Adrianna
Backpacking "A man who dares to waste an hour of time has not discovered the value of life." - Charles Darwin
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Table of Contents Side Chats: Ode Omar- 7 Scallops in the Suite / Ode Omar feat. Eugene Woodz - 10 Where to Next?- 11 By Karina Ramirez
Time is of the Essence - 13 By Marcus L. Craig
A Job Doesn't Equal Happiness - 17 By Jeremiah Valentine
Distractions - 19 By Jeremiah Valentine
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Side Chats: Ode Omar Several artists use stage names for their careers. What is the story behind using the name Ode Omar? Ode Omar actually was the third name I came up with, kind of. It started with Myspace; my rap name was "Clyde." I wanted a one-word name. Like Drake, I was a big drake fan during High school at the time, but it quickly became a name I grew to not like. Next, it was Hurt Moss. A name that actually was generated by PlayStation Network, lol. I had that name for a bit while joining the navy. But then I got more into neo-soul and had always been an oldies fan and gravitated toward an Artist name Iman Omari. Then I also was a poet for an extended period (I still am). Ode means "a lyric poem, typically one in the form of an address to a particular subject, written in varied or irregular meter," so I put the two together. I got "Ode Omar" pronounced Oh-day Oh-mar... just to make it catchy. From your point of view, can you describe to us your creative style? My style is eccentric, colorful, ever-changing, but meticulous. I go into every project with a concept or story I want to portray. So my style is really for free-thinking people that may want to get ratchet once in a while in the humblest way possible. My style is influenced by New York / east coast boom bap golden area music, so you will hear that in my music many times, but I still change it too.
Many artists have followed successful artists where they transition into a brand. And their music becomes the foundation of that brand. Do you intend to go that route later in the future? That is a great question. The answer is yes. I advise anyone that wants to take this route to Look at Jay-Z's and The Alchemist's careers. They transformed themselves and their business in a way that transcended their age, impacting their generation and those after them. They found a way to market themselves so that their name or the name of their businesses make money for them. It's outstanding! With that, what artist do you feel like you look up to the most; regarding either their music or how their career has unfolded? Dang, I should've looked at this question before answering question 3 thoroughly, but again The Alchemist is someone I look up to. He created so many hits as a producer that now he can sell shirts and vinyl and produce movie soundtracks while collaborating with an artist for an album. He has shown me that the producer can take the light instead of the artist in a project. "The Price of Tea in China" isn't just a Boldy James Album... It's a The Alchemist & Boldy James album, which speaks volumes of what producers can do in the industry with the right drive and understanding of your sound.
Artists frequently have merchandise drops to expand their reach. Is that something that has been in the back of your mind? I really want to move into hats and vinyl. I've always been a hat guy, and vinyl is recently becoming popular. I also would love for a DJ to spin my vinyl and remix it, and then my music will live on through other people that seek that classic sound. Would you consider separating from the Navy if your entertainment career took off? I would; definitely. F%$# this Navy. Nah, for real appreciate every experience I got from the navy, including the locations I've gotten to see. 23 countries in 6 years... who else gets to do that unless you are like work for an airline or something of that sort. Each country's different cultures have influenced my music, but I'd gladly give it up for the love of music.
Check Out the Spotify of Ode Omar Here!
As part of our continued efforts to showcase rising veteran creatives and entrepreneurs, we wanted to shout out U.S. Navy veteran Daveon Fitzgerald (aka Ode Omar) and his new single, Scallops in the Suite, featuring Eugene Woodz. Click here for his new single brought to you through Apple Music.
WHERE TO NEXT? THE 5 PLACES ON MY LIST Written by Karina Ramirez
With restrictions lifting and vaccines more readily available, planning trips is fun again. These 5 countries have been on my mind for some time now. Some I plan to go to seek adventure, others just seeking some much-needed luxury. 1. Costa Rica – a country with a rich culture and the most stunning national parks; Costa Rica is at the top of my list. I'm looking at staying at the Oxygen Jungle Villa, an incredible place with glass walls and surrounded by the jungle. Many COVID restrictions will drop by April 1, 2022, but vaccines are strongly encouraged. 2. Norway – As of February 12, 2022, Norway has lifted all COVID entry requirements. I'm looking for luxury in Norway; the first stop is Under. An underwater restaurant in the southern part of the country. Room for 100 guests and an 18-course tasting menu, I can't wait to get a table here. After dinner, why not spend the night at the Lindesnes Lighthouse? Just imagine the views of the sea.
3. Japan – While still currently locked to tourists, Japan's reopening is coming. On March 1, 2022, business travelers and students are slowly being allowed in. Until then, I will daydream about the Attack on Titan attraction at Universal Studios Japan.
4. Ghana – Entry by land and sea has been locked since the pandemic, but international flights are open to Ghana. Of course, seeing the beautiful beaches are on my list, but there's so much more than the coastline. Mole National Park would be a must for me. It is home to elephants, buffalo, leopards & 300+ bird species.
5. Antarctica – This trip is the only one on this list that is booked and ready. January 2023, I will step foot on this continent! It was a pricey trip, but I think the penguins alone will be worth it. If you're thinking about Antarctica, I highly recommend booking 1 year in advance.
Time is of the Essence
Written by Marcus Craig
Our concept of time is immensely precious. You cannot buy more of it, however, you can surely sell it. So much of it is controlled or influenced by circumstance and events beyond much of our control; think back to your childhood and how much of that time was influenced by both parents and to some extension, your family. Time even becomes more expensive. Not from the context of price but from the opportunities you take or lack thereof and the consequences based on your decisions. It’s easy to get distracted by the items, people, and activity around you. A number of us, including myself oftentimes become attached to the content on our that we’ve lost the kind of high-level focus other tasks require. But I often feel as though the Navy supplies its own distractions; for better or for worse. There is nobility in a number of things that may stray your focus. Items such as necessary and mandatory training cycles, the research and preparations for real-world events (both foreign and domestic), and even the dynamics, though petty at times outside and inside your division. When reflected upon, the distractions have and always will come back to the importance of time. Circling back to my time in the Navy, I could not tell you the countless time that I genuinely felt that my time could have been better served being a part of something that wasn’t staring me in the face. In those nine years, the time was affected by Chain-ofCommand decisions where the context was out of my vision.
Or, several times, the time was mismanaged by the vast amount of pride, ego, selfishness, and pretentiousness that permeates throughout the Navy to this day. But having my daughter, Adrianna didn't just change how my time was spent. Adrianna, though not through her own control, forced me to reflect on the importance and context in which my time was spent. The most immediate effect was felt through the significance of my position. I wasn’t just her father; I was her dad. In the spirit of parenting, any real parent understands the clear difference between the two. The difference lies in the context of time. You see, a father’s time was genuinely at the time when he had helped conceive a child, to begin with. Whereas a true dad is where the significance of time shows itself. A father aided in making the child; while a dad uses his time to raise, foster, and appreciate their child (or someone else's). It’s the respect of time that is the difference. Respect for anything can be the whole difference in so many ways and so many occasions. People wisely say that having g a child and raising that child will change your life. With that, my biggest takeaway from having Adrianna was the immediate reflection of how much I respected time. Even though I had to job to do, every time I had to leave Adrianna to go on forward-deployed patrols through the Baltic, Black, and Mediterranean Seas, there was an invisible pressure to make the most out of the patrol; professionally or otherwise. Professionally, it was time to dial into my vision of becoming an entrepreneur. These first actions would lay the bedrock for creating the Adrianna Media brand. But it didn't stop there because when you're ready to change genuinely, it causes you to reflect on the past, better frame your present, and plan your future. To add more color, I have to convey one of my biggest fears. Being an older man and looking back at all the time that had gone by and then reflect that I could have done more and that I could have done better.
That notion has been of the biggest fears I’ve had over the past 15+ years but it also drives me to constantly reflect on where I’m at personally and professionally. And Adrianna has made me more sensitive to these thoughts. While growing the exposure and readership of the Adrianna Media brand, definitive decisions had to be made. Because the Navy, along with the other branches, is often a contractual obligation, and a decision needs to be made. When I was on ships I served aboard, one of the most popular items to discuss was getting out. While those discussions occurred, personnel always wanted everyone to stay, regardless of other plans that people had going on. The two significant things regarding myself were, first, seeing my daughter without the operational constraints of the Navy. The second item gave me the time and a much better opportunity to grow, network, and operate the company itself. By the Autumn of ‘21, my decision came into fulfillment. I was out of the Navy, all the while working with both veterans and personnel still in an active-duty status. But the time has all been worthwhile as respecting time was my biggest takeaway. Why shouldn’t it be? Time is of the essence.
It's Not About You is available on Amazon, and Dreams of You debuts on December 31, 2021. Follow U.S. Navy Veteran Author, Jeremiah Valentine here on IG. Exclusive content is available here on SubStack.
A Job doesn’t = Happiness Written by Jeremiah Valentine Growing up, you met people who were excited to go to work. Some people love their job. I admire every soul that loves work. But, one thing I learned in the military is your job isn’t going to make you happy. I used to walk into work every day, dreading the work that needed to be done when I was in the military. And every day I left the brow of USS ROSS, where I spent over three years of my life; I felt relief that the day was over and I could start on what I really love. Everyone gets caught up in the daily grind. Coffee, traffic, work, traffic, and getting home to destress from your work that day. Most people don’t achieve happiness from their job. Because they don’t take time to find what they are passionate about. I am a writer, love to run, practice yoga most days, journal every day, find an article to read every day, listen to podcasts every morning, am passionate about watches, and am editing my first novel. All these passions I have, have nothing to do with my job. They allow you to live outside what you currently do for money. There are days when it is difficult for me to pursue them because I am exhausted. I don’t ask myself whether I have time. I know the pursuit is the only thing I can continue when I do.
When I was in college, I met a girl who loved working out. She never looked at her time at the gym as an obstacle. Instead, she made the gym a part of her everyday life. Likewise, I make my hobbies a part of my life, and that is how I am happy regardless of what happens at work.
For more content from veteran author, Jeremiah Valentine, visit his SubStack here. More content is already on the way.
Distractions
Written by Jeremiah Valentine I am transitioning out of the military in a few months. And I have never been more prepared for the next step of my life ever. I have been on vacation for a few weeks. I make the most of my time off. Every morning I wake up for breakfast, drink some coffee, work out and start working on my next book. It is a privilege to have something that truly fulfills you. But today, I am not going to talk about that. With that, I want to talk about distractions. The morning I aspire to have isn’t always possible. In the military, you constantly have to make adjustments to your plan. I have adopted that mentality. How often have you prepared for success only to be exhausted trying to get there? I have many times. Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, mobile games, video games are all designed to waste your time. They are all designed to keep you engaged with a constantly working device. It is all a distraction.
We have this culture where we admire billionaires, celebrities, entrepreneurs, artists. We idolize their accomplishments and actions. We hang on to their every word. We dream of meeting them one day, believing our lives will be complete if we spend 15 minutes with them. They are all flesh and blood. The difference between an underachieving athlete and Stephen Curry is simple. Stephen understands that if you want to be the best, you must train harder than the rest. To be successful, you must work harder than your peers. There are many distractions in this world waiting for you to sit down on a lazy boy and participate. Or you can go out and achieve your dreams, leaving the notifications off. Plans are meant to be fulfilled, not chased.
Thank you for reading.
Special Thanks
Adrianna Craig-Lopez Jessica Jaral Daveon Fitzgerald Karina Ramirez Jeremiah Valentine Jenna Carlton Elkordy Global Strategies
Disclaimer The Founder and personnel associated with Adrianna magazine are not certified/registered financial professionals. Additionally, Adrianna Group, LLC is not a registered/licensed financial institution within the United States, its territories, or other jurisdictions. All information and views provided via this magazine and its related businesses are for entertainment purposes only. The company, its Founder, and associated personnel are not liable for the investment performance of any asset. Accordingly, investment performance may differ from one individual or group to another. Individuals are encouraged to conduct their research. Consult with a registered investment advisor (RIA) for your investment needs. The opinions and commentary of our website, podcast, and parent company do not reflect any official policy of the U.S. government or its entities to include the U.S. military or any of their personnel.
