23 Thoughts

So my birthday just passed...and I'm gracious as heck to have lived 23 long and healthy years, God is good. So in honour of turning 23, here are 23 thoughts, here we go...

1. Thank you to my friends and family for ALWAYS making my birthday special, the only people that really matter in life.

2. As I've grown older, it's more about who you chill with rather than what you do on your birthday. Today I just went for lunch and played some basketball outdoors with my friends, real homies.

3. I've slowly adopted the fact that birthdays just aren't that big a deal anymore, I don't feel any different, but I'm glad for the people in my life who take the time and put in the effort to make it a special day.

4. I'm gonna bring back the OG birthday parties I used to have as a kid next year...like chilling at home, making just a bunch of food, loop bags...and just a bunch of great friends together.

5. I used to get real caught up in like oh who wishes you happy birthday, how many texts I get, how many facebook wishes and such...but all that stuff is irrelevant...no offence, but the people in a sense are irrelevant as well...as much as I appreciate the wishes...if I didn't get any wishes from facebook, any happy birthday texts,,,as long as I celebrated with people I genuinely cared about, that's all that matters.

6. I will however admit...I don't wanna say shocking or hurtful...but it is INTERESTING...when people I consider friends or homies know or recognize it's my birthday or don't say anything at all...it's like okay...I know it's not a big deal,, it's just two words, but I'd have the decency to say it to you...and I thought we were past acquaintances and pretty good friends, guess not.

7. The same people that don't wish you happy birthday are probably the same people that don't say bless you when you sneeze...like it's just common courtesy lol...random train of thought,

8. Sometimes, the most fun and joyful times are found in the most simplest of things and situations...sitting around a table talking to your friends for hours...memories I tell you.

9. As I've gotten older, I much prefer cards than money or actual gifts....money is nice...but I'm the kinda guy that loves to get cards...sentimental, hand written, thoughtful cards.

10. I'm the kinda guy that will try to write something meaningful to you even tho I don't know you at all. Case in point in high school this girl approached me to write a card for this girl I knew of but never spoke to...I like wrote this super in depth card of how I've heard and seen that she seems like a nice person even tho I've never spoke to her. She messaged me thanking me for the thought I put into it lol....I'm that kinda guy I guess.

11. Today was just a fun day...lunch with the homies, pushing a car, outdoor basketball, dinner with my church homies, cutting 2 cakes with my fam and my homies...thank you guys.

12. I've been writing this throughout the day and tbh, I guess it does kinda bother me that certain people didn't wish me a happy birthday...it's not something that I'll lose sleep over or vent to a therapist about...but it's like yo, aren't we friends...you're my homie...but whatever, it is what it is.

13. 23....that much closer to 25...it's crazy thinking high school was that long ago...it's crazy that I'm teaching high school students lol...but it's so fun and rewarding at the same time.

14. I've been like mad moody leading up to my birthday, I dunno...part of me sees it as whatever but my inner child sees it as a big deal and wants people to acknowledge it and wants to spend it with people who care about me.

15. My homie...my brother...who's in Iran right now found time to message me and tell me happy birthday, that's love man, thanks.

16. To those who didn't wish me a happy birthday, you don't matter, not in an insulting way, just in my own personal world, personal bubble kinda way, just like how I wouldn't matter if you had some special celebration.

17. To those I call friends, family, brothers, sisters, WOES...who didn't wish me a happy birthday, no saltiness over here, that's your perogative. Helps me tighten my inner circle, my ride or die, down to ride, do or die homies.

18. As I've gotten older, it's so refreshing and enlightening talking to the youth, like high school kids and seeing their perspective and opinions on things, it's so encouraging for me to be able to hate my experiences and wisdom with them.

19. My family is actually my heart, my support system, as cliche as it is, I take them for granted way too often and don't appreciate them enough. Y'all are the reason I am who I am and why I do what I do.

20. One of my favourite past times is just sitting with friends and talking about old times, old people, old memories and laughing, reminiscing.

21. Another year, comes growth...can't just get older, gotta get better. Everyday provides learning opportunities, setbacks, detours and such...but it all serves to help me grow into the man I need to be.

22. Another big thank you to just the people in my life...acquaintances, peers, friends, brothers, homies, woes, whatever...those who took the time to send me love...it's all appreciated truly truly...thank you so much.

23. Lastly...thank God for everything...for all his blessings...or the triumphs and the failures...for the setbacks and the heartaches...for everything helping me become the person that I am today. I ain't perfect...but I'm learning everyday to become a better person, to appreciate the little things, to celebrate my failures and embrace my setbacks...cheers to 23 years...till next year, peace.

Round 1 Knockout

So I've told you guys about all the times where I've ALMOST  gotten into fights...this is I think the only time I've gotten into a physical fist fight...and tbh it wasn't like a legit alright square up in front of the other guy kinda fight. So don't laugh...but we 'fought' over the stupidest reason ever...it was recess time...we were playing SOCCER. Keep in mind this happened in grade 4...my memory is a bit hazy so all the details may not be 100% accurate, but the main gist of the story is embedded in my head. So we're playing soccer, this one random kid comes and touches the ball with his hands...this big guy on the other team goes handball...I'm like dude, he's not even playing what are you talking about...he's like handball...I'm like brah, he isn't even playing. Argument continues, chaos ensues...we start pushing and stuff...now here's where our stories conflicted and ish got messy...this guy was a big dude...like twice my size probably...any ways, he somehow has me up against the wall, how...don't remember...BUT I 100% REMEMBER that my hands are up against the wall...this guy is beating my back with his fist...my argument was DUDE...if I didn't do anything...he would've kept hitting me and my head would've hit the BRICK wall...SO...I turned around and swung at him...I knocked him out...broke his nose. Got suspended...forgot how long. This guy got like in school suspension for like a couple days....mine was more severe....I was like PRINCIPAL  BRAH...if I let go...my HEAD would've hit the BRICK wall...I had to react. Any ways...I remember back then my parents thought this was a HUGE deal...therefore so did I...they're like yooo it's gonna follow you forever, you're not gonna be able to find a job and stuff...so I was legit scared...LOOOL...now I look back and laugh...matter a fact, our parents are acquaintances lol and we went to the same high school and we're cool with one another...we never ever acknowledged or spoke of it...but it was brought up like once or twice by friends...but yeah...my one and only 'fight'...lol

Childhood Horror Stories

Sorry for being loaft...it's been a busy but enlightening time for me as of late...any ways, so when I was suuuper young, probably grade 2-4...my fam went to Japan for vacation. While we were in Japan, we went to some like amusement park or whatever. So part of the amusement park, they had this like horror section or whatever. So Japan is known for like super scary movies and all that ish...so I remember walking down this super dark basement like kinda room and it led us to this empty room with a production screen and some sketch stone benches...we all sat down and they started playing a movie. The movie itself was scary enough cuz I remember there was this scene where it was like a morgue and that's a scary picture...just a morgue with a bunch of dead bodies all covered up...like yo, what if one of them jumps up or something. Any ways...the movie was not the scariest thing, after the movie....you know what happens...from the ceiling in front of the whole audience drops this like grudge, ring looking girl hanging on a noose...now it was probably a doll or whatever...but BRAH THAT WAS SCARY AS HECK...like some scary, pale girl dressed in white like the ring...dropping down from the ceiling on  NOOSE...holy...and I was like a little kid...dang.

Awkward Male Encounters

Because 'Awkward Female Encounters' received so much positive feedback LOL...this isn't all awwkward...moreso random, study, etc lol...btw, sorry I've been mia...I know I tend to go on mini vacations and like disappear completely lol. It's been hard keeping track of time lately, but God has been teaching me a lot as of late that's for sure, any ways...here we go.

If you haven't read the female one, that's over here http://thebestyouneverheard.blogspot.ca/2015/03/awkward-female-encounters.html

1. Why not start with one of my favourite stories of all time. In elementary school, there was this new kid...pretty much he and I didn't get along, didn't like each other. Come recess, we would play basketball and THIS GUY...would purposely choose me on his team and tell all his boys not to pass me the ball. Needless to say, we almost got into a fight one time...he shoved me, my friend was holding me back, I got away from him and slapped his glasses off his face...that's it, no fight. Recess ends,I'm walking up the stairs....this guy stops me, goes yo man, I'm sorry, just wanna apologize...I stood there literally flabbergasted cuz I was like...uh what just happened LOL. Now, me and this guy are great friends...which is hilarious LOOOL.
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2. This story revolves around the same guy;;;around grade 8 or so. I'm chilling and I get a call...from him...he's like hey man, there's this basketball tournament at the community centre and I wanted to see if you would join my team. Wait what...hold up, pause, time out, rewind...this is the dude who hated me...LOL...I was quiet for a bit, I was like uh...what about so and so...started naming guys other than me...in the end, I went and we played together lol...

3. This one kid is someone I'll never like...I'm 100% sure of it...and it's nothing he's ever done to me, it's moreso how he treated me. He's the kinda guy that would ONLY acknowledge me when other people are around...specifically girls...to show that he's a nice guy. If it was just us 2...this guy wouldn't even bat an eye...like I don't even exist. One thing this guy would ALWAYS do...is say we're tossing around a football...he would always be like hey Rodmond, throw it over here...I would throw it...and he would completely disregard me...or switch roles, I would be like toss it...he would be like nah. This guy cheeses me to the moon and back forreal...you fake suss man...

4. This is like in grade 5...there was a new kid in school...got to know him, he was cool. Recess time, we're playing tag...he's it...I'm standing in the wide open sand, I see this guy come around the jungle gym, THROWS A PINE CONE AT MY HEAD....hits me...I start crying...LOOOOOOOL that's literally the story...I'm friends with this guy now, don't get me wrong...but like wtf dude...who throws a pine cone...or ANYTHING in tag....still to this day never knew why he did that LOL.

5. Okay this one is actually awkward...pretty much I was dating this girl who was in grade 8 and I was in grade 12...my friend's brother who goes to her school was all like yo man why you dating him, he probs just wants to take you to prom and like have sex and ish...she told me that and I was like uh okay...so a while after we broke up, I find out THIS DUDE is dating her LOOOOOL....it got super awkward real quick cuz his brother was my real good friend, so I saw him a lot...and I would be like hey what's up...but  I could tell he was really uncomfortable LOL.

6. This one goes into the category of almost got into a fight, but didn't...which is pretty much defines who I am lol...a lover not a fighter, but I get pretty dang close sometimes. Anyways....like high school...we had some sports olympics event just a bunch of sports. We faced this one team with this one guy who talked sooooo much ish...don't get me wrong he could back up his talk in some sports. Basketball, this one guy keeeeeeeept talking ish...annoyance level at like 25%. Badminton, him and his friend...both talking ishj....annoyance level like 63%. Ping pong, same guy from ball and badminton but now with a different friend...there was this one play where we disagreed on the rules and we almost got into a fight LOL...funny thing is that the 3 guys mentioned above...I ended up playing on the same ultimate frisbee team as 2 of them and became pretty good friends with the other.

7. So in my late high school, early university days...my friends and I were goofs...messing with each other's facebooks, twitters and such whenever we got the chance. There was this one time in the library I was with 2 of my close friends.  One of these guys we always joke around with...messing with his facebook, twitter, pictures and such...so he leaves the room to go to something. I remembered his password so I logged in....that's all I did, my friend tho goes off...starts posting random tweets, facebook statuses and like uploads a bunch of pictures of my friend and changes all his pictures to this one picture. So after, we're both sitting here like yo, you think he's gonna be mad...he starts like calling us and ish...we're like yo, I think he's pisses lol....this guy comes barging into the room like he's literally PISSED OFF lol...grabs his stuff and like leaves, slams the door...comes back 2 minutes later, cuz he forgot his binder LOL....needless to say, it was dick on our part but also overreacting on his part...it's a long story with more details...but whatever, sorry homie lol.

8. This really is awkward...so apparently there's this guy that doesn't like me. I asked my friend why...he's like oh it's cuz you wear like supreme and all that ish...when I heard that I was like LOOOOOOOL wtf...that's lame as heck. My only memory of this guy is in elementary school, losing a pack of playing cards and I saw he had it, called him out on it and he denied it...suss. But that's the lamest reason for hating someone LOOOL.

9. There's this one kid in high school who was younger than me...he used to make fun of me and pretty much thought he was better than me. I used to sell a lot of my clothes back in high school...and this guy would KEEEEEEP messaging me like yo man you go swag, sell me this,sell me that...I legit sold him sooooo many articles of clothing LOOOOL, you're a suss.

10.This one was just dick on my part...it was like grade 5 or 6, lining up to go back in after recess...I see a tupperware sitting on the edge of the window, the first though that came into my mind was hey, let's kick it...kicked it into the air...landed on the ground....my next thought was hey, let's step on it...so I stepped on it and totally crushed it. Like 5 minutes later this one kid like one year younger than me comes and starts crying goes MAN, THAT WAS MY SISTERS, WHY DID YOU DO THAT...just absolutely bawling...and here I am laughing...man I was terrible lol

11. In grade 9, back when I used to chill in the cafe at every lunch...there was this one snobby rich kid who would chill with us. He would do this stupid thing where if he saw you listening to music on an ipod or something he'd be like hey man can I take a look at your ipod....once he gets it, he takes your earphones out and goes HA, STOLEN...then returns it to you like a minute later...it was hella annoying LOL

12. This one is either dick on my part...or a reasonable course of action depending on how you look at it. Pretty much there was this super weird kid...at a setting that you don't need to know cuz it'd be too obvious lol. Any ways, we would run ball all the time...and he wouild sometimes join and kinda just run around and get in people's faces, I truly believed and I still do that he had a thing against me cuz he would always bother me, annoy me, poke me and get in my face. So one time during ball runs, he's all getting in my face, touching me and poking me and ish I'm like yo, get off my, give me some space. He keeps doing....so the next possession when we're checking the ball, he's not looking and I UNDERHAND....I didn't whip it at him...I underhand threw it with slight force at his face and it smacked him right in the glasses. My boys were like yo man c'mon that's not cool...and I was just like alright my bad, but tell him to get off me.

13. This one is hilarious...pretty much my first time every going paintballing....and I was TERRIFIED. There were dudes with like their own guns, camo shirts and ishm flashy masks and stuff. There were these 3 guys who had red dot sight on their guns...just standing in plain sight shooting at people with like full camo gear...my friend said police or some people use paintball for training. Any ways....my friend and I got invited cuz of this other guys' bday...he's going ham cuz he's done this so many times...I'm hiding in a little crevice with my friend....all I hear is a gun shot and OWWW come from my friend...I'm like what...he's like YO YOU SHOT ME MAN....LOOOOOOOL....apparently I accidentally shot him....any ways, in the span of like 2 seconds...this guy popped his head into where we were hiding...shot me in the ear, and disappeared LOOOOL.

14. Back in elementary school my friend and I made a bet....this song we were listening to mentioned shoes and I thought he said 'white and ones' while my friend thought he said 'white air ones'...pretty much I got this other guy to be like YEAHHHH MAN IT IS WHITE AND ONES...now that I listen to the song again....I'm like 97% sure he said white air ones LOL...cuz what rapper rocked white and ones, let alone and ones in general LOL, white air ones just makes so much more sense.

15. In elemenetary school, when I didn't have a cell phone and used to actually go on the phone a lot...sorry lemme backtrack a bit...I was talking on msn with my friend and suddenly his cousin took over and started talking ish about the picture I had which was Lloyd Backs I believe. Any ways we start arguung and beef ensues...cuz at that age, we had beef with people for no reason lol...any ways, I end up calling my friend and I'm like yo, put your cousin on the line and we start arguing and cussing at each other LOOOL. Now, recall the basketball tournament in story number 2....well he was there LOOOOL....we literally didn't say a word to each other...just looked at each other here and there.

16. Again, this goes in the category of almost getting into a fight, but didn't....I remember talking to this one girl in elementary school...for some reason she invited her other friend to the chat and we started arguing or something....so this girl's like YO DON'T MESS WITH ME...I know asian gangsters and they're gonna come beat you up. I'm in like grade 7 keep in mind, so I think I can fight anybody. So in the chat is me, my friend and her friend...her friend invites this one guy who's picture was like 2 eggs for eyes and bacon as a smile LOL. Her friend was like yo this guy is in the triads, don't make me make him come beat you up. The guy didn't say anything....this girl is still going off like yo man, he's gonna beat you up. This guy adds me, messages me separately and goes yo man, don't worry, this girl is stupid. Couple years later when I'm in high school....I finally meet this guy and I'm like yo, that was me...he's like LOOOOLyo that was so jokes...turns out he wasn't some triad guy...just some guy who knew martial arts...LOOOOL

17. This one goes in the same category...and literally came outta nowhere. This one guy who was alright in my books randomly comments on my picture talking ish. I couldn't tell if he was joking or now, so I just subtle said something that could be taken seriously or as a joke. Posted on his page like yo, what was that. He comments back and we start arguing....his boy randomly jumps in like YO DON'T MESS WITH MY BOY, I'LL COME BEAT YOU UP...I'm like wtf...who are you...he's like yo I'll come beat you up. Needless to say, nothing happened. Like a year later...cuz I don't forget faces...I see this guy at my school....I walk right past him, look him dead in his eye and say absolutely nothing...just straight grilled him cuz I knew he knew who I was...this guy was literally shook...some skinny kid thinking he was big....c'mon son.

18. This one was crazy....something I wish I was apart of, but glad I wasn't. I remember there was talk of a fight happening in school....some kids from another school coming and for some reason, my friends felt compelled to help the guy out and 'defend' out school. So it's last period, law class, in the computer lab...like 7-10 of my friends in that class are nowhere to be seen....I'm like damn....don't tell me. Like 5-6 pm at home. My friend's ike yo you missed it. HUGE FIGHT AT THE PARK...like some dude got hit in the back of the head with a pipe, bleeding, unconscious on someone's driveway. Just fights happening all over the park...like legit 30+ mans apparently...and it all orginated cuz of 2 guys who had an argument...30 people fighting cuz of 2 guys...stupid.

God, You Are So Good

An early post wow...I just woke up...and God has really been speaking to me as of late...none more clearer than this morning, sitting in my bed going through my phone. I decided to finally go through the passage my friend recommended me to read...Hebrews 12...and that in itself was eye opening...mentally, emotionally and physically. I'd like to share it with you guys. The title is called God Disciplines His Children.

1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. 4 In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5 And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says, “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, 6 because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.”7 Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? 8 If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. 9 Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! 10 They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness.11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. 12 Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. 13 “Make level paths for your feet,” so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.

Hebrews 12:1-13

After waking up, the song Blessings by Laura Story came to mind...which brought me to this video that brought me to tears. She said so many things that hit me so hard...."there is something in your life that hasn't worked out the way you thought it would, something that you've prayed that God would fix and for some reason, He's seemed to have left it broken for now." Her words literally touched my heart...she mentions when God speaks to you in that little voice directly to your heart..."what if the healing is a process, what if it's a long road that involves more sleepless nights that you ever imagined, involves more faith that you ever thought yourself capable of, will you still give me all the glory?" Her response was that she's learning to say yes..and I guess I'm in the same boat...to understand that faith can really move mountains...her last words before the song starts is what brought me to tears after it all..."just because I don't understand God's plan doesn't mean he isn't a good and faithful God with a good and perfect plan.

Don't Let Me Hold You Back

I'm a very home oriented person...which explains why I stayed at home for university. I never like going on vacations for very long...I don't like being away from family or friends. Some people's ideal summer vacation may be to go on vacation and travel all summer...my ideal summer is chilling with my friends and family everyday...going on food adventures, playing board games and enjoying each other's company. It baffles me how some people can be so quick to drop everything and travel the world...family, friends, home...but I guess their sense of adventure and tourism is just that strong. I get pretty discouraged sometimes when I talk to close friends and they're like man I get wait to get out of Toronto and move to like New York or Hong Kong or something...cuz in my head it's like I'll never see them again. Call it selfish lol cuz my ideal future is like getting married with kids...staying in Toronto and like still chilling with all my friends and stuff. To know that some of my friends may leave Toronto and such is a bit discouraging for me being so home, family and friend oriented. But then again it's not up to me to be like stay and be with me forever lol...people got hopes, dreams, ambitions and the whole world out there for them. But then again that's life right...people come...people go, people stay...people leave. So as much as I'd like to have all my friends and family by my side forever...I sadly know that won't be the case...and I feel like with each waking day, I'm slowly preparing myself for that day...to perhaps have to say goodbye to close friends...people I've known all my life, people I care about extremely...but that's life...and it moves on...so I gotta too.

God's Plan vs My Plan

Man this is so frustrating...when things seem to be finally going good...after finally clearing my plate, the waters are looking calm, clear sailing ahead...God's gotta throw a wrench into my plans. Dang this sucks...I've been reminding myself every minute of everyday that everything is happening for a reason...the testing of my faith is producing perseverance inside of me, but man it's so hard. It's not even getting everything that I want exactly...I really do trust in God\s plan for me...but dang...sometimes it gets frustrating how hard, unpredictable and such it is and can be...but that's where faith comes in I know...dang...I\m reminded of this picture tho...

PS: Pray for me...that I'll stay the course, as hard and as long as it may be...as many trials, hurdles and detours I gotta go through...to keep my eye on the finish line and trust God.