What's there to complain about?

Consider this. A man by the name Kenny Simmons walking in your sight one late afternoon as you drive home after work, a man whom you would later recall knowing from a different part of life. One that would take you back to your earlier years as a naive young man; going on Dr.'s visits to the Masonic Home with your respected uncle, the physician. Yes, I remember Kenny now, but what he did at the Masonic Home I do not recall...think David..think. Damn, who cares, hopefully he recognizes me. It is the second time I have seen Kenny on my drive into town in one day. Does he need a ride? He sure looks like he's struggling getting accross that crosswalk? Will he recognize me? If I pull over, how will I approach him? What name do I call him? Will he think I'm a psycho? Will he understand I'm only trying to do a worthy cause? Doubts flutter my brain and suddenly I find myself pulling over. Kenny leaves my sight for a split second as I look in my rearview mirror and find he has already made it around Jeff Street Pub. Without further hesitation I shut my door to my car as oncoming traffic speed by my legs only inches away. I run around the pub and calmly cry out "Sir? Excuse me...my name is David Orton...not sure if you recognize me? I was wondering if you might be needing a ride tonight? I know it's a great night to be walking and didn't know if you prefered to walk, but I just thought I might ask.....the mystery man of my past without hesitation responded "yes, I think I remember you.." I interrupted by finishing his sentence confirming that I knew him from the Masonic Home, upon which I asked, "What was it [you] actually did there?" The question led into a brief conversation with a man whom I was finding I had so much in common. He told me of his recent stroke and proudly declared he had worked at the Masonic Home for over 19 years and only missed 2 weeks in his entire career. He told me of his humble apartment for which he was most greatful. He told me of his postcard collection and his need to sort out the postcards once he got home. Postcards which only minutes before our conversation were purchased at the Auction a block away. He told me about his interest in traveling and that his favorite travel spot was Florida. It was then that I was beginning to question the reality of why I stopped. His interests weren't what I identified with the man. It wasn't the postcards, the Florida vacation spot, although I do enjoy Florida. It was the fact that I wanted to feel good about myself. He asked of my status and my work. I kindly replied with a sincere and truthful response that I was a single man trying to find a friend in this world. What I failed to mention was that I was using him as my feel good potion to fill the void of emptyness I was feeling at the moment he crossed my path. It was only then that I reached out my hand and politely asked what his name was....the rest is a story not to be told, but created.......

Creating my story

Not many of you know this, but my hero in life is Howard Hughes. "The Aviator" starring Leonardo DiCaprio caught my interest long ago and it has taken me years to confess. I saw in Howard many of the qualities I have. Ambition, Focus, and a love for women. I'm also a germ-a-phobe. Not to the same degree as Howard got, but I can't stand drinking after people or germs. Anyways, I swung by the library today and picked up his Biography by Richard Hack. I started the book this evening and I can't put it down. I'm on chapter 3 and the chapter starts out describing the exact same feelings I get when I'm in elite neighborhoods. The chapter is entitled Freedom and it begins like this:

Some moments are etched in memory forever, translucent yet indelible. For Howard Hughes, such a moment occurred on the fourth of January, 1925. He alone as usual-not bored, just existing-without a job or necessary purpose in life. It was early afternoon. He was walking along the edge of Rice Institute and found himself passing the section of Houston known as Shadyside. Ahead was the home of Joseph Cullinan, a magnanimous oil man and friend of his father's, who had built an estate on Remington lane and its surrounding thirty-seven acres. He called his house Shadyside, which had then given its name to the entire development of large, stately homes being built on his subdivided land. Most were incomplete and empty. Dried leaves lay matted and unswept in the gutter, the branches of the great oaks naked against the harsh winter breeze.
Howard stopped and allowed his eyes to roam across the houses, each representing an outward display of amassed wealth and successful careers. It was then, at that moment, he realized that any one of these homes could be his. At nineteen years of age, he had entered that rarified niche of humanity known as endless fortune. With no hall monitor or crossing guard to guide his way or correct his behavior, he was the foremost explorer of either unlimited opportunity or unbridled excess-take your pick. As he stared out at the mansions rising before him, he knew the choice was his to make. It was the ultimate scary thought-that most coveted of dreams that those without money long to possess, yet when faced with actual delivery would be no more prepared to leap into quagmire of excess privilege than he was. This would take some concentration, he knew, and he immediately began to consider his options.

Although, I wasn't born into money, I feel these same decision making scenarios starring at me daily as I make purchasing decisions. I long await the day of my personal "Freedom" when I can roam carelessly and student debt free to consider my options. May God bless me in my endeavor! And may God bless me with a woman who understands my passions and desires!

Update

I had the best Valentines Day ever! Hung out with some great peeps and talked business with a couple looking to move to L.A. and start a gay bar. It's a small world when it comes to business. These guys knew a mutual friend from High School and are in the works of getting some real estate through his connections. I wish the best for them. Who knows maybe I'll help them start up out there. Speaking of California, It seems more certain than not that I will be moving out there. Last month I was introduced to an opportunity of a lifetime in buying up some real estate in my hometown. The price was right, the location was better than perfect, and I was ready to buy. After much deliberation and a great talk with Aunt Flor I came to my senses and decided that California was indeed it. My mind is set and my eyes are fixed on the destination. I've been fortunate to pay down so much of my student debt that I'm hopefully looking at moving out there in about a year or so. "Paying off debt is better than sex"

The New Beginning

Alright guys. It's official. I will begin writing the next chapter of my life tomorrow. I am officially done with my degree. Next stop, loan repayment. My challenge for the next year is to beat my greatest enemy-interest. The goal is to pay off my student loans in a year and make my first million by 40. Nothing will stop me. There is nothing holding me back now. I feel just like I felt in the MTC. Anxious to get out into the real world to solve real problems and talk to real people. I'm excited to hit the pavement running. I have been asked by work to begin preparing for my licensing as an assessor. Should accomplish this task by the end of the year (all three levels). I can't tell you how happy I am to get out into the real world and start making my ideas and dreams become reality. But, first things first. If I want to get anywhere in life I have to get ahead of the game and the only way to do that is to be debt free. As I said earlier, the goal is one year. After this first year.....WATCH OUT! I'm coming through. I have my mother to thank for her support, emotionally, finanically, and spiritually she has been my greatest advocate. She has always believed in me. I love her. I can't count on my hands the number of times she has asked about when I will be receiving my diploma in the mail. She is so proud and she should be. She has been the one who has sacrificed the most to help me achieve my dreams. May God bless her forever for it. I'd also like to thank friends who have listened to my doubts and concerns and helped me along the way. There have been many nights of restlessness, tears, and doubts, but I have accomplished my first task. Thanks to all of you who have listened and loved me. I'm blessed beyond measure. This year has been a year of changes and for those of you who are close to me...know what changes I'm talking about. Thank you for your continued love and support in my decision making process. I owe all that I am to those with whom I surround myself. Cheers!

Boston: My new favorite Place

We just recently moved my cousin and his family out to Boston this weekend. All I have to say is that this place is amazing. My cousin will be getting his MBA, hence the move. We are so proud of him. I will definitely be a routine visitor when chance permits. No words can describe the beauty of this town. The buildings are genuine and have charm like you wouldn't believe and the expanse of cultures is savoring. I spend the evening enjoying a theatrical performance downtown, open to the public, and then some musical performances by several vendors on the sidewalks. One of the vendors was so talented he had, at one point, over 50 people in the crowd. The scene was majestic. Couples of different races and families from all over the world were brought together on that sidewalk to listen to the melodies of one man picking away at some strings. The history around me could be felt in the air and the bricked roads on some of the streets ringed back horse drawn carriages and 1800's lifestyles. Needless to say...I'm in love with this town and it's character. I will definitely come back for a longer visit.

Update

The long and anticipated blog post has finally arrived. It is my pleasure to announce that I have finally landed a job! My position title 'Real Estate Improvement Deputy.' I can't believe I'm going to actually be getting paid to look at real estate all day. This position fits me perfectly. I'm in charge of assessing commercial/industrial properties in all of Johnson County. I spent the last couple of days, with my trainer, looking at neighborhoods and recent commercial activity all over the county. It looks like I got my work cut out for me. The Trafalgar and Bargersville area have experienced tremedous growth. I also just recently learned that the Center Grove area is unincorporated...meaning that pretty much any kind of development usually goes. From my observation it seems as though this strategy promotes business development, as Center Grove area is among the most developed-residentially and commercially. I don't believe government interference in this aspect is a good strategy for envisioning growth within city limits, but I'm not in a position to change that. Even if I was, who knows how difficult it would be to unicorporate the city now.

Thumbs Down by Jean Leon Gerome

A recent essay in the London Review of Books — on Death in Ancient Rome by Catharine Edwards and The Death of Socrates: Hero, Villain, Chatterbox, Saint by Emily Wilson – drew my attention to the following passage in St. Augustine’s Confessions (Book VI), which describes how his young and virtuous friend Alypius became corrupted by the sight of gladiatorial combat. Though the Roman aristocracy made a great show of drawing moral lessons from public displays of death, the line between philosophy and merely sadistic voyeurism was a thin one indeed:

Chapter 8. The Same When at Rome, Being Led by Others into the Amphitheatre, is Delighted with the Gladiatorial Games.

13. He, not relinquishing that worldly way which his parents had bewitched him to pursue, had gone before me to Rome, to study law, and there he was carried away in an extraordinary manner with an incredible eagerness after the gladiatorial shows. For, being utterly opposed to and detesting such spectacles, he was one day met by chance by various of his acquaintance and fellow-students returning from dinner, and they with a friendly violence drew him, vehemently objecting and resisting, into the amphitheatre, on a day of these cruel and deadly shows, he thus protesting: “Though you drag my body to that place, and there place me, can you force me to give my mind and lend my eyes to these shows? Thus shall I be absent while present, and so shall overcome both you and them.” They hearing this, dragged him on nevertheless, desirous, perchance, to see whether he could do as he said. When they had arrived thither, and had taken their places as they could, the whole place became excited with the inhuman sports. But he, shutting up the doors of his eyes, forbade his mind to roam abroad after such naughtiness; and would that he had shut his ears also! For, upon the fall of one in the fight, a mighty cry from the whole audience stirring him strongly, he, overcome by curiosity, and prepared as it were to despise and rise superior to it, no matter what it were, opened his eyes, and was struck with a deeper wound in his soul than the other, whom he desired to see, was in his body; and he fell more miserably than he on whose fall that mighty clamour was raised, which entered through his ears, and unlocked his eyes, to make way for the striking and beating down of his soul, which was bold rather than valiant hitherto; and so much the weaker in that it presumed on itself, which ought to have depended on You. For, directly he saw that blood, he therewith imbibed a sort of savageness; nor did he turn away, but fixed his eye, drinking in madness unconsciously, and was delighted with the guilty contest, and drunken with the bloody pastime. Nor was he now the same he came in, but was one of the throng he came unto, and a true companion of those who had brought him thither. Why need I say more? He looked, shouted, was excited, carried away with him the madness which would stimulate him to return, not only with those who first enticed him, but also before them, yea, and to draw in others. And from all this did Thou, with a most powerful and most merciful hand, pluck him, and taughtest him not to repose confidence in himself, but in You - but not till long after.