If you ever wondered if God had a sense of humor then make plans for the future. Until recently I had no ideal what that meant. It's never a bad thing to plan ahead but we should all be prepared to make adjustments when unexpected events arise. In my case instead of just talking about it I should have been more about it. I should done more research, worked harder and been smarter. From now on I promise myself that I will and I hope the rest of you hold me to it. My immediate goal is to buy myself a better car that would allow me to get back and forth to school as I want to attend college next year. Although I'm content with my job, for the moment. A job that pays better would be fantastic! My situation has drastically improved from this exact time last year and I owe it God for bringing me through. There were times when I wasn't sure I would make it another month but I keep pushing myself forward because I knew I couldn't give up. There is no profit in giving up, quiting. I can't help but feel like I'm almost out of time so I continue to push myself. I know that opportunitities won't always present themselves so I have to be ready to take advantage when the time arrives. I now look at each day as another opportunity to bring myself closer to accomplishing great things.
Good bless
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Saturday, December 11, 2010
NFL Lockout. Do they really want to do it?
The end of another great NFL season is nearly upon us. We had better enjoy it because there might not be any football next season as the NFL Collective Bargaining Agreement expires in 2011. For those of you who don't know what the collective bargaining agreement is- it's a process of voluntary negotiations between NFL team owners and NFL players association. The Bargaining Agreement sets wage scale, work conditions, work hours, training, health and safety etc. In other words the current agreement between both sides allows all players to be paid at their current salary, how long they are required to practice everyday, when they are required to attend off season workouts. As of right now both sides are so far from reaching an agreement that player reps have advised players to save their last four game checks in preparation for next season's lockout.
Both sides can make a case for why they are right but in the end it is the fans who pay the ultimate price. Owners pay players outrageous sums of money and to cover the cost they merely jack up ticket and concession prices. Are you kidding me? These are grown men being paid outrageously to play a game. When you really think about it the whole concept is ridiculous. It's not like these guys are curing Aids or cancer. The players want more money, the owners want to play them less money and that is what this all boils down to. Seriously, why in the world are there so many preseason games? Because owners realized it as another way of generating income. Still fans pay close to regular season ticket prices for meaningless games and to see players who most likely won't be on the roster come opening day I would never do it. Now the owners want to add two more games to the regular season schedule, to generate even more income. Even in this economy they are trying to suck the fans dry and it's a cry in shame. Of course the players see this and they want more money as well which further strengthens my opinion that it all boils down to money.
Then there is this NFL Direct Ticket. For yet even more money you can watch all the NFL games on Sunday. If you can't afford to or just don't want to pay you can watch the matchup scheduled for your local channel. In my case I live in the south eastern region of the United States and I'm forced to watch the hapless Carolina Panthers week in and week out. I shouldn't be forced to watch then play and I'm certainly not paying for NFL ticket, it's just not worth it for me.
Both sides have valid points but the fans are the ones who suffer. If there is indeed a lockout and I certainly believe a lockout is eminent a season won't be all both sides lose. I think the fans will have had enough and many of us won't come back to the game of football. If they think that attendance in many stadiums are down now then wait until they try and come back after a lockout. We the fans deserve more then what the owners and players are giving us. If they really care about the fans both sides will put their own self interest aside and do what's best for the fans. Otherwise there may not be many fans to come back to. What needs to happen is for a new and rigid pay scale be set into place. Salary caps remain relatively the same but the extra money the franchise earns through attendance and sales is evenly distributed to each of that team's players. It ensures that every player gives maximum effort and it allows for more competitive games. No one player should be given so much money. If they don't like it then they can go do something else. I'd like to see these guys make as much money as they make doing something other than football. Good luck. Teams should avoid paying one single player so much money that they can't afford to keep any surrounding talent. This also allows for the franchise to ease the ticket prices for the fans. Times are tough and the last thing we need is for our favorite teams to screw us over.
Both sides can make a case for why they are right but in the end it is the fans who pay the ultimate price. Owners pay players outrageous sums of money and to cover the cost they merely jack up ticket and concession prices. Are you kidding me? These are grown men being paid outrageously to play a game. When you really think about it the whole concept is ridiculous. It's not like these guys are curing Aids or cancer. The players want more money, the owners want to play them less money and that is what this all boils down to. Seriously, why in the world are there so many preseason games? Because owners realized it as another way of generating income. Still fans pay close to regular season ticket prices for meaningless games and to see players who most likely won't be on the roster come opening day I would never do it. Now the owners want to add two more games to the regular season schedule, to generate even more income. Even in this economy they are trying to suck the fans dry and it's a cry in shame. Of course the players see this and they want more money as well which further strengthens my opinion that it all boils down to money.
Then there is this NFL Direct Ticket. For yet even more money you can watch all the NFL games on Sunday. If you can't afford to or just don't want to pay you can watch the matchup scheduled for your local channel. In my case I live in the south eastern region of the United States and I'm forced to watch the hapless Carolina Panthers week in and week out. I shouldn't be forced to watch then play and I'm certainly not paying for NFL ticket, it's just not worth it for me.
Both sides have valid points but the fans are the ones who suffer. If there is indeed a lockout and I certainly believe a lockout is eminent a season won't be all both sides lose. I think the fans will have had enough and many of us won't come back to the game of football. If they think that attendance in many stadiums are down now then wait until they try and come back after a lockout. We the fans deserve more then what the owners and players are giving us. If they really care about the fans both sides will put their own self interest aside and do what's best for the fans. Otherwise there may not be many fans to come back to. What needs to happen is for a new and rigid pay scale be set into place. Salary caps remain relatively the same but the extra money the franchise earns through attendance and sales is evenly distributed to each of that team's players. It ensures that every player gives maximum effort and it allows for more competitive games. No one player should be given so much money. If they don't like it then they can go do something else. I'd like to see these guys make as much money as they make doing something other than football. Good luck. Teams should avoid paying one single player so much money that they can't afford to keep any surrounding talent. This also allows for the franchise to ease the ticket prices for the fans. Times are tough and the last thing we need is for our favorite teams to screw us over.
Thursday, December 9, 2010
This Christmas
Let me start out by saying that I truly love the holiday season and the true spirit for which it was intended. With that being said please allow me to say what is on my mind and heart. I think- and this is just my personal opinion- the true meaning of Christmas is lost to many of us. Commercialism has almost completely taken over the holiday season. We can't turn on the television without being bombarded by commercials that tell us that we must have this or we can't leave without that. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a cheap scape who doesn't want to spend money for I will shell out money on a few gifts if and when I do have the money to spare. However I spend on those I care about all year round and as far as giving gifts, Christmas is just another day for me in that regard. What I really get from Christmas is that it represents the birth of Christ, peace on earth and good will toward man. Yet all of this gets lost under the enormous weight of commercialism. I'm not trying to judge anyone, everyone has a right to do what they want. What I hate is when people have the nerve to complain in January when they have no money left. Yeah, you just spent a fortune on Christmas gifts.
Shop, shop, shop. Spend, spend, spend. Oh by the way happy birthday Jesus. I'm sure that Jesus is up in heaven merely shaking his head at what he witnesses every year around this time. Nobody wants to admit that God has taken a back seat to commercialism. Yet when many of us have financial issues we are so quick to get down on one knee and pray. We pray for more money to pay those bills we neglected. Why don't we pray for guidance and wisdom before we spend all of our money. Volunteer at the soup kitchen, by a gift for a orphan. Have a safe holiday season. Be smart.
Shop, shop, shop. Spend, spend, spend. Oh by the way happy birthday Jesus. I'm sure that Jesus is up in heaven merely shaking his head at what he witnesses every year around this time. Nobody wants to admit that God has taken a back seat to commercialism. Yet when many of us have financial issues we are so quick to get down on one knee and pray. We pray for more money to pay those bills we neglected. Why don't we pray for guidance and wisdom before we spend all of our money. Volunteer at the soup kitchen, by a gift for a orphan. Have a safe holiday season. Be smart.
Sunday, December 5, 2010
My vacation
As some of you know I work for Lowes as a evening stocker. I have been with the company for well over a year but that's not what this blog is about. I took a week's vacation on November 9th. My best friend Angela Storm flew in from Southern California to visit me and to meet my family. We hadn't seen each other in over 4 years and the trip was long overdue.
It was great for her to finally meet my family. Although they say they never doubted me I know they sort of doubted Angela's existence. Well as the photos document she is a actual living and breathing person. She makes me a better person just from me being around her and basking in her positive energy. Just like I knew, my mom and Angela got alone lovely as if she was already a member of the family.
Our plan was to spend a day in Charleston before heading to Savannah for the weekend which meant our first order of business was the grocery store where we stocked up on fruits and vegetables. I just followed her around with the buggy as she chose what we would eat. We get alone so well because we compliment each other so well. Because of my financial situation she had to finance the entire trip and she did so without the slightest hint of irritation. Besides she knew that I would pay her back, I always do. Besides I had loaned her money in the past, so it's all good.
So we spent the next two days purchasing items for our trip. I was even introduced to a store called Whole Foods, a place where all the food is healthy, organic and so forth. Healthy eating is a good deal more expensive then I thought but it's totally worth it
Even if you don't exercise there is no excuse for not eating right. When it was finally time to head to Savannah we loaded up the Cadillac loaned to us curiosity of my dear mom and was on our way. However before we made our way to Savannah a stop at my sister's house was in order. She and Angela got along just like I knew that they would as well. We got to ride in my sister's new and extremely large SUV. Not to mention it was nice as hell lol. She took us to downtown Charleston on the battery where it was beautiful and serene.
These were some of the pictures I took while in Charleston and we were there less then 24 hours. After visiting downtown we then left to pick up my nieces and nephew from their respective schools. Of course they were totally surprised to see me, especially Dyran. We go pick of Kayla from daycare and she is all low-key about seeing me but she didn't object to me picking her up and carrying her. With the exception of Kayla my sister's family quickly warmed up to Angela and vice versa. Kayla sat off in the distance and simply observed as if she needed some time to think about rather or not she liked this woman her uncle brought to their house. At one point she even asked Angela where she was sleeping and when Angela told her where Kayla proceeded to ask where was her uncle sleeping. Kids are so cute. Angela and I were up early the next morning and on our way to Savannah. I will always remember our time together in the car. We talked and talked, we joked and laughed. I can't believe we waited 4 years to see each other. What should have been a 2 hour journey turned into 4 hours because of a wreck and traffic had to be rerouted. At least we made it to our destination safely. So we checked into the hotel, got ourselves settled and rested a little before we headed to Downtown Riverside. This is the end of part one of our trip to Savannah. Stay tunes for part two!
It was great for her to finally meet my family. Although they say they never doubted me I know they sort of doubted Angela's existence. Well as the photos document she is a actual living and breathing person. She makes me a better person just from me being around her and basking in her positive energy. Just like I knew, my mom and Angela got alone lovely as if she was already a member of the family.
Our plan was to spend a day in Charleston before heading to Savannah for the weekend which meant our first order of business was the grocery store where we stocked up on fruits and vegetables. I just followed her around with the buggy as she chose what we would eat. We get alone so well because we compliment each other so well. Because of my financial situation she had to finance the entire trip and she did so without the slightest hint of irritation. Besides she knew that I would pay her back, I always do. Besides I had loaned her money in the past, so it's all good.
So we spent the next two days purchasing items for our trip. I was even introduced to a store called Whole Foods, a place where all the food is healthy, organic and so forth. Healthy eating is a good deal more expensive then I thought but it's totally worth it
Even if you don't exercise there is no excuse for not eating right. When it was finally time to head to Savannah we loaded up the Cadillac loaned to us curiosity of my dear mom and was on our way. However before we made our way to Savannah a stop at my sister's house was in order. She and Angela got along just like I knew that they would as well. We got to ride in my sister's new and extremely large SUV. Not to mention it was nice as hell lol. She took us to downtown Charleston on the battery where it was beautiful and serene.
These were some of the pictures I took while in Charleston and we were there less then 24 hours. After visiting downtown we then left to pick up my nieces and nephew from their respective schools. Of course they were totally surprised to see me, especially Dyran. We go pick of Kayla from daycare and she is all low-key about seeing me but she didn't object to me picking her up and carrying her. With the exception of Kayla my sister's family quickly warmed up to Angela and vice versa. Kayla sat off in the distance and simply observed as if she needed some time to think about rather or not she liked this woman her uncle brought to their house. At one point she even asked Angela where she was sleeping and when Angela told her where Kayla proceeded to ask where was her uncle sleeping. Kids are so cute. Angela and I were up early the next morning and on our way to Savannah. I will always remember our time together in the car. We talked and talked, we joked and laughed. I can't believe we waited 4 years to see each other. What should have been a 2 hour journey turned into 4 hours because of a wreck and traffic had to be rerouted. At least we made it to our destination safely. So we checked into the hotel, got ourselves settled and rested a little before we headed to Downtown Riverside. This is the end of part one of our trip to Savannah. Stay tunes for part two!
Monday, November 29, 2010
My dog Sheba
This is my pet and her name is Sheba. She was given to me two months ago by my mom who could no longer keep her. The two of us went through a small adjustment period and it was mostly me having to get used to someone following me around EVERYWHERE. She even follows me to the bathroom as if she's either protecting me or afraid that I'll leave her alone. Oh she hates to be left alone and will let me know it too. Lol. Thank God she was house broken. I'm in better shape as I have to walk her quit a bit in order to walk off all the energy she has. Sometimes when I get home she is literally bouncing off the walls. I'm going to film it one of these days just so you see what I'm talking about. I know that some of you are wondering what sort of dog is she well she is a pit bull terrier. The English breed bull dogs with English Terriers to form a perfect hunting dog. The strength and speed of bull dog and the tenacity of a terrier. I didn't realize that a terrier was more tenacious then a bull dog but you are more then welcome to look it up if you don't believe me.
Well that's all for now, I'm on my way to the gym.
God bless
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Hello
Dear Reader,
First and foremost I would like to thank you for taking the time to read this blog. This is my introductory blog and I'm debating on how much information I should reveal about myself. Not because I want to remain private but I don't want to bore my reader/readers to death. Well I'm 35 years old, single and no children. I've never been married and at this point I doubt it will ever happen but that's another story. Over the years my writing has become my refuge and from there it has bloomed into a obsession for expressing myself. I don't dare call myself a writer even though I have written two novel length stories that will never be published. I hope that by blogging I can not only improve my writing skills but create several lines of communication with progressive individuals who stimulate my mind.I want to communicate with people who care about what's going on in the world beyond their neighborhood.
This blog will most likely cover politics and world events and my point of view. I will do my absolute best to remain objective in my views but I am only human but I will expect my readers to call me out if I ever stray from the path. I hope that my blog will not only interest but excite and stimulate intellectually.
That is all for now.
Thank you
First and foremost I would like to thank you for taking the time to read this blog. This is my introductory blog and I'm debating on how much information I should reveal about myself. Not because I want to remain private but I don't want to bore my reader/readers to death. Well I'm 35 years old, single and no children. I've never been married and at this point I doubt it will ever happen but that's another story. Over the years my writing has become my refuge and from there it has bloomed into a obsession for expressing myself. I don't dare call myself a writer even though I have written two novel length stories that will never be published. I hope that by blogging I can not only improve my writing skills but create several lines of communication with progressive individuals who stimulate my mind.I want to communicate with people who care about what's going on in the world beyond their neighborhood.
This blog will most likely cover politics and world events and my point of view. I will do my absolute best to remain objective in my views but I am only human but I will expect my readers to call me out if I ever stray from the path. I hope that my blog will not only interest but excite and stimulate intellectually.
That is all for now.
Thank you
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