A lot of things have transpired since my last blog and I thought I would share a few of them with you. Where oh where do I start? Well, a couple of weeks ago, I celebrated a birthday. Usually, the only thing I want for my birthday is to have it acknowledged by my friends…… especially my female friends. The guys get a pass because most of them can’t remember their own mother’s birthday more or less a partner’s. This year, however, Face Book friends got in on the wishes. It was overwhelming and humbling. I’ve NEVER received so many birthday wishes at one time. Wishes came from all over the world!!! Some people I’ve never met; yet, they took time out of their day to wish me a “Happy Birthday.” I felt it was incumbent upon me to take time out and thank each one of them individually and personally…..and I DID…….and it took A LONG TIME!!! But it was worth it. Just goes to show, you don’t always need money to be rich.
A couple of weeks ago, I participated in the Career Fair at Huntington Middle School. Originally, Huntington Middle School was Huntington High School. The high school I attended and graduated from in……well, let’s just say the group “The Temptations” still had all original members. (Some of you are saying, “who are the Temptations?”) It was surreal to be in the same gym where I played as a member of the basketball team. The same gym where I attended health class. The same gym where Coach Meathead (a name of affection we gave to one of our coaches) told a student to get rid of the gum he was chewing. The student said he would get rid of it by placing it on Coach’s desk. Coach replied “If you do, I’ll use you to get the gum off.” The student called Coach’s bluff, took the gum out of his mouth and placed it dead smack in the middle of Coach’s desk. Coach jumped up, grabbed him by the neck (with two hands….one in front the other in the back), lifted him in the air and proceeded to wipe him across the desk. The whole class erupted in laughter, including the student that was used as a dust rag. Now days, a teacher will get a written reprimand for yelling at a student. But I digress, the Career Fair went very well. I spoke to individual groups about broadcasting and I had some music playing so quite naturally the kids migrated to my area. At one time I had to turn the music off because a group of 7th grade girls insisted on singing along with “Tre Songz.” Call me old fashion but I couldn’t handle hearing some 7th grade girls (12 year olds) singing about how it feels after a session of intense love making. I switched to Mary J. Blige’s “Just Fine.” They said that was old folks music and quickly disbanded. I don’t know what shocked me more……them singing about the after effects of intense lovemaking OR them calling Mary J. Blige “old folks music.”
Last but not least, my little cousin Andre visited the wife and me. He’s put on some weight. So I had him playing the Nintendo Wii Fitness game. He’s six years old and did a thirty minute workout on the Wii. That thirty minutes included a 10 minute jog in place where he ran 1.97 miles. I was impressed. So impressed, he inspired me. And since my clothes are shrinking, I told him that I too would complete a thirty minute workout including the jog……..but not now. I’ll do it tomorrow (in private……wasn’t gonna let him laugh at me). That next day, I did some warm up exercises and started the workout. I ran exactly two TENTHS of A MILE and fell on the floor wheezing and sucking air like I was a 3 pack a day smoker walking up five steps to get to the bathroom. You laugh but I finally completed that 10 minute jog in place AND ran a total of 2.25 miles. Course, I discovered that if you pump your arms, the Wii registers that you’re running. But don’t tell Andre. You see, wisdom triumphs youth every time.
