So we played pretty well against the number 1 seeded team. We actually had a lead at halftime by about 4 and then ended up losing by 10 or so. We shut Chet down but I think we had at least 3 guys foul out and they just were better than us when it came down to talent. We really need a big guy for any other league we play in. If you are 6-4 or taller or know someone who is who would want to play, please let me know. There were no good stories from the game either so that’s all I got.

I wrote in my last post that I put forth the most effort in my life towards high school track. I would like to say that even towards this I didn’t give 100%. There is something in my mind which separates me from the upper echelon (if you thought brains and ability, haha). I know I’ll never be the very best at anything. There is too many people out there who just work harder at something and will just outclass you. But when I think back over my life, I can’t think of anything that I actually cared enough about to give it my all. Sad I know. I’ll give a couple of examples. I could be way better at bball. Give me an hour a day in gym by myself and I guarantee you I would improve offensively. Problem, I don’t care enough to put forth the effort. Who cares if you win rec leagues, it means nothing in life in the grand scheme of things, so why try? I could take some classes on option trading and learn how to write covered calls and naked puts. If I wanted to spend all my time learning and watching the stock market, I guarantee I could get a better return on my money than I am currently. It would take a lot of hard work and dedication to understanding the market but it’s definitely and option (pun for people who are slow). This skill would actually come in handy because it could make you a lot of money. Lots of effort to be successful but has the potential to pay off.

So what stops me from being the best I can? Why is it not in my make up to go after these worthwhile ideas that would improve myself and my life? I guess it’s because I’m content and complacent. I’m happy getting by with the amount of effort I’m putting in and I’m pleased with my mentality. Once you dedicate yourself to working hard you become stressed and lose the ability to see the big picture sometimes. I’m considering actually going balls to wall to understand the stock market and try to make a dime or two. This isn’t a bad time to learn with the market being down from the highs. I really believe that I have the ability to conquer most challenges in life if I’m dedicated to doing it, I just don’t.

I admire people who spend all those extra years in school learning some specialty trade that can make them more money in the future. Let me just break this down though to understand why. So you go to school for 3 extra years and it costs say 100,000. If you had worked those 3 years, with a bachelors and made 40,000k a year, you would NETTED made 75k, money in your pocket. Now you get out grad school and make 70,000, net 45. Out of that 45 you have to probably live off of 25 and you get to put 20 towards your debt a year. It takes you 5 years in the prime time of your life to pay back your debt. So now your 30 years old making 70k and you’ve paid off your college debt. The guy who didn’t go to grad school and made 40 for the last 8 years (while you were in grad school and the 5 it took you to pay back the loan) pocketed 200k NET (obviously he was spending money living but you get the point). And every situation is different. Some people can’t make 70k out of grad school and people off bachelors degrees usually can make more than 40. Just food for thought.

On a side note I watched Righteous Kill and Donnie Brasco the last two days and I thought both were above average movies. Righteous Kill was entertaining throughout and I thought the dialogue probably deserves more credit that it got. Donnie Brasco was based on a true story and I thought Johnny Depp playing Donnie fantastically. All around good movie and I’d recommend both. I also watched beer league with Artie Lange and it was horrendous, never watch this movie.