My best friend got the attention of an Olympic Gold Medalist.

Something I really admire about my friends is that they tend to do the shit they talk about.

An idea will come up in conversation, we'll all forget about it and then, several weeks later, we'll look up to see the idea has become something much more than an idea. 

This is, ultimately, how my best friend got on the radar of one of the most decorated Gold Medalists in Winter Olympic history. 

By day Jeremy Raley works as Director of Programs at Nashville Entrepreneur Center. His job is to essentially overwhelm budding entrepreneurs with resources, education and tools so they can more easily build whatever the hell it is they're building. 

What I love about Jeremy, though, is that he's so much more than just his "job".

He's one of the most curious individuals I know and when he's not working, he's following these curiosities with an almost reckless abandon. 

A while back, he was curious about photography and so he bought a film camera and started photographing everything around him.

In less than a year, he became the most talented photographer you've never heard of. He's previously not been on Instagram (although, I just talked him into making one) and he's fairly hard to spot online. 

But, he's responsible for 75% of the photographs of my mug you see on floating around the web, as well as the photograph that ended up being the new cover of my first book of poetry and prose, One Minute, Please?

A while back, Jeremy told me that he and our mutual friend Cody Hutchins had this idea to create a rap song called "Apolo Ono".

I thought the idea was fucking stupid because:

1). Neither are "rappers"
2). Both are semi-geeky white boys
3). A rap song about a speedskater... whaaa? 

They made me eat my words. 

The past two months Jeremy and Cody have been hard at work. They wrote the damn rap song. They rapped it. They hired a producer to produce said rap song. They choreographed a dance. They rented out an ice-skating rink in Knoxville, Tennessee. And, they pulled an all-nighter filming what is now, "Apolo Ohno" (you can watch the video here).

Immediately upon its release, hundreds of people started sending the video to The Apolo Ohno. It got his attention. So much so, that he posted about the video here. 

All that to say, the greatest quality you can have is curiosity and, perhaps, the initiative to act on your curiosities. So, stay curious. Stay acting on your curiosities. Surround yourself with friends who are also curious. Surround yourself with friends who aren't afraid to act on their curiosities. And, as Apolo Ohno mentioned in his Instagram post about my boys... laugh.

Remember to laugh. 

Lastly, here's what I would like to see out of today's write-up:

1. Follow Jeremy on Instagram
2. Hire Jeremy to be creative (I'll connect you all)
3. Someone please sponsor this fucking video 

Proud of you, Jeremy and Cody. 

Cheers, 

Cole Schafer.

P.S. If someone forwarded you this newsletter and you aren't easily offended by the word "fuck", click the black button down below and subscribe. 

I tweeted this after having been ripped apart on Reddit by a small army of demons spawned from the deep, dark, fiery pits of hell because I was feeling thankful that I only had to deal with them for an evening and very sorry that they had to wake up every morning and figure out how to best tuck and conceal their red, heinous, slithering demon tails into their trousers and dresses.

Believe it or not, when I'm not writing advertising and selling courses on building a freelance business, sending out cold emails and writing words that sell like a Florida Snow Cone Vendor on the hottest day of the year... I'm writing poetry.

I've got two books out: After Her and One Minute, Please?

They're both super indie. They both have pretty small readerships. But, both are appreciated in some capacity when read from front to back.

Anyway, you should pick up a couple of copies for you, your girl or you and your girl. 

P.s. Once again, if something I ever write resonates with you, please share it via the icons down below and encourage others to subscribe here.