in my lifetime

Time flies

It really does...

And just like that...it's over!

As many of you know, I have been working in Minneapolis, Minnesota since last October but still living in Atlanta. Last week, I resigned from my job in Minneapolis to take a job in Atlanta. For the past 10 months, I'd work during the week in 'Sota and fly home on the weekends. Sometimes I'd stay for a 3-4 days and some weekends I'd stay in Minnepolis and work. Nevertheless, I was away from home. It was an adjustment to say the least. Being away from the family was tough but we all adjusted. The wife...gotta thank her for holding it down at taking care of our 3 little men. If the roles were reveresed, I dunno if I could've balanced work, baseball practice (Deion), potty training (Brandon), and running the house. She did a great job!

Believe it or not, it's gonna be hard to leave. The job was a great job. Aside from paying for the expenses and perks, I worked with/for some great people whom I'll never forget. It's rare that you find a "family like" atmosphere at a company...especially within the mortgage industry. But they are some cool people.


1. Weather or not

The winter time is BRUTAL. I've never been THAT cold in my life. It snowed on December 1st and I didn't see the green grass until March 5th. It would snow at LEAST 3 times a week. Despite the snow, the roads are almost always clear. They know how to handle it. After the 6th snow fall, I was tired of seeing the white stuff. The snow isn't the problem...it's the cold. I remember stepping out of my hotel one morning and it was so cold that it hurt to breathe! It was so cold that I tried the spit test (when you spit in the air and it freezes before it hits the ground) and it worked! Despite the days when the wind chill was -20 below...I got used to it. By January, I could step outside and guess the temp without looking at a report. People there don't spend a lotta time outside during the winter. But this is the time of the year is why people live here. Temps in the low 80s with very low humidity. I loved it! I spent plenty of time around Lake Calhoun and Lake Minnetonka (no...I didn't purify myself in it)

2. MOA

I'm not a fan of malls. I hate malls. I can't spend more than an hour in a mall. However, I grew very fond of the MOA (Mall of America). To say this place is HUGE is an understatement. You could literally spend a day in this place. Every store that you can dream of is in here!! And there's an amusement park that puts Six Flags to shame

3. Take care of the Fetus

Electric Fetus is a huge record stord. Yes...I said record store. It's a very eclectic spot that I loved to visit on a weekly basis. The music that you'd find in there fit my eclectic music tastes. It is a place were you could literally play a RECORD for the entire store to hear. Kinda like Darius in the movie Love Jones. I spent a couple of dollars on cds in here. If you ever get to Minneapolis, you've gotta check out the Electric Fetus

4. Let's go outside

The spring and the summer are why people live in the Twin Cities. This April marked the opening of Target Field for the Minnesota Twins. I went to a game to see my team, the New York Yankees, come to town. The people of Minnesota love their baseball team and they love this new state-of-the-art stadium. It is nice!

5. Sometimes you gotta get out

There are many sights and sounds in Minneapolis. You've gotta see for yourself...

6. It ain't me...

I learned that all of what I've done...all of who I am...all of who I'll ever be can only be credited to God. Every day, despite my flaws and mistakes, HE gives me another opportunity to be the man HE wants me to be. And I am eternally grateful.

7. Why you do what you do

Of all the pics that I've taken, this is my favorite. On this day, the wind chill was -15. I thought to myself..."Why is he riding a bike to work?" The answer was simple...he was doing what he had to do to provide for his family. In many ways...we are both alike

I really miss moments like this...