Hey there little man. Just thought I’d take a minute to sharing my thoughts on a subject that will likely be top of mind for you as you grow older.

Virtually every kid I knew growing up and every kid I know now (and many adults for that matter) love playing video games. So much so, that video games have become big business not just in terms of the sales of the games themselves but also in supporting an entire media industry complete with coverage of new game launches, tips, codes, cheats, etc.

I was reminded of my own fascination and devotion to playing video games this past week when I heard about the launch of Diablo III. I remember the original Diablo game, which I devoted a good year or so of my life to in the early 2000′s. I eventually broke free of it’s hold, but only to shift my attention to other games like the Madden NFL football, FIFA soccer, Halo, or any number of other incredibly addictive titles.

I finally broke free of the hold that video games had on my personal time around 2003 or so. That’s when I decided that I could make better use of my free time by attempting to do things like:

• master online marketing disciplines
• learn how to play the guitar
• spend more time exercising outdoors
• read about favorite topics like science, technology, and art

These shifts that I made in terms of how I allocated my personal time have had a profound impact on my health, intellectual development, and financial status and I do not believe that any of them would have been possible had I continued to devote so much time to video games.

And while it’s worth mentioning that video games can have a very positive effect on your brain, I just wanted to point out that your time is limited and so exercising a bit of restraint and discipline as well as pursuing other enjoyable hobbies might pay off big for you in the long run.

But if you ever feel the need to play video games and don’t have anyone to play with, know that your dad is always down for a game or two!

Hey little buddy. Just wanted to share an article about some youngsters that have likely freed themselves from the chains of financial worry for rest of their lives:

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/14/technology/instagram-founders-were-helped-by-bay-area-connections.html

I was just telling your mother how I wish I would have made this one of my top priorities growing up (achieving financial independence at a very young age). Instead, I chose to spend way too much time chasing a good time and/or proving my manhood (e.g. trying to hang with gangster types, etc.). Moreover, I shunned pursuing an education in certain areas that were known for generating an extremely solid income because they just weren’t cool enough for me.

But perhaps most importantly – and this is why I share this article with you – I wish I would have set myself up with the opportunity to go to school at places like Stanford and to hang out with highly motivated youngster that were more into setting themselves up with long-term success than partying.

Mind you, there’s nothing wrong with having a good time. In fact, that should be a top priority through life.

However, as with most things in life, balance is key. And when it comes to making connections that can help set you up for financial independence, getting into the right schools and hanging with the right circles is definitely something that should not take a back seat to almost anything. Mind you, the right school and the right connections aren’t a guarantee of success or a prerequisite for it, but as my old childhood friend used to say, “it’s not who you know, it’s who knows you.”

Therefore, I would recommend that you make your education a priority, and hang out with kids who are equally committed to educating themselves and setting themselves up for long-term success while still maintaining a strong moral/ethical approach to treating you and others. Doing so will do two things:

1) keep you out of trouble

2) put you on a path to living a life that you truly want to live as opposed to one that is dictated by financial concerns (trust me when I tell you, that’s not the optimal way to live)

Hey there little man. Your new favorite thing to do these days is play songs on my iPhone. You love flipping through the different songs I have, listening to various songs and examining the cover art associated with said songs.

It’s a very beautiful thing to watch and both your mom and I are convinced that music will be a big part of your life.

However, one thing that is a little bit disturbing is when you land on one of my gangsta rap songs. These songs mostly glorify the street/thug lifestyle and filled with a slew of “bad” words. For a long time, I’ve argued with myself about whether or not to expose you to these relics from my younger days. They definitely have a unique and appealing sound (which is why I still listen to them even though I don’t relate to the most of lyrics) and I don’t necessarily believe in “bad” words, but after seeing you take in these songs and their lyrics, I’ve decided that it’s best to remove them from the music library on my phone.

I don’t want to shelter you from reality, so when you’re older all you have to do is ask and I’ll be happy to play the songs for you and explain their meaning as well as explain the time period in my life that they represent. Moreover, I’ll be happy discuss the meaning of “bad” words and my point of view one when they are and aren’t acceptable.

I have left some rap music on my iPhone, but most of it is much more positive in nature and has virtually no bad words. I’ll be more than happy to talk to you about those as well.

Keep on jammin’ my young son. Your love of music never ceases to astound me, and I know that it will serve you well throughout your life.

Hey little man. I wanted to share a story that my good friend, Gabriel Bravo, shared with me today:

As for the homeless shelter. It was a mind-blowing experience. I am still processing it. It was the kind of thing that shook me to the core and even forced me to question everything I know about life.

I brought crayons and an agenda to write poetry. The children were small (4-10 years old). The room was small and had almost no chairs. The moment the kids saw the crayons and paper, it was over. No poetry (my agenda) was not going to take place.

In that moment, I surrendered. I did not resist the beautiful creation of observing the universe unfolding before me, I simply went with it. Observing silently. Watching the chaos of noise and paper and writing. But also watching the creation of smiles, laughter, and expression. The kids were overjoyed at the chance to even engage in the simplest of things. Something as insignificant as crayons and a page from a coloring book was transcendental for them. 

I watched on, fighting all my judgements, and came to see beautiful small people all around me in their loving nature. And I just tried to go to where they were and share that, rather than having them come to where I desired the experience to be. In the end, most of the parents wanted to color as well. I had to go, but I left everything as it was rather than taking the supplies with me because I didn’t want to interrupt what was happening. The supplies where just a few dollars, it would mean nothing to me if I never saw them again, some of those kids may keep a single crayon for a year to be able to use it and have something they consider there own.

Outside of that, I was disturbed by some of the violence the parents used to discipline the kids, but it was not my place to engage. I told the coordinator that Nicole is a mental health counselor and that maybe she could educate the parents on acceptable forms of discipline. But we are up against culture and the conditioning of humans… Ignorance. That is a hard fight. But it is humbling. There are no BAD people. Only those who have not the light of knowledge yet to see the mistakes they are making.

It’s essentially the case of the RIGHT THING in the WRONG PLACE. Not bad. 

Gabe is a really close friend. More like a brother from another mother. I’m very fortunate to have a good number of friends like that in my life.

Learn from his example and give back to the community as much as you can. You’ll be helping others while simultaneously gaining great perspective on life in general.

Hey little man. I came across an article the other day and it made me think about you and your future. The article was about which college degrees are associated with individuals in the top 1% of income earners.

Now I’m not suggesting that you need to major in any of the areas listed in this article, nor am I suggesting that being ultra-wealthy should be your No. 1 goal in life. After all, as my childhood friend Jason Ellis used to say, “the best things in life aren’t things” (e.g. the best in life don’t necessarily cost money).

That said, unless the world shifts away from a monetary economic system (highly unlikely in my personal opinion) earning money is important, because it can help lower your general stress levels (ex: making ends meet week to week sucks) and because it can free up one of the most important commodities you have; your time.

The best scenario, from my experience, is to do something that you really love for a living (there are a lot of cliche’s regarding this approach). So for example, if you love playing the guitar, figure out a way to make some ongoing income from that particular activity.

Another good approach I’ve seen folks use is to focus on a profession that is known for earning lots of money (like the ones listed in the article I referenced at the beginning of this post) and working your butt off in that profession for a period of time (e.g. years). Then, once you’re satisfied with your level of financial security, you can walk away from that industry and focus on something you truly love (like perhaps opening your business or non-profit organization, focused on something you actually enjoy doing regardless of money).

Granted, there’s a risk that you’ll develop a lust for money and power, but I’ve met a fair share of people that went this route and did not succumb to money hunger.

When I was young, your grandfather once mentioned something along the lines of “you’ll be an adult much longer than you’ll be a kid.” I took that to mean that you should start preparing for adulthood while you’re still very young. Your mother did that, investing in real estate as a teenager. And it paid off for her in a huge way (she was more or less financially secure in her mid-twenties or so). Mind you, this doesn’t mean that you should be in a hurry to grow up. On the contrary, you should cherish your youthful spirit and fight hard to retain it in even in adulthood.

But just make sure to think ahead and sacrifice a little now to reap the rewards later in life. And learn to work hard at whatever you’re doing from the get go. That’s something your grandmother help instill in me and something that I hope that your mother and I can instill in you.

P.S. Don’t waste your time pursuing dead ends like “street cred”, “party like a rockstar”, or “chasing the dragon”. Your dad did a little of each and can personally vouch for just how unintelligent those pursuits can be.

Hello my boy. Late last night, it occurred to me that I should give you a short list of books that had a permanent impact on me as I was growing up. So I did what I always do when an idea strikes me late at night; I emailed myself a reminder to write down that list for you and post it here on this blog.

Some of these will be tough reads, so if you struggle with reading and understanding them, don’t worry. Just put them down and come back to them when you’re a little older. And don’t hesitate to read them more than once.

Rather then give you my thoughts and opinions on why these books are important, I’d rather leave you with tabula rasa of sorts and let you fill in the canvas of perspective on your own. Just please make sure to read each of them cover to cover. It would mean a lot to your old man.

A Wrinkle in Time

Huckleberry Finn

Animal Farm

Fahrenheit 451

Anthem

Brave New World

One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest

Storming Heaven

And finally…

Choose Your Own Adventure

P.S. Always choose your own adventure, son.

This week, we moved out of our home in Coconut Grove (fortunately, we bought in an extremely rent-friendly neighborhood, which is always a smart move when you buy, but that’s a story for another day…).

Anyway, one of the guys that worked for the moving company that was helping us with the move was a really good guy. He was a very positive person and you could tell that he was committed to living a good life and teaching his family how to live a good life. Though a bit physically imposing, since he was a mountain of a man (he told me at one point that he used to play basketball competitively, while growing up in Brooklyn, NY) his attitude and energy quickly made me and your mother feel comfortable around him.

He was a converted Muslim, and had an unusual name that he said meant “David.”

Anyway, we had some interesting conversations about how to live and what’s important in life. It was also clear that he was delighted to know that I had a son (he mentioned that he had some little ones as well). Even though he is clearly devoutly religious (I saw him kneeling in prayer at one point) and I am not, something inside me told me that he was someone worth staying in contact with and possibly becoming a friend with, regardless of our psychological/spiritual differences.

But I let the downer in me surface, convincing me that it would be “weird” to ask for his contact info. And as a result, I missed out on a potential opportunity to meet someone that could have provided me with stimulating conversation and a very different point of view on life; both of these being things that we should all strive for. Never mind the fact that he was just a good person.

I’d like to believe that the next time around, when presented with an opportunity like this, I will not let the downer in me manifest. I will also try my best to raise you in a manner that doesn’t allow this downer trait surface at all.

Don’t be afraid to be good and to expand your horizons by meeting and getting to know good people with diverse backgrounds and points of view.

Love you little man.

Hey young Sebi. I just wanted to follow up yesterday’s post about uncle Pancho.

Unlike many people (including many friends and family) I do not subscribe to religion nor do I believe in what most people refer to as god. I do believe in the wonder and mystery of life, I do believe in consciousness (and that it expands well beyond my own puny consciousness) and I definitely believe that this thing we call reality can never truly be understood or even experienced by a mortal human being, which means that there are many things that I will likely never know in this human lifetime.

But back to my main point. There are three things that I feel are key to understanding and accepting an aethiest point of view:

1. You must be prepared for the prospect of being wrong, and whatever comes with that
2. You must remember that living a righteous life should not be dependent on getting some sort of reward (eternal life/heaven/etc) or avoiding some sort of punishment (eternal damnation, etc.)
3. You must embrace the here an now and live life. This life. Your life. Right now.

There’s a lot more to all of this, and I’ll do my best to expand on it when the time is right. I love you little buddy.

Hey young Sebi. Today you lost your great uncle Pancho (his real name is Hector Caldiero). Sadly, you and your mother never had a chance to meet him.

He was a special man who lived an interesting life, and most importantly, he made my aunt Aida (I call her “Titi”) a happy lady and helped create and raise my two beautiful cousins, Hermes and Romina.

Pancho was born in a small town a few hours outside of Buenos Aires, Argentina but he worked really hard and rose through the ranks to become an internationally-known soccer announcer (that’s called a “locutor” in Spanish) who was best known for covering my favorite club team, Boca Juniors, and who’s biggest international claim to fame was coining the phrase “Batigol” (the nickname for Argentinan soccer great, Gabriel Batistuta). He was a celebrity in his home country of Argentina, and yet, one of the things I remember the most about him is how down-to-earth he was with me, our family, and even the folks he would meet out in the street.

I have so many great memories of him, some going back to my early years living in Mendoza, Argentina. Some of the ones that stand out the most are:

• Him asking a local restaurant to open (after they had already closed) because he knew my mom and I were hungry
• Him explaining what the tastiest part of a steak is (the part closest to the fat and bone)
• Him taking me to La Bombonera to watch a private practice (I was the only person in the stands)
• Watching Parnell Whitaker vs. Julio Ceasar Chavez in a hotel in downtown Miami with him, my father, and my brother
• His crazy driving in the streets of Buenos Aires
• His way of showing humor and affection with his wife, kids, and mom
• Seeing him trying to calm my dad after my dad and brother got into an altercation in my home
• Him taking us to a really old cafe in Buenos Aires and explaining its history
• Him taking the time to watch a 12-year-old kid’s little league soccer game and him telling that kid that he had some real potential (that kid was me)

Like everyone, Pancho had some rough spots in his life, but he found religion (literally) and that helped him find a purpose and a foundation for his life (and I respect that despite the fact that I’m an aetheist).

Though I have a ton of love for him, and the rest of my Argentinan family, I have to admit that I haven’t seen Pancho in years and have only spoken to him (and the rest of my Argentinan family) sparingly over the years. I’m not proud of that, Sebastian, and so I will try my best to change that so that I can serve as a good example for you. Stay in touch with your family and close friends. It’s really important.

Anyhow, tonight is not about father-to-son lecture. Instead, its about trying to share the spirit of a great man and a great life. I find myself leafing through Pancho’s old radio calls on YouTube. Here’s a good one that really communicates what a powerful voice and man he was.

I love you Pancho. Fare you well.

Hey there little man. On the eve of Thanksgiving, I wanted to take a moment to remind you not to wait until this holiday to be thankful.

Life is full of adversity and plain old suckiness, but don’t allow any of that stuff to take away your sense of gratefulness and positivity.

I’m personally going through some significant adversity right now, but I refuse to let it get me down. Why? Because I’m thankful for all of the great things going on in my life.

Especially you, little man.

Happy Thanksgiving!