Jamica Macklin

Some people you never forget. I don't know if I remember her full name because it's so unique or because I heard she had a crush on me back in elementary school. She's one person I remember more vividly than most though I'd say there was never really a lasting relationship or connection between us.

I remember my best friend at the time had a crush on her while I was crushing on a girl named Tiana Shannon (a name for another day). The twist came about when someone mentioned that Jamica had a crush on me. My "best friend" didn't like me much after that.

I remember one of the things my best friend said he liked most about her was that she wore her hair in a different style every single day.

I remember how awkward she seemed whenever I spoke to her. Of course I was too oblivious to acknowledge that she probably was awkward because she had a crush on me.

I remember learning that she lived right next door to my cousin's grandpa's house. I think I spotted her over there once or twice but most of that memory involved my cousin mentioning that he saw her all the time.

I remember in high school, long after she and I had gone to separate schools, I was taking the bus home from school. I remember looking out the window and seeing a brown skinned girl with long braids. I remember thinking to myself that she looked familiar, and then a name popped in my head. Jamica? I remember thinking about getting off the bus to find out. I remember never actually getting off the bus.. and thus never ever reconnecting with her. And she's not on facebook. So where is she?

I googled her name and found a 28 year old Jamica Macklin in Pontiac, Michigan. We went to school in Detroit, so I bet that's her. But that's all I got. Pretty cool to know she's probably still alive. Hope she's doing well.

69 - We Should Be F$%kin' Right Now!!!

There was a dude on my facebook friends list playing the numbers game last month and every single person who inboxed him numbers he either f$%ked, should have f$%ked, or was f$%king right now..

Be Real

I learned a simple lesson about psychology recently. The most screwed up people are the people who ignore their demons. Those demons creep up and do a piledriver on you because you tried to pretend they weren't there.

Psychologists don't use tricks or mind games to help you fix your issues. They just make you talk about them. They make you bring them out from the shadows so you can see and examine them. And then the two of you troubleshoot them over cocktails or something like that.

Be real with yourself and you'll save thousands of dollars in therapy..

The Strong Survive

"The weak are meat and the strong do eat."

I saw Cloud Atlas yesterday afternoon. Spoiler alert.. Tom Hanks plays EVERYBODY in the movie.

A time or two, one of the characters said a little diddy about the strong versus the weak. As I sat at work today I had a realization about what true strength is. 

We were having a discussion about two customers, let's call them Mercury and Venus (note that Mars has nothing to do with this). Mercury and Venus pretty much do the exact same thing and thus hired us to do for them the exact same thing. However, human nature can have a profound effect on exactness. Separate individuals were enlisted to handle the separate but equivalent projects for Mercury and Venus. One individual's ability to handle the Mercury project was stronger than the other individual's ability to handle the Venus project. Thus, Mercury became the shining example of how to do the project correctly. The other? The shortcomings of that project shone through due to comparisons to the well done project.

Here's where things get fun. These individuals and the things they did with these projects will effect the future of our company's ability to help these customers. Fixing problems for the Mercury project are simple or unnecessary. Resolving future issues regarding the Venus project become difficult and troublesome. The individuals that have to deal with problems on both sides are the benefactors or casualties of the work done by their seniors. As these juniors grow into seniors, they will pass on what they learned. Benefactors of the Mercury project will appreciate the company they work for and know how to do things the right way. The casualties of the Venus project will be bitter and potentially pay the problems they encountered forward. 

So.. Strength. The strong are the senior project handlers. Their actions effect the junior project handlers. However, the strong are divided. The true strong will produce true strength. They complete the project in a way that benefits everyone. The weaker of the strong will produce more weak strength. Their project will cause grief and difficulty for all who encounter it. 

That's the swindle. Now let's get political. 

Today's Republicans are that weak strong that I am referring to. They have all the money and the power. They hold all the cards. However they act in a way that does not benefit the future that will ultimately have the money and the power. In their bitterness, the cycle will continue until someone learns to break the chain. I won't say that Democrats are the true strong. I believe the true strong are those powerful individuals like Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, and (in my humble opinion) Barack Obama who have achieved monumental success but have not lost their sense of humanity and community. The people they inspire will have that strength and continue to pass it on. 

The problem with people is that we assume true strength means power. True strength is exercising power in a way that benefits those affected by it. Weakness is abusing or misusing that power. 

You Win

Congratulations! You've just won an all inclusive trip to shut the fuck up!

Please excuse my Monday behavior.. This beautiful Florida day while the north is dealing with the end of days via Hurricane Sandy aint helpin' much either....

You don't have to get it!

The Final Countdown

Elections Countdown

Random Things From My Childhood Volume 1

Particle Man