Reflection

I was planning on writing poetry down the road again, but today I had an idea, and couldn't get it out of my head, so without further adu, my first poem in many, many years!! 

Reflection

Some put on their makeup.

Others do their hair.

Not me.

I stare.

Stare at the man in the mirror looking back at me.

Looking back at the boy I was.

The man I have become.

See the physical scars.

And reflect on the deeper, inner, scars that incur from growth.

The wrinkles in the face. 

The thinning and fading hair. 

I just stare.

Some put on their makeup.

Others do their hair.

Not me.

I stare. 

Stare at the man in the mirror looking back at me.

Mirrors don't lie.

That's why many do not like them.

They show you the truth of yourself, but only if you look.

Looking at that man reflected back I feel many urges.

High five.

Hug.

Punch.

Turn and walk away.

But instead I just stare.

Some put on their makeup.

Others do their hair.

Not me.

I stare.

Stare at the man in the mirror looking back at me.

I see many things in the mirror that others do not see.

I see the past always trying to haunt me.

Replaying hurtful memories.

Fueling anger, and not forgiveness.

I see the present happiness.

The present is always in battle with the past.

Present always wins.

Some put on their makeup.

Others do their hair.

Not me.

I stare.

Stare at the man in the mirror looking back at me.

While staring my mind wanders.

Wanders far away to the future.

The future where I become the man I'm destined to be.

The one I have decided on.

Happy.

Muscular. 

Lean. 

Successful.

Only love no more hate.

No more anger.

No more fear.

I stare and I feel this feeling in my heart.

Look myself in the eyes.

And make a promise.

This is your future.

This is your destiny.

This is who you will become.

Some put on their makeup.

Others do their hair.

Not me.

I stare.

Stare at the man in the mirror looking back at me.

And smile because I like who I have become.

And am looking forward to who I will be.

The End!

First off I wanted to get this blog out before the 21st of this month, for one reason to signify the end.  Some believe the world will end but other cultures believe it will be a rebirth and another cycle that we all will go through.  I believe the second one is more true.  But couldn't help posting a scary pic of the world ending!!!  And no this is not the last blog either!

Any chance I can get to write about superheros I always take it.  This will be no exception.  Over the past few weeks I've reread all my blogs to see what I have said in the past, and knowing that i wrote those words that I was reading tells me I know deep down they are all true.  Every blog I have written has led up to this one, and I didn't realize that until two or three months ago, when everything started to fall in place, and trigger the transformation of what is to become.  Ralph Waldo Emerson said "The only person you're destined to be is the person you decide to be!"  Well I have decided to become a completely different person and kill off a side of me that gets me nowhere.  The dreamer in me is being transformed into the doer side of me, because dreams are great, but they are nothing if you don't do anything about them.

    

Now the superhero aspect of this.  Each blog I have done so far is in a way my own team of Avenger's I have assembled to take on my own personal Loki, my negative and fearful side.  Each time I posted it was accepted with love and support helping make my words stronger, and making me believe in what I was writing more and more.  I'm not sure if I could add labels to my blogs according to the certain Avengers, but I know for a fact they all build on each other.  Armed with the words I have written from my heart I know deep down that with the support I have now with everyone I know I too can walk up to my negative self and slam him into the ground repeatedly!  Loki brags about having an army, well I have my own Hulk.  My Hulk is my determination to never give up, and never stop fighting.   My Loki's army is my own personal demons and fears that keep me from doing what I wanna do, well from now on I'm unleashing the Hulk on his army, and smashing it into oblivion.  Fear and my demons will not hold me back anymore, what does this mean, it means I pray each night I can move on from person I am right now, and become the person I'm destined to be. 

What does this all mean and what is The End I'm speaking of, it's simple I'm done talking about what I wanna do, and I'm going to do it.  I already have a chapter and a half written for my book, and what I have planned for it I believe a lot of people will like it.  I'm done talking about Project Awesome, because over the year it has embodied me, and swallowed me whole.  I live, eat, breathe, and sleep Project Awesome and I couldn't be happier.  Without it I don't know where I would be.  It has helped me silence my dark self, and has brought out the best person  I know who I can be.  I almost didn't get to write this blog because of events that happened this weekend, but it helped me realize something in my moment of crisis.  I do not want the words Chuck E Cheese manager forever immortalized next to my name, I want the words "husband, father, friend, brother, son, and writer" immortalized in my name.  My whole life I've been known as the guy who works at McDonald's then became the Chuck E Cheese guy, well it's time to be known as that writer guy.  My words are weapons and I'm cocked, aimed, and ready to go to battle against my own fear of not succeeding.   

So to sum up everything in a nice little package this is the end of a big side of me, the side of me that is always dreaming, but never doing anything about them.  This is an awakening of the man I have decided to be, and the man I am destined to become.  This new year I'm making one resolution, one promise, to become the best version of myself in every aspect of my life: friendship, fatherhood, husbandhood, writer, fitness, and etc...  This week starts this new promise to myself, one I know you all will help me keep.  So thank you and I love you!!  And last but not least, AVENGERS ASSEMBLE!!!

Through the years

I promised this blog last week, and I knew what I wanted to say, but I wasn't sure how I wanted to say it.  But the important thing is to get it out there, because it coincides with the big one that will be coming on Dec. 21st, about the end.  No not the end of the blog, or the end of the world, but the end of completely different, and a huge promise I will be making.  But enough of that, and lets get to this one.

It's no secret that next year I turn 30, and the thing that scares me is that is half way to 60!  I've been looking back a lot on my past, and have come to a sad realization.  When you're younger you get every little milestone applauded and praised by your family, friends, teachers, etc.  We all had that paper that mom proudly displayed on the fridge and bragged to her friends about the 100 percent spelling test that her son got...and yes I can still spell paleontologist (without a spellcheck!) But was we get older we stop getting gold stars from others, and stop giving them to ourselves.  The really sad part is that we rely on others to do it, and if they don't acknowledge how awesome we did we get upset at them.  We have come to rely on others kudos that we forget the most important person who should be patting yourself on the back first, yourself.  That may sound conceited or egotistical, but its the truth.  Someone can tell you how awesome you are day in and day out, but if you at first don't believe it it does nothing.  You almost feel like they are mocking you, and you actually suck.  So in  a nutshell before you get pissed off at the world for not giving you a gold star, first give yourself the first gold star, and the ones who matter most in your life will also send gold stars your way.  You might be asking yourself; " Hey Dane, what are some gold star worthy things?"  The answer is simple the mini victories you accomplish on your way to your bigger goal. because if you don't celebrate the little victories, how are you gonna prepare for the big ones.

Also looking back at my life I truly understand my life is the result of the actions I take, and the ones I don't take, and also each year of my life has had an ongoing theme.  For instance my freshmen year could be defined as the "Worst luck with girls year!"  It all started that summer when the girl I liked dated all my friends, but me.  My first trip to the friend zone.  Then fast forward to Homecoming where I'm nominated to become Homecoming Prince (as a joke mind you), and make it all the way to the finals, but without a date.  And the girl I end up asking who was the girl I first ever had a crush on basically strung me along by saying maybe she'll go, and finally telling me she had a boyfriend all along.  I still remember the pain I felt that night not only from my heart being stepped on, but also from the dishwasher, because I decided to put dishes away immediately after they were washed and halfway through the drying cycle, when they air is near boiling.  My hands were as red as my eyes from crying so much that night.  My Sophomore year can be summed up as the year I found the video camera and began my love for being behind the camera and writing again.  My Junior year could be summed up with one word, "McDonald's", because that was my first job and I spent a lot of time working.  And my Senior year I'll just call my "Stupid Boy" year, because I always dated or tried to date girls who my friends hated, and didn't realize my friends weren't blinded by stupidity like I was, and saw the truth before I ever could.

After high school was the year of "love and truth", because I started dating my future wife, and the following year would be the "wedding" which we spent almost all of our free time planning our wedding.  After that came the "betrayed by the clown" year when I was moved to a smaller store to learn more and move up in less than a year, but instead they just kept me there and didn't teach me jack and I got angry and left, and went to the Cheese!  I could go year by year, but I just wanted to show you a pattern, and I bet if you analyzed your life right now, you would see a common theme in each year of your life.  I'm going to skip a few years though, and get to the last four years, and to the start of who I am today.  It is true when they say you have to hit rock bottom to truly appreciate the top, and I was in a dark hole a few years back, and I am not telling you why, let's just say every aspect of life was turned upside down, and it took a lot of reading and self finding to build the ladder I used to get out.  But by going though that dark time I use that to help others through there's so my pain was not in vain.  The year after that I shall call the diet year because I lost 15-20 lbs on the Flat Belly Diet, and have kept most of it off still.  I am super proud of the willpower I had that year.

From those two years came the workout year, and the start of Project Awesome which I know some of you have embraced and integrated into your life.  I had no idea that Project Awesome would change my life so much, and how I look at my life and others.  It makes me truly appreciate the now, and plan for the future.  Which brings us to this year which I have dubbed the "life coach" year, because I have done a lot of that this year, and I love every minute of it.  It doesn't matter if I'm writing this blog, helping a friend get over an ex, help people realize how beautiful they truly are, help best friends get back together, and a plethora of other things.  I look back at this last year and realize a lot has gone down between people I love and care deeply for, but also myself.  One of my friends called me an "inspiration for men to become", and the impact of that comment has resonated with me since.  It is what drives me each day to begin each day with the thought that this day is the start of something amazing, but it's up to you to make it happen.  I've always been a dreamer, but my biggest fear is that I'm to busy dreaming and I'll miss that moment where it's time to start doing and stop dreaming.  The biggest difference between you and the person who has your dream job, is very simple, the person who has your job did more than just dream.

Which brings me to 2013!  Next year I'm going to busy with doing what I do, but adding another title to long resume.  Writer!  I want to look back at the year 2013 when I'm 60 and say that is the year my writing career began, and it is my goal to make that happen,  I will still blog, but I'll dedicate most of my writing time to my novel.  If you want a little taste here ya go:  What happens when a man turns 30, gains super powers, finds out his birth parents are the worlds greatest superhero and super-villian, and that super hero's are real? I don't know but I can't wait to write it, look for Super Mid Life Crisis coming soon!!! And if there is enough outcry I will post excerpts from it on my blog if enough people want me to.  But that's not all!!! When I was younger I used to write poetry all the time, and my goal is to get back into doing it.  Some I will post on FB, and others I will post here exclusively!  They will be from the heart and I  hope that they impact you when you read them.

So in short, remember to award all your victories not just the big ones, and look out for a lot of writing in the coming year by your's truly!!!

Live to laugh at and love life,
Dane

Failure

First of all I have written and rewritten this blog a thousand times in my head.  The pieces started coming together over the last month, but no matter when I sat down to type it, the words never came out.  It could be because I was afraid of the consequences.  You might be thinking this only a blog and the words from a man's mind, but to me it's a lot more.  This is my globally published pep talk I give myself, other's have told me it helps them, but in all honesty those words I type are straight from my heart and barely filtered by my brain.  They are about as raw and real you will see me communicate...for now.  I have made promises to myself in this blog, and most I have kept, some I have forgotten, and some I re read to remind myself I thought that once, so why the hell have I stopped thinking it.  But here goes the blog I have been penning my whole life without realizing it......

I fear many things in my life, and one of them is clowns.  I get a lot of crap for fearing such happy things, but who else is always smiling in all his pictures, the devil, and so do clowns, coincidence I think not.  But I didn't struggle writing a whole blog on my fear of clowns, instead it's on my second and third biggest fears: never becoming the man I was born to be, and fear of failure.  I believe every person on this planet was born and put here with a plan, and to further prove it there are people who excel in life, and those who crash and burn, and those two groups of people have fascinated me all my life.  Just think for a second of a famous person, doesn't matter why they are famous, just think about them.  Got them in your mind, good, news flash they started out just like you and me.  They figured out what God intended them to do, and did it, well!  Athlete, inventor, scientist, politician, actor, writer...it doesn't matter!!!! Those are all gifts we have been given, and some choose to embrace these gifts, while others just dream of doing it.  I have been called  a dreamer many times in my life, and truth be told I have started to hate that word being associated with me.  Dreamer's don't do anything, they sit and dream about what they could be, and never actually do it.  I'm currently living some of the dream I have dreamt for a life years ago.  I am married to a beautiful wife who is my rock and my love. am a father to three wonderful (well not always) children, and I help others which is something I have always done since I can remember and I love doing.  But no where in my dream it told me to settle on doing something where I wasn't challenged.

     
      The world needs dreamers to think up great ideas, but without the doers of the world those ideas just remain ideas and never come into fruition.  I want my name to be synonymous with the word "doer" as it is with the word "dreamer" as of right now.  To the people who know me know two things, I love a challenge and I will always help you if you need it.  But the thing is I love challenging other people and helping others with advice, but I rarely, damn near never follow my own advice, or challenge myself.  I sit and play it safe, but I have come to realize that people who play it safe, don't succeed in anything.  People fail all the time, and it's the ones who get back up, dust themselves off, and learn from their mistakes are the ones who live life!  Not the ones who wait for a store to be built, and just wait in the shadows until your handed  the keys to what you settled for.  I'm so sick of being that guy, and it angers me that my own fear of failure has made me that guy.  The fear of failure is my own inner kryptonite and it cripples me into fear of not doing anything, because I might fail.  We all hate to fail and feel like that our best wasn't good enough, but I think the most worst feeling is the feeling of doing nothing.  For example, one of the hardest things a person has to do is tell the person who they like that they love them.  As soon as those words are said the bombshell has been dropped, and no matter what tv and movies tell us, those words do change lives, and there's no taking them back.  If I was afraid to tell my wife those words over 10 years ago, I wouldn't be writing this right now.  But I am a better man for taking a risk and getting over that fear.

     Now comes the heavy part I made a promise to myself that whatever I write in this blog will be promise the whole world can see me making.  So here goes a very important promise that I will have all of you read this help me fulfill.  I know for a fact that God didn't create me to have me settle on being a manager, because I know deep down I'm intended for more than that.  How do I know this because writing has always been a part of my life, even when I strayed far from it it's the one thing that has always come back to my life.  As well as helping people, giving out advice, and being the ears when people want to unload.  So I promise to myself to get over my fear of failure and to stop making excuses, and write!  I also promise  to never stop mentoring and or helping others.  One of my closest friends told me that my niceness is the strangest thing about me, and I asked her why do you say that?  She told me its because you do so much for others and don't ask for anything in return, and she asked me why.  The truth is I don't know, I just do.  I've tried being mean and I just can't do it.  So long story short ballsy moves used to not be my forte, but I'm making them my endgame now.  I promise I will write more and mentor and help others more, why because I believe those are the gifts God has given me to become the man who I was destined to be, and to stop being a dreamer, and start being a doer!

Demons

I've been told my "Equality" post was one of my best, and I think I know why.  It's because I didn't pull any punches and I wrote from my heart and with emotion.  So I thought I would try it again to see if I get the same results.  As of right now I'm a blender full of emotions, and I thought I would attempt to channel all of them to write about inner demons and fear, and the role they play in my life, and possibly yours.  In short I'm writing from the heart from here on out. So without a further ado, I give you inner demons and fear!

I've been told in the past they would love to spend a day with my brain, but I think it would drive others mad, hell it damn near drives me insane.  We all have our inner demons and mine stay in my brain, and are extremely loud certain days, and then there are days where it seems they are exocrcised forever.  Inner demons are different for every person, for me they are the little voice in the back of my head that continually tells me I'm going to fail, you can't lift that, you'll never amount to anything, etc.  Inside my mind there is a constant never ending battle of good vs evil, and the days where I'm down is the days where evil wins.  The voices take over and just don't shut up.  They keep telling me I'm not good enough, you have to college degrees and your a manager at the Cheese, you'll never lose that weight you wanna lose, and it's on repeat for a whole day, and sometimes more.  No matter how many times I bury a hole, take my demons and throw the down to the abyss, and throw away any nearby ladders, they always find a way to crawl back to the surface.  The trick is you can't ignore them, because it takes energy to remember to ignore something, which in turn always makes it on your mind.  If everyday I went around telling myself I am good enough to counteract the demons and to make them shut up, they have already won, because they have instilled doubt into me already, and that's all they need to do to stay around.

The trick about inner demons is to acknowledge them, because they aren't going anywhere and move on.  This will enrage them because they know that you know they exist, but you're not doing a damn thing about them.  Lately my inner demons have been very loud lately, because they are trying to sabotage me, and some days they succeed.  But more days they don't do jack, because all I do is wave to them and give them the finger.  They tell me I'm not good enough, but then I just think to myself about my friends and family and how many people love me, and I know the demons are full of it.  They try telling me I'm failing at my career working at the Cheese, but then I say in a little over a year I'll hopefully be running my own store, and they tuck their tails and hide.  Then the weight demon pokes his head up, a demon I've fought all my life ever since I learned the meaning of Husky pants the hard way, and wearing a sticker to school.  The weight demons are the most hurtful, because they have taken on voices I have known in the past, of people I know and once called my friends telling me I was fat, and asking me where my top was when we went swimming.  The most powerful inner demon is the one you can relate to actual people, but that's also it's downfall.  I've accomplished a lot health wise in the last three years, and I am proud of my body, sure I don't have a rippling six pack, or giant biceps, but I like what I have done.  Every time the weight demon starts to speak up, I walk up to a mirror, and roll up my sleeves, and that shuts him up real quick.

Like I said everyone's inner demons are different, and how we deal with them is entirely different.  Some ignore them completely, some let them guide their life and blame what they do on them, some move towards other means to drown them out, and some just give in to them and let it ruin their life.  My inner demons drive me to be a better person, and that pisses them off.  I know everything they tell me on a daily basis are lies, and it eats them alive that I know that.  Every time they tell me something to bring me down, I use it as fuel to accomplish what they tell me I can't.  Which is a 100 times better than an exorcism.

Who Am I!

First of all I wanted to give you a little preview of what's to come over the next few months and why, as well as try something new this time around by giving you a little soundtrack to listen to while reading.  Every blog I have written has had music playing in my head or in the background, and it just reinforces my writing I think. So in this blog your about to read you'll be taking a deep look into how I view myself, but more importantly how others see me, which is drastically different then the way I see myself, until now. :) So thank you all to who contributed.  I am going to take all your answers and put them on a paper in my wallet for whenever I feel like I'm not doing a thing is this world I can tell myself bullshit and look at who I am to others.  Next blog coming is about inner demons and fear because I'm trying to keep with the Halloween theme.  And yes there will be a mention of clowns, and probably more than once.  Then the Halloween week there will be a short blog explaining Operation Thank You which I hope everyone partakes in, because it will open your eyes.  I'm going to try to throw a blog in about friends, because I know a lot of people don't realize the power of having friends, and how lonely it is without them.  And then I'll close out the year with a December 21st end of the world blog, but not in the way you think.  But let's get to this one shall we.....

If you want to get into my mindset press play and please continue reading :)

Every morning I wake up and go the mirror and ask the man standing there staring back at me one question, who am I?   Some mornings I have an answer, but more times he just stares back with no answer to give.  The simple answers are a man, father, husband, and a manager, but being who I am I'm always wanting more.  But with it being 6 o clock in the morning my brain just settles on the four answers and goes on with its day.  Through out the day my mind just nags me and nags me asking me continually why I settle for those four easy answers, and I don't have a reason so I'm constantly at battle inside my own head.  Yelling at myself internally why I keep settling for mediocrity, when I should strive for awesomeness!  So I started telling myself I am awesome on a daily basis, because everyone in the world can tell you how great you are, but if YOU don't believe it yourself there's no way for you to believe its true.  It doesn't stop there though, I then got the idea to ask others how they see me, and to say it was eye opening would be an understatement.

I got a lot of answers that involved my management at the Cheese, which I expected due to the fact that's where most of my friends come from!  I was called the Cheese on the Pizza, CEC counselor, most understanding manager, and etc...  The reason why I'm the kind of manager I am is because of one reason I promised myself to never forget what it's like to be a crew member.  Without people to run anything you have nothing!  You can have all the people in the world lined up, but if you don't have people there to help them, then you're beyond screwed.  So I promised myself never to forget that we are all on the same team in the long run, and everyone who is there is there to support each other.  I knew I was a good manager, but had no idea how good I was till others pointed it out.  That is a very humbling experience.  I can honestly tell you if I went back to the future to tell myself that you're going to work at the Cheese and love it I would of laughed at my future self.  But being there has made me a better person, friend, manager, and a man, due to one fact, all the wonderful people I have met through there! So thank you from the bottom of my heart!

The two days that changed my life the most so far are the days my children were born, and if you're a parent you will completely agree.  Soon as the first one came out and I looked down at Jaiden I knew being a father was one job I was destined to have.  I strive everyday to be a man my son can call Hero to his friends at school, but more than likely it's my Dad works at Chuck E Cheese, or my dad leads scouts!  Which is fine too because he uses the words "my Dad".  But hopefully one day when my boys have to write an essay on their heroes, I'll at least be on the considered list.  Because children follow example more often than advice!  The other day that changed my life forever is when the twins were born, because now I had two boys, and one girl!  A girl who would be destined to be Daddy's little girl and she knew it the first time she grabbed my finger and I melted.  Being a parent is the greatest career in the world, you don't get paid in money, but instead you get paid in hand drawn pictures and cards.  By the little hugs here and there, and the constant I love yous!  Which are worth more to me than any amount in the world. 

Another word that popped up multiple times in peoples answers were inspiration and role model, which are two titles I strive for everyday!!! We all need a little push from time to time, whether it be get to the gym, to start a project, smile a lil bit more, and the list could go on for days.  I know the feeling to help people overcome issues, and it is one of the greatest feelings in the world.  Helping someone without being asked is a trait I try to instill in my children everyday.  In short the way I live my life is the way I want my children to grow up!! I want them not to follow in my footsteps I want them to walk along side me, and when they get to that point to run off as fast as they can on the right path of life.  I see brief glimpses of that now in my children which means they are getting the hang of it early on.   Which as a father makes me extremely proud.  Inspiration is a never ending cycle as the picture can tell you.  To be able to inspire you must first come inspired.  Everyday I look for inspiration in everything I do from working at the Cheese, to being a Dad, to going to the Gym, to the store, being a friend, and being a human.  I've been told my numerous people that they can come to for advice and talk to me about nearly and issue they are having, not just because I advice, but because more importantly I listen.  My advice and inspiration all comes from my life, and realizing we all need inspiration and love in our lives.  I've had some very high ups, and some real deep downs, but the only way the downs get better is by using those experiences to move on, and possibly help others.  I came across a quote the other day, "God comforts the disturbed, and disturbs the comfortable".  Which I believe is true!  God gives us what he knows we can handle, plus a little more to test us.  I think that's the real reason I had twins!  He knew I could handle two kids, but since I love a challenge he tacked on another for shiggles!  If you need a shoulder to cry on, someone to talk to, have a good time with, or someone to just stare at the wall in silence I will always be there!  Because that's who I am!

In conclusion, I had no idea to the extent of who I am to some of the closest people to me!  And now knowing the truth I have to step it up a notch, because I love a challenge!  I'm going to be blogging more, working out more, working on becoming the best GM I can possibly be at the Cheese for the future, becoming a greater loving father and husband, and finish writing my book!!!  This was a very eye opening experience to me, and if you want to know how others see you all you gotta do is ask, and I'm pretty sure they will let you know what you mean to them and how special you really are.  If you do ask I'll tell you straight up who you are to me, because each person who reads this has a place in my heart.  In short I'm a lot of things, things I knew who I was, and some I didn't! And I'm never changing who I am!!!!

As always have peace and love in your heart in whatever you do, and you will enjoy life!

Roads

Life is defined by the roads we take, the roads we don't, the shortcuts we sometimes make, the dead end streets, and the One Way's we enter the wrong way.  Not every person takes the same roads, but we all have similar paths, and in the end we all have one thing in common: we're born, we live, then we die.  Two of the roads are similar to every person, and the way we live is where we define ourselves.  The similar paths we all share in some aspect are: education, relationships, friendships, love, career. individuality, and family.  How we take on this paths influences everything we do and all the steps we take in the future.  I'm only going to focus on six of those seven, because when I talk about my education I turn into the Hulk, and I can't smash my computer.

Relationships and love I'll throw into together.  First of all if you haven't read my month on love I highly recommend you do. because I had some pretty good stuff in there (or I might be a lil bias).  But simply put I believe every person in this world has a soul mate.  Everyone!  The key to finding them is looking everywhere for them, and especially in places you shrugged off before.  IE, the friendzone!  I spent my whole teenage life there with a ton of people praying everyday I would get that ticket out.  It never came!  Which I'm thankful for now, because only strong friendships can survive a breakup, and I think spending that time in the friend zone only made our friendships stronger.  But if you ask any successful relationship nine times out of ten they say they married their best friend!  So sooner or later friendship does evolve to more, if it is destined to!  

The road of friends and friendship should never be taken for granted!  I truly appreciate and love my friends who have stuck by me through the years, and I would not be the person who I am today if not for them.  Each friend you have has the potential to teach you a very important lesson in life that only they can teach you.  For some it takes time to get that lesson out, and others are filled to the brim of them they make a blog and blow up your phone with random text messages!  :D  But each lesson they have is worth knowing, whether it be something that should be done or not done, somebody to date or not date, parenting information, etc...the list is endless!  Just think of what your friends have you taught you do, or not do!!!  Without them teaching you that, guess what YOU wouldn't know!!!  I have a few close friends I have known since I was a wee lad, and I have a few close friends I have known for only a few years, but I swear to you I will not take either one for granted, due to the fact your old friends know how you have been in the past, and your current friends have an idea where your going.  And combining those two opinions you can figure out where you need to go!

8 Years ago to this day I was nervous as hell. why because it was the night before I started the Cheese.  If you asked me 8 years ago if I would still be a the Cheese I would of laughed at you (hence the Joker), but if you ask me today where I'll be in 8 years from now I will tell a better place because of the Cheese.  The truth is without the Cheese you wouldn't be reading this right now because the people I work with and have worked with inspire me to write it, so once again thank you from the bottom of my heart!  I'm not saying it's all been peaches and cream there but the good times definitely.  I could write a book about my times and the people I have met while working there, but words can't do it justice.  That place will always have a special part in my life, and I didn't realize it until someone else pointed out in others hearts as well.  I have the power to make Lil Timmy have the greatest 5th birthday EVER!! Whether it be helping him out playing a game, just talking to him about his favorite superheros, or wearing a giant mouse costume in all his birthday pics with Chuck!  I am kicking myself for taking that for granted over the last few years, but I promise to myself I will fully embrace that power now!!  For every person that walks through that door, because if the rumors are true, then.....  Well let's not jump to conclusions.  

First off the word individuality is a pain the butt to write, and is fricking hard to spell after typing for so long! Just thought I'd let you know that, because that's the kind of person I am!  We all are born, we all die, but only few live!  Our individuality is determined by how we take each road that we are offered.  And each road we decide to take or not to take is a huge part in creating you!  Each road I talked about before makes up you and who you will become, and the only person who knows that person is yourself!  So I can't tell you what roads to take, I only guide you with the life I have led so far.  I know marriage, kids, and working at the Cheese isn't for everyone, but it's for me and that's what is important.  I went down some dark roads in the past, but I found my way out.  I went down some bright roads and am still going down where I have no idea where they end.  And I've gone down a few one way streets the wrong way, but I just turned around and started over.  And I try very hard to avoid dead ends, because there is no point to them.  I've never been a shortcut person, and I think that's why I'm stuck where I'm at, but the truth is if I did take a shortcut in anything I did, I wouldn't be me, and I wouldn't be creating myself, I'd be creating my evil twin Sven.  :)  

  

Your mind!

I'm not going to start this off with an apology like all my others, instead I'm going to tell you why I've been silent.  I have started four different blogs in the last four months, and all of them are a quarter complete, because I couldn't finish them.  The reason why they remain unfinished is because I wasn't believing what I was thinking.  The mind is our greatest weapon when used correctly, or it can be your own personal WMD, and for me it was the later.  I have spent the whole summer attempting to think "happy" thoughts, and soon as you have to tell yourself to think "happy" thoughts, you are pretty much screwed.  The trick to anything in this world is just be, and don't think about it!  As soon as you start thinking about anything you are screwed! You start to over analyze every little detail and start to believe the worse will happen, because the thing most people think about is the worst case scenario, and if that's all we focus on guess what you start to believe it!  That is the start of the biggest downhill battle you will ever see!  So I've been focusing on the positive side of things lately, and not been thinking about the negative.  And truth be told it's a lot harder than it looks!

Everyday I wake up I tell myself the same mantra I have adopted whenever I work out, " I can do this, I will do this, I am doing this!"  Every time before I walk through my gym's doors I say that to myself. between every rep, between every set, and between every station I keep telling myself that.  The second you say you can't do something, and believe you can't you never will!   Never use the word "can't", instead use the word maybe!!  Because then there is the possibility you can, or if you're unable to you will keep trying until you do, and the word "maybe" becomes can!  There are two great motivators in life: When someone tells me I can't do something, it dares me to prove them wrong!  The second thing is changing maybe to can, and upping what you can do now to another maybe!  My goal in life is to be better than who I was the day before!! Some day's I succeed, and some I don't!  But I never tell myself I can't do it!  Instead I tell myself maybe I can!!  

Shoes and an announcement!

First off I wanna say sorry once again about the lack of posts, but there's a few reasons.  One I was on vacation, two I'm attempting to get abs through an extensive workout (it's kinda working :) ), and three this summer is now entitled the summer I wrote a book.  Which means most of my writing time will more than likely be spent writing my book, but I will try my hardest to update this blog at least once a month, so I can get to all your awesome requests, because I want to do them all.  But this month's request comes from Kourtney.  When I sent out my text a few months ago getting ideas for the blog, she said shoes!!! High heels to be exact!  And I'm one who never turns down a challenge, so here's my blog on shoes!

Now before you make me hand you a man card, not that I have many left, here me out here.  This blog will be about shoes and how it relates to life, and putting yourself in other peoples shoes.  Now I'm not saying go try some heels on, but I must admit I looked pretty fab in a pair of heels a few years ago for Halloween, ok here's my man card now :P!  I'm saying we as people are always quick to judge people, without first trying to put ourselves in other's shoes.  I'm not saying cater to everyone in the world and feel pity for everyone in it, instead I'm saying try to put yourself in their situation before you say anything or make a judgement.  You might say that might be impossible to fit yourself into other peoples shoes, but that is so far from the truth it's crazy.  

    Now just to get this out of the way, I'm not picking on anybody right now, I'm just naming scenarios where people are quick to judge, and if they took time to actually look at that person they might realize they have a similar issue.  Teenage pregnancy, we all have been teenagers and or still are.  So I will never understand how other teenagers and adults can ridicule teens who get pregnant.  Being a teenage is hard enough, and I can only imagine how it is while bringing a life into the world that was made out of love.  Most people just see the negative side of teenage pregnancy, and never realize that the mother is carrying another symbol of love into the world.  The only thing they ever see is the Mom's future being doomed, and a child growing up having a rough time.  Have you ever thought if we took half the time bitching about other people, and putting that time instead into helping how better off the world would be.  If every person who lent an ear, a helping hand, kind words, or even just a hug to a pregnant teen hell a pregnant person in general, that warmth translates in so many ways.  For one thing the Mother will feel less stressed and more happy knowing they have one more friend in the world, instead of another person who just does one thing, nothing but judge, and usually from a far, because they are usually cowards and can never say the things they say to you to your face.  And a happy mommy equals a happy baby,  and if you have both you might have a chance helping improve a young woman's life.  

     That is just one example, and to be honest my brain is fried from trying to write a book at the same time.  So the moral is if you look at every person you are about to judge I will bet you will see a part of you in there.  You may not be a pregnant teen, but you were once a teenager.  You may not be overweight, but everyone knows how hurtful words can be, and if we took the time we waste beating down others and instead put it towards a good use, the world would be a better place. 

Equality!

All right first thing first, I'm about to break a rule that needs to be broken.  I promised myself I wouldn't write when I was angry, but I believe what I'm about to say would only be able to come out if I give in my deep rooted anger right now that I have been suppressing for so long.  So just a fair warning if you want a happy blog post I would skip this, but if you want to see how I truly see the world now please continue reading on.  I think that picture sums up adulthood perfectly, Wasn't it beautiful when you believed in everything!

EQUALITY!

Allright, I gave you your chance to back out, and you didn't so you're about to hear my view on equality in life.  When we are all born we are essentially created equal for the most part, two arms, two legs, brain, organs, etc...but what really sets us apart in the long run from either succeeding or failing  in life is what we do with the life we were given, but also what the people before us have also done!  We are the results of two people getting together and joining to make one person, and you as a person have two choices in life to either become the person that they want you to be, or be the person you want to be.   I have always prided myself in being the person I want to be, because if you're not being you then who are you being.  Which brings me to equality in life, workplace, sports, love, etc...Here's the hardcore truth Equality doesn't and will never exist!  In life the guy with the more money because of who his parents are will more than likely get the girl, the person who knows people or secrets will always go further in any workplace, in sports the team with the best players always win because they have the most money to buy the best players, and love well my dad taught me a very important rule before I got married, "She's always right, and if she's wrong DO NOT TELL HER!".
In theory we are the results of our own actions, but we are also who are because of the result of the actions that come from the actions.  I've always viewed my life as going to a club, a club I was never and will never be let into.  I could be standing outside in that line for forty days straight in the sun, rain, snow, etc...but I would never be let in because of the person of who I am.  I am not a kissass, I try my best not to play favorites, I attempt to treat everyone equally at first, I'm not a douche (my exgf says otherwise), and I always put others ahead of myself.   I would rather die than become the exact opposite of who I am. but the sad reality people who are nice, play fair, treat everyone equal get nothing in life.  Nice guys/gals finish last because they are too busy helping others, than themselves.  If I was in a race and I was sprinted by a guy passed out on the trail I would run my hardest to get him a glass of water and run right back and give it to him.  Would I lose the race, yes, but as long as you stay true to yourself, in theory winning or losing shouldn't matter.  But sadly we don't live in theory, we live in reality where people backstab people who help them, say hurtful words because they can, beat other people verbally and physically, and hurt themselves or others around them.  And it seems to me people who are the exact opposite of caring, loving, kind hearted  are, and always will be the winners of life.
This entire world is based and run on favoritism its the sad truth.  Our president is voted in on a popular vote, we all have our favorite movies, cars, color, shoes etc.  So how can we ask the world to run on equality when it has never been run on it.  Shouldn't us as human's all have the basic right to marry who we want, work where we want, get paid equal shares for the same amount of work, regardless of who we know.  But we don't live in that world, once again we live in reality, where people of the same gender can't marry, people get hired and promoted due to the fact of who they know, and the douches and kissass's will always get paid more for the equal or less amount of work.  So it seems in the real world the only place equality exists is in math where 2 will always equal 2, but 2 people will never equal the same, and I sadly never see that ending, ever!  Because that is the way the world has and always be run, with the douches and Aholes running it, while the good guys/gals are busy helping everyone else, and not themselves.

Now please I beg of you from the bottom of my heart to go out in this world and please prove me wrong, because I honestly believe if enough of us stand up in this world, we might have a chance to change it!  It more than likely will be a small chance, but it's still a chance.  

As always keep love, and peace in your heart through the day!

Coming Soon!

Allrighty Guys and Gals, April was a busy month for me putting out a post a week about love.  Very tiring on my mind and heart too, I pulled no punches and just let it flow, and I'm usually not like that!  So I put out an open invite for topics and I got a ton, and I plan on doing them all!  Starting with equality because I have alot on my mind about right now, and it won't be pretty, but it will be truthful from my heart.  My plan is a post every two weeks from now until June or July to get all the good ideas I got done!  There will be some down right serious ones, some inspirational ones, some dark ones with a message, and a few funny ones (thanks Kourt).  But as I promised before if you read them I will write them, and I will try to have the first one done this week, so you all can hate me by the weekend.  But as I have always said it doesn't matter who hates you, it matter who loves you in the end!  So peace and love in your hearts and I'll be seeing you all soon.

Dane

Love: Part 4

First off I wanted to say thank you to all of you that read this again, I truly mean it!!! Thank you!! I was told by Jess to never stop writing blogs, and as long as they are being read I don't plan on stopping!!! :)  Anyways here's the culmination of a whole entire month's worth of talking about one of the most powerful things in the world, love!  To be completely honest I had no idea where I was going with this in the beginning, but each post and each thought kept coming so naturally I knew I had to get it out, so it could be heard, and not be lost in the giant jungle that is my mind.  Where there are many ideas fighting for the forefront, such as novel ideas, new job ideas, comic ideas, and etc...but hopefully now that I have cleaned out my mind some new idea will step forward and demand as much attention as love demanded!  But last week I had an epiphany why this had to be done, and you could call it Project Awesome 2.0, but I believe this is much bigger than just an upgrade, so I have named it Project: Love!  Shocking I know!! But here's what this whole month has been leading too (total lie, Project: Love hit me last week around Tuesday!) But it will change your life!

Project Love might seem like a simple exercise but it will make you think, trust me I've been racking my brain since Tuesday just thinking about it.  Project Love's goal is to help you more appreciate love and life, and hopefully shrink the all too common negative thoughts we have about ourselves and our life.  I'll be honest I have been having more negative than positive thoughts lately, and sharing my insight keeps the negative thoughts at bay.  

Step 1:  Get nice and relaxed and take a few deep breaths.  Completely clear your mind.

Step 2: Make a list of things you love about your life and yourself. Be truthful and honest, because that is the only way this will work.

Step 3: Count up how many you have and write that number at the top and date it.

Step 4: Make a list of things you don't love about your life and yourself.  Once again be truthful and honest!

Step 5: Repeat step 3 but with the second list,

Now don't lose these two lists, because you will be doing some things with them.  First off look at your love list and your goal is to include every love you have on your list everyday in any way possible, big or small, just to make sure to acknowledge it somehow each day.  It could be as big as giving a certain person in your life a big hug and telling them thank you, or a simple text with a heart and a thank you!  Big or small make sure to include it everyday!!! Just make sure to represent that love in your life everyday!

Now the second list will be even tougher, but if you fully believe you can do it, you WILL shrink that list on a monthly or possibly weekly basis, depending on how hard you want to work on it!  If that thing in your life happens that you do not love, just say the words "no thank you" and move on!  Whether it be eating too much, telling yourself you are fat, not a good person, etc... Because the moment you start to dwell on negative thoughts the more power they will gain in the long run,  Trust me I know this from first hand experience, and once you give the negative thoughts power, it is extremely difficult to gain that power back! But it can be done!

Now you can update your lists weekly, or monthly its up to you, but I'm doing mine monthly because it's hard to gain much footing and progress in a week.  You just have one goal to make the love list go up, and the not love list go down,!  Simple!  Now to show you I practice what I preach I'll show you mine!

4-29-12

Love: 16

famly, friends, job (sometimes), car, fitness, health, sense of humor, listening, speaking, music, superheros, writing, thinking, connection with people, helping others, sharing inspirational thoughts

Don't Love: 11

job (sometimes), negative image of myself, negative feelings, anger, inability to share, education, negative words that come out sometimes, lack of smiling, being ignored, loneliness, overthinking,  

So hope you take the challenge with me, and who knows all my writing my lead to a book one day :)!  One can hope!!

Thank you and always keep love and peace in your heart!

Love: Part 3! Things we do for love!

I have a few confessions to make: First my last post was dedicated to two people extremely close to me, but it's lasting message applies to everyone and everything I do in my life.  Second:  I have been asked why I do what I do, and say the things I say. The answer is simple making other people laugh, smile, think positive, keeps me the same way.  I may not be smiling (due to years of bullyage and insecurity about my smile), but that doesn't mean I'm not happy.  So I have learned by spreading what I have learned through life has helped, and hopefully will help others in the future.  And lastly Third:  I love my words have touched others, and being told they look forward to my little texts throughout the day, or getting a laugh or a smile when they really needed one (that chicken suit idea killed!  And I will do it before I die).  Human strive on communication and constant connection with other people and through Facebook, blogging, cell phones, etc... we never have a reason to lose that communication!!!  So as long as people are reading and enjoying message I promise I won't stop. And fun fact apparently I have someone in Russia who reads my blog, and that is pretty badass!!!

Now to the proverbial meat and potatoes!!!  As I have told you I'm doing 4 posts this month on Love, because it's far enough past February, and the greeting card created holiday.  Plus I wasn't really feeling writing about love during that time, because of the over saturation of that word in that month!  I never thought I could hate such a beautiful word, but when it's shoved in your face for a whole month and half, it makes me sick.  Love should come naturally and not forced!  Close your eyes and think about the ones you love, and ask yourself what would you do for them because of love.  The answer might surprise you, or it might not.  But if you think with your heart you will find out the true power of love and what it is capable of doing.  I have done a lot of things for love!  For my family, friends, work, and myself, because if you don't love yourself it is damn near impossible for anyone else too!  

For my friends I have put myself out to you, for a shoulder to cry on, for laughs when needed, and advice when needed.  And I do it all out of love!  I love all my friends!  And I feel privileged to be able to call you that!  And I know in all of you friends that I love, I would receive the same treatment back if I asked.  And that just further shows that love is evolved friendship.

For my work, I'm still there :)  There aren't many things I love about the Cheese, but one thing that has never changed is the people aspect.  I have had the privilege, and still have the privilege to say I work with the coolest people in the world.  Everyone has touched my heart, and keep me at the Cheese.  People say the Cheese would crumble without me, but I believe I would crumble without the Cheese,  That place has been my proverbial rock, and at times my happy place when I really need a pick me up! It helped me though a really dark part in my life, and for all those reasons I will forever love the Cheese!

And finally myself, this blog and project awesome is a testament to what I do everyday out of love for myself.  Like I said in the beginning spreading joy gives me joy, I bring smiles and laughter to others to help keep myself the same way, because without interaction the tears would be flowing.  I read books constantly about happiness and help spread those teachings to others, to help inspire them, because they have inspired me!  We all need inspiration!  We all have crappy days, fights happening, relationships on the rocks, days where we are bullied and soon as we let those days take the better of us, THEY WIN!  Not you!!  So I have found words of inspiration throughout the day help myself fully love myself, by sharing those same words that have brought me strength in a time of crisis.

In conclusion, I'm sorry if this sounds like rambling and doesn't make sense, (I wrote it at 1 in the morning), but I just had things I wanted to say about love!  And Love has the ability to change people, a certain I Love You to a child, or a kind hug from a friend, accepting an apology, or just listening are HUGE THINGS people do out of love, and they  have a huge impact!!!!!!  I wasn't sure where to put that, but it had to be said.  Like I said, it's one in the morning, and I'm tired :)!  So just think about what you do for love, or have done and if you feel like it please comment.  

P.S. May will be grab bag month, so if you have a topic you want to me write about let me know, and I'll see what I can do :D!!

May you always keep love and peace in your hearts, and I'm heading to bed!      

Love Part 2!

Quick and Simple: LOVE IS..............










whatever you make it to be.  It can be your guiding light, it can be your warm blanket that keeps you warm. the shoulder you cry on when you have a crappy day, or it can be a missile that when used can break people's hearts.  But to me love is a few things: First love is friendship evolved!  Don't believe me think about something or someone you love, it started as liking something then evolved to love!  I rest my case.  Two: Love is the feeling in your heart when someone who gets you is near you!  I feel this with all my friends and my family, which proves that my friends are my family, and my family are my friends.  I truly mean that with all my heart!  And Three: Love is nothing when it is ignored!!! Nothing hurts more than a broken heart, when it is broken by someone who you love!  But when love is ignored you should first find out why before giving up, because true love in friends, family, spouses, never dies, it just needs a little testing!

Love!

I know I've been quiet for the last month, but if you know me then you know why.  Stupid poster!  That I'm very proud of, but that's not the point.  The point is I have attempted to write about love since February or have tried to follow up my last blog about four times.  I have four half written blogs waiting to be finished, and I'm not sure if I ever will.  One was extremely negative (I was stuck in a dark place), one was about being the person you were born to be (I'll probably finish that one eventually), and two just quickies that might get converted later down the line.  It's crazy how fast life can change in just a few months, weeks, day, or even moments, but that's what life is a series of moments that are combined that make up your life, and one constant moment I have never taken for granted is when I use the word LOVE, well I learned not take it for granted through the years. 

      Back in the day, I dated a girl who told me she loved me on our second date, and thinking back that was a giant red flag to get the hell out of dodge, but I didn't and said it right back, not knowing the consequences.  The consequences being an 8 month relationship where I learned how to hate myself and who I had become.  A real eye opener, and after that I promised to say the word LOVE when I truly meant it, and it came not only from the bottom of my heart, but fully and honestly from my mind.  When it comes from those two places that word is never wrong!  LOVE is one of the strongest weapons if wielded correctly, it can bring friends past the friend barrier, it can brings friends closer, it can heal old wounds, bring families closer, and etc.  But the sad thing is LOVE is used in the wrong hands it has the complete opposite effect.  I believe LOVE is responsible for the greatest things in the world, but also is the cause of some of the worst.  LOVE makes life living, but at the same time LOVE can rob you of what you live for.

  

     Have you ever thought about what LOVE is actually responsible for.  Just close your eyes and think about what you love, and the impact it has on your life.  Pretty amazing huh!  Now LOVE is used wrongly I believe is the cause of more deaths and unhappiness than anything else in the world.  War which is simply a love for your country warring against another country that loves their also, religious wars are basically you should love my God and not your God, hate crimes because Tom shouldn't love Bob, or Monique shouldn't love Mark, it's amazing on how great LOVE can be, if used wrongly it destroys lives, sometimes millions of them.  Now I'm not saying we should stop loving, in fact I'm saying the opposite, we need more LOVE in the world, but only positive LOVE!  Hateful love sounds like an oxymoron, and if you ask me it's moronic that it actually exists!  Their is no purpose for hateful love!!!! It doesn't solve JACK!  So make a small promise for me, where ever you go, whoever you meet, always carry positive love in your heart, and I pray to my God and all of yours also, it will rub off and take over.

To end this I'm just going to say one thing:  True love never dies, it is only tested!!!  That goes for your gf/bf, spouse, parents, friends, family, hell even your pet!  Cause everything in life that is worth anything you must work for it! And that includes LOVE!

       

       

Operation Thank You

Three posts in one month, holy crap! I'm on fire!!!  What is one of the things we're told to do when we are a child whenever someone does something for you.  Say "Thank You", and sadly when you grow up you lose that mindset, but why and how can we fix it.  I don't know why, but I have an idea how to fix it.  Say thank you for every little thing you can.  To every person you can!!!  Why not, it takes 5 seconds, and only a little bit longer if you explain it.  But I have a feeling that might be hard to say thank you to every person every day, so I offer you up an alternative challenge.  First you'll need a few things:  one an open mind, a notebook, a pen, honesty, and love in your heart when saying those two words.  Your goal is when you wake up is to write three things you are thankful for in your notebook.  But that is not all you are to say Thank You to at least ten people in a day, and write down their reaction.  It could be the barista at your local Dutch Bros, it could be your teacher, it could be your parents, friends, coworkers, anyone!  But you must say thank you to at least ten people, and write down what you said and their reaction.  And then before you go to bed, I want you to write down three things you were thankful for that day.  Do this for two weeks and see how you and others around you have changed.  You will be surprised what two little words actually mean to someone.
    So I'll start off right now, Thank You from the bottom of my heart for reading this and listening to me.  It means a lot to me, and it is what gets me through the day knowing that people are reading what I wrote and enjoying it.  Thank You for the kind comments from the best sister in the world, my bro Oz (yeah I used the word), Briana (who my children still call princess), Elma (the only person I know who does a better Nicki Minaj then the actual one.  And Thank You for all they have told me it has touched you, and look forward to reading each post, that is what keeps me writing them, because as long as people are reading it, I promise from the bottom of my heart that I will always write it, from the fullness of my heart.

Superheros!

For those who know me the only thing I love more than both my families and friends, is comic books and Super-heros!  I have more shirts with superheros on them, then I do regular shirts, but there's a reason for that.  They inspire me to be who I am today, and all my friends and family help me become more and more like one each day without even knowing it.  We all have hidden super powers, and we just need help bringing them out.  I'm not talking about trying to find a radioactive spider to bite you, thinking your an alien from a doomed planet, or finding a ring and chanting an oath, I'm talking about the gifts we were given and using them to their full potential.  I've been asked by a few people why I do what I do, work at the Cheese, help people with their life problems, be nice to everyone, and try to inspire a good vibe where ever I go, and the reason is simple, it's my super power.  If I didn't work at the Cheese there is no way in hell I would meet some of the coolest people who drive me to be a better person each day.  I didn't help people with their life problems, then the shit I have faced in life so far would of been for nothing.  Being nice is a hell of lot easier than being a dick!!  And inspiring a good vibe is simple, if you have love in your heart wherever you go, it will make the destination a hell of lot easier to go to, and get through!!  So I've been given the power of inspiration, so I choose to help!

I felt like this for a few days straight, stuff being piled on top of me, and on top of me, I felt like I had to hold them up, because that's what I do.  But after a while your knees buckle and you feel like giving up, and just to let it all crash on you and just give up, but then I had four moments happen to me to make me truly appreciate all the bad things and why they are there.  First, things first I'm not going to dwell on the bad, because there's no point, it's in the past and there's nothing to do about it.  So I'm instead going to focus on the moments.  First moment was on Friday when I got to go out with my wife, because we don't get to see each other much with her schooling which she dives head first into, and her grades show for it.  I truly love and appreciate her, and going out with her just reminded me how much I miss her, and not to take little moments like that granted.  

     The second moment came when I called an old employee up on her birthday and gave her my special patented Birthday song.  And she was super excited to hear it and truly appreciated it. It got me thinking about all the cool people I know and have gotten to know from working at the Cheese!!!  And I thank you from the bottom of my heart to letting me to get to know each and everyone of you!

    The third moment came on Monday when another epic Monday chapter was closed.  It was JP's last night at the Cheese, and well the rule is, what happens on Mondays at the Cheese stays in the Cheese!!  Let's just say I'm honored to call Jessica not only my cousin, but also a very good friend.

   The fourth moment was winning the GMK contest, and winning just by speaking the truth about love.  How if you let it can be the most awesome weapon in the world, if you fully believe and grasp the concept!

So in closing, bad stuff happens for a reason, to make you fully appreciate and embrace the good stuff that will eventually come along.  It might be today, tomorrow, or the next but trust me it will come if you fully believe it, and have love in your heart.  And never forget stop being a superhero, and always share your powers you were given, because they only get stronger the more you use them!