LIFE: Cherish Your Waffle Cones

I love ice cream as I’m sure you do. I think it should have its own food group. I’ve never seen a person run after a milk, meat, or fish truck. Yet, I have seen people from all backgrounds run after the ice cream truck with little concern for on coming traffic. Very few items of food have their own jingle. At the moment, ice cream and bologna are the only two that come to mind. The one item that can consistently take your ice cream experience into a completely different stratosphere is a waffle cone. The traditional cone works just fine. However, the waffle cone is treat within itself. It makes the ice cream experience even that more memorable.

People come in different flavors just like ice cream. I always had a clear understanding of who were my friends as opposed to who were my associates. I’ve always felt that friendship is a two way street. You can’t expect a friend to do something that you yourself wouldn’t do. Most importantly everyone isn’t a waffle cone. Meaning, some people are good folks that you appreciate from a far. While others have a magical connection with you that allows them to get to get to know your deepest thoughts, fears, emotions, dreams, and ambitions. These folks are waffle cones, filled with your favorite ice cream, and topped with your favorite fixings.

Some people say that I expect to much from my friends. I counter by asking: Shouldn’t you? If you are opening yourself up to someone and exposing your raw emotions, shouldn’t he or she be held to a higher standard that the security guard that you share a pleasant “How was your weekend” with each Monday as you enter your office building? Shouldn’t you expect your friend to support you during your new endeavor. I’d like to think that you’d want your friend to be brutally honest with you. If not your friend, than who? How would you otherwise grow as a human being and correct your character flaws. By expecting a lot I’d like to think you will in turn give a lot.

Good things should happen to good people. Heart ache or foolishness by fools that you mistakenly held in high regard should not alter the way that you carry yourself. In short, let the pigs play in the mid. You should play butcher and remove (slaughter) them from your life. Your friends aren’t merely your twitter followers, skype partners, or people that like or comment on your Facebook status’. Instead they are the people that you would call if you had a flat in the wee hours of the morning on the highway with no spare in the trunk.

If your friend doesn’t meet your friend standard, maybe he or she wasn’t actually your friend at all. At times we all make the mistake of making people into what we want them to be instead of accepting them for what they are. Maybe they were always just your associate. I don’t know about you but my associates don’t get any of my waffle cone.

LIFE: Sink or Swim

Breaking News: I can’t swim. Learning how to swim is currently number one on my “Bucket List.” Swimming looks like so much fun and relaxing. Not to mention the perks of applying sun tan lotion on attractive women so that they can prance around the pool or beach in next to nothing.

It’s not as if I haven’t tried to learn. My grandfather is my family’s unofficial swim instructor. He not only quit during my swim lessons, he also mumbled something about me being removed from his will. Friends have tried to help me as an adult which routinely leads me to apologizing for my lack of coordination as well as purchasing alcohol as a peace offering and or payment for the aspirin they need for the headache I caused.

I recently swallowed my pride and signed up for adult swim lessons at my gym. Signing up for the lessons was a tragedy in itself. I wanted to do the transaction like a big time coke deal. I whispered my desire for the lessons while at the reception desk. The front desk person essentially went on the loud speaker and announced my request to everyone in a 5 mile radius. At least that is what it felt like to me. She was simply speaking at a normal tone.

When day one of lessons arrived, paranoia set in. You would have thought a female acquaintance was late on her menstrual cycle. It took four songs and a pep talk from myself, for me to muster up the energy to get out of the car. At a glance, the pool seemed huge. I decided to channel my inner “Finding Nemo” and hopped right into the water. Stereotypically the class was filled with Asians and African Americans. I patiently waited for Dave Chappelle to make an appearance and yell “action” as this was surely high comedy.

Surprisingly, I took right to it. I wasn’t scared at all. My biggest fear was letting myself down. That and not packing my flip flops, gym lock, and swim trunks. Who knows why I wasn’t afraid, and who cares, as long as I get out of the kiddie pool and get to challenge Michael Phelps in the next Olympics.

If rules are meant to be broken then fears must be meant to be overcome. Give it a try. Ask your boss for a raise if you think you deserve it. Give the roller coaster a try. You’re a star so heights should be a piece of cake for you. If you’re out and see someone that you find attractive, go introduce yourself. Confidence is a turn on for most people. Give yourself a chance to sink or swim. With any luck you’ll make it out of the beginner’s class with flying colors.

LIFE: Sweet Dreams

Sleeping is and forever will be one of my favorite hobbies. It can be refreshing, peaceful, and the perfect remedy for tough times. I once read about the REM cycle of sleep. During this cycle, we experience our most memorable dreams. From that moment on, I would compare my sleeping to this cycle.

When people fall in love, they often say that their relationship is like a dream come true. As if they fell asleep, entered the REM cycle, and woke up with the life they envisioned as a child. White picket fences, a travel companion, family pet, and the sound of children’s feet running up and down the stairs, and it was finally all theirs.

Some people are forced to wake up from their dream and deal with reality. Things do not work out with a mate, which relegates a harsh reality of sadness, insecurity, nervousness, and self doubt. Others watch their dreams turn into nightmares. Instead of having to fend off Jason, Freddie Krueger, and Chucky, they are left to deal with a relationship consisting of boredom, unhappiness, hatred, and worst of all pessimism.

We all look forward to falling asleep (being in love), but we never know what awaits us when our heads hit the pillow. The lucky ones enjoy a full eight hours of sleep while others have to be satisfied with a power nap. I wish you all sweet dreams and hope the bed bugs don’t bite. If you are anything like me, you are cranky when you don’t get a good night sleep.

BUDWEISER MADE IN AMERICA FESTIVAL ALREADY BENEFITTING CITY OF PHILADELPHIA ECONOMY

Philadelphia, July 14, 2014 – Mayor Michael A. Nutter said that the Budweiser Made in America Festival is already producing significant benefits for the City of Philadelphia noting that the Greater Philadelphia Hotel Association is reporting a considerable increase in rooms booked this Labor Day weekend. Mayor Nutter also spotlighted recently released logistical information for patrons of the Festival, including Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant accommodations, a remote parking/shuttle service from The Mann Center for the Performing Arts, live streaming of the concerts on two websites, and specifics about the Festival venue.

“Even though we won’t have a full picture of the economic impact that Budweiser Made in America will have on the City of Philadelphia until sometime in September, it is encouraging and even exciting to see that the Festival is already doing positive things for the city,” said Mayor Nutter. “Labor Day weekend is normally a quiet holiday for the hospitality industry in the city. But the early reports we’re getting indicate substantially increased activity in our Center City hotels. We hope this will mean good news for the entire tourism and hospitality industry, including the many restaurants, shops, museums and bars that those visitors will patronize.” Ed Grose, Executive Director of the Greater Philadelphia Hotel Association said, “Historically Labor Day weekend is slow for Philadelphia hotels, however this upcoming weekend my members are telling me that they are doing very well. While some hotels sold out, there are still rooms available. Visitors who are interested in booking a room should check their favorite hotel website and if there are no rooms available then go to www.visitphilly.com to book a room.

While we don’t survey customers as to why they are here, the only different factor this year is the Budweiser Made in America Festival and it appears that this two-day event is a reason for the increased occupancy this weekend.” City Representative Melanie Johnson talked about the long-term impact that the city hopes to attract. “We are hearing from our hotel partners that occupancy rates are much higher this upcoming holiday weekend than in years past. This welcome news confirms our confidence that Philadelphia has so much to offer visitors — whether its the Budweiser Made in America festival, the Philadelphia Art Museum and it’s blockbuster ‘Visions of Arcadia’ exhibit, the new Barnes Foundation, or our many other attractions,” said Johnson. “We expect them to also take advantage of our exploding restaurant scene and have a truly special experience here — and then come back to Philadelphia for more.”

GOOD DOG - GOOD BURGER

Good Dog was recently named one of the best burgers in the country. They also have one of the best songs about a burger. That's my kind of music.