Athletics, music, writing, photography (both sides of the camera), building my company, and finding new interests.
music and sports
Music Video
Music
Any music as long as it's good. Be real, all rap ain't tight. Prince and Micheal Jackson, Johnny Cash, alot of the local talent right here in Az, AC/DC, Van Halen, The Beatles, George Clinton (Parliment, Funkadelic), James Brown, Ray Charles, the Smooth Jazz station, Reggae, Rogers & Hammerstein, Scott Joplin, Ska Punk cover songs, true old school R&B (Al Green and that era), and alot of the artists right here on myspace.com.
My Diet?
I get asked about my diet, so I thought I would share:
Nothing fried, no fast foods, no soda, and occasional alcohol, which means once or twice per month. I eat more meals in smaller portions, almost snack sizes. After the gym, I prepare a protien shake blended with bananas for potassium, and strawberries. It can be mixed with water, but I use 2% milk and even yogurt.
I am big on salads and will again mix yogurt with ranch for a dressing.
Find good fatty foods to eat, Peanuts are a good example of such.
as with all disciplines, rewards are necessary, but try not to overindulge in sweets or alcohol, just because it has been awhile.
Find foods that are good for everyone in the house so you aren't tempted by kids cereals and snacks.
I like chicken, fish and shrimp, next to rice or steamed veggies.
I do enjoy a steak every so often, but will replace most red meat meals with Turkey instead.
I don't kill myself or starve myself, deprivation is no way to live. This is a fairly lax diet, but coupled with a firm grasp on fitness, you may see results in yourself that will give you confidence to keep pushing forward.
Here is a letter sent from a reader of this section: "i was scrolling through your page one day simply because you caught my eye. i was reading a few things on your page and i noticed that you had several things about your eating habits and exercises that you do. i took the initiative to print it out and try for 1 month just to see if it would work for me. well lets just say i dropped 20 pounds in the first 2 weeks. now when i started exercising i must say i was cursing and having a fit but i kept doing it. i just want to say im addicted to the gym and my workouts arent as severe and hectic as yours but i must say the idea of doing crunches for every tv commercial that comes on. well i can tell you i have abs developing and im happy and healthier thank you. im going to upgrade my picture on my page when i reach my goal weight. so thank you so much. lol" and that's what it's all about...
Keep in mind, we are all different in body type and activity level, so find what works for you, this is just what happens to work for me. Good Luck and Bon apetite!
Movies
The kind that make you think about nothing else while you're watching it.
Fitness
I am not a trainer so please take this loosely and consult with someone trained before starting a physical routine. I am asked about what I do, and this is what has worked for me:
Abs: I do no less than 500 crunches or some variation of an Abdominal exercise everyday. The TV routine, do 20 crunches for EVERY commercial that comes on while watching TV. After an hour or so, you are either wanting that TV off, or are too exhausted to turn it off!
Cardio: I ride the bike in the gym on a 5 minute whirlwind. Starting at level 4 0r 5, I get over 115 rpms, and for every minute that goes by, I go up a level, maintaining that 115 rpms. I will do this for 5 minutes and then do a few minutes of cool down on the bike as well. It's a tough 5 minutes, you may want to try to start lower levels, and lower rpms. I generally run short sprints rather than long distances, being that is what I have found myself to be cut out for. 10 x 100 and build speed with each sprint. Jumproping is my new challenge and it is a great exercise, ask any boxer!
Weigh training: I couple the muscles that compliment each other for example: Monday-Chest and Tricep. Tuesday-Back and Bi-ceps. Wednesday-Shoulders and Neck. Thursday-Quads, Hamstrings and Calves. When that cycle has passed, I strat over on Friday doing a seven day a week gym schedule. Not everyone can accomodate that, so again, please find what works for you.
Stretching is important. When jogging, warm up first, get a good and complete stretch before going on to the meat of your routine.
Here's to good health!
Television
Family Guy, UFC, It takes a thief, most sports on any channel especially in the Playoffs, Discovery channel, History Channel, Law & Order, those actual factual forensic crime shows, Documentaries...
Books
Anything my daughter who is learning to read is able to read to me!
Heroes
Bring out the hero in you and this section won't be necessary...
About me: The other day I received a reply email to a casting call I had sent out, the message read
“who is this?” Well, my name is vincent alfonzo jamal , aspiring model/actor, one time touted rap artist, current Semi Pro football player, budding author and fulltime father.
About a year ago the football league that I play for, honored me with their “Man of the Year” award. It was given to me for the work I had done in the community, not as the MVP of the league as a player. My metamorphosis started in the summer of 2005, starting with the Kids Camps, I began working with Gatorade and the Arizona Cardinals. It left me with a good feeling and from there, expanded into working as a ref for youth flag football in a charter schools league. That summer I took co-ownership of my team, the Phoenix Raiders, and began to make it a priority to give community service. Blood drives, clothing, toy, and money donations to the St. Mary’s food bank and the UMOM family crisis center. Visits to elementary schools to hang with the kids and give them the same sound advise their teachers do, but sometimes from a fresh perspective. Autographs, pictures and a whole lot of inquiries about my blown out afro make for a fun day where answering questions with a mixed in message complete a much needed mission one day at a time. As for the actual football playing? In the last 5 seasons, I have played:
Wide Receiver, Cornerback, Kick Return, Punt Return, Free Safety, Strong Safety, Middle Linebacker, Tight End, Half Back, Full Back, and yes, Quarterback. I’ve been black and blue playing for the black and silver…
Somehow the award has drawn a positive attention that I really never had imagined. A local photographer, David Bernie, had shown an interest in shooting me as a new look to his portfolio, which has sparked a larger interest from others in the industry around the country. In the last few months, I have: been to casting calls, agencies, tv sets as an extra, met tv stars, booked travel plans, cancelled those same plans etc etc etc. I’ve basically been exposed to a fast paced and demanding environment where plans are subject to change from one minute to the next. The exposure as it has come is a blessing for an average joe as I like to call myself.
One of the auditions I went to was for a local tv show to be shot here in Arizona. The script was very much akin to a character I had started writing on just as a creative outlet named SL8r. The casting crew and I hit it off and they became interested in my character as well to shoot for a series of short films. This has sense fired up my passion for writing, which I have slowly been fanning these flames over the past five years, writing a book on my life, “Bastard Like Me.” It really started out as some sort of journal for my daughter to better know her father for who he was before time made the details and stories too foggy to understand. I’ve always said that everybody has a story to tell and in some senses, mine may not be the most interesting, but I do believe that readers can find and appreciate the stories I do tell. The book may never reach the shelves, I may just keep writing it as a kind of therapy and outlet. Whatever your gift is, keep using it, for you were given it for a reason.
Even when I take a hiatus from the book writing, I manage to stay in touch with my original pen, writing lyrics. I guess you would say it’s hip hop or rap as that’s where it ends up as a recording, but the words, I like to believe, in any artists eyes, can transcend the pigeonholes and labels we often put on music, and more importantly, we often put on ourselves, the quickest way to stunt our artistic growth.
A few years ago, I was sought after by a major record label who had been showing a concentrated interest in my music. They had made the arrangements to fly me to meet the reps until the all mighty question of my age came into play. I guess if you’re not under 21, then you are obsolete in the business, and the courting was over. But like I’ve said, the gift and talent has to be used, even if you never make the big stages or dollars, I’m rich for sharing with those who have mattered in my life.
If nothing else, I like the influence that it takes over my daughter, and that in her young life she has become free in her artistic expressions. Aside from the encouragement I give her, I think that the actual demonstration of doing will last with her much longer. She sees the team sport I play and is now interested in playing sports, as well as the individual drive she possesses within to keep pushing her little legs when we are taking our bike rides. In no way is she pushed into one thing or another, but I do believe a well rounded person will allow themselves greater successes by connecting with a greater base of people. And so dad, who wasn’t very good in Spanish, now quizzes his “kiddo” in numbers and colors on a bilingual platform. We ride in the car and touch on every kind of music from Country to disco to smooth jazz, classic rock, old R&B to hip hop and classical. This is my everyday, top priority job.
I do have some online shops, www.inkwear.spreadshirt.com, www.maink.com, that I have posted and am trying to make work, along with a gig as a budding freelance writer on www.helium.com/user/show/60264
I worked as a laborer for 10 years in a warehouse as a way to escape the homeless lifestyle that I had been living as a young man, but that’s another story for the book, “Bastard Like Me.” Excerpts of this book and the introduction to SL8r can be found in my blogs at www.myspace.com/vincentalfonzojamal
I am dead serious about my physical condition, but am not a Meathead or a Gymrat. No steroids, supplements, shortcuts, or excuses. Self made from the ground up, I do things the hard way and I love it. I'm 100% natural and have coined the phrase "Working As Advertised".
To answer the reply on “Who is this?” from the casting email isn’t quite as simple as I’d like it to be, but the story is here to be told. Businessman, Athlete, Father, not in that order but all wrapped into one. My keys to success are the ability to use my gains to enable the community service to continue to flourish while continuing to be the best role model for my daughter I can.
Who I'd like to meet: Anybody, we can all learn something from someone. I like to network and get to know people and what they do, as well as let them know what I do.......
Spider-Man
Spider-Man
100%
Hulk
100%
Catwoman
85%
The Flash
80%
Green Lantern
80%
Iron Man
80%
Robin
70%
Superman
60%
Batman
60%
Wonder Woman
60%
Supergirl
40%
You are intelligent, witty, a bit geeky and have great power and responsibility.
Vincent, Longtime no speak. I hope that all is well with you. Everything is good on this end. I'm almost finished with my comedy so I'm pretty happy ;-). Have a great week. shanna yvette
