For the final video in this series I wanted to share some of my favorite jerseys from the era and also their meaning in the greater scheme of sports from the 1990’s-2000’s. As this list shows, it is heavily geared around athletes from the era. Whether it be baseball, basketball or football, there are so many figures from this time that have left an indelible impact on the world of sports. Whether you are a fan or not, there is just something special about re-connecting to some of these iconic athletes and moments from a bygone era.
As we go over this list, I also wanted to share some personal anecdotes like I do in most of these posts and also encourage you to do the same in the comments below. These were a big part of my adolescence and would love to hear more about your experiences as well. As we go into each selection, I will also go over some of the best moments of this time and in these uni’s. Let me know some of your favorite stories in the comments below and appreciate you taking the time to listen.
1) L.T. powder blue Chargers 2) Pin stripe Padres Gwynn 3) Raptors Vince Carter 4) Georgetown Allen Iverson 5) Nevada Kirk Snyder
All images via: Variety.com, Bleacher Report, SneakerHistory.com, Slam Magazine, Chargers.com, Denver Post
While the lion’s share of this blog has centered around pop culture and business (more-so of the former), I wanted to take a brief break moment and talk about some pressing issues. With opinions obviously everywhere on social media, I wanted to offer some of my favorite ways to help our community in these uncertain times. These are just some of my favorite ways to help give back, some larger than others, but they all can serve a purpose for that is bigger than ourselves. That being said, I understand all time commitment situations are different, but these have been my favorite activities to give back and also keep myself sane during these times. So without further ado, here is the Mt. Rushmore (shout out to PMT) of ways to give back.
Image via Big Brothers Big Sisters Northern Nevada
Volunteering your time: I had the awesome opportunity to be a “Big” in Big Brothers Big Sisters in college and it was a great experience. While this was certainly a big commitment at the time (2 years), it was a solid way to connect with a new person. Since COVID-19 does limit opportunities for organized community service, there seem to be new endeavors popping up each week from community clean-ups to promoting new initiatives in our area. Yes everyone’s time commitment is different, but there are avenues and ways to give back to your area.
Donating:Whether it is old clothing, food or other supplies, we all could use a little early summer cleaning when we have the time. I have been able to clean out a lot of unused items in my house and been able to repurpose them with a little thought and effort. I have spent way more than the average person on tennis shoes so finding new homes for them has been a great way to donate and give back in a very small way. I know many others are doing this as well and I truly believe in the phrase “one person’s trash is another person’s treasure”.
Bettering yourself and the people around you: This has definitely been one of my favorite activities during 2020. From projects around the house to spending more time with my family when appropriate, I have taken on a new appreciation for my loved ones. This has included a new siding project (shout out Daniel) and also a new pup (shout out Molly and Moose) in addition to a new office set-up. I have also made it a point to watch more videos on financial literacy, increasing my own emotional empathy along with some other long-term goals for my future, when I’m not listening to some sweet beats that is. So comment below with your favorite ritual of 2020 (so far) and how it has helped you and as always, thank you for reading!
So this whole blog has mainly been about how business ties to pop culture and vice versa, so to end this week strong, I wanted to mix it up a bit and talk about something a little different. While being in the workplace can be extremely rewarding, it also can come with a mental toll and strain on one’s psyche. That being said, I wanted to share some of my favorite rituals and practices that have helped me stay focused and aligned during my day to day. Most of these will come off as common sense, but it is always nice to have a gentle reminder here and there. Also in keeping with the theme of the blog, I will throw a little pop culture anecdote for each point below.
While I do miss the “Animal House” days of college, I have come to enjoy the quiet down times of my mid-20’s. Image via Amazon.com
Not burning the candle at both ends: This was a big one for me when I graduated from college and started transitioning from that lifestyle of being a college student to someone with a full-time job. While I still maintain a healthy social life, I have made it a point to separate my work and play time as things have progressed in my career. In my line of work, happy hours and social settings are common so the line can get blurred, but I have tried to be diligent in making sure to have a clear divide and being able to manage my time. While I have not always been successful at this endeavor, it is a lesson I wish have learned earlier in my career and want to continue to practice each day.
Continual exercise (one of my favorite albums): In my high school days I was extremely active but as I have gotten older I have found it harder to keep that level of physical activity up. I know it is cliche, but really carving out time for your physical health is so important for your psyche. I like to do afternoon walks at my work to avoid an “afternoon slump” and also basketball or volleyball when I get the chance. My sister just got a puppy so I should have a new walking buddy soon! So while this is another example of easier said than done, it is truly something I have gotten to appreciate on a different level as I have gotten older.
Socializing!: This is the most fun example on the list, but if the COVID-19 pandemic has taught me anything, it’s that humans crave social interactions. As someone who has always been around people, but appreciated their down time, I have found having a healthy and realistic balance between the two is uber important. I enjoy meeting new people, but am really a homebody at the end of the day. So being mindful and making time for these situations has been critical to building my mental health and staying off social media which is probably where you are reading this from. So let me know what you do to stay centered and also have a safe weekend!
While 2020 has hardly been the best year of my adult life — for obvious reasons — one of the shining stand outs from this year has been the culmination to “The City” podcast that was produced by USA Today in conjunction with the Reno Gazette-Journal. To be clear, I am not referring to USA Today cancelling the series, but rather the series being created in the first place. This series chronicled the changing landscape of my hometown in a way that has never been done before (at least from what I have seen), and helped shine a light on one of the country’s most fascinating cities in terms of its image changing. So I wanted to salute the crew who put this together since Reno’s economy is much more diversified than ever before and for spotlighting all of these changes, for better, and for worse.
Image via the Reno Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority.
Stand out reporting: Headlined by the RGJ’s Anjeanette Damon, “The City” follows the story of Reno changing from a town with a history of quickie divorces, gambling and brothels to a burgeoning tech hub that is aspiring to be the next “Silicon Valley” in many ways. The show is also produced by one of my old colleagues from college, Fil Corbitt, and narrated by Robin Amer who does a fantastic job of setting the pace of the entire story. The crew does a great job of making sure to involve the major players of “Old Reno” and some of the new tech and development acolytes that are moving into the region to take advantage of its growth opportunities. Similar to the boom of the 1859 Comstock Lode in Virginia City, northern Nevada has seen a ton of new interest and investment in the region.
The cast involved: In terms of a colorful characters, I don’t think I have listened to another podcast that does so well in terms of framing its cast. If you are from Reno or northern Nevada, you will no doubt recognize a slew of these names and businesses that have helped to grow our region to where it is today. As a Reno High alumnus, I am very familiar with the Keshmiris and their contributions to the city and also their generous investment in the Reno High track team (Go Huskies, shout out to coach Green). So seeing this story along with the parallels of the new developments out in USA Parkway, was very exciting and beautifully told. Reno is a town that has a lot of grit and personality, and is a place full of people who have made it what is today.
Expanding on the history of my hometown: Reno is a town with a marred history in some regards, but it is still a place I am proud to call home. With a much more diversified economy since the Great Recession of the late 2000’s, northern Nevada has weathered a lot of storms and has grown into a trendy and thriving community, well until March of earlier this year but we won’t get into that. With our community banding together once again, I cannot say how thankful I am that a podcast is available to those interested in learning more about the changing state of our community. It’s not every day that a town undergoes an identity crisis amidst an economic boom and you get to live through it, but that’s what it is like living in Reno right now. It is a pretty special time and I wanted to salute the crew of “The City” for making this possible.
In an era of get-rich-quick social media entrepreneurs and schemers, one man has stood above the rest and appealed to the common person. This man’s name is Dave Ramsey and he is here to tell you you are stupid you bought that $50,000 truck with a household income of $40,000 per year. As a financial guru that has survived bankruptcy and helped thousands of people, Dave Ramsey is not for those that need coddling at every turn. His profound insistence on his financial “baby steps” and also utilizing the debt snowball method has helped to carve a very lucrative career in many spaces from radio shows to being a best-selling author. As a fairly new listener to Mr. Ramsey, his tools and methodologies have even helped me in my young business career.
Since Ramsey started broadcasting a radio show back in 1992, he has grown his financial following into the thousands and has pioneered a new way at looking at debt. His seven baby steps are:1. Save a $1,000 beginner emergency fund ,2. Get out of debt using the debt snowball, 3. Building a fully funded emergency fund, 4. Invest 15% of household income for retirement, 5. Save for children’s college,6. Pay off your home early, and 7. Build wealth and be generous. Indeed while this might be preposterous to some, it is solid financial advice that coupled with the debt snowball method (where debtors pay off their lowest balance debt first instead of paying off their highest interest rate debt first) can be surprisingly effective. While this approach has been criticized by some, research done by the Kellogg School of Management has found that the debt snowball method is generally effective, because it helps debtors become motivated by the small victories.
Financial guru Dave Ramsey first started a radio show back in 1992 and now has thousands of listeners that use his financial tactics to obliterate debt. Image via abcnews.com
Since surviving bankruptcy back in 1988, Ramsey has espoused his values to thousands of viewers across the world. As a young adult in the professional world, his advice has always stuck out as practical and pragmatic. It is easy to keep up with “the Joneses” but sticking to your core fundamental financial values can help you dramatically in the long run. His direct and candid demeanor is a much-needed outlet for listeners that need to be told the honest truth and also for those that just need a guide in their journey. Sure he is not perfect by any means, but his methods to help curb debt and build financial freedom is a welcome voice for many.
Over the past year or so that I have listened to Mr. Ramsey, I have found numerous ways to shoring up my own spending habits. From using my credit card less and less to paying off my undergraduate student loans earlier this year (the biggest brag on this blog, I promise), Mr. Ramsey has made me more stoked about personal finances than ever before. His blunt straight talk about incurring as little debt as possible and always paying for things in cash, would make even the Cash Money Records crew blush. Also as a rabid Tennessee Vols fan, his talks relating to sports have a certain level of relatability around him as does his own personal story.
Indeed while I might not agree with everything Mr. Ramsey says, his policies have a certain level of candidness needed in this day and age. Plus who does not want to have your virtual finance “dad” yell at you or somewhere else when you do something stupid? If he doesn’t do it, there might not be any others who will. As always, drop me a comment below with your favorite finance story and how you have bounced back from it!
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