The Champ

Can I get the nation of origin??

This weekend I help out with the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra again. It was a simple little fundraiser over by the UCF campus. During the festival they had various competitions for kids including Spelling Bees’ and a math Olympics. As each child made their way up to the podium, I too was in the competition from the comforts of my booth. I had no fears of misspelling a word in front of hundreds of people. Major kudos to all the kids who went through with the event, I barely made it out of the first round.

In the afternoon they put out an open call for a geography bowl. This was down my alley. I am a terrible speller. I honestly think my brain does not always function the way it should sometimes, as I should be a better speller than I am. Fortunately that when it comes to history and geography, I excel a little more than the average bear. I joined the open call line for geography. With a lot less people in the audience I was feeling a little more confident. My competitive juices started to flow and the competetion turned from a friendly tongue and cheek laugher, to a battle of the minds. I made the finals, but could not figure out where the green mountains were located…(Vermont, btw)

I got third place and a free game of bowling for my knowledge. I haven’t gotten an academic award in years. It was almost like being in second grade again something’s never change!!

Uncle Fro Zone

The Incredible’s…

As I came from church today I saw a red flash wiz before me and bolt upstairs. Two more pint sized crimson marauders quickly followed. My brother-in-law ran down the stairs and asked me for my camera which I had on me at the time. He quickly snatched it and raced back upstairs. The sudden commotion sparked my interest and I shortly followed to see exactly what all this “hootin and a hollerin” was about!!

A picture says a thousand words!! My nephews were so excited to take this picture that it took me five minutes o just get them to stand for one pose. I am Uncle Oliver around the house, but I am also known as “Fro – Zone”, so I used my freeze ray to keep everyone still for the pic.

With so much going on in the world…it is awesome when we take a few moments to just be a little silly…Some might consider this to be "Incredible" more than any super power!!

A moment's thought

In the blinking of the eye…

Children with Autism need special attention. They can be challenged in so many ways. One of my nephews is challenged with this mental disorder. Fortunately my sister and brother-in-law were blessed enough to make the necessary sacrifices in order to ensure his adaptation to our social society. Many parents are not as fortunate as they have been. It is difficult; as many people do not totally understand the challenge a child with autism can present. With each day I have my nephew around me, I am thankful for the progress he has made from barely being able to speak two years ago, to now not being able to “be quiet”. With each day it is the small victories you must take.

A family friend recently suffered a terrible loss. His nephew also has autism and is just a year younger than mine. His mother only left the child in the car for a moment to drop something off in her parent’s house. The child does not speak at all and loves to play in water even though he cannot swim. Yesterday the police searched the neighborhood for this little boy, today his body was found in a pond near the home of his grandparents. As unfortunate as this is, I can’t imagine how his mother feels for the brief moment she left him unattended. My thoughts and prayers go out to her and her family as they must not only deal with the lost, but also the guilt of a mistake so many of us have made.
If you get a moment, please pray for the family of Aaron Campbell as they endure this terrible loss.

Today's Conditions Call For

The contrast….


The day started with a trip to the local soccer fields. Parents packed their kids in SUV’s and minivans in order to catch a glimpse of the next greatest talent… A girl who played on my nephews teams who scored at least ten goals today. It is only the 3 –5 year old league, but she is simply amazing. I was shocked to see how one child could dominate a sport above beyond her pears. Today I really got a glance at true greatness.

My voice went south from screaming and yelling. I was a true “soccer mom” minus the mom and insert an “uncle”. As I cheered on my three nephews, I was taken back to my glory days on the pitch. Our team would be loaded with future talent and even better friends. It was just last week I was reveling with a former teammate at my ten year reunion on the dynasty that was the 1985 – 1986 Deltona Killer Bee’s!! Watching my nephews run around the field was more fun for me than I think them. I was with them on every

As I returned home I got the call the beach plans were still on. A short drive out to Cocoa beach and we were officially beach bumming it up for the day. Cocoa Beach is a open container beach which we took full advantage of… Once on the beach I quickly reminisced my trip to Jamaica. Needless to say I was happy you be hearing the sound of the ocean again. It was though I was reunited with a long lost friend…I am turning into “The Old Man & The Sea”

After my moments of nostalgia the real reason we were there started. A little beach volleyball. The first sets of challengers were disposed of quickly. My counterparts and I were playing decent, wait, did I say I….. hmmmmm I think decent is a stretch for the steaming pile of athletic performance that I displayed. A whiff, a service error, bad pass, and a few “my bad’s” pretty much some up my play for the day. If a chain is only as strong as it weakest link, then our chain was just busted!! We managed to scrape out another win. I am pretty sure Dirk did not want to even look at me on the ride home, his disappointment was something I had gotten used to by the end of the day. In my defense, I have not played volleyball competitively since high school; not making an excuse, but this is just a notation. A quick swim in the ocean and we were back on the road.

Hung out in Orlando for a few minutes, but our plans for the night got cut short by a work pager call. No worries, I was exhausted at this point and was happy to be heading home. As I approached my house a few drizzles began to fall. I thought nothing of it as the skies were absolutely clear at the beach. The day was simply amazing and I could not have asked for better beach weather. Almost on cue, as I closed the door behind me, that light drizzle became a full out downpour. I later learned of the massive storm systems that followed me home and left tornado sightings all over Orlando…

Tired, I turned in early as I had a long day ahead of me. As I reflect on the day I notice the contrast that existed…True athletic greatness vs. athletic disgrace…Weather that reminds you of what heaven will be like vs. Rain can ruin anyone’s parade with a quickness!!

Southies...

The Departed…

I admit it. Freakin Marky Mark can act. I don’t know why, but he has always been the actor I love to hate. Now I don’t admit this often, but in a rare occasion, I am can be mistaken. He has really changed from his bubble gum bad boy image with the funky bunch to be one of Hollywood’s best actors. The rest of the cast for the Departed was also stunning on set. As usual, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Wahlberg all made the characters quite real, and extremely funny. I guess this was the most surprising aspect of this film as I found myself laughing through most of the movie.


A few years ago I got to visit Chicago, which is the site of one of my favorite movies the “Blues Brothers”. As I drove around Chi Town, I made my way to “Lower Wacker Drive”. Instantly I began laughing as I remember the scene from the Blues brothers being chased throughout the city of Chicago. Suddenly the silver screen did not seem so far distant, and that “movie magic” could be touched. The Departed had this same affect on me because it was filmed throughout the Boston Area. For those who have visited Boston, the film takes you through the city and into the neighborhoods as though you were walking up Beacon Hill. Less than year ago I visited Boston for the first time. I was shocked by how much history was in the city, but even more impressed by how well the cultural areas are preserved. As my guide took me around the city I got to see so many attractions and was able to get a deeper appreciation for the Bostonian culture. This movie brings this culture to life through its subtle expression of cultural art. Needless to say, those movie guys know a thing or two about putting on a good show!!

I definitely recommend this flick to all who enjoy a different look at a gangsta flick or for those who love the city of Boston, either way you will be entertained!!

Lost...

You are at a party; you walk over to some friends who are already in the middle of a story. 15 seconds later they start laughing but you missed the entire joke. The rest of the night you are trying to figure out what was said that was so dang funny?? You are lost!!

Last night this is how I felt after watching the season premiere of “Lost”. I am contemplating now if I should to go out and buy seasons one or two to get caught up, or should I just let it go?? I must say that I am very intrigued now than I was a couple years ago when the show first started, I think it could be a good series, but unlike 24, you can’t just start in the middle of the series, you need to understand everything that has happened thus far. My sister-in-law watches this show in England I know, maybe I can get a quick update from her?? So anyone “in the know”, please fill me in on this whole “Lost” thing…

The Bill of Rights....

The Cost of Freedom & A Lesson in Forgiveness

As the Puritans crossed the icy Atlantic in search of religious freedom, they set foot on a country where democracy would prevail. Escaping the oppression of the British government, they brought with them the ideals of such documents as the “Magna Carta”, something this country would be built on. Our forefather’s took these ideas to heart when they drafted our constitution. They worked diligently and creatively to establish a country for the people, with liberty and justice for all. The freedoms we enjoy so much are based on the depth of thought they put into these original documents, but that freedom comes with a price. A price we are unfortunately witnessing everyday.
First Amendment – Freedom of speech, press, religion, peaceable assembly, and to petition the government.
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
Second Amendment – Right for the people to keep and bear arms, as well as to maintain a militia.
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed.


The “Bill of Rights” is a guarantee of citizen’s rights in this country. They may practice many freedoms only dreamed about in other countries. The first two articles are held with great reverence in our everyday society. The first amendment is often one of the most contested as the “Right to Free Speech” this is debated even now as I type this blog. The “Patriot Act” allows congress to intimidate one from expressing themselves “freely”. The first amendment was set so that unpopular speech could and would be allowed, not so Howard Stern could talk about sex toys!! This is a small price to the freedom we are supposed to enjoy.

The second portion of the First Amendment deals with the right to practice religion freely and without disruption. The beauty of this law is that this was the ideal that the Puritans were after when they came to America, to be able to practice their faith without interference from the government. The Second Amendment gives persons a right to bear arms. This was established so a person could protect himself and family in a time of crisis or if a militia was needed for the protection of the country…even against its own self. My heart was saddened this week as these two rights intersected with a very deadly outcome.

In the movie “Kingpin” the Amish way of life is poked at with a sort of tongue and cheek mentality. As odd as they seem to the mainstream public, they are what make America the great. The fact they can practice their faith openly and without interruption is proof that our form of democracy is close to the original ideals of our forefathers. The members of this faith practice their traditions openly and unabashedly in our current society of 400hp cars and botox injections.

An estranged man enters a Amish Schoolhouse. Using his constitutional right, he is armed and begins to slay five young women. 3 victims die shortly after the bullets entered their bodies. Later, two sisters would die at the local hospital where 5 other girls are fighting for their lives. The killer, disgracefully, turns the gun on himself and ends this real-life nightmare.

Two freedoms operated independently but unfortunately intersected with a deadly conclusion. This is the unfortunate cost to our freedom. One might say without the right to bear arms, this would never happen, true, but the same could be said if we curbed religious freedoms, then an incident like Waco or Jerry Jones would never happen either. The unfortunate truth is that with every freedom we enjoy, there is a price and risk that we must also accept.

The Beauty of Faith…

I could not do it. I claim to be strong in my faith, but if had watched my two granddaughters innocently but horribly slip into eternity the night before, the last thing on my mind would be forgiveness. Unscripted, unprepared, and unexpectedly a news camera caught the grandfather of the two girls who died at the hospital. When asked how he was doing, he explained that he was unable to sleep. When asked if he forgave the killer? He said: "In my heart, yes," "through God's help."

Through this tribulation his faith is still present. I must say that my level of respect for those who practice the Amish way of life is at an all time high by the statement of this one man. The fact that the entire Amish community has embraced the killer and his family speaks volumes to the depth of human forgiveness. Even in their darkest of hours, the beauty of this Amish truth, loving one another, can light the very world they choose to separate themselves from.

At the end of the day one must examine his or her life…how much lost could we bear and still hold on to our ideals?? How strong in our personal faith are we that we could find solace in embracing the very one that causes us so much pain?? These questions linger in my head as I re-evaluate my relationships and those I seem to be unable to forgive. How insignificant do my petty feuds seem when balanced against those who have lost so much…
My prayers go out to the hearts broken by this tragedy and the lives taken for a simple lesson to be learned…

No More Glasses...

Like sands through the hour glass…

It’s already October!! What happened to 2006? It’s almost over already!! I can’t believe that I’m making my plans for the 2007!!
This year is flying by. I have made so many changes in my life in just a short amount of time. It is amazing how one day you go to sleep as a child, and the next day you wake up as an adult. I still am a kid though and this life is just a playground. This is one of those years I will look back on and appreciate the choices I have made both good and bad. They are the choices I chose to make, and that makes me very happy regardless of the outcome. Grabbing the reigns to your life is an empowering feeling, even if those reigns are leading you down a difficult road. The first 9 months of this year have been filled with so many great stories and experiences. It would be impossible to chronicle them even in this silly blog, yet I know that this year above all others may have been the most important in my life thus far. As I am still trying to finish it out strong, I recognize the growth that has happened even since the beginning of the year. This growth I have achieved is still based on the system of weights I choose to balance it against. My dream is to eliminate these weights and achieve true enlightenment beyond the eyes of my peers and my own silly judgments. In the classic cliché of the “glass being half full or half empty”, my goal is to get to a point were there is no glass at all…I want the water to be free to flow in whatever direction possible…no walls, no barriers, no holds on ones mind. This is freedom from the burdens of this life…I am not there yet, but the journey has been part of the joy!!

Colors.....

Sorry I have been an away for a while, but will have some good stuff this week….

Color.....

Mine is purple. As a kid you were always asked what is your favorite color. How difficult a decision for a 4yr old to make?? Deciding right then and there what it is going to be for the next 70 yrs!! Ironically, I think color speaks volumes to who you are as person. So maybe your choice in color is pre-determined by your personality?

I recently had a conversation with a friend in regards to our favorite colors. The fascinating part of the discussion is when we both described how important that color was to both of us. Who would of thought that something so insignificant to a child could sum up a person once they become an adult?? I as examined this further I find that we tend to grow into our color just as we do many things in life. It is a Chicken vs Egg equation, did you have the character traits before the color, or did you naturally grow into that color?? In my case, Purple, is often the symbol of royalty…with my last name, I am not sure which came first, but it is funny that the combination came together nonetheless.

A couple years ago I went to England for a visit. One of my goals was to find the perfect purple shirt. Across the pond, Purple is a more of a popular color (or colour, for my British readers…) than over here in the states so my selection was greater. So last night as we took my Mom out for her B-Day, I broke out my shirt and tie to signify the occasion. As always the compliments came in rather frequently as I am sure not many men want to venture out the house looking like Barney!! Nevertheless, it is my favorite shirt, and I like it quite a bit.

So for all you bloggers, I want to know what your favorite color is and how it defines you? Do you find yourself aspiring to fulfill the stigma associated with a certain color? Do you even have a favorite color?? Inquiring minds want to know??