Growing up…

Life comes at you fast. You’re getting older. Obtaining more responsibilities. You never know who’s watching you.

Over the last few years, I’ve experienced some lifestyle changes. First and more importantly is being an uncle. I would guess, typically being an uncle is all about having fun and enjoying your   time with your nephew or nieces. My case is a little different. Well, I still get to have fun, but being an uncle for me is loaded full of responsibilities and being watched constantly by my little nephew. I share the house with my sister and her husband. While my sister and brother-in-law are doing a fantastic job raising their child, I also do the best I can to reinforce the discipline and love this house shares. Also, I know he’s watching me, so I must be a good example for him. Knowing that alone teaches me that he is a reflection of all of us, including myself. Therefore, I must continue to grow in every aspect possible while he’s growing up.

Ethan's 4th Birthday
Ethan’s 4th Birthday
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Muddy Sweetness…

Recently, I’ve taken on a hobby of finding non-chain establishments of coffee shops and book stores. Yes, I still love going to Starbucks and Barnes and Noble. However, I find the atmosphere of non-chain establishments more relaxing and socially appealing. I guess, it’s like an adventure actually holding a conversion with a random stranger and then suddenly that person I’m speaking to doesn’t feel like a stranger anymore.

Now, you’re probably wondering of which non-chain establishment I discovered. I guess I’ll tell you. The name of the store is Muddy’s Bake Shop. At first when I drove by it I read the name of it as Muddy’s Brake Shop. The young lady behind the register laughed when I told her this. She followed up with, “…we do brakes in the back.” It’s an instant laugh with a touch of sweetness.

I first learned about the bake shop from a fellow twitter user, @GEEKvGIRL. She mentioned it awhile back and since then I’ve forgotten the name of the place. Fortunately, I was to Google “Memphis” and “cupcakes” and the top result was, “Muddy’s Bake Shop.” You can visit their site for more information and/or follow @muddysbakeshop on Twitter.

cupcake selection
cupcake selection
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Resolutions…

Seems like every new year I attempt to keep a resolution. Of course, the keyword here is “attempt.” Personally, the reason I believe that people have trouble keeping New Year’s resolutions is because they are either unobtainable or is a goal that can not be simply acquired over the course of one year. With this in mind I have chosen two simple resolutions.

My resolutions are:

1. Enhance or improve my hand writing.
2. Record daily entries in my journal.

This year might may very well be my first successful resolution to follow. Early last year I bought my first fountain pen. Since that time I have become obsessed with fountain pens. Sadly I have to find reasons to use them. I know it doesn’t make sense; however, I decided to keep a journal. Thus with the use of my collection of fountain pens i have the means and desire to fulfill and keep my resolutions for this new year.

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Research paper for fun…

Are you kidding me? Although I’ve been known to do a research paper for school, yet typically I flat out refuse to do so. I’ve even suffered greatly and received some regrettable grades for it. Now that I think about it. I wonder why that is the case? I would continue to rant about this but if you’re reading this I’ll let you post your comment instead.

Currently I’m reading, “The Historian” once again. I’m undecided at the moment on which book to read next so I’ve chosen to reread this book until I make a decision. One reason I enjoy reading this book it that it has a way of working my brain (hold your laughing to yourself). I get this overwhelming sensation to go to the nearest library and stuffing my head in books and extracting all the information I can about “something.” What I would really love to do is to go somewhere I haven’t been and find a small town, find the more “established” people of that town, and interview them. Maybe I can become a Historian myself.

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Drop in the Bucket

I was with some co-workers going to lunch one day and we were listening to the song, “Country Boy Can Survive” and a part of the song intrigued me. The lyrics were:

“…But he was killed by a man with a switchblade knife
For 43 dollars my friend lost his life
Id love to spit some beechnut in that dudes eyes
And shoot him with my old 45
Cause a country boy can survive
Country folks can survive…”

After I heard that I told my co-workers. “I’d like to do that one day, spit beechnut in some dudes eyes. I think I’ll add that to my bucket list.”

They laughed.

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Choices…

I’ve never been much or a writer of sorts. Maybe it is because of my terrible handwriting or the fact I trouble putting thoughts on paper ( or this blog since I haven’t updated it in months.) Regardless of writing I’ve always wanted to carry around a nice pen in my shirt pocket. I don’t know if it the geek in me that makes me want to carry a pen in my pocket to begin with I’m not sure. A couple years back I finally did purchase a nice pen to carry in my pocket. The pen I purchased was a ballpoint model K200 by Pelikan. I paid around $65 for it and I was so proud of it. I finally had a nice pen to carry around in my pocket! It was a dreadful day about two months ago in February when I lost my pride and joy. It was during a technology professional development training for some teachers, who weren’t able to attend at the beginning of the school year, that I lost my pen. Til this day I’ve yet to remember who I might have loan it to or where I might laid it down. I find myself almost everyday trying to rewind and playback in my mind what may have happened to my pen.

Here lately I’ve been sailing across the waves of the web researching on what my next pen will be. In the mean time I did purchase a Parker rollerball from Wal-Mart for temporary use. Unfortunately, retailers in Memphis, Tn. do not carry much of a selection of pens. The pens they do carry; however, are kind of expensive for my pocket book at the moment. Now like most people before they would purchase anything off the web it makes is difficult to make a decision solely based on appearance without actually being able to touch, hold or write with the pen. Which drives me review forums where pen lovers gather to discuss pens they like and why they do. Furthermore I will need to make a decision based other’s opinions.

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