www.Lou-Davis.com

2011: Year in Review

Favorite New Technology: Spotify If you aren’t already on there, stop reading this, move out from under whatever rock you are living under, and sign up. It’s well worth the time. Then share your favorite playlist with me. Because sharing is caring. Honorable Mention: iPhone 4S. It’s certainly not revolutionary, but Siri is plenty of …

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Deep Lou Something: 9th Annual Kentucky Derby Breakdown

It was enjoyable watching Super Saver win the big one last year, validating my handicapping strategy for the big race… even if I went against my published pick and bet on Lookin’ At Lucky after the odds changed late in the day. Ah well… back to the drawing board for this year. Since last year …

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Year Two: Ziggy Stardust, Rick Vaughn, and other Rock Stars from Mars

Three housecleaning items before we get going with the new stuff: If you missed the prior post recapping my misadventures from Q1’2011, make sure you start HERE: If you want to set your goals for 2Q’2011 using the 12 Week Year Challenge (12WYC) tools, make sure you get a free copy of the eBook HERE: …

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12 Week Year, 4 Hour Work Week, 7 Minute Abs, and 1 New Blog Entry

Back in January, I posted my New Year’s Resolutions using the 12 Week Year Challenge (the “12WYC”), which basically reasons that “chunking” your goals into smaller, actionable items gives you a better chance of success in actually completing them. A few weeks ago, I was amazed to find that several of my co-workers had jumped …

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Copyright Law and Other Tomfoolery

I know, I know… you want details and resolution to the now-infamous book story. I wish I had a nice, happy, wrap-a-shiny-ribbon-around-it recap story… but alas. No ending just yet. Despite having 5 or 6 posts ready to share, I can promise that there is a good reason for the lack of color here. More …

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2011: Year in Review Deep Lou Something: 9th Annual Kentucky Derby Breakdown Year Two: Ziggy Stardust, Rick Vaughn, and other Rock Stars from Mars 12 Week Year, 4 Hour Work Week, 7 Minute Abs, and 1 New Blog Entry Copyright Law and Other Tomfoolery

Dec
31

2011: Year in Review

by Lou Davis

Favorite New Technology: Spotify

If you aren’t already on there, stop reading this, move out from under whatever rock you are living under, and sign up. It’s well worth the time. Then share your favorite playlist with me. Because sharing is caring.

Honorable Mention: iPhone 4S. It’s certainly not revolutionary, but Siri is plenty of fun. The combo reminder/location services tool is uber-useful. The 1080p video camera should help me add more videos to the blog in 2012… If I post more than once every 8 months.

Favorite TV Show: Breaking Bad. NetFlix subscribers rejoice. Yes, I’m late to the game. Yes, believe all the hype. We’re still catching up on season four, but have been absolutely hooked since the first episode. I have no idea what I will do with my free nights when this is over. The Wire, I suppose.

Honorable Mention: Archer (consistently gets me laughing on many levels), American Horror Story (although I have no idea where they are headed for season two!).

Favorite Album: Only Son – Searchlight. Yes, this is out of left field. No, you shouldn’t have heard of it. Chances are, you won’t like it as much as I did, but it is simply classic pop music, and I heart Only Son. Check it out on Spotify: Only Son – Searchlight

Honorable Mention: Death Cab For Cutie – Codes and Keys, Mayer Hawthorne – How Do You Do. I want to list Radiohead – King of Limbs and Wilco – The Whole Love here, but I still don’t care enough about the albums yet. I guarantee I will love both albums in a year or two, but I’m not there yet.

This is completely cheating, because they didn’t put out an album this year, but they were new to me in 2011, so I have to mention that I am in love with the entire catalog from the Alternate Routes. Part Ryan Adams, part Josh Rouse, part country, part awesome. And while I’m cheating, the albums/artists I listed to most in 2011 include: Phantogram, Ra Ra Riot and Miike Snow, who all had amazing albums come out in 2010.

Favorite Song: Metronomy – She Wants. Eerily reminiscent of Faith-era Cure, which is probably why I love it. Fun video to boot.

Honorable Mention: Big Mama’s Gonna Whip Us Good – The Features, Metronomy – She Wants, M83 – Midnight City, Cults – Abducted, Washed Out – Eyes Be Closed.

Biggest Let Down Album: Feist – Metals. What a heaping shitbomb of awful.

Most Overrated: Bon Iver. I. Just. Don’t. Get. It.

Here’s a great resource for more cool music from 2011:

http://pitchfork.com/features/staff-lists/8727-the-top-50-albums-of-2011/

http://pitchfork.com/features/staff-lists/8726-the-top-100-tracks-of-2011/

And a playlist for it on Spotify: Pitchfork Top 100 tracks 2011

Favorite Movie: 13 Assassins. I’m a sucker for samurai films, and this one was done perfectly. I’d place the 40 minute fight scene at the end up against any action scene in cinematic history. It’s that fun.

Honorable Mention: The Guard, Press Pause Play, Moneyball, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2.

Worst Movie: The Tree of Life. Hands down the worst movie I’ve ever seen. This is saying something, because I’ve seen Troll 2 (which doesn’t even have a troll in the film), the Blair Witch Project, and Encino Man. If Feist had’ve done the soundtrack, the world just might have imploded.

Honorable Mention: Hangover II. Have you seen the first Hangover? Then you have already seen Hangover II. Nothing to see here people, move along.

Favorite Concert: Ra Ra Riot – The Earl.

Honorable Mention: The Features (the Earl), Ghostland Observatory (Masquerade), The Eels/Submarines (Variety Playhouse),

Year of travel in review: Since the last post, work has sent me to Seattle, San Diego, San Francisco, Minneapolis, Indianapolis, Detroit, New York City, Dallas, Houston, and Washington DC. In the near future, I wouldn’t be surprised if I also hit Boston and Chicago. Of course, work didn’t stop my personal travel plans, which means that I found a way to sneak to Cincinnati, Las Vegas, Serenbe, Seagrove Beach (Destin), Hilton Head, Malibu, Los Angeles, Amelia Island FL and Birmingham. The old Lou might have checked in on Facebook at each of those stops… but I’m trying to be less braggadocio in 2011. Instead, you get to read about it on my me-centric blog. Ah well.

Favorite Real Band Name: Awesome 80’s Women. Yes, they are all bearded men. And yes, their new album is called E Pluribus Awesome.

Honorable Mention: Guyliner. You can’t make this stuff up.

Favorite Kentucky Moment: Jorts on Sullinger.

Honorable Mention: Continued recruiting dominance (Poythress, Goodwin, possibly Muhammad), beating UNC in the Elite 8, beating UNC again this year in thrilling fashion, and beating Louisville despite 742 fouls.

Favorite Development: Meeting my girlfriend Erin. I find something new that I love about her every day, and I can’t wait to spend my future with her. She’s amazing, she makes me happy, she completes me, and I can’t wait to introduce her to all those who haven’t yet had the opportunity to meet her.

What were your favorite moments in 2011?

Here’s to an amazing 2012! Lou’s New Year’s Resolutions and upcoming Lou! Challenges are forthcoming.

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May
04

Deep Lou Something: 9th Annual Kentucky Derby Breakdown

Horse Racing

by Lou Davis

If you are a first time reader, or want to brush up on my general race day philosophies, be sure to start with last year’s post. It also has a breakdown of lessons learned from 20 years at the Derby.

(here are the links to my picks from other years.)

(And here is a link if you are a first time blog reader)

In what has become a trend in recent years (First with Quality Road and I Want Revenge in 2009, and then Eskendeyera in last year’s race), leading Derby contenders The Factor and Toby’s Corner have been scratched in the days leading up to the race. Further, Uncle Mo has gone from prohibited favorite to giant question mark after a recent bout with a gastro-intestinal tract infection. These developments have left us with another wide-open field of 20, with no clear-cut favorite on the card. Let’s see how they all shake out.

The Speed Factor: Beyers over 100

In addition to late scratches, this year’s crop of 3yo’s seem to be weak overall when compared to past prep winners. I’m starting to feel like the Wood Memorial is cursed, because this marks three years in a row that their winner has not run in the Derby. As you can see by some of the past prep winners that have went on to win the Derby (in gray), they have all shown big speed ratings at some point. It goes without saying that any horse will need to run their best to win at CD, but most of the time, a horse has shown a 100+ on their form before the Derby. (I say most of the time because Mine That Bird and Giacomo absolutely came from nowhere.)

In this field, only 2 horses have EVER run a 100+ Beyer: Uncle Mo and Soldat. Uncle Mo has done it twice… but both times were as a 2yo. His best figure as a 3yo was a 92 last time out while finishing 3^rd in the Wood. Soldat ran a 103, but it was in an allowance race, and not versus stakes competition. Master of Hounds has run 2 races that earned a 115 Timeform rating. There is no easy conversion from Timeform to Beyer, but a rule of thumb is 85% to 90%, which means that Master of Hounds needs to be in the conversation. A few other top Beyers of note: Mucho Macho Man (99), ArchArchArch (98), Nehro (98), Dialed In (97), and Midnight Interlude (97).

Bucking History: A look at key trends

Of course, training practices have improved drastically in recent years, so maybe these streaks are ready to be broken. Feeling lucky?

Layoffs

The last to win after a 6 week layoff was Needles in 1956.

Horses on 6 week layoff: Mucho Macho Man, Master of Hounds, Pants on Fire, Animal Kingdom, Twice the Appeal, and Decisive Moment.

2 Year Old Racing

Only one Derby winner (Apollo in 1882) did not race as a 2-year-old:

Horses that were unraced at 2 years old: Midnight Interlude.

Since 1933, only five horses have won the Derby after breaking their maiden during their 3-year-old campaign.

Horses that did not win at 2 years old: Nehro, Midnight Interlude.

Stakes Winners

Since 1971, only 50-1 Giacomo in 2005 earned his first stakes victory in the Derby.

Horses that have not won a stakes race: Nehro, Master of Hounds, Shackleford, Twice the Appeal, Twinspired, Decisive Moment

Geldings & Fillies

Only three fillies have won the Derby: Regret (1915), Genuine Risk (1980), and Winning Colors (1988).

Fillies entered in the Derby: None.

Since Clyde Van Dusen won in 1929, only one Gelding has won the Derby: Funny Cide in 2003.

Geldings entered in the Derby: Comma to the Top.

Last Race

The last horse last horse to win the Derby after being worse than fourth in its last prep was Iron Liege in 1957.

Horses who were worse than 4^th in their last race: Soldat, Santiva, Stay Thirsty, Watch Me Go

Track Surface

No horse has won the Derby without racing first on a true dirt surface.

Horses who have run exclusively on PolyTrack and/or Turf courses: Master of Hounds, Animal Kingdom

Others of Note: Brilliant Speed (6 of 8 on Turf or Poly), Comma to the Top (10 of 13 on Poly), Twinspired (7 of 8 on Turf or Poly).

A word on track condition…

From the Weather Channel: “Saturday: Yet another strong upper disturbance moves into Kentucky. Threat for rain and thunderstorms. Some t-storms may be severe. A high in the mid 70s.”

A Sloppy surface changes this race a great deal. Horses who run from off the pace will have to deal with more mud thrown in their face, which can impact their stamina over 10F. A quick look at the Tomlinson Ratings for wet surfaces shows Twice the Appeal has the most to gain (theoretically) over a wet surface. Also favor horses that run from the front in this scenario (Uncle Mo, Mucho Macho Man, Pants on Fire)

Finally, if you make your wager early, make sure your horse doesn’t scratch due to weather concerns. If your horse doesn’t run, you get your money back.

Tomlinson Ratings

Twice The Appeal 423
Shackleford 421
Uncle Mo 418
Mucho Macho Man 415
Soldat 407
Decisive Moment 404
Watch Me Go 403
Archarcharch 398
Pants On Fire 397
Santiva 383
Dialed In 371
Nehro 371
Stay Thirsty 370
Twinspired 362
Midnight Interlude 348
Brilliant Speed 348
Master Of Hounds 334
Animal Kingdom 289
Derby Kitten 287
Comma To The Top 280

Oh the Odds, they are a-changin’

Unlike traditional gambling which follows a stock market style of odds-making, Derby odds will continue to change during the day based on a Pari-mutuel wagering system. All my picks here are all about relative value based on the opening odds. Be on the lookout for changing odds, because I will bet the house on Dialed In if he goes off at 20 to 1. In taking a look at the opening odds, there will be plenty of movement. There is just no way that ALL these horses will stay at 30 to 1. I’ll update closer to race day with my thoughts here.

The Favorite

From 1979 through 2001, every Derby favorite was beaten, creating the “never bet on the favorite” rule. However, 4 of the next 6 winners were favorites, which led to re-thinking of this maxim. This year, there is no clear Fusaichi Pegasus, Big Brown, or Smarty Jones-type horse that demands our respect at the window.

The morning line favorite is Dialed In, a $475,000 colt out of 2003 Horse of the Year Mineshaft. There is plenty to like, as his bloodlines (AP Indy, Seattle Slew, Storm Cat) give plenty of reasons to suggest that Dialed In can go 10 furlongs here. He’s already won at Churchill Downs, and has done nothing wrong in his career.

However, there are plenty of chinks in the armor. For starters, the last Kentucky Derby winner who broke his maiden at Churchill was Broker’s Tip in 1933. The biggest issue for me is the lack of seasoning. He ran only one race as a 2yo, and has yet to see a field of 10 or more horses as a 3yo. The last horse to win off four career starts? Exterminator in 1918. He lost in an Optional Claiming race in March, which can’t be the preferred path to the Derby. His off-the-pace style can clearly win here (see: Mine That Bird), but it also takes some luck to navigate through a field of 20 if you get too far behind. If this horse had finished 2^nd in the Florida Derby, I think he’d be the 3^rd or 4^th choice here, but his form looks oh-so-clean with 3 wins in 4 races. I’m not saying that he can’t win the race… I’m just not on board assuming that he is less than 6 or 7 to 1.

Some things I like…

Horses who have already won at Churchill Downs: Dialed In, Uncle Mo, Shackleford, and Santiva.
Uncertainty about Uncle Mo’s illness, because it just might keep his odds reasonable.
ArchArchArch has improved in every race this year, from a 63 to a 98.
Dialed In figures to enjoy the extra distance, as his sire (Mineshaft), grandsire (AP Indy), and great-grandsire (Seattle Slew) were all Horse of the Year and had great success at the classic distance.
Nehro is Dialed In’s half-brother, and has the added benefit of Afleet and Mr. Prospector on his dam’s side. This horse should love the classic distance.
ArchArchArch showed great finishing kick in the Arkansas Derby, and looks to be a good candidate for 10F.

…and some things I don’t

Mucho Macho Man is a June 15 foal, making him perhaps the youngest horse ever to run in the Derby, let alone win.
Uncertainty about Uncle Mo’s illness, because he might not be healthy enough to win here.
Post positions for ALL of my picks at bottom.
Nehro has only won one race… ever. Despite amazing connections (Mineshaft), it doesn’t sound like a recipe for success here.
Mucho Macho man is out of Holy Bull, a Derby favorite who simply could not make the last furlong.
Without fractions at a snails’ pace, Pants on Fire should have some difficulties making it home.
Soldat is half brother to The Factor, as part of the first crop from War Front. The Factor would have been one of the favorites here, but it isn’t really known if Soldat can go the full distance. This is another horse that will benefit from slower fractions.

Last Place Prediction

If you play in a pool where picking the worst horse wins you something… I’d shoot for Watch Me Go. WMG “earned” his way in by winning the Tampa Bay Derby in March. This is not a classy horse, as he has paraded around Crc, Tam, and Haw with middling results. His career best 84 Beyer speed rating shows that he is clearly outmatched here.

I want to be a fan of local Turfway Park horse Twinspired, but I can’t find anything on the form to hang my hat on. He’s a gelding, and quite simply, without his 2^ndin the Bluegrass a few weeks ago, this horse doesn’t even make the field. Throw in a racing history almost exclusively on poly track and turf and a slew of Beyers in the 70’s… and you are looking at a horse that finishes near the back of the pack.

The Four Horsemen

Dialed In has done absolutely nothing wrong. He’s clearly a talented horse who knows how to win. I just wish he was more seasoned, and came at higher odds. I think he’s got a legitimate chance to win here, but I’m leaving him off my win tickets unless those odds change.

Soldat is my “longshot” pick. If you throw out his last time out, he has been 1^st or 2^nd in every race. He’s shown great figures as a 3yo, including a wire to wire victory in the Fountain of Youth. He’s one of two horses who can boast multiple wins at 9F, and will go off at 15 to 1 or more. Also, he appears to like off tracks, which should help in case of rain. Lots to like here, especially at this price.

ArchArchArch has only had one “bad” race, finishing 4^th in the Smarty Jones earlier this year. Of course, the fog was so thick that day, we aren’t even sure who was winning that race until they came home. His bloodlines all indicate that he should love the extra distance (Danzig, Arch, Mr. Prospector, Nureyev), and his last race out showed great finishing kick in a field of 13. Hate his #1 post position, but he’s a solid horse.

Before the Wood Memorial, Uncle Mo would have been your prohibited favorite. His 108 in the Breeder’s Cup Juvenile was a BIG race. There is plenty to nitpick here, as he hasn’t been proven healthy, he hasn’t shown that he can win from anywhere but the lead, his sire (Indian Charlie) is a clear miler, and his best races were as a 3yo… but he’s the most talented horse in the field. I’ve got a hunch that trainer Todd Pletcher will get him healthy in time for the big day.

The Bet

3 units Across the Board on #18 Uncle Mo (Assuming he runs, of course!), at any odds greater than 5 to 1.

1 unit Across the Board on #17 Soldat and #1 ArchArchArch

1 unit Trifecta Box on #18 Uncle Mo, #1 ArchArchArch, #17 Soldat, and #8 Dialed In

Finally, I’ll be watching the Derby this year at Turfway Park with a group of family and friends. If you are in the area, be sure to catch up with me before, during, or after the race.

I appreciate everyone forwarding this along to any other racing enthusiasts that might not be on Facebook, aren’t readers of my blog (subscribe via RSS!), or are not on my e-mail list. Enjoy your mint juleps, everyone!

-Lou

PS… anyone else miss Pat Day?

UPDATE!

Uncle Mo was scratched early Friday morning. I stand by the analysis above, but this obviously changes your betting strategy. Below are my revised wagers, but please note that this is based on the new morning line odds. If they continue to change, I will adapt and post another updated.

The (Revised) Bet

3 units Across the Board on #1 ArchArchArch

2 units Across the Board on #17 Soldat

1 unit Exacta Box on #1 ArchArchArch, #17 Soldat, and #8 Dialed In

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Apr
27

Year Two: Ziggy Stardust, Rick Vaughn, and other Rock Stars from Mars

Uncategorized

by Lou Davis

Three housecleaning items before we get going with the new stuff:

If you missed the prior post recapping my misadventures from Q1’2011, make sure you start HERE:

If you want to set your goals for 2Q’2011 using the 12 Week Year Challenge (12WYC) tools, make sure you get a free copy of the eBook HERE: (and post your goals on the blog!)

Finally, the remaining Street Corner Man videos have all been uploaded to my YouTube channel HERE:

Enjoy!

As you will quickly realize, I really don’t have a reason to use a David Bowie video in this post. None whatsoever. But I really liked my draft title for this post, so I’m running with it.

Let me confess that I’ve had some version of this post saved as a draft on my computer for several weeks now, but haven’t gotten around to publishing it. Facebook friends will easily be able to identify the reason behind my lack of spare time… but to my beloved non-FB readers, please know that I have double digit posts ready to publish with only some minor editing in the very near future.

Recognizing that nearly 4 weeks of this 12-Week year have passed, here are my main BHAG goals, including YTD progress, for my 12-Week Year of 2Q’2011.

BIG GOAL #1: Get back to 175 lbs, Get knees healthy enough to jump back into P90x, Cross Fit, or personal training. Get FIT.

I toyed with several different ideas here. As you may remember, I have gone on alcohol and caffeine fasts before, and I even considered going Vegan just to see if I could do it. This time around, I’m confident that I don’t have a problem with alcohol… although going to Starbucks twice a day may not be “healthy.” After a fun-filled March that included a Kentucky run to the Final Four, 3 concerts, and trips to New York City, Savannah, Cincinnati, and Fort Lauderdale… I was really feeling bloated. We’re talking bulging man-pregnancy belly here. As April began, I was nowhere close to my stated goal, weighing in at 187 and having to ice my balky knees after every short run or basketball game.

UPDATE: The first thing that I did was institute a vitamin regimen that was suggested by Tim Ferriss in the 4-Hour Body. Dubbed the PAGG method, it includes daily doses of Polycosinol, Alpha-Lipoic Acid, (decaffeinated) Green Tea Flavanols, and Garlic Extract. Since I’m already taking L-Carnatine (brain function), Fish Oil (heart, arthritis, etc), and Glucosamine (knees/joints), my co-workers pointed and stared as I brought in an utterly ridiculous vitamin holder every day to the office. To my amazement, Ferriss’ plan worked wonders, and I shed an incredible 12 pounds in the first 10 days of April. Granted, most of this was likely water weight and natural correction from overeating on vacation for two weeks straight… but the weight literally FLEW off me. Best of all was that I didn’t feel any side effects from the supplements. If anything, I felt more alert and focused during the days. If you are looking to lose a couple pounds, this would be where I’d begin.

I’ve done some additional research on knee health, and found several sources that recommend ART Therapy for knee recovery (including the 4-Hour Body). One potential snag is that my insurance does not cover this type of therapy… and since I don’t want to pay $150+ per session, I’m trying to work through that (minor) issue. Also, as mentioned in Born to Run by Chris McDougall, I’ve picked up a pair of Vivram 5-Finger shoes… which reeeeeeally help my recovery time when I’m running. Yes, I know they look ridiculous, but they work. I’m hopeful that I’ll be ready to rock with P90x, Cross Fit, or similar by the end of the year (June 2011).

BIG GOAL #2: Be in position to capitalize on market rebound by year end (June 2011)

I am uber-bullish on a rebound in the real estate markets in the next 5 years. In my opinion, we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to acquire real estate at crazy low levels, and I need to be mindful of how to get a piece of that opportunity, whether in personal or in business dealings. In fact, I recently read an article in Fortune that listed Atlanta as the most affordable housing market (own vs rent) in the USA. The goal here is to look at small deal cards, generate additional passive income streams, and find leverage.

UPDATE: Expenses, expenses, expenses. It all started with a simple phone call where I committed to going to Las Vegas. Two weeks later, I had a $1,400 airfare and hotel bill, a $500 roof repair, a/c repairs, $1,000 termite finding, $500 in car maintenance, 2 new suits… and 4 more suits with holes or patching needed. When it rains, it pours. No, this isn’t a deterrent for my goal, but it is quite an annoyance when you are trying to save money to make another investment. Of course, this goal may actually be more career-oriented than personal… only time will tell.

OTHER GOALS #3-etc: Quick Hitter Personal & Blog stuff!

This part is the over-arching, fun goals section… which might be the reason that you have read this blog in the first place.

Modern Love Essay. You might have heard that someone published a book that prominently used actual e-mails that I sent. I think this makes for a terrific Modern Love essay for the NY Times. Goal is submission to NYT before the EO May.

UPDATE: It’s coming. Stay tuned, my friends.

Write a book… on the blog. We all know that I’ve wanted to do this for a while. Maybe it’s called 5,000 Days of Single. Maybe it will be called something else. In any event, I’ve got some funny / crazy / interesting stories to tell.

13 Ugly Men. I had an amazing time throwing my birthday party this year. Obviously, it was fun because all my friends came out for my birthday. More importantly, we raised over $1,200 for the Atlanta Leukemia and Lymphoma Society… just by throwing a party. I want to / need to / will do this again. When I lived in Tampa, there was a philanthropic group called 13 Ugly Men that threw parties for the benefit of local charities, and this is absolutely the basis for my goal here.

UPDATE: I’m currently recruiting people to join my charitable organization. Our only goals for now are to throw parties, invite awesome people, and have the event donate money to a local charity. I think 13 people is entirely too many, but much like Ocean’s 11, we need one more. Applicants need only to help invite people, set up locations, and be generally awesome. Goal is by the EOY (June 2011, if you haven’t been paying attention), we will have A) a cool name, B) a web site, and C) one party on the calendar. If you are interested, reply in the comments section or send me an e-mail directly.

Reading and stuff. I’ve been slacking. After reaching 41 books in 2009, my reading has taken a decided turn for the worse. Like anything else in life, if you don’t schedule time for something… it probably won’t get done. Full schedule is forthcoming, but current reads include the Extra 2% by Jonah Keri, Everyone Loves You When You’re Dead by Neill Strauss, and many more. The goal here is ten books during the TWY.

UPDATE: I’m almost ashamed to admit this in public, but I began undertaking a massive reorganization of my personal library. Yes, this involves the Dewey Decimal. Admittedly, I toyed with the idea of the Library of Congress methodology, but I found it to be more cumbersome, and everyone has heard of Dewey. Midway through the project, I discovered that the Dewey system is neither intuitive nor logical, so I’m adapting it into a LCD Book System instead. Full results posted upon completion.

Travel. We all love it. I’ve certainly done my fair share in the past few months, and it has led to me wanting more.

UPDATE: I’m heading to Kentucky for some quality time with the family…. And the Derby, of course. I’m heading to Las Vegas the weekend after the Derby. I’m likely heading to San Francisco sometime in May, and there is likely another NYC trip imminent. More as it develops, but I’m hopeful to get to Europe, Asia, or Australia before the end of 2011.

Bloggy Bloggerson and the Arts. This blog is a fantastic channel for me to get out my creative whims. But writing is just one piece of the puzzle. As I have alluded to in past posts, I need to be doing more artistic endeavors to really feel satisfied. This means more art, music, video, blogging, and general ridiculousness. Goals here are to have another photo shoot with AlexThePhotoGuy that pushes the boundaries of stupidity (if you thought scarf, boxers and sunglasses were crazy, just you wait), digging out the old sketchpad to try my hand at pen and ink (where have you been, Busta Rhymes spliff star pic?!?), some form of revisiting the Street Corner Man, and at least ten blog posts by YE. Oh, and improved blog functionality.

UPDATE: AlexThePhotoGuy has been receptive to another shoot, and we have plenty of ideas to get on film… but he’s a busy man, and we haven’t picked a date yet. (Hey AlexThePhotoGuy! Let’s pick a date!) I did get back on the stage at Java Monkey in Decatur with Clap For Daylight… but I’m not sure that qualifies for this goal, because 1) it was only two songs, and 2) they both sucked ass. As for blog functionality, the site now has additional sharing options (I DARE you to share this on Facebook!), as well as a snazzy mobile device feed (I Double Dog DARE you to check out the blog on your iPhone!) I’m hopeful to have “Copyright Law” tee-shirts for sale on the blog in the very near future.

“I’m tired of pretending I’m not special. I’m tired of pretending I’m not a total bitchin’ rock star from Mars.” – Charlie Sheen

Maybe it is my massive ego, ignorance of the way the world works, or just blind arrogance, but I’m totally on board with Charlie Sheen. I’m one of those crazy lunatics who believe that we are ALL capable of incredible things if we give it our all. Maybe my goals above for life, love, this blog and the pursuit of happiness just aren’t big enough. In fact, that is the very topic for a future series of posts on this very blog. I won’t spoil it all, but I’ll say that it involves Jellies and Jams, James Franco, and even Aesop’s Fables. I hope you’ll like it.

Get excited, because in addition to those posts, this year’s Deep Lou Something: Kentucky Derby Breakdown is coming soon. And If you are going to be in Northern Kentucky for the first Saturday in May, look me up, and let’s get together. Cheers!

-Lou

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Apr
03

12 Week Year, 4 Hour Work Week, 7 Minute Abs, and 1 New Blog Entry

Lou! Challenge

by Lou Davis

A few weeks ago, I was amazed to find that several of my co-workers had jumped on the 12WYC bandwagon, and many of them had a copy of the book laying around the office. Apparently, more people read my blog than I thought! I’m still on board with Brian Moran’s philosophies, and I know that many of my readers have had great successes in very little time using his structured techniques. Since I love my readers, you can click on the link below to get yourself a FREE copy of the eBook for yourself. If you are feeling really ambitious, I challenge you to post your goals/resolutions for your next 12 Week Year in our comments section. Enjoy!

Link to Free 12 Week Year eBook by Brian Moran

April 1^st marks the beginning of my next 12 Week Year, which means more Lou! Challenges for you to read while you should be busy at work. Now that Kentucky has been eliminated from the NCAA tournament, its not like you’ve got better blogs to be reading nowadays. But before we jump into my next round Lou! Challenges… let’s take a look back at what happened in the last 12WYC.

As outlined in the January post, my last round of goals included:

Rehab my knee / Get in amazing shape.

I’ve already detailed most of my recovery from my knee arthroscopy in January… but I do admit that I drastically underestimated how long it would take to get back to the basketball court. As far as the goal goes, I followed the doctor’s orders, and did all my physical therapy… so I’ll give myself an “A” for that part. As for the “Get in amazing shape” part… I’ll give it an “incomplete.” I just haven’t had enough time in the gym yet to get there.

Travel

In January, I contemplated several different locations for this 12WYC, but ended up going to Dallas, Miami, Cincinnati, Raleigh, Savannah, and NYC. While this certainly sounds amazing, and while I am not complaining in the least, nearly all the travel ended up being in a 5-week stretch that culminated last weekend. Needless to say, my body is still recovering, and I’m very much looking forward to staying at home for a few weeks. On my goal, I’ll give myself another “A” because I made it to NYC and Savannah, two places I wouldn’t ordinarily head to. (And I had an amazing time in both cities!) (pics at the bottom)

The one downside to traveling is that takes you out of your routine; sticking to a diet or nutrition regimen is nearly impossible without incredible planning and foresight. Hey blog readers- do you have any tips, tools, suggestions, etc. for sticking to your diet and exercise while on a business trip or while on a vacation with friends?

Read 2,000 pages

Having read 41 books in 2009, I figured that 2,000 pages would be a breeze, especially given all the travelling on my calendar…. Oops!

Due to my hectic schedule, I never even picked up several of the books on my list from January: Never Eat Alone– Keith Ferrazzi, Are You There Vodka, It’s Me, Chelsea – Chelsea Handler, The Shack – WP Young, Cure For the Common Life – Max Lucado, Life of Pi – Yann Martel. Interestingly, and very true to form, I continued to purchase books that interest me, so my home queue is now something like 30 unread books. Hope I’m bored this 12WYC.

By my count, I got to around 1,500 pages, including The 4-Hour Body – Timothy Ferriss (Awesome book – more on that in a future post!), Assholes Finish First – Tucker Max, Sports Investing: Profiting from Point Spreads: Finding Value in the Sports Marketplace – Daniel Fabrizio, and Ron Shandler’s Baseball Forecaster.

There was, of course, one other book that I read during this 12WYC… but you guys already know about THAT book.

Seriously… if you are a first timer to the blog, do yourself a favor and read these two posts before going any further. Trust me, it’s a fun read.

http://www.lou-davis.com/2011/02/a-life-worth-documenting/

http://www.lou-davis.com/2011/02/train-wrecks-and-awkward/

Start writing that Book

Anyways… that “other” book certainly got my creative juices flowing again, so it was convenient that one of my own goals was to begin writing my book. Although my counsel tells me that I can’t share much on the blog at this time, I can promise that there will be more in the future to share my side of the story. It is amazing to me how many people have reached out and offered their support/advice/etc. in the past few months in response to that story, which really means a lot. As soon as I can share more, I’ll put it on the blog. Stay tuned.

Challenges & Events

On to the fun part of my goals! Let’s score it another rousing “A” for our hero. Do you have any suggestions for Lou! Challenges in the year to come? Leave a comment below, and we’ll try to make it happen.

Birthday & Agave Fundraiser Dinner

This was one of my favorite moments from the 12WYC. After being forced to reschedule my event due to the Snow-pocalypse here in Atlanta, nearly 40 of my closest friends came out to support an amazing charity, and we raised over $1,100 for the cause while getting some great food over at Agave. If you missed out, you can still donate to the Atlanta chapter of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society through their website here: http://www.lls.org/#/waystohelp/donate/

Here are some pics from that night, courtesy of Daniel McCaul:

Street Corner Man

As mentioned in the last blog entry, http://www.lou-davis.com/2011/02/copyright-law-and-other-tomfoolery/, AlexThePhotoGuy carried the day in various locations throughout Atlanta. For those who requested, I’m currently uploading more of those videosto YouTube, which should be available tomorrow. Subscribe to my YouTube channel by clicking here to stay posted.

Epic Fail Time:

With any set of goals, there will always be the ones that didn’t come to fruition. In my case, these were my “Fail” goals:

Look at 10 Small Deal Cards (Pushed ahead to the next year.)
Perform Service. (I don’t count the Fundraiser Dinner here.)
Songwriting Day/Weekend. (I don’t count the Street Corner Tour here.)
Photo Shoot Redux. (AlexThePhotoGuy is on back order. Maybe in 12WYC part 2?)

One of the Blog’s many mottos is “A life worth documenting is a life worth living,” In conjunction with that, here are a few more pictures from this 12WYC (Q1’2011):

As for the next round of goals… check back tomorrow! I’ve got plenty in store for the blog this week; get excited!

-Lou!

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Feb
27

Copyright Law and Other Tomfoolery

by Lou Davis

Let me again give a big thank you to everyone who read the story, re-tweeted to friends, and the like. It means a lot to now that you’ve got my back. On to other news…

Street Corner Man Tour

Along with my good friend, AlexThePhotoGuy, I spent Saturday afternoon touring the fine city of Atlanta in support of the Street Corner Man Tour. If you haven’t heard of the Street Corner Man Tour, don’t fret; it is just another one of my Lou! Challenges. Playing under the band name of Copyright Law, I sang out of tune and played (awful) guitar while AlexThePhotoGuy simply destroyed his upright bass.

After a solid 90 minutes of total practice time, we put together 6 cover songs (playlist at bottom), found a camera, and plotted out our 4 stops: Little Five Points, the corner of Virginia and Highland, and at two different spots in Piedmont Park. (We had also planned on playing in the square in Decatur… but my fragile fingers were simply not prepared for this level of rock.)

We had no real agenda for the afternoon, other than to enjoy the 65 degree weather and have a great time making fools of ourselves… but we did end up receiving a $1 tip, seeing a homeless guy vomit (good possibility he died later, but I can’t say for certain), and witnessing an actual Walk on the Wild Side by a former current hippie at Piedmont Park. I’m working on the edited highlight video from the Street Corner Man Tour, but for now you can enjoy two of the songs that I’ve been able to upload, as well as a few pictures.