambee. “Means much more than I got your back.” There’s so much more you can accomplish by working together than trying to go it alone. It’s easy to ask your friend “what’s good?” or “what’s up?” but it’s much more difficult to say “are you ready for that test?” or “how’s everything at home?” Don’t be afraid to bond over the tougher issues in life and have the courage to step outside your comfort zone and the stereotypical expectations of you and your peers to achieve something greater together. You’ll be thankful that you did and amazed at what you all were able to achieve.

To Program or To Be Programmed...

If that's the question, CodeAcademy might be the answer. I've signed up, but haven't been terribly consistent and I'm constantly regretting not putting the time in. So, do as I say, not as I do. Lol.

Being able to program/code is an increasingly valuable skill, but more importantly it empowers you to be able to create in this new world of technology and web based learning. Consider it the literacy of the new millenia. Sign up. Do your best. Most importantly, don't stop learning.

Check out the founders Zach and Ryan explain CodeAcademy on YouTube

Read the Inc.  article on the guys and the company: CodeAcademy 30 under 30

Also, here is some music to enjoy while you learn to code. :)


Until next time, keep pushing, keep hustlin, and keep flowin.

Let's make it happen,

--Greg