Mid November 2013

I learned that Dunkin Donuts are amazing.  And I also learned that Krispy Kremes are even better.  I’m sure I had them before that summer, but the only donuts I can recall having before that summer were the small powdered-sugar or chocolate covered Hostess ones, and that was on a rare occasion.  But these donuts were fresh, hot, sweet, taste bud blasting amazingness.  And if you were ready for church early enough on Sunday morning to ride with UD, you just might get a whole dozen of Krispy Kremes for your-self.  Now that’s how every Sunday should start.

I learned that no matter how confident I felt or how proud I thought I looked while riding a horse named Pondy at the Wilson farm, the pride would fall and the confidence would crumble if a porch full of whoopers and hollerers startle said horse and nearly case the premature end of my young life.

I learned that if you out-hustle and out play, Hiram, the token black guy of the rather sizable youth group and the best basketball player among them, then you quickly earn the respect and friendship of all the other members of the group.  I think Hiram may have been glad to see me go back to Tennessee.

Late October 2013

I learned that if you wanted some spending money you need a job.  I hadn’t really worked before that summer, aside from chores, housework, etc.  But that summer I worked for Mrs. Terry Bryant doing yard work and I baby sat a kid in the neighborhood.  Mrs. Terry treated me like an adult, which I was feeling very much like.  And the neighborhood kid called me Mr. Wes, which made me feel authoritative.  And I got paid for both jobs, which made me feel rich (not really, but $20 can go a long way for a 15 year-old).

I learned that UD (Uncle Dennis) can see into the future.  I remember walking thru the house one day and someone commenting about my height or my 125 lb. physique and I said that I was going to grow up to look like Grandpa, meaning Grandpa Cole who was roughly 6’ tall and 165 lbs. soaking wet.  But ole UD, as soon as “Grandpa” came out of my mouth immediately rebutted with “Yeah, Pops!” (Take the over on one & the under on the other).  UD, hilarious! And painfully accurate today.

I learned that teaching VBS was way more fun than just attending (not that attending isn’t fun).  I was part of the group responsible for 2^nd graders.  It was a learning experience for me, but a lot of the excitement of it was the company of the other “helper”, i.e., females.  We spent a lot of the after-hours (and the week before actual VBS which I suppose would be “before” hours) playing capture the flag.  The awesome thing about this was this church was 10 times larger than any church I had ever attended with a lot of places to run, a lot of places to hide, and a lot of kids my age.  And I’m sure we made positive impressions on some 2^nd graders too.

October 2013

           

Twenty years.  That’s what has passed by since I “grew up” so to speak.  I gained independence.  I gained knowledge.  I learned important life lessons.  This is some of what I figured out during the summer of 1993.  I dedicate these next posts to my cousin, Corrie.

I learned how to make a tough decision.  You see, I was given the opportunity to spend the summer in Atlanta.  The only catch was that in order to go I would have to quit baseball mid-season.  This being the sport I had played all my life.  The sport I had excelled at.  The sport I loved.  It would also mean not spending the summer with my friends.  But the decision was mine to make.  So, off the Atlanta I went to stay with my aunt, uncle, and cousins.  The possibilities of what could happen in Georgia outweighed the historical knowledge of what would happen in Bolivar.

 One of the first things I learned was that cable TV was awesome.  At home we still had the standard 3, 5, 7, 13 and sometimes 24 if you held your foot just right.  But, we were missing out on so much.  Up until then I had only heard my friends talking about ESPN.  Now I got to see it.  I could watch Fraggle Rock in the mornings and MTV.  Music Television.  Back when there was actual music on that channel.  Music videos by the Spin Doctors, U2, PM Dawn, and Guns & Roses.  I’ve still never heard “November Rain” when I haven’t thought about sitting in the living room in Georgia, eating cereal, and being absolutely mesmerized by Slash.  That summer helped mold my love for all music genres.  All thanks to Corrie and cable TV.

Mid September 2013

Could you somehow “smoke” mustard seeds and then grind them with other stuff to make smoky mustard? Or would you just take some form of mustard and other stuff and add some liquid smoke?  One day I will find out.  And I will put it on a sandwich.   

And I will eat the sandwich. And it won’t be bologna.

According to my latest Men’s Health issue and my ultra-sensitive olfactory system, I can say that the cologne 1 million passes my sniff test and if I was out there amongst you in the real world, that’s what I would be smelling like.  That stuff smells good.

Early September 2013

Enjoy. Today you should try to do things with your opposite hand.  If you’re right handed, brush your teeth with your left hand.  It’s pretty difficult if you’ve never tried it.  You never know when you might get an injury or ailment that requires you to have to “live” with your opposite hand.  I was in the 6^th grade when I first had to learn to utilize my left hand due to an unfortunate incident involving my right hand and TJ Maybury’s face.  It resulted in my having to wear a cast to receive the yearly Citizenship Award of which I had already been selected to receive prior to the “incident”.  It made me learn to be ambidextrous and that’s always been something fun to try to maintain.  Give it a shot.  Oh, and remember, “We don’t hit our friends.”

Today’s tune is “Guitar Man” by Bread.  I can thank my dad and mom too, I suppose for introducing me to Bread so many years ago.  “Guitar Man” is one of my favorites by then, with its smooth mellowness.