I am the first time in a long time...

After almost a decade out of college and Kaba, I got to reminisce with a few friends from those days this past weekend at the Kaba 35th Anniversary Gala. I was afraid that I wouldn't really know many of the alums that went, but I was pleasantly surprised to find out that I did know quite a few. It was great to reminisce about old days, laugh about our youth, and update each other on the past 10 years. It was awesome. And these people are still up to their old antics...just like back then. Hope there are more alum events like this in the future, maybe not so formal though...

Paul Levy is a great man. I don't know him well, but just from the little I read about him, I already admire this person and greatly respect him. You can get to know a little more about him here. I wonder how many people around the world would do that exactly same thing - it's sad for me to think it, but the general feeling I get is not many people. Chris just told me our friend Rochelle's hospital did that too. It really reinforces the fact that WE ARE community. We can make OUR world a better place; for ourselves and for each other.

Man, I need to run...it's been about a week and a half since I ran that 5 miler over at Pasadena...it was supposed to be 6, but my leg couldn't hang. Tonight, I shall run, be it earlier or midnight....RUN I SHALL!

This is an old thought...but I thought I'd post it now before it disappears into the abyss...
of conformity and individuality
Society sends us such mixed messages; everything contradicts itself. There are commercials and radio messages to be healthy, yet McDonald's advertises 2 Big Mac's for $3.50(of which I've already succumbed to several times). Smoking is bad for you, yet "all the cool" people do it. The top for me, the one that gets to me th most, is the message of confirmity vs individuality. We don't like it when people aren't like us, yet we don't like it when they're too much like us. Society tells us to be ourselves, yet will look down those who are being too much of themselves. What are we telling people here? Some people have thought about conformity and appearance so much that it's come to the point where if they needed to go to the grocery store to grab something, they'd have to dress up because they might run into someone - and considering their profession...they must "look the part." Are we now a society of such little understanding that we wouldn't be able to relate that we just needed to run out real quick, so it's okay to be wearing our jammies or our dressed down home apparel? Or do we have to put up this facade? I understand dressing appropriately, but come on, isn't it going a little too far.

55 small things you can always do
52. Make the most important thing, the most important thing.
We can fall into the habit of making everything sound important; or place a multitude of things on the same level priority-wise. It's not possible to say that your career is the most important along with your family. Superlatives should be used accordingly. Career is important, but family is MOST important. That's just an example, of course. But make sure you identify the most important thing as the MOST important thing.