Seeking Validation

This week I was invited by my prof to an economic breakfast meet this week. All the big five banks were there with their top economist to give their predictions and comment on the market. Most notable things they said were don’t expect a return in investments for another 3.5 years and depending on when the fiscal stimulus package will come, the contingent budget will pick up the economy in the 3rd quarter of 2009. They regarded it as “crawling from the depths of despair”. All the banks’ top economists agreed that investment in R&D, infrastructure will slowly bring the U.S. economy back up on its feet. They also noted that health care will be the number one industry in the world. Finally, the chief economist of RBC I believe said that economic predictions are not wrong, they are just too early or too late….which I thought was quite a theory. Afterwards had lunch with my prof, she asked me what I thought of it, I told her I’d listen to these big mouths if I wanted to lose all my money because Barclays CFO I remember made a bunch of predictions on this recession and said how it wasn’t going to be as severe, but all the predictions he made were terribly wrong.

My sights are set on Las Vegas…at first it was just a thought…now my manager got me a page in Sport Illustrated with a photo shoot and a Q & A session on the magazine…which takes place in the number one sin city of the world, Las Vegas...so I guess I can’t refrain from going now. I look like a bum right now…and haven’t been working out. I’m just too vain to pose with just my boxing shorts on and look out of shape, so I gotta polish up…even though I never have an ounce of fat on me. But gonna start working out again and get a little more defined than I already am….just when I thought I can take a break after the biggest fight of my life. Too bad Jess is doing her own photo shoot in LA and can’t join me Vegas or else it’ll be awesome. *Sigh* I need another vacation already…so Vegas here I come…

P.S. I promise myself to buckle down and study my ass off once I come back…Told my mom I'm going to a business conference so don't rat me out....ya I know I don't live a life of a normal student...

...And of course my coach when I was Brazil Mauricio “Shogun” Rua is fighting tomorrow at UFC 93…I hope he avenges his loss against Mark Coleman….War Shogun War!! I turned my TV on for the first time in 3 months to watch UFC Primetime: GSP vs BJ Penn behind the scene footage of both their training and life outside the octagon. I met both the fighters in person…both being tremendous athletes and wicked fighters and pretty cool people as well. It re-iterated that hard work and dedication is the price you pay for greatness. BJ has started talking trash to promote the fight already…I like how GSP responded by saying talking is easy everyone can talk but fighting is hard. “If he really wanted to do it …if he put his mind to it…it’s about being the best...it wasn’t about being second best.” BJ’s story foils mine in a way. I remember a time when I hit rock bottom where I did not treat myself and my body with respect…drinking a lot…getting drunk a lot…not training. I remember vividly that I was pissed drunk rolling around on the floor after a big party. One of my closest friends watched me in disgust and told me, “Look, very few people have the gifted talents and potential that you do and even less people can ever have the opportunity to be called great...and you can one of those people...look you’re wasting your life away…you’ve lost yourself…you’re just a fucking drunk party animal...a waste of skin…and your window is closing!” Having someone close to you say that was a big wake up call. From that day on I cleansed myself from all that alcohol and focused on academics, sports (particularly boxing) and just being a better person in general, I told myself from that day onwards, I'm going to move forward. Even though my friend is not with us anymore, I remember it like yesterday and whenever I feel de-motivated and want to quit I remember those words and it gives me strength to carry on. He’s in a better place now and he never got to see what I’ve become and what I am now…I hope I’ve made him proud. BJ Penn’s story was like this also and I want to see him make a come back but at the same time I wanna see GSP, our Canadian boy to win it. Continual hard work will bring me where I wanna be…laziness will lead to decline…

Speaking of friends...I remember that he told me "sometimes you put walls up not to keep people out, but to see who cares enough to break them down." I don't know if I can ever be great...we all have doubts in ourselves...but to the death I'll try my best. With hard work we'll all get somewhere...Nothing great in the world has ever been accomplished without passion.