Iron Man (Final Days Before 26)

When I turn 26, call me "Iron Man".

No, it's not my goal to become Tony Stark, alter ego of the Marvel character reintroduced by Tropic Thunder superstar Robert Downey, Jr. As I approach another birthday, many of my principles and theories regarding life are changing. Issues that previously carried a lot of value have become extremely irrelevant; inversely, new events and happenings now possess greater priority. Addressing some of these topics require great strength and endurance, two traits commonly associated with the word iron. As a matter of fact, being an "Iron Man" is a theme that carries a lot of ties to my upcoming age (26 is actually the atomic number of iron.)

At my age, the lines between good and bad
become a lot clearer; I aim to be a superhero.

26 is an interesting year. The blurry lines from your life start to disappear. You've escaped the 22-25 "awkward" years where you're not a kid, but you're not old. Messing with someone else's girl is liable to get you shanked; you're 26 and you "know better". Oddly enough everyone starts calling you 30 and the word "swag" is (or needs to be) officially removed from your lexicon.

When you were in college and had no car or house, you were "focused on school"; when you're 26 with no car or house, you're "lazy and no-good". There is growth in this year however; you take charge with your back against the wall. The tolerance for being broke, bad relationships, and...bull decreases dramatically. It's necessary to fight these evils as your reputation depends on it. At 26, the perception of teeters on a thin line, and your actions determine whether you keep standing.

Here's an example: I'm 26, handsome; I have a stable job, and no kids.

On one end, I'm the cream of the crop: "NO KIDS? You have NO BABY MAMAS? You have a JOB?"

On the other hand, I'm behind schedule: "When are you getting married? You don't have a GIRLFRIEND...Are you GAY?"

No.

While the process of making babies is enjoyable, having one is not my first priority. I'd really like to have a wife first, and Jesus told me he'd get back to me about that next Tuesday. In all seriousness, the comfort and success of my nuclear family currently takes precedence, followed by my career. Two weeks ago, I created 6 goals for this coming year (March 24th, 2012-March 23rd, 2013) In my eyes, these are objectives that put me in a better situation, a more appropriate stance for my age.

Another positive about this period of life is that you begin to understand life is not a sprint. There's more to live for down the line, and being satisfied (or dissatisfied) early can cause serious detriment to your legacy. In college, me and most of my college buds dated or "talked" to girls we thought would be around for the long haul. None of them are here anymore, and it's OKAY. We learned from those years and used those relationships to have better dating experiences now. In my first job after college I spent my paychecks on hot dates and DC trips. Now those dollars are reserved for saving for a home, investing in my film career, and...an occasional hot date with a woman who's worth it. Spending, like most things nowadays, needs to serve a purpose. The purpose is to create a GREAT legacy, which is a result of finishing strong, not starting fast. So, as I approach my special day, my dream is to speak to you 40-50 years later, successful and surrounded by love, saying "I outlast and outclassed them all...call me the Iron Man."

Do you have the endurance to make history?

"What's Up, Youngblood?": A Deeper Look At The Old School Player

They are found pretty much everywhere: at the supermarket, on the second floor at your job, and especially at family reunions. Though conspicuous in nature, this species is easy to spot. No I'm not talking about roaches, you heathen; I'm talking about the "Old School Player", aka a "piiimmmmp". Now it is important to differentiate between an Old School Player and a man who is simply "old school". My father, known affectionately as Charles Perry (please say the full name), is old school; he has traditional values, rough hands, and watches westerns like "Gunsmoke". An Old School Player (O.S.P) is different; they are commonly outlandish, shifty, and laugh really weird. These well-tenured romeos carry great influence on the youth of America, specifically young males. Coming into contact with old school playas brings guys to a critical transition in life: the older men become an example for their younger counterparts. Gentlemen decide f...

The Nice Guy Rules

"Nice guys finish last." What a hogwash statement. Seriously; it's baloney, maybe even pastrami. Through entertainment, business, and romance, the belief is that a man with etiquette and morals is one with diseases, like the measles or swine flu. When you turn on your television or read your news...kindle, you witness arrogant, womanizing egomaniacs praised as charismatic men with undeniable "swagger". Men who are interested in helping others and making people enjoy themselves are undervalued. The result is young men trying too hard. These men, known as "Nice Guys", are seen as sweet people who are great to know and make you laugh, but are OFTEN over looked for men who...use less effort to receive approval. As a teen and in my early college years, I played into this. It's such a weird feeling; you become enamored with doing right by people, as if it determines whether people will like you. Half the time, if you are "too" nice, peo...

I'm a Hater (Acknowledging Your Faults and Using to Reach Prosperity)

I, Cedric Charles Perry, am a hater. Whew...though it's tough to say, admission is the first step to recovery. It's a gene that has traveled throughout my family tree; my great-grandmother has been recognized as one of the more influential haters during the civil rights movement. My sister Dee actually holds the Pennsylvania state record for most consecutive statements using the word "corny", with 46. It appears that there are numerous types of haters; my type is called "Conditional Hater", where in attempts to create humor, I will break out in uncontrollable hating. Recognizing that this trait runs in my family, I was bound to be a hater and it's better for me to acknowledge this now and help others who share this condition. To better address this addiction, which currently affect approximately 3.6 million people in America (I made that number up), let's identify what hating is. Rapper LL Cool J once stated that hating is "identifying a perso...

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