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About Andre

Andre Carter is one the Founders of Spirit Company and Spirit Post. He has been involved in the Cheerleading industry since 1993 as a participant, coach, gym owner, judge, rules official, event producer, and consultant. Andre writes about his life at andrejcarter.com and about cheer and dance at spiritcompany.com and spiritpost.com.

I’m Running for President

I’ve decided to run for President and am naming James Phillips as my Vice President. Of course you know this isn’t true, but I’m now old enough to in case I have a change of heart.

10 Years Ago

10 years ago today I was partying in New Orleans with friends, celebrating my birthday, my 2nd graduation from graduate school, my soon to be departure from Mississippi, my new job in DC, and the end of my cheerleading career. Most of the things we celebrated during that trip have changed, my birthday and the fact I graduated being about the only things that have remained the same. Since then I have returned to and left Mississippi, left DC, and returned to cheerleading, aka Hotel California.

This Year

I haven’t written much this year. That’s been somewhat intentional as I’ve focused on other things in my limited free time. The only other thing I’ve published this year was actually written and scheduled during 2011, so this is my first real post of the year.

The Next 10 Years

What will I be doing in 10 years? I have no idea, but I know I’m going to do what I can to enjoy the journey to that day. A couple observations from the last year or 10:

  • People make poor decisions around me.
  • I’m a much better me than you’ll ever be and you’re a much better you than I’ll ever be.
  • It’s not too late for me to make lifelong friends.

I don’t have anything else to say except for vote for me when I run for President.

There’s a Hole in My Sidewalk

I walk down the street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I fall in. I am lost… I am helpless. It is not my fault. It takes forever to find my way out.

I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I pretend I don’t see it. I fall in. I can’t believe I am in the same place. But it isn’t my fault. It still takes a long time to get out.

I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I see it there. I still fall in…It’s a habit. My eyes are open. I know where I am. It is my fault. I get out immediately.

I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I walk around it. I walk down another street.

If by Rudyard Kipling

If you can keep your head when all about you

Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;

If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,

But make allowance for their doubting too:

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,

Or, being lied about, don’t deal in lies,

Or being hated don’t give way to hating,

And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise;

 

If you can dream—and not make dreams your master;

If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim,

If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster

And treat those two impostors just the same:.

If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken

Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,

Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,

And stoop and build’em up with worn-out tools;

 

If you can make one heap of all your winnings

And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,

And lose, and start again at your beginnings,

And never breathe a word about your loss:

If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew

To serve your turn long after they are gone,

And so hold on when there is nothing in you

Except the Will which says to them: “Hold on!”

 

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,

Or walk with Kings—nor lose the common touch,

If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,

If all men count with you, but none too much:

If you can fill the unforgiving minute

With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,

Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,

And—which is more—you’ll be a Man, my son!