The Season of Giving

Now that Thanksgiving has passed, we look forward to most everyone's favorite holiday. Christmas is a holiday/season of family, kindness, and giving. But not everyone is fortunate enough to be able to give. You hear about radio stations raising money for underprivileged families. Same with churches and companies. The company I work for is doing an adopt a family program. We are donating money to the Adopt-A-Family program and actually buying gifts for the kids. My department got 3 people to buy for.

The first 2 were children, no more than 12 years old. They were brothers in a family of  7. Since they are in the program, they have only one parent, and have a low income. These children were told to make a list of 5 things for us to get them. Out of the 10 combined items, 1 was something they didn't really need. They asked for socks, shirts, underwear, coats, etc. One asked for a football I think. the 9 year old asked for "Books so I can learn how to read". I don't think there was one person in my department not fighting tears. These kids didn't ask for toys, which since they're kids we wouldn't mind getting them anyway. Instead, they just wanted things that I take for granted every single day. These kids are better people than I am.

Their father was our 3rd person. He was drastically overweight. I'm assuming living off of unemployment or disability. He gave us 5 things. "The new madden. A dvd player. A tv. A coat." I don't even remember the the last one. Nobody wants to buy for this man. He is selfish. He has 6 kids who are asking for legitimate things. And he wants us to buy him a game? For a system he doesn't have a tv for?

People do beautiful things for others this time of year. We forget our own selfish needs to help out others. We spend time in food kitchens, volunteer, adopt families. This is the time of year to forget about yourself and use your resources for someone else's benefit. The feeling you get when you see a stranger's child smile because you get them socks is the saddest and most beautiful thing in the world. Cherish this time of year. Giving may benefit you more than you think. Happy Holidays.

Star Wars Wars

So the other day I was approached with a question I didn't realize would be so difficult to answer. Most questions are stoopid easy. Whats your favorite food? Burgers. Next. Whats your favorite kind of music? Hip hop/rap. DUH. Next. Whats your favorite upper chest workout aside from incline bench? Incline straight-arm overhead dumbell extensions. However, this question didn't come so easy...

Who is your favorite Star Wars character?

Mind blown. How do you answer that question. Immediately, I wanted to break this down to make it easier. Like, favorite character from the Republic and from the Empire. Or favorite from the original 3 and favorite from the new 3. But the question was strictly 1 favorite through all of Star Wars aside from the extracurricular Star Wars Universe.

So here is my attempt at the, in numerical order, top 5 Star Wars characters.

5.

 Darth Sidious
   This character edged out quite a few potential #5's. It could've been Han Solo. Could've been Darth Maul. I chose DS to make this list because of his role in the entire Star Wars universe. Maybe the only reason there is a Star Wars series. He was, as Palpatine, the final Supreme Chancellor of the the Republic. He then revealed himself as DS and became the first Emperor of the Galactic Empire. He turned Anakin into Darth Vader. He was clever, cunning, and quite the piece of eye candy for those of you who are into wrinkly, decaying sith lords. So most of you.

 "You will devote yourself to the idea of domination"


4.

Yoda
   In the same vein DS was the reason there was a Galactic Empire that overthrew the republic, Yoda was a big cause of the fall of the Empire. If it weren't for Yoda, Luke would have never learned how to harness and hone his Force potential and defeat his father, Vader. Yoda was Grandmaster on the Jedi council and was dope to watch fight. Like, I don't even know how anyone could go 1v1 in a lightsabe battle. Dude was flipping everywhere. He's Star Wars's Oddjob...if you get that reference anyway. Plus, he was full of amazing quotes and interesting word placement. Perennial top 5 choice right here.

 "Wars not make someone great"

3.

 

Boba Fett
   Arguably way more bad-ass than his dad, Jango, even though Jango is a way better name. Boba. What a stupid ass name. Guarantee he became a bounty hunter, not because of the spite he had for his dad's death, but because he wanted to kill everyone who made fun of his stupid ass name. Anyway, this guy killed/captured/probably killed people for a living. Already dope. He is the best at what he does and that in itself is admirable. Plus, anybody who could fly the Slave I is worth a top spot. That ship looks impractical.

"Get him, dad, get him. Fire!"

2.

  Natalie Port...er, Padme Amidala
   I know this isn't Padme, but I really like this picture of Natalie Portman so I used it. Also, it's my blog. I could've put a picture of a guy sleeping a hamburger if I wanted to so shut up. As a matter of fact,

  SEE THAT!?!?!? MY BLOG.

   Anyway, I chose Padme because she is the ultimate bad ass female. She's sexy, smart, powerful, and brave. She stayed to help fight the Empire even though she WAS PREGNANT. She cared for her people and wanted to protect them at any cost. Plus, she gave birth to the character who killed the most powerful force sensitive character in the movies. That's cool. Her vagina couldn't handle giving birth to those kids so she died. Luke and Leia killed their mom. THATS why they're nowhere near this list.

"My only wish is that Sam Thomas will marry me so we can eskimo kiss whenever I want."

 1.

 Mace Windu
   The dude of all of the Star Wars movies and my number #1 favorite character. Served on the Jedi Council. Fought the Empire. The only reason HE didn't stop the rise of the Empire is because ANKIN SKYWALKER IS A HUGE DICK!!!! Either way, he killed Jango Fett by cutting his head off. Haha. Idk what Boba did with dad's head when he picked up his helmet, but I bet he cried a lot. Nice job, Mace. Purple is my favorite color and he is the only Star Wars character to have a purple lightsaber. He is easily the coolest Korunnai I can think of. Hats off to you, Mace.

"May the Force be with us all"

Agree with my top pick? Who is your favorite character?

   

Pokemon And Man

If you've every played Pokemon, then yo...

Oh, you're tired of me writing about Pokemon for basically all my blogs? That really sucks.

...u probably have wished with all your might that they were real. 11:11? Wish for Pokemon. Big side of a wishbone? Wish for Pokemon. Find a magic lamp containing a genie voiced by Robin WIlliams in the Cave of Wonder? Pocket Monsters. Found all the Dragonballs? POKEMON. Got terminal cancer and the Make a Wish gives you a wish? Wish for Pokemon, then be severely disappointed.

But we always think of the anime or the video game when yearning for Pokemon to be a reality. Like, "I'd spend so much time training and starting a bond with my Abra. We'll be the best team in the world!" But what about all of the corruptness in the world. If there is anything we know, it's that Pokemon are a reflection of how they were raised. Meaning if Pokemon were real, any Pokemon I owned would probably be really vain AND a huge pussy. So here goes my blog on

THE REALITY OF POKEMON BEING A REALITY IN THIS REALITY

First Sad Reality:

Pokemon Would Be Controlled By The Government.

I hate to say it, but they're just too built for this aspect of life that they'd be trained to fight in our military's. I mean, that's what trainers do anyway, but this would most likely be to the death. To most Pokemon, humans with guns would just tear away at them, but then we have Pokemon like Hypno, who is a psychic type, that could literally stop bullets, jets, missles, etc. Let's take their powers one step further. Who's to say a well trained Hypno or any psychic type couldn't just tear people in half with their abilities? Crazy stuff. So governments having Pokemon in the military would probably mean they couldn't be owned privately. Probably means they're all raised in training camps to be turned into war machines.

*Whiskey Break*

*Back*

 I imagine Pokemon in real life as guns now. The government can have as many as they feel necessary. However, if we want a Pokemon, even as a pet, we have to get licensed. There'd be restrictions on evolutions, types, levels, moves, etc. Pokemon are just too powerful. Do you think we'd be allowed to own Porygon? Those dudes can go into computers and hack stuff and get gov intel. A squad of Butterfree can fly over a city using poison powder and almost instantly kill off an entire population. Its scary.

2.

Pokemon Would Be Used In Gangs

So you have Bloods and Crips. Red and Blue. Fire and Water. Each side would be using Pokemon on the streets to "solve their differences". Consider all of the innocent deaths because of a Blizzard attack in the middle of a street fight. I don't think Pokemon attacks are as centralized as they make them seem. Also, Earthquake? Not exactly a move that will stay in the battle. This one isn't hard to believe because even the game version has had a new gang every single generation.

3.

  

 Pokemon Used For Gambling

This isn't as much of an evil as it is why they're being trained in the first place. Races. Fights. All sorts of competition. I picture Hitmonlee and Hitmonchan in a Kick Boxing Championship. Then the questionable part comes into play. Owner says, "Hitmonchan is the best puncher, Hitmonlee the best kicker. Why not breed them together?" Now we have crossbreeding and turning pure Pokemon into monsters. YEAH. MONSTERS. Who's to say that crossbreeding won't lead to health defects. Solution? Lab Testing on Pokemon. No matter how you spin it, its bad.

Okay, so now that I took away all of the good things about Pokemon that you thought there were, let me throw a new one out. 

4.

 The Aging of Pokemon.

Obviously this topic means Pokemon will die. So that is sad. But most things die, its a truth we try to come to terms with. But, some Pokemon can defy age. 

You're a child. You catch a Caterpie. You raise it for a few years after it becomes a Butterfree. By the time you're a teen, I can imagine this Butterfree isn't with you any longer. But Ghost Pokemon can't die bc they're already "dead". Voltorb and Porygon are man made. Like Ders referring to his Volvo, if you keep up with the maintenance, these Pokemon last forever. Legendaries, I'd assume, are immortal because how could there be legends about something that hasn't been through quite a bit. Now, most Pokemon probably have lifespans comparable to ours. Your original three starters fully evolved I bet live to be round 100. Same for most. Imagine this scenario: You are a child. One Christmas, your parents get you a Vulpix. You and this Vulpix are best friends. Fucking Bert and Ernie in this bitch. You turn 16, you get a fire stone. Now you have a Ninetails. Fast forward through many great years and experiences together. You are on your death bed. Your daughter is holding your hand until you fade away.Your Ninetails lays at the foot of your bed. What happens to Ninetails? Well, Ninetails lives around 1000 years. So the bond you had with your Ninetails will be carried through daughter and eventually a good chunk of your blood line. You can rest easy knowing your best friend is taking care of the most important people in your life. It's a beautiful sentiment really.

Alright, wipe your tears and tell me what you think of all this gibberish. Agree? Disagree? WHY!?!?!?!?!?

Okay, Guy.

So whenever I go to work at the mall, I get to partake in one of my favorite hobbies. People watching. While "people watching" usually turns into staring a cougars, It can be more productive. Like yesterday I saw something that made me think of today's blog topic. Things That Are Impractical. Just because something sounds like a good idea, doesn't necessarily mean that it is. So here are things that I think just probably should go away.

1.)

Mall Security Guards on Segways.
  This is the example of something that is impractical that I saw while at the mall...duh. Okay, Scenario Time. I go up to Wetzels and steal like 100 pizza pretzels and most likely eat 6 before security even gets wind. No way ANY mall security guard is in good enough shape to catch this Flash/Hulk baby. So they send the big guns, Axel's(from Twisted Metal) handicap little brother, The Segway RoboGuard. I see him coming at me and this fucker is way faster than expected. Those dudes just zoom around the mall like madmen. Its nuts. Anyway, like a Lion after it's prey, he is closing the gap fast. So I make like the wild gazelle and...use the stairs. Done. I walk away eating the other 94 pizza pretzels.
  Okay. Let's say he does catch me. Like, I'm passing passing Victoria's Secret and there is a woman in yoga pants picking out 5 for $25 underwear from the bins(Hey, I've had a gf or two in my day). So naturally, I slow down to drool properly and RoboGuard catches up. He's got me. What does he do? Hit me with a baton? Pepper spray? No. He is a mall security guard and can't use those things. Hand cuff me? No way dude is getting off that segway or risking losing balance and falling off. So, I walk away with 86 pizza pretzels and a chub.
  Stupid segway guards.

2.)

 Choosing Pichu as Your Character in Super Smash Bros Melee
  There are 26 characters in SSBM. Pikachu and Pichu are 2 of the choices. They are the exact same except Pichu is smaller, lighter, and slightly faster. Honestly, you don't need Pikachu to be faster. Anyway, another glaring difference is that Pichu hurts itself when it uses electric attacks. WHAT. Why pick him? Oh yeah, because his soundbyte when he dies is freaking adorable...and don't worry, you'll hear it a lot. A SSBM wiki ranks Pichu #26 in the game. A game that has the Ice Climbers as a character choice. I'm done convincing you.

3.)

One ply, un-lotioned tissues.
  This is America in the new millennium. If your tissue doesn't feel like 500 count sheets when you're blowing your nose, stop shopping at the Dollar Tree.

4.)

Smith Machines
  This hits close to home because for now I'm at Planet Fitness and those are the only "squat racks" that they have. Most of them are slightly angled like the one in the picture. So if you do any kind of chest press lift, you are going to hurt your wrists or shoulders, depending on which way you compensate. Also, my biggest problem with these machines is that they stop you from using and strengthening all of your stabilizer muscles. When you use regular dumb bells or bar bells, your body uses smaller muscles to stabilize and hold proper form. Since the smith machine's bar defies gravity, you don't use any of those muscles, hindering proper development and increasing chance of injury in real life situations. A benefit of using the smith machine? It's great if you are trying to completely emasculate yourself.

*SIDE NOTE*

Okay, I have literally never heard a human baby boy's penis referred to as anything other than a childish variation of "wee-wee". So question: Is wee-wee the scientific term for a baby's penis? Because I just say dick. Too many different words for the same thing just gets confusing. There is no such thing as a baby thesaurus. It's just a baby dick.

anyway

5.)

A Repeat Ball
  A repeat ball is a type of Pokeball used to catch Pokemon you have already registered in your Pokedex. Meaning Pokemon you already have. And far as I know, you can't catch wild Eevees so there is literally no use to this stupid ball. It's a waste of space man. And, to make it worse, it's made from an acorn. Hahaha. stupid game.

If you have anything else you think is impractical, lemme know so I can tell you you're wrong.

And if you care to see my opinions on literally everything else, follow my Twitter @samgregtom

Happy Thanksgaining!

 Fall is here and so is the end to whatever lucrative diet you were on to maintain your crazy 8 pack. Relieving is one way to put it, but when they slowly disappear, you start to feel a little withdrawal. Fitness buffs are very vulnerable and emotional people...we just have strong feelings for things like food and striations. But as the winter approaches, we must prepare for something we in the muscle biz like to call

Bulking Season
  
It's the most wonderful time of the year, but we don't have any songs for it. Bulking season is the time of the year when you don't really have your shirt off in public much like you would at a beach during the summer. So during this time you get to spend more quality time on getting huge. Think of it this way: You are a fruit. Pick one, I don't care. So, in the Fall and Winter is when you bulk, or Ripen. This is when you get juicy and plump and awesome. Spring rolls around and it's now time to get ready for the Farmer's Market, i.e. Summer. Spring is when you get Peeled, to keep the fruit analogy going. Then Summer. If you've been tested for hollowness, spots, and how soft your rind is, you could be selected by that hot MILF and taken home to sit in her table bowl as a show piece during girls night.

So, how do you celebrate Bulking Season?

1.

Cheat Meals become Cheat Days. A cheat meal was one reward meal you treated yourself to to keep you sane on your all water and Isopure diet. Stretch that out over a whole day to get those necessary calories to get you through a week's worth of training. Cheat meals are okay when its just like a burger. Burgers are great. But you only get 1 day to eat whatever you want. Make it memorable! A good friend posted a picture of his cheat dinner the other day. And it was this:

An all meat pizza with Pizza Rolls. Food Porn. Pizza Boner. I'm going to one up him this Sunday by adding an upside-down pizza on top and making it a Pizza Roll Pizza Sandwich. CAN'T WAIT.

2.

 Go shopping for clothes! This weather, commonly known as "Sweater Weather", is perfect for giant, buff dudes. Sweaters and thermals, when sized right, look awesome and still show off all your hard work. The best part? The fact that they keep you warm means your muscles keep their size. BRO SCIENCE. Personally, I'm going to be buying all of these sweatshirts.

3.

 

Seasonal Girlfriends! Call 'em cuddle buddies if you wanna, but there are plenty of girls out there LOOKING FOR SOMEONE JUST LIKE YOU. A guy who is getting huge who is probably going to get a little fluffy and be a little insecure. That's you for sure, you giant stud you. She wants a big meat mountain to keep her warm and safe during the winter. Its in their nature. And they almost always look the those girls above too so you're all set.

Bulking season, cuddle weather, Fall. Whatever you wanna call it, it's here and ready to be embraced. GET HUGE.

Social Media Etiquette: Facebook Edition

I love writing these blogs because I can say whatever I want because that's what blogs are for. And they're awesome. No rules. Other social media, however, does have some guidelines to maintain sanity amongst the digital masses. Facebook is probably the biggest social media outlet right now and maybe one of the most abused. I think since it is such a broad media, there are a lot of exceptions, in the same light, a lot of ways to abuse it.

Social Media Etiquette: Facebook Edition!!!!

Okay, I'm going to start with one that actually doesn't bug me as much as it pisses me off. And it doesn't really happen on Facebook. The thing that pisses me off is when people think its weird/get upset/are bothered when one of their Facebook friends likes/comments on a status/picture. Example conversation time:

Girl 1: So, I posted this picture of me in my bikini from spring break...
Girl 2: Ohmygod, that super cute green one from Target?
Girl 1: Yeah!
Girl 2: It looks so good on you! Especially when you stopped eating.
Girl 1: OMG thank you girlie! 
Girl 2: I facking love Target. Everything there is so cute.
Girl 1: Like I know. I'd never leave if they served wine while you shopped.
Girl 2: Right!?! I could so go for some Moscato right now. Ugh.
Girl 1: So anyway, I posted that picture and Sam Thomas liked it.
Girl 2: Sam Thomas? That weirdo that you always talk to when you're drunk?
Girl 1: Yeah. I just want to do weird things with him after I have half a fifth of tequila. But, I mean, we text sometimes too. And I see him at the gym and we talk there too.
Girl 2: Oh thats so weird. He probably likes you. What a creeper.
Girl 1:  I know. Can you say restraining order? ehahahahehaha.

THAT SHIT. Here is the thing. If you put something on Facebook AND ACCEPTED A FRIEND REQUEST you are allowing all comments and likes that may ensue. Stop being a huge bitch. I have plenty of friends who are girls who have had half of that conversation with me about someone. No, it's not weird. Thats what Facebook is for. Why are are you posting bikini pics if not for the attention and likes? I just can't understand it and I'm turning SSJ2 thinking about it. If you're a girl and post a status like "Taking a shower", EXPECT dudes to like it.

 Alright, I've said my peace.

Next one is a status that we see all too often.

The super vague, begging for attention status. Don't do it. Everyone knows why your are doing it and no one cares. If you have a problem with/feeling about someone, Facebook isn't the place for it. Ever since Facebook became, we forgot how to handle our problems. Talk to the people. At the very least, text them and don't post it for the world to not care about.

That picture is a good example of another Sam Rule Violation: Airing out your dirty laundry. There is a time and a place for that and it's never and nowhere. Control your emotions, be an adult and talk to these people face to face. I hate when people are mad at their gfs or bfs and post that they're being _____. If you even think about posting it on FB, sounds like you should probably address the "guilty" party and actually fix the problem instead of making it worse. This etiquette blog is turning into a free counseling session.

My last rule of Facebook is The Twitter Rule. Twitter is a social media where you post pics, thoughts, links in 140 character increments. It's basically 1. a way to see what your fave celebs are doing or 2. a place to record every thought you ever had. Twitter was created in 2006. Its 2013. There is no reason for anyone to be posting more than 2 Facebook statuses a day. We have Twitter now. Put whatever you want on that. We expect it. Facebook does not need to be crowded by the fact that your kid didn't want to take care of his toys so now he is in timeout. "Potty training _______ and he keeps shitting on the floor" "Ugh, I don't know how ______ can miss so much. Or hit the ceiling from that angle" "I showed _____ where the toilet handle is" "WHO THE F*&K PUT THE TOILET PAPER ROLL ON BACKWARDS?!?!?!" "Oh good, ______ finally shit in the toilet, too bad it was an upper decker" Those are PERFECT examples of tweets. Horrible examples of FB statuses.

Pretty short list considering all the things Facebook has to offer. Also, if your # is on fb, its fair game. Not gonna add anything to that, your fault.

Please follow these rules or you'll have me freaking out in my room and doing absolutely nothing about it.

Final Line-Up

So you wake up in Kanto and Prof Oak is like, "Yo, I has proposition for you. Catch a bunch of Pokemon and you'll get tons of pu...uh, you're 10. Um, candy! You'll get tons of candy". You're like duh. BUT you're a huge nerd and you wanna plan out exactly which Pokemon you want in your final line-up. I don't know about you, but

My Favorite 6 Original For My Line-Up(No particular order)

BTW, lemme start this off with: This is not what I would do if I started Pokemon Red again. This is what I am going to do when Pokemon are real.

1.

 Gengar

Why: Because he matches my blog layout, dummy! But seriously. He is a Ghost Pokemon. He is fast, strong, and isn't affected by a lot of attacks.

Aside From Abilities: Gengar has mischievous qualities that, if he were on your team, would be hilarious to have around. He is a jokester. He'd love to lighten the mood for ya.

Entrance Music: Motionless In White - Creatures

Nickname: Sparkles.

2.

Jolteon

Why: Jolteon is one of the fastest Pokemon in the world. Combine speed with his electric attacks makes him a tough match-up. Plus, he's small, so I'd imagine he'd just be tough to hit all around.

Aside From Abilities: Jolteon would be like an aggressive dog. I'd want him when he was a puppy like in the picture. CUTE! Jolteon would be very protective and very loyal.

Entrance Music: Eminem - Till I Collapse feat. Nate Dogg

Nickname: Burza (Polish word for Storm)

3.

Dewgong

Why: An ice and water Pokemon that can endure a lot. Ice is an often overlooked element, but to me it is a crucial part to the team. Dewgong has plenty of good ice and water moves at it's disposal.

Aside From Abilities: Dewgong has an elegance that matches the rest of my team. She gives my group diversity and a bit of legitimacy. Probably the most trancic of the group. This is how we Dew(gong). If I have a Dewgong in my line-up, girls with think I have a sensitive side and go on dates with me and stuff.

Entrance Music: Frank Ocean - Novacane

Nickname: Ariel. (Uh Duh)

4.

Machoke

Why: He is incredibly strong and his physical attacks will poke-rape most opponents. I am leaving him at a Machoke and not evolving him because it is my opinion that he would be more clumsy and slower if he had an extra set of arms. I'll sacrifice some strength.

Aside From Abilities: I can't think of a single Pokemon that would have more swag than Machoke would. Dude probably wears sunglasses a la the Squirtle Squad. He's peeled man. The dude has an ego. If you think of a gym douche in Kanto, you think of Machoke. My team needs that character.

Entrance Music: Lil Scrappy - No Problem

Nickname: Dom (A lot of reasons)

5.

Arcanine

Why: One of the beastliest fire Pokemon of ever. This dude is A LEGENDARY POKEMON but gets no recognition. Part of the original legendary 4 and the 1st legendary dog.

Aside From Abilities: He is probably the best combo of any positive trait a Pokemon could have. Loyal, cunning, brave, unique, and bitches LOVE dogs. "Ohhhh! Is that your Arcanine? Its so cute! Can I pet it?" "As long as I can pet your Persian". Sealed that deal, Master Ball style. Thanks, Arcanine.

Entrance Music: Yelawolf - Let's Roll

Nickname: Appa (Aang's flying bison)

6.

Nidoking

Why: A poison and ground Pokemon. Insane strength and ability to take some hits. He has moves that kill in one hit. Can learn surf and thunder. I mean, WHAT. 

Aside From Abilities: He rounds out my purple colored Pokemon. Try finding a more bad ass looking Pokemon. CAN'T DO IT. That's why I posted 2 pictures. Definitely inspires confidence in his team. I can't imagine he is afraid of anything. 

Entrance Music: Super Saiyan Vegeta Theme

Nickname: Typhon (Greek mythology's Father of All Monsters)

Those are my 6. Let me know how you think I did. What would yours be?

 

 

From Too Good to Meh

Adrian, Michigan born and raised. Got that shit tatted on my fo-head. I've been moved out since high school and I've been one place before now. Holland, Michigan. I was there for a long time. Now I'm back on the east side. I went from the West Side to the East Side. Like Tupac to Biggie. Dre to Hov. Big Sean to Big Sean. There are/were good things about each and since I usually just rant about negative things, imma try and put a "positive" spin on it.

First things first:

Things I Miss About Holland

First thing I'm going to miss about Holland is:

  That's a picture of State Park in Holland, but I'm going to miss all the beaches equally because

Kate Upton. Er, not Kate Upton but boobs. Ugh. I mean, attractive women wearing nothing. Not porn. What I'm trying to say is the fact that there are multiple beaches in Holland and thats what you did during the summer, people tried harder to be in shape. Holland is a very fit and healthy city. It's not because people wanted to be healthy for themselves, they just wanted to be oogled at the beach. Shallow? Yes. Did it do the trick? Yes.

Next Up

BROS! dammit, wrong kind. Hold on.

BROS! SHIT! I mean, closer. Just wrong thing. Alright......HERE:

YAY! It worked! Bros are a very bittersweet but very necessary part of Holland. Because Holland was littered with "Bros", you could get away with a lot more when it came to clothing. I love tank tops...NOT BRO TANKS. And I can wear them there and not have a problem. Not as easy on the east side. I have some JS Wings by Adidas and I can barely break them out here however, in Holland, surprisingly, I fit it. I'm not worried about fitting in, it's just nice to have less to worry about when you are trying to enjoy yourself.

Now, onto

Things I Love About Ypsilanti

There are a few things that I like about Ypsi. First, a specific type of girl you can't get in Holland

Attractive Alternative Girls. Hipsters, punks, emo(ish). The girls here pick something. They are that thing. And they're hot as shit doing it. Also, just the amount of ethnic diversity is basically an "Alternative Style" when comparing Holland to here. I mean, the Arabic women. YEESH.

The best thing about Ypsilanti goes along with the above point, just less shallow. People here are just really accepting. Races, Sexuality, Gingers; they're all loved equally here. Nobody judges me for being Aryan. They love me for blonde hair, blue eyes, and sharp jaw line. Even though I'd like to point out, I went from majority to minority. It's nuts. Its great though. #TheStruggle.

RUN!

Recently, my brother and myself signed up for a 5K called The Grand Rapids Mud Run. On the morning of, we woke up around 8am, brushed our teeth, threw on shorts and a T. Our start time was 9am, so as you can tell, we were pretty lax about this whole thing. We get there and I was just in absolute awe.

People LOVE 5Ks and I have absolutely NO idea why.

A 5K is a 5 kilometer run. For those of you who don't want to Google the conversion, its 3.10686 miles. But most people won't just run a 5K because it's a 5K. I'd say about 99.9% of 5Ks have some sort of theme or cause. People love saying they ran for boobs or because people were throwing paint at them(we'll get to that later).

So, this particular mud run I went to, people, quite obviously, spent too much money for a roughly 30 minute race. Registration fee was $65, team shirts were probably $25, and not to mention all the silly accessories like tutus people were donning. Some people easily spent $100+ on this race. I'm not saying everyone has to be like me, I'm just saying choose your battles.

The Most Common Themed 5Ks:

 Spartan Race and Warrior Dash

I put these 2 races together because they are the exact same. Both obstacle course mud runs. Obstacles like monkey bars, walls, rope ladders, etc. These are in fact quite fun, but don't think it will last forever. I think that they are fun and any non-running badass(much like myself) should test their abilities.

Run For You Lives

Now this one is interesting, however just a 5K. Zombies chase you. I'm not sure if they are allowed to touch you or hinder you in anyway besides making you contemplate whether or not you'll survive the inevitable zombie apocalypse. Which you won't. Because zombies for some reason are incredibly conditioned.

 The Color Run

This is the one that just fucking gets me. And not "gets me" like a twin would say about their twin, but "gets me" like I can't understand how dumb people are. Straight forward 5K that claims it's "the happiest 5K on the planet". Why so happy on a 5K? BECAUSE THEY THROW COLORED POWDER AT YOU. Like, you're colorful at the end and happy as shit. I don't know. Leave me alone.

Justification

Alright, I know I just knocked people who run. Running is in fact dumb, but that's neither here nor there. I think themed 5Ks are fine, I just don't like how we spend so much on them and build them up so high. Seriously, if the Color Run comes in your area, just watch your FB feed that day. Juuuuuuuuusttttttt watch. I do however love the idea of people losing weight in anticipation of a 5K. People who signed up and told themselves that they need to be in great shape for it. It's an awesome thing to see. I could never be mad at a success story.

There is one race that I've always had my eye on. Its a little more than 3 miles, but the idea is just absolute genius. It's easy to explain, but I think that this link should be enough to convince you as well.


 

Social Media Etiquette: Instagram Edition

This generation of kids has noticeably been more outgoing, be it in a positive or negative way. This could be from any number of reasons. It could be because of the subliminal messages in their Kidz Bop CDs. Could be because of the amount of groups they can be involved in. I choose to believe that a big part of it is social media. People feel comfortable saying things and dressing certain ways when they aren't directly judged. This generation doesn't change how they act when they transition from these outlets to real interaction. They don't know any better. One of the big outlets they use and just misunderstand is Instagram. This is my blog about

Instagram Etiquette

Background information. Instagram is a social media site where you post pictures. That's the main idea. You can follow your friends, athletes, celebrities, fan pages and their posts are all filed on a straight up and down feed for you to view.

Now, these rules and guidelines are all my opinion which means, more than likely, they are pretty accurate. And, out of all of the social media sites, Instagram has the least amount of restrictions. I'm sure people get upset about how somebody posts a selfie every single day. But Instagram is strictly pictures. Aside from food, you see your self every single day and thats why these 2 get the most postings. I think it gets annoying at times, but you also choose who you follow.

The first and foremost problem I have with Instagram users is the implementation of hashtags. Hashtags are # and they're used for searching for certain topics. For example: You post a picture of your Nikes, so then you hashtag it like #Nike. Then, if someone wants to look at pics that have to do with Nike, they search that tag. SIMPLE. Not hard to understand. Sometimes they're used as jokes. Which is fine because ironic hashtags are often better than the picture.

Example of purposeful #ing:

Those tags all have to do with the picture. And if somebody searched those they wouldn't be disappointed...mostly because those may be the dopest shoes I have ever seen. Whomever owns those must be really awesome and probably not compensating for anything.

Example of non-purposeful but good #ing:

Kevin hart is the MAN when it comes to this stuff. Just a good ole time.

And the next 2 make me cringe. These are examples of just dumb dumb dumb #ing:

#This #Is #Just #Really #Dumb. I mean, nobody is going to search any of those #s. I just don't even get it. I also follow this chick who tags #Cleavage in every pic no matter what. That's what we like to call an Instawhore. She needs as much attention as she can get. Likes = self-esteem.

Filters are awesome. However, don't brag about No Filters on your photo like we are supposed to be impressed that you actually are average looking.

Another no no is Facebooking or Twittering on Instagram...i.e. typing out a note, screen capping it, then posting it on Insta. GTFOH. You have FB. You have Twitter. Use them.

I know I mentioned selfies and how they are okay but annoying. One thing that is against protocol with selfies is when you commit a Blue Steel. If you get the reference, I don't need to explain it. If you don't get the reference, go to your kitchen sink, grab the greenest colored cleaning liquid you can find and have a chugging contest with yourself. Blue Steel refers to a movie called Zoolander with Ben Stiller who is a male model who makes one face.

If this is how your selfies on Instagram look like, you're mostly just self obsessed and screaming how lonely you are. Yes, you will get the same creepy guys liking all of them so don't complain about it.


Basically, you can get away with murder on Instagram. So just don't take advantage of it and digitally rape us. #BeNice #YOLO

Shame On You, Ash Ketchum

I love everything about Pokemon. Pokemon was a huge part of my childhood. I watched the tv show, I read the Manga, I collected the cards, I went to the movies in the theaters, I even went to a weekly Pokemon gathering at a toy store where they had promotional cards, badges, battles and trading sessions. It was awesome and now I miss it a lot.

In my old age...old age relative to the topic anyway...I have realized certain things. All of them awesome and confirming my love for the brand. All of them except one glaring realization.

Ash Ketchum is a huge piece of shit.

As a child, I idolized that guy. Now I am putting him up for examination.

Ash Ketchum is a 10 year old Pokemon trainer. His goal is to catch all the Pokemon. Currently, according to Bulbapedia(not making that up) there are 649 different Pocket Monsters. In the Pokemon universe, you can only physically carry 6 Pokemon; a rule created by ?. There is a computer system set up in this realm that will hold your Pokemon that you do not want/can not carry. That means Ash aspires to have 643 Pokemon in his computer. *Numbers not adjusted for evolutions*

Fuck you, Ash.

You want to grab all these animals and throw them in a computer to do nothing for probably the rest of their lives? Taking them away from their families. If it's a parent Pokemon, then the child is quite possibly being orphaned because of you and you aren't even going to use it. Just gonna add a page to your Pokedex. You never thought of catch and release? What if that newly orphaned Pokemon dies because of you. But its cool, because now you have a Venonat chillin' in your PC. NOBODY USES VENONAT. WHY DO YOU NEED A VENONAT?!?! You're literally a spoiled brat who wants a new toy and then just throws it in the corner after 10 minutes never to be used again. GTFOH with that.

And then there is Pikachu. The only justifiable catch you have. You saved a bullied Pokemon from death. Thats really cool of you. Except for the special treatment you give it and throw in all of your other Pokemon's faces. Charizard didn't respect you, not because he didn't think you were a capable trainer, but because you quite obviously played favorites. Charizard isn't a little bitch, so stop treating him like one.

PLUS! Oh yeah Jack-Ash, there is more.

You had no dad(that we were made aware of anyway) and you left your mom. You're 10 dude. Your mom has no one now. She is missing you growing up. She'll never get those moments with you again. When you come back, you probably won't be a virgin anymore. And there is about a 100% chance that Pikachu was your first you gross m-fer. Why did you have to leave so badly? You probably gave your mom some psychological trauma and now she needs therapy and medication. Why couldn't you wait to leave? Selfish.

Obviously, this just bugs me a little bit. I wish the person I looked up to as a child wasn't so awful.

Don't worry Ash. I'll comfort your mom while you're gone. *Insert favorite Pokeball inuendo here*

Social Media Etiquette: Snap Chat Edition

I love social media to no end because I love posting Pokemon pictures and music video links. It's my favorite.

However, while I am not the end-all-be-all on the topic, people just don't understand general rules for these outlets. These things aren't even made for my generation, but I feel like I have to teach a class to everyone who gets a freaking smart phone. Or write a blog telling you all how sucky you are.

Bam. Here it is.

SNAP CHAT EDITION

Let's start this off with a Fun Fact. This mascot/logo has a name. Its Ghostface Chilla and I promise I'm not making that up.

For those of you who don't know what Snap Chat is you probably don't care and I don't know why you got this far in the blog. You take a picture or video, draw on it, write a sentence and send it to ? for up to 10 seconds before it disappears forever. You can screenshot but the sender is notified. Thats it. Simple. And sounds like the perfect thing for our #1 use and #1 reason it should be used: FAP Chat/Nude Pictures.

Send a dick pic, get a tit pic. Don't show your face when you get the under shot of your taint. Send a naked pic and make it innocent with a sentence like "Look at these tan lines" or "Ignore my giant bush".

Never send a Snap Chat because you are bored, and have no intention behind it other than hoping someone may respond. You're lonely. Join a running club or something.

Snap Chat gives you all the tools to turn a really lame picture, like this one:

to something more enjoyable to look at:

Other appropriate snaps. Pokemon attacks

BUBBLE!

ONE OF THE FIRE ATTACKS THAT ALL LOOK IDENTICAL!







Obviously, there are exceptions to all rules. Some snaps may be appropriate for some people that arent for others. Like:

This is funny to me. His mom probably wouldn't laugh. Audience is key for snaps.

Another huge one that everyone with Snap Chat deals with is the alcoholic drink picture. Your friend snaps you a pic of a beer on a bar top. Let that sink in. They sent you a picture of liquid in a glass. Why not them holding it making the shocker with their hand and a sentence like "Get here now!". Nope. Just a beer. Why do I care that you are drinking a brown drink? Take a picture with a few of your friends and send that. Is there an exception to this rule? Hmm. Only if this person is getting drunk and planning on sending you taint pictures. 



Another exception rule is family, especially when you don't live with them. Love your family. Endure your cousin's endless barrage of kid pictures. You love them and they love you. Don't be a dick.

However, some pictures will never fit into an aforementioned exception clause. Example:

GTFOH.