Another Thanksgiving is upon us. My favorite president, Abraham Lincoln made Thanksgiving a national Holiday (whats not to love about Honest Abe), but I never understood the holiday of Thanksgiving. A bunch of pilgrims came over to America, ate some corn, and wiped out the indians. Not much to celebrate, unless I was a descendant of pilgrims!
Nonetheless, Thanksgiving is a huge tradition in my family growing up. We dont sit around the table and tell everybody what we are thankful for. We go to the kitchen and fix a plate and take it down stairs to the den to watch t.v. (preferably football). Call it a lack of family bonding, but this is how my family rolls, and I LOVE IT!!! Back in the day, my granddad, my dad, and myself had a tradition of going to Waffle House on Thanksgiving Morning and going bowling before heading home to grandma's cooking with ALL of her sisters! That tradition has passed, and I hope to start it up again one year. I encourage everyone to reach out to family! Whether they be down the street or across the world, reach out and let them know how thankful you are for them, because who knows, we may not be around next Thanksgiving!
Im thankful for a lot of things. Big things and small things. God is good all the time. Amen!!!
Happy Thanksgiving Everybody!!!
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Thursday, November 10, 2011
"No Better Than a Homeless Man"
When I graduated college and got my first "real" job, I was put in a dilemma! I was used to checks from:
Mcdonalds
Kroger
Save-Rite
Ingles
Cutting grass with Jack
Target Container
1 week at Race Trac (Gas Station)
Being an electrician's apprentice for my dad & granddad
Grounds crew @ PCC
cleaning pools with Eric
when I got my first check from Kemron Environmental Services, something clicked in my head that I was rich. I wasn't Donald Trump rich but I was Hood Rich!! I immediately went to the mall and bought 3 pair of shoes and 5 hats (No Lie) I had bought so much stuff, I had to buy an extra suitcase to take back home to Georgia for my monthly return. I think for the first 5-6 checks, I bought all kind of stuff:
More hats & more shoes
Birthday gifts for anybody & everybody
a lot of wings @ hooters
every hip-hop c.d. ever made
tons of gas to drive to D.C. to see my homey Big Milt (wuddup homes)
stocks in Sirius Radio (a success when they merged with XM) and stocks in Tweeter (a fail when they closed their stores)
The moral of the story is that, saving was not my strong suit. I had a talk with my best friend Jack who told me that living check-to-check makes me no better than a homeless man who lives under a bridge. That resonates with me until this day. From that conversation, I saved up enough money for a down payment on my 1st home (a lot better than shoes & hats), and I'm slowly but surely getting that savings to where my homey Jack would be proud!
I'll have ways that I save all the time on the blog from time to time so stay tuned and here's to making it to the 1% of the wealthiest people in America!
Mcdonalds
Kroger
Save-Rite
Ingles
Cutting grass with Jack
Target Container
1 week at Race Trac (Gas Station)
Being an electrician's apprentice for my dad & granddad
Grounds crew @ PCC
cleaning pools with Eric
when I got my first check from Kemron Environmental Services, something clicked in my head that I was rich. I wasn't Donald Trump rich but I was Hood Rich!! I immediately went to the mall and bought 3 pair of shoes and 5 hats (No Lie) I had bought so much stuff, I had to buy an extra suitcase to take back home to Georgia for my monthly return. I think for the first 5-6 checks, I bought all kind of stuff:
More hats & more shoes
Birthday gifts for anybody & everybody
a lot of wings @ hooters
every hip-hop c.d. ever made
tons of gas to drive to D.C. to see my homey Big Milt (wuddup homes)
stocks in Sirius Radio (a success when they merged with XM) and stocks in Tweeter (a fail when they closed their stores)
The moral of the story is that, saving was not my strong suit. I had a talk with my best friend Jack who told me that living check-to-check makes me no better than a homeless man who lives under a bridge. That resonates with me until this day. From that conversation, I saved up enough money for a down payment on my 1st home (a lot better than shoes & hats), and I'm slowly but surely getting that savings to where my homey Jack would be proud!
I'll have ways that I save all the time on the blog from time to time so stay tuned and here's to making it to the 1% of the wealthiest people in America!
Friday, November 4, 2011
Week 9 Picks
I just realized that I missed a week. Must be the stupid dog that I just purchased that craps all over the place. Let me get back to my game-picking dominance!
New York Jets over Buffalo Bills: I never rode the Buffalo band-wagon, and I really dont like that Stevie Johnson fella that blames God every time he drops a pass! Jets defense is too strong them!
Dallas Cowboys over Seattle Seahawks: NEN
Houston Texans over Cleveland Browns: Hillis just reinjured his hamstring, so it will be an easy win for the Texans. Even with Hillis playing, I dont think the Browns could have beat these guys!
Atlanta Falcons over Indianapolis Colts: I really love the Colts, but them boys are horrible!
Miami Dolphins over Kansas City Chiefs: UPSET ALERT!! I said it! Miami is going to get that first W!
New Orleans Saints over Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Tampa Bay is a bunch of hype! They got lucky last time against the Saints, but Drew won't let that happen again.
San Francisco 49ers over Washington Redskins: 49ers are my favorite team right now. This should be an easy W!
Oakland Raiders over Denver Broncos: Now that Carson has TJ House or some other (whatever his last name is), I think he'll do fine.
Tennessee Titans over Cincinnati Bengals: Chris Johnson should finally come to form, and if not, Hasselback will take over against a sorry Bengals squad!
St. Louis Rams over Arizona Cardinals: Steven Johnson is getting back to his old self. I think he'll continue and watch for Brandon Lloyd to have a good game.
New England Patriots over New York Giants: Brady & Boys dont handle defeat well. Watch the Giants reap the destruction!
Green Bay Packers over San Diego Chargers: I dont see that Charger O-Line holding up long enough to let Rivers make any plays, and he's going to need to make em going against the defending champs!
Baltimore Ravens over Pittsburgh Steelers: These are always tough to call, because I love the Steelers, but Big Ben makes a lot of mistakes when the pressure gets to em!
Philadelphia Eagles over Chicago Bears: Another tough one to call, but Vick is the ultimate play maker, and the Bears O-line is one of the worst!
New York Jets over Buffalo Bills: I never rode the Buffalo band-wagon, and I really dont like that Stevie Johnson fella that blames God every time he drops a pass! Jets defense is too strong them!
Dallas Cowboys over Seattle Seahawks: NEN
Houston Texans over Cleveland Browns: Hillis just reinjured his hamstring, so it will be an easy win for the Texans. Even with Hillis playing, I dont think the Browns could have beat these guys!
Atlanta Falcons over Indianapolis Colts: I really love the Colts, but them boys are horrible!
Miami Dolphins over Kansas City Chiefs: UPSET ALERT!! I said it! Miami is going to get that first W!
New Orleans Saints over Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Tampa Bay is a bunch of hype! They got lucky last time against the Saints, but Drew won't let that happen again.
San Francisco 49ers over Washington Redskins: 49ers are my favorite team right now. This should be an easy W!
Oakland Raiders over Denver Broncos: Now that Carson has TJ House or some other (whatever his last name is), I think he'll do fine.
Tennessee Titans over Cincinnati Bengals: Chris Johnson should finally come to form, and if not, Hasselback will take over against a sorry Bengals squad!
St. Louis Rams over Arizona Cardinals: Steven Johnson is getting back to his old self. I think he'll continue and watch for Brandon Lloyd to have a good game.
New England Patriots over New York Giants: Brady & Boys dont handle defeat well. Watch the Giants reap the destruction!
Green Bay Packers over San Diego Chargers: I dont see that Charger O-Line holding up long enough to let Rivers make any plays, and he's going to need to make em going against the defending champs!
Baltimore Ravens over Pittsburgh Steelers: These are always tough to call, because I love the Steelers, but Big Ben makes a lot of mistakes when the pressure gets to em!
Philadelphia Eagles over Chicago Bears: Another tough one to call, but Vick is the ultimate play maker, and the Bears O-line is one of the worst!
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Buddy Lee Giles
If anybody has ever met my wife, you would know that she is a loving and caring person. One thing that she doesn't love and care for are animals. After watching an episode of Oprah's "Life Lessons" about dogs, she mentioned getting a puppy. That was all of the ammunition I needed, so friday I visited the Rockdale animal shelter on Rockbridge Road (check em out, and pick up a pup). I had 4 dogs that I was interested in. I really loved the lab/chow mixed, but T liked the golden retriever puppy because he was really shy and inactive, so we rolled with him. After going through a barrage of names including: glock, neckbone, brown, & jenna, I finally just stuck with Buddy.
I've only had him for 5 days, and he's already taught me so much about myself. I'm very impatient and hot-tempered, but I'm working on those things so when the babies arrive, I'll be ready for them! Thanks in advance, Buddy!
I've only had him for 5 days, and he's already taught me so much about myself. I'm very impatient and hot-tempered, but I'm working on those things so when the babies arrive, I'll be ready for them! Thanks in advance, Buddy!
Top 3 Halloween Moments
Happy Belated Halloween to you all! Happy Belated Birthday to my step-father Reginald Jones and my accounting partner Jaclyn Rose!
I purchased around $15 bucks worth of candy last night, expecting a gang of ghouls and goblins and all we got were 3 groups of kids. You would think I lived on the "Last House on The Left" or something. I may just drop candy in everybody's mailbox tonight, because I dont need the temptations! (Get thee behind me Hershey)
The lack of enthusiasm expressed from the kids in my neighborhood had me thinking about my favorite memories from Halloween!
3) One year my homeboy Velo dressed up like a woman in Sugar Hill to trick or treat! I still think it is hilarious. Velo died in 2006, and I still think of him as he was here, because of memories like these! I think I threw on a tie and dress pants and called myself a lawyer or something. That year, I remember people had those fake ghosts on their porch, and one porch had a ghost sitting in a chair, and when an actual person hopped up, I got ghost! (Get it?)
2) Another year, my homey Joe Harris (Where you at?) and I went to a haunted house. I'm not sure where it was, and I dont remember the specifics of the house. What I do remember is a dude chasing us out of the house with a chainsaw and I've never been to a haunted house again. Next time I go, I'll have a gun on me. Miss you Joe Heezy!!
1) My favorite memory is when me and Jack sat on his roof one Halloween and threw eggs at the kids that walked by. His next door neighbors were sitting on a trampoline telling ghost stories of some sort, and we threw black cat fireworks (the ones that sound like a machine gun firing) over the fence and the kids ran in the house and I've never laughed so hard in my life!
My heart sings: Back in the day when I was young; Im not a kid anymore; but some days I sit & wish I was a kid again! Amen Ahmad!!
I purchased around $15 bucks worth of candy last night, expecting a gang of ghouls and goblins and all we got were 3 groups of kids. You would think I lived on the "Last House on The Left" or something. I may just drop candy in everybody's mailbox tonight, because I dont need the temptations! (Get thee behind me Hershey)
The lack of enthusiasm expressed from the kids in my neighborhood had me thinking about my favorite memories from Halloween!
3) One year my homeboy Velo dressed up like a woman in Sugar Hill to trick or treat! I still think it is hilarious. Velo died in 2006, and I still think of him as he was here, because of memories like these! I think I threw on a tie and dress pants and called myself a lawyer or something. That year, I remember people had those fake ghosts on their porch, and one porch had a ghost sitting in a chair, and when an actual person hopped up, I got ghost! (Get it?)
2) Another year, my homey Joe Harris (Where you at?) and I went to a haunted house. I'm not sure where it was, and I dont remember the specifics of the house. What I do remember is a dude chasing us out of the house with a chainsaw and I've never been to a haunted house again. Next time I go, I'll have a gun on me. Miss you Joe Heezy!!
1) My favorite memory is when me and Jack sat on his roof one Halloween and threw eggs at the kids that walked by. His next door neighbors were sitting on a trampoline telling ghost stories of some sort, and we threw black cat fireworks (the ones that sound like a machine gun firing) over the fence and the kids ran in the house and I've never laughed so hard in my life!
My heart sings: Back in the day when I was young; Im not a kid anymore; but some days I sit & wish I was a kid again! Amen Ahmad!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)