The Long Mile

When I was in the sixth grade, my best friend, with whom I developed such a close bond that he is now like a cousin, was in charge of one thing. He was suppose to be my mentor in middle school so that I wouldn't be lost and marginalized.

A few weeks into the gig, my cousin realized hanging out with me was a social deterrent. He started to give me the cold shoulder, hanging out with his own friends and leaving me alone.

Needless to say that the next year. I was independent and fully capable of hanging out with my own friends. I no longer needed a safety net. I had learned the first rule of social survival--no one is going to make crap easy for you. No matter how close someone is, ultimately you are on your own.

There's a line in All the President's Men, Redford's character says to Hoffman:

"I don't mind what you did, I mind the way you did it."

In short, I don't mind what my cousin did, I mind the way he did it. But when this is all said and done I lay here with the full comfort of knowing one thing--I'm the best at what I do.

There's no question. There's no competition and there's no second guessing it. If you try to compete with me I will beat you. I might do it gradually, suddenly or without warning, but make no mistake about it--I will win.

I always try to find role models that are older. I'm the oldest of four so I constantly try to get better by seeing how older people have dealt with similar situations. I take their criticism. I absorb their feedback and find ways to improve.

Today was my first co-authored piece. I spent 14 hours on the office, but I can tell you my piece was the better half. I was co-authoring a piece with a seasoned reporter.

They say sex is far better than any drug or any high. I don't know if that's true but I do know this.

My social life can be a meager and pitiful occupation

My personal life can be a mere venting of emotional blogspace

I deal with rejections constantly

But my love, the thing I do for 14 hours-a-day, my drive is unparalleled. Stack me up against Cronkite, Williams, Cooper, Ramos, Woodward or Jennings and I'll hang with the best of them.

The only thing I'm ever guilty of is being competitive. The only thing I can ever be accused of, is trying to be the best and the most successful.

Take these words as fuel to criticize me or encourage me, it don't make a bit of difference.