The Year of The Rock
Posted by and1grad on January 2, 2009
Thus begins the saga that is 2009. You ever have one of those feelings that a certain is going to be important? I feel like this is one of those years. There’s the obvious reasons: Whats up, Obama!; my first home (I’ll touch on that later); version 3.0….but there’s another feeling I get. The one where I feel like…its time for me to turn it up a notch. Feels like I’ve been coasting, in general, for the last 2 or 3 years. Just doing enough to get by. Not challenging myself as much as I could…yet expecting the results due only to those that do so. I always try to remember the phrase “Hard work beats talent when talent fails to work hard.” I havent been working hard enough. And b/c of that, I’m letting people that I SHOULD outshine, outshine me. Enough is enough.
So because of that, I’m calling this year, The Year of The Rock. I dont know how many of you followed wrestling in the late 90s, early 2000s but The Rock was THE MAN. “The Most Electrifying Man in Sports Entertainment.” “The People’s Champion.” The dude was big business. Thats why he has been able to transition to movies better than any other pro wrestler ever has. So I’m taking a page out of The Rock’s book. The Rock’s favorite phrase was “Just Bring It.” THIS is what I need to do. Stop TALKING the talk and start WALKING it.
So when I was asked, at about 12:10am on New Year’s morning, what was my resolution for the year…I simply said “Do More.” Yes, it is general. Its supposed to be. I need to do more, in general. More at work, more socially…just more. Shout out to HauteinLA b/c we had the EXACT same resolution. Clean up more, work out more, GO out more…I’ve allowed my tv to become some kind of electronic babysitter and thats ridiculous. Enough is enough. I need to get out of the house…oh…speaking of…
I bought a house yall. How CRAZY is that? First time homebuyer. Signed the agreements on New Year’s Eve as a matter of fact. I’ll close escrow in mid-March. It was time. As most of you know, its a buyer’s market out there. I’ve been house hunting, passively, for over a year now and I’d never gotten that FEEL. Some of you know what I’m saying. Its the feel you get when you jump in a car you’re thinking about getting or even something like a pair of shoes. You know when its right. Thats the feel when I went through the model for this home. I just knew. And thank goodness b/c I’m sick of apartments. Sick of having the DMV change my address every other year and all that shit. Sick of lugging groceries up a flight of steps…from my car that I park outside. “Sick of Versace glasses, sick of slang. I’m sick of half-assed award shows, sick of name brand clothes…” Sorry, had a De La moment. Might have to remember that for the next Flashback Friday.
So, “Jabroni, The Rock says this…” its time to DO more. The challenge is to be better. The hope is to be able to look back at the end of the year and say that I’ve met it. Wish me luck.
My Radio 
Kamilah Shields said
You’ve made some interesting observations about your life – about how you could “do more”. You know, this may sound a little strange, but I always thought that you were doing pretty well – ahead of the learning curve – in the lifestyle department. You’ve secured and held a steady job that actually relates to the degree that you received in college, which is an act of good decision-making that some of us in our post-UCI years were not able to achieve until we’d grown up a bit.I know that I wasn’t able to until much later. I tried about ten different jobs before I finally settled into becoming an English teacher – thus using my degree in a productive manner. I fully intend to continue down this career path that I’ve chosen until I can’t physically do it anymore. I want to look back on my work life and be able to say “well done”.The other thing that I’ve learned, post-school, is that this great big pie called life has so many other pieces in it. (Sorry, had to go with the food metaphor.) I’ve got the ones called “school” and “work” pretty well-taken care of, but the pieces called “spirit”, “family”, “finances”, “health”, and others will definitely require more attention in 2009. Time to shift the focus and energy to those parts of my life that were largely ignored while I figured out what color my parachute was.It’s a good resolution…the wish to “do more”. It’s simple, easy to remember, and most of all “do-able”. (tee hee hee)
and1grad said
Thanks for the comment Milah. Glad you’re finding your feet in this crazy world. I’m working on those other “pieces” you mention also. Probably always will be to some degree. But, hey, its part of what makes life interesting, right? ;-p
Maternal Mirth said
Really, what *is* the Rock cooking? And is it deep-fried or low-cal?
and1grad said
Lately, I think its been low cal. But before that, he did have a thing about “pie.”
illinigirl said
I am eight years behind on your blog!!!My resolution sounds like the opposite of yours. . . but is actually *kinda* similar. I’m trying a “do less” approach. . . but actually, “do less stupid stuff that you do out of obligation and do more stuff you REALLY want to do and help you grow. . . also, FREAKIN RELAX”. . . less is more, maybe?Congrats on your house!