In some ways, society tells us, “There are plenty of fish in the sea,” “Live for now and don’t worry about the future,” or “Wait until you grow up to (fill in the blank).”

But what if in this very moment is your only opportunity to make the most of your life. To share with someone that your life isn’t that same without them. To realize that we aren’t young for ever. Youth is a gift only appreciated by the old. To launch out in the area that fear has held you back.

Our lives are the summations of individual experiences. Experiences that take you further toward your purpose or farther away from it. No amount of sex, money, drugs, fame, and power can change that. We are exactly who we are in the midst of our experiences. Our actions, our thoughts, our feelings are the only true definition of the individual lives we all live.

My strengths and successes no greater define me than my weaknesses and mistakes. Weaknesses that I can never truly hide, only slow transform into benefits. Mistakes can never be out ran or hidden. However, mistakes can transform into life lessons and best practices when faced head on.

I love my life not because of money, influence, ability, or resources. I love my life because of the people that I share my experiences with. It its because of you, my life is full. So on this Christmas Day, I thank you for the best gift I could ever receive, your friendship and companionship.

With love,

Calvin

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GENERAL INFORMATION, INSTRUCTIONS AND REMINDER ITEMS

Background Information: Tuskegee Airmen, Incorporated is a unique organization dedicated to the preservation of the history of African American Veterans whose service during World War II demonstrated to America that the criteria for responsible citizenship are character and achievement rather than ethnic origin. Although incorporated in Washington, D.C., the organization consists of many chapters, a National Museum at the Coleman Young International Airport Detroit, MI and the Tuskegee Airmen Scholarship Foundation, located in Los Angeles, CA.

Each year the Tuskegee Airmen Scholarship Foundation grants scholarship awards to deserving young men and women. Each year the number of available scholarship awards is directly related to income received from investments. Forty (40) awards of one thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500.00) will be available in 2010. The $1,500.00 awards are for one year only. One (1) twenty thousand dollar ($20,000.00) Pratt & Whitney award will be presented to a scholar who can demonstrate a sincere aptitude for and pursuit of a career in aviation, aerospace technology or research. This four-year Award will be paid in increments of $5,000 per year. The student must maintain a two-point-five (2.5) grade point average (GPA) and continue in the selected career path.

Eligibility Requirements: Applicants must be students of accredited high schools who have graduated or will graduate in the school year 2009-2010. Additionally, applying students must have a GPA of at least three points (3.0) on a four-point scale.

Application Procedure: Application forms and instructions may be obtained from high school guidance counselors, Tuskegee Airmen Scholarship Foundation website (www.taisf.org) , the Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. website (www.tuskegeeairmen .org) or a Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. Chapter. Completed applications must be returned to the specific address indicated on page 1 of this application or to the Indianapolis Chapter, Tuskegee Airmen Inc, P.O. Box 88325, Indianapolis, IN 46208 on or before February 1, 2010:

• Each applicant must submit a two (2) page essay containing: a biographical sketch, educational aspirations, career goals and an explanation of why financial aid is essential.
• Additionally, the applicant must include a single page essay entitled “The Tuskegee Airmen” which reflects an overview of their history. Essays must be typed, double-spaced with 1-inch margins on 8.5″ x 11″ paper. Please note, all attachments to application must not exceed 8.5″ x 11″ in size.
• To validate the financial status of the applicant, a copy of parent(s)’ latest IRS Form 1040 (preferably 2009) through adjusted gross income line must be included in application package. If not required to file Form 1040, provide official alternate source document to verify income, such as statement from Public Social Services, Pensions or SSI.

Selection Procedure: Applications for scholarship assistance received by individual chapters of Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. are screened, verified as deemed appropriate, and competitively evaluated. Application files determined worthy of further consideration are forwarded to the Tuskegee Airmen Scholarship Selection Committee for National Competition. A scholarship selection committee, composed of several members from each Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. Region, evaluates individual applications. Using a scale of one hundred (100) points, the committee considers academic achievement, extra curricular and community activities, relative financial need, recommendations, and both essays to competitively rank applicants.

Notification Procedure: Finalists (selectees and non-selectees) will receive individual notices of final results from the Tuskegee Airmen Scholarship Foundation Board of Directors.

Award Payment Certification: Scholarship awardees may enroll in the institution of their choice. Upon completion of enrollment, the school registrar must send verification of enrollment and curriculum to the Tuskegee Airmen Scholarship Foundation. When the required verifications have been received, individual award payments, made payable to the student or parent, will be mailed by Wells Fargo Bank, Los Angeles.

I was just writing an email and realized, shesh, is this about me or them?!

Let me re-write.

So, I pulled up my Hulu account and with limited commercials I watched the television shows that I love to watch. True, the Cable’s response is DVR but Hulu is free!

Two people looking at one situation and see it totally different is all that really matters.

First, let’s be real. In the natural, I am not balling out of control, I am chipping away at my debt (on my way to being debt free), I have to take my car to shop, trust, I have real life problems and challenges. However, amiss all those situations, I live a life so amazing that people are envious. Why?

Because the part of my life that is amazing is based on an intrinsic value that flows from the inside out. Without that inner spirit, we can have the same problems and challenges and you would be ready to jump off a click and feel like garbage. I have been working on developing my inner man for years and now it has grown to a point to where, I can recognize real situations (i.e. having a bill that you can’t pay or a family member doing something crazy), decide my action, deal with the situation but maintain a level of joy because my inner man feeds my emotional state rather than being fed by my outward situations.

It is a learned ability that comes with growth and inner maturity, but if I can have it, so can you! Here are a few steps to develop your inner man/woman:

1. Realize that you are able to read this note, really think about that, this very second someone in the world just died and it wasn’t you.

2. Realize that no matter how messed up your house, car, job maybe – you have one. That appreciation for the smallest of things is the next step in developing your inner person.

3. Look back on all other crazy, ridiculous challenges that you have made it through and realize this too shall pass.

4. Surround yourself with people with a strong inner man/woman, you can tell them because they do not talk about people, they are not negative, they are comfortable with who they are and where they are but moving forward to future goals.

5. Follow me on http://twitter.com/calvinwilliams lol! Be blessed.

C.

PS. For those who believe in Christ, finding an amazing bible teaching, leader developing, kingdom minded, accountability enforcing, standard having church will not only help but accelerate your inner man/woman.

Gotta admit, when Fisher lays him out, the funniest part is when he touches his head like he is hurt

This is a great school, and this is a tremendous opportunity to attend a top graduate school. See the full details below.

The contact person for anyone who is interested is:

Derrick S. Boone, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Marketing
Room 3139 Worrell Professional Center
Babcock Graduate School of Management
Wake Forest University
1834 Wake Forest Drive

Winston-Salem , NC 27109-8758
derrick.boone@mba.wfu.edu

p 336.758.4475
f 336.758.4514

The Master of Art in Management program is designed specifically for liberal arts majors only. The MA degree program is a 10 month intense study of the basic functional areas of business. After graduation and working for approximately two years, all MA graduates are eligible to apply to Wake Forest as part of the MA/MBA joint degree program and get
the MBA in one year. The new Dean, Steve Reinemund, has created a new scholarship for diverse students pursuing the MA degree called the Corporate Fellowship.

The Corporate Fellowship provides full tuition and a $21,000 stipend to cover living expenses. Additionally, each Corporate Fellow will participate in a practicum. The practicum has two components, educational and professional development. Each student will be
assigned a mentor that is a high level executive with their sponsor corporation. The mentor will oversee an educational project covering 4 of the functional areas of business using their own corporation as the subject. The student will visit the corporation 3 – 4 times during the
program to present his/her results of their research project.

Additionally, the “professional development” component of the fellowship provides career coaching and leadership development for the students. The goal for the corporation is to be able to groom and hopefully, hire a top candidate from a diverse background for their
organization. Of course, there is no obligation that the students accept any offer of employment. Still, the student benefits, even if they are not ultimately hired by their sponsor corporation in that they have the MA degree and the type of experience that will make them more marketable.