You've just purchased the latest electronic gadget. You open the box, remove the plastic bubble wrap and you have it in your hands! You run your fingers all across it touching all the buttons, enjoying every square inch of its texture. You immediately reach in the box for the instruction manual. You want to learn all about your new investment. You look in the box further to find that not only is there an instruction manual but there's a poster! Yes, everything is all mapped out for you. It is time to enjoy your new investment.

Don’t you wish children came with instruction manuals, maybe even a poster? I mean, after all, they are an investment. You spend an undisclosed amount of money on them throughout their lifetime and you spend countless amount of time with them. Sounds like an investment to me. So why don’t they come with instruction manuals?

I thought to myself, where is my instruction manual? I needed it to give me step-by-step instructions on giving my baby a massage without being sprayed with pee. I wiped my face and the baby's face off and continued. I was so going to learn the workings of my new investment.

Flash forward eighteen months. The little investment is pointing, babbling in foreign sentences and throwing tantrums when I don’t understand what it is that he is saying. Again, I don’t have an instruction manual. I will have to figure this out with patience and unfortunately, repetition. This investment is worth my time. I will reap all the benefits in the long run. Right?!

Children, like some PCs, come with just the basics. A child has the ability to open and shut its eyes, and the ability to cry when he needs something. Everything else has to be programmed. It is your responsibility to nourish them and to instill values. As long as you nurture and train your children as they navigate through life, you will be able to rest easy at night. Your children are a reflection of you.

Even though children don’t come with instructions, as parents it is our task to provide them with the best quality of care. Remember, you brought them into this world and they are a reflection of you. Love, cherish and respect your children.

I challenge you to come into a covenant with me to touch your little investment daily by giving him/her a hug and a kiss. The love that you program into your child now will last a lifetime.

During this current economic environment, it is imperative that everyone in the workforce to become dynamic employees. In this context, being dynamic is referring to being flexible and not stagnant. The days of the age old phrase “it’s not in my job description” is no longer an acceptable stance in the workforce and will leave you unemployed. Now is the time to step up at your perspective workplaces and demonstrate that you are a team player, and that you are committed to the success of the organization.

Now, some people are of the mindset “I’ve been in this job for 10, 15, or 20 years and I haven’t had to do this and that”… You’re right! But I’m sure in the last 9 months, you know of somebody that has gotten the pink slip. The sad thing is that quite a few of these people had been with these organizations for a while and had invested many years and ideas into the organization. This is not an excuse to be discouraged from continuing to give your all in the workplace. Here are some tips to assist you in blossoming.

This sounds much easier than it is done in practice. For some, being able to juggle your current responsibilities is taxing enough without thinking about adding more tasks to your plate. When considering expanding your duties at work you must be sure that you are currently meeting or exceeding expectations in the tasks that you have currently been assigned. Secondly, you need to consider the impact on your personal life. Lastly, you must ask yourself “Will taking on more responsibility be viewed favorably for me to advance?”. Remember, your employment should be mutually beneficial. It’s not about you going to work for a paycheck, but it’s about you fulfilling the company’s initiatives and your personal goals as well.

Depending on the size organization in which you are employed, there may be instances where you can expand your knowledge and skill set while remaining in the same job. For instance, I was once employed at a bank. Within the bank, there were a large variety of jobs that were being done. Tasks from information technology, to finance and accounting, to community outreach and social services. Personally, my focus in undergraduate was math and computer science and I had no inclination to be in the financial sector. But by partnering with various teams and departments in the organization, I got a chance to learn more about the financial world, the role in which banks play in the community and world at large, and how I could use this information to my advantage to accelerate my career in a direction that I was enjoying.

Most organizations have programs that were designed to mold their employees. Programs that may focus on management training or business efficiency or whatever the purpose may be. Other programs allow for employees to obtain degrees that are beneficial for the success of the business. Usually, all of these programs come with stipulations that require the recipient to remain with the organization for a set period of time (generally 2-3 years after completion). Now, let’s look at this situation from a business perspective. If you have someone that has been receiving thousands of dollars to go to school to advance themselves in the workforce, are you more likely to lay them off, or will you let someone go that seems “comfortable” in their current position?

Right… Companies tend not to terminate employment of someone that has a vested interest in the organization. They understand that the individual will be better equipped to perform the duties that are assigned to them and would remain employed to perform the tasks at least throughout the duration of the agreement. Truthfully speaking, this is not a guaranteed method to hinder your employer from terminating your position, but if you are enrolled in a program and you are laid off, you walk away with something more than you had at no cost to you. You then will be able to utilize both the experience that you obtained from that job, and the education that they paid for.

Volunteering is one of the most selfless acts that you can do. If you think of this as something you’re doing that you are not being paid for, you’re correct…. Kind of! In the corporate world, volunteering can go a long way. It’s beneficial whether you’re in a large or a small company. In a large company, you can expose yourself to other co-workers that you normally would not interact with. These people can become your allies in case you are interested in moving to another area within the organization. In a small company, it gives you the ability to be seen outside of the workplace. Managers and other team members can get a chance to see you as more than a co-worker. They are able to learn more of your passions and may be able to assist you in reaching your goals. I’m not saying sign up for every volunteer event, because whatever you do needs to be something that you have an interest in. This will make the experience for you more enjoyable and your actions more sincere.

Finally, although there is no true way to dictate our career futures, we still can plan for success. There are many roads to success and no matter what road is taken, there will be many pitfalls. These tips can be used as methods to assist you in navigating your career paths. In the end, you know what needs to be done for your own personal situation. Set your goals. Make a plan. Put it in action… Lastly… Don’t be scared to revisit and revise.

Photos Courtesy: spezio.com and kickthemallout.com

If you are like most people, you don’t really understand car insurance. Many people just know that it is something you are required to have, and think that the amount of coverage you have is unimportant. Many others feel that they are paying too much, but getting nothing in return.

What people fail to realize is that car insurance protects you and your family. Not only can it provide money for you and your passengers in the event of an accident, but it can protect you if you cause injury or damage to someone else. For instance, let’s say you accidentally hit a school bus full of children. More than likely, the children’s parents are going to sue you. If this happens, and you are not properly insured, your personal assets can be seized and your paychecks can even be garnished.

This coverage is extremely important. It pays if your vehicle causes bodily harm to others. Some people choose the state minimums, but my advice is that you avoid doing this at all costs. While you think you may save a few dollars in the beginning, you will pay majorly if you get sued for medical bills and even wrongful death. Selecting higher limits will only increase your premium by a minimal amount.

Although this coverage is optional, I recommend that you have it. This coverage will pay you if you are injured or your car is damaged by someone that does not have insurance. This is important because there are so many irresponsible, uninsured drivers on the road today.

This is often purchased in conjunction with the Uninsured Motorist Coverage. This coverage provides payment if you are injured or your car is damaged by someone who has insurance but doesn’t have enough insurance to cover your loss.

This is an optional coverage that provides payments to you or your passengers regardless of fault. This will also provide payment to you if you are injured while walking if you are struck by a vehicle.

This is completely optional, and will provide payment for a rental car in the event of a loss that is covered under your policy. Please be advised that you cannot use this coverage if your car is disabled or in the shop for maintenance issues.

You work hard to provide for yourself and your family. Everything can be gone in a flash if you are not correctly covered. Protect those you love by contacting your insurance professional today to receive an insurance checkup.

Photos Courtesy: ukskydiver.co.uk and benzblogger.com

I’m sure each of you remembers where you were on June 25, 2009. I was shopping with friends in the Little Five Points section of Atlanta when I received a disturbing message on Twitter. Someone stated that Michael Jackson was rushed to the hospital because of a heart attack. They said he wasn’t breathing. Since I am a skeptic, I immediately dismissed the message as idle gossip. Within minutes, my phone began receiving message after message stating that the King of Pop had died. I still didn’t believe it because I hadn’t heard it from a credible source. TMZ was one of the first to report it, but given their shady track record, I didn’t feel they could be trusted.

When we got in the car, the radio confirmed it. Michael Joseph Jackson was confirmed dead at 2:45 p.m. PT at the UCLA Medical Center. We all sat in the car for a moment, each visibly stunned. Michael Jackson was really dead.

While many have come out from under their rocks to criticize MJ and capitalize on his death, I choose to celebrate his life. Since Michael was performing long before I was born, my first memory of him was his video for “Thriller”. I remember it like it was yesterday. I was only seven and the video was spooky, yet entertaining. My little brother and I tried to mimic the dance moves. I begged my mother for a red, zippered jacket and a sequined glove, but my mom wasn’t having it. We just settled for some mini-buttons with Michael Jackson’s face on them and some stickers to put on our composition books.


My next two memories were of “Billy Jean” and “Beat It”. No one in my class understood what the real words were, but we made up our own. “Billy Jean ah not my lover. Ah. She’s just a girl. Dee Dee I am Duwan, but the kid is not my son.” Everyone was running around rocking jheri curls and high-waters with white socks.

“We Are the World” came out the year that I got my first tape recorder for Christmas. My brother, my two friends from across the street and I recorded ourselves singing that song. We sang that song like we were recording in the studio. I still have that tape.

Many years later, I remember impatiently waiting for the “Remember the Time” video to premiere. Michael’s videos were like movies. When I finally saw the video, I was awestruck. The video portrayed black people as royals. Eddie Murphy was the Pharaoh that lost the beautiful Iman to Michael. The video was hot. The dancing was incredible. The song was amazing.

Years later, my school held an annual event called Friendship Day. Each class put on a performance and competed to see who the best was. My class did a skit and sang, “Heal the World.” We had cheesy sweatshirts made up to coincide with the song that had hands reaching up to a globe. One of my classmates even performed as Michael Jackson. By the end of our performance, we received a standing ovation. We took first place.

Amid much controversy and rumors, Michael and Janet released “Scream”. Ciara and Chris Brown pale in comparison to this dynamic duo. In this futuristic video, the brother and sister team gave critics and naysayers their butts to kiss.

I was in college when I heard “You Are Not Alone”. That song made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside and really hit home since sometimes I really did feel alone in college. Also, while in college, Michael Jackson signed the group Brownstone, a trio whose voices were as powerful as a choir. “If you love me- Say it!”

I cannot remember a time when Michael Jackson’s music has not been part of the soundtrack of my life. He left us with songs that made us want to dance, cry, laugh and think. He was an advocate for equality, social justice and assisting the downtrodden. Before you judge him, take the time to know him. Although he was in the Guinness Book of World Records for Most Successful Concert Series, Biggest Selling Album of All Time, 80’s Most #1 Hits, Most Grammy Awards, Greatest Audience, to name a few, he is more remembered for his philanthropy. Even in his death, he left millions of his money to various charities.


Michael Jackson is truly immortal, because his music and his legacy will remain a part of this world forever. People can say what they want about him, but he was loved internationally. Rest in Peace, Michael Joseph Jackson. You are truly Bad.

Photos Courtesy: en.wikipedia.org