So I have always been aware of what my next birthday will be
and how many years I have left for each milestone, but last Thursday it finally
hit me! I will be 30 in two years!!! TWO YEARS!!! I have so much to do before my youth
dies. I will always feel young and have my zest for life, but wow it’s time to
grow up, and I have so little time left to check off some major things I would
like to have done by 30.
So far, I have lived an amazing life. I have a wonderful
family, amazing friends, and millions of great memories. I have read more books
than most people. I have surrounded myself with so many great people from so
many walks of life. I am an accomplished world traveler. I speak English and Spanish
fluently, and I know Sign. I have volunteered extensively and donated plenty. I have been in love. I have checked off over
50% of my bucket list already. I have made people happy.
Now before I am 30 I would like to have a few things done. I
want to travel more. I want to perfect my French. I want to bed a ginger. I
want to be in a relationship that lasts longer than 6 months. I want to
establish a savings account. I want to be successful at something I love. I
want to be debt free. I want to live some place that is not Jersey. I want to
be in the best shape of my life. I want my life to be infused with more
awesomeness.
I have cut back on alcohol consumption. I have begun to
change my daily diet. I have quit some bad habits. I have begun to exercise
more. That is just the beginning. I have so much more to do to accomplish these
goals, and believe me they will be completed before 12/12/14!!!
CHALLENGE ACCEPTED!!!
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Inspiration
What inspires you? A song? A movie? A friend? A quote? Inspiration can make one drastically change thier life or make a simple dicision. What inspires you? Whatever it is take it and run with it. If you are inspired to do something do it! Don't think twice about it (unless is life-harming). My inspiration for the day is a movie quote from the cartoon, Cats Don't Dance:
"They can smash your cookie, but you'll always have your fortune."
That quote in itself has gotten me through many a tough time. Take what inspires you and run with it. You can do anything you put your mind to.
Be blessed today and search for your inspiration.
"They can smash your cookie, but you'll always have your fortune."
That quote in itself has gotten me through many a tough time. Take what inspires you and run with it. You can do anything you put your mind to.
Be blessed today and search for your inspiration.
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Food For Thought
I love love love the summer breeze, as it blows the flowers gently side to side,
as if they are dancing. I read a tatoo on a young womans arm that read "nothing
is sacred" and it made me sad. God and everything He created is sacred, and I
felt him against my face, gently blowing today...
Stewart's With Grandpa
It’s the thought that counts, right? I remember the last
thing I ever did with my Grandpa before he died.
It was a hot summer day. Dad was at work and Mom and Mandi were fighting as usual. Grandpa had just arrived for his annual visit. He and I were sitting in my living room discussing the TV show we had watched the night before. (“E! 100 Hottest Celebs”)
I remember that night as clear as a cloudless day. Grandpa came downstairs and sat next to me on the couch. I was watching “E! 100 Hottest Celebs.” The show was almost over; we were waiting for them to reveal the number one spot. BeyoncĂ© had the hottest body of all! When they flashed her picture up on the screen, all I heard was my Grandpa say “Mmm!” I turned and just stared in amazement. He looked at me and said “What you know who your Grandmother is.” Oh my I could not believe he had said that, I must have laughed so hard for about ten minutes straight. I had tears pouring out of my eyes. That had to be one of the funniest things I have ever heard him say. While reminiscing about the previous night, we were interrupted with the yells and screams coming from upstairs. Grandpa leaned over and said “Let’s get out of here.” So we did.
Grandpa was always up for a snack so we went to one of his favorite places: Stewart’s! We pulled into the drive-in and a waitress ran up to our window. She asked for our order and Grandpa blurted it out, without even asking what I wanted. He said, “I want two root beers, and two hotdogs with mustard and relish, one for me and one for my Grandson.” RELISH?!?!?!? What was he thinking? Eww, I hate relish!!! He looked at me and said “What?” I told him I didn’t like relish and he laughed and said “Everyone likes relish.” I could not say a word. He was my grandfather whom I loved to death and I would do anything for him.
The waitress came back to our car with our order. I did a double take at the relish then looked at my Grandpa. Right there I knew that he just wanted to be with me; spend some time with me. So since I loved him so much, I sucked it up and ate the relish. It was so hard to get down, but every time I looked over and saw my Grandpa smiling; I forced it down.
We repeated this routine every day for the rest of his stay. (6 Days) Never have I ever eaten that much dill. I was sick to my stomach the entire week, but I will never forget the seven days’ worth of quality time spent with my Grandpa. He died three months later. (I believe Grandma poisoned him, but that’s another story.) As sad as I was, all I could think about at the funeral were those trips to Stewarts. Then it dawned on me…NO MORE RELISH EVER!!! Although I stay as far away from pickles as I can, every time I eat a hotdog, or drink root beer, or pass a Stewarts, I think of my wonderful Grandpa and how much he meant to me. I was truly blessed to have him in my life. I know one day I will meet up with him again and share two hotdogs…with relish.
The End
It was a hot summer day. Dad was at work and Mom and Mandi were fighting as usual. Grandpa had just arrived for his annual visit. He and I were sitting in my living room discussing the TV show we had watched the night before. (“E! 100 Hottest Celebs”)
I remember that night as clear as a cloudless day. Grandpa came downstairs and sat next to me on the couch. I was watching “E! 100 Hottest Celebs.” The show was almost over; we were waiting for them to reveal the number one spot. BeyoncĂ© had the hottest body of all! When they flashed her picture up on the screen, all I heard was my Grandpa say “Mmm!” I turned and just stared in amazement. He looked at me and said “What you know who your Grandmother is.” Oh my I could not believe he had said that, I must have laughed so hard for about ten minutes straight. I had tears pouring out of my eyes. That had to be one of the funniest things I have ever heard him say. While reminiscing about the previous night, we were interrupted with the yells and screams coming from upstairs. Grandpa leaned over and said “Let’s get out of here.” So we did.
Grandpa was always up for a snack so we went to one of his favorite places: Stewart’s! We pulled into the drive-in and a waitress ran up to our window. She asked for our order and Grandpa blurted it out, without even asking what I wanted. He said, “I want two root beers, and two hotdogs with mustard and relish, one for me and one for my Grandson.” RELISH?!?!?!? What was he thinking? Eww, I hate relish!!! He looked at me and said “What?” I told him I didn’t like relish and he laughed and said “Everyone likes relish.” I could not say a word. He was my grandfather whom I loved to death and I would do anything for him.
The waitress came back to our car with our order. I did a double take at the relish then looked at my Grandpa. Right there I knew that he just wanted to be with me; spend some time with me. So since I loved him so much, I sucked it up and ate the relish. It was so hard to get down, but every time I looked over and saw my Grandpa smiling; I forced it down.
We repeated this routine every day for the rest of his stay. (6 Days) Never have I ever eaten that much dill. I was sick to my stomach the entire week, but I will never forget the seven days’ worth of quality time spent with my Grandpa. He died three months later. (I believe Grandma poisoned him, but that’s another story.) As sad as I was, all I could think about at the funeral were those trips to Stewarts. Then it dawned on me…NO MORE RELISH EVER!!! Although I stay as far away from pickles as I can, every time I eat a hotdog, or drink root beer, or pass a Stewarts, I think of my wonderful Grandpa and how much he meant to me. I was truly blessed to have him in my life. I know one day I will meet up with him again and share two hotdogs…with relish.
The End
An Award Winning Monologue
One of my favorite things to do is to come up with random stories based what I see in painting, pics, or life. I also enjoy making up stories with different quotes and/or songs. Here is my favorite.
Steve's Monologue
Based on the painting:
A Grotesque Old Woman
There are three roles for women in Hollywood: babe, district attorney, and Driving Miss Daisy. My life has been very fulfilling as I have, throughout the years, been able to play all these roles. But before I leave this life, I want my story to be told so without further ado, here is my story.
My name was Lola, yes I was a show girl, but that was 50 years ago when they used to have a show and when I used to have a body. I was one of the best. I was a huge star not as big as Fred or Ginger, but my fans loved me. While Betty Davis was probably lying and Greta Garbo was probably crying with Robert Taylor locked in her dying embrace, I was with Chico, Groucho, Chaplain and Lloyd who were all super, and I loved sweet Mickey Mouse, Shirley Temple, and dear Jackie Cooper. I kept up with the best and all that jazz. Mmm so many memories. That truly was the time of my life, I had great friends, a disposable account, and because we were living in a material world, I was a material girl. I also had many opportunities to be like Elisabeth Taylor, but I never wanted to get married. For years people looked at me like I was Sandra Dee lousy with virginity, then one day it was all taken away. Yes, I got my first wrinkle. The next thing you know I am playing a district attorney on LA Law, me in syndication. Just as fast as I entered the second stage, I entered the final stage. I was offered the role of Dorothea Spornack on the Golden Girls; it was good money so I took it. For ten years I played that role and made lifelong friends out of Rue, Betty and Estelle. When the series ended so did my career, I thought it was over. Until one day I received a call from VH1, they offered me another gig, probably my last. So for the final chapter of my life as an actor, in the fall of 2006 I will become one of the newest cast members of the Surreal Life.
So that is my story in a nut shell. My name is Bea "Maude" Author. Good Night and Good Luck.
Based on the painting:
A Grotesque Old Woman
There are three roles for women in Hollywood: babe, district attorney, and Driving Miss Daisy. My life has been very fulfilling as I have, throughout the years, been able to play all these roles. But before I leave this life, I want my story to be told so without further ado, here is my story.
My name was Lola, yes I was a show girl, but that was 50 years ago when they used to have a show and when I used to have a body. I was one of the best. I was a huge star not as big as Fred or Ginger, but my fans loved me. While Betty Davis was probably lying and Greta Garbo was probably crying with Robert Taylor locked in her dying embrace, I was with Chico, Groucho, Chaplain and Lloyd who were all super, and I loved sweet Mickey Mouse, Shirley Temple, and dear Jackie Cooper. I kept up with the best and all that jazz. Mmm so many memories. That truly was the time of my life, I had great friends, a disposable account, and because we were living in a material world, I was a material girl. I also had many opportunities to be like Elisabeth Taylor, but I never wanted to get married. For years people looked at me like I was Sandra Dee lousy with virginity, then one day it was all taken away. Yes, I got my first wrinkle. The next thing you know I am playing a district attorney on LA Law, me in syndication. Just as fast as I entered the second stage, I entered the final stage. I was offered the role of Dorothea Spornack on the Golden Girls; it was good money so I took it. For ten years I played that role and made lifelong friends out of Rue, Betty and Estelle. When the series ended so did my career, I thought it was over. Until one day I received a call from VH1, they offered me another gig, probably my last. So for the final chapter of my life as an actor, in the fall of 2006 I will become one of the newest cast members of the Surreal Life.
So that is my story in a nut shell. My name is Bea "Maude" Author. Good Night and Good Luck.
God Can Use Even You!!!
Noah was a drunk
Abraham was too old
Isaac was a day dreamer
Jacob was a liar
Leah was ugly
Joseph was abused
Moses had a stuttering problem
Gideon was afraid
Samson had long hair and was a womanizer
Rahab was a prostitute
Jeremiah and Timothy were too young
David had an affair and was a murderer
Elijah was suicidal
Isaiah preached naked
Jonah ran from God
Naomi was a widow
Job went bankrupt
Peter denied Christ
The Disciples fell asleep while praying
Martha worried about everything
The Samaritan was divorced more than once
Zaccheus was too small
Paul was too religious
Timothy had an ulcer
AND
Lazarus was dead!
NOW
No more excuses!
God can use you to your full potential
Besides you aren't the message,
you are just the messenger!
In the Circle of God's love,
God's waiting to use your full potential.
Abraham was too old
Isaac was a day dreamer
Jacob was a liar
Leah was ugly
Joseph was abused
Moses had a stuttering problem
Gideon was afraid
Samson had long hair and was a womanizer
Rahab was a prostitute
Jeremiah and Timothy were too young
David had an affair and was a murderer
Elijah was suicidal
Isaiah preached naked
Jonah ran from God
Naomi was a widow
Job went bankrupt
Peter denied Christ
The Disciples fell asleep while praying
Martha worried about everything
The Samaritan was divorced more than once
Zaccheus was too small
Paul was too religious
Timothy had an ulcer
AND
Lazarus was dead!
NOW
No more excuses!
God can use you to your full potential
Besides you aren't the message,
you are just the messenger!
In the Circle of God's love,
God's waiting to use your full potential.
The Shift From Hell
Picture
this, it is late afternoon last Saturday and you get called into work and hour
early. This just happened to me. I thought it would be nice to get and extra
hours pay, but little did I know this was the beginning of the shift from Hell.
I arrive at the store and BAM! I was hit by three things. 1. We had shipment to do (12 boxes). 2. We were very low on change. 3. The store was the most crowded it had ever been. Even more crowded then Christmas time.
Today was an off day. I had been up since 7 am and it had already been a busy day. Well I am one to never stress out over stupid stuff, but tonight was different. The customers were in full force this evening and I think their collective IQ was a 7. So many people came in looking for the new Lil Wayne and Plies CDs. These people had to be lazier then my Uncle Jim. They would come and ask me where the CDs were and I told them to turn around. Not one of them would do it, yet they asked me to show them where they were located. Frustrated I took them to the shelf RIGHT BEHIND THEM. They all said “Oh my, it was right in front of my face.” And in my head, I said “Duh, you dumb ass! I told you that!!!” Although that was still not when the actual craziness started.
It started with a call. A customer called in and asked when the next Rap CD would drop, I in turn told him we get at least one in on every Tuesday. He wanted me to go down the list for this week. I told him Three 6 Mafia and Missy Elliot was dropping this week. Then he wanted to know what was due out the following week, so I put him on hold and looked it up. I told him who was due to come out then I started to get frustrated when he asked what about the following week. I said “Sir we have a line out the door and I cannot tell you every single artist coming out, is there a specific artist you were looking for?” He said “Young Joc” and I told him when he would drop then he asked for Young Jeezy. I told him he wasn’t coming out time September then he rambled off a huge list of other artists. I told him he would have to come in and look at the schedule because I had a line of customers I had to take care of. He called me a name and slammed the phone down. I WAS PISSED!
So for about ten minutes I took care of the line along with Jess. We both hoped we did not get secret shopped because we never left the counter. Then the phone rang again. This time we got an even dumber customer on the line. He was looking for the artist Duvall, it was out of print. He could not comprehend why we had the CD nine years ago and why we do not have it now. Then he asked if we had the Commodores’ Greatest Hits. I told him yes we had two copies. He must have asked me seven times if I was sure that it was the Commodores’ Greatest Hits. I was getting so frustrated and I could barely hear him because he had “cotton in his mouth.” I then started to get rude with him and said “Yes, sir it IS the Commodores’ Greatest Hits I told you that seven times. What else can I do for you?” He said he wanted me to look up a song title and unfortunately our computers do not allow us to look up by song title. I told him that and yet again the dumb ass could not understand. I told him he had to come into the store and flip through the CDs to find that song. Then he said “No, I need you to look up this song, Jesse.” I said “NO, I-CAN-NOT-DO-THAT-I-AM-SORRY!” He said “I don’t understand why you can’t?” I in turn slammed the phone down. We had three, yes three more calls like that throughout the night.
Then at like eight o’clock, a group of parents ran in and pulled their kids out of the store and that huge group went running out. The alarm system went off and the entire group split! We have no idea what was stolen. Then right about closing time a customer came in and started fighting with Jess and I trying to get us to lower the price of a CD. WTF? We both told him we could not reduce the price just to fit your needs. (BTW he had a wad of $20 bills) He threw the CD at me and stormed out the store. As I finished casing it up the same customer came back in and started getting irate because he wanted the CD for $5 instead of $14. As Jess handled that situation, I had to deal with a potty-mouth father who would not stop dropping the F-bomb because he could not find the mouse Webkin. I had to ask him to leave the store.
Just as this crazy night was coming to an end, we heard a huge murmur outside the store. I excused myself from a customer to check out what was going on. I saw two crowds of about fifty kids each storm into each other. The security guards were trying to break it up then the one security guard yelled for everyone to close their gates IMMEDIATELY! The one guard said he saw a gun and we had to go on lock down ASAP.
Finally closing time came and the store was finally closed. I almost had a panic attack that night and I went to my dark place twice. You know it was bad if I had to go to my dark place. THANK GOD THE SHIFT IS NOW IN THE PAST!!! Hopefully I will never have another shift like that again.
The End.
I arrive at the store and BAM! I was hit by three things. 1. We had shipment to do (12 boxes). 2. We were very low on change. 3. The store was the most crowded it had ever been. Even more crowded then Christmas time.
Today was an off day. I had been up since 7 am and it had already been a busy day. Well I am one to never stress out over stupid stuff, but tonight was different. The customers were in full force this evening and I think their collective IQ was a 7. So many people came in looking for the new Lil Wayne and Plies CDs. These people had to be lazier then my Uncle Jim. They would come and ask me where the CDs were and I told them to turn around. Not one of them would do it, yet they asked me to show them where they were located. Frustrated I took them to the shelf RIGHT BEHIND THEM. They all said “Oh my, it was right in front of my face.” And in my head, I said “Duh, you dumb ass! I told you that!!!” Although that was still not when the actual craziness started.
It started with a call. A customer called in and asked when the next Rap CD would drop, I in turn told him we get at least one in on every Tuesday. He wanted me to go down the list for this week. I told him Three 6 Mafia and Missy Elliot was dropping this week. Then he wanted to know what was due out the following week, so I put him on hold and looked it up. I told him who was due to come out then I started to get frustrated when he asked what about the following week. I said “Sir we have a line out the door and I cannot tell you every single artist coming out, is there a specific artist you were looking for?” He said “Young Joc” and I told him when he would drop then he asked for Young Jeezy. I told him he wasn’t coming out time September then he rambled off a huge list of other artists. I told him he would have to come in and look at the schedule because I had a line of customers I had to take care of. He called me a name and slammed the phone down. I WAS PISSED!
So for about ten minutes I took care of the line along with Jess. We both hoped we did not get secret shopped because we never left the counter. Then the phone rang again. This time we got an even dumber customer on the line. He was looking for the artist Duvall, it was out of print. He could not comprehend why we had the CD nine years ago and why we do not have it now. Then he asked if we had the Commodores’ Greatest Hits. I told him yes we had two copies. He must have asked me seven times if I was sure that it was the Commodores’ Greatest Hits. I was getting so frustrated and I could barely hear him because he had “cotton in his mouth.” I then started to get rude with him and said “Yes, sir it IS the Commodores’ Greatest Hits I told you that seven times. What else can I do for you?” He said he wanted me to look up a song title and unfortunately our computers do not allow us to look up by song title. I told him that and yet again the dumb ass could not understand. I told him he had to come into the store and flip through the CDs to find that song. Then he said “No, I need you to look up this song, Jesse.” I said “NO, I-CAN-NOT-DO-THAT-I-AM-SORRY!” He said “I don’t understand why you can’t?” I in turn slammed the phone down. We had three, yes three more calls like that throughout the night.
Then at like eight o’clock, a group of parents ran in and pulled their kids out of the store and that huge group went running out. The alarm system went off and the entire group split! We have no idea what was stolen. Then right about closing time a customer came in and started fighting with Jess and I trying to get us to lower the price of a CD. WTF? We both told him we could not reduce the price just to fit your needs. (BTW he had a wad of $20 bills) He threw the CD at me and stormed out the store. As I finished casing it up the same customer came back in and started getting irate because he wanted the CD for $5 instead of $14. As Jess handled that situation, I had to deal with a potty-mouth father who would not stop dropping the F-bomb because he could not find the mouse Webkin. I had to ask him to leave the store.
Just as this crazy night was coming to an end, we heard a huge murmur outside the store. I excused myself from a customer to check out what was going on. I saw two crowds of about fifty kids each storm into each other. The security guards were trying to break it up then the one security guard yelled for everyone to close their gates IMMEDIATELY! The one guard said he saw a gun and we had to go on lock down ASAP.
Finally closing time came and the store was finally closed. I almost had a panic attack that night and I went to my dark place twice. You know it was bad if I had to go to my dark place. THANK GOD THE SHIFT IS NOW IN THE PAST!!! Hopefully I will never have another shift like that again.
The End.
Six Rules of Happiness
Follow these six rules everyday and live a happier life.
1. Do something for someone else.
2. Do something for yourself.
3. Do something you don't want to do that needs to be done.
4. Do a physical exercise.
5. Do a mental exercise.
6. Do an original prayer that always includes counting your blessings.
1. Do something for someone else.
2. Do something for yourself.
3. Do something you don't want to do that needs to be done.
4. Do a physical exercise.
5. Do a mental exercise.
6. Do an original prayer that always includes counting your blessings.
The Art of Dining Alone
How Not To Feel Humiliated When Dining Alone
by: Heather Wagner at Better Homes and Gardens
If you’re single, travel for business, or just enjoy savoring a meal without small talk, you’ve probably had the experience of dining alone. This can be immensely pleasurable or incredibly daunting, depending on your temperament and overall approach. To ensure your next table-for-one adventure is as enjoyable as possible, BHG.com offers up these time-tested tips for dining alone.
For fine dining at home, try these delicious DIY bistro menu ideas from BHG.com.
1. Be Bookish.
Always come armed with reading material. Having something to read not only keeps you from getting bored but also serves as a shield against wait staff pity or unwanted conversational overtures from fellow patrons. Keep in mind that certain reading choices are better than others due to their portability and fold-ability (good: Sports Illustrated bad: War and Peace). In fact, frequent dining alone might be the real motivation for investing in a Kindle – although be wary of spilled beverages!
2. Try The Bar.
For many would-be solo diners, the fear of being surrounded by lovey-dovey couples or raucous groups can be prohibitive. Requesting a seat at the bar is a good solution: Most restaurants will serve the full menu, bar seating is casual and low-profile, and you're likely to be surrounded by other content singletons.
3. Exude Confidence.
Stride up to the host or hostess and proudly request your table. Never shrug or say, “just me” as though you’re apologizing. It takes guts to eat alone, and you should command the respect you deserve.
4. Eavesdrop.
People in restaurants tend to be drinking, which often results in loud talking, over-sharing, bawdy jokes, or bitter marital brawls. Either way you can (discreetly) listen in on proximate tables and gain valuable insight into the human condition. Bonus points for detecting awkward first-time Internet dates.
5. Befriend Your Blackberry.
Most of us are borderline addicted to checking our Blackberries or mobile phones. While it’s impolite to do this in the company of others, it's an absolutely acceptable activity when you’re dining alone: Reading the news, checking your Twitter feed, fondly reading old emails from loved ones, or scanning your secret crush’s Facebook page...the wireless possibilities are endless.
6. Go, Team!
Even if you’re not terribly into sports, if there’s a game playing, become a fan for the evening. You’ll be surprised how an entranced gaze up at the screen now and then will give you a sense of purpose, as will a well-timed groan of defeat or hearty fist-pumping “Yes!”
7. Think Like A Food Critic.
Pretend you are reviewing the restaurant. Observe the nuances of each course, take in the presentation, note the faults and strengths of the dĂ©cor and keep a sharp eye on the service. This puts you in a position of judgment – always empowering.
8. Life Is Short, Enjoy The Steak.
Finally, remember to relax, enjoy yourself, and focus on the positives of solo dining. Just think: There will be no quibbling over who pays, no awkward pauses, and no drawn-out discussions about your companion's relationship or work problems. You really can be your own best dinner date.
by: Heather Wagner at Better Homes and Gardens
If you’re single, travel for business, or just enjoy savoring a meal without small talk, you’ve probably had the experience of dining alone. This can be immensely pleasurable or incredibly daunting, depending on your temperament and overall approach. To ensure your next table-for-one adventure is as enjoyable as possible, BHG.com offers up these time-tested tips for dining alone.
For fine dining at home, try these delicious DIY bistro menu ideas from BHG.com.
1. Be Bookish.
Always come armed with reading material. Having something to read not only keeps you from getting bored but also serves as a shield against wait staff pity or unwanted conversational overtures from fellow patrons. Keep in mind that certain reading choices are better than others due to their portability and fold-ability (good: Sports Illustrated bad: War and Peace). In fact, frequent dining alone might be the real motivation for investing in a Kindle – although be wary of spilled beverages!
2. Try The Bar.
For many would-be solo diners, the fear of being surrounded by lovey-dovey couples or raucous groups can be prohibitive. Requesting a seat at the bar is a good solution: Most restaurants will serve the full menu, bar seating is casual and low-profile, and you're likely to be surrounded by other content singletons.
3. Exude Confidence.
Stride up to the host or hostess and proudly request your table. Never shrug or say, “just me” as though you’re apologizing. It takes guts to eat alone, and you should command the respect you deserve.
4. Eavesdrop.
People in restaurants tend to be drinking, which often results in loud talking, over-sharing, bawdy jokes, or bitter marital brawls. Either way you can (discreetly) listen in on proximate tables and gain valuable insight into the human condition. Bonus points for detecting awkward first-time Internet dates.
5. Befriend Your Blackberry.
Most of us are borderline addicted to checking our Blackberries or mobile phones. While it’s impolite to do this in the company of others, it's an absolutely acceptable activity when you’re dining alone: Reading the news, checking your Twitter feed, fondly reading old emails from loved ones, or scanning your secret crush’s Facebook page...the wireless possibilities are endless.
6. Go, Team!
Even if you’re not terribly into sports, if there’s a game playing, become a fan for the evening. You’ll be surprised how an entranced gaze up at the screen now and then will give you a sense of purpose, as will a well-timed groan of defeat or hearty fist-pumping “Yes!”
7. Think Like A Food Critic.
Pretend you are reviewing the restaurant. Observe the nuances of each course, take in the presentation, note the faults and strengths of the dĂ©cor and keep a sharp eye on the service. This puts you in a position of judgment – always empowering.
8. Life Is Short, Enjoy The Steak.
Finally, remember to relax, enjoy yourself, and focus on the positives of solo dining. Just think: There will be no quibbling over who pays, no awkward pauses, and no drawn-out discussions about your companion's relationship or work problems. You really can be your own best dinner date.
Dear Adrienne
Adrienne,
I remember the first time I met you...it was love at first sight! Granted I was in 6th grade and you were in 11th, besides Andy from The Goonies, you were my first crush. To this day I still think of you as one of the most beautiful people I know! I'm sorry that this has happened to you and it breaks my heart to hear that you are suffering. I have every person I know praying for you (even the random waiter I had last night, I asked him to keep you in prayer.)
I have so much I want to say to you, but no way to get it out. I asked God last night to put something in my heart that will give you inspiration. To my shock the next song on the radio was "Smile" by: Charlie Chaplin. Every memory I have of you, is a happy one. I have always loved your smile. It’s BIG and it’s genuine. So my words of inspiration for you and your family are the following:
Smile tho' your heart is aching,
Smile Even though it's breaking,
When there are clouds in the sky- You'll get by,
If you Smile through your fear and sorrow,
Smile and maybe tomorrow
You'll see the sun come shining through- For you.
Light up your face with gladness,
Hide ev'ry trace of sadness,
Altho' a tear may be ever so near,
That's the time you must keep on trying,
Smile- What's the use of crying,
You'll find that life is still worthwhile,
If you just smile.
I love ya Adrienne, and I pray, hope, have my fingers crossed that God will heal you once again, but for now just keep on smiling!
-Steve
I remember the first time I met you...it was love at first sight! Granted I was in 6th grade and you were in 11th, besides Andy from The Goonies, you were my first crush. To this day I still think of you as one of the most beautiful people I know! I'm sorry that this has happened to you and it breaks my heart to hear that you are suffering. I have every person I know praying for you (even the random waiter I had last night, I asked him to keep you in prayer.)
I have so much I want to say to you, but no way to get it out. I asked God last night to put something in my heart that will give you inspiration. To my shock the next song on the radio was "Smile" by: Charlie Chaplin. Every memory I have of you, is a happy one. I have always loved your smile. It’s BIG and it’s genuine. So my words of inspiration for you and your family are the following:
Smile tho' your heart is aching,
Smile Even though it's breaking,
When there are clouds in the sky- You'll get by,
If you Smile through your fear and sorrow,
Smile and maybe tomorrow
You'll see the sun come shining through- For you.
Light up your face with gladness,
Hide ev'ry trace of sadness,
Altho' a tear may be ever so near,
That's the time you must keep on trying,
Smile- What's the use of crying,
You'll find that life is still worthwhile,
If you just smile.
I love ya Adrienne, and I pray, hope, have my fingers crossed that God will heal you once again, but for now just keep on smiling!
-Steve
Time to Vent!!!
It is 3:30 in the am and I am slowly dying of boredom and
I'm upset with the world today, so I decided to list some things that annoy the
crap out of me.
1. When the toilet paper in the bathroom does not lay over the roll
2. When books on a shelf are not arranged tallest to shortest
3. People who do not appreciate life
4. When people have their DVDs facing every which way...no the front cover should always face the right so you can read the side title
5. When pictures are not hung straight on walls
6. When MTV plays the same show 3 hours in a row
7. When girls act like sluts...don't get me wrong Blanche Deveruex is funny but come on ladies have some class it’s a HUGE turnoff
8. When white boys (cough cough Eminem) act "black" no offense
9. When children talk bad about their parents...I do not care what they have done to you, you owe your life to them.
10. People who completely dismiss another's belief system
11. People who work at fun places (Disney, Great Adventure, etc.) and have such bad attitudes
12. Brad and Angelina...I'm not going to even waste my time
13. Rumor starters...I hate you to but I'll say it to your face
14. My upstairs neighbors blaring "Goodbye Earl" at 4 in the am
15. Cigar smoke
16. Fake people
17. People who think they are holier than thou
18. People who judge...It's not your life stay out of it or offer a helping hand
19. People who only help themselves
20. Movies that have great trailer but end up being a suck fest
21. Fathers/Mothers who abandon their families
22. Girls who don't shave...you could be Jessica Alba and not be attractive at all
23. Guys who treat their women like crap...I dare you to come talk to me
24. Elders who destroy kid's dreams...just because you could not follow your dreams does not mean you can diminish other's dreams
25. Boring people
26. A mean waiter/waitress
27. People who try to rule other people's lives...do not shun us because we saw a movie you did not approve of or because we went out dancing
28. People in a teaching position that teach their opinion and not the book...STICK WITH THE BOOK
29. High School drama that carries over into adulthood.
30. Fat people calling people fat...Ginger
31. Fat people trying to fit into a size 2...yuck I do not want to see that
32. Robots or cookie cutter people...you have your own brain USE IT
33. Rap music...I don't understand the words that are coming out of your mouth
34. Stupid people who eat or make phone calls as they are waiting on you...Eastern
35. People who talk trash on my family...you know who you are
36. Friend's roomies who think they own the place
37. Watching a scary or romantic movie and there is no one beside me too cuddle with...any takers? girls only
38. People who kiss and tell, in detail
39. Bad blind dates...thanks a lot Amanda
40. Body Odor...PLEASE STEP AWAY FROM STEVE!!!
41. Closed-minded People...GET A LIFE!!!
1. When the toilet paper in the bathroom does not lay over the roll
2. When books on a shelf are not arranged tallest to shortest
3. People who do not appreciate life
4. When people have their DVDs facing every which way...no the front cover should always face the right so you can read the side title
5. When pictures are not hung straight on walls
6. When MTV plays the same show 3 hours in a row
7. When girls act like sluts...don't get me wrong Blanche Deveruex is funny but come on ladies have some class it’s a HUGE turnoff
8. When white boys (cough cough Eminem) act "black" no offense
9. When children talk bad about their parents...I do not care what they have done to you, you owe your life to them.
10. People who completely dismiss another's belief system
11. People who work at fun places (Disney, Great Adventure, etc.) and have such bad attitudes
12. Brad and Angelina...I'm not going to even waste my time
13. Rumor starters...I hate you to but I'll say it to your face
14. My upstairs neighbors blaring "Goodbye Earl" at 4 in the am
15. Cigar smoke
16. Fake people
17. People who think they are holier than thou
18. People who judge...It's not your life stay out of it or offer a helping hand
19. People who only help themselves
20. Movies that have great trailer but end up being a suck fest
21. Fathers/Mothers who abandon their families
22. Girls who don't shave...you could be Jessica Alba and not be attractive at all
23. Guys who treat their women like crap...I dare you to come talk to me
24. Elders who destroy kid's dreams...just because you could not follow your dreams does not mean you can diminish other's dreams
25. Boring people
26. A mean waiter/waitress
27. People who try to rule other people's lives...do not shun us because we saw a movie you did not approve of or because we went out dancing
28. People in a teaching position that teach their opinion and not the book...STICK WITH THE BOOK
29. High School drama that carries over into adulthood.
30. Fat people calling people fat...Ginger
31. Fat people trying to fit into a size 2...yuck I do not want to see that
32. Robots or cookie cutter people...you have your own brain USE IT
33. Rap music...I don't understand the words that are coming out of your mouth
34. Stupid people who eat or make phone calls as they are waiting on you...Eastern
35. People who talk trash on my family...you know who you are
36. Friend's roomies who think they own the place
37. Watching a scary or romantic movie and there is no one beside me too cuddle with...any takers? girls only
38. People who kiss and tell, in detail
39. Bad blind dates...thanks a lot Amanda
40. Body Odor...PLEASE STEP AWAY FROM STEVE!!!
41. Closed-minded People...GET A LIFE!!!
EMS Field Guide
1. Sick people don’t complain.
2. If you drop the baby, fake a seizure.
3. The patient’s has the emergency not you.
4. All rhythms will eventually change to one you know how to treat.
5. Pray your partner is not stupid.
6. The more stuff you see on an EMT’s belt, the newer they are.
7. All bleeding will eventually stop.
8. No matter what you do, all people will eventually die.
9. When your unsure what is wrong with the patient remember the ambulance has wheels.
10. It is not unprofessional to puke with your patient.
11. You will get caught sleeping.
12. The only time you will have to fart is when your in the elevator with your patient.
13. If someone is pointing a gun at you- outrun your partner.
14. Never tell dispatch were to go, they will send you there.
15. If it felt good to tell off the patient, nurse or supervisor, it was the wrong thing to say and you will pay for it.
16. Try not to be more drunk then the patient.
17. If the patient looks sick, they are sick.
18. Try not to say “holy crap” when approaching a trauma patient.
19. If I must get up, then everybody gets up.
20. Better the other crew than you.
21. Always save the patient.... from the fire department.
22. If your scared to enter- send your partner.
23. DON’T WAIT TO PEE.
24. Always give violent patients O2.........bottle across the head.
25. No matter if you were across the street- you will hear “what took you so long.”
26. If you must hold them down....stop CPR.
27. The stereo must be always be louder then the siren.
28. Paramedics do not save lives, they only postpone the inevitable.
29. You can’t fix stupid.
30. If it’s wet and sticky and not yours, DONT TOUCH IT.
31. You call, we haul.
32. Most patients are healthier than you.
33. Being in EMS means you celebrate holidays- on duty.
34. When driving your ambulance really fast, remember it was built by the lowest bidder.
35. Never get into an ambulance with someone braver than you.
36. If it’s stupid but works, it’s not stupid.
37. Always know when to get out of dodge, and how.
38. It’s easier to beg for forgiveness than to get permission.
39. Always trust your bad feelings.
40. The man with the gun is always in charge.
41. If you respond to a wreck after midnight and don’t find a drunk, keep
looking you have missed them.
42. A tourniquet around the neck will cure the patient.
43. The dead never get worse.
44. If it looks like you might get dirty let your partner do it.
45. For every ALS skill you learn you forget a BLS one.
46. Death is a stabilization of the patients condition.
47. Training is learning the rules, experience is learning the exceptions.
48. “ Poke and hope” another term for blind sticking.
49. When it comes to needles it is better to give than to receive.
50. Most of your patients will survive, no matter what you do.
51. Paramedics save lives... EMT's save Paramedics
2. If you drop the baby, fake a seizure.
3. The patient’s has the emergency not you.
4. All rhythms will eventually change to one you know how to treat.
5. Pray your partner is not stupid.
6. The more stuff you see on an EMT’s belt, the newer they are.
7. All bleeding will eventually stop.
8. No matter what you do, all people will eventually die.
9. When your unsure what is wrong with the patient remember the ambulance has wheels.
10. It is not unprofessional to puke with your patient.
11. You will get caught sleeping.
12. The only time you will have to fart is when your in the elevator with your patient.
13. If someone is pointing a gun at you- outrun your partner.
14. Never tell dispatch were to go, they will send you there.
15. If it felt good to tell off the patient, nurse or supervisor, it was the wrong thing to say and you will pay for it.
16. Try not to be more drunk then the patient.
17. If the patient looks sick, they are sick.
18. Try not to say “holy crap” when approaching a trauma patient.
19. If I must get up, then everybody gets up.
20. Better the other crew than you.
21. Always save the patient.... from the fire department.
22. If your scared to enter- send your partner.
23. DON’T WAIT TO PEE.
24. Always give violent patients O2.........bottle across the head.
25. No matter if you were across the street- you will hear “what took you so long.”
26. If you must hold them down....stop CPR.
27. The stereo must be always be louder then the siren.
28. Paramedics do not save lives, they only postpone the inevitable.
29. You can’t fix stupid.
30. If it’s wet and sticky and not yours, DONT TOUCH IT.
31. You call, we haul.
32. Most patients are healthier than you.
33. Being in EMS means you celebrate holidays- on duty.
34. When driving your ambulance really fast, remember it was built by the lowest bidder.
35. Never get into an ambulance with someone braver than you.
36. If it’s stupid but works, it’s not stupid.
37. Always know when to get out of dodge, and how.
38. It’s easier to beg for forgiveness than to get permission.
39. Always trust your bad feelings.
40. The man with the gun is always in charge.
41. If you respond to a wreck after midnight and don’t find a drunk, keep
looking you have missed them.
42. A tourniquet around the neck will cure the patient.
43. The dead never get worse.
44. If it looks like you might get dirty let your partner do it.
45. For every ALS skill you learn you forget a BLS one.
46. Death is a stabilization of the patients condition.
47. Training is learning the rules, experience is learning the exceptions.
48. “ Poke and hope” another term for blind sticking.
49. When it comes to needles it is better to give than to receive.
50. Most of your patients will survive, no matter what you do.
51. Paramedics save lives... EMT's save Paramedics
The Lap of Luxury
Oh how ritzy the state of California is. Am I so lucky to
visit this wonderful state? The answer is yes! This week was a dream come true,
I finally made it out to Los Angeles. Everything there was bigger than life!
The stores sold better products, the dollar was worth more there, and the food
was to die for.
There were many firsts for me on this trip. It was my first time at a resort (Pechanga). It was my first time visiting an Indian Reservation. It was also my first time in Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Orange County, and Los Angeles. I tried “Country Italian” food (whatever that is), and I even tried caviar and escargot! The escargot was hard to get down; this was a onetime thing…never again! The caviar was actually not bad at all. The texture was that of Pop Rocks and the tastes although indescribable, not that bad. The resort was absolutely beautiful. It had a sparkling, blue pool, a spa, and a state-of-the-art gym. It was surrounded by some of the most gorgeous mountains I had ever seen. Looking directly out front of the resort was a snowcapped mountain reaching high into the heavens, as if trying to touch God. Around the back of the resort were boulder covered mountains. Those mountains were green as can be and the boulders that dotted the landscape were ivory white. The inside of the resort and casino was decorated with a tribal theme. Greens, reds, yellows, and blues were splashed on every wall. Massive totem poles greeted you as you entered the lobby, and right in the center of the lobby was a new age artsy fountain. The clerks there were some of the most hospitable people I have ever met. To the right of the lobby was the casino filled with smoke, games, lights, and old people. I only played two dollars, and did not win anything. Located inside the casino were nine restaurants, one buffet, and one food court. Each had its own theme and pizzazz. Every morning the rooms were cleaned top to bottom and the towels and sheets refreshed. Every night our beds were turned down so we could hop right in them after a long grueling day of work.
In Orange County, there were palm trees everywhere! The sun was shining and the air was crisp and clear. The houses were huge! The landscape was trimmed and full of color. Beverly Hills is just as beautiful as Orange County, but the houses were even bigger…and there were more cars in the driveway. The smallest house in Beverly Hills goes for no less than $500,000. Ferns and birch trees decorate front yards and palm trees line the town streets. The Beverly Hills Hotel is this huge pastel pink building. It is one huge hotel building and a few private bungalows. Right up the street from the Beverly Hills Hotel is Wilshire Blvd. Wilshire connects you to West Hollywood. On the opposite side of the Beverly Hills Hotel is the famous Rodeo Drive. Walking down Rodeo gave me this sense of class. Unlike New York, Beverly Hills does not have this holier-than-thou attitude. They accept you for who you are and that attitude makes understand the truth that truly everyone is equal.
Hollywood is as glamorous as I had imagined it was. The Hollywood sign is definitely breathtaking. All it is is nine huge letters on the side of a mountain, but it was still breathtaking. It’s definitely not as grand as the Mona Lisa or Big Ben, but it is definitely in my Top 5. Downtown Los Angeles is almost like any other city, BUT does any other city have the Walk-of-Fame? No! Does any other city have handprints and footprints of some of the most amazing actors throughout time? No! Those reasons are what make L.A.; L.A. Nobody pushes or shoves you like in New York City. It truly is a city of dreams.
The beaches in California are crystal clear, and blue as the sky. The pueblos are lined up in rows of adobe red and canary yellow. The mountains are purple when the sun begins to set and bright green when the sun is directly overhead. California. A place where dreams can come true? Maybe. Is it a place of exquisite beauty? Definitely! All I know is that God can make anything seem like the lap of luxury. He created therefore it is beautiful and luxurious.
There were many firsts for me on this trip. It was my first time at a resort (Pechanga). It was my first time visiting an Indian Reservation. It was also my first time in Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Orange County, and Los Angeles. I tried “Country Italian” food (whatever that is), and I even tried caviar and escargot! The escargot was hard to get down; this was a onetime thing…never again! The caviar was actually not bad at all. The texture was that of Pop Rocks and the tastes although indescribable, not that bad. The resort was absolutely beautiful. It had a sparkling, blue pool, a spa, and a state-of-the-art gym. It was surrounded by some of the most gorgeous mountains I had ever seen. Looking directly out front of the resort was a snowcapped mountain reaching high into the heavens, as if trying to touch God. Around the back of the resort were boulder covered mountains. Those mountains were green as can be and the boulders that dotted the landscape were ivory white. The inside of the resort and casino was decorated with a tribal theme. Greens, reds, yellows, and blues were splashed on every wall. Massive totem poles greeted you as you entered the lobby, and right in the center of the lobby was a new age artsy fountain. The clerks there were some of the most hospitable people I have ever met. To the right of the lobby was the casino filled with smoke, games, lights, and old people. I only played two dollars, and did not win anything. Located inside the casino were nine restaurants, one buffet, and one food court. Each had its own theme and pizzazz. Every morning the rooms were cleaned top to bottom and the towels and sheets refreshed. Every night our beds were turned down so we could hop right in them after a long grueling day of work.
In Orange County, there were palm trees everywhere! The sun was shining and the air was crisp and clear. The houses were huge! The landscape was trimmed and full of color. Beverly Hills is just as beautiful as Orange County, but the houses were even bigger…and there were more cars in the driveway. The smallest house in Beverly Hills goes for no less than $500,000. Ferns and birch trees decorate front yards and palm trees line the town streets. The Beverly Hills Hotel is this huge pastel pink building. It is one huge hotel building and a few private bungalows. Right up the street from the Beverly Hills Hotel is Wilshire Blvd. Wilshire connects you to West Hollywood. On the opposite side of the Beverly Hills Hotel is the famous Rodeo Drive. Walking down Rodeo gave me this sense of class. Unlike New York, Beverly Hills does not have this holier-than-thou attitude. They accept you for who you are and that attitude makes understand the truth that truly everyone is equal.
Hollywood is as glamorous as I had imagined it was. The Hollywood sign is definitely breathtaking. All it is is nine huge letters on the side of a mountain, but it was still breathtaking. It’s definitely not as grand as the Mona Lisa or Big Ben, but it is definitely in my Top 5. Downtown Los Angeles is almost like any other city, BUT does any other city have the Walk-of-Fame? No! Does any other city have handprints and footprints of some of the most amazing actors throughout time? No! Those reasons are what make L.A.; L.A. Nobody pushes or shoves you like in New York City. It truly is a city of dreams.
The beaches in California are crystal clear, and blue as the sky. The pueblos are lined up in rows of adobe red and canary yellow. The mountains are purple when the sun begins to set and bright green when the sun is directly overhead. California. A place where dreams can come true? Maybe. Is it a place of exquisite beauty? Definitely! All I know is that God can make anything seem like the lap of luxury. He created therefore it is beautiful and luxurious.
My First Day In L.A
Today was a dream come true! For many years I have been
anticipating my first trip to Los Angeles, today it finally happened. You know
how everybody has that one place that they want to see before they die? Well LA
was my place. Let me tell you, it was everything I had ever dreamed of. Beverly
Hills was so glamorous, Downtown was filled with hustle and bustle, and
Hollywood was seriously magnificent. I walked up and down Rodeo Drive with the
fam. I tried on clothes I could never afford, including this amazing rabbit
fur/lambskin leather jacket (priced at a mere $8000). I strutted my stuff
through Gucci, Versace, Dolce & Gabana, and Ralph Lauren. I dressed myself
like a star. I could have gotten into any premier I wanted; too bad there were
none today. I took pictures of every single thing in sight, from road signs
(Rodeo, Hollywood, Santa Monica, and Sunset) to buildings, to as many stars on
the Walk-of-Fame as I could.
In Beverly Hills, I saw some of the most beautiful houses I had ever seen. Some were big and some were small, but all of them were gorgeous. As I walked past each house, I fantasized who lived in each one. I did not see any A-list star’s houses, but I thought people like Betty White, Kathy Griffin, or even the cast from Grey’s Anatomy could have lived in the houses I saw. They were full basketball and tennis courts in the backyards and Porsches and Rolls Royce in the driveway. The land was perfectly cropped. It is definitely a ritzy place.
In Downtown, the first thing I saw was the Laugh Factory. Yes, this is the comedy club Cramer was kicked out of and yes, it is also the place where Dane Cook set the standup record of 7hrs and 12mins (BTW that happened last night). Then we followed the Walk-of-Fame to the Chinese Theater. At the Chinese Theater, we saw all the handprints and footprints of the stars. My hands were a perfect match to Mr. Humphrey Bogart and Mr. Fred Astaire. I saw the tiny footprints of Natalie Wood, Judy Garland, and the beautiful Marilyn Monroe. I then went to the Kodak Theater and saw street actors dressed as Catwoman, Elvira, and Captain Jack Sparrow. I almost had to throw some elbows when Elmo tried to pick a fight with me. He came toward me to take a photo and I declined. He asked why. I told him I was not a fan. He called my Perez Hilton, and I called him a flaming stuffed animal. Hahaha! Only I could get in a verbal fight with Elmo.
We went to The Dip for dinner. They served the best roast beef sandwiches in California, and the owner is a close friend of Borat actor, Sacha Baron Cohen. After dinner we went to take pictures of the Walk-of-Fame. Hollywood must have known I was coming. They put all my favorite stars in a straight line, Betty White, Halle Berry, Steven Spielberg, Nicole Kidman, Matt Damon, and Michelle Pfeiffer. I also got to see the famous Hollywood sign.
Even though I did not see one movie star, I was star struck from all glamour of the city. The area of Los Angeles may not be as extravagant for most people as it was for me, but I was so filled with joy that I was jumping up and down both inside and physically. Even though Hollywood’s streets were not paved with actual gold, it was the place, for me, that dreams really do come true. I cannot wait to go back and explore the City of Dreams even more.
In Beverly Hills, I saw some of the most beautiful houses I had ever seen. Some were big and some were small, but all of them were gorgeous. As I walked past each house, I fantasized who lived in each one. I did not see any A-list star’s houses, but I thought people like Betty White, Kathy Griffin, or even the cast from Grey’s Anatomy could have lived in the houses I saw. They were full basketball and tennis courts in the backyards and Porsches and Rolls Royce in the driveway. The land was perfectly cropped. It is definitely a ritzy place.
In Downtown, the first thing I saw was the Laugh Factory. Yes, this is the comedy club Cramer was kicked out of and yes, it is also the place where Dane Cook set the standup record of 7hrs and 12mins (BTW that happened last night). Then we followed the Walk-of-Fame to the Chinese Theater. At the Chinese Theater, we saw all the handprints and footprints of the stars. My hands were a perfect match to Mr. Humphrey Bogart and Mr. Fred Astaire. I saw the tiny footprints of Natalie Wood, Judy Garland, and the beautiful Marilyn Monroe. I then went to the Kodak Theater and saw street actors dressed as Catwoman, Elvira, and Captain Jack Sparrow. I almost had to throw some elbows when Elmo tried to pick a fight with me. He came toward me to take a photo and I declined. He asked why. I told him I was not a fan. He called my Perez Hilton, and I called him a flaming stuffed animal. Hahaha! Only I could get in a verbal fight with Elmo.
We went to The Dip for dinner. They served the best roast beef sandwiches in California, and the owner is a close friend of Borat actor, Sacha Baron Cohen. After dinner we went to take pictures of the Walk-of-Fame. Hollywood must have known I was coming. They put all my favorite stars in a straight line, Betty White, Halle Berry, Steven Spielberg, Nicole Kidman, Matt Damon, and Michelle Pfeiffer. I also got to see the famous Hollywood sign.
Even though I did not see one movie star, I was star struck from all glamour of the city. The area of Los Angeles may not be as extravagant for most people as it was for me, but I was so filled with joy that I was jumping up and down both inside and physically. Even though Hollywood’s streets were not paved with actual gold, it was the place, for me, that dreams really do come true. I cannot wait to go back and explore the City of Dreams even more.
You Know You're From Jersey When...
Well i know i'm from South Jersey, and proud of it. So i though i share with
you, some of my fav's. I highlighted the ones that go for me.
You Know You're From South Jersey When...
You don't "go to the beach", you go "down the shore".
In your mind you hear "watch out for the tram car please" even in your sleep.
You've had arguments over cheesesteak quality.
When it snows more than an inch, you call it a blizzard.
You know someone named Siprasiut Xayapachan.
You've actually found the Echelon Mall.
Your uncle is in the mafia.
You or your friends have Lyme Disease.
You don't understand why there aren't more 24-hour diners elsewhere in the country.
You know what a Wawa is, and know the location of at least 15 of them.
You know what became of the 13th Leeds child, and claim to have seen him one time while peeing in the woods.
One time you were driving in the woods and got stuck in sand.
You have an EZ Pass, but you just hold it up.
Even though there's a new Wal-Mart in your town, you still go to the Berlin Farmers Market for cheap stuff.
Your neighborhood demonstrates co-existence of African-Americans and racist rednecks.
You know that you should get the hell out of Camden before dark.
Your car is covered with yellow-green dust in April ann May.
You buy Shop-Rite brand food at Shop-Rite.
Honesty, sincerity, and courtesy are things you once saw happen in Ohio.
You know how to successfully handle a traffic circle.
You think the Olive Garden is a bunch of crap and should not open restaurants in South Jersey.
You worked at a blueberry farm when you were 13.
You played soccer from Kindergarten through high school.
You've counted the number of dirty old men bars on the Black Horse Pike.
You always went to the Franklin Institute when you were a kid.
Your middle school hangout was the mall.
You have an unusable, piece-of-crap boat in your front yard.
You once skipped school and went to Wildwood.
You're Italian.
You know where to get the best bagel.
You've called someone an "butthead" to their face at the Philly airport.
You say "water" weird.
Even your school made good Italian subs, but you call them hoagies.
You've almost fallen asleep on the Expressway.
You've lived through hurricanes, nor'easters and fires, but have never seen a tornado, earthquake or volcano.
You can't believe MTV went to Seaside Heights.
You know that ACME is an actual store, not just a Warner Bros. creation.
You never had school on Rosh Hashanah or Yom Kippur.
You take day trips to New York City.
The mafia runs half the businesses in your town.
You have mandatory recycling. Enforced by law.
In the woods behind your house, you can find couches, washing machines, and shoes.
You don't have to go to Red Lobster to get fresh seafood.
You go to at least one parade at the boardwalk each year.
You've made a meal out of Tastycakes, Herr's BBQ potato chips, and Pennsylvania Dutch Birch Beer.
You know the Atlantic City High School marching band can lay down some phat beats.
You know New Years is all about the Mummers and the Polar Bear club.
You smoke Parliament Lights.
You go to the local Fire Department barbeque in June.
Down the road, in the middle of nowhere, is an Egyptian restaurant and a custard stand with a minature golf course.
You know what custard is in South Jersey.
You can go bowling at 1:30 A.M. (with automatic scoring!)
In high school, you worked at a Friendly's.
Route 206 doesn't freak you out at night.
One time, a sea gull pooped all over your head.
You once said, "It smells like Philadelphia in here."
You know that people from the 609 area code are "a little different".
Your mom still loves Bruce Springsteen.
You know it can be -10 degrees and 70 degrees in January in the same year.
There's a fruit and vegetable stand down the road.
You will always say "YO", and you'll say it often.
You scoff at tourists in Philadelphia.
Your town has an online commmunity.
At least one person brings Big Fizz to a party.
You go to another state and sit at a gas station wondering when the people will come out to pump your gas.
You have your own bucket for carmel corn refills.
You know that no matter how much they put into the Camden waterfront Camden is still Camden.
You have to mail your relocated friends tastykakes.
You think North Jersey is a different state and South Jersey deserves its own secession.
Your high school prom was at the Camden Aquarium or The Mansion in Voorhees.
You have season passes to Great Adventure.
You refuse to call Hoagies "subs."
You know where Olga's Diner is on rt 70.
You are tired of people not believing you're from jersey because you don't have a New York accent.
You drive by a farm every time you get in the car.
You know what "jimmies" are and refuse to call them anything else.
Eastern Regional High School has a rip list every year!
Your neighbor is either a painter, a plumber, a builder, or an electrician with a work truck in the driveway.
You have crossed all 5 bridges into Philly at one point in your life.
You take day trips to philly to walk on South Street.
You have had a near or close call experiences hitting a deer with your car.
You run around in the nearest patch of woods and play paint ball with your buddies.
You've considered renaming "the Garden State" to "the Hoagie State"
You have a story about the "Hell Hole" ride in Wildwood.
You remember the ducks in the middle of Cherry Hill Mall.
You call the Berlin Farmer's Market the Berlin Auction or the Auction.
You took your report card to Clementon Park for free tickets.
You've had some of the best parties in a field.
Other people dont know what funnel cake and water ice is because everyone else calls it fried dough and slush.
You went "diner hopping" till the sun came up.
You don't acknoledge that it is tomorrow until either you go to sleep or the sun comes up.
You know where to buy a katana for less than $50.
You go on dates to diners and arcades.
You have empty Wawa half gallon iced tea bottles all over your car and room.
You've ever driven around aimlessly for hours with your friends saying "So, whatta we doin?"
You've ever said the phrase "look at fricken MacGyver over here!"
You know the difference betwine the train and the speedline.
The term "I think of you as a brother" turns into a whole family tree.
You ever drove all the way to the shore just to walk around for 5 minutes then drive back.
Your memories of places all consist of what you did there once when you were messed up.
You ever went over someone's house to hang out with their mom.
You have a knife collection, a PS2, a cell phone, a pager, and a computer but you can't afford to get your car fixed.
One of your hangouts is a parking lot.
You say "'lanic city", instead of Atlantic City.
You can't get that sand out of your toes no matter how long it's been there.
You haven't been able to find a decent stromboli since moving out of South Jersey.
You've seen a shack with a satellite dish.
You know that a Jug Handle is both a feature of the highway and a bar that looks like someone's house in Maple Shade.
You know of at least 3 bars where you know they won't card you.
You lived near a "crick" not a creek.
You don't recognize any one at your family reunion.
You say "gimme" instead of give me, or "com' mer" instead of come here.
You know a Chrissy and we all know she's gotten around!
You think we should sell north "Joisey" to New York for $24.
Everyone eventually starred at the Latin Casino.
You never could figure out which was the Black Horse Pike or The White Horse Pike.
You're a female and have beaten the crap out of at least one guy who wasn't your brother.
You ever taken your parents car while they were asleep or away, before you were old enough to drive.
You ever cut your foot on a broken bottle in a local stream.
You have gotten bad poison ivy from hiding in a bush to make weird noises at the people passing by.
There is a dead body somewhere in or near the stream by your house.
You have to drive at least 30-60 minutes to get to work in order to make more than $10 an hour.
You know what "pulling a camper" means and do it publicly when it is necessary.
You know that a "Yield" sign is merely a suggestion.
You've considered going to your high school late at night to check for ghosts in the halls rumoured haunted.
You think pit bulls are harmless.
You don't think you have an accent.
Half your high school went to Camden County College.
You know what the song "V-town" is about.
Your front yard is made out of stones.
Everything is "twenty minutes away". If you ask how long it takes to get any place in South Jersey, the person always says, "about twenty minutes". To get to a mall, "Oh, about 20 minutes". To get to the airport, "Mmm, about 20 minutes." To get from Williamstown to Philly, "Only about 20 minutes". Try it. Only the shore areas take more than "twenty minutes". They're usually "an hour and twenty minutes."
Thrift shopping with friends is an event.
You've intentionally stood in front of the tram car, and you're upset that it no longer stutters.
You remember the old Morey's Pier before the fire.
Your parents gave in and bought you a hermit crab when you were down the shore.
You curse off three drivers in two minutes.
You went to StoryBook Land as a kid.
You haven't moved out of state soley for the reason you know the food is that bad everywhere else.
WHIPOORWILL!! WHIPOORWILL!!
You know the one-day sale at JC Penny's really lasts three.
You live in a "dry town" and every road out of it has a liquor store at the town border.
Every time someone in Hollywood makes fun of Jersey, you're mad and proud at the same time.
Your big elementary school trip was to Springdale Farms.
You know what the conductor is going to say for every stop on the PATCO HighSpeedline.
Your neighborhood has a name that ties people together, as in "the kids"
Your shoes have turned black from being in Pennsauken.
You know at least 5 people who work at a prison.
You say "porta reeko" instead of puerto rico, as it should be pronounced.
You go to college and describe where you live in reference to how far you are from Cherry Hill.
You come home from college for christmas break and 75f your HS graduating class is at the same diner you are at 3am.
You aren't scared of the speed line.
You don't even care when you leave your door unlocked.
More than one of your friends has spent more than a week at your house.
You've lived in a row home.
Making left turns just doesn't feel right anymore.
You have a super secret place to sled that in better than anywhere else in town!
You remember The Garden State Race Track and the day it burnt to the ground and all the tons of ashes that fell for miles.
You can spend the day at the Berlin Auction shopping at the outside flea market.
"Jeet?" makes sense when you hear it.
The only thing you can play on guitar is "Stairway to Heaven"
You were amazed Moorsetown was on MTV Cribs.
A member of your family does not have all of their teeth.
You know Voorhees used to be known as Kirkwood.
You had a birthday party at Xhilarama.
You've been to 2 or more festivals named after some kind of fruit (strawberry, apple, blueberry, lima bean).
You're astounded when a friend that moves tells you theres not a Wawa nor CVS withen a 10 mile radius of them.
Going to New York is a huge trip but Philly is someplace to go when you're bored.
You think Amish people are amazing.
Your whole school knows when each water ice place opens, and the line goes on forever!
You would drop everything you were doing and run to the voting polls right now if you heard we were voting to make North and South Jersey separate states.
Summer is a process, not a season.
You've ever been to Wheaton Village.
You know which places were built on indian burial grounds.
You've slept behind a Wawa.
You remember Caldor.
You've had a dinner with your friends for less than $3.
You don't know that in every other state, people get their liscenses when they're 16.
Everyone you know has had Confirmation but never goes to church.
After seeing a movie at the Ritz, you hang out at Tunes and then play Scrabble at Coffeeworks.
You know all of the "back roads" to get everywhere and prefer them to the expressway.
You think a mountain is any landform taller than your house.
You know what a "shoe-bie" is and can pick one out at the beach.
You go to Delaware to buy smokes.
You can name all the flavors of salt water taffy.
You can smell and know when it's low tide.
You remember the bad gypsy moth years.
You eat at restaurants that have locations I, II, III, IV, and V.
You know that you don't put ketchup on boardwalk fries.
You get three 50's in a row when you play skeeball.
Donald Trump is mentioned at least daily in your local paper.
You actually get these jokes and pass them on to other friends from south Jersey.
You Know You're From South Jersey When...
You don't "go to the beach", you go "down the shore".
In your mind you hear "watch out for the tram car please" even in your sleep.
You've had arguments over cheesesteak quality.
When it snows more than an inch, you call it a blizzard.
You know someone named Siprasiut Xayapachan.
You've actually found the Echelon Mall.
Your uncle is in the mafia.
You or your friends have Lyme Disease.
You don't understand why there aren't more 24-hour diners elsewhere in the country.
You know what a Wawa is, and know the location of at least 15 of them.
You know what became of the 13th Leeds child, and claim to have seen him one time while peeing in the woods.
One time you were driving in the woods and got stuck in sand.
You have an EZ Pass, but you just hold it up.
Even though there's a new Wal-Mart in your town, you still go to the Berlin Farmers Market for cheap stuff.
Your neighborhood demonstrates co-existence of African-Americans and racist rednecks.
You know that you should get the hell out of Camden before dark.
Your car is covered with yellow-green dust in April ann May.
You buy Shop-Rite brand food at Shop-Rite.
Honesty, sincerity, and courtesy are things you once saw happen in Ohio.
You know how to successfully handle a traffic circle.
You think the Olive Garden is a bunch of crap and should not open restaurants in South Jersey.
You worked at a blueberry farm when you were 13.
You played soccer from Kindergarten through high school.
You've counted the number of dirty old men bars on the Black Horse Pike.
You always went to the Franklin Institute when you were a kid.
Your middle school hangout was the mall.
You have an unusable, piece-of-crap boat in your front yard.
You once skipped school and went to Wildwood.
You're Italian.
You know where to get the best bagel.
You've called someone an "butthead" to their face at the Philly airport.
You say "water" weird.
Even your school made good Italian subs, but you call them hoagies.
You've almost fallen asleep on the Expressway.
You've lived through hurricanes, nor'easters and fires, but have never seen a tornado, earthquake or volcano.
You can't believe MTV went to Seaside Heights.
You know that ACME is an actual store, not just a Warner Bros. creation.
You never had school on Rosh Hashanah or Yom Kippur.
You take day trips to New York City.
The mafia runs half the businesses in your town.
You have mandatory recycling. Enforced by law.
In the woods behind your house, you can find couches, washing machines, and shoes.
You don't have to go to Red Lobster to get fresh seafood.
You go to at least one parade at the boardwalk each year.
You've made a meal out of Tastycakes, Herr's BBQ potato chips, and Pennsylvania Dutch Birch Beer.
You know the Atlantic City High School marching band can lay down some phat beats.
You know New Years is all about the Mummers and the Polar Bear club.
You smoke Parliament Lights.
You go to the local Fire Department barbeque in June.
Down the road, in the middle of nowhere, is an Egyptian restaurant and a custard stand with a minature golf course.
You know what custard is in South Jersey.
You can go bowling at 1:30 A.M. (with automatic scoring!)
In high school, you worked at a Friendly's.
Route 206 doesn't freak you out at night.
One time, a sea gull pooped all over your head.
You once said, "It smells like Philadelphia in here."
You know that people from the 609 area code are "a little different".
Your mom still loves Bruce Springsteen.
You know it can be -10 degrees and 70 degrees in January in the same year.
There's a fruit and vegetable stand down the road.
You will always say "YO", and you'll say it often.
You scoff at tourists in Philadelphia.
Your town has an online commmunity.
At least one person brings Big Fizz to a party.
You go to another state and sit at a gas station wondering when the people will come out to pump your gas.
You have your own bucket for carmel corn refills.
You know that no matter how much they put into the Camden waterfront Camden is still Camden.
You have to mail your relocated friends tastykakes.
You think North Jersey is a different state and South Jersey deserves its own secession.
Your high school prom was at the Camden Aquarium or The Mansion in Voorhees.
You have season passes to Great Adventure.
You refuse to call Hoagies "subs."
You know where Olga's Diner is on rt 70.
You are tired of people not believing you're from jersey because you don't have a New York accent.
You drive by a farm every time you get in the car.
You know what "jimmies" are and refuse to call them anything else.
Eastern Regional High School has a rip list every year!
Your neighbor is either a painter, a plumber, a builder, or an electrician with a work truck in the driveway.
You have crossed all 5 bridges into Philly at one point in your life.
You take day trips to philly to walk on South Street.
You have had a near or close call experiences hitting a deer with your car.
You run around in the nearest patch of woods and play paint ball with your buddies.
You've considered renaming "the Garden State" to "the Hoagie State"
You have a story about the "Hell Hole" ride in Wildwood.
You remember the ducks in the middle of Cherry Hill Mall.
You call the Berlin Farmer's Market the Berlin Auction or the Auction.
You took your report card to Clementon Park for free tickets.
You've had some of the best parties in a field.
Other people dont know what funnel cake and water ice is because everyone else calls it fried dough and slush.
You went "diner hopping" till the sun came up.
You don't acknoledge that it is tomorrow until either you go to sleep or the sun comes up.
You know where to buy a katana for less than $50.
You go on dates to diners and arcades.
You have empty Wawa half gallon iced tea bottles all over your car and room.
You've ever driven around aimlessly for hours with your friends saying "So, whatta we doin?"
You've ever said the phrase "look at fricken MacGyver over here!"
You know the difference betwine the train and the speedline.
The term "I think of you as a brother" turns into a whole family tree.
You ever drove all the way to the shore just to walk around for 5 minutes then drive back.
Your memories of places all consist of what you did there once when you were messed up.
You ever went over someone's house to hang out with their mom.
You have a knife collection, a PS2, a cell phone, a pager, and a computer but you can't afford to get your car fixed.
One of your hangouts is a parking lot.
You say "'lanic city", instead of Atlantic City.
You can't get that sand out of your toes no matter how long it's been there.
You haven't been able to find a decent stromboli since moving out of South Jersey.
You've seen a shack with a satellite dish.
You know that a Jug Handle is both a feature of the highway and a bar that looks like someone's house in Maple Shade.
You know of at least 3 bars where you know they won't card you.
You lived near a "crick" not a creek.
You don't recognize any one at your family reunion.
You say "gimme" instead of give me, or "com' mer" instead of come here.
You know a Chrissy and we all know she's gotten around!
You think we should sell north "Joisey" to New York for $24.
Everyone eventually starred at the Latin Casino.
You never could figure out which was the Black Horse Pike or The White Horse Pike.
You're a female and have beaten the crap out of at least one guy who wasn't your brother.
You ever taken your parents car while they were asleep or away, before you were old enough to drive.
You ever cut your foot on a broken bottle in a local stream.
You have gotten bad poison ivy from hiding in a bush to make weird noises at the people passing by.
There is a dead body somewhere in or near the stream by your house.
You have to drive at least 30-60 minutes to get to work in order to make more than $10 an hour.
You know what "pulling a camper" means and do it publicly when it is necessary.
You know that a "Yield" sign is merely a suggestion.
You've considered going to your high school late at night to check for ghosts in the halls rumoured haunted.
You think pit bulls are harmless.
You don't think you have an accent.
Half your high school went to Camden County College.
You know what the song "V-town" is about.
Your front yard is made out of stones.
Everything is "twenty minutes away". If you ask how long it takes to get any place in South Jersey, the person always says, "about twenty minutes". To get to a mall, "Oh, about 20 minutes". To get to the airport, "Mmm, about 20 minutes." To get from Williamstown to Philly, "Only about 20 minutes". Try it. Only the shore areas take more than "twenty minutes". They're usually "an hour and twenty minutes."
Thrift shopping with friends is an event.
You've intentionally stood in front of the tram car, and you're upset that it no longer stutters.
You remember the old Morey's Pier before the fire.
Your parents gave in and bought you a hermit crab when you were down the shore.
You curse off three drivers in two minutes.
You went to StoryBook Land as a kid.
You haven't moved out of state soley for the reason you know the food is that bad everywhere else.
WHIPOORWILL!! WHIPOORWILL!!
You know the one-day sale at JC Penny's really lasts three.
You live in a "dry town" and every road out of it has a liquor store at the town border.
Every time someone in Hollywood makes fun of Jersey, you're mad and proud at the same time.
Your big elementary school trip was to Springdale Farms.
You know what the conductor is going to say for every stop on the PATCO HighSpeedline.
Your neighborhood has a name that ties people together, as in "the kids"
Your shoes have turned black from being in Pennsauken.
You know at least 5 people who work at a prison.
You say "porta reeko" instead of puerto rico, as it should be pronounced.
You go to college and describe where you live in reference to how far you are from Cherry Hill.
You come home from college for christmas break and 75f your HS graduating class is at the same diner you are at 3am.
You aren't scared of the speed line.
You don't even care when you leave your door unlocked.
More than one of your friends has spent more than a week at your house.
You've lived in a row home.
Making left turns just doesn't feel right anymore.
You have a super secret place to sled that in better than anywhere else in town!
You remember The Garden State Race Track and the day it burnt to the ground and all the tons of ashes that fell for miles.
You can spend the day at the Berlin Auction shopping at the outside flea market.
"Jeet?" makes sense when you hear it.
The only thing you can play on guitar is "Stairway to Heaven"
You were amazed Moorsetown was on MTV Cribs.
A member of your family does not have all of their teeth.
You know Voorhees used to be known as Kirkwood.
You had a birthday party at Xhilarama.
You've been to 2 or more festivals named after some kind of fruit (strawberry, apple, blueberry, lima bean).
You're astounded when a friend that moves tells you theres not a Wawa nor CVS withen a 10 mile radius of them.
Going to New York is a huge trip but Philly is someplace to go when you're bored.
You think Amish people are amazing.
Your whole school knows when each water ice place opens, and the line goes on forever!
You would drop everything you were doing and run to the voting polls right now if you heard we were voting to make North and South Jersey separate states.
Summer is a process, not a season.
You've ever been to Wheaton Village.
You know which places were built on indian burial grounds.
You've slept behind a Wawa.
You remember Caldor.
You've had a dinner with your friends for less than $3.
You don't know that in every other state, people get their liscenses when they're 16.
Everyone you know has had Confirmation but never goes to church.
After seeing a movie at the Ritz, you hang out at Tunes and then play Scrabble at Coffeeworks.
You know all of the "back roads" to get everywhere and prefer them to the expressway.
You think a mountain is any landform taller than your house.
You know what a "shoe-bie" is and can pick one out at the beach.
You go to Delaware to buy smokes.
You can name all the flavors of salt water taffy.
You can smell and know when it's low tide.
You remember the bad gypsy moth years.
You eat at restaurants that have locations I, II, III, IV, and V.
You know that you don't put ketchup on boardwalk fries.
You get three 50's in a row when you play skeeball.
Donald Trump is mentioned at least daily in your local paper.
You actually get these jokes and pass them on to other friends from south Jersey.
A Prayer
Heavenly Father, Help us remember that the jerk who cut us off in traffic last
night is a single mother who worked nine hours that day and is rushing home to
cook dinner, help with homework, do the laundry and a few precious moments with
her children.
Help us to remember that the pierced, tattooed, disinterested young man who can't make change correctly is a worried 19-year-old college student, balancing his apprehension over final exams with his fear of not getting his student loans for next semester.
Remind us, Lord, that the scary looking bum, begging for money in the same spot every day (who really ought to get a job!) is a slave to addictions that we can only imagine in our worst nightmares.
Help us to remember that the old couple walking annoyingly slow through the store aisles and blocking our shopping progress are savoring this moment, knowing that, based on the biopsy report she got back last week, this will be the last year that they go shopping together .
Heavenly Father, remind us each day that, of all the gifts you give us, the greatest gift is love. It is not enough to share that love with those we hold dear. Open our hearts not to just those that are close to us, but to all humanity. Let us be slow to judge and quick to forgive, show patience, empathy and love.
Help us to remember that the pierced, tattooed, disinterested young man who can't make change correctly is a worried 19-year-old college student, balancing his apprehension over final exams with his fear of not getting his student loans for next semester.
Remind us, Lord, that the scary looking bum, begging for money in the same spot every day (who really ought to get a job!) is a slave to addictions that we can only imagine in our worst nightmares.
Help us to remember that the old couple walking annoyingly slow through the store aisles and blocking our shopping progress are savoring this moment, knowing that, based on the biopsy report she got back last week, this will be the last year that they go shopping together .
Heavenly Father, remind us each day that, of all the gifts you give us, the greatest gift is love. It is not enough to share that love with those we hold dear. Open our hearts not to just those that are close to us, but to all humanity. Let us be slow to judge and quick to forgive, show patience, empathy and love.
"It's OK; You're a Yankee, We Understand."
"It's OK; You're a Yankee, We Understand."
Today I woke up bright and early, showered, got dressed
and went to church in Elizabethtown!!! It was not any old church; it was the
same church they filmed the funeral scene from the movie Elizabethtown in!!!
The service was beautiful, and the folks were so nice. When the service
finished, and we exited, my hopes we dashed. Why do you ask? RAIN!!! AGAIN!!!
When I saw the pastor, I introduced myself and told him how much I enjoyed his
sermon, and about my trip. I then mentioned something about being disappointed
about the rain. He then turned to me with a big smile on his face and said:
"It's OK you're a Yankee, we understand." I take pride in my
Yankee-isms and I knew that was all in jest from the pastor, but did my comment
even warrant his? I got called Yankee seven times throughout the day today. I
therefore had to postpone the photo op, and decided to come back to Louisville
and do the "indoor stuff."
First I went to the Speed Art Museum. My photography
teacher told me the other week that this particular museum was having an expo
of his favorite artist's, Karsh, stills. It was so beautiful. Karsh was the man
who took the famous picture of Winston Churchill. You know the one, it’s in
every history book and anytime someone mentions his name, you automatically
think of this pic. (I'll have to find it and post it on here.) Well people have
wondered how Karsh got Churchill to scowl like he did in the pic. Today I found
out the back story. Karsh (a non-smoker) had only a few minutes with Churchill
before Churchill had to make a speech. Karsh asked Churchill to extinguish his
cigar. Churchill said no, so Karsh took it and smothered it, then took the
famous picture of England's Prime Minister.
The rain turned to mist once I was out of the museum so I
decided to go on a yitze-ya and find the House of Statues. OMG! It was
amazing!!! I assumed it would be garden of Victorian statues...I WAS SO
WRONG!!! It was this man's entire front and back yard littered with 100's of
statues and trinkets. He should be on the show Hoarders. Although not what I
expected, I loved every minute of it. I made a little Where's Waldo game for
myself to play. Most people would call it junk, some would call it art. I call
it AMAZING!!! I love love love little oddities like that.
Side note: On my way back to my hotel, my GPS died right
after I made a wrong turn. I pulled over on 71 and wasted fifteen minutes
downloading the GPS on my phone. As soon as I typed in the address, and was
getting ready to pull back into traffic, a police officer pulls up behind me. Embarrassed
I told him my GPS died and I was lost. He asked where I was going; I said the Ramada
Inn on Zorn Avenue, he chuckle and told me to look up. Puzzled I leaned up to
my windshield and looked straight up at the sign for the Zorn Avenue Exit...I
am an idiot. I panicked so much I did even care to pay attention to the
obvious. The nice officer laughed and called me a Yankee for the final time
today.
For dinner I ate at this amazing Southern/Tex/Mex restaurant,
Tumbleweeds. I had nachos and a margarita with a delish mesquite chicken!!! Now
I am back in my room writing this final blog of the day.
Big day tomorrow!!! Lots of sites to see!!!
Louisville Bound
I have come to realize, in my travels yesterday, that Pennsylvania is the longest state ever!!! I swear it took me more time to cross that state then it would have taken to drive across Texas. Ohio was so beautiful, even in the rain. For lunch I pulled into a rest area and converted my back seat into a picnic area!!! The people in Ohio were so nice, but the entire state and all its residents suck at driving!!! Finally around 9:30pm, I arrived in Kentucky. I crawled into my hotel around 11pm. I ordered food and fell asleep.
June Update
Sorry I haven’t posted in a while. I have been so busy
traveling, working, prepping for a road trip and move, and signing up for
classes. Here is a little update:
1.
I am moving to LA next June.
2.
I finally found my calling in life. I am going
back to school to become an addicts/suicide counselor.
3.
I will be road tripping across country. Taking
the Southern route to LA then the Northern route back home.
4.
I’ve been traveling a lot for my job and
although I am getting to explore new cities and learning so much…I’ve still yet
to tan.
5.
I will be updating my blog on a regular basis
starting later this week.
6.
I am really excited to be able to share with you
the shenanigans that will be happening on my soon to be road trip.
7.
HAVE AN AMAZING SUMMER ALL!!!
-Steve
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
The Bucket List
Well you all have heard me talk about my Bucket List numerous times, now you can see for yourselves what it is I would like to accomplish before I die...laughing! Keep in mind I march to the beat of my own drum. The * represents things I have completed...and most likely a blog will come out of those experiences. My list is long so I decided to write it out early and start checking things off as soon as possible. Doing this in turn has made my life so fulfilling. You should try it.
The Bucket List
01. Skydive
02. Ride in a hot air balloon
03. Go to a Buddhist temple*
04. Go on a safari*
05. Audition for a Broadway play
06. Swim with dolphins
07. Eat ice cream at Serendipity*
08. Write a book about my life*
09. Take a pilgrimage to Jerusalem
10. Meet Betty White
11. Meet Lisa Kudrow
12. Pick fresh jasmine in Cambodia
13. Take a trip through a bayou
14. See a burlesque troupe*
15. Hang glide
16. Go to Salem, Mass for Halloween
17. Get a Louisville Slugger from Louisville*
18. Visit Elizabethtown*
19. Visit Nashville*
20. See Old Faithful
21. See the Grand Canyon*
22. See the Great Wall of China
23. Go to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
24. Take a road trip*
25. Eat mashed potatoes in Idaho
26. Milk a cow
27. See the Amazon River
28. Tour a South American rainforest
29. Visit Alaska
30. Go whale watching
31. Visit Hawaii
32. Save a life*
33. Snorkel at the Great Barrier Reef*
34. Pet a kangaroo*
35. Hold a koala*
36. Walk across Boulder Field*
37. Visit the Sydney Opera House*
38. See the Rockettes live*
39. Spend a night in a castle*
40. Climb the Montmarte Steps (378)*
41. Go white water rafting*
42. Go spelunking*
43. Tour Australia*
44. Sing “Smelly Cat” at karaoke*
45. Pan for gold*
46. Kiss a seal*
47. Visit Alcatraz*
48. Throw a penny off the top of The Empire State Building*
49. Win a dance off (4/20/07 Shady Katie’s)*
50. Perform stand-up comedy*
51. Backpack through Europe*
52. Kiss a stranger*
53. Tour the Vatican*
54. See the Sistine Chapel*
55. Make a wish at the Fountain of Trevi*
56. Go on a gondola ride in Venice, Italy*
57. Visit the original Geppetto’s Workshop*
58. Climb to the top of Saint Peter’s Basilica (330)*
59. Climb to the top of Saint Paul’s Cathedral (550)*
60. See the Mona Lisa*
61. Survive a night in the Bronx*
62. Go to New York City for New Year’s Eve*
63. See the Eiffel Tower*
64. See the Roman Coliseum*
65. See a California Condor*
66. Visit Mount Rushmore*
67. Visit Niagara Falls*
68. Visit Mexico*
69. See the Bad Lands*
70. Climb/See the Pyramids of Egypt*
71. Cruise up the Nile River*
72. Camel Ride through the Sahara Desert*
73. Ride a Mechanical Bull (11 seconds)*
74. Go to Coney Island
75. See a Freak Show*
76. Go to the top of the Space Needle in Seattle*
77. Visit Forks and La Push, WA*
78. Drink with an American Indian*
79. Eat a star fruit*
80. Pet a hippo
81. Shake hands with and elephant's trunk
82. Fill my life with people from all different walks of life*
83. Read all the books in the "classic" section*
84. Go to a Chinese New Year parade (2011)*
85. Tour an Australian Rain Forrest*
86. Wish Upon a Falling Star*
87. Meet As Many Celebs As I Can*
88. Go on an Archeological Dig*
The Bucket List
01. Skydive
02. Ride in a hot air balloon
03. Go to a Buddhist temple*
04. Go on a safari*
05. Audition for a Broadway play
06. Swim with dolphins
07. Eat ice cream at Serendipity*
08. Write a book about my life*
09. Take a pilgrimage to Jerusalem
10. Meet Betty White
11. Meet Lisa Kudrow
12. Pick fresh jasmine in Cambodia
13. Take a trip through a bayou
14. See a burlesque troupe*
15. Hang glide
16. Go to Salem, Mass for Halloween
17. Get a Louisville Slugger from Louisville*
18. Visit Elizabethtown*
19. Visit Nashville*
20. See Old Faithful
21. See the Grand Canyon*
22. See the Great Wall of China
23. Go to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
24. Take a road trip*
25. Eat mashed potatoes in Idaho
26. Milk a cow
27. See the Amazon River
28. Tour a South American rainforest
29. Visit Alaska
30. Go whale watching
31. Visit Hawaii
32. Save a life*
33. Snorkel at the Great Barrier Reef*
34. Pet a kangaroo*
35. Hold a koala*
36. Walk across Boulder Field*
37. Visit the Sydney Opera House*
38. See the Rockettes live*
39. Spend a night in a castle*
40. Climb the Montmarte Steps (378)*
41. Go white water rafting*
42. Go spelunking*
43. Tour Australia*
44. Sing “Smelly Cat” at karaoke*
45. Pan for gold*
46. Kiss a seal*
47. Visit Alcatraz*
48. Throw a penny off the top of The Empire State Building*
49. Win a dance off (4/20/07 Shady Katie’s)*
50. Perform stand-up comedy*
51. Backpack through Europe*
52. Kiss a stranger*
53. Tour the Vatican*
54. See the Sistine Chapel*
55. Make a wish at the Fountain of Trevi*
56. Go on a gondola ride in Venice, Italy*
57. Visit the original Geppetto’s Workshop*
58. Climb to the top of Saint Peter’s Basilica (330)*
59. Climb to the top of Saint Paul’s Cathedral (550)*
60. See the Mona Lisa*
61. Survive a night in the Bronx*
62. Go to New York City for New Year’s Eve*
63. See the Eiffel Tower*
64. See the Roman Coliseum*
65. See a California Condor*
66. Visit Mount Rushmore*
67. Visit Niagara Falls*
68. Visit Mexico*
69. See the Bad Lands*
70. Climb/See the Pyramids of Egypt*
71. Cruise up the Nile River*
72. Camel Ride through the Sahara Desert*
73. Ride a Mechanical Bull (11 seconds)*
74. Go to Coney Island
75. See a Freak Show*
76. Go to the top of the Space Needle in Seattle*
77. Visit Forks and La Push, WA*
78. Drink with an American Indian*
79. Eat a star fruit*
80. Pet a hippo
81. Shake hands with and elephant's trunk
82. Fill my life with people from all different walks of life*
83. Read all the books in the "classic" section*
84. Go to a Chinese New Year parade (2011)*
85. Tour an Australian Rain Forrest*
86. Wish Upon a Falling Star*
87. Meet As Many Celebs As I Can*
88. Go on an Archeological Dig*
What To Do After Making A Drunken Fool Of Yourself
I HAD TO SHARE THIS.
-Steve
What To Do After Making A Drunken Fool Of Yourself
By 
Everyone goes a little overboard sometimes, right? One minute you’re at the bar proposing a toast to the 99% or jeggings or whatever and the next you’re trying to figure out why there’s broken glass and a half-eaten Hot Pocket on your bedroom floor. You can laugh it off because everyone has these moments. Everyone gets that wasted.
Here’s the sad, too real deal: not everyone gets that wasted. Never mind the people who don’t drink at all, some of your contemporaries got a buzz on and managed to make it home last night sans black out and police assistance. They remember what they did last night, and more importantly, they remember what you did last night – which is more than you can say for yourself. Waking up with the inkling that you totally screwed something up the night before is terrifying but surmountable if you have the right attitude. Here’s how to put a brave-enough face on the day after acting like a belligerent fool.
Cell phones are useful when trying to determine the extent of your stupor. Dispose of any incriminating/ emo/ pathetic tweets you may have deployed from the comfort of a bathroom stall the night previous. Check your camera for photographic evidence of your follies. And, while it may hurt, read the texts. You need to know.
If you remember the victims but not the crime, just issue a blanket apology. “I’m sorry… in general, for everything.” They either a) won’t remember seeing you b) won’t know what you’re apologizing for c) will pretend they don’t know what you’re apologizing for, or d) will gracefully accept the apology. I mean, they could also knock you out or ignore you, depending on your misdeeds, but life is about taking chances.
You can also ask a friend/ witness to point out who you owe an apology to, but don’t argue with that coherent person about what you did and didn’t do if you don’t like/ believe their answer. If you can’t trust your more-sober friends to give you an honest recap of your own personal night of the living dead, you can’t trust anyone and should maybe invest in some sort of babysitter spy cam to wear around your neck every time you decide to get housed.
Whatever you do, don’t issue any mass apologies via social media. Vaguely posturing yourself as a forgetful alcoholic to a bunch of people who likely had nothing to do with your misadventures isn’t an apology, it’s a hungover, ineffective humblebrag. “just lost 20 lbs from puking ughhhh sorry if you had the misfortune of seeing me last night.” Newsflash: no one is jealous that you spent your morning vomming splatter art into the toilet. No one.
Here’s the sad, too real deal: not everyone gets that wasted. Never mind the people who don’t drink at all, some of your contemporaries got a buzz on and managed to make it home last night sans black out and police assistance. They remember what they did last night, and more importantly, they remember what you did last night – which is more than you can say for yourself. Waking up with the inkling that you totally screwed something up the night before is terrifying but surmountable if you have the right attitude. Here’s how to put a brave-enough face on the day after acting like a belligerent fool.
Survey the Damage
Before facing other humans, you need to get your Encyclopedia Brown on. It may be difficult to avoid humans if there’s one in your bed, but look past their naked limbs and consider them your first clue. Friend? Foe? Stranger? Did you get Chasing Amy drunk, or Cruel Intentions drunk? These are questions that need answering. Feel free to keep those answers to yourself if you’ve broken a law or some sort of moral code.Cell phones are useful when trying to determine the extent of your stupor. Dispose of any incriminating/ emo/ pathetic tweets you may have deployed from the comfort of a bathroom stall the night previous. Check your camera for photographic evidence of your follies. And, while it may hurt, read the texts. You need to know.
Take a Ride on the Shame Spiral
Don’t waste the entire day moping around and hiding in shame, but do give yourself a finger wagging in the mirror. Even if what you’ve done was funny, harmless, or even typical, you don’t want to get to a point where asking someone how you got home is as casual as asking someone to pass the salt. Get your guilt on (briefly) and then move on with your life.Apologize
Step number eight, brah. Apologizing to everyone who felt the wrath of your drunken rampage may take awhile because you’re probably in the dark as to who is deserving of an apology. You can tackle this in several ways – you can divide your text messages from those black hours into categories (Positive/ Negative/ Outlandish/ Irredeemable) and ask for forgiveness accordingly. Or you can wait until you return to the scene of the crime and rely on flashbacks. Order your signature drink and it’ll all come flooding back — you were standing in that corner when you hit on the dude with the girlfriend, and you smacked a shot out of Jim’s hand over there, by the DJ booth, and you kicked Dana’s beer over in the backyard and refused to buy her new one… are you good now, Celine? Is it all coming back to you now?If you remember the victims but not the crime, just issue a blanket apology. “I’m sorry… in general, for everything.” They either a) won’t remember seeing you b) won’t know what you’re apologizing for c) will pretend they don’t know what you’re apologizing for, or d) will gracefully accept the apology. I mean, they could also knock you out or ignore you, depending on your misdeeds, but life is about taking chances.
You can also ask a friend/ witness to point out who you owe an apology to, but don’t argue with that coherent person about what you did and didn’t do if you don’t like/ believe their answer. If you can’t trust your more-sober friends to give you an honest recap of your own personal night of the living dead, you can’t trust anyone and should maybe invest in some sort of babysitter spy cam to wear around your neck every time you decide to get housed.
Whatever you do, don’t issue any mass apologies via social media. Vaguely posturing yourself as a forgetful alcoholic to a bunch of people who likely had nothing to do with your misadventures isn’t an apology, it’s a hungover, ineffective humblebrag. “just lost 20 lbs from puking ughhhh sorry if you had the misfortune of seeing me last night.” Newsflash: no one is jealous that you spent your morning vomming splatter art into the toilet. No one.
Learn a Lesson
You don’t have to punish yourself forever, but find the teachable moment in all of this. Should you delete the number of that girl you went on one date with a year ago, the one who ignored all of your subsequent text messages and for whom you feel an irrational amount of anger toward? Should you adhere to the “beer before liquor” rule? Do you need to give your bartender a “cut me off” safe word, like when you start talking about getting McDonald’s on the way home they should abstain from serving you? Don’t let an opportunity to become a better inebriated you slip away.
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