Growin' Up Gregory

"All coins have three sides: heads, tails, and the edge. Intelligence is found on the edge of the coin, and in the ability to see both sides." - Robert Kiyosaki I wish I wasn't writing this.  I wish that it wasn't necessary to discuss racism.  But at this stage, to not say anything, is to say something.  I will likely fumble my words as I've written, re-written, and re-written again several drafts.  This is a much heavier and deeper subject than most that I've written about.  I want to put everything I have to say into it, but I also don't have the hours and hours to research and write (plus most people wouldn't read it if it was too long anyway).  So here are some of my thoughts on racism and how we can, we must, all work together to heal this sickness. Systems & Government To say or think that systemic racism doesn't exist is foolish.  Allow me to demonstrate.  If the government truly thought that all races had an equal opportunity in this ...

Okay now that I have your attention, let's agree on a couple points before we start. 1.  Nothing is free.  It may be "no cost to you" but there is no such thing as free.  If your boss gives you free tickets to a ballgame or free entry to a golf tournament, it was NOT free - the company paid for it.  If a meal is provided to you at an event, a sponsor somewhere paid for it.  If you won free tickets on the radio, a company bought them or gave up the income from them.  If you receive any type of benefit, be it tangible or intangible, someone somewhere gave up something or paid for it. 2.  Nobody likes taxes, any kind of taxes, period.  I don't like sales tax, property tax, income tax, or even hospitality tax (taxing me is not very hospitable).  But I do understand that taxes are necessary.  Tax money is what is used to fund and operate our local, state, and federal governments.  Does there need to be more transparency, accountabili...

Most athletes, or even us non-athletes who've played some sports, can sit around with our buddies and share stories of the biggest hits we've had or the best plays we've ever made.  We remember the good ole days whether it was Dixie Youth, Rec League, high school, or even backyard pickup games where we made some of our most amazing plays ever.  And for high school athletes looking to earn college scholarships, coaches will often go through hours of film to pull out the plays that showcase their player's talent, skill, and strength at its best.  Sportscenter has become famous for its daily top 10 plays.  We all like to see the highlights.   But the highlight reels that we often see leave something out.  They leave out our failures.  They leave out our grind that it took to develop the skills to make those big plays.  You don't just get up off the couch one day and decide you'll go play a sport or compete in an event at a high level.  It's...

I have the opportunity in my profession to work with a number of different people who vary in a wide degree in age, education, and income levels.  What makes some people so "successful" while others just never seem to make it?  I believe that there are three factors that determine the difference between who you are today and who you will be in 5, 10, or 20 years. 1.  Intelligence - Education - Brainpower.  Whatever you want to call it.  Your mental ability to put skills you know into practice, and to learn new skills, will be a major factor in your future success.  For some, book smarts and intelligence just comes naturally while others have to study their tails off just to get by.  I honestly don't know how much intelligence is genetic, but I do know that numerous studies show the positive effects of reading to children from birth to age 3 when their brain is developing at a rapid rate.  But we cannot let our learning stop there.  No matte...

To my Son and Daughter , I can make you go to school, But I can't make you get an education. I can make you go to practice, But I can't make you an all-star. I can make you go to church, But I can't make you go to heaven. I can teach you how to be an adult, But I can't make you a real man/woman. You see, I can do my best to teach you everything I know, to show you everything you will need to know, and to give you all the opportunity you will ever need to be successful. But there comes a point as you get older that you have to begin use the things your Mother and I give you. You have to choose to study, choose to work hard, choose to accept Christ, choose to mature. We made you a human being, You must choose to become the individual God has called you to be. (1 Corinthians 7:17)

I'm not the president.  I'm not even actually in politics.  And I'm not quite 35 years old which puts me in the generation called Millennials.  And I would like to share with you what I perceive to be the true state of our country right now on three major issues.  Yes, there are more issues but I'll start by attempting to tackle these three first. Gun Control As a young man living in this country, where do I stand on gun control?  I believe that some households need three guns.  You need a handgun/pistol for personal protection to carry or have hidden in your home, a rifle for big game hunting (i.e. deer), and you need a shotgun for small game hunting (i.e. rabbits, birds, turkey etc.).  Does any one NEED an AR-15?  Honestly, I believe that if you feel like you need, not want, an AR-15 in your closet that your life or your neighborhood is a bit too dangerous for me.  Now with that being said, can you WANT an AR-15?  Absolutely.  ...