Challenge: Day 5

Cultivate Gratitude.

I, and you too, have always made it a priority to say "please" and "thank you." However, there are people out there who may go long periods of time without getting thanked in the capacity that they deserve. I'm looking at you teachers, cleaning crews and barbers. I'm going to share with you, dear readers, a rough draft of a note that I'm going to send to one of my favorite teachers, Ms. Rogow. She was my 11th and 12th grade English teacher at Mamaroneck High School. She wrote one of my college recommendations. She is (was) awesome. I know she's around because she belongs to the pool that every Brandom boy has lifeguard at since 2000.

Dear Ms. Rogow,

I hope that this letter finds you well. I am writing to you today to express my gratitude for being not only and amazing teacher but an amazing person. During my years with you, you saw past the lazy facade and found a way to coerce me into doing work. Your allowance to let us free-write and then to openly express ourselves gave me a new insight into writing and reading. If you hadn't found a way to lay the ground work for hard work I may not have graduated from college, gotten a job or found my wife. You are a wonderful person and while I'm sure that you get these sorts of notes all the time I felt that you needed to know that I have always admired the way that you held yourself while helping us in your class, even us, the stragglers.

This is just a rough draft. I'll be sure to not be so all over the place in the actual letter.

Here's a list of 5 things that I am grateful for. So what if it's not Thanksgiving.

1. My wife for being so tolerant of me doing a sport that she hates.

2. My boss, not only for the steady paycheck but for being a really good person who allows flexibility in how tasks get accomplished.

3. My dad for the free music lessons. Still come in handy when I pick up the clarinet from time to time. It's therapeutic.

4. Coach Gerry. As much as he may not like me he always went out of his way to help me out. Probably because he likes my wife so much.

5. Steak

Challenge; Day 4

Increase Your Testosterone

There are lots of ways to increase your testosterone. There are also a lot of reasons why you ought to. "T" has been shown to lower fat, increase muscle, make you smarter and more fertile. Pretty fucking awesome. Here's what I plan on doing. Maybe more, but these are the easy ones to do.

Get 8 hours of sleep - check

Do Compound movement exercises - check, every fucking day.

Eat Meat - check and will continue to check this box

There are also other ways: getting sun, sex (preferably in the morning) and even thinking aggressive thoughts. Boom, I'm angry and I don't like the way that people are driving.

I'm planning on seeing this band in September in Brooklyn. This should be pretty fun. I'm finally putting my ticketmaster gift cards to good use.

Challenge Day #3

Find a Mentor

This seems like it might have been a hard one, but given a little bit of thought with my value system (see day #1), it just makes sense to have my mom as a mentor. She was a CFO at CitiGroup and is now the CFO at Trinity Wall Street. She knows the rewards for hard work but also made time to to be a great mom, daughter, sister and spouse. With that said, I plan on asking her for advice. Financial, educational (she went to Kellogg aka. Northwestern for her MBA) and how to balance it all. She did not grow up with a lot of money and for her to have gotten as far as she has, from a small midwestern town to the top of the financial pyramid is a pretty amazing thing.

There is one other person with whom I'd like to converse. And that would be Mr. Granucci. He is, from what I can tell, a wonderful husband and has a silent strength about him. He is confident without being boastful and has a way of assuring people that everything will turn out alright even in the worst of times. Luckily, I am having dinner with him, his wife and one of his sons and his girlfriend tonight (lasagna, yum). I will use this time to try to get to know him better and learn how to stand up for yourself even when the odds are against you. It's a great, manly trait to have.

I heard this song on the radio coming home from work. I haven't thought about this band in a long time. They used to be more punk-dance. But if this single is any indication for their new stuff it sounds more dance oriented. Still, legit. On a scale of take it or leave it, I'd more take it.

Challenge Day #2

Shine Your Shoes

People notice shoes. They may not stare at them but shoes do get noticed. Nasty, scuffed shoes can break an outfit. Nice suit, pressed shirt, nice tie, scuffed shoes. One of these things does not belong. I believe that this challenge is about the details. Details matter and it's important to take care of them.

Steps:

1. Buy shoes polish - roughly $5 a tin.

2. Brush shoes of any dirt that might be lingering around

3. Cut up old t-shirt to make rags.

4. Polish to a high gloss.

5. Let sit.

I managed to get one in before work. It's my nicest pair of shoes. I don't wear them that often but I've got a wedding to go to coming up in October. Have to look nice for the folks in Kansas City.

PS. Whitney Houston covers this. It's when she was throwing gas.