Newest running shoes

I like trying out new running shoes but always keep a few go-tos in my line up. I have been a fan of having a rotation of running shoes to workout with for about 10 years. I like to have different ones for different workouts and to just rotate through. 

Here are my current additions to the line up:

The Brooks (middle) are the Ghost 12. The Ghost line has been in my rotation for 7 years. It is my top go-to. I love them for my everyday runs and long runs. Soft with some support. Always available and hold up to the beating of daily running. These along with the Nike Pegasus are probably two shoes I have bought most often. 

The two other shoes are Sketchers. This isn't my first foray with the brand. A few years back I bought a pair for speed days and as my half marathon shoe. I ran a PR in those and was pleased with how they felt. They weren't as durable but for the price they did a great job. 

The Sketchers on the left are Go Run Max Road 4. These a super cushy and have a great grip on the bottom. The upper is nice as well. I have enjoyed the runs I have gone on in them. They feel like they will hold up pretty decent but I doubt to the 500 miles I like to get in on a shoe. You don't feel the road at all in these so if you like that feel these aren't for you. 

The other Sketchers (right) are GoMeb Speed 6. I got these becuase well Meb of course & I don't have any race/speed shoes at this time. They are light with a little cushion. Not the most comfortable, as racing shoes rarely are, and I wouldn't go on a long run in them. Since I don't do much racing or speed work these days, I have only gotten out in them twice. Too early to really tell if I like them but so far I don't dislike them.

I have another 3 or so shoes currently in rotation. These three plus the Pegasus I just got are the newest to the family. The new Pegasus I got are for my Atlanta trips to replace the recently retired Brooks I kept in Atlanta. I visit Atlanta so much I just keep a pair of running shoes & gear there. 

Cool weather in So FL :)

 The weather in south florida has finally turned to cooler temperatures. It is so brutally hot year round here. Which is great for many reasons but not for running. As mentioned in a previous post, the heat makes it miserable to be a runner here.

The cooler temperatures has been amazing for my running. It has made it fun again. I have gotten off the treadmill and back out on the roads. Running comfortably and longer. I will be taking advantage of this as long as it will last, even though it sure won't last long enough. Two month out of the year just isn't enough. Spring is generally bearable but not pleasant.

Well I am off  to enjoy some miles. 🏃🏃🏃🏃

The future of the Finance industry...... PayPal

 ***Please make sure to do your research and consult a professional. I am not a professional and content is intended to be used and must be used for informational purposes only.****

The big financial institutes have dominated for centuries. I think the new technology is testing those institutes and this can be a great thing for consumers. Look around and you can see all the daily tech we are using for our new form of banking. The two companies that have stuck out to me are PayPal (PYPL) and Square (SQ). 

Let's take a look at some of the recent trends:

Digital, Peer to peer, Online shopping, Buy now pay later or in instalments, Digital wallets, Mobile pay, Crypto, AI, Automation, Rewards, lower fee structure.

You can look around as she how technology is disrupting the industry. Here are just a few companies doing the disrupting:

PayPal, Square, Robinhood, Apple Pay (Google pay, Samsung pay. Amazon..), Acorns, Chime (?), Varo Money, AfterPAy....

As you can see there are plenty of examples. I have chosen to speak on PayPal but I also like Square. I am just more familiar with PayPal. Over the years, PayPal was primarily known as the eBay payment. That is far from true now. I first noticed a big shift once I saw PayPal as an option at Home Depot. They had been spun off from eBay by that time. Even recently. people made a big fuss when eBay announced that PayPal would not be its primary payment processor. However, it was going to still be an option. I was a little shocked people reacted that way, because by this time PayPal was already making big moves outside that eBay connection. Look at where you have shopped online in recent month and you will see how prevalent it is as a payment option.  

The reasons why I like PayPal? 

Offers peer to peer in multiple currencies, Consumer to Business payment (where it started), Business POS, PayPal Credit, Venmo (yes venmo!!), and now they are dipping into Crypto. 

They hit on most of the big trends. They are looking to continue to innovate and enter new areas. They don't hit all the notes but I like the story and they aren't tied to a bigger company (Apple Pay, Amazon..), are a public company (Robinhood, Acorns), are known (Chimes, afterpay).

I think this is an area with plenty of investment options for the long run. One very large trend is the buy now pay later type formats and for that I would say keep an eye on AfterPay. The trend is the modern online version of layaway. It is less diversified in its business offerings and is a riskier pick. Again, I also like Square (Square card, CashApp, POS, Jack Dorsey).

These would have all been great buys during the March dip. I still think there is value here in many of these Fin Tech companies that will continue to disrupt the industry. Some of these I would keep an eye on for  a future IPO or a buying opportunity. 

My 401(K)

***Please make sure to do your research and consult a professional. I am not a professional and content is intended to be used and must be used for informational purposes only.****

The company I work for offers a 401(K) as a retirement benefit for its full time employees. At the time I joined the company, they offered a matching program after one year of service and a fully vested after 4 years. Although the company has changed requirements throughout the years, that is what it was for me when I joined the company. It now offers matching almost right away and no time period for before becoming fully vested. 

The matching component is where the company matches what you put into the account up to a specific amount. Vested refers to the ownership of that amount contributed by the company completely and wholly. Meaning, the company can't claw any of that back and you fully own the entirety of the funds. 

401(K) ( FYI 403b is very similar)

Before we take a dive into how I have mine setup, let's look at what a 401(k) is. According to the IRS: A 401(k) is a feature of a qualified profit-sharing plan that allows employees to contribute a portion of their wages to individual accounts. Elective salary deferrals are excluded from the employee's taxable income (except for designated Roth deferrals). Employers can contribute to employees' accounts.

A few key components are:

1) Tax deferral- Your contribution is excluded from your taxable income bow but instead pay the tax when you withdrawl. This allows you to utilize those funds take advantage of compounding interest.

2) Retirement Plan- This plan is for your retirement years.Withdrawing the money early, before 59.5, will generally cost 10% + the income tax owed with the exception of a hardship withdrawal. There are also annual maximum contribution limits.

3) Employer can contribute- In my opinion, you should really only contribute if your company is matching because you have other vehicles available with better control to utilize. You should invest up to the amount the company is willing to match and put the rest in another retirement vehicle.

My Setup

As far as my setup, I keep it pretty simple. Your outlook should be long term and you should invest accordingly. Each plan has a set of available investment options that you can choose to put the 401K funds into. They are generally limited and is why I feel you should only put up to the match amount. I fund the account up to my company's matching amount to take maximize the benefit. The rest of the amount you want to put toward savings, utilize in another retirement vehicle such as an IRA. 

Most programs have a target date fund based on your retirement year. You can buy into that and it is rebalanced to fit the needs as the retirement year comes. In short the tend to move money out of stocks into safer investments to balance risk. I think these tend to be to safe as retirement approaches. I put my funds in a target fund 10 years out from my date to be a little more aggressive but still allow some safer investments. You should follow the same rules with general investing, if you need the money in the next 5-10 years move that portion to a safer investment, otherwise keep it in the market.  

The rest of my funds are in an index fund. I chose an index fund that mostly mirrors the S&P 500. They have funds that track various indexes and a few options for industries such as real estate. I believe in concentrating on a just a couple funds and sticking to that instead of putting money in a bunch of funds. Pick your top ones and focus on those. These funds are already generally diverse and reflect the market you are interested in. Over diversifying can be damaging by limiting your upside.

I evaluate the funds and distribution every quarter but rarely make any major changes. I have a few times moved the funds from one investment to another due to it being discontinued or a new better option being added to the program. 

When you leave your company, remember to move the funds in the account. Most companies give a period before you become liable for the expense of your account and that will diminish your returns. Plus without the match you can take advantage of other retirement plans. Make sure you don't withdraw your funds but transfer it directly to a new retirement plan to avoid paying the additional taxes. 

Remember, when it comes to investing and taking care of your income to always pay yourself first. Future you will thank you. Your future peace of mind is much more valuable than that latte or night out. Although those are important, first make sure you are setting yourself up for long term financial stability. I setup my accounts to auto deposit or transfer so I don't even see these funds each pay period. Whenever I get a raise so does my investment accounts. Start investing early, the compounding factor is real and delaying will have a big impact on the long term results. 

Summary:

-401k is a retirement program with tax deferral, early withdrawal tax, and maximum contribution limits

-Take advantage of it up to the matching amount from your company is offering, put the rest of your budgeted retirement money in another account

-keep it simple and invest in one or two funds and when you leave your company move the funds

-PAY yourself FIRST and start EARLY and consistently. 

-Your company may offer a 403(b) and is very similar and can follow the same strategy. 

DNKN- COVID buy

***Please make sure to do your research and consult a professional. I am not a professional and content is intended to be used and must be used for informational purposes only.****

Dunkin' Brands Group, Inc. is the  holding company of Dunkin and Baskin-Robbins. When I bought Dunkin Brands stock I was looking to buy something that was adapting to COVID well. I was late on the Home Depot, Amazon, clorox ,Kroger/Publix. I didn't understand Docusign, Zoom, and equipment companies. I was nervous about Netflix but covid may have given it the lift it needed. 

This is where looking at companies I was still using came in to handy. I started looking at the things I was still doing or starting to do. I noticed more streaming, more work from home (new devices/desks..), eating in, working out more, virtual meetings/communications, and to go food. 

The places that seemed to still be doing business regular if not more that I frequented were Target, Walmart, Publix, Dunkin' and Starbucks. I noticed other places were also picking up business like McDonalds, Gaming and liquor stores but I don't really patronize those places. Out of those I used Dunkin the most and actually realized I was utilizing them more. This was because their app and pricing. I took a look over their stock and noticed it hadn't yet seen the run up like many of the other companies I was looking at. 

I am one that typically favors buying best of breed in an industry, in this case it was Starbucks. I am also a believer of buying companies I am more familiar with, Dunkin. This put me in a spot to make a decision. I believed both would be great picks. However, Starbucks had moved up more at that point. The final straw that pushed me to land on Dunkin was it has seen revenue increases over the previous 3 years. It was investing in new concepts and had seen a huge dip from the mid 70s down to 40s and had plenty of run way to go.

What is the next stock to be looking at? Disney? Comcast (Universal)? If you are looking for value, take a look at stocks that would be poised to do well with a vaccine or going back to a new normal. Who is positioning themselves for success in the new landscape. Avoid companies that are struggling to adapt or may not make it out. 

Apple Inc (AAPL) 4 for 1!!!

  ***Please make sure to do your research and consult a professional. I am not a professional and content is intended to be used and must be used for informational purposes only.****

Apple Inc is an interesting ownership for me. It starts with wanting to own one of the big tech companies for years but never buying in. The "big four", or"big 5" (aka FAAMG) depending on who you talk to, are Facebook, Apple, Amazon, Microsoft (or Netflix for FAANG), and Google (Alphabet) . Although they all operate in different arenas they are all ultimately tech companies. I have always passed on the opportunity to put these stocks in my portfolio for various reason often because they were too expensive for my taste. They sell at a high PE and I was not willing to pay so much money for one stock. But in actually I should have bought as I would have made a fortune on them.

Which brings me to how I have come to own Apple shares. As a consumer, I have had a back and forth relationship with Apple and Google's Android devices. Lately I have taken more to the Google/Samsung side (I am writing this on a Samsung Chromebook). I like to stick to stocks I am a consumer of since I tend to better understand the company, customers, products, and brand.

However, in this case I went with Apple over Google stock. It goes back to the same reason why I was always hesitant to buying into these stocks and is relevant to today, perceived value in the price. Apple had a 7 for 1 stock split when the stock was at about $700. It was my chance to get in at price I could afford. Now it is back to the Mid $400's and about to have another split (4 for 1).

When a company splits its stock it is simply increasing the number of shares in a company which in effect lowers the market price per share but IT DOES NOT CHANGE THE COMPANY'S MARKET VALUE.  This is why I earlier stated perceived value.

If doing this doesn't increase the actual value of the company why do it? Why is Tesla doing a split as well? Typically this done to make a single share more affordable to smaller investors. It is also a positive sign about how the company feels about its outlook on its stock.

To me this signals another possible trend, the importance of smaller and individual investors. These two tech companies feel that making their stock available to the everyday investor maybe a telling story. As more individuals are now investing on their own due to apps like Robin Hood and zero fee trading. (that is us!!).  And yes Tesla is a tech company not a car company, it trades like tech not like car companies do but that is another post. It will be interesting to see if other high priced companies follow with splits.

Back to Apple, this may be another opportunity to get in on Apple. However, with many companies offering factional stocks you already had a chance to get it a a lower price point.  

I also feel comfortable enough understanding Apple, its products are all over the place and I interact with it as a consumer and with its consumers. Everyone seems to have an Apple product these days, I have an ipad and ipod sitting next to me. Even with Apple hardware sales being softer these days, their innovation starting to slow, government looking at tech giants, and legal issues with the app store, I think they are a buy. I believe in Cook and Apple has been able to increase its revenue in its services division along with its customer base are all positive signs. Apple also has ALOT of cash on hand (about $200 B).

I think owning stock in  FAAMG (FAANG) stocks is a good idea but I wouldn't buy all of them for diversification purposes. It is possible these stocks could be facing a bubble. 

T. Rowe Price Equity Index 500 Fund (PREIX)

 ***Please make sure to do your research and consult a professional. I am not a professional and content is intended to be used and must be used for informational purposes only.****

PREIX is my go to when I am looking to invest more to my portfolio. It is my largest single holding. It is an Index fund the is based of the S&P 500. I am a believer that the everyday person is likely best off investing in a solid index fund for a big portion (or all) of their self managed portfolio. This is especially true for those that don't have time do the research for individual stocks but want the exposure to the stock market. The indexes historically have a much higher return than any other investment type and is easier than actively managing your portfolio. Index Funds are a great option for retirement accounts (more about that later). 

You can also choose different indexes that focus on different segments. Alternatively you can also look at mutual funds or ETFs.  Mutual funds are like index funds but tend to have higher expenses. EFTs have lower fees than Mutual Funds as it isn't actively managed. 

The reason I choose PREIX over other available funds is because I  personally tend to follow the S&P 500 over many other indexes. It also tracks well-known American based businesses representing a wide range of industries (safer & diversified). Other top indexes are Russel, Dow, NYSE, Nasdaq. There are international index funds as well.

Another reason I have chosen PREIX is because it doesn't have a minimum buy in and a low expense ratio. Expense Ratios represent the main cost of owning the fund and is subtracted from each fund shareholders returns as a percentage of the investment. In general index funds have lower expense ratios since it is managed to reflect the index it is based off but they can vary from fund to fund. Some index funds require a minimum investment. Ones with higher investment requirements tend to have a lower expense ratio. Over a long period (compounding factor) this could impact your overall return. If you have the money to invest into an index fund with a lower ratio you should but this is a good fund to start with.

PREIX does have a minimum hold time before being allowed to sell without penalty. Since I plan to hold long term this isn't an issue for me but should be considered when buying.

Summary:

-PREIX is an Index fund based on the S&P 500

- Doesn't have a min investment requirement

- Expense ratio (.19%) isn't the lowest but isn't the highest

-Index funds are great low cost options to not have to actively manage your account, don't have the time to do the regular research for stocks, and provides exposure to stocks

-9.57% standardized return since inception and 13% in last 10 year (just under the actual s&p 500)

Ford (F)

***Please make sure to do your research and consult a professional. I am not a professional and content is intended to be used and must be used for informational purposes only.****

Ford is one of my holdings. I have bought a little at a time over time as to limit the risk of buying all of the shares at the same time for a higher price. This allows for a better average price. Some higher and some lower to help reduce risk and test out your theory as you buy.

The reasons I have bought Ford are several. One it is the one company that didn't take bailout money, which meant it had more on the line to succeed. 

The main reason however, was F's consistent dividend. This drives revenue and a rate of return that is a much higher rate than a savings account. I also like stocks that offer consistent dividends with good yields as it generally protects the floor on its price.  This is because, if the company is viewed as a good company, once the yield gets high due to the stock price dropping, buyers will jump in to take advantage of that high yield. Thus stopping the decline of the stock price. Many investors look for these high yielding companies during a downturn but remember to buy best of bread companies.  

 A few things to be mindful of using the strategy of a high yield is that it could be a sign of bad times and to remember that dividends are not guaranteed. Before you buy a high yield stock make sure you understand how the stock got there and where the company might be heading. 

Friends Summit Schedule

Outline of Friends Summit Schedule

1 Day virtual Summit

Opening Session- 25 Minutes

Session Two- Choose one: Subject 1, Subject 2, Subject 3- 45 Minutes

Session Three- Choose One: Subject 2, Subject 4, Subject 5-  45 Minutes

Panel Discussion-Closing - 45 minutes

Subject 1 will be an intro topic (eg, "Investing") 

Subject 2 will be an popular topic ( eg, Stocks, "Business")

Subjects 3 will be a broad topic (eg, Retirement, Real estate, Banking, Legal, Life Planning)

Subject 4 & 5 will be subtopics to 1,2, or 3 (eg, Stock strategies, forming a business, rental property, IRAs, Taxes, Budgeting, Wills/Trust, )

---

2 Day virtual Summit

Day 1:

Opening Session- 15 Minutes

Session Two- Choose one: Subject 1, Subject 2, Subject 3- 45 Minutes

Session Three- Choose one: Subject 2, Subject 3, Subject 4-  45 Minutes

Panel Discussion - 30 minutes

Subject 1 will be an intro topic (eg, "Investing") 

Subject 2 & 3 will be an popular topic ( eg, Stocks, "Business")

Subjects 4 will be a broad topic (eg, Retirement, Real estate, Banking, Legal, Life Planning)

Day 2:

Opening Session- 10 Minutes

Session Two- Choose one: Subject 5, Subject 6, Subject 7- 45 Minutes

Session Three- Choose a room: Discussion Room 1, Discussion Room 2, Discussion Room 3- 30 minutes

Panel Discussion 2- Closing - 45 Minutes

Subject 5,6 & 7 will be subtopics to previous topics (eg, Stock strategies, forming a business, rental property, IRAs, Taxes, Budgeting, Wills/Trust, )

Discussion Rooms are an open forum with a moderator to discuss ideas, ask questions, form interactions on a specific topic (ig, Real estate, Retirement, Stocks)

Broward Sheriff's Office: Harassing citizens out on a bike ride

I had a very negative experience with the BSO today. I just got racially profiled with my 14 year old cousin (black) riding bikes in my neighborhood by BSO. He is visiting and wanted to go for a bike ride to the beach. I live about 2.5 miles from the beach. We drove around the neighborhood and over the bridge to the beach. We rode around for a bit before heading back. I was thirsty so we stopped at the 7-11 for a drink before heading back to my apartment. 

As we were riding up 13th  (a somewhat busy connecter road) a SUV pulled up behind my cousin and honked. Even though he legally had the right of way he pulled off into a driveway to allow the car to pass and got back on the road. A Broward Sheriff SUV was sitting at the intersection. We both nod at the two officers as we pass.

We continue on home just a minute up the road and  right when we got off the bikes the SUV pulled up beside me. He questioned me about where we came from. Instead of being an ass because my cousin was with me, I said the beach. He said "I saw him drive out of a driveway. Why was he in that driveway." I am thinking you were there and saw the whole thing but I explained it to them thinking that would be the end of it. 

Off course that wasn't the end of it. He said "why were you at the beach". I said riding we went to 7-11 and showed him our bag as proof. He asked if I lived here, said I never seen you around here before and asked who my cousin was. I said I lived here 3 years (actually I am on my third year living here but still) and that he is my cousin. I was getting irritated at this point and felt me starting to get an attitude. I was like Why does it matter. He said why didn't you just go to cumberland farms instead of the 7-11 (it is just across the street). Why drive all the way over there. I gave him a dead stare and said cousin let's go and walked away. I put up the bikes and they drove off. Later my cousin said when I walked off the cop called me something along the lines of a fucker. 

I am glad I didn't hear that shit. I am a little hot headed especially when it comes from people trying to flex their perceived power. If my cousin wasn't with me I wouldn't have been as nice but I bet if my cousin wasn't with me they wouldn't have followed me. I say that because I have been running, riding, and walking in this neighborhood for over 2 years. I have never had an encounter with the BSO and I see them virtually daily. If this officer covers this area, I am sure he has seen me around.

This officer could have had a positive encounter but he and his partner just couldn't help in harrasing a citizen in the neighborhood they work in. All he had to do was ask his initial two questions and moved on with his day. Although annoying, would have left me thinking he was just doing his job in making sure the neighborhood was ok. Or better yet why didn't he follow the SUV that honked a young bike rider off the road? Just another reason BSO and the police in general continue to build a bad reputation. 

Investing in these times

It has been interesting as of late if you follow the market. It is crazy  how the market seems to be in a separate reality what is going on around us. Over the last year I have been watching my investments and trying to figure out what this next election cycle was going to bring to the market. Then the COVID-19 and recent protests showed up. These making it even more confusing.

How is the marketing rebounding so much through these tragedies in our nation. Unemployment is up, small business are shuttering, global economies are strained and we are divided as a nation on something that should be unifying us (BLM & Police Brutality). We saw oil futures go NEGATIVE, the stock market pument and almost completely rebound.

Here are some of the things I did during this time:

-Bought index funds as the market went down and back up to lower my  average cost basis
-Bought into stocks I believed were good stocks for the long term and thought would come out of this environment strong (value)
-DIDN'T dump and of my index funds or retirement holdings. Although I considered selling and rebuying lower. I ultimately decided against it since I didn't react instantly and didn't know when that bottom was. It ultimately was the right decision as I am almost back to even on my 401K and could have missed out on those gains. Although, if done correct would have been a big gain but it was to risky for me to try.

Moving forward I am interested in a few things. I have been working on a project to bring people in my circle together to discuss investing and building wealth. A discussion I think doesn't happen enough in minority communities.

A second item I am interested in is looking to continue to support small business with an extra plus for supporting minority business or businesses within my circle. I don't want to simply be a customer. I want to figure out how to leverage my skills and resources to help support and build these.

A third interest of mine is building knowledge with my nieces to empower them to build a financial understanding to be successful in whatever they decide to do. I have already started a saving plan and discuss the importance of savings but I want their knowledge to expand into ownership (business, investments, realestate...). I also encourage them to an overall balanced education and want them to explore their interests. It scares me thinking that they, as black women, will need to work twice as hard to get half the opportunities others will.

Road warrior to treadmill warrior

As I mentioned in my last post, running in south florida sucks. Now that "spring" has turned to summer it is even worse. I have decided to move to the treadmill. It has been an interesting transition as I have dreaded the treadmill throughout the years. Often it is boring and doesn't feel like my natural running flow.

Over the last 2 months I have been able to adjust to the change. I have been able to run for longer distances without having to stop. Although my pace has been slower than when I was running on the road  most recently it is faster than when I ran outside last summer. My average distance completed has also been much higher. One of the things I have added to make running on the treadmill more bearable is adding watching tv instead of just music or staring at the wall. This has contributed to me getting extra miles in as I get caught up in the show that I just keep running,

Overall, it still isn't as fun but it is serving the purpose of keeping me moving. I don't think I will be beating any records with this but I am also not losing my fitness, which is the main purpose of my running. I have also been adding in speed work once a week and doing those outside. I have been surprised at the quality of those workouts despite me running on a treadmill most days.

Pros:
Running everyday
Run anytime of day (vs night or early morning for outside)
High miles per run
staying healthy
more comfortable environment
more tv time

Cons:
Inside
controlled enviromnent (no hills, heat, change ups)
slower average mile
Not building speed
more tv time

Back to Running again, for now

I have gotten more free time lately due to COVID-19 and the slow down at work. I have gotten back into a regular running schedule since the new year but have now been able to pick up the training. Here are my thoughts from lately:

Running in South Florida Sucks:
-It is always hot (a few cools day but still)
- You need to run before Sun rise or after Sunset
-Both options suck. You either have high humidity or heat and often both
-I hate treadmills
-No good trails to run
-How did I ever run cc down here? Maybe that is why I sucked so much.
-No elevation unless you find a bridge.... I think everyone knows this but makes trying to change things up a bit harder and isn't much worse then South Georgia
- I miss the South Georgia Running Community. I haven't has luck finding one I gel with here.

Running as I have gotten older:
- I use to be pretty fast, comparatively ( I didn't often feel that way, although I didn't feel slow either)
- I use to workout hard- I knew that but man did I put the effort in. I find it hard now to do (lack of community? Accountability?).
- 15-20 lbs makes a difference and is harder and harder to keep off
- I eat bad.... Well really I eat to much and that doesn't help with the above issue
-I don't care to race so much as to be healthy and have a positive outlet. Although putting a race on the schedule has motivated me to run more consistent and have something to work toward in the past.

Making Running exciting while alone :
- I play little games on my runs. This has gotten me out of the habit of running the same boring route every day and gotten me to explore new areas of the neighborhood.

• Try to not  run down a dead end
• Run down every dead end
• Don't run on the same street twice. 
• Try to run a mile in a random neighbor hood
• guess how long a street is
• Try and run down every street in a neighborhood
• I always used running as a way to relieve stress or think about something that is going on or get always from thinking about something that is going on. I don't drink, I don't smoke, have many other hobbies and running has always been my outlet. 
• You get the point.

Schedule

It is that time of year were I am doing a lot. School is back in session and so is my crazy schedule. I am teaching a first year experience course, officiating football, and helping manage a running group, on top of my regular job as store manager. Here is what my schedule looks like for a two week period.

Sunday

7a 8 mile long run w/ GLCR

9a -3p work @ the store

3:30-6p mandatory Allstar Football Association meeting

Monday

7a-6:30p work at the store

9a-10p  Teach FYE class

6:30p- 40 minute run @ Chehaw

Tuesday

7a-5:45 work at the store

6p - group run at WildSide running

8:30-10p Football Confrence call

Wednesday

7a-5:15p work at the store

9a-10a Teach FYE class

5:30 GLCR speed workout 

Thursday

7a-4p work at the store

12p-1p  treadmill run @ Gym

4:15-8:30p JV game @ Miller Co

Friday

7a-4p work at the store

1p-2p treadmill run @ gym

4:15p-12a Varsity football ECO @ Bainbridge 

Saturday

8a- 30 minute run

7:30-9a prep/cook food for officials crew 

9:30a-2:30p work at the bookstore

3p-4p finish & pack food for game

4p-1a Varsity PCO @ Calquitt Co (ESPNU game)

Sunday

7a- GLCR 8 mile long run

9:30-3p work at the bookstore

2p-4p football meeting (guess I'll miss the first half)

Monday

8a-5:00p work at the store

9a-10p  Teach FYE class

5:30p- 60 minute run @ Chehaw

Tuesday

8a-5:45 work at the store

6p - group run at WildSide running

8:30-10p football conference call

Wednesday

8a-4:00p work at the store

4:15-7p Midle school game @ Lee Co

7:30- 30 minute run

Thursday

7a-5p work at the store

12p-1p  treadmill run @ Gym

5:15p-10:330p Varsity game @ Hugh Mills

Friday

7a-4p work at the store

1p-2p treadmill run @ gym

4:15p-12a Varsity football ECO @ Cook co 

Saturday-Sunday

Travel to Atlanta to spend time with the nieces.

Monday

6a-12p Macon Labor Day race

Travel back to Albany 

This doesn't include everyday things like cooking, cleaning, sleeping, studying for football, planning for GLCR, grading assignments..... You get the point. I enjoy what I do but it is tiring sometimes.

2016 Devil Take The Hindmost run, FSU's Mike Long Track

This past weekend I had an opportunity to participate in a unique event in Tallahassee. I missed out on it last year since I was out of town. Even though I was origanlly suppose to be on the other side of the country I was excited to get a chance to do it this year. 

The race is straightforward the person that is last each lap is taken by the "Devil". Or shall I say the lady dressed in a devil costume. Every two minutes starts a new lap & you have to have completed the previous lap before the next one starts. So In addition to not being the last finisher you had to finish each lap in 2 minutes as that is when the next lap starts.

After arriving at the beautiful FSU track, Alisa and I changed into our running attire. We started with a warmup and some basic stretching. Alisa & I discussed our goals. Mine was to make it at least 8 laps. Hers was to not be the first one snatched of the track as she had spent the earlier part of the day zipping around town on a bike workout. 

Participants and innocent bystanders started to gather near the start line to see the Devil snatch away the unlucky runners each passing lap. Us runners received a two minute warning to the start of our journey to hell. The race started with the Devil leading the 23 participants in an untimed opening lap. After that the clock was turned on and we were off. The first timed lap was slow @ about 1:45. Everyone was being casious which lead to a sprint to the finish. Alisa made the cut & wasn't the first one gone. Unfortunately she fell victim to her bike workout & the devil got her.

I breezed through the first mile with the same easy pace & kick to end the lap. The pace picks up some each passing lap as the feild begins to shrink. At 8 laps I was feeling a little hot but good. Alisa brought me over some water as we started the next few laps.

By lap 10 the pace was now getting into the mid 80 second range. After 11 I was starting to feel the heat. By 12 I felt done.  I even started the 13th lap a second or two behind as I contemplated dropping out. Hey, I made it further than my goal. But I went for it. At 150 meters into the lap I was about 10 meters behind the next runner, with me being in last. At 200 meters I decided to go for it & sprinted. I managed to catch & pass the feild finishing the lap in first. Unfortunately I still fell victim to the Devil, as I didn't start the next lap. I finished tied for 9th place with two other runners, one that was in last at the end of the lap and another runner that couldn't go on like me. The rest of the participants kept it going, picking up the pace each lap until only one was left.

Overall it was a fun and novel race to get a good workout in. In retrospect I should have at least started the next lap instead of dropping out. This is especially true since I had 40 seconds left between the laps & threw in the towel to early. Maybe next year I can outrun the Devil. 

Photos courtesy of Herb Wills check out his blog for more about the race: http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2016/07/devil-2016.html?m=1

Fantasy Sports

With the end of Fantasy basketball now closed it is the end of another disappointing year. This year I had two fantasy football teams and a fantasy basketball team.

The Yahoo team was great. I ended up winning the championship over the league manager. I had a stacked team and made a big move that showed to be very crucial down the line. I pretty much dominating the  league losing in week one and a few other weeks with some bad match-ups for my players (bye weeks). I made good pick ups week to week and with only 10 teams in the league to was crucial  to have all positions solid since the free agency pool was fairly deep.

The big Trade (Before RG3 got hurt): RG3 and Gore for AP and Spiller.

Robert Griffin III (Was - QB) P Player Note Frank Gore (SF - RB) P No new player Notes	Trade
	Adrian Peterson (Min - RB) P Player Note C.J. Spiller (Buf - RB) P No new player Notes

Starting Team:

1.	(2)	Tom Brady(NE - QB)
2.	(19)	Maurice Jones-Drew(Jac - RB)
3.	(22)	Roddy White(Atl - WR)
4.	(39)	Tony Gonzalez(Atl - TE)
5.	(42)	San Francisco(SF - DEF)
6.	(59)	Frank Gore(SF - RB)
7.	(62)	Vincent Jackson(TB - WR)
8.	(79)	Robert Griffin III(Was - QB)
9.	(82)	Darrius Heyward-Bey(Ind - WR)
10.	(99)	Stephen Gostkowski(NE - K)
11.	(102)	Jacquizz Rodgers(Atl - RB)
12.	(119)	Dustin Keller(Mia - TE)
13.	(122)	Santana Moss(Was - WR)
14.	(139)	Toby Gerhart(Min - RB)
15.	(142)	Mario Manningham(SF - WR)

Final Roster:
Davone Bess
Justin Blackmon
Tom Brady
Michael Crabtree
Tony Gonzalez
Vincent Jackson
Brandon Myers
Carson Palmer
Adrian Peterson
C.J. Spiller
Roddy White
David Wilson
Stephen Gostkowski
Indianapolis
San Francisc

In the ESPN league it was messy. We had a lot of teams (12) which made for thin teams, It was hard to get a solid team together. I made it into the payoff but made a quick exit. Half the league ended with the same record of 7-6. Maybe next year when we eliminate the snake draft.

Basketball which just ended was the biggest disappointment of them all. I had the hands down best team but due to paying more attention to fantasy football in the beginning of the season I took a few Ls I shouldn't have. This made me have to make a big push to end the season to make it into the playoff. I ended up with the #1 Seed but all 4 playoff teams had the same record of 13-6. I drew the #4 team and he ended up having his biggest week of the season and was the eventual overall champ. Looking at the stats even though my team had the most points on the year I had more points against then the two in the final. Actually , the two in the finals ranked low overall in PF but had low PA. This just shows how much luck of the draw is in fantasy. Not to take anything away from either GM as they both optimized their schedule and roster.

Well, it was fun. Win or lose it is always fun because the leagues are made of good friends and it makes sure we stay in contact on the regular....... No to start preparations for Fantasy football. Who should be my first pick in this years draft?

Downtown Albany - Loan Central

I have lived here in Albany Ga for a few months now. I think it is time to give my view on it. I don't feel like I have had the full Albany experience but I pretty much go out of town every weekend. I guess that says something about Albany itself.

For now I will concentrate just on "downtown". This last weekend I decided to take some time and do a little self guided walking tour of the portion of downtown I hadn't seen yet.

The downtown area consists of about a 6-10 block area that sits right on Flint river. The area near the river is real nice. It consists of an amphitheater, children's park, a spray park, a walking path & a riverquarium (pretty cool took my niece), the civic center & an area dedicated to Ray Charles. Actually I believe the whole trail is dedicated to him. They have a statue with a piano key style sidewalk. The statue plays his songs on cycle. The Hilton is as also right there across the street.

Right next to the riverquariam they have a few shops & a local BBQ place (River Front BBQ). It is pretty good. The rest of the downtown is fairly typical of a small city. No tall buildings (none more then 5 stories or so). Most of the buildings are government or public facilities like court houses, energy company, police, library school board & like agencies.

Their are several small businesses & restaurants that close in the 5p time frame when all the government buildings close. They also have limited hours on the weekend. The downtown area also has a bunch of closed up shops & empty store fronts. A run down sign of a revitalization sits on one of the buildings. This area is also home to a local favorite Jimmie's Hot Dogs. Which you go for more for the name then anything. They only sell hot dogs. I'll do a review of them in another post.

The one thing that struck me as odd was the number of loan business located in a small area. I counted six in a 2 block area. They out numbered Salons (5), restaurants (3), banks (2), retail stores (3) in that same two block area. These are like pay day, title loan places.

After thinking about it I noticed Albany seemed to have a high concentration of these types of businesses for its size city. They have them all over the Albany area like Starbucks in NYC yet the city doesn't even have a Dunkin Donuts & only one Starbucks. Just seems odd.

Anyway, that is pretty much the Downtown area of Albany. Nothing special and besides the riverfront part pretty dull. To end the day I visited the Museum across the street from my house. Not bad at all for its size. No big time names but still had some good piece. Surprising enough it was free.

Stay tuned for my take on the greater Albany area. As of right now it doesn't look like it will be a shinning review but you never know the place could change my mind between now & that post.

Reply all? Sure why not.

A friend sent out an email to a group of her closes friends about her 2013 dreams and aspirations. She asked us to share back with her or even reply all to all of the people she emailed. So I did here was my response:

Reply all? Sure why not.

• Career - My career has been moving along fine here in the boring corporate world. I recently was promoted to a bigger store (not a big pay bump though). Really it is more of the same stuff with more stress and less hands on. In 2013 for my job I want to make sure I turn the store I am at around, reduce loss by half  and improve campus outreach (FYI if you didn't know I am bookstore manager.. yeah yeah I know overpriced books). I also want to concentrate more on revenue flow from outside of my 9-5. Hopefully you all will here of some of the things I have planned in 2013. None of those pyramid style schemes or multi-level marketing things (stay away people stay far away).
• Financial - In 2012 I didn't accomplish all my financial goals. I wasn't able to pay off my car but will in the next 2-3 months (now a 2013 goal). I didn't invest as much into stocks as I planned (did some just not enough). In 2012 I cut my expenses down to the bare minimum and after moving went the opposite way. In 2013 I hope to go back to reducing unnecessary spending and use those funds to help with my career projects. 
• Education -  I am good on pursuing education for a while. Well at least formal education. I would like to still teach. Maybe I'll make that one of my 2013 goals, to become an educator.
• Family - 2012 I made a bitter sweet move. I moved back to GA closer to my mother, nieces, and one of my best friends (my sister to I guess) but left being close to my other family members- including Natasja (I don't think I will ever be able to get rid of you). In 2013 I want to take full advantage of  of being closer to my nieces. Spend more time with them both and be a positive male role model for them.
• Artistic - Lets face it I am not an artistic person but I can support my friends artistic desires (I am working on that project btw Natasja). I am more of a problem solver.  
• Attitude -  I need to get my positive attitude back in 2013. I need to re-motivate myself. I have lacked a desire to push toward my goals maybe this email will spark it. 
• Physical - Continue to workout on a regular basis and continue to do 5ks and participate in sports in 2013. Most importantly finally get through the whole series of Insanity without taking a break. I have been able to do P90X. For some reason I always get interrupted with life when I start Insanity.
• Community Service (I Added this one)- Giving back is an important part of being a good person. It helps keep me grounded and reminds me to be thankful for what I have. In 2012 I didn't do much to give back to society. I donated some clothes and some money to not for profits. That isn't the same as  working with a child, volunteering at a community center, or handing out food at a soup kitchen. In 2013 I want to make sure I do some of those things.
• Additionally! -  I would like to continue to travel in 2013 and beyond. I have had to cancel several trips in 2012 (including my Miami NYE trip) due to work or family conflicts. I want to make sure I don't use those as excuses this year and use some of my 110 vacation hours I currently have.  

I am not sure why I hit the reply all but thank you all for allowing me to share. Best of wishes in 2013. 

2 Games, 2 Birthdays, a holiday, family all in One week

Holiday & Family

It was nice to be home for Thanksgiving. I got to spend time with both of my nieces, my sister and my mother. It was fairly uneventful. I went to the park & played a little ball with my niece. I  helped cook dinner (Mac & Cheese, Mashed potatoes). Mom made the Turkey & mixed Veggie. As you can see below my niece made the deserts and set the table.  My godson was in town and I got to spend some time with him. Nothing like family time.

Two birthday celebrations and a basketball game

I got to celebrate the birthdays of two people very close to me. We started off with a little singing for Sam. We followed that up with the basket ball game.  My step bad, Sam, B and I all went. An ATL win over the Clips surprised us all. After that me and the two birthday people went out to Harlem Knight Lounge. Had a few drinks (I  was the DD). We didn't make it to part three of the double celebration but went for part four (food) before calling it an early morning at 4a. 

Flacons Game & More

After having to come back to Albany for a few days I headed back to ATL for some more fun. A big game in the GA Dome against our only loss at that point and rival NO. I picked up my game mate up from the airport and checked into the hotel. She of course is a Saints fan. Anyway, we took the Marta to the game. The Dome rocked. We had awesome seats and came out with a big win. I was pumped. I can't say the same for Jodie. But the fun didn't stop at that after a late dinner B picked us up. We went out to a bar. We had some fun. I still don't know why Jodie didn't accept that dance offer when she knew she wanted to. Lost opportunity. We followed that up the next day with a late start to the day. We went to the World of Coke & got to see the setup for the SEC game for College Game Day. After dinner we headed to play some bowling. Took a little while after Apple Maps sent us on a goose chase for an alley and a little curb action. She did beat me both games but the bowling alley's balls sucked ( I still would have lost). We decided to end the trip with a little session at the shooting range compliments of B. Jodie is a mean clip holder shooter. B got one shot the zombie eye on his first shot. We are now officially mean zombie killing machines. Of course Jodie ended up getting checked at the airport and tested positive for gun residue. I guess it isn't the best idea to go to shot off a few rounds before going to the airport but all worked out and the weekend was a success.