What's up Hive Community - This is My Introduction

First, I would like to shoutout @titusfrost for talking about @Hiveblog on his @Dlive live stream. Also, a shoutout to @macchiata from @OCD team would be in order. Without his help I would still be posting without even introducing myself to the @Hive community. And that would be continuously rude. I did not know where to start so I just started. While that was a start, I realize that was foolish. How can you come into a village so to speak and not first introduce yourself and then take time getting to know your surroundings and the people in them. So that is what I have been doing these last few days since my first post. While reading others introductions and posts, commenting on them and following some of the ones I felt were up my alley, I feel like I am part of the community even if it is just in a small way. So...

My Story

Como se llama JL Wills. I was born in San Antonio, Texas. At two years of age my mom moved us to Culver City, California which is right in the heart of Southern California. The neighborhood I grew up in was not the best and after going to school at Short Ave. Elementary for four years and getting beat up by the local Hispanics my mom decided since she had gotten a job in Beverly Hills, California she would get a variance for me to go to school there and got my Caucasian looking ass outta there. Now do not be confused, my family is Hispanic on my moms side but Caucasian on my dads side and I came out the wrong color to be living there.

I started attending school Hawthorne School. My years there did not prove to be much different however. Kids can be cruel no matter what race and I learned that the hard way. It was not a race thing at Hawthorne it was a class thing as I would come to figure out. While that stuff sorted itself out because I was very athletic and could beat them in most activity's, I did earn my respect in a manner but academically the school was leaps and bounds ahead of my previous school's pace. I struggled catching up and the two years I was there my grades suffered. So much so my mom got me a tutor which helped but never quite did I make the leap forward she was hoping.

My seventh grade year was life changing. My mom moved us to a very small town called Dayton which is in Nevada. It is a town about an hour away from Reno northern Nevada largest state. Coming from southern California it was quite a culture shock. It however proved to be a good move for me. My whole life up to that point I had never lived in anything but an apartment and since the cost of living was drastically lower we moved into a brand new home that we still had to rent but it was "brand new" and the neighborhood was extremely safe. I mean people would leave their house unlocked at night or even their garage door open and did not worry about a break in or someone stealing. Coming from a place that on Friday nights it was a normal thing to hear gun fire and it was just normal to run to the light switch and hit the lights and go back to what we were watching was so freeing. I felt safe in a way I never thought possible.

School for me in Dayton was also different. Because I had been forced to work so hard and catch up to my peers in Beverley Hills, I realized right away things were going to be easier and I was going to do well. I had already done the work they were doing and I went from being pretty much last in all my classes to being at the top of my classes. So much so the nerds that had normally been the ones with the highest grades were replaced by this athletic jock type. My eighth grade year I was named student of the year. For me that was quite an accomplishment but was a bit unfair I believe. At the time I could not care the least and was not going to mention any of that to anyone. I finished my schooling in Dayton and while I never had the success that seventh and eighth provided, I was able to keep up and do well my high school years.

After high school, I like a fool, decided to go to work full time. I worked at a alcohol distributor for ten years. During those years I moved up in the company from the bottom to one of the top salesman. Also during those years I met my beautiful wife and had two beautiful kids. I really enjoy being a husband and a father. If not for my family I do not think I would be in such a good place now. I was headed in the wrong direction and they gave me a purpose.

They say things change and unfortunately they did. My company went out of business and I was forced to find another job. I found a job in the same industry but it would take us to southern California. We moved to Camarillo, the hidden gem of California in my opinion. I find it to be my favorite place to live so far. For me it was a homecoming. For my family it was brand new experience. Fortunately it was a world away from my old neighborhood with Camarillo being one of the safest city's in southern California. We lived there for five years and those years were filled with ups and downs as many lives are.

My decision to move was mainly a cost of living decision. It also was after after five years, a population decision. To many damn people. Camarillo is beautiful and extremely safe but you pay for those things and I wanted to be able to buy a house in a place that made more sense for my family. I did my research and after much debate I chose a place I had been to many times from my years in Reno and that was Redding in northern California. I am sure many that have been here would say why Redding. Many more would say that Redding is beautiful and has a lot to offer. The cost of living is drastically lower and the population is drastically lower. By many millions actually. It just sense. The one thing that some people can not handle is the summer heat. It is pretty much like Las Vegas. I have come to not mind it. Air condition everywhere and your good, just do not work outside for a living. That pretty much catches you up till now.

My Interests

My most recent interest for the last five years has been learning to trade stocks. It has become my passion and after much time and energy I have had success. I must say, it never feels like work. I have always worked because I had to. I have never enjoyed working though and until now did not understand who would ever go to work and love it. Nowadays, I get lost in technical analysis for hours and cannot wait to get back to it when I have to stop. Would I still call myself a novice? Definitely! I would however call anyone five years in...a novice. It takes much time, effort and patience just as any profession. I did not get a formal education but have put in the work. I am still learning and fine tuning my strategy but still have the fire and find happiness from it...two things that make a good trader. I aim to make it my full time job in the near future.

My Other Interests

At a young age I discovered my athletic ability and agility. I was a natural at all sports. With my height I gravitated to basketball but played many sports throughout school. To this day I enjoy working out and getting on the court or throwing the baseball around. I used to be a huge fan of watching sports, to the point of tearing up if my team won or lost a big game. I have matured over the years. My eyes were opened to the fact that all professional sports rigged. I do still enjoy watching big games, after all they are the best of the best at what they do and at times preform some incredible plays.

I too at a young age found my love for music. My family always had the radio on or played records and tapes. I have a wide variety of taste in music ranging from disco, chicano oldies, 80's electronic, old school rap to new rap, 90's grunge, rock, pop, metal, and yes...a few country and as I have gotten older...jazz. My playlist is pretty diverse. I play a little piano but my goal is to take it up more seriously and be that grandpa that plays for everyone during the holidays.

Some of my other hobbies include silver stacking, collecting trading cards, collecting sneakers and sports memorabilia. I do like to read and try to finish a different book each month. I am reading Manly P. Halls book The Secret Teachings of all Ages at the time of this writing. I find it fascinating. One other thing that I am into is quotes. I have list of over one hundred quotes in my phone and I read them every morning. As I go through life I hear these quotes come up in my mind as I interact. I feel they have enriched my life and made me a better, more positive, more productive person. I suppose I have a few more interests but that about sums me up.

What Do I Want To Get From Hive?

While I have never blogged, I am interested in meeting new people, like minded people, and people that can give me different perspectives on things ranging from from my likes to things I might not have thought I was interested in. I hope to provide the same. For instance, Avalon, California on Catalina Island. The subject of my first post. The place I know in and out and have so much love for. With my post or future posts about it someone may possibly be to temped to go one day and check it out for themselves. Other than that and to be perfectly honest and transparent, I'll take the Hive my time and efforts get me.

I going to wrap it up here on my introduction post. I look forward to where this journey in this community takes me. I will be checking in on your posts and commenting when I feel the urge. Please do the same. I will leave you with one of my favorite quotes made by a man with a very interesting past that I have the upmost respect. "Confidence is the byproduct of consistent implementation" Wes Watson

Take care!