As an IT professional, I had been both enamored and discouraged in my field. At one point, I was ready to try a totally different field, until I thought further and decided to try a different company. So far, that has proven to be a great move. I was gaining great experience at the new gig, but there was one milestone that eluded me. The CISA certification. This is the industry standard by which IT professionals in the audit field are currently measured. It is our equivalent to the CPA or BAR Exam. I wasn’t really trying to get it at first. After my trials and tribulations at my prior gig, I basically said “fuck this” and put that certification in my rear view mirror. Having a new job, more time to ponder situations, and a fresh perspective gave me the foresight to recognize that I needed the CISA.

I didn’t need the CISA career wise. I can go into multiple areas IT wise, but the CISA is excellent for resume’s, salary negotiations, and it’s required for some jobs. I didn’t need it as a prerequisite for my current position. They encourage certifications, but it isn’t mandatory. I needed this for my own personal validation. Throughout my career I felt as if I didn’t get all the recognition I deserved. I worked hard and worked smart. I got promotions and recognition awards too little too late. I busted my ass, but there’s always people who will diminish your accomplishments. Getting a certification to me is like a big middle finger at anyone who questions your acumen in your field, and it also says “I actually know what I’m doing from a broad perspective”. I’ve been around long enough, it was time to add tangible credentials to my career!

In September, I made a decision to take the challenge and register for the CISA. I had good friends who took the exam to mentor me. I got all the study materials and the electronic databases with a million practice questions. I plotted out my 3 month study schedule, which ended up being 2 months while waiting for my materials to arrive. Studying for this exam made me realize why I retired from school after I got my masters. I hate standardized tests! It also pissed me off that a lot of my real world knowledge was only partially applicable because these tests were based on “best practices” which aren’t always practical in real life. I didn’t let it get me down. I utilized my prior experience with studying, along with my resources, to help me reach my goal.

I searched online for information retention tips. I consulted other people who took similar standardized tests for their studying tips. I carried my materials everywhere I went, and studied daily. I took practice questions all the time. I typed outlines for every chapter and read along with the book. I felt like a human encyclopedia by the time I was finished! So much information crammed into my brain, ready to be released at a moment’s notice. I didn’t want any regrets taking this exam, and I definitely didn’t want to have to take it TWICE!

December 8th I woke up, had a quick breakfast, hopped in my whip and headed to NYU to take my exam. The months of studying and preparation were over and it was time to apply the knowledge I attained to this unknown variable called the CISA exam. I had my #2 pencils, erasers, and ID ready for the day. I swore I was in High School during the Regents exams! I saw a few former colleagues preparing to take the test too, which was surreal. It gave me even more motivation to succeed since I just left that place due to lack of recognition, and this would be another example of why their ignorance cost them a valuable resource. They read us the rules of the day, and handed out the exam. 200 questions and 4 hours to complete them. 8:00AM the exam began! I opened the booklet, read the first 10 questions and started chuckling under my breath. I didn’t know a single answer.

I cursed to high Heaven, because in 10 minutes, 10 questions rendered all the knowledge I learned over 60+ days useless! I was discouraged, but not deterred. I implemented a common test taking strategy of mine that has helped me in the past: I went through all 200 questions in one pass. If I could answer immediately, I did. Otherwise, I left it blank. I went through the test the first time with no worries, answering where I could and leaving questions for later. I got through the booklet in abut 2 hours, and left roughly 85 questions blank. It didn’t look or feel good at first, but I didn’t panic. Panicking helps no one, and believing in yourself goes a LONG way.

I went back through the book a second time, and the impossible questions looked more normal. The answers started making sense, and by process of elimination, I was able to make the best possible selection. I went through the book a third time, taking care of last-minute stragglers and checking my original answers. I could hear the proctors calling out the times and writing on the board how much time remained, but I was in the zone. I had bigger fish to fry! Before I knew it, the clock read 12:55PM. 5 minutes until the test was over. I was confident in my answers. I signed my book, handed it to the proctor, and made my way out of the classroom.

I spoke with a few people after the test and we were bitchin up a storm. The chapters they said would be most weighted weren’t the most weighted. Most of the questions came from earlier chapters in my opinion. My instincts keep it real with me. If I feel shitty about a performance or test, that’s more than likely how I did. When I walked out, I felt uneasy, but I was confident that I passed barely. That test was humbling to me. I consider myself an intelligent individual, but those types of tests make you question your mental acumen. It makes you wonder whether or not you truly are smart. I immediately headed to brunch and drowned my struggles in Mimosas. I deserved it!

The waiting game began my next phase of the process. We weren’t expected to hear our results until early February. Two whole months of an excruciating wait. I went on message boards and read as geeks tried to extrapolate the notification date. They said probably February 7th. My goal was to forget entirely so it didn’t stress me out much. I succeeded in letting the test float to the lower recesses of my mind. I hid all of my study materials. I deleted the database shortcut from my laptop. Out of sight, out of mind.

It wasn’t until earlier this week when I realized the date was upon me. I had to do some searches in my work email, and I saw a bunch of ISACA (the group who gives the CISA) emails. Yup it was back in my mind again, but I wasn’t worried. Then out of nowhere yesterday, an email from “CISA” popped up on my screen as I was reading unread items in my inbox. I immediately tried to not look, but I clicked on it accidentally. I manned up, look, and saw the following:

The level of relief and excitement that I felt was off the charts. This email literally was received at 4:58pm. A great way to end my work day. I didn’t want to face the disappointment of failing this exam. I didn’t want to face the decision of whether or not to take it again and pay the fees out-of-pocket (since my company footed the bill originally). Either way this was one of the biggest professional accomplishments of my career and I was genuinely happy. I did it. I couldn’t have done it without the support of my friends and family, the studying materials, and the will to be better than my best. I will celebrate, but I know that this is but one accomplishment. I have more goals on the horizon that need to be achieved. 10% body fat by June has been the motto, and I’m tracking those goals feverishly. Accomplishments like this help me realize that I can set goals and be successful. You should take time to enjoy accomplishments, but never rest on your laurels. I won’t forget this lesson, ever.

On to the next one!

StreetZ

The post Certified appeared first on StreetzTalk.Net.

I’m 21 days into this 6 month challenge, and things have been going well. As I suspected, my cardio has been the biggest issue. The main problem is that I hate cardio more that I originally thought, and I have to really motivate myself to get up and run. I definitely haven’t gotten the cardio that I want, but an early AM treadmill hit was a great start. Weight lifting wise I’m still on point, and save a few days here n there, my nutrition has been good.

I had to tone back a few days over the past 2 weeks because I had tests being performed on me as a result of items that popped up after my Bi Yearly physical exam. I got additional tests done and I’m good money. They wanted to check my heart for irregular heart beats, and that came out well. I won’t front, I was scared. Anything that has to do with a major organ, I worry about, but I trusted in myself and all seems to be OK.

I haven’t done one lick of yoga in 2013 and that sucks. On the other hand, I have been performing my ab ripper X core workouts, which I would skip in the past. This proves to me that I can motivate myself to do the exercises I hate. Yoga weekly is still a goal, and by next blog post, I plan to make it a habit.

I’m going to be travelling all February for work and leisure, so hotel Gyms will be my sanctuary. I seem to be more focused for Cardio when I have the machines in the same building I sleep, lol. I needed to have a couple of months where I attacked cardio aggressively if I wanted to hit my goal of 10% body fat by June and February is going to be the first month. 28 days of some type of cardio (including Yoga). No excuses, I will find the time.

I’m also going to hook up with my dude B-Fit to get my monthly body fat%. Will probably get an entry in after that.

Hope you all are working hard. Beach season will be here before you know it!

Train hard!

Streetz

The post [FITNESS] 180 Days Later Challenge – Day 021 appeared first on StreetzTalk.Net.

Happy Monday!

This weekend, like days after you start-up a serious workout regimen again, are touch and go.  This weekend I got in a Lower Body workout, and rested on Sunday. My body was feeling sore, and I don’t want to push too hard too soon. I was ready to hit the gym heavy today, but I went to get a physical and they want to run further tests on me (nothing serious more observatory). Since it’s a 24 hour analysis, and I have some tech monitoring me, I have to sit out the gym today. I’ll get in a quick Ab Ripper X workout to keep the momentum going, and I’ll do a total body workout tomorrow, followed by a double up cardio day Wednesday.

As long as I focus on my health and nutrition, I’ll be straight. I want to be healthy inside and outside, so I’m not mad!

This will be a great workout week. My goals of 4x a week cardio and 3x a week ab exercises will be met. The yoga session too!

Train hard!

Streetz

The post [FITNESS] 180 Days Later Challenge – Day 004 appeared first on StreetzTalk.Net.

What’s good everyone!

The other day, I spoke on my 2013 fitness goals. It’s nothing new for me to take and accept a fitness challenge, but I’ve never done one on my own. This year my fitness goals are simple and effective, but my main goal of the elusive 10% body fat has and will escape me for the final time! I’m doing a personal 180 day challenge, with my goal to reach 10% body fat by June 4th, 2013 (180 days from now approximately). I chose to call this 180 days later for obvious reasons. One thing about a 180 is it is a metaphor to describe a drastic change. A 360 degree rotation brings you back to the starting point. I’m looking to do a complete 180 from my current body composition to a better body!

I will document my daily work here on the site. I’ve done this in the past with my fitness journals, but this is something I’m taking to the next level. I’m going to keep myself honest and accountable for reaching this goal. Now, making long-range goals can get problematic because it’s easy to forget a goal 6 months away. This is why I’m setting up monthly checkpoints to track my progress.

I will be weighing myself weekly. I will measure my body fat at least monthly, but I’d love to do it bi-weekly. Weekly isn’t necessary for me because I’m more in tune with my body’s progress more than ever.

I hit my guy @BarringtonBfit today to get my measurements, and here are my opening week stats:

Weight: 184.6

Waist: 33in

Body Fat: 16.69

Pounds of Body Fat:  30.8 lbs

Lean Body Mass: 153.8 lbs

I haven’t measured myself since September, so I was expecting these results. I’ve gained 2% body fat and lost a pound since then. Not horrible and normal for an “off-season”. As you can see my 10% body fat goal is in reach!

My short-term goal is to lose 1% body fat monthly. For me to reach my goal of 10%, I have to beast one of these months to get that .69%  completed. At my pace of my last challenge, I lost roughly 4% body fat in 3 months. If I can keep that pace or exceed it, hitting my goal shouldn’t be a problem.

Yesterday, I completed my upper body, abs, and cardio workout. You can check my work HERE

I feel sore, but that’s not a bad thing. This is my body’s way of telling me not to slack anymore, lol. I’m well on my way to reaching my goal. Shoot I might attack January just to get that .69 out the way

Hopefully I’ll be here to help all of you in your journeys and you can help me too. Shout to the homie @FeministaJones and her #SexyShred team too! I’ll be checking your progress too!

Remember, don’t ever let others shortcomings be projected on you. Just because THEY can’t doesn’t mean YOU can’t!

See you on the good side of success! #BeTheBetter

Streetz

The post [FITNESS] 180 Days Later Challenge – Day 001 appeared first on StreetzTalk.Net.

Happy New Year Family!

2012 is in the books and we are on our way to 2013! I’m excited for the new year, as usual, and I’m ready to calibrate my goals. I checked my personal goals from 2012 and I completed about 70% of them, which is great! Even better was that I completed the major goals (new job, etc). However I fell short of my overall fitness goal of 10% body fat. I know it’s a steep goal but that’s my aim. I love a challenge and want to reach it effectively. As you know, my writing here will be inspirational. I will probably do a semi-annual #30in30 challenge just to reinvigorate my writing passion, but for now when I have something to say I’ll say it.

Before I get into my fitness goals, I wanted to touch real quick on resolutions. I’ve written about resolutions before, but I would challenge everyone to look at yourselves in a different light. You should take the sports athlete approach to bettering yourself. The great sports stars go into the offseason knowing their strengths and weaknesses. They will build up their weakness, and add something new to their repertoire to make them more dynamic. That’s how I approach a new year. I look at my strengths and weaknesses, pledge to work on the weaknesses, and look to add something to my personal skill set in order to be a more complete person. This year I want to perfect the languages I know, and read more classic literature. Expanding my knowledge and my linguistic skills will definitely help me in my day-to-day life, and prevent boredom!

As far as fitness goes, I made great strides, but I’m still about 25% away from my overall goals. Every year I say there’s no excuses. I get closer and closer and I’m proud, but as always I want MORE! So I set some simple fitness goals for myself to keep in mind throughout 2013:

10% body fat by June 2013

I get my measurements from the guru @BarringtonBfit tomorrow. I ended my fitness challenge at 185.4lbs and 14.7% body fat. I can tell you I’m already under that weight but not sure about the body fat. I’d estimate that I was at 16% worst case. Which means I’d have to lose 1% body fat a month which is MORE than doable! I’m focused and ready to go.

Ab exercises 3x a week

I slacked on these in 2012. I work the total body but neglected this area. These are actually the easiest exercises to complete. I swear by Ab Ripper X, and I want to add that to my weekly repertoire

Cardio at least 4x a week

I know my body. The last time I lost a lot of body fat, I was running my ass off. Stairclimbers, spin, treadmill, and elliptical were staples of my routine. There was a point which I lost TOO much weight, but I can regulate that. I need to get it in though, even though I HATE cardio. It’s a necessary evil. Whether before or after my workout, I need cardio to assist with my workout goal achievement

Yoga weekly

I want to become more flexible, and attend to the random aches and pains I feel. Yoga is therapeutic and a great way to alleviate these issues. I skated on yoga prior, but I need at least a weekly dose. A fair shot at yoga will help me assess whether or not it’s helping me overall. Plus, it’s a great stress reliever!

Drink More Water, Eat more fruits and veggies

A friendly reminder to continue to have these as a staple of my nutrition plan.

Continue doing the good things better

I don’t have issues with weight training, eating right most of the time, or dedication. They can always be better though. Remaining focused is a must!

Play more basketball

If you told me 15 years ago that there would be a point in my life where I wasn’t hoopin’ weekly, or even daily, I would’ve called you crazy. I fell off bad, as life occurred, but I love the sport and want to play more. I have to find more groups and places to hoop, get in more leagues, and have FUN!

These are my friendly reminders to myself. I’m focused and ready for the challenges that 2013 will bring. I want to be healthy internally and externally. Mind, body, and soul.

I will also begin chronicling my fitness again here. I figure it’s a good way to keep the dust from settling on Streetztalk and another way to keep me honest.

What fitness goals are you setting for yourself?

Happy New Year and Good Luck in Exceeding your goals!

Streetz

The post Streetztalk 2013 Fitness Goals appeared first on StreetzTalk.Net.

I’m still in the trenches studying for my certification exam this Saturday, so please pardon my absence. I got a few hot topics to address when I’m back in full rotation. I had some thoughts to share on the title above that I meant to get out  before Thanksgiving but.. well…you know… Anyway…

Why is it that we wait until New Years Day to start on fitness resolutions? We say that it’s a breath of fresh air and that we get to reset the clock and calendar and start anew. I have ny own thoughts about resolutions that I wrote last year on SBM. When it comes to fitness, I think it benefits you to get an early jump on your resolutions and start NOW! That’s what I’m doing now, and that’s effective. Here’s a few reasons why:

Holiday Season Is Lighter Schedule-Wise

One of the biggest excuses people give when they talk about Fitness resolutions is that they don’t have time. It’s not so much you don’t have time, it’s that you don’t want to allocate the time to get in better shape. Well, in most professions and walks of life, the holiday season offers a break from the hectic schedules and should free up both real-time and allocated time for you to apply to your fitness goals! Why sit around and “rest” when you could be proactive and get on the right foot

You Can Start Slowly And Pick Up Steam On January 1st

In an ideal world, you would hit the ground running now, and blast through the 1/1/ finish line with a healthy head start towards completing your goals. In the real world that isn’t possible for everyone. Slow and steady wins the race too. You have a good 26 days to build a base for better eating and exercise, so that when 2013 rolls around, you will have gone through those first tough weeks (which are the worst), and you will have a better footing. I would rather be overprepared than underprepared for anything  in life. The same idea applies here.

Accountability

At some point in a fitness journey, actually in ALL points of your fitness journey, accountability is paramount. You have to own up to the stumbles you may take, the daily dedication to getting healthy, and sticking to the plan. You should start being accountable today. Why put off till 2013 what you can begin in 2012? You might as well get it done!

Fitness isn’t easy. Quitting is easy, succeeding is not. To me, it’s better to get started now, and have a base for achievement in 2013. Do your research, get that gym membership, watch what you eat, and get the help you need to meet your fitness goals.

You don’t have to wait for a day in the year to make a change in yourself. That day can always be today.

Say a prayer for my intellectual mercies for Saturday, and I’ll see you all soon!

Streetz

The post Why Wait? The Pre New Years Fitness Resolution Movement appeared first on StreetzTalk.Net.

What’s good beautiful people!

So, I’ve been a tad quiet since my #30in30 series ended. I noticed. You noticed. Let’s get that out of the way, lol.

First of all, as you can see in the pic above, we are dealing with the after effects of the superstorm Sandy. unless you’ve been under a rock, you know that this is one of the craziest storms to hit the East coast in a minute. Damage everywhere. Definitely one of the worst storms I’ve ever been in. My house lost power for a minute, and trees are down all over.

I got into a debate as to whether or not NYC was “prepared” for this storm. You gotta understand: We are on an ISLAND. Just like any other island out there, we are susceptible to certain weaknesses you can’t help. The best thing you can do is mitigate those weaknesses and be quick to respond, and that’s what we did. Our infrastructure is good, but when you build things bu beaches, under rivers, and by other bodies of water, flooding unfortunately is a known side effect. Our 108 year old subway system is flooded. No one knows when we will be back online, but I’m sure we will be stronger once we do.

Everyone is either home from work or school, but for lucky dudes like me, I get to work from home! YAY! The Knicks-Nets game is still going down, but with this storm, I’m trying to see if they got tix for cheap!

Work is going well. It’s crazy to think that I’ve been there for 7 months! It was a move I needed to make, and a move that was beneficial for me. For any headaches and annoyances that jobs and careers will bring, it’s an upgrade over my previous situation.

I’ve also been studying for certifications in my profession. It isn’t the BAR, but it’s something that needs my attention and dedication. My work experience, along with my degrees, account for about 60-70% of the knowledge, so that helps. Studying now, I’m so glad I retired from school. It’s ill to think that at one point, I was able to study for 4 midterms, and have 2 papers due, all in the same week and perform these tasks with ease, smh. I feel like there’s so much information in my brain, I’m going to overload. However, I dusted off my old study habits and I’m ready to rock!

My test is December 8th, so that is my current focus. I haven’t forgotten about Streetztalk, but obviously I won’t be matching the output I had during the #30in30. I will drop a post here and there, and trust I got some hot ish in store going forward.

If you guys have study tips, let me know!

Stay Safe NYC/NJ!

Streetz

The post Random Thoughts (A.K.A. the “I aint post in a minute”, post) appeared first on StreetzTalk.Net.

All last week, it seemed as if every minute setback I could have happen, happened. I had a mid-major situation at work, which was serious enough to prompt communications and remain in the back of my mind all week. Self inflicted super minor damage to my car due to a tight turn in a drive thru didn’t help me. I went through minor money problems, bills to pay, minor injuries. It was the epitome of the minors becoming major. I was pissed. I asked myself why this was happening to me. Why did I need to be bothered with such bullshit? It really made me angry.

That Saturday, as I sat in the Pizza shop around my way, I heard a loud bang. We all ran out to see a terrible car accident. Two cars collided in an intersection. One car spun off into a wall and hit a pedestrian on a bicycle, knocking him to the floor. The scene looked chaotic. The people involved were all banged up, but all survived. This accident put things into perspective for me. Life is serious, and we all have issues. What I was going through wasn’t a crisis, it was just life! Things could be MUCH worse, and that accident illustrated that point clearly. It was then, that I thought to myself “I could either harp on the negative or do something about it”. So I decided to do a few things to changer my fortune.

1) Accept the situations reality

From the check engine light, to my work situation, to other things, I had to accept the facts. I had to take responsibility for my actions where they were warranted. I had to be real with myself about the level of seriousness involved with each situation. Realism works well for me, so once I knew the truth (or told the truth to myself) I could move on.

2) Find the positive in this situation

The irony in this step is that I hate when people say things like this. Some things there is no positive, but in most, you do find that cliché filled silver lining. My situations opened my eyes and showed me that discovering my weaknesses, and being vigilant about correcting them, would only benefit me going forward. I had to change my perspective in order to succeed and overcome the annoying little situations.

3) Win despite your losses

So I knew that these situations were happening. Instead of letting them happen, I focused on what I could personally control. For my car situation, I took it to the shop, analyzed the costs, and got the repairs done. I also bought parts for the other little nagging things in my car, so they wouldn’t become major. I defeated procrastination by being proactive. That’s a big step for me. In my profession, instead of harping over the BS, I become more on point with what i do now. I will excel, I will be commended, and I will succeed. That’s what I tell myself and it’s produced immediate results!

That check engine light ended up being less severe than I thought. Taking care of that, along with a hole filled muffler, was about 75% cheaper than I originally thought. Not back for the start of a new week.

Take control of what you can, and get the little wins to combat the minor losses.

Streetz

The post Morning Motivation: Overcoming The Most Annoying Week of 2012 appeared first on StreetzTalk.Net.

Accountability is great. You can reflect on your actions, see what worked and what didn’t, acknowledge the good and bad, and get better. Tough love is still love. People want you to excel so they will push you even when you feel you don’t need to be shoved. Even those people who push for pushing sake will still light a fire under your ass to perform. It happens.

Today was a reminder that no matter how ill I think I am, someone will find my fault, highlight them, and challenge me to be better. I hate it, but it is what it is.

Only thing to do now is to exceed expectations and prove the haters wrong.

Focused!

Streetz

The post Friday Motivation: Adversity and Accountability appeared first on StreetzTalk.Net.

30 days ago, a blogger had a dream. In this dream, he dared to be consistent. His blog, Streetztalk.net, was on the verge of destruction. There were no posts here, or you can say the posts were sporadic. He tried to reboot the site many times, but it usually fell by the waist side. He sees other bloggers he respects taking the 30 blogs in 30 days challenge, and said “why not me?” At first, he was a bit nervous. How could he write 30 days of content, when he can’t even post oon his site consistently? What about the day job? What about the other endeavors he pursues? As always, he said eff it, and made it happen. 30 days later, he stands tall and proud for completing his goal.

So we are here now. 30 days. This challenge was exactly what I needed to reinvigorate my creativity. I was in a rut. I couldn’t come up with anything to write here. After being forced to provide 30 days of content, the spark has been lit once again. Here’s the highlights to what this challenge has brought me:

A plethora of topics to cover

I would be in the gym, at work, sleeping, typing, or watching TV, and post ideas for Streetztalk would pop into my head. I wrote them all down. I do this a lot btw (hey another post idea!). Anyway, I have about 30 articles I can write, so this will help me going forward in providing content.

An updated pen name

When I realized that I wanted to write more places and publish more stuff. I knew that I had to change up my pen name a bit to sound more human. As you saw ealier in this challenge, I went with Vaughn Streetz. Still Streetz but the V is for victory *Lil Wayne voice*This will help me professionally going forward. Can’t have my governmental out there too crazy, so here we go!

An acceptance for what my site truly represents

Realistically, I’m not going to post here every single day. It used to bother me but it doesn’t anymore. This space is my creative area, and since I recognize that a lack of production here = a lack of creative thoughts in the real world, I’m more motivated to succeed. I will post at least weekly, and when I do it will be something good. This won’t be an aggregate site where we post what everyone else is. If it’s dope to me, I will share. I will also have creative original stories too. I’m excited!

I appreciate the support and love I got over these 30 days. It means a lot to me. I also want to thank those who have read my work since this site began. I won’t abandon you again (unless proper reason merits it = I hit the lotto or go to jail). I look forward to the future and to more dope writing on this site.

Let’s take this ride together, but don’t forget the gas $$

V. Streetz

The post #30in30 Day 30: Achievement Unlocked appeared first on StreetzTalk.Net.