I wrote something like this 3 years ago today....20 things I've learned in 20 years....this is obviously an updated version.....this is what I decided to do for my birthday....ya I know....I'm weird.....

1)the truth shall set you free!!!with the exception of those close to me, most of you don't know that I'm a compulsive liar...as I've grown old to be the bitter grumpy man I am, I've learned that even though the truth can hurt like hell...its a lot better than lying and hurting those closest to you...but some stuff is okay...like my mom still doesn't know I stole her blender....stealing is ok sometimes too.

2)Even though being mature and wise is a virtue...its not such a bad thing to let loose and act like a 16 year old kid who forgot his adderal that morning.

3) notches on your belt don't really mean a damn thing (guys or girls) it either means 1. You're easy 2. You fall for sweet talk to fast 2. You think people actually give a shit about the number 3. You're overcompensating for something else (and those notches know it too) or 4. You're still acting like a 16 year old kid and need to grow the hell up and take your adderal

4) The older I get the more selfish I become. This goes with family, friends, relationships...I'll let you be the judge if this a good or bad thing considering what an amazing selfless and humble guy I am:)

5) Friendship isn't a matter of you hang out with the most, who you get drunk with, or who's seen you naked (thus far only james and alex make that list)...its those guys who you can see after months past and know time past doesn't really matter (I.e. Matt, lil oscar, pat-e, mike, bros across the nation, etc)

6) The older I get the less confident I am in the things I know and the more I realize how little I know...I stole this from josh but I don't care...at 18 I thought I was a genius, at 20 I thought I was smarter then my dad, at 22 I thought I was smarter than my professors, at 23 I'm a moron who has a small enough ego to realize I can learn from just about everyone around me...

7) I love lifting...not something I learned at 23 but I'll be trying to max out on squats and deadlifts til I'm 80

8) Material objects and money mean shit if you have no time to enjoy those things with others...for about a year and a half I worked 60 hours a week just to make more money...what do I have to show for it? An insane amount of clothes and a bunch of useless shit I haven't touched in months...work hard and save your money but enjoy yourself. If all you live for is to work...then I pity you...

9) Some people never grow up...I thought I left high school when I went to college, I was wrong...people still gossip, pull immature pranks, bullshit, backstab eachother, and praise the captain of the football team...when since I graduated college and started focusing on my career those people still haven't grown up...and they probably never will...I think I've come to the conclusion that if you're acting that way when you're 20 you're still gonna act that way when you're 60...just maybe a little slower

10) Everybody has their flaws...EVERYBODY!!!! my flaws? I compulsively lie, I eat all of alex's chips ahoy, I'm overly sarcastic and mean to people I dislike, I try to please others too often (which is lessening by the minute I assure you)I make innapropriate jokes at innappropriate times...and a million others...the people who love you accept those flaws, help you overcome them, or just make fun of you over them are the ones worth keeping around...

11) Its alright to not know what you wanna do with the rest of your life...it's the rest of your life for christ's sake...for the last eight years I swore up and down I was going to be a doctor....took the mcats, all the pre-req's, bought a fancy labcoat....but I realized it's just not for me...the guy that has his life planned out by the time he's 20 is the guy who's gonna be miserable by 40...

12) Life is good and complaining gets you nowhere....unless your my 7 year old niece, she gets everywhere with complaining, but that's beside the point...you're life sucks???no it doesn't...I guarantee there are millions of people who have it way worse but somehow make it by with less complaining...we seldom realize how fortunate we are to have what we have so be grateful and consider yourself fortunate and stop being such a greedy whiny bastard.

13) At 23 I no longer see the point in procrastinating because whatever it is you're putting off it has to get done sooner or later unless you just choose not to do it...I think I still owe $3.27 to amex from 6 months ago...its like ripping off a bandaid...pull it off quickly so you can get an infection and it lead to gangrene...

14) Deep down everybody is a good and wants to help their fellow man...except for rush limbaugh...I hate that guy and I hope he gets scurvy

15)You can't please everybody and people shouldn't expect you to...bill cosby once said "I don't know the key to success but I know the key to failure is trying to please everyone" man I love you Dr. Cosby...you can't make everyone happy period...someone's gonna hate you, with or without reason..."Do you" as the young kids say as long as its not hurting others.

16) Forgive but don't forget. Life is way too short to hold grudges and it takes WAAAAAYYYY too much energy to hate someone, I tried it for a year and that shit must've burnt 30,000 calories...don't forget though...they say insanity is repeating the same thing over and over again and expecting different results...well I say retardation is just that....try not to repeat the same mistake more than 3 times...it results in retardation

17) 90% of all occurences are never that great of timing...adapting to the changes in your life to make those occurences work is what leads to happiness...

18) Be passionate about whatever you want to do...working simply for the paycheck results in hating your work and ruins your overall well being....I hate having to wake up at 530 but I love the job(s) I go to everyday...I'm not 100% happy with my life but I'd be a hell of a lot worse off if I worked at etelecare or some bullshit place...no offense etelecare

19)I'll always be addicted to diet coke no matter how much I try to give it up...its like crack cocaine but worse because it comes in packs of 12...

20)We all need mentors...not a guy you idolize and find perfect but people you can admire for certain qualities and ask for help and advice when needed. And when its time to be a mentor, it feels pretty good to have someone look up to you and ask for your help and advice.... My mentors? Here's a shortlist alex macias, ray cabrera, matt aguilar, mike jones, gary dawson, ron lehnerz, vianca vasquez, todd decker, juanita olguin, james pena, oscar vargas, milton johnson, melissa lopez, jeff gomez, federico sanchez, horacio arellano, and dominic martinez...and a few others...these are people I've gotten to know and respect the hell out of...

21) You can disagree and not dislike...I stole this from strength coach mike boyle but again...I don't care...I used to get so angry in debates over anything and mad that people didn't see my point of view...everybody has a stance on everything and has facts to back it up but just because you disagree doesn't mean you have to hate the idea or the person...now there are some people who disagree for the simple fact of disagreeing but those people are just pricks and need to shut the hell up...

22) Don't invest everything you have in just one person or thing...once that thing or person is gone, you'll have nothing left...kind of like betting all your chips on black...you might come out winning but there's just as big of a chance you'll lose it all...

23) Respite shouldn't be considered nonproductive, the sweetest lady I used to train at the Y used to tell me this when she knew how exhausted I was with work, school, and the frat....sleeping, resting, relaxing whatever is necessary for us to function as human beings. Its okay not to fill every hour of your day with work or whatever else...you know...like I've been doing for the past 3 years...what happens when people are overworked with little rest???well resentment, illness, obesity, anger, lack of focus...the list goes on...

so these are the 23 things I've learned in the past 23 years....some were a much harder concept to grasp for me while others are just common sense I wish others would realize....if you've read up to this point I thank you, and hope you take heed of some of ther things I have to say....ok....time to OD on ice cream sandwiches, diet coke, and squat a bunch of weight....