So I quit my job Monday.

At heart, I am a story teller. Ask anybody who talks to me on a regular bases - I am always telling an ornate story about "what had happened" or a "you wouldn't believe" fabrication or often, my personal favorite, a "well I guess you had to be there" punchline. My friends rock because they just let me tell them yet another story. And so, for some time, I have been toying around with the idea of writing what I think and how I see it. And what I think I really want to share with the group - is my life's story. Seemingly, I have come to a place where I am ready to open up and tell it just like it is. (And no promises if it's gonna be "right" or "wrong".)

I want you to read about the time I spent in Salt Lake City with the Mormons, or the time I was a hair model (I now have a shaved head - as do many black/puerto rican men), or the time I got busted for holding a fraudulent car wash (in the name of the university I was attending). I want you to know about happens to a person when they go through a huge national audition, or why they seemingly turn down a good opportunity for a great opportunity (as I did when I decided not to take the job offer with the dance company in SLC). I swear I have an interesting life. (People tell me so all the time). I want you to think so too. I want to look back on what I wrote and be able to say to myself, "Now there's a man that's lived."

So I quit my job on Monday.

Well, I put in my notice. To bide my time for the last nine months of 2007, and set myself up for 2008, I took a shitty... and I mean SHITTY - job at a call center, advising employees on human resource policy. Emphasis on SHITTY. (That's enough vulgar language for now). Now before I say this next statement, you should know that I love being a rockstar at everything I lay my hands on. I love overachieving, love gold stars, love making the Presidential Honor Roll, love being the star, love being the brain, love being the jock, love being the Renaissance man - I love being THAT guy. So, as you would guess, I love being a rockstar employee. It is one of my best habits. Make thyself indispensable. But I said to myself when I took this job, "Do not shine - don't be THAT guy - you're gonna have to quit - just lay low" But then it was December, and I get an email, along with the other thousands of employees in the company, stating that I won some awards and would receive a $300 bonus for my efforts. Congratulations to Jonathan - his name is now in every Inbox in the company. My thoughts on this bonus I received? "Jonathan, that's what we call shining. THAT IS NOT LAYING LOW. How are you going to perform well for the company, get a bonus, and then just quit?"

Well, apparently like this - because I quit on Monday.

And the really funny thing was, my supervisor was super cool with it. He wanted to know all about my dancing. All about the auditions/ performances/ teaching clinics I have lined up (which for right now is through April). He told me he would have never guessed I was a dancer, and that he completely believed in "chasing the dream". This is coming from a guy, I never speak to except to ask off. (Which reminds me, I need to fill out my timesheet since instead of coming to work tomorrow, I'll be doing a hip-hop convention in Dallas, Texas).

Stay tuned (if you're even tuned in) - I hope to refine my language and style so that anyone reading will feel how I often feel. Slightly jaded, but surprisingly enthusiastic about the life they've been given.