March 22nd, 2012

One day 'till the big 2-4.

1. I'm scared of getting older
2. I'm mad because 23 is my favorite number, and you know what they say, "You're only (insert number here) once!"

Well, other than that. Things have been pretty good. Last weekend was awesome. Friday Top Golf maybe Wesley and I's new thing. It's incredibly fun even if you are terrible at Golf, like me.

The St. Patty's day parade on Greenville Ave in Dallas DOES live up to the hype. But one complaint. I didn't understand why anyone under any circumstances would think it was fine to bring a kid from 0-18 to this parade. If I have kids, I'm simply not going.

Also, a coworker of mine invited me to a Stars Hockey game on Tuesday night. When I can, I'll upload pictures from where we sat (which is about 5 rows up from the Glass behind the goalie. In hockey terms "Perfect seats") I do have to say, it was an extremely nice gesture for him to invite me, and seeing how the Stars won in my first ever Live shoot-out, I'm now 2-0 in my Stars game-going. Which is pretty cool.

Oh, also in case anyone else was wondering, It's officially 13 days and 3 hours and 15 minutes away from Red Sox opening day.

One of these days, I will go to Fenway park and see Opening Day. This will happen before I die.

In economic news, because I will never, ever link or quote anything from Head-of-the-FED Bill Bernanke, it's fairly slow.

I did though, find this article. Student Loans are the next bubble, book that. And that's really bad news if you have Student Loan Debt like I do.

I hate to link to Newspaper articles (especially ones I don't subscriptions to) but this article was too good to pass up for a Agricultural Economist. like myself. The Texas Drought in 2011 has cost close to 8 million dollars in Agricultural losses, which will definitely have a negative effect on the Global Economy. I'm not a farmer, I only study the economics of a Ag business (aka "Farm"), but I can say with my whole heart I really hope we never see a drought like this again. The cost to human lives will be far worse than last year. Mark my words, an economy can survive one vicious drought, but it can not survive two in a row.

March 16, 2012

Well, today is Friday, which is awesome for so many reasons, but especially today because after work Wesley and I have decided to go to Top Golf.

It has two locations in the Dallas area, one in Dallas near North Park mall, and one in Allen off of US 75. It's this massive Golf playground, apparently. With Golf games, Bars, Food, TV, and even my favorite....Batting Cages. Been awhile since I last swung a baseball bat, might be pretty nice to get back into it.

I'm incredibly excited, not only for the fun, but because Wesley has been wanting to golf for months now. And I feel bad because, well to put it as best I can, I suck at Golf. I really need lessons. So, it's not worth ti for us to PAY to play on a course, when we both know I'll just ruin her good time. So, a place where I can take my time, and even learn how to swing the club right, while not interfering with her playing, AND has beer and food at our finger tips, is well worth whatever I have to pay.

I just like seeing her happy, that's all.

And then, of course, this weekend is St. Patty's day. Basically the Americans excuse to get drunk and act Irish. I don't care, I just enjoy drinking, a lot. And, of course, I enjoy the green beer.

I plan to have a lot of these on Saturday

In other news, my bracket has completely blown up in my face. I've noticed I have picked WAY too many upsets. I love a Under-dog/Cinderella story in College Basketball. It's March Madness, anything can happen.

Economic news

This morning I came across this article, explaining that Quantitative easing is the only game left to play. If you don't know what Quantitative easing is, it is essentially the plan of a Nation's Central Bank (in America's case the FED) to buy financial assets to inject a predetermined qunatity of money into the economy. The goal here is to affect the interest rate, by buying and selling government bonds. Or, in layman terms, The Government is basically creating money.

If you're interested in Who owns most of the U.S's debt....well, here you go. (I normally dont link to CNBC.com but they have usefull information from time to time.)

Mark Cuban has a blog post explaining How to Make Money as a college Student. I sure as hell wish I had a mind like Cuban's 2-3 years ago. Also, if you haven't read his book "How to Win: At the Sport of Business" I highly suggest you do. One of the best books I have read in a long time. It will definitely make you see going to a Major League Sporting event in a totally different light.

Aurthur Laffer, who is often called the "father of Supply side economics, has not changed his views on the economy.  I actually agree with a lot of his principles, but the thinking is a bit out-dated. especially in the spend first consuming nature of our economy now.

Alright, and last but not least, I wanted to share some pictures from my awesome life.




I know, Lucky huh?

 This is my beautiful girlfriend, Wesley Polk. We've been dating for 4 years (I know, "Pop the question already!") As crazy as it sounds, I still love her as much as the day I first met her.

And, thanks to My girlfriend's blog, Welcome to the Good Life, I have this awesome picture of my beautiful puppy. This Is GG. She is a 3 year old Akita, who has stolen me and Wesley's heart since day one. We adopted her and are extremely lucky. I'm so proud to have her. She is extremely obediant, but also is a constant source of love in Wesley's and I sometimes hectic life. She also loves fetch and sticking her head out the window whiel riding in the car. 

Alright, that's about it this time, maybe I'll post some more later today.

March Madness

I forgot so much to put in my last post, I decided to make a new one.

2 in one day? Color me "Excited".

Today starts March Madness. It's about the only time I can really get myself inot College Basketball. I love the Cinderella upsets, the buzzer beaters, and all that comes with watching 18-21 year old kids live out a dream of theirs.

I would upload a picture of my bracket, but it's a PDF file, and it's not exactly user friendly with this blog. SO, I will say that I have picked Kentucky, Mizzou, Vanderbilt, and University of North Carolina to advance to the final four. With Kentucky winning it all. Simply based on the "Which mascot would win in a fight" theory. (When in doubt, USE THIS THEORY, IT ALMOST ALWAYS NEVER SORT OF WORKS.)

Also, I decided to not do my "Blessings" for the day. It was too hard to come up with originals and I believe I thank the Good Lord enough every night. So, there's that.

What I am thankful, though, is the patience my girlfriend has shown me this week. I recieved MLB 12 The Show on Sunday, and I'm completely addicted to it. It's a great game. This coming from a not-so-big-gamer but a HUGE baseball fan/player. It's as real as it gets, and that honestly funny because it's a video game, but the more I play the more real it gets. It's nice to see someone has taken the time to include everythign I lvoe about baseball in a video game (that I can restart when my batting average is not satisfactory.)

Oh, I almost forgot. I stumbled upon this article, Is the Dodd-Frank act too complex to work? It's a great read, and helps you understand the act. Of course, as a banker, I'm on the fence of saying this act is seriously hindering our business. It was made to reform Wall street, but it hurts Banks of the smaller communities more than the bigger ones. It was a great idea, but at some point too much regulation is bad regulation.

March 16th, 2012

Well, last I left I had a pretty good essay, this time will be much more to the point than last..

Herwego (say it slowly)

I had lunch last friday with one of our VP's...it went pretty well. I got a ton of useful information, and made a good friend in which I can contact throughout my career for advice or anything else I miht need. I was also told I have a bright future, and I'm a perfect fit for any department in the bank, Just got to find the one that fits me best.

Today is the 15th, which means it's 8 days untill my birthday. Jeeze, 24 comes fast!

The plan so far is My parents and sister, Kylie, are coming in for dinner on the 24th., along with Wesley's parents and Emily. I have never been before, but It's a brazilian style steakhouse, where it's pretty much all you can eat meat, which I also call 'Heaven'.

But other than that, no real big plans for my birthday. And I think I'm okay with it.

This weekend is anothe rjam packed weekend, with St. Patty's day and my best friend Blake and his girlfriend coming into town. Were all going to the St. patty's day parade. Apparently, it's a huge ordeal in Dallas. Anytime you have Dallas, Beer and a parade, it's bound to be a good time. One in which I'm ready to drink my fill in.

Economic news
Not much today, Just things I think people should keep an eye on.

In Wall street news, the biggest story is the Goldman Sachs executive coming out and bashing GS about mistreatment of clients. This is news because, in the History of GS, they have been very passive in their views of the company. Very "Plead the 5th", if you know what I mean. And honestly, I like the guys' point, but it's not a very good look for either party.

I understand that customer service is a huge part of why banking is what it is, and isn't what it isn't, And I understand the veiw point of most people that think Banks are social killers, but they are desperately misguided in that thinking. Banks are not world beaters. We are not selfish. But those guys on Wall street give us a bad rap. And for someone from the inside to throw the first stone at them, I congratulate him.

But, keeping it in perspective, we have to understand we are living in a revolutionary time in history. Free Checking is no more, actually, you can take out the word "Free" from anyhting remotely close to "banking".
And I back this with my full heart. You dont go to a grocery store and expect the bottled water to be free, just because it's a neccessity? This is not a soup kitchen, we protect your money with our life, we deserve a paycheck, too.

On a lighter note, President Obama has been blamed for the rise in Gas prices. If you agree with that thinking, I cant help you and you need to move on to the next blog. Or Google "Price control" or "US economy" and see what you learn. I dont agree with the man as president, but I certainly understand the rise in gas prices have nothing to do with his policies.

Other than that, it's less than a month away from baseball season. I know I'm terribly excited, but I cant say the same for Wesley. A lot of my time will be spent with the Red Sox and the thought of going to the World Series.

I want this. So Badly.

No Excuses

I love the title of this post. I better make it a good one huh?

No, actually, this is probably going to be a short and sweet post. Just a little update-r on my life and things.

Well, I have been totally transformed by the spotlight on a recent sportscenter on Saturday morning. It was the story of Kyle Maynard, a 25 year old quadrapelgic at birth, who has overcome just about every obstacle that has been set in front of him.

As a healthy, full bodied soon-to-be 24 year old male, I couldnt stand the sight of the videos of him struggling to do some of things I do everyday. It was a message of guilt. I was not respecting my own body enough to watch someone struggle with there's, which is half of what I was blessed with.

In the video, Kyle climbs Mt. Kilamanjaro. One of the tallest mountains in the world. Something, at my current state, that I could only dream of doing.



Kyle Maynard


The message was No excuses. So, today, is the day I stop making excuses for anything. Why am I letting mental blocks take me away from what I want the most? Why do I set my alarm for 5 a.m., but end up waking up at 6:30 a.m.? Why am I always saying "Tomorrow night I'll work out." Or "Tomorrow I'll start eating healthy." Or "Tomorrow, I'll really start treating my girlfrined like the princess she is." Or "Why on earth do I see it a chore to walk my dog and give her a year's worth of happiness for 15 minutes of walking?"

There is, literally, no one stopping me. No one is beside me, or in front of me, saying I cant do something. So, Why am I stopping myself?

In other news, this week is a pretty big one for me.

I've got a lunch on Friday with the VP of our Treasury Management department. Mostly, it's just lunch, but it could turn into a promotion if I mind my P's and Q's. (Edit: Does anyone actually know what P's and Q's are? I dont. It's just a saying.)

I do not want to come into this over confident, at all. I have to realize I've only been witht he company for 4 months. Also, I'm young, and fresh out of college. The treasury department is mostly reserved for those who have/are making it in the Banking industry.

I, Also, do not want to go into this weak, and bland. I am original. I am a talent. and I am determined to do whatever it takes to make myself better (edit: See Resume...aka My entire life). I'm just naturally a quietly confident person.

In the end, the least acceptable outcome from this lunch that I want for myself is that feeling of "I tried". The one that says, "Hey, you know what, I gave it my absolute best shot, and at least he knows I'm determined to get where I want." Who knows, maybe one day My kids will be reading this blog and see this. I'd hope they'd be proud.

As for this weekend, it looks like another busy one. Friday night we go to Ft. Worth to see Wesley's former co-worker and her husband for dinner and drinks. Downside, We will have to come back becuase I volunteered for a company "Pick up the Park" day. It's at Reverchon Park downtown, a park that isnt regularly picked up by the city. I figured with everything PCB has given me, it's the least I could do. And Saturday Night looks like we'll be traveling to Weatherford to see Wesley's Parents. Haven't seen them in a long time, so It'll be nice! Hopefully, we get to go see some Tech Baseball as they play TCU in Ft. Worth. Should be a good series, and here's to our boys coming out on top.

Alright, I said it would be short but I have ONE more thing I want to do. I'm not at all a very religious person. I am a believer in Jesus Christ, God and Heaven. But I keep my feelings towards that somewhat internally. With that said, I'm not a believer in making someone listen to a prayer, or read it in this case. But I am a believer in counting your blessing. So, from now on, I will end every post with a count of my blessings. of course, that could be a list that ends very long, so I will try to limit what I type, but just know there isnt a blog post long enough to put every blessing in my life.

So, here it goes.

I thank God for these blessings:

The Current Texas weather
My parents, for all they do for me.
My sister, although we dont see eye to eye, she knows I stand beside her.
My coffee this morning, without you this day would have been probably harder to start.
My truck, although you know it's your cut day anyday now, you keep on tickin'. Thanks Sandy.
My boss, Corey Mark, for making things extrmemely tough on me, but being very patient with me.
My job, sometimes it can be boring, but it is a blessing in disguise.
And of course, My girlfriend Wesley, and My Dog GG, who fill my life with so much happiness.

Alright guys, That's all for now. Thanks for reading!

Texas Independence Day

Today is March 2nd, which is Texas Independence day. 176 years ago today, the best state in the union was born.
(P.S. very picture friendly post, not what I usually like posting, but hey, today is special)

So, in honor, I believe I'll share some of my favorite things about this great state.
I love Texas barbecue. It's probably my favorite thing, ever. Whether it's from a backyard or a famous restaurant, I love it all.



Don't try to argue. You wont win. It's the best. Period.

 Then we have beer. I absolutely love beer. I love all different kinds, but I usually stay close to the normals (Coors Light, Miller Lite, the occasional Lone star) And if there's one thing I love more than beer, it's beer from Texas.

It maybe cheap, but it has a little taste of Texas in every sip.

Another thing I love about Texas is the products that come from here. Salsas, cookware, boots, hats, you name it. Anything that says "Made in Texas" or "A Go Texan Product" is the best of what it is. Hands down.

This is my favorite Salsa to date. It also comes in a Smooth Restaurant style that is a bit milder for you wussy folk out there.

Speaking of the Go Texan label, I wanted to give a shout out to the work the good folks at the Texas Department of Agriculture are doing for this state. They work extremely hard to help promote small Texas producers of food and other products, so to get more of a fair shot competing in the super markets.

Next time you see this on a Label, help support the local Farmer and buy it!

Who could forget, I LOVE Texas Tech. Red Raider Proud, no matter what. I love my Red Raiders, and I love that school with all my heart. It has given me so much, and even though I paid to attend, I'll never forget what it has done for me.

Wreck'em

Texas also makes me think of Cowboy Attire. I am one of those folks who wear cowboy boots just about any chance I get. I love my boots. I paid good money for them as well, because as Texans, we know leather ain't cheap.

I also LOVE my Dallas Cowboys, as well as My Dallas Mavericks. Actually to be fair, I root for just about any Texas professional sports team (other than those down there in Houston, they aren't really a part of Texas anyway)

Greatest Cowboy ever. Don Meredith.

Greatest Power Forward in the Game.

And I guess it all comes down to this.

I LOVE Texas. The land, the sky, the creatures, the people, the stupid Austin Drivers, the Aggies, the Stupid Longhorns, The Cowboys, The Mavericks, The Alamo, The History. Everything.

Alright, Y'all. I'm sure I've pictured you guys out. I could have put a ton more pictures and favorite things about Texas, but I guess I should keep it short and sweet.

I'm going to enjoy the weekend with my Girlfriend and my sweet puppy. Hope y'alls life is as good as mine.

Catch y'all up on Mond-ee.

Time March(es) On

I cant be too sure if I updated y'all on the name change. But, it's been done (and probably will happen again, so stay tuned)

I'm trying to convey my life in a blog, and given that, I'm trying to find a title which represents my life. And since, "Tyler Lucas loves his life, girlfriend and dog" is a bit long, I'm trying to sum it up. And I think I'm close, if not on, with the Young Banker's Chronicles.

I think Wesley told me (this is because I'm a man and I can only confirm things my girlfriend has told me with a 'I think'...but batting averages, economic news, and guy stuff take up way too much space in my brain for me to listen correctly) That if I was going to call my blog this, I should not reveal the bank I work at. But with the help of my prior posts I think it's evident which one I work at. I believe this is totally fine, because I feel as though I am a great representation of the company, and the intent of this blog is not to complain, cuss and fuss, or negatively hurt the bank's image. It is essentially just a outlet for me to put my journey through the wonderful world of banking, as well as personal challenges, in a economically challenged time.


Whew. Now that is out of the way.

Today is the first of March, which makes it my birthday month. 22 days away from being 24. I'm not exactly sure what I think about it, but my view is this. If I was to walk up to 10 year old me, and explain Who I am, what I do, and where I'm heading...would he think I was cool? I'd like to think so, but I''m sure he'd be confused as to why I ever quit baseball....

Other than that, I'm just trying to get used to living in Dallas. Adjusting is very had, and extremely uncomfortable in Cowboy boots. I do not know how well I hide my "hick" roots and country accent on a day-to-day basis, but I'm sure I do a good enough job to keep the scent off.

March is also a tease. Spring training has started, so the boys of Summer will be here in one month. Kind of hard to believe, but how last season ended for my Red Sox was incredibly frustrating and painful. I understand I shouldn't get so emotionally involved in my Sports teams, but it's hard when you love them as much as I do.




I liked it better when there was more of this. Stop breaking my heart.


Other than that, it's a period of Transition for me. I'm trying to keep up with all the economic news, which nothing big as of lately has come out that is good enough to cut this blog, and trying to apply what I've learned to understand it. As well as trying to decide what I want to do career wise. I absolutely love working in the financial industry, but I'm just trying to decipher which side of it I want to get into for the long haul.

Oh, and I did hit on some of my resolutions. I've started working out, and watching what I eat/drink. I'm proud to say I've had exactly 3 cokes in 9 days. Biting my nails in a habit quitting in process. But I am making progress.