Last night I was privileged to hear a fellow business partner speak of her story. Her journey that took her to the successful business woman she is today. A journey that included two car accidents, both of which left her paralyzed and being told she'd never walk again. A journey that included sexual assault while in a wheel chair leading to the birth of her twin boys. A journey that included her mom being diagnosed with cancer while she was in the fourth grade. Her mom promised her that she would see her graduate. And sure enough, two months after her high school graduation, her mom passed away. This journey also included her leaving her house at age 14 because of an abusive step-father. Following this was the house she purchased as a Freshman in high school. At the time she had her twins, this woman no longer had her house, or a job, and was living out of her car. In a wheel chair. Along this journey there were a few successes. She had won a number of modeling pageants, some while in a wheel chair. And even started a flower shop. But none prepared her for being homeless with 2 kids and living off hardly anything. And all along this journey she continued to tell herself that there would be something on the other side if she just stuck and stayed. If for anything, for her mom. And at this point, opportunity came knocking and she was introduced to a business that has, over several years, allowed her to build a house that she wants, where she wanted. Raise her two boys in the environment of her choosing. She's been able to start giving back to communities and spend time with her extended family.

So what is the measure of success? Is it financial? Is it spiritual? Is it just being able to breathe regularly on a daily basis without the worry that you may not have a place to sleep at night? Or is it that moment when the doctors tell you that you probably won't walk ever again and you are on stage in front of several thousand people in your wheel chair and you stand up and take the podium? For her, it was all these things and more. Truly an inspiration to so many people, I count myself very lucky to have met her and work along side her.

People are illogical, self-centered and unreasonable: Love them anyway.

If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish motives: Do good anyway.

If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies: Succeed anyway.

The good you do today, will be forgotten tomorrow: Do good anyway.

Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable: Be honest and frank anyway.

The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas, can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds: Think big anyway.

People favor underdogs, but follow top dogs: Fight for a few underdogs anyway.

What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight: Build anyway.

People really need help and may attack you if you help them: Help people anyway.

Give the World the best you have and you'll be kicked in the teeth: Give the World the best you have anyway.


-by Kent M. Keith


Now some people know me pretty well, and are quite aware that I do not adhere to these 100%. But I tell ya, I am working on it. And each day I do follow this list, becomes a really great day for me. As they say, the first step is always the hardest, but once you take it, the rest just fall in place.

So I was listening to the soundtrack to "Kung Fu Panda" the other day, and I realized something. Albeit funny and catchy, "Kung Fu Fighting," the song performed on the soundtrack by Jack Black and Cee-Lo, is quite the inspirational song. Now, don't confuse this with the original. While they have the same chorus and music, the lyrics are quite different. Where Douglas was talking about funky Chinamen, Black and Cee-Lo had a very different approach. Thus, I decided to share! Take a look!


Chorus:
Everybody is Kung fu fighting,
Your mind becomes fast as lightning
Although the future is a little bit frightening
If look at your life then you’re arriving,

Bridge:
You’re a diamond in the rough,
You’re a brilliant ball of clay,
You can be a work of art,
If you just go all the way,

Now what would it take to break?
I believe that you can bend,
Not only have you got to fight,
But you have got to win,

(Chorus)

You are a natural,
Why is it so hard to see?
Maybe it’s just because,
the people are looking at me

The journey’s a lonely one,
So much more than we know
But, sometimes you’ve got to go
You’ve got to be your own hero.


I hope you are all following your own journeys and trying to be heroes. In a world like ours, there can never be too many. And being that we're all balls of clay waiting to be shaped, we have the opportunity to become so great and wonderful.

Something was on my mind the other day. Music. And how amazingly vast someone's taste can be. It's truly fascinating how there's so much out there and how it can affect people. With that in mind, I decided to post the music on my iPod. Being that I don't own a car anymore and bike everywhere, mine is always in my ears. Not to mention I don't think I've ever really seen this note yet. So, if you'd like to post your own lists and share, I'd love to see more vast tastes.

<Albums>
Eminem - Relapse (2009)
Marilyn Manson - Eat Me, Drink Me (2007)
Lady GaGa - Fame (2008)
The Lonesome Island - Incredibad (2009)
New Kids On The Block - The Block (2008)
Cadillac Records - Soundtrack (2008)
The Rocker - Soundtrack (2008)

<Singles>
Eminem - Shake That (2006)
Pussycat Dolls - When I Grow Up (2008)
Pussycat Dolls - Don't Cha (2005)
Pussycat Dolls - Buttons (fea. Busta Rhymes) (2005)
Pussycat Dolls - Right Now (2005)
Pussycat Dolls - Sway (2005)
Inner Circle - Sweat (A La La La La Long) (1993)
Billy Joel - AMatter Of Trust (1986)
Blink-182 - All The Small Things (1999)
Blink-182 - What's My Age Again (1999)
Madonna - Beat Goes On (fea. Kanye West) (2008)
Madonna - Dance 2 Night (fea. Justin Timberlake) (2008)
Madonna - Hung Up (2005)
Madonna - Let It Will Be (2005)
U2 - Beautiful Day (2000)
U2 - One (1992)
U2 - Pride (In the Name of Love) (1984)
U2 - Sunday Bloody Sunday (1983)
U2 - The Saints Are Coming (fea. Green Day) (2006)
U2 - Window In the Skies (2007)
Lifehouse - Blind (2005)
Lifehouse - Days Go By (2005)
Lifehouse - Who We Are (2008)
Lifehouse - You and Me (2005)
James Morrison - Broken Strings (2008)
James Morrison - You Give Me Something (2006)
Hole - Celebrity Skin (1998)
Dirty Vegas - Days Go By (2002)
Dirty Vegas - I Should Know (2002)
Dirty Vegas - Lost Not Found (2002)
T.I. - Dead and Gone (2008)
Android Ethic - Down
Jon Lajoie - High As Fuck (2003)
Marc Broussard - Home (2004)
Marc Broussard - Love and Happiness (2007)
Notorious B.I.G. - Hypnotize (1997)
Jace Everett - Bad Things (2005)
Jack Black - Kung Fu Fighting (fea. Cee-Lo) (2008) - Kung Fu Panda soundtrack
Jack Black - Zack's Song (2003) - School Of Rock soundtrack
M.I.A. - Paper Planes (2008)
Black Sabbath - Paranoid (1970)
Israel "Iz" Kaʻanoʻi Kamakawiwoʻole - Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World (1993)
Jennifer Hudson - Spotlight (2008)
Smashing Pumpkins - The Beginning Is the End Is the Beginning (1997)
MGMT - Time To Pretend (2008)
Solovox - Turn On the Light (200?)
Solovox - Unstoppable Machine (200?)
Pixies - Where Is My Mind (1988)
City Wolf - Where Is My Mind (2008) - Observe and Report soundtrack
Rolling Stones - You Can't Always Get What You Want (2008) - 21 soundtrack
The White Stripes - You Don't Know What Love Is (2007)

So, most people who know me, know that I've been listening to Eminem's newest album "Relapse." I recently paid a little more attention to the lyrics of one of the songs that I wanted to share today. Mostly because it talks about really accepting yourself and being comfortable with who you are. The song it "Beautiful."


<excerpt from "Reaching Out" by Paul Rogers and Queen>
Lately I've been hard to reach
I've been too long on my own
Everybody has a private world
Where they can be alone
Are you calling me, are you trying to get through
Are you reaching out for me, I'm reaching out for you

<verse I>
I'm just so fuckin' depressed I just can seem to get out this slump
If I could just get over this hump
But I need something to pull me out this dump I took my bruises, took my lumps
Fell down and I got right back up But I need that spark to get psyched back up
In order for me to pick that mic back up I don't know how I pry away
And I ended up in this position I'm in I starting to feel distant again
So I decided just to pick this pen Up and tried to make an attempt to vent
But I just can't admit Or come to grips, with the fact that I may be done with rap
I need a new outlet I know some shits so hard to swallow And I just can't sit back and wallow
In my own sorrow But I know one fact I'll be one tough act to follow
One tough act to follow Copy One tough act to follow Here today, gone tomorrow
But you have to walk a thousand miles

<chorus>
In my shoes, just to see What it's like, to be me I'll be you, let's trade shoes
Just to see what I'd be like to Feel your pain, you feel mine Go inside each other's mind
Just to see what we find Look at shit through each other's eyes

But don't let 'em say you ain't beautiful
They can all get fucked.
Just stay true to you
Don't let 'em say you ain't beautiful
They can all get fucked. Just stay true to you

<verse II>
I think I'm starting to lose my sense of humor
Everything is so tense and gloom
I almost feel like I gotta check the temperature in the room Just as soon as I walk in
It's like all eyes on me So I try to avoid any eye contact
Cause if I do that then it opens a door to conversation
Like I want that... I'm not looking for extra attention
I just want to be just like you Blend in with the rest of the room
Maybe just point me to the closest restroom I don't need fucking man servant
Tryin to follow me around, and wipe my ass Laugh at every single joke I crack
And half of them ain't even funny like
Ahh Marshall, you're so funny man, you should be a comedian, god damn
Unfortunately I am, but I just hide behind the tears of a clown
So why don't you all sit down Listen to the tale I'm about to tell
Hell, we don't have to trade our shoes
And you don't have to walk no thousand miles

<chorus>

<verse III>
Nobody asked for life to deal us
With these bullshit hands they've delt
We have to take these cards ourselves
And flip them, don't expect no help
Now I could have either just
Sat on my ass and pissed and moaned
But take this situation in which I'm placed in
And get up and get my own
I was never the type of kid
To wait but I know to unpack his bags
Never sat on the porch and hoped and prayed
For a dad to show up who never did
I just wanted to fit in
Every single place
Every school I went
I dreamed of being that cool kid
Even if it meant acting stupid
Aunt Edna always told me
Keep making that face till it gets stuck like that
Meanwhile I'm just standing there
Holding my tongue up trying to talk like this
Till I stuck my tongue on the frozen stop sign poll at 8 years old
I learned my lesson and cause I wasn't tryin to impress my friends no more
But I already told you my whole life story
Not just based on my description
Cause where you see it from where you're sitting
Is probably 110% different
I guess we would have to walk a mile
In each other's shoes, at least
What size you where? I wear tens
Let's see if you can fit your feet

<chorus>

In my shoes, just to see
What it's like, to be me
All be you, let's trade shoes
Just to see what I'd be like to

Feel your pain, you feel mine
Go inside each other's mind Just to see what we find
Look at shit through each other's eyes

But don't let 'em say you ain't beautiful
They can all get fucked.
Just stay true to you
Don't let 'em say you ain't beautiful
They can all get fucked.
Just stay true to you

<excerpt from "Reaching Out">
Lately I've been hard to reach I've been too long on my own
Everybody has a private world Where they can be alone...
Are you calling me, are you trying to get through
Are you reaching out for me, I'm reaching out for you

<spoken>
Yea... To my babies. Stay strong.
Daddy will be home soon
And to the rest of the world, god gave you the shoes
That fit you, so put em on and wear em
And be yourself man, be proud of who you are
Even if it sounds corny,
Don't ever let no one tell you, you ain't beautiful