Saturday, March 31, 2012

Am I A Bad Person?

There's a bit of a trend on Facebook that confuses me to no end.  It's not much to worry about, but I'm bothered by something.  It seems as if everyone and their mother has an idea of how to show their love for God or their support for some kind of cause.  I don't understand this at all.

There are causes that are deep to me.  Breast cancer is a very real concern in my life.  My mom beat breast cancer.  Autism is a real concern of mine.  I work with kids with Autism everyday.  They make me smile and proud all the time.  No question, it's good to support researching Autism and breast cancer.  However, some of my Facebook friends post a lot of those "POST THIS IF YOU CARE ABOUT (insert issue here)".  I don't think that's fair.  I care a lot about many things and causes.  However I'm not about to go out of my way to clutter other people's news feeds that kind of thing.  If people want to know what I'm supporting, they'll ask.  I'll also be more than happy to share it with them as well.  Let's not get all stir crazy over our support for causes.  It doesn't make you any bigger of a supporter.  How much money have you donated?  That's the bigger question.  If you're not donating or an integral part of the process to make things better, you're just noise, truth be told.

I have an even bigger issue with the "IF YOU LOVE GOD, POST THIS MESSAGE" thing.  I let my actions speak for my love of God.  The Bible says that people will know you love me by your actions.  I get a lot of those pictures, that are clever and well done, but always tell me how bad I am for not sharing it.  If people want to see my love for Jesus, I'll pray for them when they ask.  I'll be kind to them and others everyday.  I'll try not to swear on my status messages.  I don't think sharing a picture will make me any more of a Christian.  I won't be given a bigger mansion in Heaven because I shared a photo of Jesus on an iPhone.

Also, just personally, the "tbh; lms" messages are kind of annoying.  I don't want to like every status you have.  I only want to like the clever ones, or the ones that speak to me.  So if you want me to like something of yours, be creative.  I'd appreciate it.

Remember, being all about a cause is fine.  It's dandy.  It is really admirable.  However don't try to make me feel guilty because I didn't share it with everyone.


Friday, March 30, 2012

Music Friday

Today's song is one of my favorite songs.  It's a song that came out in 1970.  It's called "It's a Shame", and it's recorded by The Spinners.  The song is basically about a dude who is ticked that his woman is cheating on him.  It doesn't have any personal meaning, but it's just a really catchy tune.



It's been covered, sampled, and re-done.  However it will never compare to the original.  I first heard the song by Monie Love way back in 1990.  I knew then that that wasn't an original and she got that from somewhere.  After doing some research and listening to oldies stations, I found the original.  We actually had a station that played pretty much every original version of songs that were later re-made in rap formation.

It seems like there aren't many original anything anymore.  The book of Ecclesiastes actually tells us that there is nothing new under the sun.  It's so true.  You look at Lady Gaga and think, "I remember when Madonna did that."  I look at Kobe Bryant and think, "wow, he plays like Michael Jordan."  Truth is, we all bite off each other in life.  And you know what, that's cool.  As long as you recognize it, you're good in my book.  However I was educated on the definition of originality: forgetting where you got something.

Thursday, March 29, 2012

List of Thoughts

I have some thoughts I want to share with you all.  Most of these thoughts, you'll agree with if you're of sound mind.

1.  George Zimmerman just got caught in his lies.  He says he was beaten unmercifully by Trayvon Martin.  He included having a broken nose and being bashed on concrete.  A surveillance video from Zimmerman being taken through the police station shows a completely different story.  Unless the kind officers of the Sanford Police Department gave Mr. Zimmerman the courtesy of being able to change his bloodied clothing and clean his face thoroughly before being taken to the department, I'm smelling something foul.  And before one of you critics say anything, the time stamp of the video was a mere 30 minutes after the police arrived at the scene of the crime.

2.  I get annoyed with greedy people.

3.  Why do we have months specified to this or that?  Why can't we just observe different causes and histories every day of our lives?

4.  I'm highly bothered by the gas prices.  It's not the President's fault, he doesn't regulate gas prices.  Oil companies do.  Unless the President owns an oil company, lay off.

5.  I'm going to see The Hunger Games tomorrow.  Not only will I be going to a movie theater for the first time since The Passion of the Christ, but I'm going to watch a "Hollywood Blockbuster."  Totally against my better judgment, but the people I'm going with are pretty cool people, so oh well.

6.  The Mega Millions Jackpot is at half a billion dollars.  That's insane.  If I won that, I'd give some to the church; pay off my college loans; and get my Master's in Special Education.  The rest would go on impressing the ladies.  Well, one lady.  Who that lady is, not sure.

7.  Lent is coming along nicely.  I've lost weight due to my fast of sodas.  I'm blessed.

8.  Life is truly going my way.  Not because I'm doing anything special.  I just give God my life, He molds it the way He wants it, I reap the benefits.

That's all for me.  Thank you for reading.  If you have any suggestions for Music Friday, hook me up.  Just give me a good song, if I think it's good, I'll post it and talk about it.

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Who is the Victim Again?

Okay, question: How is it okay for people to completely rip apart the VICTIM of a crime?  I'm watching and reading reports about Trayvon Martin, and I'm absolutely disappointed in people.  All I've seen from some news sources, and I hate to say this but Christian in some instances, saying that Trayvon was a "thug" and "delinquent."  Ummm, what?  Who cares?  This poor kid was walking with Skittles and an iced tea in the rain.  Nothing bothers me more than when someone tries to turn things around to make their case valid.  The case is pretty easy to figure out.  People are posting pictures of this young man with drooping pants and a not smiling as much and automatically assuming that he's dangerous.  Erase those pictures and look at what we know.

1) Zimmerman followed a boy when he was told not to.
2) Zimmerman shot this kid.
3) This kid is now dead.
4) No one is in jail.

Who cares about who was wearing what?  Who cares about the colors?  The fact is a boy is dead from a gunshot and no one is in jail.  The victim is dead, the victim is not the shooter.  George is not a victim.  He's a scumbag, overzealous, pseudo-cop with an axe to grind.

If you believe that Trayvon attacked and beat up Zimmerman, I have some land in the Arctic for sale.  Zimmerman is 5'9" 240 pounds.  Martin was 6'2" 160 pounds maybe?  Zimmerman wasn't in danger.  Hate to break it to you, but your hero Zimmerman is scum.

I'm so mad that I can't type anymore.  If you want to discuss this further, email me or something.

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Buffets

Today, our class had a field trip.  I have to say thank you to the Vinton Police and Fire Departments for being so hospitable to our class today.  It's good to see how to do community service right, unlike Sanford, Florida.  Yes, I said it.  After we hung out at the stations, we went to Cici's Pizza for lunch.  Let me tell you about pizza, it's delicious.  Let me tell you something else about pizza, it is addictive.  It's almost shameful how we get so crazy around pizza.  However it gets worse for us, Cici's has a buffet.

Now we all know how we get when we see a buffet.  I remember growing up, my mom would take us to Old Country Buffet when I was younger.  Mom would tell me that I had better eat $8.36 worth of food before I'm full.  So combine one of the greatest foods ever created in pizza with the novelty of the all-you-can-eat buffet concept, it's a bad mixture.

Buffets are horrible overall.  They get you all excited because you can gorge like a hog, and no one will judge you.  Mostly because they're on their fifth trip themselves.  Cici's will even cook to order the pizza you want the most.  These buffets can ruin you.  Especially if you're on a diet of some sort, you're doomed.  I suggest not ever going into Cici's if you're on a diet.

I've lost weight due to my giving up soda for Lent.  I think I gained it all back at Cici's today.  I couldn't help it though.  The Buffalo Chicken Pizza is addictive.  I know I should have eaten a salad to start, but I'm Tyrone.  The only salad I eat is the pickles that come in my burger.  And yes, I still lost weight.  I actually ate 9 slices of pizza.  That's insane.  Not as insane as children 1/3 my age eating over 10 slices plus breadsticks and desserts, but insane nonetheless.

Buffets could be the reason our country isn't the healthiest in the world.  The concept is deadly.  Especially if you do it all the time like some folks.  I just say that it's okay to have a little slip up and go nuts.  Just don't make it a habit.  Also, after you do it, get a workout.  Take a walk.  Chase a child around a playground to keep them from escaping.  Not that that ever happens.


Monday, March 26, 2012

Common Sense Has Officially Left the Building

By now, you all know the story of Trayvon Martin.  You know that a self-appointed neighborhood watch captain decided to take the law into his own hands and pursue and murder a teenage boy because he wasn't sure who he was.  However the more I study this case and listen to opinions, the more baffled I am at some people's thoughts and words.  I'm actually going to call out some people and their stupidity.  If you're a fan of any of these people, I suggest you not take it personal.

Frank Taaffe
Now he's probably the least of the offenders on this list.  However he's on the list because he blames crimes of other people for the shooting.  He basically said that Zimmerman was upset about recent burglaries in the neighborhood and was pushed over the edge by a suspicious black male walking in the rain.  Taaffe wants justice to take its course for Zimmerman.  What about justice for Trayvon, oh wait, he can't have justice because Zimmerman took it from him.

Joe Oliver
I heard about this guy today.  He basically thinks that he heard Zimmerman's voice yelling for help on the 911 call.  Either Oliver can't tell the difference between a 17 year old boy and a 28 year old man, or Zimmerman had the worst hand ever dealt to someone by the Puberty Fairy.  Oliver also believes that if Trayvon had ONLY just told Zimmerman who he was, he wouldn't have been shot.  Umm, what business is it of Zimmerman's why Trayvon is there?  He doesn't have to answer to anyone as to where he was going and what he was doing.  Zimmerman is a NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH CAPTAIN.  Their job is to report suspicious activity. It is not to interrogate, try, convict, and execute.  How dare this Joe Oliver suggest that Trayvon should have just listened to a stranger.  We've been taught all during our childhood to NOT talk to strangers, and now because Mr. Neighborhood Watch Man has a fear of black kids in hoodies, they should buck that trend completely?  You sure are twisted, Oliver.

Kyle Rogers
Read this link.  This guy could be the worst journalist ever.  How dare he question why Trayvon was not where he normally lives.  That has NOTHING to do with Zimmerman's ignorance.  He could be the leader of a drug ring, his job wasn't to chase him down and question him.  Zimmerman had one duty, call the police if something suspicious happens.  For this guy, apparently the trigger for the Greenville, SC Tea Party, being black is way more of a crime than shooting one.  Look, no one is perfect.  I understand that.  However to call into question his life instead of be outraged that a man shot an innocent boy tells me how insensitive and bigoted you are.  I actually kind of regret posting the link to this article, however I think it should be looked at by everyone as the WRONG WAY to approach issues.

Geraldo Rivera
This guy could be the biggest idiot ever.  This fool found Al Capone's tomb and made this spectacle of it.  Then he found NOTHING.  He was the host of a sleazy talk show.  Now he has the nerve to blame Trayvon's hoodie for why he was shot.  He's not blaming Trayvon's behavior.  He's blaming his hoodie.  A sweatshirt made George Zimmerman mad enough to shoot him dead.  I'm baffled.  I'm actually perplexed.  I've worn hoodies because they're comfortable, functional, and warm.  I don't wear it to scare white people. I don't wear it to be a thug.  For someone to actually make the suggestion that an article of clothing caused this kind of reaction just bugs me to death.  Geraldo's own son said he was ashamed to be his son because of that.  The boy wore a hood because it was raining in February, which means it was kind of cold.  He put the hood on because he didn't want to get his head wet.  He was also on the phone, so I'm thinking maybe the phone was under the hood and dry from the rain.  He was running because it was raining.  Rain is wet and cold, and most people don't want to be in it.  Fox News ought to think twice before letting Geraldo speak on anything.

Common Sense can be restored.  We just have to think twice before saying something stupid.


Saturday, March 24, 2012

Weather and People

I've noticed something about this planet, and this country in particular.  People do weird things.  I've also noticed that people do even weirder things when the weather is involved.  I'm going to list the weird things people do, if this is you, well fix yourself.

1.  Shopping
Whenever there is some kind of weather warning; whether it be a snowstorm, thunderstorm, tornado, whatever, the first thing people do is go to the store and buy bread and milk.  I understand going out and getting supplies in case there is some serious damage.  However, bread and milk are not the most ideal things to buy.  If there is no electricity, how are you keeping your milk cold?  Burying it in the snow is an option, but some animal may dig it up.  Bread, as good as it is, gets really boring when there's no butter and/or toaster to improve it.  The butter needs to be cold, so does the cheese and cold cuts for sandwiches.  Point being bread and milk are useless in a weather situation.  You need to buy canned goods and gallons of water.  And tuna fish, because I love me some tuna fish.

2.  Under Dressing
This is more true of white folks, at least in my experiences anyway.  I go outside to check the weather before I go to work.  Sometimes it's about 50-60 degrees Fahrenheit.  I have to specify which temperature scale for our international readers.  I go outside and see white folks shivering in shorts.  I ask them why they're wearing shorts in this cold weather. They say that it's supposed to be 80.  But it's not 80 now.  It's easier to take layers off than to magically have them appear on your body.  I also love how they tell me that it's not that cold to them.  They're turning purple, shivering, and keeping their hands in the pockets.  Somebody lying.

3.  Storm Chasers
Now this is just stupid.  People hear about a tornado or hurricane.  Instead of running for cover, they freaking RUN TOWARDS IT!!!  I know that's a strong statement with the caps and exclamation points, but good heavens.  Winds gusting at like, 200 miles per hour and blowing everything under the clouds (since there's no sun to be seen) into where ever it feels like going.  Didn't you people see that cow in Twister?  Why are you chasing something that can pick up a cow with ease?  Would you pick a fight a with a man that could easily throw 2000 pounds anywhere he wanted?  Why would you chase a tornado that does it?  Tornadoes have no soul and no remorse.

4.  Not Evacuating
Anyone remember Hurricane Katrina?  Remember those images of people on the roofs of their houses begging for help?  They wouldn't have needed help if they would have evacuated like the government told them to.  Yes, the people doing the helicopter footage should have lowered a rope and picked them up instead of sharing the videos with news viewers.  However, sometimes the government is actually right about something.  So, when they tell you that you should leave, don't poo poo on it.  Actually get out.  They have buses and stuff to get you places.  Don't let your pride get in the way of common sense.

That's all I got.  The weather is a dangerous thing, be ready for it.

Friday, March 23, 2012

Music Friday

I figured I'd start bringing some kind of themes to certain days.  You know, start a tradition of sorts.  I'm 117 posts deep and over 2700 page views into my blogging career.  So I'm doing something called Music Friday.  I'm going to post a song that I like and then tell you why I like it.  Seems pretty simple, unless the SOPA Laws ruin YouTube.com completely for me.



This is my absolute favorite song of all time.  I don't know if it's the awesome guitar playing of Hendrix, the skills of the rest of the band, or just the beat in general.  It has always been my go-to song when I need a pick me up.

I first heard this song while watching wrestling, go figure. It was when World Championship Wrestling was at its hottest.  It was during the whole nWo thing.  They first debuted the song when Hulk Hogan came out with Dennis Rodman.  I was in shock at how cool Hulk Hogan looked for once.  I was a Macho Man fan, for the record.  I had to hear that song over and over again.  In fact, I'll just say that anytime a radio station plays it, I'm on it.  I actually requested it at the skating rink during a summer camp.  All the children were like, "what is this?"  The adults thanked me tremendously.

Music is all about how you feel.  Nothing wrong with a good song every once in a while.  However just remember that LMFAO is terrible, and they will never make it on my blog unless I'm wishing a meteor to hit them.

Thursday, March 22, 2012

The Rule of Negative Three

I know I'm probably the second to last person to tell you who the right person for you could be, the last being Larry King.  However, I've put a lot of thought into the kind of person people should be trying to get with.  It's honestly a whole lot more simple than you think.  I've come to the conclusion that all women are crazy and all men are (for the sake of our younger readers) chumpstains.  I used a different word at work when explaining my theory to my co-workers.  It's simple to figure out who is right for you.  I call it the Rule of Negative Three.  Here's how it works:

Step 1.  First you have to determine how attractive the person is to you.  I know everyone says their significant other is a 10, and that's cool.  However for the rest of us who don't have significant others yet, we still have to be judgmental.  The scale of 1-10 works, so go with that.  When you've figured out the other person's rating, then you can move to the important scale.

Step 2.  You have to determine how crazy the woman is or how much of a chumpstain the man is.  I'll help you with this.  First is the How Crazy is the Woman Scale.

  1.  If she's a one on the scale, she's pretty much your best bet. She may get a little perturbed over the toilet seat being up, but nine times out of ten, she'll simply put it down for herself and move on.
  2.  This is slightly crazier.  She might actually yell at you for the toilet seat being up.  It won't take long to tell her sorry and fix the situation
  3. This is where that crazy starts getting serious.  You notice that she's leaving Post-It notes on the toilet seat.  You simply flush the notes down the toilet and try to remember the seat.
  4. She will be sitting at the door and will kindly remind you that you need to keep the toilet seat down.  This may seem like her being a nice person, but in actuality, she's nuts for sitting outside of a bathroom door.
  5.  This is the mid-point of crazy.  She'll just stand at the door until you put the seat down after you've already went.
  6.  She'll stay in the bathroom with you while you're going.  After you finish, you'll put the seat down.  She'll be happy.
 7.  She's going crazy.  Now she's posting your toilet seat problems on Facebook and Twitter.  She won't use your name.  She'll just say, "Ugh, is it so hard to put the seat down, I can't stand him.  RAWR!"
 8.  She won't feed you dinner after the toilet seat is discovered to be up.  In fact, she may actually put all the foods you're either allergic to or simply can't stand in your meal just to prove a point.  The point is, SHE'S NUTS.
 9.  She follows you into public restrooms to make sure you're putting the seat down.  You're probably wondering why this is so high on the list.  It's simple, public restrooms are not her responsibility, therefore she has no say in the matter.  She doesn't know that, hence the crazy.
 10.  She rips EVERY toilet out of the house and throws them through your car window.  That's the epitome of crazy.  Beware of her, there is no cure for her.  Pills can't help.  Nothing can, run.

This is the How Big of a Chumpstain is the Man Scale.

 1.  He says nice things, but can occassionally say something off color just to make you blush.  Not gonna lie, that's me.
 2.  He posts some slightly off color things on Facebook, but he got it from someone else, so you can forgive them.
 3.  He picks his nose in front of everyone.  That's not really that bad per se, however that means that he doesn't care too much for your visual pleasure.
 4.  He hesitates to pay for your meal.  And by hesitate, I mean pats his behind three times to make sure his wallet is there before finally realizing that he'll never see the girl again if he doesn't pay.
 5.  He keeps his collar popped on purpose.  You people really don't know how much that irritates me.  Collars stay down.  Don't be a jerk.
 6.  This guy rocks a Tapout shirt and walks with his elbows sticking out just so he can look bigger than he is.  You tend to avoid this guy if you have any self-respect.
 7.  This guy will say jerky things to you in front of his friends so he doesn't look too much like a wuss in front of them.  You don't want this kind of guy in your life.
 8.  Says terrible things about his mom or any female.  You had better be careful with this one.  He could cause you some serious harm mentally.
 9.  Cheater.  Plain and simple, if he cheats, he's no less than a 9 on the scale.  If he cheated on you once, he'll cheat on you 1000 times.
 10.  Abusive.  I don't like making light of this.  Any guy who will put their hands on a woman is not a man.  In fact, they're less than a man.  Have him thrown in jail and see how tough he really is.

Step 3.  Now for the work.  This is how The Rule of Negative Three works.  Basically you take how hot the person is.  Then you find out how crazy or chumpstain-ish they are.  If the difference is 3 or more, you're good.  Now this isn't a one way or the other type difference.  The hotness scale has to be 3 more than the crazy/chumpstain scale.  For example, if you see a girl who is an 8, she has to be no more than a 5 on the crazy scale.  If you see a guy who is a 9, he can be no more than a 6 on the chumpstain scale.  I dated a girl who was an 8 but her crazy scale was a 9.  I had to cut bait and run.  Yes, the better looking they are, the more room there is for error.  Yes that sounds superficial, but with great looks come great responsibility.

So there you go.  Tyrone's Guide to finding the right person.  Use The Rule of Negative Three to figure out what you're working with.  If anything seems wrong, dump that person now.  You're welcome.

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

I Feel Like Rambling

I have had such a busy day.  However I have to kind of give you guys something.  Today, I'm just going to post the things that come to my mind.

1.  God hooked me up with an opportunity. I am eventually going to be working with a family in the area.  I'm so thankful that God found favor on me enough to give me this opportunity.  Like I always say, I don't deserve it, but I'll gladly take it.

2.  Whitney, Blaire, and Kaden are the best shopping buddies ever.  I don't know what was funnier...trying to stop a one year old from leaving a trail of goldfish through JC Penney, wheeling him away from the lingerie section at JC Penney, or trying on fedoras with him at Old Navy.  Either way ladies, get at me about a repeat.

3.  I honestly love my co-workers.  We had such a good laugh about today.  Even through all the craziness that we went through today, I can't help but be thankful for laughter.  The Bible says that laughter does the heart good like a medicine.  No wonder I have such wonderful health.

4.  Gas prices are insane.  I remember when you could put ten bucks worth of gas in your car and get change back.  Now, 10 bucks is maybe a quarter of a tank.  People ask if I want to fill it up, I tell them that I'm not going that far...sorry.

5.  I want to see The Help.  Someone buy me a DVD.

6.  Kind of excited about Wrestlemania coming up.  I love me some wrestling sometimes.

7.  My roommate likes too many reality shows.  American Idol, Survivor, Real Housewives of Delaware or wherever they're from this season, he loves them all.  I only like Celebrity Apprentice, Ultimate Fighter, and Biggest Loser.  Can someone please tell me who Aubrey O'Day is?

8.  I'd love to start a garden.  However I'm scared the landscaping company that comes to work on my yard will destroy any vegetables and fruits I work hard on growing.  Unless I get one of those chicken wire fences.

9.  I cleaned out my email inbox for the first time in many years.  I had over 21,000 emails in my inbox.  I'm surprised Google didn't blow up.

10. Some guy named Frank Taaffe is defending George Zimmerman, the man who shot Trayvon Martin in Florida.  Taaffe had the nerve to say that it was a "perfect storm" of circumstances that led to the shooting.  If the perfect storm involved prejudice, stereotyping, a lack of common sense, and racism are the components, then yes it was a perfect storm.  Look Frankie, your boy is a moron.  Your boy is a racist idiot.  He chased a kid who put his hood up in the rain and ran a little faster to avoid being too wet, then shot him.  Please stop trying to defend stupidity.

Thanks for reading this blog.  Thanks for all your support.

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Blessings From God

I want to share a couple of awesome things happening.  The first blessing will be shared via an email I received today.

All I can say is, "Wow!"

You turned your outrage into action.

Yesterday evening, the Justice Department announced that it will launch an investigation into the killing of Trayvon Martin. As reported by CNN,
Justice Department spokeswoman Xochitl Hinojosa said the following in a written statement Monday:

"The department will conduct a thorough and independent review of all of the evidence and take appropriate action at the conclusion of the investigation... The department also is providing assistance to and cooperating with the state officials in their investigation into the incident."

Thanks to your quick and decisive action, Trayvon Martin's murder will finally receive the proper investigation it has long deserved. Questions will hopefully be answered. And now, with the involvement of the Justice Department, the FBI, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, we can only hope that justice for Trayvon will be served.


That was an email from Maria Roach.  She started the petition for justice for Trayvon Martin.  He was the young man from the last blog that was brutally murdered by a cold-blooded, evil man with no remorse or respect for anyone or anything that doesn't look like him.  I have to say that I believe that my blog helped in a small way.  There were over 60 page views of that blog just yesterday, the highest total ever.  Thank you all for your support and loyalty to my blog.  I don't deserve it.


The second blessing is more personal to me.  I tend to have idle hands at time.  They say idle hands are the devil's plaything.  I decided that I would try to pursue a second job.  I applied for a position at an in-home service provider.  I must say that the interview went way better than I thought.  I was thinking that this was going to be an interview asking about what I can and can't do.  It turned into a talk about some people that they already had in mind for me to work with.  I'm absolutely blessed to already be ahead of most in the interview process.  I can only thank God for this.  God has been too good to me.  I honestly don't deserve it.  Trust me, I know.  


God will bless anyone if they ask Him to do it.  You'd be surprised to know that God blesses everyone.  Considering the fact that you're not where you should be, yeah I'd say you're blessed.  If you're reading this from a computer, laptop, or Heavens to Betsy...a PHONE, you're blessed.  So stop whining about being in some percentage or being held down by the man.  You have more than most.  Get over yourself.  I know this is kind of mean, but it's the truth.  The people that complain all the time about how the rich keep getting richer and poor keep getting poorer...they usually are the ones not willing to get ONE job, much less a second like me.  I'm not trying to be all high and mighty.  The fact that I'm trying to get a second job, and I actively donate plasma should tell you that high, nor mighty are in my list of attributes.  It's the same gumption and stick-to-it-tiveness that made the one percent so rich today.  Maybe I won't be a multi-gazillionaire with enough money to buy the entire inventory of Aeropostale.  Do they still have Aeropostale?  I have like four shirts by them...but I'm the only one who wears them.  Weird.  Anyway, my point is that if you want to be successful, do successful things.  Stop whining and complaining.  The Bible doesn't say "God helps those who helps themselves."  However, God does want you to show a little effort.  He'll hook you up.  He hooked me up.



Monday, March 19, 2012

Injustice Personified

I'm not sure how many of you have heard this news story, but I think you all need to sit down for this one.  On February 26, a young man named Trayvon Martin was tragically killed walking home from the store.  I'm sure you're thinking, "oh no, tragic."  However that's just the tip of the iceberg.  Here's the kicker.

Trayvon lives in a gated community.  He was walking home from the store when the neighborhood watch captain, George Zimmerman, saw him walking through the neighborhood and immediately called 911.  He claimed that a "suspicious looking individual" was walking through the neighborhood.  I'm going to post a link from the Huffington Post website that has not only Zimmerman's call, but other calls from the neighborhood.  You have to scroll down to the 8 media players to get to the calls.  After you listen, I'll share with you my thoughts.  I must warn you that there is some strong language on the tapes.  However, since it's raw emotion being conveyed, I wouldn't have it any other way.

Trayvon Martin 911 Calls

This sickens me to no end.  Let's break it down in simple terms.  White man sees black kid walking in nice neighborhood and thinks he's a criminal.  The hood on his hoodie was up because it was RAINING.  Most people wear hoods when it rains.  He's black and you automatically assume he's some kind of criminal?  How dare you.

The dispatcher clearly told you NOT to pursue, yet you do it anyway.  Any 17 year old kid being chased by a neighbor would run.  Then for you to call him what you called him in the 911 call, you're showing your ignorance Zimmerman.  I think you're a clown.  You're the worst form of scum on this earth.  The kind of person who looks for defenseless people to harass and bother.  The kind that takes a worthless title like "neighborhood watch captain" and turns it into some badge of honor.  Maybe I should join the Olympic Volleyball team because I was part of my dorm's Intramural Championship team.  Get over yourself.  You're a dork with an axe to grind.

Here's the best part, THIS MAN HAS NOT BEEN ARRESTED!  A man chases a teenage boy with a gun, tackles him, then shoots him.  The boy dies, and not even an arrest?  I may not be too familiar with the ranking system in the police force, but I'm pretty sure neighborhood watch captain is NOT a ranking in the police force.  So my question is, why hasn't he even been arrested?  All those calls said pretty much the same thing.  The boy was BEGGING for his life.  He was pleading for this clown to leave him alone and begging for help from SOMEONE.  It's absolutely shocking that this kind of stuff is going on.  Not only that, but this man is pretty much guilty.  He even admitted to the police that he shot him, yet he hasn't been arrested at all.  This man has a history of intimidating people with his neighborhood watch captaincy power.

I want anyone who is reading this, please sign THIS PETITION to get justice for this boy's family.  I can understand if he was robbing a house or stealing a car, but HE WAS WALKING TO HIS OWN HOME.  I know it's hard to believe, but black people can live in gated communities and live there.  For someone to take justice and the law into their own hands and NOTHING happen to him.  There's something very fishy going on in Florida.  It burns me to no end that this family has gotten nothing.

George Zimmerman, you are scum.  You are worse than scum.  You're trash.  You're a jerk.  You're a sick human being.  To make yourself out to be some pillar of the community because you can chase a defenseless kid with a gun simply because you got a cute raincoat that says "neighborhood watch captain."  HA.  I hope that when you do get arrested, and believe me pal, it will happen, you meet someone who heard your story and you get what's coming to you.  If it doesn't happen, God will certainly punish you for your actions.  You are what Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, and other civil rights leaders have been fighting for years to eliminate.

Judging a book by its cover is the simplest sin someone can do.  It takes no effort.  All you have to do is look at someone, think something, and then never try to learn.  You've mastered that Zimmerman.  Way to go.  Now I'm going to judge you by the book you've written for yourself.  You're a clown.  You're a joke.  I hope to God you don't cross in front of the wrong people, because that's your funeral.

 I just wish ALL the news outlets would cover this.  Some of you will be hearing this story for the first time.  It's a shame, because there is a whole other world out there that is full of hatred, stereotyping, and judgment.  Pray for this country.  This country is full of people who will do anything in the name of justice.  People who will take the law into their own hands just to prove a point.  Just to feed their own egos.  Zimmerman is just the latest in a long list of injustices happening to people not just in America, but all over the world.

I normally don't ask this, but I'm begging you all to share this with friends.  Let's get justice for Trayvon and his family.  Let's show this Zimmerman that we will not be silent about his ignorance.

Saturday, March 17, 2012

St. Patrick's Day

I'm kind of annoyed.  I have an issue with today.  Seems like a lot of people are celebrating St. Patrick's Day the same way they celebrate Memorial Day, Labor Day, and Independence Day.  They basically drink as much as humanly possible, then brag about how hungover and messed up they are the next day.  It's really kind of obnoxious.  I know a lot of my readers drink, and that doesn't really bother me.  However I do have a huge issue with being proud of irresponsibility.

What happened to people nowadays?  Back in the day, people tried to be a little less blatant in their behaviors.  I've never understood getting completely trashed.  You complain about how hard you work.  You complain about being exhausted, overworked, and underpaid.  Then you waste all your money getting hammered.  Then you come to work that Monday complaining about how exhausting your weekend was.  Well, you big dummy, if you showed a bit of moderation, you wouldn't be looking at your chicken wings come back to you.

Yes I know I sound judgmental and harsh, but this is common sense.  I'm not even trying to get biblical on this. I'm just saying, look...there are things that you should know.  You should have a bit of an idea about cause and effect.  If I drink Hulk Hogan's body weight in beer in 3 hours, I'm going to look like Hulk Hogan beat me up tomorrow.

I'm not going to tell you not to drink liquor.  Fact is, my Facebook feed already has enough pictures of green beer and jello shots to make that Coyote Ugly bar look like a daycare center.  I'm just begging my friends and family to be smart.  Don't drink and drive.  Have a designated driver plan in place.  Don't get into trouble for the sake of a good time.

And I'm still begging people to research St. Patrick and the reason for the holiday.  Thanks.

Friday, March 16, 2012

Random Thoughts From Tyrone

It's another round of random thoughts and musings about things.

1. March is my favorite time of year.  It's the best month in sports if you ask me.  To see 68 or so basketball teams battling to see who can be the winner of a tournament.  What a novel concept.  BCS should take note.  If you don't know what BCS is, google it.

2.  I must try this Doritos Taco that everyone on my Facebook is talking about.  Ditto for the Shamrock Shake.

3.  Tomorrow is St. Patrick's Day.  To those who plan on getting wasted to celebrate, I challenge you to write a paper on St. Patrick.  Start with the fact that he wasn't even Irish.

4.  I am still ticked off over the latest episode of Desperate Housewives.  I'm sure most of you have seen it or heard about it.  How could they kill off Mike?  He's legendary.

5.  Dancing With The Stars hasn't been cancelled yet...surprised.  They're running out of actual stars.  Same with Celebrity Apprentice.  Who in the world is this Aubrey O'Day chick that can't pronounce the name of a Buick.

6.  Is Craig Sager from TNT really wearing a tie with brackets on it?  I question whether or not he has working lights or a mirror in his home.

7.  I don't understand how Rush Limbaugh can call someone a name and lose all his sponsors, yet Charlie Sheen continues to be in commercial after commercial.  Last time I checked, shooting someone, kidnapping another, and doing tons of illegal drugs are all bigger crimes than calling someone names.

8.  Some of the new people to my blog aren't quite sure of the origins of the name, so I shall explain it.  Cheddar Biscuits comes from my love and affection for the Cheddar Bay Biscuits from Red Lobster.  If you haven't had one, you are missing out.  Outstanding food.  A Genius is basically my description of myself.  I have a pretty high IQ, so it's valid.

9.  Burger King is giving away free french fries for St. Patrick's Day.  You also get free green ketchup.

10.  I can't stop raving about my slippers.  They're killer.

11.  They found the jerk who filmed his roommate guilty.  Thank God.  There is no reason for someone to embarrass their roommate just because they don't completely agree or understand their lifestyle.  You don't have to get everything someone does, but you have no right to make them feel bad about it.  You're not God, stop acting like it.

You'd think this would be over by now.
 12.  This picture has been surfacing on Facebook lately.  I thought this was a fake picture.  No one would dare do something like this nowadays, right?  It's really a crying shame that racism still exists like this.  You can buy this sticker on a website I refuse to name.  When are we going to grow up and stop faulting people for who they are as people?  Racism sickens me to no end, from all sides.  You may not agree with Obama, that's fine.  However that doesn't give you the right to be ignorant.  Also have to ask why a particular website that I get emails from hasn't shown outrage over this.  This website shows a blatant support for conservatives, which is fine.  It's their right.  However, they claim to be a Christian organization.  How can you claim to be Christian and not say something about this?  Love the Lord your God with ALL your heart, soul, mind, and strength.  However you're also supposed to love your NEIGHBOR as yourself.  It doesn't say to love your neighbor only if they're in one political party and/or one particular color.

Thanks for letting me rant.  Thanks for making my blog the success it is.  I will have almost 2500 page views at the end of this sentence.  Thank you so much.

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Friendship

Sometimes, I have to be amazed.  I'm amazed at how I'm able to keep the people I consider my friends to be my friends.  I'm kind of rude at times.  I have no filter.  I can upset an entire group of people with one phrase.  I'm pretty much my own worst enemy at times.  However I've realized something lately.  I have some really good friends.  I won't specifically name names to protect the innocent.  However I'll break them down.  Find yourself in one or more of these.

Spiritual Friends
You guys are my rock.  You guys help me through some of my toughest spiritual moments.  You say something that teaches me how to grow in the Lord.  I can't possibly go without your encouragement and strength. Some of you know exactly how to get me back on the right track.  The Bible says that man should sharpen each other  like iron sharpens iron.  Thank you for sharpening me and making me a better person.

Blunt Friends
I have those friends that will tell me exactly what I'm doing wrong.  You won't hesitate to tell me what I'm doing wrong.  Sometimes you tell me when I'm doing something I ought not do.  You also tell me not to say something stupid.  And sometimes you smack me when I don't listen.  Thanks for that.

Sports Friends
I know that's kind of weird, but I love people I can talk sports with.  I love having conversations about things I love.  It's hard to find people who know anything worthwhile about sports.  I usually get weird looks from people when I give them statistics that they didn't think existed.  Truth is, sometimes I just need to vent about how awful the BCS is.  That's where you all come in.  Thanks for being that person.

Wrestling Friends
See Sports...

Work Friends
I love my co-workers.  They know what I'm feeling, thinking, and questioning at a moment's notice.  It's a blessing to be in a place where I can go somewhere and know I'm understood.  I've worked in places where I had no clue whether I was coming or going.  Where I work now, I'm blessed.  Thank you all for being there.

Past Friends
I love where I grew up.  Most of my fondest memories came from growing up in South Carolina.  I had wonderful friends who had my back when others didn't.  I had a great group of friends from back in the day that taught me so much about friendship and life.  Thank you for being in my life then, and also for being in my life now.

Friends are special.  I can probably count my best friends on one hand.  I have a ton of acquaintances, associates, and people I will say things to on a daily basis.  But friend is a word I take very seriously.  It takes a lot to be my friend.  It takes a ton to be one of my best friends.  I love you all.  You're all a blessing.


Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Selfishness

This could be one of those blogs that alienate me from a community.  However, I really don't care.  There's been a ton of Facebook posts and talk about abortions and women's rights and what not.  Before I start ranting, I will say this.  I have been a firm proponent to allow anyone to do anything they want in life.  No matter how stupid, ignorant, hurtful, and evil it could be.  I will always defend your right to do it.  I am like that because God Himself is like that.  God gives us all freedoms to do whatever we want.  God gives us His rules and His will, what we do with it is up to us.  If I'm allowed to have the freedom to call what you think stupid, you have the freedom to be stupid.  I know that's not the nicest thing to say, but my opinion is mine.

I will say this, I am pretty much against abortion overall.  However I do understand why some women have them.  When the life of the mother is in present danger having the baby, although I will say, "depend on God before you make any decisions," however I will be way more than understanding.  I also understand why women who may have been raped could want an abortion.  However, why can't adoption be a viable option?  Why does the pregnancy and the chance to let the child live have to end completely?  Those are valid questions.  However, I have more questions for a different group of people.

This goes out to those who would consider ending the baby's chances because of the inconvenience.  It seems that most abortions are done because the baby would be an inconvenience to the mother.  How awful is that?  Very is the answer.  I understand that whole "it's your body" thing.  However, it's not just your body you're affecting.  That little baby is being affected too.  I wonder if those who are inconvenienced think that far past their noses.  I always believe that if you do something, you should live with the consequences.  I'm sure there is a certain amount of guilt that comes with terminating a pregnancy.  I guess my real issue isn't really the abortion as much as it is the excuses that some people give for them.  The worst are inconvenience and "it's my body."  It's just annoying that people can be so callous and cold when it comes to children.  Even if the baby is an inconvenience, the least you could do is put the baby up for adoption and let a person who wants a baby to have it.  Give the baby a fighting chance.

I'm not one of those people that believe in blowing up abortion clinics or assaulting doctors who do those things.  That's not my call.  In fact, those people are worse.  Like I said, I just question why people go through with it when it's not a medical issue or an issue of a truly unwanted pregnancy.  Unwanted as in forced into conception by rape, not unwanted as in "whoopsie, didn't want that to happen."  It happened because you weren't responsible.  So don't make the baby suffer, and don't let people who will take the baby off your hands suffer.  We always talk about how we don't honor each other or take care of each other like we should.  Who needs more honor and care than a baby?

These are just questions I have more than anything else.  I'm not picketing or protesting.  Just bringing up some valid points that I think deserves a fair answer.  If this is truly a world where we need understanding, am I allowed to question when I don't understand?


Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Halftime

Oh, we're half way there
Oh, oh livin' on a prayer
- Bon Jovi

I wonder if Jon and Richie were halfway through Lent when they wrote that song.  I doubt it, but I'm halfway through Lent now.  If you're not familiar, I've decided to practice Lent for the first time in my life.  Lent is when you give up something that gives you pleasure for the 40 day period from Ash Wednesday till Easter.  Some people take extremes like television, Internet, maybe even dating.  I decided to give up soda.  I live for a soda. I love fountain drinks from McDonald's the most.  They are so yummy.  However, I made a vow to God to give it up for 40 days.

I have to say that it has been tough on me.  I've never really given up anything before.  I realized very quickly that I needed God's help in this.  You're probably thinking, "why do you need God's help?  Just stop drinking soda."  It's not that easy when soda surrounds you.  Where I work, there is a soda machine staring me down in the teachers' lounge.  I put my lunch in the classroom fridge, there's a soda can staring at me.  I go to the other classroom fridges for random things for students, there are sodas there.  One of the classrooms has recycling bins.  Soda cans all in that thing.  That's just at work.  My roommate buys 4 six-packs of Pepsi every month.  I so want to crack one open, but I can't.  When I order some pizza or something, they don't have sweet tea.  Only Pepsi.  Sad, really.

These trials are little trials to a lot of people.  However, it's truly tough to avoid something you've done all your life.  Lent is a chance for you to rely on God's strength to take you through.  Even in small things, you should always rely on God.  I know a lot of you readers are going through some struggles.  Trust me, God knows your troubles.  Some of you are facing a life-altering decision.  Maybe you are trying to give up something not just for 40 days, but forever.  Maybe something is tearing and eating at you.  My prayer is that you go to God and rely on Him as I have for something diminutive as soda.  If God can help me with soda, just think how much He can help you with something deeper and more meaningful.

This soda thing is healthy, but my gosh why can't the rest of the world cooperate with me?

Monday, March 12, 2012

I Am What I Am and That's All That I Am

Popeye has some pretty intelligent philosophy sometimes.  Actually, that's the only thing he's said that makes sense.  It's a wonder Swee'Pea didn't grow up with issues.  If your girl don't know who Popeye and Swee'Pea are, she's too young for you, bro.  That quote means that Popeye basically knew what he was all about, and didn't question it whatsoever.  I'm the same way.  I've given myself a bit of an analysis of what kind of person I am.

I've always referred to myself as "relatively attractive."  People ask, "What does that mean?"  I say, "Whatever I want it to mean."  So here's how I want it to mean.

I've always seen myself as a six.  I'm just a tad above average, but not overwhelmingly studly.  I know I like to call myself hot a lot, but that's just me being kind of sarcastic.  Truth be told, I'm alright looking.  I have pretty eyelashes, and I'm really tall.  I also have those dark, brown, mysterious eyes.  Most black folks do.  I'm in decent looking shape.  Not ripped, but I can take my shirt off at the beach and not have people try to harpoon me.  So there's where I am in my looks department.

Here's where the relative part comes in.  Basically, I'm probably the nicest, funniest, most charming, sweetest, and coolest person I know.  That kind of bumps the attraction a bit.  It makes me more of an eight than a six.  That's where the relative attractiveness comes in.  It basically allows me to go out with girls that would make you wonder how rich I was to pull someone that pretty.  In some circles, it's known as "out-punting your coverage."  I'm basically doing better than I should.  People are attracted to my personality and like me for it.  Nothing wrong with that.

This is an open letter to people:

Please stop being obnoxious.  Stop making yourself out to be better than you are.  You're not.  It seems like lately I've come across a lot of people who think they're better than they are.  They turn their noses up at people.  They pretend that they are next in line to be queen or king of something.  It's kind of annoying.  Actually, it's highly annoying.  Please try to make your personality good.  Especially those who are lower than a six.  Be respectful of those who aren't you.  Take your silly self elsewhere.  You wonder why you're so hot and so single.  It's because you forgot how to be nice to people.  You forgot how to treat people the way you want to be treated.  This is a serious epidemic.  My mom used to call it "smelling your own funk."  Figure out what that means and then stop.

There you go, why I call myself "relatively attractive."  If you find me better than a six, not married, nor related to me, send me an email.  If you know any single females that are a 7 or above (remember, my personality makes me cuter than I am), send them this blog.  Thanks.

Here's a note:  I now have a button.  Go to the right hand side of the blog, scroll down and find button and copy and paste the HTML code.  Also, I posted the button of my friend Aerial.  She has a blog that is pretty good.  I follow it, and I would hope you would, too.  She does beauty tips and random posts about life.  I'm only doing this because she has a huge crush on me, and I'm a man of the people.  You can decide if that's true or not.

Also, there is a list of the most read blogs I've done.  These are the ones that people have shared or read the most.  If you're feeling nostalgic, go back and look at some classics.  Also, don't forget to subscribe so you can get e-mail alerts when a new post comes in.  Thank you all for your support.

Saturday, March 10, 2012

How to Handle March Madness

I don't claim to be an expert on many things.  There are two things that I can break down into it's simplest terms better than anyone.  One is the book of Esther in the Bible.  It's pretty much my favorite book of the Bible, and I can simplify it for anyone who has questions about it.  I used to teach a Sunday School class, and the kids always begged for me to tell the Esther story.  One day, I may do it for you faithful readers out there.  The other thing is March Madness and the NCAA tournament.  I can help anyone with their brackets.

I know a lot of you are going to be in office pools, Internet Bracket Challenges, and other various groups of people who will no doubt try to predict who the National Basketball Champion will be.  No doubt, every year you lose to some girl who picked Butler because their coach is so cute.  Well, I'm going to guide you through this just enough so that you can have a respectable score because face it, you're not beating the girl who likes Huskies more than Oranges.

1.  Don't Get All Crazy With Upsets
The word "upset" in sports is based primarily, although later debunked, on the 1919 defeat of thoroughbred "Man O' War" by a horse named "Upset."  Upset has been used before that, it just got popular after the horse race.  Yes the NCAA Tournament has upsets of all kinds.  Who can forget Hampton beating Iowa State or Coppin State defeating South Carolina?  Seems like every year a team gets upset.  However, the problem is people don't know which upset to pick.  So to save face, they pick all of them.  Not a smart move.  Upsets are based on match ups.  If a strong team is weak in an area that the underdog is strong in, the upset can occur if the coaching is solid enough to exploit it.  Your best bet is to look at every match up diligently before making a decision.

2.  Home Cooking
The NCAA Tournament has a long standing tradition of giving the better teams the easier travel schedule.  For example, Kentucky is probably going to be a 1 seed (unless the selection committee shows up to the meeting room drunk).  One of the sites for the first and second rounds is Louisville, Kentucky.  Lexington is about an hour and a half from Louisville.  So they'll have the easier schedule in the first two rounds.  You pick them.  You usually go with the teams that don't have to travel as far from round to round.  I know Kentucky is an obvious example, however it usually holds true every year that the closer the team to the site, the better the chance they have of advancing.

3.  Veteran Guards
It seems like the older the guards a team has, the better their chances of going farther in the tournament.  Senior guards are for coaches what food stamps are for homeless people.  Find teams with senior guards, they will be your best bet to get through.

4.  The Colonial Athletic Association Will Ruin You
George Mason and VCU pretty much screwed up everyone's brackets when they made their Final Four runs.  If you see a CAA team in your bracket, take them farther than you thought.  If you think they'll lose, they won't.

5.  Entertaining Announcers Will Have An Upset
This may take a little bit of research, but you have to find the most entertaining announcer.  They will have the nail biters and upset specials.  Gus Johnson, aka The Greatest Human That Ever Lived Not Named Jesus, and Len Elmore was notorious for finding the super exciting games and upsets.  Gus Johnson is no longer with CBS Sports, so I'm going to say Ian Eagle could be your go-to announcer for the crazy games.

6.  Listen to Luther Vandross



It's just kind of inspiring.  It really has no intrinsic value on your bracket.  And any excuse to play this song is good enough for me.  Although I do love Jennifer Hudson, this is Luther's song.

There you go.  A few tips to a good bracket.  Although like I said before, that pretty girl who thinks a Jackrabbit is an awesome name for a mascot is going to beat you.  But you'll at least be first among the people that actually know something about sports.

Friday, March 9, 2012

Pain and Exhaustion

Sometimes I wonder why I'm so tired at the end of work.  I wonder why I walk a little slower at the end of the day.  It's pretty simple, really.  God invented pain and exhaustion for us.  He did it so that we know when we're at our limits.  He did it so that we can have an idea as to when we should stop and sit down.  Rest is an important part of our lives.  When you neglect rest, you're telling God that His ideas aren't good enough for you.

I watch a lot of my friends and family wear themselves out and work themselves to the bone.  Nothing wrong with working hard.  I value hard work over a lot of things in life.  If you want to play hard, you have to work hard so you can afford it.  I just think that sometimes, they forget that when they're tired, they're in need of rest.  Some people have this idea that rest is for weaklings.  That's foolishness.  Rest is what refreshes our body.  Rest is what gives us the ability to go back a day or two later better than ever.  Rest allows you to give your absolute best in everything that you do.

I wonder when was the last time you just sat down and rested.  When was the last time you took time for yourself.  Not in a selfish, me-time kind of way.  I'm just talking about giving your body the proper rest and relaxation it needs to be fully effective.  Fully effective people are better at their jobs.  They are better at their relationships.  They are better at their service to both God and mankind.  Take time to rest.  Take the time to refresh yourself and recharge your batteries.  It's unfair to those who you work for.  It's even more unfair to those you love.  Give yourself the time to bring yourself back to where you need to be.  You at your best is the best thing for anyone and anything you're involved in or with.


Thursday, March 8, 2012

Humanitarianism and Tyrone

I posted on my Facebook this morning about the whole Kony 2012 fad that's happening on my facebook news feed.  I know fad probably isn't the proper vernacular for this, however considering America's infatuation with finding a "Cause of the Month,"  I think this it is the best jargon to use.  It seems like we always find some bandwagon to jump onto all the time.  Now I don't mind having a heart for something.  I just question why our heart changes every time someone famous speaks about something.

If you're not aware of Joseph Kony, he's the leader of the Lord's Resistance Army in Uganda that is responsible for kidnapping children.  The boys are brainwashed into becoming soldiers, and the girls are turned into sex slaves.  It's a horrible thing that this man is doing.  However this has been happening for years.  He's been around since 1986, and you're just now wanting to do something about it because you clicked something on your facebook account?

I'm sorry if I sound insensitive, but it seems like way too many people are doing things because it's trendy as opposed to because it's right.  I want nothing more than to see people who hurt children to be put away.  I want that Sandusky guy from Penn State (remember him?) gone.  I cheer for Steve Wilkos when he catches child predators on lie detector tests.  I pine for more episodes of To Catch a Predator where they catch those online predators trying to lure little girls and boys to do horrible things.  However, I can't help but wonder how long this Kony 2012 phenomenon will last.  Will people continue to be talking about Joseph Kony's horrible war crimes in a year?  What about a 6 months?  I'm not even sure this will last one month given how fickle we are when it comes to things like this.

There are some great causes and things we can do to prove our humanitarianism.  It starts at your own house.  Be nice to your family or housemates.  I mean, honestly, when was the last time you talked to someone just to talk?  How about not complaining about the less than happy waitress you get at a restaurant?  You ever ask them why they're upset?  I doubt it.  Yet, you want me to throw money that I don't have into a charity that I know nothing about.  That's not very humanitarian of you to make me more broke than I already am.

Please don't call me heartless for this opinion.  Anyone who knows me knows my heart and how I feel about many things.  People know how much I love children and care for them.  So, no I don't want to hear about me being heartless and not caring.  I do care.  However I just want you to know that I don't just willy nilly jump into a Facebook trend.  No one should do that.  Start by praying for those children, being a good role model for the children in your life, and just having a respectful attitude towards others.  That's being a great humanitarian.


Wednesday, March 7, 2012

My Thoughts This Week

It's that special time of the week where I share my thoughts on random things in life.  Sometimes, they're good. Usually they're awesome.

1.  Vegans are missing out on omelets.  I'm not worried about the steaks and ribs, omelets are awesome and they're missing out.  Shame.

2.  My ex has orange hair now.  I saw her driving by when I was heading to the supermarket.  Think Ronald McDonald as a soccer mom, minivan and all.

3.  I'm so pumped for March Madness.  However, for the first time in 2 decades, I'm missing the selection show.  I do AWANA on Sunday nights.  I wouldn't miss AWANA for pretty much anything.

4.  Kohl's is awesome.  I got 160 dollars worth of stuff for about 12 bucks.  I will be frequenting that store way more often.  If I don't see a clearance rack, I'm out.

5.  I probably shouldn't have said what I said in thought number two.  Oh well, it's my blog.

6.  Sometimes I wonder how I survive work.  Yesterday, someone played my head like a bongo drum.  Today, I got bicycle kicked, Liu Kang style.  Mortal Kombat references never get old.

7.  I love my new slippers.  It's like I'm walking on pillows.

8.  Sometimes I wonder what some people are thinking when they treat people the way they do.

9.  Kirk Cameron, you know, Mike Seaver from Growing Pains.  Apparently he upset the homosexual community with his thoughts on homosexual marriage and things of the like.  The question was asked by Piers Morgan, he answered honestly.  I don't see the problem.  If you don't want to be offended, don't ask people questions that could potentially offend you if you don't agree with the answer.

10.  Speaking of, I have a hard time with the grey area that is "tolerance." Here is Dictionary.com's definition of tolerance.  Seems like lately, tolerance is meaning agree with my lifestyle or you're a bigot.  I don't think that's very fair.  Can I accuse atheists of being hateful and intolerant because they don't like my God?  Can I accuse Vikings fans of a hate crime because they don't like my beloved Green Bay Packers?

11.  There are way too many commercials for lawyers suing medical companies for some kind of complications.  Why don't they take the money and use it to, I don't know, fix the medicine.

12.  My roommate cleaned the bathroom today.  I think someone's expecting company.  My other roommate thinks my pool partner is gorgeous.  He was in stunned silence when she was at the door.  I love my house.  Reality shows should really think about getting at me.

13.  I'm blessed.  That is all.

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Judgment Is The Lord's

Seems like lately a lot of judgment has been done by people not named Jesus.  I'm sure you've all heard about Rush Limbaugh's derogatory remarks about a lady who wanted to come before Congress to talk about contraception and her health insurance plan.  I won't bother repeating what he said because the words are horrible, and no female should ever be subjected to that.  The backlash is tremendous as Limbaugh is now losing sponsors left and right for his radio show.  It's well deserved if you ask me.  No need for that kind of behavior.

I'm anti-judgment by other people.  I will never be okay with others giving unjustified analysis of other people's lives.  You can't say that someone is this or that simply because they want to talk about certain subjects.  What happened to innocent until proven guilty?  What happened to judge not lest ye be judged?  Considering all the other unsavory things that Mr. Limbaugh has partaken in during his time in the limelight, you'd think he'd be the last to rush to judgment on prescriptions for anything.  Jesus said, "First take the log out of your own eye so that you can see clearly to take the splinter out of your brother's eye."  Seems like a lot of watchdog groups and political pundits are really good at noticing splinters without removing logs.

Now, if someone comes to you and asks you what you think of a certain subject, by all means tell them.  In love, but tell them.  It seems that a lot of people are quick to throw their two cents in when no one asked them for it.  Yes there are a lot of things wrong in society.  Yes there can be some terrible people out there.  Yes there are things going on that would make God very unhappy.  However your job is to love first, preach last.  My pastor always says, "no one cares how much you know until they know how much you care."  Instead of calling this young woman horrible names, why not ask what her reasons are for wanting to see Congress.  Ask her what her insurance is lacking.  Maybe, God forbid, you offer to help her with her issues. Stop doing God's job for Him.  You can teach when asked to teach.  You can preach when asked to preach.  You can give your opinion when it's asked of you.  However, don't make conclusions about a person until you know 100% of their story first.  God knows your story, that's how He knows better than all of us what to do with situations.


Monday, March 5, 2012

This is Getting Ridiculous

Okay, so I'm a fan of food.  I love food.  I think food is a great way to keep myself sustained.  I'm also a big fan of America.  America is the greatest country in the world.  You can complain all you want, but if you don't like it, leave.  However America's love for food has become a bit of an epidemic.  Let me explain.  There are tons of people who love that Paula Dean lady.  She's the one who puts a pound of butter into coffee.  There's also that movie Soul Food about the old lady who had humongous family get togethers where they ate tons of horrible foot.  The old lady eventually dies from heart failure.  The rest of the family honors her by eating the same food that just killed her.  We have Rachael Ray (who I think is adorable and should be my future wife), Guy Fieri, and others who show us great recipes and stuff.  America loves food.  Our food love is, however, is overtaking our common sense.

I'm sure you all saw that movie Super Size Me.  I'll condense it: man plans to eat nothing but McDonald's for a month; man must say yes when asked to super size; man becomes almost deathly ill because of this diet.  It's a crazy thing to think that something so great can be so deadly.  In fact, it was so bad that the man actually found a McDonald's that delivered.  That's right, you can get a Big Mac to come to your door.  Burger King is doing the same thing now in Northern Virginia.  How insane is it that fast food is now able to come to you?  Drive-thru is bad enough, but to actually not have to leave your house or the office for fast food?  I can almost hear America getting fatter by the minute.  Oh but it gets worse.

There is a gourmet cupcake shop called Sprinkles based in California that is actually doing Cupcake ATMs. Yes, you read that right, ATMs that give you cupcakes.
The Sprinkles cupcake ATM, set to open in Beverly Hills.
Sprinkles Cupcake ATM

I don't know about you, but the fact that people can now buy $4 cupcakes with an ATM card is scary.  People don't even have to wait inside the shop.  They can just run to this little machine, put in a credit or debit card, and get a cupcake.  Now apparently they take the time to bake it in the machine.  It's kind of like an Easy-Bake Oven type machine.  

America is making it easier and easier to be deathly ill and diabetic.  What happened to the days when you would try to be healthy?  My friend told me that Planet Fitness has pizza parties.  That just boggles my mind.  How in the world can a gym, a place where health is promoted, have pizza party in the place?  It's just crazy how we whine and complain and sue places for our bad health, yet are the first ones in line for all the new fads, inventions, and McRib Farewell Tours.  Not fair.  We have to take a stand and start being a little more proactive.  I'm personally giving up soda for the Lent season, but I feel so great that I'm possibly thinking of giving up soda forever.  Or at the very least, do soda once a month as a reward for being smart with my body.

Dear friends, I'm not going to tell you how to live your life.  I'm just going to say, be smart folks.  Don't let every fad get in the way of your common sense.  I'm going to work my tail off to be better at eating.  If enough people do it, these fast food chains and cupcake pimps can see that we're not interested in being disgusting slobs anymore.  

That also means that I have to stop heckling Biggest Loser contestants while eating Whoppers.

Saturday, March 3, 2012

100th Post Extravaganza Party

This is a banner day for me and my blog.  It has reached 100 posts.  It was sporadic in its infancy, however this particular calendar year has been dedicated to really sharing my opinions.  The result has been a almost 2000 pageviews and a Facebook page.  There are a few people I have to thank for this.

1.  Al Gore
Without him inventing the Internet, we'd never have things like blogs.  He's also saving us from certain carbon doom so that millions of people can read my blog.  Such a giving man.

2. Anne Frank
People have been keeping journals and stuff for years.  However it was Anne Frank's candid tales of the life she lived hiding from Nazi Germany that really brought journaling to the forefront.  If you haven't looked at The Diary of Anne Frank, you're doing yourself an injustice.

3.  My Mom
She should probably be higher on the list, but honestly, this is all my idea.  She's just super supportive.  Which is honestly just fine for this kind of endeavor.  Thanks mom, love you.

4. Ex Girlfriends
You've given me a lot to type about.  In fact, some of your foolishness is where I got my best blogs.  Thanks for being the wrong person for me.  When they tell me that I'll never find someone like them, I respond with a "Praise the Lord!"

5.  Stupid Ideas
Trust me, stupid idea give me my best work.  Things like plentyoffish.com and vegetarianism can really spark my creative juices.

6.  Blogger.com
Their easy to use format makes it simple for me to just say what I have to say with little HTML.  You haven't lived until you write in HTML.

7.  God
Probably the most important person to thank.  He's guided me every step of my path.  He's been the inspiration for so many things in my life.  He's blessed me far more than I deserve or could ever expect.  Never forget where your bread is buttered.

100 may not be a huge amount of posts in the grand scheme, but to be able to stick with something as open ended as this for this long is an accomplishment.  Thank you for making this blog what it is.  Your support, suggestions, and overall feedback is a blessing that you really won't truly understand.


Friday, March 2, 2012

Impressive to Say the Least

It's really no secret that I love sports.  I find athletes to be the most impressive of people.  Professional athletes are truly specimens to do what they can do on a regular basis.  I can go to the driving range once a month and pretty much be gassed for the rest of the week.  I love watching football, but my favorite to play is basketball.  I also coached basketball for many years.  I love studying strategies and analyzing basketball.  I can break down basketball forever.  Why am I talking about basketball so much?  Today is the anniversary of a special day in basketball.  This is the 50th anniversary of the day Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 points in a basketball game.

You're asking me what the big deal is.  I say you're out of your mind.  For a man to score 100 points in a basketball game is incredible.  Now I know that there have been some high school kids that have scored 100 points, however it's a little different here.  First of all, Wilt's game was against other professionals.  I'm sure most players in the NBA don't go into a game thinking they're going to score 100 points against other professionals.  Second of all, he's doing it with no three point line.  The three point line wasn't implemented in the NBA until the 1979-1980 season.  So he basically did it with short jumpers and free throws.  It's insane that a grown man could be so dominant.  The closest anyone has gotten to that record was Kobe Bryant scoring 81 against the Raptors in 2006.

I guess my thought for the day is, when was the last time you were this dedicated to something.  To want to be the best at what you do?  God calls us to be the very best at all times.  That way, He can gain all the glory.  Do all things for the glory of God.  Whether you're a teacher, a singer, an athlete, or a garbageman; you are to be the very best at all times.  The late Jerry Falwell used to tell us during convocations that if it's Christian, it ought to be better.  We should always try to strive to be better than anyone else in everything we do.  Whether we achieve it or not, the effort should be there.  If we actually channeled the Holy Spirit in our lives to make us better, the things we could do are unimaginable.  And then the glory God would get when people ask what is the reason for your success...wow.  This is why I'm such a fan of Tim Tebow.  He is such a talented person, but he's also always ready to give God all the glory for his success.  I also think of Albert Pujols.  He's pretty much the best baseball player on the planet.  He's always telling people how God is the focal point of his life.  I'm not saying God gives you super powers, but He will empower you to be at your best.  When you're at your best, you have no shame in your game.


Thursday, March 1, 2012

Change Isn't Half Bad

So today at work, we had a switcheroo day.  Basically we all got different kids than we normally work with.  It was a pretty fun and interesting day.  You got to do some different things.  It was a fun time.  This gave me a thought.  How much change are we as humans willing to embrace?  It seems like more and more people complain about changes and differences in routines than ever before.  There used to be a time when we would jump on board the change train.  It was seen as a sign of enlightenment to look at differences and take them in. What happened to that?  Nowadays, change is seen as a bad thing.  It's like change means ruining someone's life.  It's not that way, people.  Seems like the last few years of politics has been all about change and how bad or good it can be.  The only change that has occurred is the seemingly more intolerant and resistant to change people have become.  The old days, pilgrims took a boat and went about looking for change.  Explorers went all over the world, looking for different lands to inhabit.  Go back to the 1960s, people were all about changing the status quo.  Where is that fire to mix things up?  What happened to wanting to see a shift in life?  Change makes the world go around.  It's what caused a lot of the greatest moments in our history.  Of course now that brings the question, "what should we change?"  It's okay to have that question.  The answer is simple.  It's really up to you.  What should you change?  Whatever is holding you back from being better than you are.  Change your thoughts.  Change your actions.  Whatever causes you problems, that's what you should change.  However the problem is that so many people are so chicken to change that they get stuck in a rut.  Ruts are no good.  If you want to know why you're in the rut that you're in, it's because you refuse to change the things that keep you stuck in that rut.  Yes, it's tough to change.  It's so worth it, though.  Embrace change, people.