perhaps its bad form to point out the flaws, but you lose the strengths of doing anything only sparingly, and writing is no different. Grammatically incorrect and structurally derp, please forgive the way its presented and just take the message...
Today is an important day in the life of one d$. It was on this day in 1998 that I moved to Birmingham, Alabama. I knew no one, I had no church, I didn't know my way around... but I chose B'Ham.
Why, you ask? Well, my original intent was Mobile, a city that I still think is cool. My other options were Atlanta and Nashville, because I'm more of a city guy... or was when I was 23 anyway. But job offers had not come from Mobile, but I did get one job offer from Birmingham, at a little place called Designers International.
Now, if I could go back, there are a number of things I would tell 23 year old d$ to consider before shaking Rob Zuckert's hand and agreeing to work for this company.
First, what will I be doing? The answer ended up being going door to door, store to store, parking lot to parking lot, selling knock off perfume out of a box.
Next, ask what my starting salary would be... The perfume was $22 a bottle, so anything price I got beyond the $22 was mine to keep. My first week in Birmingham, I made $7. I wish I were kidding...
Finally, ask where the door was so I could leave... this was a disaster, but that's another post.
No, the main reason I moved to Birmingham was for a girl named Amy Wible, because I thought we'd go out. When the girl you dig says "Move here and we can see each other!", you move. Or I did. As it turns out, we actually didn't see each other for another 2 years, but that is also another story.
But, this day in history... my friends Allysong, Shelby, Eddie, Troy Mac, Claire and a few others helped me load my stuff into my car and into another, and we drove to Birmingham together to unload it into my new, $435 per month loft at Carousel Apartments on Lorna Road. My friends were so cool, in fact, that we drove back to Troy, loaded up the rest of it and came back... the guys spent the night with me, the girls with Allysong (who was from Alabaster, a Birmingham suburb), and early the next day, they drove back to Troy, Alabama. Without me. I was on my own.
My dream, besides working at Designer International, was to catch on a radio station and maybe be behind the mic... after all, I did it for 3 years in college, so this can't be hard, right? Or maybe work at a TV station, first in production and then perhaps, who knows, in front of the camera?
It's been 18 years since my dreams of my two years in Birmingham would surely spill into a great job in Nashville, TN, or maybe over in Atlanta, maybe with Amy, maybe not. Or maybe I'd just move to New York City for a year or so... but first, let me spend two years here, get settled, pay off some debt and then pack up and move on.
But a funny thing happened on the way to 2016.
I met a guy named Michael and ended up moving to Pinebrook Apartments with he and Shawn and Big Tom Johnson. Then we moved to Briarberry Circle and founded The Deuce.
I joined Valleydale Baptist Church, now known as Valleydale Church (an sbc fellowship), my first -- and only -- church membership. I'm still there, despite all the changes.
I met Stephanie Campbell in our college & career group at church, and thought she was the cutest thing ever.
I got a job as a temp at Parisian Corporate, which turned into a full time sales assistant job.
I worked at a radio station as a sales assistant, and realized I didn't want to do radio as a career.
I worked at the local NBC station, again as a sales assistant, and realized it was the worst job I'd ever had.
I worked at a movie theater and learned that many high school students are lazy. But many work hard.
I reconnected with Amy and realized she wasn't the one for me (and she knew I wasn't the one for her)
I worked at Starbucks because I decided I would pay off my debts and save up for a ring because I really, really liked that cute girl named Stephanie Campbell.
I worked at The Disney Store and it confirmed my love of all things Disney. And I realized that yes, you can have a complete broken heart when the job ends.
I worked at Starbucks again and realized, maybe years too late, it wasn't my life's goal.
I worked at Alabama Power, to help clear my head of Starbucks.
And then I became a full time travel planner.
I've been a ticket tearer, a perfume pimper, a make-salespeople-look-good'er, a barista, a shift supervisor, an assistant manager, a manager, a barista, a shift supervisor, an assistant manager, a shift supervisor, a Cast Member, an engineering contractor (!) and finally, a travel planner.
'
I helped start a podcast with some of my best friends, my Deucemates... I've been close to my Sunday Scho... er, Life Connec... uh, Life Gro... that group on Sunday mornings for over 10 years now... I've reconnected with my BFF Best Mate Wookiee after a few years apart... I've reconnected with my worst first date ever, Ginny Kochan... I've become friends with reality stars like Brooke from The Bachelor, now on NBC, and been put into the Million Dollar Hold by WWE Hall of Famer Million Dollar Man Ted DiBiase... I joined the cult of Jon Acuff, and three years later, I can say names like "Clay Shaver" and "Rick TOOOOLIE" and "Debra Henessy" and "Liz Clark" as some of my favorite people on the planet, people that help push me to what I'm doing now...
In 18 years, I've written 1000+ blog posts... traveled the East Coast... watched 1000s of movies... read 100s of books... been to Disney World countless times, and even did the "four parks in one day" thing twice (while doing the water parks too, for a 6 parks in one day trip) and accomplished 50 attractions in 24 hours...
In 18 years, I got married to the cutest thing ever, The Lovely Steph Leann... we had Campbell Isaiah, who is the most amazing kid I know... lost both of the people who raised me, but gained a mom who'd let me go 36 years ago... we paid off debt, we bought a house, we bought a brand new car...
And if I had moved to Mobile... I would have never had The Deuce... I would have never found Valleydale, and thusly never met The Lovely Steph Leann... I might've never met Clay Shaver or Liz Clark... Wookiee may have never come to see me in Mobile, so we would have been another case of "best buds in college, but lost touch over the years"... my life would be different.
Maybe worse, maybe just a lateral move in quality (I mean, who's to say that I wouldn't be talking about my life in Mobile, wondering what life would have been like had I moved to Birmingham instead?) but...
but... I like it like this. For what was supposed to be a two year stop in Birmingham before moving to bigger and better... I somehow found my bigger and better right here.
Two years becomes 18, and 18 will likely become 25 and beyond.
Here's to the next 18.
Showing posts with label Troy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Troy. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 24, 2016
Thursday, June 11, 2015
write up to now
So, a month and some change later, here is the end of this story...
The Story of My Write, the 1000th post is Here...
Write On Through High School (Part Two) is Here...
Write On Through the Dry Spell (Part Three) is here...
May was so uber busy for me, much of it is a blur. Not only did I finish up and send off about 9 families to Disney World and Universal Studios, but in the last week, I've helped 5 more families get out the door to the magic that awaits. Hence, not a single word on this blog since the end of April, which makes me sad because now May 2015 will have nothing in the "published" tab in the archives over there --->
And that's how life is, huh?
So, at the end of the last blog published, I was finishing up the "Story of My Write", which is a history of my writing... not really for you, honestly, but for me, so when I'm 77, sitting in a wheelchair in the Sunny Meadows Nursing Home and can't remember when I last took a poopy--which will probably be while I'm thinking "when did I last take a poopy?"--Campbell, 41 years old by then, can come for his monthly visit and read to me my own life stories. Then he can tell me my name and where I am, because I likely won't remember that either.
Let's finish this entire thing up by taking you back to spring 2005. I had been married for just over a year, I had been involved with Valleydale Baptist Church for about 6 years, The Lovely Steph Leann and I had really become close to our newSunday School Life Connection Life Group Sunday School class (the "NearlyWed/Newlywed Class") and our church was going to New York City for a week to do some mission work in Queens and Brooklyn. I was all in, because having been to NYC a few years previous, I fell in love with the city and had a heart for it's people.
In a "trip meeting", where everyone comes together for cheap pizza and Milo's sweet tea in a classroom after service to watch a video about what we'll be doing, they were looking for "online journaling people"... that is, people who will be willing to write up a daily summary to share with the group back home in Birmingham. I raised my hand because no one else did, and my name was put down. I was told to just write up a few paragraphs at the end of each day and email it to someone in the church, and they would post it on the church website.
Challenge accepted.
But also, I wanted more than just people in our church to know what was going on, so after Star Wars Celebration (mentioned in the previous post) and that slight experience in writing, I decided I would go to Blogger.com and set up an account... I did. And when it came to a name, I thought "Well, this is only for my NYC trip, so... New York Dave? Nah... um... Mission Trip... Nope... Broadway... I love Broadway stuff... how about...
BroadwayDave. That works."
Now, in hindsight, I would have come up with something that would make sense beyond just this trip, but I also remember not thinking much would come of this blog after the trip. I'd write about the trip and be done with it. Maybe save the posts into a word document onto a floppy disk for safe keeping (remember... this is 1995, and "flash drives" were not affordable and many computers didn't have USB ports anyway).
My first post was called "Less than 30 Days", and it was a quick little blurb on who was actually going on the trip, back when my audience barely eclipsed those people. I then decided I would practice a little writing by doing another post, this time about my love of Kelly Clarkson and her new (then) song "Behind These Hazel Eyes"...
I followed it up with a few more, including the sadness of finishing a Harry Potter book, picking up "Harry Potter & the Half-Blood Prince at 1201a on release day, a take on MC Hammer and a few more random notes... then the trip began, and my first trip blog came out on July 27th, 2005, introducing everyone going on the trip--remember, I'm still writing on the premise that when this trip is over, so will my blogpage.
We were staying in Manhattan at a hostel, basically... each tiny room had a thin mattressed bunk bed, a window that barely opened, and down the hall a small bathroom with a shower--one that you had to essentially duck into, as there was a frame that held the shower door... a short frame.
And it was hot. I mean, freakin' hot. Like, walk outside and the cold shower you just had in the tiny community bathroom upstairs a little bit ago was now negated by the hot, humid temperature at 5am. Ick.
The sole computer in the building was downstairs and cost $5 an hour, and was old... when you typed a sentence, the cursor wouldn't move. Then about 20 seconds later, the cursor would fly across the screen leaving in it's wake all the letters you just typed, only missing some words, misspelling words, skipping letters, forgetting punctuation and more. So a post that would normally take me 25 minutes took over an hour. Still, I did it. I posted the day's events every night.
I would also send it back to the church email address and they would post it as well... only on day three, I wrote this about my roommate Larry:
So, it was hot. It still is. Anyone who knows me knows I sweat when I think too much, so last night wasn't great... though with the fan, it wasn't that bad, honestly. Larry, sleeping in the bunk under me, had a bigger problem. Apparently his fitted sheet came off, and he stuck to the plastic mattress cover in his sleep, creating that "sscchhllllleeeepppp" sound when he moved.
Someone sent me an email a few days later (I could only check my email during this hot, late night computer time) asking for the blog address, as the church stopped posting what I had written. I found out later they thought the idea of a "shirtless Larry" was inappropriate for publishing... to me, it was the best way to explain the heat. Oh, there was also the story of the naked French guy...
Apparently, there is a naked french guy roaming the halls. He approached Paula in a towel, but Tim only saw him wearing the Star of David on a chain on his neck. I think his name is Jon.
That probably didn't help either.
By the 11th NYC trip blog, I had made the decision that I wanted to keep blogging, because I enjoyed it. So I did just that.
I started writing about anything and everything... I posted recaps about American Idol episodes... I talked about my marriage and fun with The Lovely Steph Leann... reviewed movies... discussed Disney... talked about friends and family... delved into politics... pop culture and more pop culture... I even did a 100 Coolest Things of the Year for a few years running...
I go back and read some of the stuff I wrote--especially about politics--and will sometimes even wince, thinking "I could have worded that better... eh, I probably shouldn't have said that at all... yikes, that was a d-bag thing to write..."
Then again, I read some of the early posts and think, "Wow... that was really funny... could I write that kind of funny stuff again?"
Evolution of a writer, I guess you would say. Somewhere along the way I realized that yes, people do actually read what I write, especially since I had random people at church, at work and in life just tell me, "Hey, I enjoyed your blog the other day..." People that make you say, "You read that?"
So at the end of June, Clouds is My Coffee celebrates 10 years of existence. Not nearly as old as some online journals and blogs... but way, way older than most.
And here I am, at 250,000+ page views over the lifetime of the blog... not bad, I think. I'd probably say 100K of them came in the last two years, so I'm on my way to a million hits. Think about that... 1,000,000 individual page views. Holy crap.
I can't promise you I'll blog every week, but I will try. I have no plans to change the content... it will still be about movies, music, pop culture, life, family, Disney, random Amy Adams (whom I'm in love with) references, random Julie Wise references (because I think its funny at this point), random Troy and Samson stories, maybe the final season of American Idol, and maybe just a little bit of politics...
Obama is a tool, incompetent, and the worst president this country has ever known.
Well, maybe not too much politics, at least until after the 2016 election.
So, thanks for reading. Thanks for visiting the page. Don't be afraid to check out some of the blog links I have over there ---> and give them a spin as well.
And that... is the story of my write.
The Story of My Write, the 1000th post is Here...
Write On Through High School (Part Two) is Here...
Write On Through the Dry Spell (Part Three) is here...
May was so uber busy for me, much of it is a blur. Not only did I finish up and send off about 9 families to Disney World and Universal Studios, but in the last week, I've helped 5 more families get out the door to the magic that awaits. Hence, not a single word on this blog since the end of April, which makes me sad because now May 2015 will have nothing in the "published" tab in the archives over there --->
And that's how life is, huh?
So, at the end of the last blog published, I was finishing up the "Story of My Write", which is a history of my writing... not really for you, honestly, but for me, so when I'm 77, sitting in a wheelchair in the Sunny Meadows Nursing Home and can't remember when I last took a poopy--which will probably be while I'm thinking "when did I last take a poopy?"--Campbell, 41 years old by then, can come for his monthly visit and read to me my own life stories. Then he can tell me my name and where I am, because I likely won't remember that either.
Let's finish this entire thing up by taking you back to spring 2005. I had been married for just over a year, I had been involved with Valleydale Baptist Church for about 6 years, The Lovely Steph Leann and I had really become close to our new
In a "trip meeting", where everyone comes together for cheap pizza and Milo's sweet tea in a classroom after service to watch a video about what we'll be doing, they were looking for "online journaling people"... that is, people who will be willing to write up a daily summary to share with the group back home in Birmingham. I raised my hand because no one else did, and my name was put down. I was told to just write up a few paragraphs at the end of each day and email it to someone in the church, and they would post it on the church website.
Challenge accepted.
But also, I wanted more than just people in our church to know what was going on, so after Star Wars Celebration (mentioned in the previous post) and that slight experience in writing, I decided I would go to Blogger.com and set up an account... I did. And when it came to a name, I thought "Well, this is only for my NYC trip, so... New York Dave? Nah... um... Mission Trip... Nope... Broadway... I love Broadway stuff... how about...
BroadwayDave. That works."
Now, in hindsight, I would have come up with something that would make sense beyond just this trip, but I also remember not thinking much would come of this blog after the trip. I'd write about the trip and be done with it. Maybe save the posts into a word document onto a floppy disk for safe keeping (remember... this is 1995, and "flash drives" were not affordable and many computers didn't have USB ports anyway).
My first post was called "Less than 30 Days", and it was a quick little blurb on who was actually going on the trip, back when my audience barely eclipsed those people. I then decided I would practice a little writing by doing another post, this time about my love of Kelly Clarkson and her new (then) song "Behind These Hazel Eyes"...
I followed it up with a few more, including the sadness of finishing a Harry Potter book, picking up "Harry Potter & the Half-Blood Prince at 1201a on release day, a take on MC Hammer and a few more random notes... then the trip began, and my first trip blog came out on July 27th, 2005, introducing everyone going on the trip--remember, I'm still writing on the premise that when this trip is over, so will my blogpage.
We were staying in Manhattan at a hostel, basically... each tiny room had a thin mattressed bunk bed, a window that barely opened, and down the hall a small bathroom with a shower--one that you had to essentially duck into, as there was a frame that held the shower door... a short frame.
And it was hot. I mean, freakin' hot. Like, walk outside and the cold shower you just had in the tiny community bathroom upstairs a little bit ago was now negated by the hot, humid temperature at 5am. Ick.
The sole computer in the building was downstairs and cost $5 an hour, and was old... when you typed a sentence, the cursor wouldn't move. Then about 20 seconds later, the cursor would fly across the screen leaving in it's wake all the letters you just typed, only missing some words, misspelling words, skipping letters, forgetting punctuation and more. So a post that would normally take me 25 minutes took over an hour. Still, I did it. I posted the day's events every night.
I would also send it back to the church email address and they would post it as well... only on day three, I wrote this about my roommate Larry:
So, it was hot. It still is. Anyone who knows me knows I sweat when I think too much, so last night wasn't great... though with the fan, it wasn't that bad, honestly. Larry, sleeping in the bunk under me, had a bigger problem. Apparently his fitted sheet came off, and he stuck to the plastic mattress cover in his sleep, creating that "sscchhllllleeeepppp" sound when he moved.
Someone sent me an email a few days later (I could only check my email during this hot, late night computer time) asking for the blog address, as the church stopped posting what I had written. I found out later they thought the idea of a "shirtless Larry" was inappropriate for publishing... to me, it was the best way to explain the heat. Oh, there was also the story of the naked French guy...
Apparently, there is a naked french guy roaming the halls. He approached Paula in a towel, but Tim only saw him wearing the Star of David on a chain on his neck. I think his name is Jon.
That probably didn't help either.
By the 11th NYC trip blog, I had made the decision that I wanted to keep blogging, because I enjoyed it. So I did just that.
I started writing about anything and everything... I posted recaps about American Idol episodes... I talked about my marriage and fun with The Lovely Steph Leann... reviewed movies... discussed Disney... talked about friends and family... delved into politics... pop culture and more pop culture... I even did a 100 Coolest Things of the Year for a few years running...
I go back and read some of the stuff I wrote--especially about politics--and will sometimes even wince, thinking "I could have worded that better... eh, I probably shouldn't have said that at all... yikes, that was a d-bag thing to write..."
Then again, I read some of the early posts and think, "Wow... that was really funny... could I write that kind of funny stuff again?"
Evolution of a writer, I guess you would say. Somewhere along the way I realized that yes, people do actually read what I write, especially since I had random people at church, at work and in life just tell me, "Hey, I enjoyed your blog the other day..." People that make you say, "You read that?"
So at the end of June, Clouds is My Coffee celebrates 10 years of existence. Not nearly as old as some online journals and blogs... but way, way older than most.
And here I am, at 250,000+ page views over the lifetime of the blog... not bad, I think. I'd probably say 100K of them came in the last two years, so I'm on my way to a million hits. Think about that... 1,000,000 individual page views. Holy crap.
I can't promise you I'll blog every week, but I will try. I have no plans to change the content... it will still be about movies, music, pop culture, life, family, Disney, random Amy Adams (whom I'm in love with) references, random Julie Wise references (because I think its funny at this point), random Troy and Samson stories, maybe the final season of American Idol, and maybe just a little bit of politics...
Obama is a tool, incompetent, and the worst president this country has ever known.
Well, maybe not too much politics, at least until after the 2016 election.
So, thanks for reading. Thanks for visiting the page. Don't be afraid to check out some of the blog links I have over there ---> and give them a spin as well.
And that... is the story of my write.
Wednesday, April 29, 2015
write on through the dry spell
This is the part of the show where this story gets lengthy, you, the reader, are ready to move onto something else, and I, the writer, must ask for your patience... quite simply, I want to finish this story, no matter who does (and doesn't) read it...
It's the story of my writing. How it started, like in part one... and writing in high school, which is part two... so here is part three... the dry spell in college leading up to the creation of this blog and beyond.
I think I neglected to mention that I kept a journal from about 9th grade to the summer after I graduated. Literally, I would write a sentence or two every day or two about what's happening, what I was writing, accomplishments and so on. Doogie Howser had a blue screen on his PC, I had a notebook with Paula Abdul on the front. Well, one of them anyway, because I filled about a dozen notebooks over the course of five years.
And when I got to Troy State, I just up and stopped. No slowly ceasing to write, no gentle progression of forgetfulness when it comes to journaling, no I just straight up didn't do it anymore. I tried for about three or four days after I got to college, and when a week went by with nothing written, I just packed it away in a box. I don't think it was writer's block so much as it was, I just didn't want to do it.
I was in college from September of 1993 to March of 1998, and anyone who knows me knows that I loved the heck out of college... I made the most out of my 5 years there, and wouldn't change much of it (well, except I might not get that Discover card... darn you Rebecca Miller and your green eyes!)
How I got to Birmingham is a topic that goes onto the pile of things mentioned in this post that will become their own blog post one day, but for now, just know that the first 6 months or so in Birmingham, Alabama, were some of the hardest months of my life. I was along, I knew not a soul, the reason (I thought anyway) that I had moved here was in Tuscaloosa with nary any contact, I had no church home, and I was broke and hungry and nearly depressed.
I then sat down with a few sheets of paper and went back to a routine that I knew well. I was going to write a love letter to my very dear friends, some of my favorite people, in the form of a story... it was a "where we will be in 5 years" type story, entitled "Hey Now"--the title being a play on words from something in the story itself. And I still have it, all 55 pages, written in pencil on loose leaf paper, in a binder. It was the beginning of closure for my time at Troy State...
(this is the part where I stop typing, lean back in my chair and stare out the window, while "The Story" by Brandi Carlile starts to play)
From about July 1998 to February of 1999 were 7 of the hardest months of my life. I was in Birmingham, I was alone, I barely knew anyone, I hadn't found a church until late in that time period, the reason I had moved (her name was Amy, in case you are wondering) and I hadn't even talked, and it was painful and dreadful and expensive and... well, lonely.
You'd think I'd plunge myself back into writing, and I tried. The story I mentioned, the one I had floating in my head for all this time, I tried to put it on paper, and got nothing. I wrote "Hey Now" for my friends in college in August of 1998, but beyond that, nothing. Call it writer's block, call it lack of desire, call it what you want, not only could I not write, but I just didn't want to try.
Over the next few years, a great number of things happened--once again, more stories for another post--but in that time, I got involved in Valleydale Baptist Church... I moved into an apartment with a couple of guys who would become some of my closest and dearest friends, people that some of you know like Shawn Sharp, my buddy Mikey, Tommy Mac, Big Tom Johnson and so on. Not too long after that, we moved into a four bedroom that would be christened "The Deuce". In late 2000, I met a young lady named Stephanie Campbell, and in early 2001, we became good friends. Things were clicking.
Though I didn't own a computer until much, much later, my buddy Mikey did, as did Shawn Sharp, and so one day I sat down in front of one of those computers, and rather than taking a risk, or overthinking it, I went back to what was familiar. I took the people closest to me--roommates, good friends, etc--and wrote still another story, this time called "The Hillary Letters". It was about our friend Ty, who was in love with another friend Hillary, and a particular afternoon where a love letter from he to she gets picked up by the wrong hands, causing a series of silly misunderstandings that culminated with Mikey standing on top of the dining room table doing a John Malkovich impression right before it collapsed. I read this not too long ago (this is one of the few I still have) and it holds up, stupid as the concept might be.
The next year, I had my adult "Dayton's Quest" moment, the one that this time didn't help me discover real writing, but instead brought me back to writing. I wrote another "friends" story, this time over the course of three or four days during Christmas, and I'll be honest with you... I think its really, really good. I'm so proud of it, in fact, that I actually posted here on this website some years ago.
What I mean by "brought me back to writing" was quite simply, it let me know that I can do it--I could still do it. It let me know that yes, I can come up with things, solve problems, invent situations and lay them together in a cohesive story, and in one of my favorite tropes, I can interconnect seemingly unconnected plots with only a few passing sentences. It's called, stupidly enough, "A Very Deuce Christmas". Perhaps it's not well written, and I know there are parts that need to be straightened up a little, but truthfully? I like it.
So that brings us to Clouds in My Coffee. First, let me say that in 2005, I had no idea what "blogging" was. Not a clue. A group of us, Mikey and Tommy Mac included, was scheduled to go to Star Wars Celebration in Indianapolis, early that year, and Tommy created a blog set up for the trip, perhaps for us to report back, post pictures on the interweb and so on... he opened it up for us to create an account name and post.
I created the name "Dave Windu", and wrote a paragraph about the upcoming trip, not really having a clue what I was doing. But I hit publish, and there it was, for all the world to see. And it kind of confounded me. Someone suggested that I look at Live Journal and MySpace, perhaps to do online journaling there, so I opened up an account on both--hey Top 8, how are you?
And now... the final part of the story... including a mission trip, mistakes, American Idol, The Lovely Steph Leann and more... coming tomorrow.
1002
It's the story of my writing. How it started, like in part one... and writing in high school, which is part two... so here is part three... the dry spell in college leading up to the creation of this blog and beyond.
I think I neglected to mention that I kept a journal from about 9th grade to the summer after I graduated. Literally, I would write a sentence or two every day or two about what's happening, what I was writing, accomplishments and so on. Doogie Howser had a blue screen on his PC, I had a notebook with Paula Abdul on the front. Well, one of them anyway, because I filled about a dozen notebooks over the course of five years.
 |
| Doogie used to end every episode by writing one or two lines that encapsulated what we just watched in the previous 1/2 hour, almost like a "what I learned today" thing. Problem was, some were so vague that in five years, he had to read over some of those and thing "What the crap was I talking about? What does this even mean?!" |
I was in college from September of 1993 to March of 1998, and anyone who knows me knows that I loved the heck out of college... I made the most out of my 5 years there, and wouldn't change much of it (well, except I might not get that Discover card... darn you Rebecca Miller and your green eyes!)
How I got to Birmingham is a topic that goes onto the pile of things mentioned in this post that will become their own blog post one day, but for now, just know that the first 6 months or so in Birmingham, Alabama, were some of the hardest months of my life. I was along, I knew not a soul, the reason (I thought anyway) that I had moved here was in Tuscaloosa with nary any contact, I had no church home, and I was broke and hungry and nearly depressed.
I then sat down with a few sheets of paper and went back to a routine that I knew well. I was going to write a love letter to my very dear friends, some of my favorite people, in the form of a story... it was a "where we will be in 5 years" type story, entitled "Hey Now"--the title being a play on words from something in the story itself. And I still have it, all 55 pages, written in pencil on loose leaf paper, in a binder. It was the beginning of closure for my time at Troy State...
(this is the part where I stop typing, lean back in my chair and stare out the window, while "The Story" by Brandi Carlile starts to play)
From about July 1998 to February of 1999 were 7 of the hardest months of my life. I was in Birmingham, I was alone, I barely knew anyone, I hadn't found a church until late in that time period, the reason I had moved (her name was Amy, in case you are wondering) and I hadn't even talked, and it was painful and dreadful and expensive and... well, lonely.
You'd think I'd plunge myself back into writing, and I tried. The story I mentioned, the one I had floating in my head for all this time, I tried to put it on paper, and got nothing. I wrote "Hey Now" for my friends in college in August of 1998, but beyond that, nothing. Call it writer's block, call it lack of desire, call it what you want, not only could I not write, but I just didn't want to try.
Over the next few years, a great number of things happened--once again, more stories for another post--but in that time, I got involved in Valleydale Baptist Church... I moved into an apartment with a couple of guys who would become some of my closest and dearest friends, people that some of you know like Shawn Sharp, my buddy Mikey, Tommy Mac, Big Tom Johnson and so on. Not too long after that, we moved into a four bedroom that would be christened "The Deuce". In late 2000, I met a young lady named Stephanie Campbell, and in early 2001, we became good friends. Things were clicking.
Though I didn't own a computer until much, much later, my buddy Mikey did, as did Shawn Sharp, and so one day I sat down in front of one of those computers, and rather than taking a risk, or overthinking it, I went back to what was familiar. I took the people closest to me--roommates, good friends, etc--and wrote still another story, this time called "The Hillary Letters". It was about our friend Ty, who was in love with another friend Hillary, and a particular afternoon where a love letter from he to she gets picked up by the wrong hands, causing a series of silly misunderstandings that culminated with Mikey standing on top of the dining room table doing a John Malkovich impression right before it collapsed. I read this not too long ago (this is one of the few I still have) and it holds up, stupid as the concept might be.
The next year, I had my adult "Dayton's Quest" moment, the one that this time didn't help me discover real writing, but instead brought me back to writing. I wrote another "friends" story, this time over the course of three or four days during Christmas, and I'll be honest with you... I think its really, really good. I'm so proud of it, in fact, that I actually posted here on this website some years ago.
What I mean by "brought me back to writing" was quite simply, it let me know that I can do it--I could still do it. It let me know that yes, I can come up with things, solve problems, invent situations and lay them together in a cohesive story, and in one of my favorite tropes, I can interconnect seemingly unconnected plots with only a few passing sentences. It's called, stupidly enough, "A Very Deuce Christmas". Perhaps it's not well written, and I know there are parts that need to be straightened up a little, but truthfully? I like it.
So that brings us to Clouds in My Coffee. First, let me say that in 2005, I had no idea what "blogging" was. Not a clue. A group of us, Mikey and Tommy Mac included, was scheduled to go to Star Wars Celebration in Indianapolis, early that year, and Tommy created a blog set up for the trip, perhaps for us to report back, post pictures on the interweb and so on... he opened it up for us to create an account name and post.
I created the name "Dave Windu", and wrote a paragraph about the upcoming trip, not really having a clue what I was doing. But I hit publish, and there it was, for all the world to see. And it kind of confounded me. Someone suggested that I look at Live Journal and MySpace, perhaps to do online journaling there, so I opened up an account on both--hey Top 8, how are you?
And now... the final part of the story... including a mission trip, mistakes, American Idol, The Lovely Steph Leann and more... coming tomorrow.
1002
Wednesday, November 26, 2014
hey thanks
It's Thanksgiving time once again! From outta nowhere, the holidays are bearing down on our faces, because for some reason, Christmas is in December this year. Doesn't it feel like 2014 just barely got started? I'm not sure I'm finished with 2013 yet, and all of sudden, I have to deal with 2014 going away forever.
So here's something I've never done and thought it might be fun to do... give thanks. I've given thanks before here and there, but I figured I'd go big or go home... 100 thanks in a single post. Let's go!
First, let's get the big ones out of the way... my Savior, Jesus Christ (1), for whom it's all for. I hope my words encourage in a way that pleases Him. The Lovely Steph Leann (2), the best helpmate I could ever ask for, because she gave us Campbell Isaiah (3), who is a pretty special kid--he turns 3 in a week! What!
My job is secure (4) and that's a big deal. And it's not hard work either (5), which means when I go home, work stays at work (6) which makes for very low stress. And of course, there is my other job, being a Disney Travel Planner, and I am so excited to put more time into doing it! (7). Cause I'm good at it.
I mean, there is so much to be thankful for, so many blessings all poured into my own life. Things are looking up (8) more than ever... Campbell is making great strides in his development (9). No, he's not talking yet, but he's in a solid Mother's Day Out program at CASA (10) and in a great therapy program at Mitchell's Place (11). Insurance is covering much of the cost (12), so that's a huge answered prayer for us. He's signing more (13), and he is much more directional than he used to be (14), like when he leads me to the recliner, then pushes me to sit down, just so he can sit in my lap. That's worthy of a thanks (15).
We paid our car off this year (16) so that helps our budget tremendously, and it's one piece that's helping us form our plan for me to go full time with Disney Travel Planning (17). But I'll get into that later.
Got a new phone this fall (18), bumped up to an iPhone 5, which is nice. I love voice texting (19) though autocorrect is a bit of a hassle sometimes.
The San Antonio Spurs won the NBA title (20) for the fifth time, and the Baltimore Orioles made it into the baseball postseason (21). Can't say I have much thanks for the Florida Gators OR the Troy Trojans for the way they have played this year, but both Florida (22) and Troy (23) are looking at new coaches next season, so it's time for a re-start. Overall, though, the college football season has been incredible (24) and anyone who thought this four-team playoff would ruin the regular season is crazy, because it's done nothing but heighten the importance of dozens of games (25) that by now, wouldn't mean much except for bowl positions. And, of course, even though I didn't make the playoffs of The DFC, the football pick'em that I've run for now its 15th season, its still be a great season (26). Congrats to Big Eddy McBroom and Steven Ray for making DeuceBowl XV, set for this weekend.
I can also give thanks for the movies (27) and most notably, The Deucecast Movie Show--we are on a digital network now, Shotglass Digital (28) which is like being picked up for syndication. Pretty exciting... new episode dropped today (Tuesday) and is all about our own movie thanks. We owe a big thanks to the hosts of the TechnoRetro Dads podcast, especially one of the hosts who calls himself Shaz (29), and I am very thankful for my own co-hosts Mikey (30) and Pinky (31) and the rest of the Deucecast team, like Tommy Mac, Shawn and our endless rotating guests (32).
The blog is going strong (33), by the way, for which I'm thankful for. I successfully made it through the entire month of October, blogging every day (and some extra) and made it like, 32 days straight (34)... which, if you've followed this blog long, you'll know I've tried similar challenges and have failed miserably. My friend Corie Clark (35) really pushed me on this, along with a few others, so thanks for that. Corie, by the way, wrote a fabulous book about making life simple, called "The Simplicity Project". Full disclosure, I have't read all of it yet. But I've followed along on the challenges online, and will have it read and impletmented by years end.
If I get on the subject of friends, I could be here forever... but I'll tell ya, there are a few people who have really made me a better version of d$. Remodeling Clay host Clay Shaver (36) is a solid guy, as is Writer Chris Holmes (37) (who has his own book, mind you). A fellow named David Mike (38) is an extremely good encourager in all that I, and others, do, and his story is pretty incredible.
Thanks to Rachel Mayo (39) for being awesome--and extremely photogenic. No kidding, that chick can look great in an Instagram picture. May Bohon (40) likes to check in on me, which I appreciate, and Angie Buchanan (41) has also been pretty gracious to me and the family this year as well. And Amy Campbell (42), master of LinkedIn and owner of a resume company called the Red Checker, has also been pretty great to me this year.
I always have thanks for My Best Mate Wookiee (43)... I have been able to chat again with my friend Nikki (44) and my friend Laura (45)... and funnily enough, doing Disney Travel has helped me reconnect with my long lost friend Rebecca (46). I get a kick out of reading my friend Missi's (47) posts (she's one of my favorite people on social media. and gorgeous)... I'm thankful for the new friends in our lives, like the Kilgores (48) and the Rileys (49) that we haven't gotten to know... for the returning friends, like the Tucks (50) who returned to our lives... long time friends like DeNick & DeLisa (51) who are always helpful and generous... and the friends who have been here all the time, like the Rays (52), and Hurricane Rhett and Amarilys by Morning (up from San Antone) (53) and all the other families that we love (and love us) at Valleydale Church (an sbc fellowship) (54).
Also, I've planned trips for three different women that I dated in college (and their families). I wasn't saying "hey thanks" for that, I just thought it was worth a mention.
So thankful for Taylor Swift's new CD "1989" (55) and of course, "Shake It Off" which is my Song of the Year thusfar. Then again, it comes out just ahead of Pitbull's "Fireball" (56), which I blast everytime it comes on. But lest we forget Colbie Caillet's new CD (57), which is marvelous in it's own right. And Garth Brooks is back (58) and better than ever. Thanks Garth. You are the man.
My friend Teri Mo (59) made one of the best comments (60) I've ever had bestowed upon me, saying (paraphrasing), "I think d$ is great at getting his political points across, he's never disrespectful, he tries to stick to facts and I appreciate that." Fabulous comment.
We discovered a new place to eat this year, Urban Cookhouse (61), which is awesome. It's up at the Summit, and we frequent it about once per month. And to top it off, we are pretty fond of Steel City Pops popsicles (62), which The Lovely Steph Leann and I have probably had about 300 each so far this year. Addiction is a bad thing, kiddies.
You know what else I'm thankful for? Whataburger Patty Melts (63) without the onions. It's so, so good.
I'm still very thankful for Walt Disney World (64) and all the dreams and opportunities it holds. Campbell rode his very first roller coaster there, The Barnstormer (65) and it was truly magical, as he laughed and giggled and squealed the whole time. We went a few weeks back with The Lovely Steph Leann's parents, Big Daddy Ron and Mama Ruthless (66), and had a pretty great time. I'm thankful our room wasn't that expensive and was pretty large in size, and it was comfortable... I had stayed in Art of Animation (67) before, but everyone else was enjoying it for the first time.
The food is always great, as the Epcot Food & Wine Festival was going on, but the best part was the Captain's Grille (68) at the Yacht Club, likely my favorite meal of them all.
I'm thankful for my friend Aimee Sale (69), a fellow travel agent, who has been willing to help answer questions on the fly when needed, as well as my own agency owner, Frances (70), who has been an amazing travel agency lead.
My friend McQ (71) got married (72) this fall! It was a long time coming, I think, for her and her boo Jason, and it's so great to see them so happy... and I was honored they asked me to help announce (73) and I was thankful to be a part of the festivities.
The Republicans won the Senate in a landslide election (74). I'll say that I'm thankful for that, but I'll hold off on any further apprecation until I see what they will do... or won't do. You know what, they make me nervous (-74). I'll say I'm thankful that we live in a country where we can elect our leaders (74).
Survivor (75) is good this season. And The Lovely Steph Leann has got me watching HGTV, and I'm kinda hooked on "Flip or Flop" (76).
I'll always be thankful for my iPod (77) which helps me get through the day. From Adam Carolla (78) to Alison Rosen (79) to Rush Limbaugh (80) to the bevy of Disney World Podcasts (81) I listen to, I'm thankful I have it here.
Audible.com (82) also is owed a thanks. I've been a customer for years, and this year have been able to pick up gems like the memoir of one of my favorite, Judy Greer (83), and listen to Stephen King's "Mr. Mercedes" (84), which is excellent. The Harry Potter audiobooks (85) will always be some of my favorites because of the masterful performance by Jim Dale (sadly, not on Audible--I had to get them from the library).
I'm thankful that my home is less than one and a half miles from my office (86)
I'm thankful that I was able to give up three months of no sodas, called the #NoSoda30 (87). I drink some Coke now, but I've curbed my consumption.
I'm thankful my mama still loves me (88).
I'm thankful for my extended family, both with Randy & Angie, my bro/sis-in-law, and kids (89) and my other bro/sis in law, Tyler & Brynn (90).
I'm thankful that yesterday I spilled a little grease from an Arby's cheese stick on my pants and got juice from some squash on my shirt... and that was the extent of my Monday worries (91)
I'm thankful I can still afford to splurge a little and frequent Kingdom Comics (92)
I'm thankful that I got to spend a weekend at the Alabama Phoenix Festival (93) downtown, a nerd convention that I actually sat on discussion panels for.
I'm thankful for Sharpies (94). They rule.
I'm thankful for the WWE Network (95), allowing me to watch every Pay Per View without the expensive price--and the fact that Sting (96) showed up at Sunday's Survivor Series.
I'm thankful for Doug Benson's Doug Loves Movie podcast (97), perhaps my favorite podcast. Oh and for Serial (98), which is an amazing podcast experience.
I'm thankful that another year is almost over--not for the time has gone by, but that life is good (99).
And I'm thankful for you (100), for reading this blog as much as you do. You don't have to, yet you keep coming back, and I appreciate it more than you know. You fulfill the "writer" part of my "writer/blogger/podcaster/travel specialist" bio.
Finally... if you read this, and you wonder "Where am I?" (like my friend Katie (101), who is likely to text me and say "Where am I?"), then consider this number-- 102 -- that you are in. Thank you.
And Happy Thanksgiving.
Update... I completely forgot to mention this, and realized it a day after I posted this column... thank you to the men & women in the armed forces who are protecting us right now... thank you to the police, emergency and fire department workers who are keeping us safe as well... and thank you to those behind the retail counters, either being forced to work because of a crap schedule or because you need the money badly... thanks for doing it.
So here's something I've never done and thought it might be fun to do... give thanks. I've given thanks before here and there, but I figured I'd go big or go home... 100 thanks in a single post. Let's go!
First, let's get the big ones out of the way... my Savior, Jesus Christ (1), for whom it's all for. I hope my words encourage in a way that pleases Him. The Lovely Steph Leann (2), the best helpmate I could ever ask for, because she gave us Campbell Isaiah (3), who is a pretty special kid--he turns 3 in a week! What!
My job is secure (4) and that's a big deal. And it's not hard work either (5), which means when I go home, work stays at work (6) which makes for very low stress. And of course, there is my other job, being a Disney Travel Planner, and I am so excited to put more time into doing it! (7). Cause I'm good at it.
 |
| Here's a few things/people to be thankful for this year... |
We paid our car off this year (16) so that helps our budget tremendously, and it's one piece that's helping us form our plan for me to go full time with Disney Travel Planning (17). But I'll get into that later.
Got a new phone this fall (18), bumped up to an iPhone 5, which is nice. I love voice texting (19) though autocorrect is a bit of a hassle sometimes.
The San Antonio Spurs won the NBA title (20) for the fifth time, and the Baltimore Orioles made it into the baseball postseason (21). Can't say I have much thanks for the Florida Gators OR the Troy Trojans for the way they have played this year, but both Florida (22) and Troy (23) are looking at new coaches next season, so it's time for a re-start. Overall, though, the college football season has been incredible (24) and anyone who thought this four-team playoff would ruin the regular season is crazy, because it's done nothing but heighten the importance of dozens of games (25) that by now, wouldn't mean much except for bowl positions. And, of course, even though I didn't make the playoffs of The DFC, the football pick'em that I've run for now its 15th season, its still be a great season (26). Congrats to Big Eddy McBroom and Steven Ray for making DeuceBowl XV, set for this weekend.
I can also give thanks for the movies (27) and most notably, The Deucecast Movie Show--we are on a digital network now, Shotglass Digital (28) which is like being picked up for syndication. Pretty exciting... new episode dropped today (Tuesday) and is all about our own movie thanks. We owe a big thanks to the hosts of the TechnoRetro Dads podcast, especially one of the hosts who calls himself Shaz (29), and I am very thankful for my own co-hosts Mikey (30) and Pinky (31) and the rest of the Deucecast team, like Tommy Mac, Shawn and our endless rotating guests (32).
The blog is going strong (33), by the way, for which I'm thankful for. I successfully made it through the entire month of October, blogging every day (and some extra) and made it like, 32 days straight (34)... which, if you've followed this blog long, you'll know I've tried similar challenges and have failed miserably. My friend Corie Clark (35) really pushed me on this, along with a few others, so thanks for that. Corie, by the way, wrote a fabulous book about making life simple, called "The Simplicity Project". Full disclosure, I have't read all of it yet. But I've followed along on the challenges online, and will have it read and impletmented by years end.
If I get on the subject of friends, I could be here forever... but I'll tell ya, there are a few people who have really made me a better version of d$. Remodeling Clay host Clay Shaver (36) is a solid guy, as is Writer Chris Holmes (37) (who has his own book, mind you). A fellow named David Mike (38) is an extremely good encourager in all that I, and others, do, and his story is pretty incredible.
Thanks to Rachel Mayo (39) for being awesome--and extremely photogenic. No kidding, that chick can look great in an Instagram picture. May Bohon (40) likes to check in on me, which I appreciate, and Angie Buchanan (41) has also been pretty gracious to me and the family this year as well. And Amy Campbell (42), master of LinkedIn and owner of a resume company called the Red Checker, has also been pretty great to me this year.
I always have thanks for My Best Mate Wookiee (43)... I have been able to chat again with my friend Nikki (44) and my friend Laura (45)... and funnily enough, doing Disney Travel has helped me reconnect with my long lost friend Rebecca (46). I get a kick out of reading my friend Missi's (47) posts (she's one of my favorite people on social media. and gorgeous)... I'm thankful for the new friends in our lives, like the Kilgores (48) and the Rileys (49) that we haven't gotten to know... for the returning friends, like the Tucks (50) who returned to our lives... long time friends like DeNick & DeLisa (51) who are always helpful and generous... and the friends who have been here all the time, like the Rays (52), and Hurricane Rhett and Amarilys by Morning (up from San Antone) (53) and all the other families that we love (and love us) at Valleydale Church (an sbc fellowship) (54).
Also, I've planned trips for three different women that I dated in college (and their families). I wasn't saying "hey thanks" for that, I just thought it was worth a mention.
So thankful for Taylor Swift's new CD "1989" (55) and of course, "Shake It Off" which is my Song of the Year thusfar. Then again, it comes out just ahead of Pitbull's "Fireball" (56), which I blast everytime it comes on. But lest we forget Colbie Caillet's new CD (57), which is marvelous in it's own right. And Garth Brooks is back (58) and better than ever. Thanks Garth. You are the man.
My friend Teri Mo (59) made one of the best comments (60) I've ever had bestowed upon me, saying (paraphrasing), "I think d$ is great at getting his political points across, he's never disrespectful, he tries to stick to facts and I appreciate that." Fabulous comment.
You know what else I'm thankful for? Whataburger Patty Melts (63) without the onions. It's so, so good.
I'm still very thankful for Walt Disney World (64) and all the dreams and opportunities it holds. Campbell rode his very first roller coaster there, The Barnstormer (65) and it was truly magical, as he laughed and giggled and squealed the whole time. We went a few weeks back with The Lovely Steph Leann's parents, Big Daddy Ron and Mama Ruthless (66), and had a pretty great time. I'm thankful our room wasn't that expensive and was pretty large in size, and it was comfortable... I had stayed in Art of Animation (67) before, but everyone else was enjoying it for the first time.
The food is always great, as the Epcot Food & Wine Festival was going on, but the best part was the Captain's Grille (68) at the Yacht Club, likely my favorite meal of them all.
I'm thankful for my friend Aimee Sale (69), a fellow travel agent, who has been willing to help answer questions on the fly when needed, as well as my own agency owner, Frances (70), who has been an amazing travel agency lead.
My friend McQ (71) got married (72) this fall! It was a long time coming, I think, for her and her boo Jason, and it's so great to see them so happy... and I was honored they asked me to help announce (73) and I was thankful to be a part of the festivities.
The Republicans won the Senate in a landslide election (74). I'll say that I'm thankful for that, but I'll hold off on any further apprecation until I see what they will do... or won't do. You know what, they make me nervous (-74). I'll say I'm thankful that we live in a country where we can elect our leaders (74).
Survivor (75) is good this season. And The Lovely Steph Leann has got me watching HGTV, and I'm kinda hooked on "Flip or Flop" (76).
I'll always be thankful for my iPod (77) which helps me get through the day. From Adam Carolla (78) to Alison Rosen (79) to Rush Limbaugh (80) to the bevy of Disney World Podcasts (81) I listen to, I'm thankful I have it here.
Audible.com (82) also is owed a thanks. I've been a customer for years, and this year have been able to pick up gems like the memoir of one of my favorite, Judy Greer (83), and listen to Stephen King's "Mr. Mercedes" (84), which is excellent. The Harry Potter audiobooks (85) will always be some of my favorites because of the masterful performance by Jim Dale (sadly, not on Audible--I had to get them from the library).
I'm thankful that my home is less than one and a half miles from my office (86)
I'm thankful that I was able to give up three months of no sodas, called the #NoSoda30 (87). I drink some Coke now, but I've curbed my consumption.
I'm thankful my mama still loves me (88).
I'm thankful for my extended family, both with Randy & Angie, my bro/sis-in-law, and kids (89) and my other bro/sis in law, Tyler & Brynn (90).
I'm thankful that yesterday I spilled a little grease from an Arby's cheese stick on my pants and got juice from some squash on my shirt... and that was the extent of my Monday worries (91)
I'm thankful I can still afford to splurge a little and frequent Kingdom Comics (92)
I'm thankful that I got to spend a weekend at the Alabama Phoenix Festival (93) downtown, a nerd convention that I actually sat on discussion panels for.
I'm thankful for Sharpies (94). They rule.
I'm thankful for the WWE Network (95), allowing me to watch every Pay Per View without the expensive price--and the fact that Sting (96) showed up at Sunday's Survivor Series.
I'm thankful for Doug Benson's Doug Loves Movie podcast (97), perhaps my favorite podcast. Oh and for Serial (98), which is an amazing podcast experience.
I'm thankful that another year is almost over--not for the time has gone by, but that life is good (99).
And I'm thankful for you (100), for reading this blog as much as you do. You don't have to, yet you keep coming back, and I appreciate it more than you know. You fulfill the "writer" part of my "writer/blogger/podcaster/travel specialist" bio.
Finally... if you read this, and you wonder "Where am I?" (like my friend Katie (101), who is likely to text me and say "Where am I?"), then consider this number-- 102 -- that you are in. Thank you.
And Happy Thanksgiving.
Update... I completely forgot to mention this, and realized it a day after I posted this column... thank you to the men & women in the armed forces who are protecting us right now... thank you to the police, emergency and fire department workers who are keeping us safe as well... and thank you to those behind the retail counters, either being forced to work because of a crap schedule or because you need the money badly... thanks for doing it.
Tuesday, April 01, 2014
no soda thirty
If you stroll through my house, affectionately known as The Cabana, take a walk up the steps and into the master bedroom, the look deep in the far right corners of the closet that is there, you can find a pullover. For about six months, it was a fashion statement to have a shirt/hoodie/pullover known as a "rugby", or maybe a "Navajo" or even a "tater sack shirt", because it was made with a similar feel to it as a croker, or potato, sack. I have one in there somewhere, given to me my freshman fall at Troy State in 1993 by my friend Miranda Bryant. I kept it, not as a sentiment of a long lost friendship--on the contrary, we are friends on Facebook and chat from time to time--but more of a reminder.
A reminder of the "skinny days". Those days when I weighed less that I do now, much, much less. I've always been someone who can maintain weight, but not necessarily lose it. And for the better part of 10, almost 11, years, I maintained a weight of about 15 pounds heavier than I should be, not really losing any, but rarely gaining much either. This was because of my job at Starbucks, where I did a lot of walking. I mean, a LOT of walking, back and forth behind the counter. Using a pedometer on my phone, I figured out that I was getting anywhere from 4 to 6 miles per day in walking. Just around the store and behind the counter.
In November, as many of you know, I got an office job at another company, so I stopped walking 4 or 5 or 6 miles per day--not just walking, but quick movement, pivoting, sometimes running short distances... but with the office job? Suddenly, I actually had time to eat breakfast, very little of which was healthy, and suddenly, I'm afforded the time to drink water all day. Of course, I am not drinking water, my beverage of choice is a 20 ounce Coke. Or two. Or three.
So, I've gained weight. Way more than I should have gained... I would like to say 15 pounds, but its quite possible it might be 20. If you'll keep it a secret, since you are my friends and its just us, I'll tell you I'm topping 210 pounds right now... and for my height, 5'7, that's not good.
The Lovely Steph Leann told me that I wear it well. Perhaps its my clothes, perhaps its how I wear my shirts or even my walk, but I'd like to think you can't really tell I'm about 30 pounds more than I need to me, maybe even 40. Seriously. I'm a chunk. I'm heavier than I've ever been, and worse yet, I get winded like, so, so easily. And the accountability all falls on my shoulders.
One of the many good things about my new job is even though it gives me plenty of time to munch and drink high fructose corn syrup laden beverages, it also gives me time to listen to my iPod, especially to podcasts and audiobooks.
So, I'm sitting there at my desk, drinking an ice cold Coca-Cola, and I flip over to a blogsite written by a friend of mine, a dude named Rick Theule... he wrote about "loose pants", essentially how he gave up the very thing that I was enjoying at that every moment. And as a result, over time he found his pants fitting a little bit better. It was a great piece that I enjoyed as I drank.
After lunch, I'm then drinking a smooth cup of Mello Yello, and as an added bonus, eating a bag of Bugles, even putting a few of them on my fingers cause I'm stupid. This time, I'm listening to another friend of mine do his own podcast, called "Remodeling Clay", a dude named Clay Shaver who has an incredible story of losing hundred of pounds over several years. He was over 400 pounds, and he's down to just over 200 now. Unbelievable. (I would encourage you to check out his podcast... its a great motivating 40 minutes about YOU being the best YOU that YOU can be. And I mean that in all sincerity, no sarcasm. He's a good dude.)
Anyway, Clay begins to talk about soda... and giving soda up. I sighed.
To add to the mix, I thought about guy named Royce Emerson, who I worked with at a radio station over a decade ago and haven't seen him since 2001... over the time I knew him, Royce lost lots of weight, and he simply said to me one day, "I gave up Coke and Diet Coke. That helped me lose 10 pounds right there."
An article in the morning about giving up soda (while I drank a Coke) and a podcast in the afternoon about giving up soda (while I drank a Mello Yello) and a flashback to a guy who lost weight just by NOT drinking soda... it really had me considering what to do, and what I was doing to my own health.
Back in the late 90s... or maybe it was 2006... or perhaps 1995, or it might be 2001, I don't remember when, I just remember it happened... I stopped drinking all carbonated drinks for over a year. I think it must be like cocaine or heroin though, because after 13 months of not having any Coke products, I remember having one for a meal and it was like those lame Coke drinking polar bears were welcoming me back into the embrace of diabetes and the arms of obesity.
And now, right now as I write this, its 1252am, its almost an hour into April 1st... and for the next 30 days, I'm giving up carbonated beverages of all kinds. Not just Coke and Cherry Coke and the like, but ALL carbonated beverages. Not even a sparkling water of any kind, which is good, cause I'm not a fan of most, so I got that going for me. I made this declaration on Facebook last week, to start April 1st, so now I kinda feel obligated, lest I become like someone who declares Facebook fast and then show up 19 hours later online as if nothing had been said.
The fun part is, I do love ginger ale... its non-decaffeinated, and isn't really that bad for you... and we have a case now, by virtue of me headed to Wal-Mart at 540am to get The Lovely Steph Leann something to drink due to her feeling like crap over the last 24 hours (food poisoning? virus? we dunno...). So it sits there, and I won't enjoy it.
I call it my No Soda for 30 Days Challenge... or #NoSoda30, to hashtag it unnecessarily.
So, how about you? Willing to give up some beverage? Willing to see how you feel on May 1st by not tossing back Mountain Dew or Coke or Pepsi or whatever your beverage of choice might be?
Oh, about that shirt I mentioned. My goal? To wear it again. Even if I don't wear it long, even if I never leave the house with it on... my goal is to put it on and be comfortable in it. I'll even take a picture and post it, because I am that vain.
Or maybe I'll put it into my daily rotation of outerwear when it gets cool again. It is a cool shirt. If I ever have lunch with Miranda Bryant, then I've got to be able to wear it.
A reminder of the "skinny days". Those days when I weighed less that I do now, much, much less. I've always been someone who can maintain weight, but not necessarily lose it. And for the better part of 10, almost 11, years, I maintained a weight of about 15 pounds heavier than I should be, not really losing any, but rarely gaining much either. This was because of my job at Starbucks, where I did a lot of walking. I mean, a LOT of walking, back and forth behind the counter. Using a pedometer on my phone, I figured out that I was getting anywhere from 4 to 6 miles per day in walking. Just around the store and behind the counter.
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| The amount of soda I believe I've consumed since November. Oh, I meant "daily" |
So, I've gained weight. Way more than I should have gained... I would like to say 15 pounds, but its quite possible it might be 20. If you'll keep it a secret, since you are my friends and its just us, I'll tell you I'm topping 210 pounds right now... and for my height, 5'7, that's not good.
The Lovely Steph Leann told me that I wear it well. Perhaps its my clothes, perhaps its how I wear my shirts or even my walk, but I'd like to think you can't really tell I'm about 30 pounds more than I need to me, maybe even 40. Seriously. I'm a chunk. I'm heavier than I've ever been, and worse yet, I get winded like, so, so easily. And the accountability all falls on my shoulders.
One of the many good things about my new job is even though it gives me plenty of time to munch and drink high fructose corn syrup laden beverages, it also gives me time to listen to my iPod, especially to podcasts and audiobooks.
So, I'm sitting there at my desk, drinking an ice cold Coca-Cola, and I flip over to a blogsite written by a friend of mine, a dude named Rick Theule... he wrote about "loose pants", essentially how he gave up the very thing that I was enjoying at that every moment. And as a result, over time he found his pants fitting a little bit better. It was a great piece that I enjoyed as I drank.
After lunch, I'm then drinking a smooth cup of Mello Yello, and as an added bonus, eating a bag of Bugles, even putting a few of them on my fingers cause I'm stupid. This time, I'm listening to another friend of mine do his own podcast, called "Remodeling Clay", a dude named Clay Shaver who has an incredible story of losing hundred of pounds over several years. He was over 400 pounds, and he's down to just over 200 now. Unbelievable. (I would encourage you to check out his podcast... its a great motivating 40 minutes about YOU being the best YOU that YOU can be. And I mean that in all sincerity, no sarcasm. He's a good dude.)
Anyway, Clay begins to talk about soda... and giving soda up. I sighed.
To add to the mix, I thought about guy named Royce Emerson, who I worked with at a radio station over a decade ago and haven't seen him since 2001... over the time I knew him, Royce lost lots of weight, and he simply said to me one day, "I gave up Coke and Diet Coke. That helped me lose 10 pounds right there."
An article in the morning about giving up soda (while I drank a Coke) and a podcast in the afternoon about giving up soda (while I drank a Mello Yello) and a flashback to a guy who lost weight just by NOT drinking soda... it really had me considering what to do, and what I was doing to my own health.
Back in the late 90s... or maybe it was 2006... or perhaps 1995, or it might be 2001, I don't remember when, I just remember it happened... I stopped drinking all carbonated drinks for over a year. I think it must be like cocaine or heroin though, because after 13 months of not having any Coke products, I remember having one for a meal and it was like those lame Coke drinking polar bears were welcoming me back into the embrace of diabetes and the arms of obesity.
And now, right now as I write this, its 1252am, its almost an hour into April 1st... and for the next 30 days, I'm giving up carbonated beverages of all kinds. Not just Coke and Cherry Coke and the like, but ALL carbonated beverages. Not even a sparkling water of any kind, which is good, cause I'm not a fan of most, so I got that going for me. I made this declaration on Facebook last week, to start April 1st, so now I kinda feel obligated, lest I become like someone who declares Facebook fast and then show up 19 hours later online as if nothing had been said.
The fun part is, I do love ginger ale... its non-decaffeinated, and isn't really that bad for you... and we have a case now, by virtue of me headed to Wal-Mart at 540am to get The Lovely Steph Leann something to drink due to her feeling like crap over the last 24 hours (food poisoning? virus? we dunno...). So it sits there, and I won't enjoy it.
I call it my No Soda for 30 Days Challenge... or #NoSoda30, to hashtag it unnecessarily.
So, how about you? Willing to give up some beverage? Willing to see how you feel on May 1st by not tossing back Mountain Dew or Coke or Pepsi or whatever your beverage of choice might be?
Oh, about that shirt I mentioned. My goal? To wear it again. Even if I don't wear it long, even if I never leave the house with it on... my goal is to put it on and be comfortable in it. I'll even take a picture and post it, because I am that vain.
Or maybe I'll put it into my daily rotation of outerwear when it gets cool again. It is a cool shirt. If I ever have lunch with Miranda Bryant, then I've got to be able to wear it.
Tuesday, May 07, 2013
a sacred delight (a bronx tale)
When I was at the end of my college experience, in the spring of 1998, I took my first mission trip to New York City. I had done missions work here and there, usually a week at a time, before, but this was NYC... I'd never been, and I couldn't turn down the chance to go. Problem was, this trip happened to come before, during, and after the Winter Quarter Graduation Ceremony at Troy State University. Mind you, this was when Troy State was Troy State, and it was in quarters, not semesters--semesters came the following fall.
The problem really wasn't a problem, because I had missed the deadline for renting my cap and gown for graduation anyway. I mean, it was like, $50. I couldn't come up with $50 on the fly... now, if you ask me how I afforded a trip to NYC, I can tell you... I have no clue. I'm trying to think back, and I really have no idea how I paid for that trip, or had the money to spend while on it. Who knows. Then again, with my credit card history, I might have just paid that trip off a few years ago.
Anyway, to finish that part of the story, on the Friday of trip, I glanced down at my watch, noticing it was after 2pm. I was walking down 7th Avenue, and turned to my friends Melanie Jackson, Allyson Guy and Troy McConnell and said, "Hey, I just graduated college..." My fellow graduate Dixon Brock told me some time later that they did say my name aloud. I never even saw a program with my name on it. Such is.
Well, while in New York City, one of the plans we had for the ministry we worked with was to plan a neighborhood coffeehouse in the Bronx, and we had music, and skits and snacks and coffee and so on...
And so I did. That night, in the Bronx, I gave my first--and last--public singing performance. I had to start the second verse over at one point, as I lost my place. Troy on guitar was as patient as ever. I made it through it, as off key as I ever was... and felt proud of it. Not sure anyone else got anything out of it, especially the Puerto Rican family in the front row... they didn't know Sunday Drive from Reese Witherspoon, but for me, it was courage. And humbling before God.
The problem really wasn't a problem, because I had missed the deadline for renting my cap and gown for graduation anyway. I mean, it was like, $50. I couldn't come up with $50 on the fly... now, if you ask me how I afforded a trip to NYC, I can tell you... I have no clue. I'm trying to think back, and I really have no idea how I paid for that trip, or had the money to spend while on it. Who knows. Then again, with my credit card history, I might have just paid that trip off a few years ago.
Anyway, to finish that part of the story, on the Friday of trip, I glanced down at my watch, noticing it was after 2pm. I was walking down 7th Avenue, and turned to my friends Melanie Jackson, Allyson Guy and Troy McConnell and said, "Hey, I just graduated college..." My fellow graduate Dixon Brock told me some time later that they did say my name aloud. I never even saw a program with my name on it. Such is.
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| Sunday Drive "Doors Wide Open' A pretty good CD, and only $2.99 on Amazon |
SIDEBAR!!! I worked at a local radio station in Troy, and produced my own Christian music show on Sunday nights, called Sunday Night Power--every Sunday, 7p to 11p, and with contacts from various record labels and promotions, I got all kinds of CDs and backstage passes and interviews and so on... and ended up meeting this band named Sunday Drive. They were your typical Christian music band of the late 90s... a few dudes, drums, guitars, some fast stuff, some slow stuff, and a few albums that were forgotten within a few years. And frankly, their music, while good, was mostly forgettable.
However comma there was one song that I singled in on, namely "Sacred Delight".
"Did you smile when you made the moon, and gave the sky its color? Did Creation dance in rhythm to Your song of life, I wonder? Did the angels know You knew my name before I existed? Did you tell them out of all You made, why You gave me Your image? Is it true, I'm Your heartbeat? And You love me more than anything...?"
I loved that song. Love that song.
And in the weeks leading up to the mission trip, I felt it important to make one request... "Can I... can I sing 'Sacred Delight'?" Now, its important to note I am not a singer. I sing. I wail. I warble. I can't remember half of a sermon two hours after its over, but I can nail every word to Sir Mix-a-Lot's "Baby Got Back" or "Jump" by KrisKross or "3am" by Matchbox 20 or even most Whitney Houston songs (pre-crack, of course)... but a singer I am not. The Lovely Steph Leann can attest.
Back then, it was just as true.
My buddy Troy McConnell didn't care. He said, "Dude. I love it. Let's do it." We practiced, and I know he gave of himself alot in listening to me warble and such. In my defense, it was in my key, and overall, it wasn't too terribly bad... but still, he encouraged me.
The trip comes. We are in New York City, spending our days in the community of Brooklyn and the Bronx, our nights in a little community church. And its cold... there is snow, not Alabama snow, mind you, but real snow. For me, it was the first real snow I'd ever seen. It was like powder, and when you threw it at someone, it disintegrated into a spray of fine flakes, leaving very little moisture on your clothes--unlike snow in Alabama... throw a snowball here and you are likely to give someone a concussion with a good head shot.
So, the day of, it was cold and rainy. It was snowy outside, and I woke up with a head full of allergies and congestion. I could barely breath, my nose was so clogged. I thought of cancelling my little tune, but just wasn't sure if that was the right thing to do. This wasn't even about other people worshipping, this was about me telling God that I will praise Him no matter what. In a little empty church sanctuary in Brooklyn, I sat listening to both Troy and our friend Claire Baldwin simply tell me, "You do what you feel you should. But if you feel the urge to praise Him, then you do it. Who cares what anyone else says? You are performing for an audience of One. Its His worship."
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| Troy and I, in mid-song. Well, Troy in mid-song, me in mid-song-butcher. |
And so I did. That night, in the Bronx, I gave my first--and last--public singing performance. I had to start the second verse over at one point, as I lost my place. Troy on guitar was as patient as ever. I made it through it, as off key as I ever was... and felt proud of it. Not sure anyone else got anything out of it, especially the Puerto Rican family in the front row... they didn't know Sunday Drive from Reese Witherspoon, but for me, it was courage. And humbling before God.
What sacred delight. What infinite wonder, that I'm precious in Your sight. You love me like no other, not other. Sacred delight.
So, this coming Sunday, I'll sit down with my notes, my Sword, my lesson book and we'll discuss the proper ways of taking on Hell with a water pistol. I'm sure I'll "uh" and "um" and "...you know..." and "...so..." alot. Count on it.
But, if like that night in the Bronx, if can get my fat head and large ego out of the way, God just might say something important. Something delightful. Something sacred.
Did you think of me the day you died, and know that I'd intend this... did you know one day I'd come to you, in search of your forgiveness... is it true, I'm your heartbeat... and you choice to die than to live without me...
Word.
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| Of course, it wasn't all serious... in one of many skits, Kendrick and I do something a little more comical--a two person, five character skit called something like "No No Not Today" |
Friday, June 22, 2012
38 memories of wookiee
My best mate Wookiee (aka, Christopher J. Fulaytar) has a birthday today. I have a card for him, but like a bad friend, I keep losing his address.
Its worth noting that two of my other good buddies--Mikey and Shawn--also have birthdays today and tomorrow, respectively, but I'll see them on Wednesday, give them the cards I bought them, and probably will leave them notes on Facebook with my birthday sentiments.
But I thought this time for Wookiee, I would give you, the reader, some insight into why I love this big lug. Actually, many of you won't get many of the references listed here, though each has a story behind it.
So, in no particular order, here are 38 memories I have of Wookiee, my best mate Wookiee, one for each year of his hairy life.
1) Fruit Wheels Twin Packs. His cereal of choice.
2) Eating at Denny's once per month. Its like... our man date or something.
3) I was trying to use up a roll of film (remember the days before they were digital) and I walked into Wookiee's room and said, "Okay! Show me mad!" And he did. "Okay! Show me happy!" And he did" I took a pic with each emotion... flirty... serious... fun... and when I said, "Sexy", this pic is what he gave me. Check out those pants.
4) The fact that, as big as he is, I found him one night curled up in the corner of that same bed you see here, playing video games. His reason? He saw a mouse. I left. I came back around 3am, four hours later. He was in the same position, telling me, "Dude, I ain't getting up til I know that mouse is dead, or daylight hits."
5) For some reason, Wookiee and I liked to perform the 50s classic song "Little Darlin'". Well, he would lip-sync and I would play the spoons. And I would not just play the spoons, I would also drum them on anything within reach, which usually meant Wookiee's head was fair game. One night, our buddy Barrow was spending the night on our floor, and our antics had him laughing so hard he could barely breathe. He literally opened the front door and hung halfway down the steps to get some fresh air. It was classic.
6) His mom and dad are are awesome... they are really, really good people.
7) His wife Gina is also a great person, helping him produce his spawn, Austin.... and his other spawn, Abby Grace. Good job, Wookiee.
8) He's been a part of at least half of my moves from one place to another. Somehow, we finagled him into moving our big Sony Trinitron from The Apartment to The Deuce... and he helped me move from our first apartment to The Cabana. And when I say helped, many times I mean he's moving heavy stuff and I'm supervising. That's the way it should be.
9) He used to drive a Trans-Am T-Top. He is 6'9, so its understandable that you couldn't sit behind him in the backseat. He had the seat pushed all the way back. I'm pretty sure his head stuck out of the top of the T-Top itself.
10) Wrestlemania. He, Big Tom and myself attended last year's Wrestlemania in Atlanta, an experience I'll never forget, and one of the top four coolest things of all of 2011.
11) He took me to see Troy play Central Michigan in the GMAC Bowl in Mobile. It was my first overtime bowl game (Troy lost in 2 OTs), it was crack ninja cold out there, and our seats were eh. But Gina, the wife, had given him two tickets to the game, and he called me up to go.
12) He booked us a room at the La Quinta. Not the Marriott next door, or the Hampton Inn on the other side, but the La Quinta Inn. It was, however, within walking distance of... you guessed it, a Denny's.
13) We dated the same girl at the same time, he as a freshman in college, me as a senior in high school. It was absolute hilarity when we discovered this fact some years later. I'm serious--we laughed for an hour.
14) Our Halloween party at the Thomas Circle apartment. He went as "Fulaytar Vader"
15) In our Three Notch Street rented house, we shared a huge bedroom, complete with a wall gas heater. When The Wench, his chick at the time, broke up with him, he skipped all of his classes for like, two weeks, sleeping in the room alot. As a result, our gas bill was over $175. As a broke college student having to pay for half of this, I had no idea what to do, until he told me he was going to pay all of it because he felt like he was responsible for it being so high. This is the kind of guy Wook-Fu is. (she cheated on him, but they got back together soon after)
16) A year or so later, at our next apartment in Thomas Circle, I get a tap on my window at like, 6 in the morning on a Saturday. I open the window and see... its The Wench. "Can I talk to Chris?" I rolled out of bed, opened the door, and let her in, then went back to bed. About two hours later, Wookiee opens my bedroom door and says, "I just broke up with The Wench." Awake now, I said, "Dude, what happened? Are you okay?" He nodded and said, "She cheated on me again. I just said, 'Get out, The Wench'. I'm cool. Want to go get some breakfast?" And we did. He might have even bought. And he was fine.
17) A teacher, he got a job after graduation in the humming metropolis of Hazelhurst, Georgia. On the morning he was moving, he had all his crap in a U-Haul, ready to go. We had breakfast at Julia's in a hotel nearby, and then he said a somewhat tearful goodbye. It was sad to see him go. But I'll always remember the sadness of seeing my best friend leave for however long it would be.
18) Troy State versus Missouri. His bachelor party, as a bunch of us bought this ticket to see the 17th ranked Tigers come to Troy, anchored by Heisman hopeful Brad Smith. Then in an unbelievable night, we watched Troy handily beat Missouri, knock them out of the rankings, kill Smith's Heisman chances and then become the 24th ranked team in the country the next week. What a night.
19) Exploring the USS Alabama with Wookiee. Both of us have connections to the military, so it was great doing something like that with someone who understands it. If only I hadn't lost all the pictures. Whoops.
20) People don't understand our bromance. We're very special. Or some would say.
21) The 1996 Olympics. Yes, The Wench was there, as was the upstairs neighbor, Smokey Steve, but we actually got to see the second incarnation of The Dream Team play--Jordan, Robinson, Barkley and more. And, of course, we were almost blowed up by the bomb in the park. That was fun.
22) The hilarious sight of him, in only his boxer shorts, leaving our apartment and walking up the hill to the parking lot to get the morning paper. There are somethings you just can't un-see.
23) One day, I'm reclining in my bed watching TV, and he sticks his head out of the bathroom. Then we have this exchange...
Wookiee: Uh, d$... can I ask you a question?
Me: Sure. Whaddup?
Wookiee: When you are in the shower... does the curtain ever... well, does the shower curtain ever attack you?
Me: Uh... sometimes.
Wookiee: Okay, just wondering.
Then he disappears back into the bathroom. And I cracked up. And 17 years later, I just laughed out loud thinking about that conversation.
24) He was the best man in my wedding, and I in his. Wouldn't have had it any other way. He was petrified he would lose the ring, and more petrified of the bride's reaction if it happened.
25) He knows how to break it down. Like a big, hairy clown. (and though it looks like pants, I am totally wearing jorts in this picture)
26) During the Deuce Days, he lived at The Deuce for two summers in a row, and it was awesome watching him immediately integrate amongst all the friends I had here, and become just a part of the group. He actually had a portable closet he kept in our dining room with all of his close. And sometimes, because he would get so annoyed with Tommy and Drew playing Tetris until the wee hours of the morning (especially when Wookiee is trying to sleep on the couch), he would hide Tetris. And THAT was hilarious.
27) I wrecked my car on the third Saturday in October of 1996. Fell asleep at the wheel of my old Buick on the way back to Samson, ran off the road and into a telephone pole. Head snapped forward, face hit the steering wheel, and it caught me in that space between my upper lip and my nose. Blood spatter on the windshield, and I was lucky I didn't break my nose entirely. Had stitches from one nostril to the next, and three feet of thin gauze in each nostril. And I was without a vehicle. And Wookiee, graciously if not begrudgingly, gave up the Alabama/Tennessee game to drive an hour south to Samson, pick me up and take me back.
28) Many of my favorite catchphrases somehow lead back to him. We went rock climbing with Michael Brunson and a few other friends one day, north of Birmingham. And when the rock climber guy in charge strapped on the harness to Wookiee, it was fastened around his mid-section. Before the V-shaped harness was pulled tight, the rock climber guy in charge gave caution to Wookiee for any necessary... well, adjustments. He said, "You may want to make sure and keep 'Sparky' in the 'V'" And "Sparky in the V" is a phrase that elicits loud laughs even now.
29) So, in the Three Notch House, in our shared bedroom, we both woke up on a Saturday morning around the same time. Neither of us wanted to get up, so we both went back to sleep. Around 11, we both woke up again. And then both went back to sleep. By 1 or so, we had agreed upon a contest... whoever gets up first, loses. About 515p, I won, when Wookiee had to get up and use the restroom.
30) Also in that bedroom, also when we are both laying in our beds, refusing to get up, we are watching TV... it might have been the same day as the sleeping contest, who knows... and the former President Bush is on TV. The annoucer is saying something political, with a "something something something something George Bush something something." And randomly, Wookiee pipes up, saying "Yeeesss George Bush". After I finished rolling in laugher something like 20 minutes later, I wiped my eyes and knew I had something. And the "Yes" catchphrase caught on big during The Deuce Days. Its not used as much now, but you'll still hear it from me, or Mikey or one of the guys from time to time. Yeeeesss Wookiee.
31) We are riding in the car with a friend of ours, some tiny little vehicle we were stuffed into--me in the backseat because Wookiee couldn't fit... anyway, at the time, Jann Arden had a big hit on her hands with the song "Insensitive", which came on the radio. I actually really like that song, and was singing along. Apparently none of us knew the second verse, though, because it was all quiet in the car when Jann Arden sang, "How do you numb the skin... after the warmest touch... how do you slow your blood... after the body rush...", to which Wookiee breaks the silence by saying, "Yeeesss body rush." I lost it.
32) Because of our height disparity, people think its fun--and original, to take our pictures back to back. And this pic is the typical result (taken at the 1995 Farmhouse Fraternity Formal).
33) We are all sitting around The Deuce one day, plotting on how to get the downstairs neighbors to move out, so we could rent that apartment as well, putting a firemans pole between the two apartments. I, who worked for a radio station at the time, said, "I'll broadcast subliminal messages that they need to leave!" Mikey, working at a bank, said, "I'll screw up their finances and force them into bankruptcy!" Shawn, who worked for the phone company at the time, said, "I'll tap their phones and black mail them!" Tommy, working in interweb stuff, said, "I can plant viruses in their computers!"
Not to be outdone, of course, Wookiee, a teacher, yells, "And I'll make their kids stupid!" I lost it.
34) The Great Rib Eat-Off. Tony Roma's, when they were open, offered "endless ribs" for $20 or something like that... Mikey, Big Tom, Wookiee and I went to Tony Roma's to participate in this feast of gluttony. Well, actually, Big Tom got something else, and I think I went the burger route... but Mikey and Wookiee went at it. And they ate, and ate, and requested more, and ate and ate and ate. All in all, they ate 50 ribs. Each. Between the two of them, they devoured 100 ribs. The lead cook came out to meet them and tell them that they went through an entire case of ribs, plus 4. The other patrons watched inhorror wonder.
35) While typing this, its fitting that my 21st favorite movie of all time, "Major League" is on TV... like myself, Wookiee is a huge sports nut, and a sports movie nut too--he shares my love of "Major League"...
just a bit outside... going somewhere, meat? about 90 feet... and for the Indians, that's one run on, let's see...one hit? That's all we got? One goshdarn hit? [Monty: You can't say "goshdarn" on the air!] Don't worry; nobody's listening anyway... up your butt, Jobu... hey bartender, Jobu needs a refill!... personally, I think we got hosed on that call... I can't find it, to heck with it!... this guy threw at his own kid in a father/son game... forget about the curveball, Ricky! Give him the heater!
...but he also has a big hankerin' for "Mystery, Alaska", something I will admit I've never seen. That's a bad friend on my part. Hold on...
...I just added it to my Netflix queue, 7th on the list, in between the remake of "Fright Night" and Disc 3 of Everwood's first season.
Anyway, Wookiee has an almost obsessive love of the Chicago Cubbies, the Boston Celtics and I believe the Dallas Cowboys. Being a Orioles/Spurs & Magic/Broncos fan, we always had something talk about--especially when it came to college football.
Though we love the line, now that we are married, Heywood's line "How's your wife and my kid?" doesn't work as well anymore. Sad.
36) You can't help but love a guy who does this to a swimming pool... our buddy Drew called it a "complete phenomena of water displacement."
37) At our very first DeuceFest, on June 20th of 2000, we had a karaoke machine... too good to pass up, Wookiee joins the father figure of the group, Mikey's dad Mr. Ken on "stage" to sing a rousing rendition of "My Way". It was quite a hoot. And a holler.
38) I became a Christ Follower in January of 1995. He became a Christ Follower a week later, led by the same guy, Reggie MacAllister. It was thrilling to relate our testimonies to each other, and share in such important spiritual matters as our eternal futures.
And one to grow on...
39) He's my best friend. Wookiee truly is. We've known each other since September of 1993, been friends since April of 1994, and he is my brother in Christ and my best mate.
Happy Birthday, Wookiee. Hope I made you proud with this dedicated post, though I'm sure there is something vital that I'm forgetting... Next stop... FORTY!! Well, 39, but FORTY sounds so much more dramatic.
Its worth noting that two of my other good buddies--Mikey and Shawn--also have birthdays today and tomorrow, respectively, but I'll see them on Wednesday, give them the cards I bought them, and probably will leave them notes on Facebook with my birthday sentiments.
But I thought this time for Wookiee, I would give you, the reader, some insight into why I love this big lug. Actually, many of you won't get many of the references listed here, though each has a story behind it.
So, in no particular order, here are 38 memories I have of Wookiee, my best mate Wookiee, one for each year of his hairy life.
1) Fruit Wheels Twin Packs. His cereal of choice.
2) Eating at Denny's once per month. Its like... our man date or something.
3) I was trying to use up a roll of film (remember the days before they were digital) and I walked into Wookiee's room and said, "Okay! Show me mad!" And he did. "Okay! Show me happy!" And he did" I took a pic with each emotion... flirty... serious... fun... and when I said, "Sexy", this pic is what he gave me. Check out those pants.4) The fact that, as big as he is, I found him one night curled up in the corner of that same bed you see here, playing video games. His reason? He saw a mouse. I left. I came back around 3am, four hours later. He was in the same position, telling me, "Dude, I ain't getting up til I know that mouse is dead, or daylight hits."
5) For some reason, Wookiee and I liked to perform the 50s classic song "Little Darlin'". Well, he would lip-sync and I would play the spoons. And I would not just play the spoons, I would also drum them on anything within reach, which usually meant Wookiee's head was fair game. One night, our buddy Barrow was spending the night on our floor, and our antics had him laughing so hard he could barely breathe. He literally opened the front door and hung halfway down the steps to get some fresh air. It was classic.
6) His mom and dad are are awesome... they are really, really good people.
7) His wife Gina is also a great person, helping him produce his spawn, Austin.... and his other spawn, Abby Grace. Good job, Wookiee.
8) He's been a part of at least half of my moves from one place to another. Somehow, we finagled him into moving our big Sony Trinitron from The Apartment to The Deuce... and he helped me move from our first apartment to The Cabana. And when I say helped, many times I mean he's moving heavy stuff and I'm supervising. That's the way it should be.
9) He used to drive a Trans-Am T-Top. He is 6'9, so its understandable that you couldn't sit behind him in the backseat. He had the seat pushed all the way back. I'm pretty sure his head stuck out of the top of the T-Top itself.
10) Wrestlemania. He, Big Tom and myself attended last year's Wrestlemania in Atlanta, an experience I'll never forget, and one of the top four coolest things of all of 2011.
11) He took me to see Troy play Central Michigan in the GMAC Bowl in Mobile. It was my first overtime bowl game (Troy lost in 2 OTs), it was crack ninja cold out there, and our seats were eh. But Gina, the wife, had given him two tickets to the game, and he called me up to go.
12) He booked us a room at the La Quinta. Not the Marriott next door, or the Hampton Inn on the other side, but the La Quinta Inn. It was, however, within walking distance of... you guessed it, a Denny's.
13) We dated the same girl at the same time, he as a freshman in college, me as a senior in high school. It was absolute hilarity when we discovered this fact some years later. I'm serious--we laughed for an hour.
14) Our Halloween party at the Thomas Circle apartment. He went as "Fulaytar Vader"
15) In our Three Notch Street rented house, we shared a huge bedroom, complete with a wall gas heater. When The Wench, his chick at the time, broke up with him, he skipped all of his classes for like, two weeks, sleeping in the room alot. As a result, our gas bill was over $175. As a broke college student having to pay for half of this, I had no idea what to do, until he told me he was going to pay all of it because he felt like he was responsible for it being so high. This is the kind of guy Wook-Fu is. (she cheated on him, but they got back together soon after)
16) A year or so later, at our next apartment in Thomas Circle, I get a tap on my window at like, 6 in the morning on a Saturday. I open the window and see... its The Wench. "Can I talk to Chris?" I rolled out of bed, opened the door, and let her in, then went back to bed. About two hours later, Wookiee opens my bedroom door and says, "I just broke up with The Wench." Awake now, I said, "Dude, what happened? Are you okay?" He nodded and said, "She cheated on me again. I just said, 'Get out, The Wench'. I'm cool. Want to go get some breakfast?" And we did. He might have even bought. And he was fine.
17) A teacher, he got a job after graduation in the humming metropolis of Hazelhurst, Georgia. On the morning he was moving, he had all his crap in a U-Haul, ready to go. We had breakfast at Julia's in a hotel nearby, and then he said a somewhat tearful goodbye. It was sad to see him go. But I'll always remember the sadness of seeing my best friend leave for however long it would be.
18) Troy State versus Missouri. His bachelor party, as a bunch of us bought this ticket to see the 17th ranked Tigers come to Troy, anchored by Heisman hopeful Brad Smith. Then in an unbelievable night, we watched Troy handily beat Missouri, knock them out of the rankings, kill Smith's Heisman chances and then become the 24th ranked team in the country the next week. What a night.
19) Exploring the USS Alabama with Wookiee. Both of us have connections to the military, so it was great doing something like that with someone who understands it. If only I hadn't lost all the pictures. Whoops.
21) The 1996 Olympics. Yes, The Wench was there, as was the upstairs neighbor, Smokey Steve, but we actually got to see the second incarnation of The Dream Team play--Jordan, Robinson, Barkley and more. And, of course, we were almost blowed up by the bomb in the park. That was fun.
22) The hilarious sight of him, in only his boxer shorts, leaving our apartment and walking up the hill to the parking lot to get the morning paper. There are somethings you just can't un-see.
23) One day, I'm reclining in my bed watching TV, and he sticks his head out of the bathroom. Then we have this exchange...
Wookiee: Uh, d$... can I ask you a question?
Me: Sure. Whaddup?
Wookiee: When you are in the shower... does the curtain ever... well, does the shower curtain ever attack you?
Me: Uh... sometimes.
Wookiee: Okay, just wondering.
Then he disappears back into the bathroom. And I cracked up. And 17 years later, I just laughed out loud thinking about that conversation.
24) He was the best man in my wedding, and I in his. Wouldn't have had it any other way. He was petrified he would lose the ring, and more petrified of the bride's reaction if it happened.
25) He knows how to break it down. Like a big, hairy clown. (and though it looks like pants, I am totally wearing jorts in this picture)26) During the Deuce Days, he lived at The Deuce for two summers in a row, and it was awesome watching him immediately integrate amongst all the friends I had here, and become just a part of the group. He actually had a portable closet he kept in our dining room with all of his close. And sometimes, because he would get so annoyed with Tommy and Drew playing Tetris until the wee hours of the morning (especially when Wookiee is trying to sleep on the couch), he would hide Tetris. And THAT was hilarious.
27) I wrecked my car on the third Saturday in October of 1996. Fell asleep at the wheel of my old Buick on the way back to Samson, ran off the road and into a telephone pole. Head snapped forward, face hit the steering wheel, and it caught me in that space between my upper lip and my nose. Blood spatter on the windshield, and I was lucky I didn't break my nose entirely. Had stitches from one nostril to the next, and three feet of thin gauze in each nostril. And I was without a vehicle. And Wookiee, graciously if not begrudgingly, gave up the Alabama/Tennessee game to drive an hour south to Samson, pick me up and take me back.
28) Many of my favorite catchphrases somehow lead back to him. We went rock climbing with Michael Brunson and a few other friends one day, north of Birmingham. And when the rock climber guy in charge strapped on the harness to Wookiee, it was fastened around his mid-section. Before the V-shaped harness was pulled tight, the rock climber guy in charge gave caution to Wookiee for any necessary... well, adjustments. He said, "You may want to make sure and keep 'Sparky' in the 'V'" And "Sparky in the V" is a phrase that elicits loud laughs even now.
29) So, in the Three Notch House, in our shared bedroom, we both woke up on a Saturday morning around the same time. Neither of us wanted to get up, so we both went back to sleep. Around 11, we both woke up again. And then both went back to sleep. By 1 or so, we had agreed upon a contest... whoever gets up first, loses. About 515p, I won, when Wookiee had to get up and use the restroom.
30) Also in that bedroom, also when we are both laying in our beds, refusing to get up, we are watching TV... it might have been the same day as the sleeping contest, who knows... and the former President Bush is on TV. The annoucer is saying something political, with a "something something something something George Bush something something." And randomly, Wookiee pipes up, saying "Yeeesss George Bush". After I finished rolling in laugher something like 20 minutes later, I wiped my eyes and knew I had something. And the "Yes" catchphrase caught on big during The Deuce Days. Its not used as much now, but you'll still hear it from me, or Mikey or one of the guys from time to time. Yeeeesss Wookiee.
31) We are riding in the car with a friend of ours, some tiny little vehicle we were stuffed into--me in the backseat because Wookiee couldn't fit... anyway, at the time, Jann Arden had a big hit on her hands with the song "Insensitive", which came on the radio. I actually really like that song, and was singing along. Apparently none of us knew the second verse, though, because it was all quiet in the car when Jann Arden sang, "How do you numb the skin... after the warmest touch... how do you slow your blood... after the body rush...", to which Wookiee breaks the silence by saying, "Yeeesss body rush." I lost it.
33) We are all sitting around The Deuce one day, plotting on how to get the downstairs neighbors to move out, so we could rent that apartment as well, putting a firemans pole between the two apartments. I, who worked for a radio station at the time, said, "I'll broadcast subliminal messages that they need to leave!" Mikey, working at a bank, said, "I'll screw up their finances and force them into bankruptcy!" Shawn, who worked for the phone company at the time, said, "I'll tap their phones and black mail them!" Tommy, working in interweb stuff, said, "I can plant viruses in their computers!"
Not to be outdone, of course, Wookiee, a teacher, yells, "And I'll make their kids stupid!" I lost it.
34) The Great Rib Eat-Off. Tony Roma's, when they were open, offered "endless ribs" for $20 or something like that... Mikey, Big Tom, Wookiee and I went to Tony Roma's to participate in this feast of gluttony. Well, actually, Big Tom got something else, and I think I went the burger route... but Mikey and Wookiee went at it. And they ate, and ate, and requested more, and ate and ate and ate. All in all, they ate 50 ribs. Each. Between the two of them, they devoured 100 ribs. The lead cook came out to meet them and tell them that they went through an entire case of ribs, plus 4. The other patrons watched in
 |
| This is the actual napkin from that day at Tony Roma's. I dug it from the upstairs back bedroom, which is full of random Deuce memorabilia that I've somehow been able to keep... who knows if this will make it back upstairs. |
35) While typing this, its fitting that my 21st favorite movie of all time, "Major League" is on TV... like myself, Wookiee is a huge sports nut, and a sports movie nut too--he shares my love of "Major League"...
just a bit outside... going somewhere, meat? about 90 feet... and for the Indians, that's one run on, let's see...one hit? That's all we got? One goshdarn hit? [Monty: You can't say "goshdarn" on the air!] Don't worry; nobody's listening anyway... up your butt, Jobu... hey bartender, Jobu needs a refill!... personally, I think we got hosed on that call... I can't find it, to heck with it!... this guy threw at his own kid in a father/son game... forget about the curveball, Ricky! Give him the heater!
...but he also has a big hankerin' for "Mystery, Alaska", something I will admit I've never seen. That's a bad friend on my part. Hold on...
...I just added it to my Netflix queue, 7th on the list, in between the remake of "Fright Night" and Disc 3 of Everwood's first season. Anyway, Wookiee has an almost obsessive love of the Chicago Cubbies, the Boston Celtics and I believe the Dallas Cowboys. Being a Orioles/Spurs & Magic/Broncos fan, we always had something talk about--especially when it came to college football.
Though we love the line, now that we are married, Heywood's line "How's your wife and my kid?" doesn't work as well anymore. Sad.
36) You can't help but love a guy who does this to a swimming pool... our buddy Drew called it a "complete phenomena of water displacement."
37) At our very first DeuceFest, on June 20th of 2000, we had a karaoke machine... too good to pass up, Wookiee joins the father figure of the group, Mikey's dad Mr. Ken on "stage" to sing a rousing rendition of "My Way". It was quite a hoot. And a holler.
38) I became a Christ Follower in January of 1995. He became a Christ Follower a week later, led by the same guy, Reggie MacAllister. It was thrilling to relate our testimonies to each other, and share in such important spiritual matters as our eternal futures.
And one to grow on...
39) He's my best friend. Wookiee truly is. We've known each other since September of 1993, been friends since April of 1994, and he is my brother in Christ and my best mate.
Happy Birthday, Wookiee. Hope I made you proud with this dedicated post, though I'm sure there is something vital that I'm forgetting... Next stop... FORTY!! Well, 39, but FORTY sounds so much more dramatic.
Sunday, May 20, 2012
graduation day
This was written back on Saturday, May 6th, as I sat in the audience, via iPhone's Blogging app. It is until just now that I got around to posting it, in between all the other posts that were more timely... so, enjoy.
So... My first college graduation. The time is 1242p, and I'm sitting in the middle of the Coleman Coliseum, planted right on the campus of The University of Alabama.
My brother in law, the Super Cool Tyler, is getting his degree today in Mechanical Engineering, meaning he is smarter than I and he makes more in his internship than I do in real life.
When I say it's my first college graduation, I mean that--I graduated from Troy State U (go Trojans!) in the spring of 1998... However, to walk, you had to pay like, $50 to rent your cap and gown and such, and honestly, I didn't have 50 bucks for anything, and I missed the deadline for ordering... Were I to walk, I wouldn't have anything scholarly to wear. There was a mission trip to New York City with our BCM that March--right during Troy's graduation... So I saved up some money, and in mid-March, on that Friday, instead of shaking hands with Chancellor Hawkins and getting my diploma, I was instead strolling down 8th Avenue in Manhattan, headed towards FAO Scwartz with Allysong Guy, Claire Baldwin and Troy McConnell.
So, here I am. And the whole family is here too... There is Big Daddy Ron... Mama Ruthless... Aunt Becky... coming soon is Angie, the sis-in-law, Randy the bro-in-law, and the kids, Madeleine and Benjamin. Sitting with us as week is Tyler's fiancee, Brynn... And lest we forget, The Lovely Steph Leann. Who is holding our five month old.
Our five month old. In a crowded, loud arena. For three hours. What. Could. Possibly. Go. Wrong?
107p... We find out, as Campbell has decided he has hungry a little ahead of schedule.
113p... As the graduates make their way into the arena, Angie and Company have arrived to join us. The gang is all here.
114p... We are currently playing a little game called "Find the Tyler"
117p... One of my favorite things at graduations--high school up until today--is to hear the "Name Reader" butcher the simple and not so simple names. And with names like "Mohammed abdulrhim al Ibrahim" (pg 49) and "Meisam Salahshoor-Pirsoltan" (pg 24) it might've been a fruitful afternoon... However, I've been informed by Trey Cartledge, sitting in front of us, that Eugene Proffit, the "Name Reader", is a god among insects when it comes to such things... He apparently doesn't miss names. We shall see.
129p... Camille Sonnier, at least according to the jumbotron, sings the national anthem... U-S-A! U-S-A!!!
132p... Surprisingly, an invocation. Albeit one to "the Creator", but still...
138p... The Doctorates are first. Some chick named Wookjung Chang is up. Her family? The Woojung Clan.
144p... After pronouncing Cui Cui, this exchange:
Brynn: this guy is a baller
The Lovelt Steph Leann: he has been doing this a long time
146p... Just had a Michael Scott AND a Miaomiao Pang.--pronounced "Meow Meow". Just saying.
147p... Elizabeth Luzer. What a rough name to overcome. Im not a Luzer, I'm a Winher!!
149p... Candidate for Cinemax name of the day... Willie B Breedlove.
151p... Campbell shows his support by pooping. The Lovely Steph Leann will be right back.
156p... The Business Degrees are up. And if Danielle Marie Drago doesn't name her son Ivan, then there is no justice. I'm also expecting big things from anyone named William Augustus Burgstiner IV. Just saying.
207p... So far, Procter is like a pimp on these names... But, I'm wondering, is it possible that he is getting a ton of these names wrong, but says them with such conviction, no one questions him?Maybe the graduates are told "okay, he might goof up your name, but go with it."
208p... If I were William T. French, I would have totally gone by "Will T. Freedom" back in the early part of the 2000s.
211p... If your last name is Gooch, and your a guy, cool. If you are a chick, you are looking to marry out of that name as soon as possible. And surely John Nicholas Grabowski's nickname is The Big Grabowski. Right? Right?
217p... If Lisa Yoko Lawless is dating the guitarist, you know the other bandmates are nervous.
220p... The name Brooke Elise Pancake just came up. I have about 3,877 breakfast jokes right here--by the time I decide on one, the moment is gone. Sad.
227p... Peter Joseph Scatamacchia? "yea, I need a tall latte, and venti mocha frap and a grande Scatamacchia... With an extra shot, please.". Love it.
229p... Jenna Nicole Stiffler probably thought she had a name that was fine, forgettable and unremarkable. And then those American Pie movies came out. And her poor mom.
234p... We enter Hour 2 of this name fest and it's time for the Engineering... Which means Tyler is up.
242... Look! There's Tyler in line!
(cue record screech sound)
We are sorry to interrupt this blog, but further jokes about names and random comments about graduation proceedings are now impossible, due to the fact the 5 month old in our group has decided he'd had enough and had begun to cry... Meaning Daddy--yours truly--now has him in the lobby, walking around, patting him on the bum and whispering comforting things to him.
I actually think I heard the family yell for Tyler as I was exiting the row... I said "excuse me" to the lady at the end of the row as she had to stand to let me by and added, "this little guy has had enough".
She smiled with a smirk and said, "yes he has.". I took Campbell out.
259p... And it's over, the grads are filing out. A few pics, a hot walk to a distant parking lot and 20 minutes later, we are now all at The Cypress Inn Cafe, awaiting a seat.
So, I guess that's it. There is your Alabama graduation... Oh, I guess since I'm in Tuscaloosa, home of the 63 time national champs (according to them) and the 6 time national champ (according to logic), I guess I should end this with those two famous words...
Go Gators.
So... My first college graduation. The time is 1242p, and I'm sitting in the middle of the Coleman Coliseum, planted right on the campus of The University of Alabama.
My brother in law, the Super Cool Tyler, is getting his degree today in Mechanical Engineering, meaning he is smarter than I and he makes more in his internship than I do in real life.
When I say it's my first college graduation, I mean that--I graduated from Troy State U (go Trojans!) in the spring of 1998... However, to walk, you had to pay like, $50 to rent your cap and gown and such, and honestly, I didn't have 50 bucks for anything, and I missed the deadline for ordering... Were I to walk, I wouldn't have anything scholarly to wear. There was a mission trip to New York City with our BCM that March--right during Troy's graduation... So I saved up some money, and in mid-March, on that Friday, instead of shaking hands with Chancellor Hawkins and getting my diploma, I was instead strolling down 8th Avenue in Manhattan, headed towards FAO Scwartz with Allysong Guy, Claire Baldwin and Troy McConnell.
So, here I am. And the whole family is here too... There is Big Daddy Ron... Mama Ruthless... Aunt Becky... coming soon is Angie, the sis-in-law, Randy the bro-in-law, and the kids, Madeleine and Benjamin. Sitting with us as week is Tyler's fiancee, Brynn... And lest we forget, The Lovely Steph Leann. Who is holding our five month old.
 |
| The graduates file in, one by one, ready to end their dreamy college experience and begin the strange new adventure known as "The Real World" |
107p... We find out, as Campbell has decided he has hungry a little ahead of schedule.
113p... As the graduates make their way into the arena, Angie and Company have arrived to join us. The gang is all here.
114p... We are currently playing a little game called "Find the Tyler"
117p... One of my favorite things at graduations--high school up until today--is to hear the "Name Reader" butcher the simple and not so simple names. And with names like "Mohammed abdulrhim al Ibrahim" (pg 49) and "Meisam Salahshoor-Pirsoltan" (pg 24) it might've been a fruitful afternoon... However, I've been informed by Trey Cartledge, sitting in front of us, that Eugene Proffit, the "Name Reader", is a god among insects when it comes to such things... He apparently doesn't miss names. We shall see.
129p... Camille Sonnier, at least according to the jumbotron, sings the national anthem... U-S-A! U-S-A!!!
132p... Surprisingly, an invocation. Albeit one to "the Creator", but still...
138p... The Doctorates are first. Some chick named Wookjung Chang is up. Her family? The Woojung Clan.
144p... After pronouncing Cui Cui, this exchange:
Brynn: this guy is a baller
The Lovelt Steph Leann: he has been doing this a long time
146p... Just had a Michael Scott AND a Miaomiao Pang.--pronounced "Meow Meow". Just saying.
147p... Elizabeth Luzer. What a rough name to overcome. Im not a Luzer, I'm a Winher!!
149p... Candidate for Cinemax name of the day... Willie B Breedlove.
151p... Campbell shows his support by pooping. The Lovely Steph Leann will be right back.
156p... The Business Degrees are up. And if Danielle Marie Drago doesn't name her son Ivan, then there is no justice. I'm also expecting big things from anyone named William Augustus Burgstiner IV. Just saying.
207p... So far, Procter is like a pimp on these names... But, I'm wondering, is it possible that he is getting a ton of these names wrong, but says them with such conviction, no one questions him?Maybe the graduates are told "okay, he might goof up your name, but go with it."
208p... If I were William T. French, I would have totally gone by "Will T. Freedom" back in the early part of the 2000s.
211p... If your last name is Gooch, and your a guy, cool. If you are a chick, you are looking to marry out of that name as soon as possible. And surely John Nicholas Grabowski's nickname is The Big Grabowski. Right? Right?
217p... If Lisa Yoko Lawless is dating the guitarist, you know the other bandmates are nervous.
220p... The name Brooke Elise Pancake just came up. I have about 3,877 breakfast jokes right here--by the time I decide on one, the moment is gone. Sad.
227p... Peter Joseph Scatamacchia? "yea, I need a tall latte, and venti mocha frap and a grande Scatamacchia... With an extra shot, please.". Love it.
229p... Jenna Nicole Stiffler probably thought she had a name that was fine, forgettable and unremarkable. And then those American Pie movies came out. And her poor mom.
234p... We enter Hour 2 of this name fest and it's time for the Engineering... Which means Tyler is up.
 |
| Mommy and Campbell, before he decided he liked it better outside, where the attention was all on him. |
(cue record screech sound)
We are sorry to interrupt this blog, but further jokes about names and random comments about graduation proceedings are now impossible, due to the fact the 5 month old in our group has decided he'd had enough and had begun to cry... Meaning Daddy--yours truly--now has him in the lobby, walking around, patting him on the bum and whispering comforting things to him.
I actually think I heard the family yell for Tyler as I was exiting the row... I said "excuse me" to the lady at the end of the row as she had to stand to let me by and added, "this little guy has had enough".
She smiled with a smirk and said, "yes he has.". I took Campbell out.
259p... And it's over, the grads are filing out. A few pics, a hot walk to a distant parking lot and 20 minutes later, we are now all at The Cypress Inn Cafe, awaiting a seat.
So, I guess that's it. There is your Alabama graduation... Oh, I guess since I'm in Tuscaloosa, home of the 63 time national champs (according to them) and the 6 time national champ (according to logic), I guess I should end this with those two famous words...
Go Gators.
Sunday, April 08, 2012
The Idol Eighties
Just rolled up into town from a trip down in Andalusia, Alabama, seeing the family and showing Campbell off to everyone. I even took my computer with me, thinking I'd have a few free minutes to blog something or another, give you, my fair Coffee Drinkers, something to read and look at, but alas, by the time 1140 rolled around last night, I was tired as a one-armed paper hanger.
That being said, I have much to blog, some funny, some pics, and some personal, but first, we have a little matter of a episode of American Idol to discuss.
Now, I must tell you going into this performance episode, I already know who has been voted out. The Lovely Steph Leann is in the dark, as she's good at avoiding such info when she needs to not-know, but I managed to see. It wasn't my fault, though, I wasn't looking for the answer, I just happened to get a message that said "Hannah Armstrong left a message on your timeline", meaning my Facebook wall. And dear, sweet Hannah, not knowing that I had not seen the episode nor heard anything about it... her message told me exactly what I was avoiding. So, I know.
We still need to review, though.. so let's get to it.
Its 80s night, and we'll be hearing 80s performances as well as 80s duets. We see a music montage featuring Mr. Mister's "Broken Wings", seeing their sad faces as Hey Jun! (he'll take a sad song and make it better) says goodbye last week, but their determination (and backhanded insult to the others who have said goodbye) by someone saying "Its down to the best of the best". If only we could get rid of D'Crappensuck... if only.
This week's mentorship, joining Jimmy Iovine, is from Gwen Stefani and Tony Kanal from No Doubt.
D'Crappensuck is first up. He'll be singing some song from El DeBarge, which means he found something that lets him to his falsetto so annoyingly much. Gwen Stefani says that D'Crappensuck is the "total package". Yeah, total package... of CRAP! Ha!
I don't care if it was good or not, I can't bring myself to start to like anything this kid does. Heck, even with Obama, I'd give him credit for doing something right (I'm just waiting for that moment), but with D'Crappensuck? Not so much. The judges love him, of course.
Eh.
Randy the Dawg says, "El DeBarge is somewhere saying 'oh my gawd!' from that performance..." No, Randy the Dawg, El DeBarge is somewhere saying 'oh my gawd' because he's locked up.
Here comes the much loved Elise Testosterone! She's doing "Hallelujah" by Leonard Cohen, made famous by Jeff Buckley. She then tries "I Wanna Know What Love Is" by Foreigner.
E-Test sounds good--not great--but good, and does a mature performance with the song. I think "Hallelujah" would have been a true Idol moment, but when Gwen Stefani tells you "do the Foreigner song", you do the Foreigner song.
Randy the Dawg calls her out on pitch issues, and Creepy Uncle Steven, who was swaying to the music when the Idol cameras showed him, says it was the wrong song choice. Really? And J-Lo gives her the death line... "you look beautiful tonight'. That sucks.
DUET TO IT!! Colton Dixon and Little Skylar Laine bust up on Kenny & Dolly's immortal "Islands in the Stream", a song that, as corny as it is, you just cannot help but like. I think everyone likes this song... Bill Clinton. James Hetfield. Brad Latta. Courtney Love. Barry Manilow. They all love this song. Who doesn't?
Since country is her forte, Little Skylar Laine does better in this than Colton Dixon, but its admirable that she doesn't just blow it out and show him up.
And Seacrusty, that drama starter, makes a comment about the "strong chemistry" up on stage, while Colton gives him the death look of death.
And now, let's hear it for Phillip2, and he'll be singing "That's All" by Genesis, and in rehearsal, he looks not only terrible, but also like he's in pain. Gwen Stefani says the same, that maybe he wasn't quite getting there... though she does feel like he'll be in the "top tops" eventually.
Me: Did she just say "top tops"?
The Lovely Steph Leann: That's what she said.
As for Phillip2, it was good. Again, not great, but good. I like the original, and I get a kick out of how Phillip2 eats the mic John Mayer style, but this was just decent.
The judges loved him.
That's all.
DUET TO IT!
So, what's better than one appearance from D'Crappensuck!? TWO, count 'em, TWO SONGS by D'Crappensuck! That's right! Appearing with Hollie Cav, they are set tobutcher sing The Pointer Sister's "I'm So Excited".
All I can say is, as a child of the 80s, I cannot hear this song without thinking of Jessie Spano singing this to Zack Morris when he tries to take away her caffeine pills.
When asked about the performances so far, J-Lo says, "I loved D'Crappensuck!" When this guy goes, she might just kill herself, live, on-air. Seriously. Randy the Dawg then asks the question, "I wanna know, who's got to have IT tonight?!"
The answer?
R&B Crooner Joshua Lidet is singing one of those songs that I don't care for, Simply Red's "If You Don't Know Me By Now"... personally, if I'm talking Simply Red, you should check out "Sunrise". Great song, great sample of Hall & Oates "I Can't Go For That (no can do)"
By the way, I remember listening to Casey Kasem's American Top 40 back in like, 1987, when Simply Red was in their heyday... apparently, they were called "Red", but as they were going on stage, the guy introduced them as "Red Simply Red" due to a miscommunication. Frontman, and red haired Mick Hucknall, whispered loudly, "No, its Red! Just simply Red!" and the MC says, "Okay... Simply Red!". There ya go.
I like Joshua Lidet, but he kinda sounds exactly the same from week to week. Great voice, great style, but nothing new.
The judges loved it, of course.
Jessica Sanchez is taking on her second pre-crack Whitney song of the season, this time being "How Will I Know".
The Lovely Steph Leann says, "I'm glad she's not singing 'I Wanna Dance With Somebody', that song is overused."
J-Sanch kicks off the song a little shaky, but then digs in and sounds great. Like usual.
Okay, so I wanna be the guy who sets up the background images for the performances. No joke, there is an image of a cassette tape in the background with the word "CASSETTE" written on it.
Me: So, they have to spell out that its a cassette? Are these kids that ignorant?
The Lovely Steph Leann: What do cassette tapes have to do with "How Will I Know"?
The judges loved it, of course.
RANDOM NOTE... So the two people who wrote the song "Waiting for a Star to Fall", Shannan Rubicam and George Merrill, also known as the duo Boy Meets Girl, wrote "How Will I Know" AND "I Wanna Dance With Somebody". Now you know.
DUET TO IT!! Because Idol can't get enough of Stevie Nicks,we've got Elise Testosterone playing Stevie to Phillip2's Tom Petty on "Stop Dragging My Heart Around". They both have perfect voices for this, and truly, that was a great version of this song. E-Test really shone, and helped picked up Phillip2's slight slack on the song. Good times!
Here comes Hollie Cav, and she'll be doing Irene Cara's "What a Feeling... Flashdance". Now, I hope that they don't do a bucket of water poured onto Hollie Cav as she leans over a chair, as you see her silhouette... since Hollie Cav is so young, that would be creepy.
BUT... if she wore leg warmers and the sweatshirt that had the collar cut out and draped off her shoulders, that would be seven shades of AWESOME.
I think Hollie Cavanaugh sang it decently well... but she didn't seem to ever get into it. The judges agree with me on that. However, after hearing all three judges pile on, I think she was better than they gave her credit for. This could be bad for Hollie Cav.
DUET TO IT!! Seacrusty asks us if we'd ever wondered what it would sound like if Joshua Lidet and J-Sanch teamed up... on my way back from South Alabama, I spent over an hour wondering that very thing! Thank you, Seacrusty!!
They are doing the Aretha Franklin/George Michael mega-hit from the late 80s called "I Knew You Were Waiting". I used to love the foo' out of this song, spending a few months atop my mental Favorite Songs list... it was followed by Chicago's "Will You Still Love Me", strangely enough, which spent a few weeks atop my mental Favorite Songs list. Don't ask me how I remember that.
Anyway, good duet by J-Lid and J-Sanch.
The judges loved it, of course.
I think that we should invent a drinking game, where every time Randy the Dawg tells us he worked on a song or worked with (name drop here), you take a shot. You'd be eligible for Al-Anon by 38 minutes into the show.
Colton Dixon is doing a song that made The Lovely Steph Leann say, "YES!"... the song that makes Tony Kanal and Gwen Stefani say, "every time we sit and write a song, we want to write this song... we wished we had written this song"... the song that I considered one of my favorites of all time, Top 100 definitely, and one of the most beautiful covers I've ever heard by Nichole Nordeman...
Cyndi Lauper's "Time After Time".
I think I like this performance, but being Colton Dixon, I really wanted to like it more. I think the fact he keeps singing "Time After Tie" bugs me, and I'm not sure I like the sped up arrangement of it all.
The judges are going nuts, though, and I guess with Colton Dixon, that's okay.
Finally, in the Pimp Spot, its Little Skylar Laine, and she's doing some cheese with "The Wind Beneath My Wings" from Bette Midler, featured in the movie "Beaches". Great movie. I shed one single tear as I watched it, though that might have been my subconscious trying to show Ginny Kochen that I was a sensitive guy as we watched it with Miranda Bryant, Bobby Black and Mandy Stewart in Miranda's & Mandy's 4th floor room in Shackelford Hall back in like, October 1993. Ginny and I only went out once. Taught me a lesson, that being, "Even though girls say they want the flowers and romance and such, they really don't want it until well into a dating relationship, lest they think you are coming on too strong and might be a little creepy." There's a story there, I tell ya.
Anyway, Little Skylar Laine just killed that song. I mean, made it her biz-nitch, pardon my Frez-nench. Personally, it was the best solo performance of the night, and I think it was not just the voice, but also the country arrangement.
My list, from first to worst, of performances:
Colton & Skylar's "Islands in the Stream"... Little Skylar Laine's "Wind Beneath My Wings"... E-Test & P2's "Stop Dragging My Heart Around"... Phillip2's "That's All"... Colton Dixon's "Time After Time"... Joshua & J-Sanch's "I Knew You Were Waiting"... Elise Testosterone's "I Wanna Know What Love Is"... J-Sanch's "How Will I Know"... Joshua Lidet's "If You Don't Know Me By Now"... Hollie Cav's "What a Feeling... Flashdance"... That crap from D'Crappensuck, where he sucked Hollie Cav down into his crappiness... That crap from D'Crappensuck by himself...
That being said, I have much to blog, some funny, some pics, and some personal, but first, we have a little matter of a episode of American Idol to discuss.
Now, I must tell you going into this performance episode, I already know who has been voted out. The Lovely Steph Leann is in the dark, as she's good at avoiding such info when she needs to not-know, but I managed to see. It wasn't my fault, though, I wasn't looking for the answer, I just happened to get a message that said "Hannah Armstrong left a message on your timeline", meaning my Facebook wall. And dear, sweet Hannah, not knowing that I had not seen the episode nor heard anything about it... her message told me exactly what I was avoiding. So, I know.
We still need to review, though.. so let's get to it.
CAUSE THIS
IS AMERICAN
IDOL
Its 80s night, and we'll be hearing 80s performances as well as 80s duets. We see a music montage featuring Mr. Mister's "Broken Wings", seeing their sad faces as Hey Jun! (he'll take a sad song and make it better) says goodbye last week, but their determination (and backhanded insult to the others who have said goodbye) by someone saying "Its down to the best of the best". If only we could get rid of D'Crappensuck... if only.
This week's mentorship, joining Jimmy Iovine, is from Gwen Stefani and Tony Kanal from No Doubt.
D'Crappensuck is first up. He'll be singing some song from El DeBarge, which means he found something that lets him to his falsetto so annoyingly much. Gwen Stefani says that D'Crappensuck is the "total package". Yeah, total package... of CRAP! Ha!
I don't care if it was good or not, I can't bring myself to start to like anything this kid does. Heck, even with Obama, I'd give him credit for doing something right (I'm just waiting for that moment), but with D'Crappensuck? Not so much. The judges love him, of course.
Eh.
Randy the Dawg says, "El DeBarge is somewhere saying 'oh my gawd!' from that performance..." No, Randy the Dawg, El DeBarge is somewhere saying 'oh my gawd' because he's locked up.
Here comes the much loved Elise Testosterone! She's doing "Hallelujah" by Leonard Cohen, made famous by Jeff Buckley. She then tries "I Wanna Know What Love Is" by Foreigner.
E-Test sounds good--not great--but good, and does a mature performance with the song. I think "Hallelujah" would have been a true Idol moment, but when Gwen Stefani tells you "do the Foreigner song", you do the Foreigner song.
Randy the Dawg calls her out on pitch issues, and Creepy Uncle Steven, who was swaying to the music when the Idol cameras showed him, says it was the wrong song choice. Really? And J-Lo gives her the death line... "you look beautiful tonight'. That sucks.
 |
| Islands in the stream... that is what we are.. no one in between... how can we be wrong... sail away with me... to another world.. where we rely on each other... uh-huh.. from one lover to another... uh-huh |
Since country is her forte, Little Skylar Laine does better in this than Colton Dixon, but its admirable that she doesn't just blow it out and show him up.
And Seacrusty, that drama starter, makes a comment about the "strong chemistry" up on stage, while Colton gives him the death look of death.
And now, let's hear it for Phillip2, and he'll be singing "That's All" by Genesis, and in rehearsal, he looks not only terrible, but also like he's in pain. Gwen Stefani says the same, that maybe he wasn't quite getting there... though she does feel like he'll be in the "top tops" eventually.
Me: Did she just say "top tops"?
The Lovely Steph Leann: That's what she said.
As for Phillip2, it was good. Again, not great, but good. I like the original, and I get a kick out of how Phillip2 eats the mic John Mayer style, but this was just decent.
The judges loved him.
That's all.
DUET TO IT!
So, what's better than one appearance from D'Crappensuck!? TWO, count 'em, TWO SONGS by D'Crappensuck! That's right! Appearing with Hollie Cav, they are set to
All I can say is, as a child of the 80s, I cannot hear this song without thinking of Jessie Spano singing this to Zack Morris when he tries to take away her caffeine pills.
When asked about the performances so far, J-Lo says, "I loved D'Crappensuck!" When this guy goes, she might just kill herself, live, on-air. Seriously. Randy the Dawg then asks the question, "I wanna know, who's got to have IT tonight?!"
The answer?
R&B Crooner Joshua Lidet is singing one of those songs that I don't care for, Simply Red's "If You Don't Know Me By Now"... personally, if I'm talking Simply Red, you should check out "Sunrise". Great song, great sample of Hall & Oates "I Can't Go For That (no can do)"
By the way, I remember listening to Casey Kasem's American Top 40 back in like, 1987, when Simply Red was in their heyday... apparently, they were called "Red", but as they were going on stage, the guy introduced them as "Red Simply Red" due to a miscommunication. Frontman, and red haired Mick Hucknall, whispered loudly, "No, its Red! Just simply Red!" and the MC says, "Okay... Simply Red!". There ya go.
I like Joshua Lidet, but he kinda sounds exactly the same from week to week. Great voice, great style, but nothing new.
The judges loved it, of course.
Jessica Sanchez is taking on her second pre-crack Whitney song of the season, this time being "How Will I Know".
The Lovely Steph Leann says, "I'm glad she's not singing 'I Wanna Dance With Somebody', that song is overused."
J-Sanch kicks off the song a little shaky, but then digs in and sounds great. Like usual.
Okay, so I wanna be the guy who sets up the background images for the performances. No joke, there is an image of a cassette tape in the background with the word "CASSETTE" written on it.
Me: So, they have to spell out that its a cassette? Are these kids that ignorant?
The Lovely Steph Leann: What do cassette tapes have to do with "How Will I Know"?
The judges loved it, of course.
RANDOM NOTE... So the two people who wrote the song "Waiting for a Star to Fall", Shannan Rubicam and George Merrill, also known as the duo Boy Meets Girl, wrote "How Will I Know" AND "I Wanna Dance With Somebody". Now you know.
DUET TO IT!! Because Idol can't get enough of Stevie Nicks,we've got Elise Testosterone playing Stevie to Phillip2's Tom Petty on "Stop Dragging My Heart Around". They both have perfect voices for this, and truly, that was a great version of this song. E-Test really shone, and helped picked up Phillip2's slight slack on the song. Good times!
 |
| No Hollie! No ma'am! Don't do this! Jennife Beals barely pulls it off... |
BUT... if she wore leg warmers and the sweatshirt that had the collar cut out and draped off her shoulders, that would be seven shades of AWESOME.
I think Hollie Cavanaugh sang it decently well... but she didn't seem to ever get into it. The judges agree with me on that. However, after hearing all three judges pile on, I think she was better than they gave her credit for. This could be bad for Hollie Cav.
DUET TO IT!! Seacrusty asks us if we'd ever wondered what it would sound like if Joshua Lidet and J-Sanch teamed up... on my way back from South Alabama, I spent over an hour wondering that very thing! Thank you, Seacrusty!!
They are doing the Aretha Franklin/George Michael mega-hit from the late 80s called "I Knew You Were Waiting". I used to love the foo' out of this song, spending a few months atop my mental Favorite Songs list... it was followed by Chicago's "Will You Still Love Me", strangely enough, which spent a few weeks atop my mental Favorite Songs list. Don't ask me how I remember that.
Anyway, good duet by J-Lid and J-Sanch.
The judges loved it, of course.
I think that we should invent a drinking game, where every time Randy the Dawg tells us he worked on a song or worked with (name drop here), you take a shot. You'd be eligible for Al-Anon by 38 minutes into the show.
Colton Dixon is doing a song that made The Lovely Steph Leann say, "YES!"... the song that makes Tony Kanal and Gwen Stefani say, "every time we sit and write a song, we want to write this song... we wished we had written this song"... the song that I considered one of my favorites of all time, Top 100 definitely, and one of the most beautiful covers I've ever heard by Nichole Nordeman...
Cyndi Lauper's "Time After Time".
I think I like this performance, but being Colton Dixon, I really wanted to like it more. I think the fact he keeps singing "Time After Tie" bugs me, and I'm not sure I like the sped up arrangement of it all.
The judges are going nuts, though, and I guess with Colton Dixon, that's okay.
Finally, in the Pimp Spot, its Little Skylar Laine, and she's doing some cheese with "The Wind Beneath My Wings" from Bette Midler, featured in the movie "Beaches". Great movie. I shed one single tear as I watched it, though that might have been my subconscious trying to show Ginny Kochen that I was a sensitive guy as we watched it with Miranda Bryant, Bobby Black and Mandy Stewart in Miranda's & Mandy's 4th floor room in Shackelford Hall back in like, October 1993. Ginny and I only went out once. Taught me a lesson, that being, "Even though girls say they want the flowers and romance and such, they really don't want it until well into a dating relationship, lest they think you are coming on too strong and might be a little creepy." There's a story there, I tell ya.
Anyway, Little Skylar Laine just killed that song. I mean, made it her biz-nitch, pardon my Frez-nench. Personally, it was the best solo performance of the night, and I think it was not just the voice, but also the country arrangement.
My list, from first to worst, of performances:
Colton & Skylar's "Islands in the Stream"... Little Skylar Laine's "Wind Beneath My Wings"... E-Test & P2's "Stop Dragging My Heart Around"... Phillip2's "That's All"... Colton Dixon's "Time After Time"... Joshua & J-Sanch's "I Knew You Were Waiting"... Elise Testosterone's "I Wanna Know What Love Is"... J-Sanch's "How Will I Know"... Joshua Lidet's "If You Don't Know Me By Now"... Hollie Cav's "What a Feeling... Flashdance"... That crap from D'Crappensuck, where he sucked Hollie Cav down into his crappiness... That crap from D'Crappensuck by himself...
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