Room for Squares

John Mayer's debut album, undoubtedly one of my favorites and still in rotation on my iPod, "Room for Squares," captures a young man finding his way on life's journey through song. I used to think every acoustic guitar strummed by a white guy all sounded the same. For some reason this album triggered emotions that others following this formula had not and tugged on heartstings to that point were underdiscovered. But whatever...I just liked it alot. :-) Since this album, I have continuously listened to John on later projects follow his own path for individuality.

Normally, I don't post things that stray too far from music, or empowerment. However, this article below is an excellent read and gives examples of a great model to follow no matter your passion. Further down in the article it highlights the founder of ING Direct in the light of the mortgage crisis. ING offers mortgages and out of 100,000 mortgages ING lended only 15 have ended in foreclosure. That's a pretty small number compared to the many in some cases the majority of mortgages owned by other well known, highly trusted banks that ended in foreclosure. I am happy to say that I bank with ING Direct and have watched a steady not huge, but steady increase of interest accrue.

Additionally, ING founder Arkadi Kuhlmann talks about the temptation to be unethical and greedy for lack of more friendly word during the housing boom. He choose to go another route. His path seems to be paying off not only for ING but for their homeowners. Kuhlmann instituted innovativeness in a less popular way. I'm sure he didn't have many cheerleaders and as many supporters but his choices have kept him above water and still winning.

I love the title, "Sometimes it's Hip to be a Square." (The road less travelled)
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How do you keep your head when all those around you are losing theirs? This has become a defining challenge for leaders in an age of technology bubbles, private-equity overreach, and, most recently, the mania (and meltdown) in the mortgage market.
Failure, we like to tell ourselves, is a powerful opportunity to learn. If that's the case, there must be lots of executives learning powerful lessons these days. The government has stepped in to rescue Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, once pillars of the financial system, whose misguided policies enabled so much of the mortgage madnesss. The CEO of Washington Mutual, once a darling of Wall Street analysts, resigned in the face of balance-sheet pressures. Banks and financial institutions everywhere are writing down assets, bumping up loss reserves, slashing payrolls--and watching shareholder value evaporate.

What can we learn from this heartache and misery? To me, the most valuable insights come from those few leaders who refused to be seduced by the promises of fast growth and easy profits. Sure, many of the biggest and best-known names in banking decided to offer teaser rates to attract unqualified borrowers, and to approve loans without verifying incomes. But a few holdouts, who were tremendously creative in much of how they did business, decided that when it came to the "financial engineering" that reshaped the mortgage market, Huey Lewis had it right: It's hip to be square.

One case in point is Hudson City Bancorp, a 140-year-old company based in Paramus, New Jersey that has managed to avoid the mortgage meltdown and continues to post tremendous results. Business journalists have discovered this quiet little outfit and marveled at its strategic insights. Its shares are up 50 percent since last August, when the credit crisis really kicked in. (A leading index of bank stocks is down 40 percent over the same period.) "Hudson City banks the old-fashioned way," Newsweek marveled. "It takes deposits and makes mortgages to people who buy homes in which they plan to live. And then it hangs on to" the mortgages, rather than sell them in the secondary market.
Imagine the brilliance! Take deposits. Make sensible loans. Repeat over and over again, until your market cap approaches $10 billion.
The New York Times tried to unpack the secrets of Hudson's success and offered this analysis:

"The bank carefully screened loan applicants to ensure they would be able both to afford a new house and reside there, rather than flip it. And the bank demanded hefty down payments...as a cushion against any sharp drop in home prices, because it planned to hang on to the loans."
What a formula! Make sure borrowers can afford their loans. Insist that they make a big down payment. Favor owners over speculators.
Hudson City's mindful approach to banking only looks remarkable because so many established banks lost their minds. ING Direct, a cutting-edge banking innovator about which I've written in the past, also managed to avoid the march of folly in its industry. The bank avoided the subprime meltdown because it stuck to simple, plain-vanilla mortgages rather than exotic instruments that sounded too good to be true (and were). The bank has written 100,000 mortgages worth $26 billion and has a grand total of 15 foreclosures. Not 15 percent, just 15 mortgages out of 100,000.

Arkadi Kuhlmann, ING Direct's founder and CEO, is one of the most creative business leaders I've ever met. But he was able to distinguish between get-rich-quick industry fads and real innovation. "Every person who tries to do real innovation is going to be tempted by money, greed, acceptance, being in the middle of the action," Kuhlmann says. "But at the core there is one fundamental difference: I know why I'm here. I want to make a difference. If I was into this just for making money, being a big accepted banker, I would have been tempted. But that's not why I'm here. I am trying to build something that changes the business, that allows me to stay on the right side of the discussion."

Kuhlmann's skepticism about mortgage fads speaks to one of the unappreciated elements of strategy and creativity. Sometimes, the most important form of leadership is resisting an innovation that takes hold in your field when that innovation, no matter how popular with your rivals, is at odds with your long-term point of view. The most determined innovators are as conservative as they are unique. They make big strategic bets for the long term and don't hedge their bets when strategic fashions change.
"We as individual leaders operate inside a cultural context," Kuhlmann explains. "The question is, do you want to try to influence the culture that you're in, or do you want the culture that you're in to overwhelm you?"

By combining cutting-edge insights with back-to-basics discipline, ING Direct, like Hudson City Bancorp, has created a powerful new force in the financial-services market. Kuhlmann and his colleagues resisted the worst excesses of the last few years, because they weren't interested in running with the pack--they were determined to do what made sense to them. "When you run with the pack, what you generally see are other people's backsides," Kuhlmann wisecracks. "We know why we're here, and it's not to photocopy other people's bad ideas."
Do you have the values and discipline to keep your head when so many around you are losing theirs?

Word of the Day: Joshua 1:7
Always Empowering,
Kris!

Stretch My Muscles - Freestyle II

I Fly High

The low road, the road most travelled

The high road, the road travelled by champions

Olympians and now new millennium politicians

The low road where the little play and the little squander

The high road; where we don't ponder, we decide

We make changes in the world in which we abide

Soaring beyond the clouds with minds set on prosperity,

longevity; pressing toward the mark to become a better you, become a better me

I can see clearly from up here

Taking chances, taking risks, taking life by the wrists

Leaving the past in a cloud of rain to fall on the 

haters that wished you pain

Beauty for ashes and dust to dust

The past is dead and life with wings as an eagle is a must

The low road can't sustain my high hopes

I put distance between me and she, me and he

To explore the air up there, up here

in a heaven of dreams. When I rest I float.

The low road, the road most travelled

Popularity abounds on the ground.

The high road, the road travelled by champions

I fly high, sometimes solo...in the sky.

"The happy heart runs with the river,

floats on the air, lifts to the music,

soars with the eagle, hopes with the prayer." - Maya Angelou

Verse for the Day: Job 4:4

Poetically,

Kristen Lauren

I Gotta Testify!

Allow me share my testimony of the week (I say the week because I expect to experience and share favor filled testimonies with you weekly)!!!! 

I have been songwriting for 15 years and it's only been in the last two years that I have taken this gift seriously instead of for just recreation. Today, I can say with confidence that the Lord has called me to write and sing His music; one of the biggest reasons for Him sending me to New York. Since moving to NYC, the Lord has blessed me with opportunities to write demo's for up and coming artists, co-write songs for well known hip hop artists and just meet some great people in the music industry. In the last year, I have had in studio training with accomplished writers, producers, artists and engineers in the music industry as well.

 In an effort to continue working on my craft of becoming a serious songwriter, I enrolled in a songwriting course at NYU a couple of weeks ago. One day later after I enrolled in the class, it was dropped due to a lack of enrollment. I prayed that since the God closed that door, he would clearly open a new one. On Monday of this week, I got a call directly from the professor who was supposed to teach the class. He apologized for the class being cancelled although it was out of his control. However, he wanted to offer me an even better opportunity than the NYU class. He extended to me a personal invitation to join a select group of people to take songwriting sessions from him in his recording studio for the next month! After doing my research on him, I found out that he is a four-time Grammy nominated songwriter. His songs have sold over 27 million copies and he's worked with Brandy, Van Halen, and David Bowie to name a few. I always pray upon taking my desire to become a more skilled singer and songwriter to the next level, that the Lord open the doors that He would have me to walk through and allow me to work with the best, most anointed people He has to offer in music.  This open door is a door opened by my Father that no man can shut!  

*I'm doing my praise dance right now!* :-D

Word for the Day: Proverbs 21:13 

Lovingly,

Kristen ~ "Olympian Pen"

Stretch My Muscles - Freestyle

DIRECTIONS

I'm on a mission for change

To make a mark in the lives of others 

Who can't seem to find their way

I know what's it like to be lost and alone

Stuck in rut, maimed with pain, ashamed of my name

Unclear of where to aim 

my frustration

Incapable of making the right decisions

Lost in translation 

In the middle of a transformation 

Spinning out of control 

Trying to find the breaks, hoping for a sign

that says this is the way you should go!

There it is...that still small voice

Slow down, stop and think! 

Walk this way, turn right

You've been going left

One right turn, becomes another right turn

Till I find myself back on the right path

Moving in the right direction

I bring one, two, three people along with me

They looked stranded with their thumbs out

waiting for someone to pick them up

But now I know the way in which we should go

He whispered the directions in my ear

Just thought I should share

The path is straight and narrow

Not for the faint of heart

And sometimes it can get lonely.

Suddenly, I look up to find three, two, one

It's just me

Walking, changing, transforming

into what He wants me to be.

Following directions = long life.

Word of the Day: Proverbs 18:10

Thoughtfully,

"Olympian Pen"

Create Your Own Hype!

"I've been waitin on this my WHOLE life! These DREAMS be wakin me up at night!"

~ Kanye West, I Wonder (Graduation, 2007)

The word "hype" is considered an inflated truth or exaggerated, misconstrued story. The word inflated stands out the most. Inflated means full of empty or prententious language. Meanwhile, this offering is to encourage you to "CREATE Hype!" and make it your own. (How ironic)

This year and the latter part of last year, I learned that Hype does not have to be BS. Hype is simply whatever you want it to be. It's your belief system. The thoughts, notions, values, principles, truths that you believe in, you will pub(licize), endorse and co-sign to the next level. This is totally me. When I believe in something, I make it public. I speak about it and I make it real BIG. 

One of the greatest examples of Hype created in the last 12 months was the controversy between Kanye West and 50 Cent's album being released on the same day.  Of course I had my money on Ye. There was so much Hype surrounding the release of the both albums, if you were music lover at all you could not help but to indulge just a little. Well we all know how that one turned out. Ye took the most units in the first week and his hype paid off once again. Why do I say again? (I don't want this to turn into a conversation completely about Ye but...) Again, because Kanye brought attention to himself at his beginnings by making people believe in his talents and gifts simply because he believed in them the most. I've watched Kanye's Driven, Through the Wire, read the articles, heard the rants, blowing of his own horn, etc. However, any one who subscribes to the trends, pop culture and the hip-hop generation can not deny Kanye's affect on all of the above. Kanye has always been his own hype man. When the labels wouldn't do it, he did it himself. When the award shows didn't show love, he created more hype and drama still turning the attention (although negative) to himself requiring more people to dig deeper into Ye.  What's even greater about the hype that Kanye created around himself is that it's totally warranted. He is extremely talented in music and art. He has changed the hip-hop culture for this generation in many ways. 

I have a tendency to down play my BIG stuff,  and hype my "sister" or my "brother's" vision. Kanye's example shows me that we must HYPE our own visions. Getting them out there is our responsibility and at the end of the day, no one but God (and I think that even God can't believe it for you) will believe your vision, dream, or goal as much as you do. God gave you the vision and He will surely bring it to pass...if you believe it can actually come to pass. Kanye believed in his vision when no one else would and more than anybody. Now he has the whole world believing in "Kanye West - Mr. Glow in the Dark." I'm not mad at CHICAGOIAN-GEMINI-TWIN. 

So from now on... CREATE BIG HYPE for your BIG and little DREAMS. When you take a BIG STRIDE, or make a BIG SPLASH don't down play it. MAKE IT BIG, SAY IT LOUD. You're helping someone else along the way believe that they can make their dreams and visions come true too. 

I'm working on tracks with Keith "K-Boogie" Hanns, original member of Wreckx N' Effect. He's cool people with an experienced, comfortable flow. I'm writing songs like crazy for MYSELF (Yes!) and others of course, getting ready to take a highly-recommended class at NYU so I can join the ranks of the BEST to put pen to paper (Smokey Robinson, Lauryn Hill, Eric Roberson, NE-YO). The BEST is on it's way. 

I'm also looking for a live band. If you know of one, let me know! 

Word of the day: Philippians 4:8

Obama '08

Musically,

Hype-Woman~The Olympian Pen™

Thinking/Creating/Writing Like the Greatest of All Time!

I haven't visited Bossip.com in many months. Once I arrived to their website, I still questioned why I decided today to explore the popular gossip well.
I found my answer in a post about the Greatest of All Time (in my book), Lauryn Hill.

"Lauryn Hill is building up material for a major comeback after giving birth to her five kids - she has song ideas and lyrics scribbled all over her bathroom. The reclusive star’s longtime partner Rohan Marley reveals Hill is as prolific as anyone in the music business, and cannot stop writing lyrics and tunes while she’s on hiatus. He says, “She writes music in the bathroom, on toilet paper, on the wall. She writes it in the mirror if the mirror smokes up. “She writes constantly. This woman does not sleep."

Many people have asked me the reason for the name: Bathroom Freestyle. Although my reasoning for giving this fountain of words that name is on the ride side bar, the question still persists in the minds of some people. However, others get the name right away and understand the meaning behind it. It sounds like Lauryn Hill has the same pattern of thought. Reading this quote above resonated in me like I just won an award for innovativeness...LOL! And one day, maybe my words, writings, songs, lyrics would be as impactful as one of my BIGGEST heros who ever put pen to paper, note to beat, voice to microphone.

Lauryn Hill is undoubtedly my Greatest inspiration. She is prolific, truly a genius with words and their deeper meanings. She's a singer/songwriter/lyricist/mother/actress. I can still remember the day I bought the most expensive cd I've ever owned, "The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill," at Blockbuster in Roswell, Georgia in 1998. It was totally worth $18.99 without tax. I still found hidden, not so obvious meanings in songs like "Tell Him" and "Ex-Factor" ten years after hearing them. The title track, "The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill" resounds in my heart, like I wrote it. That's how personal the song is to me.

It's true that you have to reach your own level, but looking up to the Greats like Lauryn Hill is like looking up to the standard, the Giant of the art in my generation. This makes me want to write, and write, and write until I get right. Here's to Lauryn and her foretold return. Like the many other loyal, diehard fans, I'll be waiting for the Legend to reclaim her stage bigger and better than before.

***Also check out fellow writer Ebonne Jones, "Letter to Lauryn Hill" http://www.mahoganybutterfly.com/cms/templates/expressions.aspx?articleid=2636 which also celebrates the 10th year anniversary of "The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.," this month. It's hard to believe that it's been 10 years since the classic was released.***

Word for the Day: Ephesians 2:13
Lyrically,
Kris

PREPARATION in Surrender/SURRENDER in Preparation

Preparation means: the action or process of making something ready for use or service or of getting ready for some occasion, test, or duty. Readiness.

Surrender means: to yield to the power, control, or possession of another upon compulsion or demand; to give (oneself) up into the power of another especially as a prisoner, b: to give (oneself) over to something (as an influence).

How are these words related and intertwined? Currently, I'm in a season of preparation for many things: to be a cutting edge performer, an entrepreneur, homeowner, future wife, future mother, and some others characteristics. Earlier this year, I was in a wilderness season, entrenched in frustration. One of reason for my frustration was due to the many visions the Lord has given me for projects and goals to work towards. As a result, I was trying to accomplish everything at the same time, causing greater frustration, because I couldn't see, hear and think through any of them clearly. As I said before in "REST," I fall short in that area.

Lately, the Lord has been sending me many messages and revelations about surrendering to Him. (I thought I was surrendered to God and His will for my life.) But He showed me that in order to be properly prepared for the things He has in store for me, basically the list above, that I need to be surrendered to His will and His strength in my life. I, Kristen can't get all this done, by myself, but God working through me will accomplish these things to further His Kingdom and purpose for my life.

Recently, the frustration reared its ugly head again. This time my frustration was about wanting to focus only on music and only my music. My question to the Lord was, "Why do I have to focus on music, my job in finance, be an entreprenuer, etc?" Why can't I just work on music, learn about finance (get GREAT with money, develop the mindset for aquiring BIG, LONG wealth, not the money we deal with day to day just to live, and make a couple of meaningful wealth-building transactions), but really just focus on music? (I'll explain later my ideal vision for my future husband, music and our businesses in music and finance! :-) )

The Lord sent a messenger to answer this question today. Refer to the "Parable of the Talents," Matthew 25:14-28. In the parable a master gave his three servants a certain amount of talents (talent is defined as: a unit of value, the natural endowment of a person, a special often athletic, creative, or artistic aptitude b: general intelligence or mental power : ability). In this parable, the talents were money. A quick summation: The master gave one servant five talents, the second servant two talents and the third servant one talent. After a long time the master came to settle his accounts with his servants. The servant with five talents returned to his master ten talents to his master. The servant with two talents returned four talents to his master. However, the servant given only one buried his talent in the ground and returned to his master the one talent that was given to him. His master referred to him as wicked and lazy and gave his talent to the servant who had ten. The revelation from my friend is that we are all given/entrusted with a different amount of talents (gifts). It doesn't have to be money, but sometimes it is. For me its singing, songwriting, encouraging, and one day wife, mother, and businessowner. But I can't even limit myself to these things, because God may add to this list. However many talents we are given not only are we required to do BIG THINGS with these talents, but we must take them a step futher than how they were distributed to us. We have to double them, increase them to bless others. This is completely the answer to my frustration, because I am now resolved knowing that I have MANY talents. I can take the limits off of myself and my BIG, HUGE God and stop using the word can't in relation to things that I have yet to try.

As I get surrendered (horrible english!), free in God I will continue to realize that my frustration comes from trying to figure the process out in my own knowledge, wondering how my time will be evenly divded and how things will get accomplished in Kristen's timelines. Usually the things that stick around and last for a while had to go through an extensive process. They didn't develop overnight. The parable makes it clear that the master returned after a long time to collect his increase. So, while I'm not going to procrastinate accomplishing the things set before me, I can also enjoy the journey and the process until they manifest.

And when someone says to me, "You're doing too much," I will have peace knowing that what they meant to say is, "I admire the talents God gave you and I look forward to seeing you use them in a way that impacts the whole world!"

Rewind: By now you know that I'm CHI bred, ATL refinded, but my parents live in MIA now. I travelled to Miami last weekend for my cousin's 40th birthday on Fisher Island and my brother's 13th birthday. WOW! Fisher Island is completely exclusive. You have to be on a list in order to take the island's ferry across the water to the island. I think the exclusivity of Fisher Island is what's so special about it. Or maybe is the 5 bedroom 6000 sq feet villas on the island available to rent during your stay. Or maybe it's that you don't see many people of color on the island other than in service positions (an there's nothing wrong with, but it's nice to see us enjoying the same luxuries on an equal playing field). Although Harold Ford Sr. and Oprah have residences on Fisher Island, to the common, everyday hard working African American Fisher Island seems a little out of reach. My cousin spared no expense to show us how great 40 looks, and it looks FABULOUS! I have great images in vision to aspire to. (The pics are from the last weekend.)

Have a wonderful week knowing that YOU really can do ALL things through JESUS CHRIST that gives you the strength. Phil 4:13

Word of the Day: Psalm 89:34

No more excuses. Just results (Dr. Toya Greene)

Kris