A moment to remember

I had to stop to reflect on something this week.

 In 1997, I was working at Blockbuster Music at the Brandon Town Center. This particular day, I noticed a customer come in on crutches. I've had to do the crutches thing before and I know it's no fun. So, I go to greet that customer and see if he needed any help. I remembered that he was looking for some CD's to add to his collection. It took me a minute to noticed that I was helping out a celebrity. Then I asked :
"Are you Dwayne Schintzius?"
"Yes I am", he responded back.
I was so excited. I followed Dwayne Schintzius even since his time at The University of Florida. Granted, some of those times made me cry as a Florida State fan. Regardless, when I thought of the top centers in the state(since I started watching basketball), his name was high on that list. 

I asked him a bunch of questions while I helped him pick out some music. It ranged from his playing time to his role in the movie "Eddie" with Whoopi Goldberg. The conversation was less like a star and his star struck fan. It was more like two people hanging out and just talking. I think I helped him for maybe 15-20 minutes. He left an impression on me on that day. You can be famous/talented and still be down to earth. It also reminded me that we all can connected to each other in some way. When I heard his name since that day, I always smiled and thought "He is a down to earth, cool guy". When I found out one of my friend was married to his brother, I said that is so awesome. So, when I found out through my friend that Dwayne had passed away(on April 15), I stopped and I cried. Even though I had one conversation with him, I knew what type of person he was. I hope that, in writing this, I can add this story among the others to remember him by.

RIP
 

Observations From Within by Chuka McCoy | Make Your Own Book

Hooray!

I did it! I got my poems that I've been writing for twenty years now in a book and published it. I am so happy to get my stuff out there for rest of the world to see. Here's the link for my book. http://www.blurb.com/my/book/detail/2675805#promote-pane

I'm closing one door and running through another

I am officially done and cutting the cord. I have said it's not a constant thing that keep happening. Today, I realize it is in my best interest to stay away from you, Wendy's. I have put in order after order at this restaurant chain. For the last month and a half, I had to drive back to a Wendy's because the order wasn't right. Some of you may have the classic Joe Pesci line from Lethal Weapon II in your head while I say this. It has happened in the lobby as well as the drive thru. Today was the last straw. I ordered a sandwich with bacon on it and surprise....no bacon. I wasn't upset but wanted to get it corrected since I wasn't that far away.   While I was waiting on the sandwich, I went to stretch out my arms.  I didn't really notice this big not so soft plastic sign out way beyond where it should be. By the time I noticed it, the sign already got a big chunk of flesh off of my left arm. I have a scar on that same arm from a decade ago before I knew about Neosporin. As I stared at both marks on my arms, I said to myself "You know, I don't need to eat here that bad anymore". It reminded me of the decision I made last night. Starting Monday, I'm going to increase my exercise that I do throughout the week. It will help me with some of the things that I have coming up. I'm on record,folks.

What I saw this week

I've noticed a few things this week that I had to comment on.

1. I witnessed a person crank up their vehicle, pull out of the parking spot and then load up their groceries. What type of sense does this make? None, in my opinion. You're wasting gas and blocking other people to find a parking spot. Thank you for the consideration of others.
2. I had a woman come into the store talking as loud as possible trying to find stuff. As she gets to the counter, her son is running around and talking loud as well. She tells him to use his inside voice. Wow, ironic statement.
3. As I walked out of Wal Mart, I heard a woman behind me say"Oh My God! It's like raining. I can't like walk home in the rain!". Really? Is it the 80's again? The main part of this one is that it was only sprinkling.
4. On a happier note: I found a Monopoly piece from McDonald's for a free Quarter Pounder. Yay!

That's all for now. More posts to come soon.

Things I don't understand

A brief view of two things I don't understand.

The first thing would be people that wear their pant so baggy, it's down to their knees or lower. I am remembering the days where your family member or somebody in the neighbor would tell you to pull your pants up. Most of the time back then, it was easily solved by wearing a belt or getting one for the adult to use. I know we got away with Kris Kross or Marky Mark for a moment but that is nothing compared to what some wear today. I am not keen on seeing every piece of your underwear fashion. They even have belts for the pants but it doesn't do any good. It is like the dance Dick Van Dyke does with the penguins in Mary Poppins. The difference is there is no animated characters around(at least to us anyway). The pop in the back of the head is a missing technique and is surely needed there.

The second pertains to this commercial I saw on television. It was for a website that states "you can do a background check on anyone, even yourself." What type of drunken, self loathing person would wanna do a background on themselves? "I don't know what type of person I am. I should do a background check on myself just in case I've ever been in Turkish prison or something." Just in case you blocked out the time you robbed a liquor store or did blow out of your mansion, you can background yourself. Why not get Professor X to peek inside your head for that. By the way, those were all movies you fell asleep to. I just saved you from going through that investigation of yourself.

3D: Is it necessary?

I remember, when I was growing up, that 3D was a novelty to the film that you were watching. It was more of a gimmick than anything. Granted, the movies that were offered in 3D wasn't the greatest motion pictures of all time either. Jaws 3D, Friday the 13th 3D (I think every 3rd movie of a franchise really) were the ones that stick out in my head. Soon, the novelty faded and 3D was available only for certain kids films like Spy Kids 3D(still that 3rd movie), Coraline and Adventures of Shark Boy and Lava Girl. Now since James Cameron brought Avatar to the screen to be the #1 grossing movie of all time(non inflation), the studios want the movies to be in 3D as well. I know this new era didn't start again with this movie but that's when it got popular. I was with it when it was just a novelty, here and there kinda thing. Now that almost every film is forcing 3D down your throat, I find it very annoying.  I've only seen three films in 3D at the theater: Shrek Forever After(technically a 3rd movie lol), Rio and Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. Only one of these films I would say was enjoyable in 3D and that was Rio. Shrek didn't really need it and Pirates showed me food and fire coming at me. Did I see the top ones in 3D? No but do I have to sit through everything shot in and/or up converted to find that out. I start to tune out a movie when it says "IN 3D" in the trailer. That gets repetitive hearing that again and again(like the point I make it this blog, i.e. the hidden 3D drinking game). We know why these movies exist in that format. It's so the studios can shake an extra $3-7 out of your pocket. I have no problem with 3D movies if you make it once in awhile and worth it. Make it unique again.