Transition from fitting in to STANDING out...

What's up world? I hope everyone had a blessed, happy, and productive week. I'm posting this week's blog from the 19th floor of the luxurious & lavish Pfister Hotel overlooking Lake Michigan! It is one of the most beautiful views that you can wake up to! Now if you caught last week's blog, you know that is was a slow week full of relaxation. I actually took some time to smell the flowers. However, those who know me already knew that this week would be a lot different, lol! This week was great! It was full of work, play, philanthropy, and love! So here we go.
As usual my basketball workouts were in full effect! My days began @ 5:30 am because i have so much that I want to get done. I cannot let my gym, weight room, or cardio work slip at all. I make sure that I get that in first. I am a believer that some people dream of success... while others wake up and work hard at it! Basketball is how I get paid! It is how i provide for my family and how we live the life that we do. I thank God everyday for allowing me to do that! Workouts lasted for about 4 1/2 hours! I am talking about sweat, pain, and exhaustion to the fullest! I really broke my body down this week, but don't worry a diamond is being formed!
One of the best things about working out in the morning, is that you get the rest of your day to do the things that mean so much to you. For me this is spending time with my loved ones. I got the opportunity to do that this week. My wife, Monica and I were able to do lunch together several times this week! I know that i see her everyday, but it is wonderful to be able to spend time together in a different setting than what we are accustomed to. I really tip my hat to pregnant women, especially my wife. Her body and her emotions are going through a lot of changes. I have noticed this because of our time spent in other places than our house. I mean something as simple as a 15 minute drive to a restaurant has open my eyes to a lot! First, a few weeks ago my wife didn't even have the energy to leave the house, so taking her out to lunch was great! Her walk is a little slower, her attention to detail has increased, and her appetite.... well let's just say she's eating for 2, lol (luv ya baby). So with her changes, come my adjustments. I am helping her down the steps and into the car. I find myself driving slower and being aware of everything that's happening on the highway! We went to routine doctors visit this week. Normally this is a 12-15 minute drive, but it's now a 30 minute trip! Monica's stomach is getting rounder! I don't think she realizes how great she looks! I may be the only one that can see the glow, but it is definitely there! Our little man is doing good! He is moving a lot and growing in the womb just as he is suppose to!
For this reason, I am really stepping up my entrepreneurial game. Life after basketball should be a lot more comfortable. I spent all day Tuesday doing work on my second residence. Mostly cleaning it out! If this sounds easy, you must be listening wrong, lol! There were so many things that i threw out that I should have never been keeping anyway! This was an all day job that my nephew Daryl gladly helped me with (thanks buddy)! I guess work comes easy when getting overpaid! I am just kidding D. You did an awesome job. Nevertheless we got it done and now only minor details are needed. It will be a nice place for someone to call home.
My philanthropic efforts have been in full effect as well. The JJ Miller Community Fun Day is less than a month away! I am excited and I hope that everyone comes out and enjoys the festivities. If you have not heard about it, here is the plug http://www.jj-miller.net/Events.html If you cannot make it, we are excepting donations!
Speaking of Fun, I am in Milwaukee right now having a blast!! My agent flew his clients out for a few days to workout, go over contracts, and enjoy each others company. After a long season, it is always good to get away with the guys! It has been nothing less that spectacular! I am talking about big time ballers doing some big time ballin!!! We have been VIP everywhere from the Hotel, to Harbor Cruises on Lake Michigan, to shutting down a whole floor to go jewelry shopping! I got wifey something very lovely (good looking out HG). The nightlife has also been cool. Those who know me know that I don't get out to the clubs very often. However, these have been classy spots where VIP status allows us to chill! The weekend would not have been complete, without getting some of the best basketball players in the world in the gym together! So of course we mixed it up for a couple of hours! The games started off friendly but before we knew it the competitive drives came into play! You already know how I was getting down, lol! But let me be clear, Higher Vision Sports Agency represents the cream of the crop in international basketball! I am talking about Marcus Brown, Mire Chatman, Desmond Mallet, Dewarrick Spencer, Bernard King, J.R. Bremer, Willie Deane, and of course J.J. Miller just to name a few! Real talk, HVM sports is more than just an agency. It is a family and I truly believe that's why we are so successful! I really feel like I am at a time in my life, where the highest level is within reach. It is time to not just be among the best, but to be the best! Sort of like, transitioning from fitting in to standing out! God willing this will come to be. So as you can see, it was a great week full of what my life is all about.
Before I go, I want to congratulate my homeboy Rasheed Wright for winning a french championship. That is huge homie and it is something that no one can take from you. Enjoy it because you deserve!! Last, I just want to say R.I.P Michael Jackson. The greatest entertainer that I have ever seen died this week at the age of 50. You will be missed but never forgotten!
As always i hope you enjoyed the blog, pictures are coming soon, and please remember to EXCEED EXPECTATIONS!

Business As Usual

Hello everybody,
I hope everyone had an excellent week! As I sit here watching re-run episodes of the Cosby Show, I must say that it was a great week. I finally got back into my summer groove and my schedule is now manageable. I finally got a full week of workouts in and I already feel that next season is going to be better than the last! Now it is time to push the bar!!
You know I really love weeks like this week because I had some time to actually enjoy life! So many times we let the hustle and bustle of our everyday lives rob us of the simple joys that we are all blessed with! I mean I was on the golf course and the sun was setting on what had been an unbelievably nice day and I saw 8 dear all around the green of the 9th hole. Normally, this is not a big deal because growing up in Chinquapin NC means that you practically live with deer, lol. But I teed up my ball and went to line up for my target when I saw Rudolph and the gang looking absolutely perfect in the setting sun beams. It was an amazing sight to see.
Oh yeh, and let me clarify one thing. By know means am I a golfer, lol! I actually like to say that I go hit some golf balls instead of saying that I play. However, I am getting better!!(Willie, Nyk, Ken, & Rodney) I was able to get on the course twice this week!
I have to take a little time to say congratulations to my good friend Marque Carrington who got married today! The wedding was absolutely beautiful! I think Que was crying but I don't want to put him on blast, lol!! Now when talking about weddings you must know that they are almost always preceded by the bachelor party!! You know, the last night for the soon to be husband to have a good time with his homeboys! I am happy to say that me and some of my college teammates and buddies got together last night. We had a blast to say the least! Shout out to Marque, Shaun, Torrie, Jermaine, Jeremy, Tarrell, & everybody else that helped us enjoy a great night!
Well that's about it for this week. The family is doing well and life is good in the hood! If there is one thing that I have attained from this week, it's that taken time to smell the flowers makes the trip a lot better! I am signing off, and as always I want you to Exceed Expectations. But remember to keep your eyes open so that you can enjoy the journey!

Back on My Grind

What's up everybody? I hope that you are in good health and spirits when you read this. I am sitting here typing in a somewhat fatigued manner. It has been a busy week to say the least! A little bit of everything went down this week from my charitable efforts, to contract discussions(interests), to bigtime baby news! So here it goes.
This past weekend I was able to sit down with our foundation's board team and get some really good things accomplished. I was up late last Friday night putting together the finishing touches of my meeting address. I wanted to make sure that things ran as efficient as possible. I am happy to say that it was a success, and that the JJ Miller Community Fun Day is well on its way to being even better than last year's event. We also had a chance to grab some great food from the buffet line at Small Town's Calabash Seafood Restaurant (Delicious stuff). I could have eaten all day but then nothing would have gotten done. Anyway, I want to quickly thank our Board Team.
Speaking of teams, I had a chance to speak briefly with my agent, Mr. Craig Mckenzie of Higher Vision Sports Amg. He had some really good things to tell me about possible countries and teams that I may play for next season. I am not at liberty to mention the exact names of these teams (i am sure you guys understand), but I will say that France, Italy, Spain, Lithuania, and Turkey are all in my sights for next season. I know... I know... that is pretty broad, but believe me when i say that as soon as we narrow things down a bit I will let you know, lol. This business is crazy sometimes.
And as for business, I also had an opportunity to attend a business luncheon where multi-million dollar CEO Floyd Williams was speaking. My lovely Aunt invited me to sit in and listen to some interesting investment ideas and ownership opportunities of what I think may be very beneficial to my career after basketball. Its funny how here in the south everybody loves sweet tea, right. However, in this luncheon that was held at the prestigious Prestonwood Country Clubhouse, there were elegant glasses full of unsweetened tea!!! I mean do rich people not like Sweet Tea?? I was a bit reluctant and uncomfortable to add the sugar to the tea right there at the table, but I wanted some sweet tea. So y'all know what i did, LOL!! Besides, it doesn't matter how much money you have if your not comfortable right? Plus i got money too :)
Now how do I earn my money? On the basketball court! Which is why i got back to my workouts on Monday. Let me just tell that my body is sore and has been sore since Tuesday morning, and will probably continue to be sore throughout the weekend. This is a small price to pay to be the best. I have to dig deeper, push farther, and work harder than everybody else. We are EXCEEDING EXPECTATIONS over here baby!! I hit the weights on Monday for a little over an hour, followed by drillwork in the gym for about an hour and a half, some conditioning, poolwork, and stretching! This goes on all week long! However it is Friday and now I get 2 days off, lol.
NOW TO THE REAL NEWS!! Monica and I attended our first prenatal visit here in the states on Thursday. We received news that caused us both to be a little concerned. The baby is completely healthy, however we found that Monica may have an incompetent cervix. We were immediately sent to a specialist for some more test. We arrived at the office in Wake Medical Center and got the answers we needed! As it turns out Monica's cervix was shortening and she needed to have a cerclage. Now, I was very in tune with what was going on. As soon as the doctor said that there was no real risk to Monica, we both elected to have the surgery. So early this morning around 4 am, I was up and at it. I was getting Monica situated, Prince settled and we were in the Day Surgery office at the hospital by 530am. Needless to say, my mother -in-law beat us there even though she had to travel for an additional hour and forty five minutes to get to the same place!!! Anyway, the surgery was performed and everything went well!! Monica will be on bed rest for a while, which means that all the duties fall squarely on my back. I know... bummer right!! But it's cool. I can handle it! The better news, however, is that because we had to get these special test ran, we were able to find out the sex of the baby!! Can you guys guess what it is????? Don't worry I am going to tell you. ITS A BOY!!!!!!!!! WHEEEWWEEEE!!! I was so excited!! I don't want it to seem as if it had been a girl that I would have been disappointed. But when I heard that it was a boy I could have done a back flip!!! haha
So listen I am sorry for the lengthy posting this time, but I had a serious week full of emotions (anxiety, excitement, joy, fear, pride, etc.). So as i close this week's post and get ready to head to the gym for the last workout of the week, I want to thank you for stopping by and sharing in my life's normal adventures. Please keep me and my family in your PRAYERS! and always remember to EXCEED EXPECTATIONS!

Another Completed Chapter

OK, it is not Friday but I am a week behind. So here is a midweek posting that will probably not happen too often. I have been home for almost 2 weeks now. The first week being home has been a complete blur. So many things to do and people to see. For some reason, I try to cram everything into the first three days. Day #1 see family; Day # 2 shopping; Day #3 housework. Needless to say it never plays out that way.
Family has been great. Saw my mother as well as my 2 older twin brothers Jermel and Jermaine. They have not changed at all and they are still treating me like the baby of the family!!! I also kicked it with my in-laws who took it upon themselves to stay with us for our first weekend back! We really enjoyed them so it was no problem at all. Unfortunately, my mom has been ill so i had to rush her to the doctor the day after I landed in Raleigh!! We managed to get things under control but we are not out of the water yet with that situation (more to come). Monica and I also took our nieces and nephews to eat some Japanese food! This was so hilarious!! The chef was doing his normal tricks and my nephew Jalen was switching back and forth from being interested to frightened every 2 minutes, lol. During this whole time of ripping and running, shaking and baking, Monica tells me that the baby did not want to be left out, so He or she seemed to take cue from us and has been moving around in mommy's belly like crazy! This has gotten me really excited, even though I can't feel a thing!! Finally, I've had a chance to settle down and put the past season in Leuven in perspective.
I have to be honest. I am happy with the way the season went both on and off the floor. For those of you who are not familiar with Basket Groot Leuven and what was accomplished this year, here is a little rundown. We made the playoffs for the first time in the team's history, and we did it in somewhat of a dramatic fashion. We beat one of the leagues more prominent teams (especially $budget$ wise) in the last game of the regular season. We clinched a playoff birth and sent them packing (or as we say "fishing")! I played a vital role in our team's success.I was extremely happy to receive BGL MVP! It was a very gratifying experience to say the least, because I really worked so hard to achieve the goals that i set for myself and that the club set for the team. I recall speaking with the GM back in August and Tony said, "The reason that we signed you was so that Leuven could get in the playoffs." I looked him square in the face and said "ok no problem." I will be honest. It was not easy. We had some ups and downs, but I stayed with it and so did my teammates! It felt great to shake his hand after the last regular season game and say "Mission Accomplished." As for the off the court aspect of Leuven, it was absolutely great. I must say that the BGL fans are some of the best fans that I have ever experienced. It was awesome to play in front of them night in and night out! Monica and I were able to build some wonderful relationships with friends that we will always be in contact with! I am actually looking forward to spending time in Spain with a couple that I consider to be my extended family :)
So as I look back on the 2008-2009 season, I have to say that it was a great experience that has allowed me to grow into an even better person and player. At this point, I don't know exactly where i will be next year, but I want to Thank BGL for setting the bar pretty high!!
Thanks a lot for checking out the blog and always remember to EXCEED EXPECTATIONS!

Why a blog?

Why blog? Good question. The answer is simple. For my people. My people who miss so much of my life because of the travel that my career demands! I am in Europe for 10 out of 12 months of the calendar year and I feel that my family, friends, youth foundation, and extended friends in Europe miss out on too much of my life. It has been said that life is very short, so we should do everything we can to spend it with the people we love and care about. This is a small attempt to do just that.
So here it is: Exceeding Expectations!! I'll be honest. I wanted to have a catchy title. I am not sure that this is catchy, but I do think it encompasses the past, present, and hopefully future lifestyle of JJ Miller.
Aight, every Friday(God willing) there will be a posting about what's going on in MillerWorld. Day to day things, workouts, contract negotiations, marriage life, AND THE MUCH ANTICIPATED ARRIVAL OF MY NEW BABY BOY OR GIRL!! Hope you enjoy and I look forward to your comments and thoughts on what's going on!