Yesterday, Coach K led our country’s olympic basketball team to gold…again. And I know what you’re thinking, but no, I didn’t play. I’m injured. Ugh It’s tough.. I know the guys really needed me.

But I wanted to dedicate today to Coach, and for a reason you might not expect:

I spent most of my college life inside Cameron Indoor Stadium. And during that time, I got to know Coach as a real-life person. Not just as a mythical-olympiad-gladiator-winner coach.

I got to know the friend that still sends me a birthday card every year. I got to know the husband of Mickie, his incredibly kind and selfless wife. I got to know the dad who raised three outstanding, passionate, intelligent daughters who still put up with annoying ex-managers I got to know the CEO who’s recruited a one-of-a-kind basketball family around him, with Wojo and Collins and Spatola and Capel and James, with Gerry and Rachel and Mike and LA and Kevin and Jose and Will and Dave and Kenny and Pat and Nick and Dave again, and of course, with the ridiculously good looking student managers. I got to know the leader that actually remembers what you say, and cares about you and what you want to do in your life. I got to know Coach.

So, yesterday, when I saw the headline “Coach K Wins Gold”, I could only think one thing:

He didn’t win gold…He earned it.

Whatever it is you want, earn it. Start today. And work as hard as you possibly can for it. If you do, you’ll inspire the people around you to do the same for they want. Believe me. Thank you Coach.

Joey

Yeaaaa I bet you do wanna know what that writing says on the bottom of that iPad box. Maybe it’s the secret of life. Maybe it’s just a secret. Maybe it’s life. Things aren’t always as they seem. Or are they. OR AREN’T THEY. Life? What.

(if you ask questions that no one can understand people think you’re smart)

But really, if you’re looking for the secret of life, ask Randy and his Mom. Here’s how I know that they know: Randy is going through some very difficult times. So is his mom. But both of them seem truly content in the deepest way I’ve ever seen. How is this possible?!! I THINK THEY KNOW THE SECRET.

My wild guess of the secret, based on watching these two interact with people, is this: Happiness does not come from your individual life. It doesn’t come from what you’ve done for you. Your happiness (and I’m talkin’ smiling-all-the-time happiness) comes from what you do for others, and what they can do in their lives because of you.

Sounds crazy right? But if you ask these nurses, they’ll tell ya that Randy, the teenager that can’t stop saying “thank you”, makes them happy every second. And I think that makes Randy happy.

We delivered a personal iPad to Randy for his upcoming treatment over the next few months. He’s a warrior and because of you, we could do our small part in making this hospital time just a little bit better.

So, the secret of life is no longer a secret!!!

OR IS IT.

Joey

YOU’RE GOING TO FEEL SO GOOD AFTER READING THIS.

It’s a list of everything you’re good at:
1. Reading Monday emails at work
2. Being Attractive
3. Thinking In General
…Oh wait, THIS IS GOING TO TAKE TOO LONG. (feeling good yet??)

Ok now… let’s up the game. It’s Monday, and it’s feel good time:

In the past year, Duke Children’s had about 176,000 outpatient visits. That’s like…so many. And, the 12 iPads you helped bring to the hospital…well those are used in the outpatient clinics. So let’s pretend only about 5% of patients used the iPads (yea right, way more, but we can’t get too excited).

So 5% times 176,000…umm A LOT?! 8,800 patients used your iPads.

OH WAIT, THESE IPADS ARE ALSO USED FOR INPATIENTS TOO. 178 beds. Average length of stay 9 days. 7,000 visits annually….Assume 5% again….350 more patients used your iPads.

8,800 patients + 350 patients = 9,150 patients helped by your iPads this past year.

And I wonder if this includes those extra music therapy hours. Or when you introduced massage therapy to the waiting rooms. Or that summer camp you helped fund. Or those two new iMacs you’re about to donate?

OH HOLD UP… IT DOESN’T. And it doesn’t include everyone you say Happy Monday too. It doesn’t include those inspired by your Facebook status. Or those who just get freaked out by how much you love Monday. It doesn’t include what we’ll also do together in Seattle, Miami, Philly, Colorado, and UNC. And it doesn’t include those 9,150 families.

YOU. YES YOU. ARE LITERALLY CHANGING THE WAY CHILDREN HEAL.

Joey

Welcome Philly. Welcome Seattle. Welcome Chapel Hill.

WE’RE BEYOND EXCITED. LIKE WAYYYY BEYOND IT. LIKE…SOOOO CRAZY EXCITED. OK TOO FAR.

BUT YOU GET IT… THANKS FOR BEING HERE.

Click to learn more:

THE MONDAY LIFE EXPANDING MISSION TO HELP CHILDREN ACROSS THE USA

(seriously…bigtime excited)

So my brother Ricky is a rapper…aka Ricky Mac. He doesn’t have the celeb status of Jay-Z, or Kanye West, or Weezy…individually. HE HAS THE CELEB STATUS OF THEM THREE COMBINED…right Mom??

That’s Ricky on stage. His performance opened for Asher Roth this weekend (Asher is a bigtime rapper across the country) at a ridiculous party in Chapel Hill. It wasn’t exactly a big deal for me though since I get invited to so many parties 24/7…right Mom??

But to hear the crowd chant my brother’s name was something I’ll never forget. I kept thinking to myself: You taught him well Joey. Becuz obviously his rap skillz come from me yo. I have to stop. But I am really proud of my bro. Not for how good his raps are, but for doing what he loves, and then using it for others (he always promotes The Monday Life).

I was also super surprised by Asher…he introduced himself to everyone individually (as if we didn’t know his name), and when I told him about our charity (totally expecting him to free-style me out of his VIP booth)…he was all for it.

People surprise you. And no matter what you think about someone, you never actually know until you briskly crawl through the legs of a hercules-like VIP bouncer and find out for yourself. Thank You Asher and Thank You Ricky Mac.

Joey