while we all know that life is like a box of chocolates, everyone has a moment or two when it seems like that chocolate box is filled with catsh*t, especially in the TET (ms. smart, 2008). to deal with our trials and tribulations, life has a way of giving us unexpected rewards…simple daily smiles that can easily turn a melancholy day to mediocre, and a mediocre day to magnificent.
as another example of vsb.com’s crime-fighting commitments, here are five of the champ’s favorite.
1. free food
while pearly gates, endless bliss, and easy white women sound plenty enticing, my idea of heaven is an endless loop of a “hey, everybody; don’t worry about lunch. i ordered some pizza, wings, and beer” message from the boss during a staff meeting on one of those end of the month thursdays when your checking account is asking “if i cut the pink off the two week old mystery pasta in the breakroom fridge, i wont get sick, right?“.
(btw, by “the boss” i totally meant “stacey dash”. this is heaven, right?)
2. finding money
whether its on the ground, in your coat pocket, or a forgotten about revenue stream from the t-shirts you sell on your website, there aren’t many things better than finding unexpected money in an unexpected place.
sh*t, just last week i cheesed for an hour after finding a dollar in the trunk of my truck and cried for another hour after getting rebuffed at the wendy’s drive thru for being six cents short for a junior bacon cheeseburger
3. a compliment from a stranger
after getting home after a particularly rough day at work a couple months ago, i walked a couple blocks to the walnut street shopping district to window shop and clear my head when a somewhat milfy middle aged woman complimented me, saying that my “glasses were nice”. who cares that she may have been homeless and that there’s a good chance she actually said “the masses have lice!”, it made me happy, and that’s all that really counts.
4. randomly seeing an extremely physically attractive person
even those in purgatory serious committed relationships can still appreciate and acknowledge the unexpected potential mood boost of accidentally seeing a dime in line at pepboys or behind the counter at popeyes. you don’t have to own the land to appreciate the view.
5. finding something on the sales rack that actually fits
because of my waist (36), shirt (l or xl), and shoe (12) sizes, finding something on sale that actually fits me is harder than roman polanski watching degrassi high. seriously, its like deals at men’s clothing stores are only for midgets and men built like dejuan blair. i’m usually so surprised to find something that fits that i assume there’s something wrong with it, a phenomenon which usually ends with me just staring at a pair of jeans for fifteen minutes like it’s actually going to say “yeah, n*gga; you don’t wanna buy me. my right leg is longer than my left and my crotch area itches worse than courtney love. leave my skinny ass on the rack. wait…why the hell is your black ass in h&m anyway??“
thats it for now. people of vsb.com, did i miss anything, and when was the last time you got one of life’s unexpected rewards?
the carpet is yours and sh*t
—the champ
* An invitation to travel to another country…on someone else’s dime.
* A call from my mom saying ‘I’ve got some left over red beans and rice.”
* Running into an ex on a ‘cute’ day and having them say ‘you look good’ half a dozen times in a 5 minute span
* Random calls at work from my nephews who just called to say ‘I love you’.
@V.E.G.,
Do people invite you to other countries and offer to pay often… cause if it does I envy you more than my typed out words could ever convey
And unexpected food is on my list… especially from mom
@A-Town Genius,
Not often. But it has happened.
@V.E.G. from Albuquerque,
Not often??? YOU LIE! (c) J. Wilson
@Luvvie,
It does not happen often. Every now and then…
@V.E.G., if you know anyone who wants to sponsor me on a trip to Spain, Portugal & Germany, let me know.
@V.E.G.,
running into an ex on a cute day while you’re in a hurry and he’s all dumbfounded is always an unexpected reward.
as far as travelling to other countries on somebody else’s dime….um…..can’t really relate. but not mad at cha! lol
@V.E.G.,
“Running into an ex on a ‘cute’ day and having them say ‘you look good’ half a dozen times in a 5 minute span” ….I absolutely love it! I would love for that to happen everyday.
Champ…You got me on the “one of those end of the month thursdays when your checking account is asking “if i cut the pink off the two week old mystery pasta in the breakroom fridge, i wont get sick, right?“
Your checking account is nice! Mine tells me that I need to go on a diet!
@SunEone,
my checking account isn’t nice. it just has really nonchalant sarcastic jokes. sometimes when i check my balance, it’ll just look at me and say “you have jokes”
welcome and sh*t, btw.
@V.E.G.,
* Random calls at work from my nephews who just called to say ‘I love you’.
i get these too, except instead of “i love you” its “uncle champ, can you give me a ride to buffalo this weekend?”
I co-sign on your whole list! #1 is my favorite. Last weekend, I went to dinner and a friend unexpectedly picked up the tab for all 4 of us. Can’t beat that:)
Other ones that I like:
- Free Drink: I went to my favorite lounge a couple of weeks ago when the bartender tapped me on the shoulder and said that a man wanted to buy me a drink and said that I could get anything I wanted. At first, I thought it was a joke and then I saw the man at the end of the bar and he smiled. It was a nice gesture.
- Working with Kids: After working in corporate america forever, I wanted to start working in the community more and joined with a mentoring program with the YMCA. I have 3 mentees and working with them has definitely brought out the kid side in me again especially seeing how excited they are by going to college and take life so easy.
- Nature: This might sound corny, but sometimes nature itself is a big reward. I moved to the Seattle last year from NY and get amazed by how beautiful the scenery is. I was walking down the street recently by the lake and saw the most beautiful sunset that I’ve ever seen. It was setting in front of the mountains and it was quite breathtaking.
@Leila,
“It was setting in front of the mountains ”
Haha. I’m tryna imagine how this is possible. But yeah, whenever I leave town Im pleasantly shocked at what a pretty environment people enjoy everyday outside the city. Last summer my sister and I were driving through Georgia. We had to stop and pull over to the side of the highway to take pictures of the trees. They were these tall, pretty, red-barked conifers. Like nothing I’d ever seen. And don’t get me started on my time in Maui.
@Me fail english?, “Haha. I’m tryna imagine how this is possible. But yeah, whenever I leave town Im pleasantly shocked at what a pretty environment people enjoy everyday outside the city.”
Ehhhh . .. it gets old . . . I lived in Alaska for 4 years (2004-2008) and those mountains were amazing the first 6-7 months . . . after being boxed in by those creatures for 4 years . . .I’ll take a skyscraper LoL
@Leila, I have been living in Seattle most of my life, and have to admit that I take the beauty of the Northwest for granted.
@Leila,
- Free Drink: I went to my favorite lounge a couple of weeks ago when the bartender tapped me on the shoulder and said that a man wanted to buy me a drink and said that I could get anything I wanted. At first, I thought it was a joke and then I saw the man at the end of the bar and he smiled. It was a nice gesture
if i were a woman sh*t like this would scare the sh*t out of me. btw, starting a sentence with “if i were a woman” if 27 percent gay
“and cried for another hour after getting rebuffed at the wendy’s drive thru for being six cents short for a junior bacon cheeseburger”
^^$0.06 short, huh? Yea…that tax will get ya every time.
@Lili,
is it wrong to use the charity change sitting on the counter for the 6 cent tax?
@The Champ,
YES. I have never had the cajones to do that.
Simply put Life is the gift that keeps on giving. Good work I will keep watching your blog.
@Misty Mays,
“Life is the gift that keeps on giving”
So is THE HERP
@Luvvie,
iHate that iLove you. Really. I mean that.
@Misty Mays,
welcome and sh*t. i’ll keep watching your, ummm, blog too.
Finding a decent pack of meat in the grocery store discounted… sometimes a sista want a steak on her unemployment budget… Go Meat!
@Naturally Alise,
I said a beef hot links. I said a beef hot links!!
@charli skipp,
HAHA!
*dap*
@Naturally Alise,
I dont know if I’m trusting discounted meat but hey thats just me
@Naturally Alise,
***leaving comment alone, since anything reply typed would be at least 45 percent gay***
to piggyback on #3, compliments from kids are awesome 2. The other day my 7 year old niece noticed a blemish on my face and touched it and said ” awww, it’s ok I still Love you” and gave me a hug. Translation from zaria speak? She meant that i was still pretty. *Major beam from me after that*
@melekaj, That was so sweet.
@melekaj,
this was sweet and sh*t
1. Receiving letters in the mail. Letter writing is a lost art, so it’s always nice to receive a letter over an email from a friend or family member.
2. I like it when my boss takes the initiative and I don’t have to collect mucus samples from patients at work.
3. Unexpected reimbursement checks that arrive in the mail.
4. When my bus pulls up at the precise moment that I arrive at the bus stop, without me having to break a sweat.
5. When Pandora plays the perfect rotation on my iPod.
6. A perfect & affordable mani/pedi with a glossy shine, flawless edges and even coating. i miss nailworks in LA.
one more…that i may regret saying now that i live on the east coast again.
7) i really do love a white Christmas, and snowy winters in general. like when i was visiting the burgh last January- the city was covered in snow and it was gorgeous.
@Miss Patterson,
I do like when it snows here in Atlanta and it’s enough to actually stay for a couple days but I suppose that’s more because I know it won’t be here for long and I won’t have to deal with everything that comes with it… and when I was younger snow falling meant school was out whether it stuck or not we didn’t even get up to listen to the radio we knew school was out
@A-Town Genius, i remember the first time it snowed in atlanta, when i was still living there. it was in 2001 and the whole city shut down after 1 inch of snowfall. i worked for a doctor at the time, and he actually canceled his clinic that day! gotta love that.
@Miss Patterson,
Yeah, if the weather man even hint about the possibility of snow here, folks make mad dashes to the grocery store and stock up as if they’re living in a bunker or something. Talk about a city shutting down.
There can be excellent benefits to this happening though.
@A-Town Genius,
I love when it snows here in Raleigh. It snowed on Inauguration Day, and gave me one more reason to stay home and celebrate. It was such a beautiful day….
@Miss Patterson,
“3. Unexpected reimbursement checks that arrive in the mail.”
YES! YES!
The first time it happened I almost questioned what was going on. LOL! I didn’t even know how to accept the money.
@Miss Patterson,
2. I like it when my boss takes the initiative and I don’t have to collect mucus samples from patients at work.
this was going to be on my list, but i edited it down to 5 from 200,105.
1. Riding in the car or being out somewhere and hearing that one song I used to love but hadn’t listened to in a long while… For some reason more often than not this song I Get Around by Pac and I have no idea why
2. Having someone make me laugh… and not normal laughter but genuine fall on the floor, cheeks and stomach hurting unable to speak laughter… might just be my favorite
3. Scoring higher on a test than I anticipated
4. The smile on a girls face when she really likes me… ya know before it all goes downhill
5. Waking up in the middle of the night thinking it’s close to wake up time only to look at the clock and discover it’s only 2 and I can roll back over and get 5 more hours… on second thought this might be my favorite
@A-Town Genius, great list. #5 is my favorite too.
#4 is sweet and reminded me that the first kiss that follows is equally butterfly-inducing. ya know, before it all goes downhill. lol
@Miss Patterson,
Yeah everything about that initial time period when you are sitting around waiting for phone calls, dates, and kisses is great. When just the smile on her face seems to stop time makes it all worthwhile
@A-Town Genius,
To your #1, for me, it’s usually anything by Goodie Mob – and most often – Get Rich to This!
@SexyCool,
Definitely anything from the Mob or Kast will make my day… especially if I’m out somewhere and I here myintrotoletuknow or soul food I’m good
@A-Town Genius,
Number 5 could not possibly be more underrated
@Dorian G.,
I agree…lol I do this at least 3 times a week.
@miss t-lee,
Haha. I think I do this every weeknight between 4:45 and 5:10.
@miss t-lee,
“I do this at least 3 times a week.”
Shiiidddd…lucky you. I’ve gotten stuck in a vicious cycle of waking up 5-10 minutes before the alarm is set to go off. That’s the WORSE feeling in the world knowing that you only have a few seconds left of slumber as oppose to some hours. FML.
@Monk,
True…waking up 5 minutes before the alarm is pure torture.
@Monk,
I like waking up 5 mins before the alarm. B/c trust i do turn over and get that last 5 mins that somehow felt like an hour. Recently, I’ve developed a habit of turning off the alarm when I do this and that sucks
@Peysonic Temple,
It doesn’t work for me cause I spend that whole time unconsciously counting down. My five minutes always feel like, well…five minutes.
@Monk,
this is me. I wake up 5-10 minutes before the alarm every weekday. I would really love to be able to sleep through my alarm and hit the snooze button once. It really sucks…hard.
@Monk,
yea, this is me too. i’ve actually started waking up a minute before the alarm. there has to be some way that this talent can make me some money
@ The Champ,
“i’ve actually started waking up a minute before the alarm.there has to be some way that this talent can make me some money.”
This is NOT a talent. It’s called Circadian Rhythm. We ALL have it. *smh*
@ivy st,
Circadian deez
@Monk,
Yeah this is the opposite side of the coin and sadly it happens far more often. It’s terrible too cause I’ll try to sleep for the five minutes but can’t because of paranoia and end up sleeping 2 minutes and then getting up… true FML moment right there
@miss t-lee,
I envy you I might get this once a month if I’m lucky
@Dorian G.,
YESSSS!!!
@Dorian G.,
LOL, I do this almost every night and each of those nights (especially Sunday night/Monday morning), I thank the heavens. It always FEELS like it’s ’bout to be time to wake up and then I look over and have 2 more hours to go (hell, even one)?! Blessed!
@A-Town Genius
“The smile on a girls face when she really likes me… ya know before it all goes downhill.”
Well said. It’s a shame that expectations always give way to harsh reality.
@A-Town Genius,
4. The smile on a girls face when she really likes me… ya know before it all goes downhill
LOL
@A-Town Genius, “5. Waking up in the middle of the night thinking it’s close to wake up time only to look at the clock and discover it’s only 2 and I can roll back over and get 5 more hours… on second thought this might be my favorite”
ABSOLUTELY!
@A-Town Genius, this was a really good list.
@Reecie,
Thanks Reecie
I like this topic and co-sign with everything you said. Here’s a few more…
1. A baby’s laugh. My brother and I were on the phone the other day and he was blowing into my nephew’s belly and his laugh was just the most adorable thing ever. I was feeling pretty bad that day but when he started to laugh, I instantly felt better.
2. A phone call from an unexpected source. Sometimes hearing from one of your old friends is refreshing because you can get lost in someone else’s life for a while.
3. A random gesture of kindness. I was at the grocery store the other day and this lady with a crying baby was in front of me with like her groceries for the month. I only had 3 items but was willing to wait understanding that she needed to get out before I did. She insisted that I go first and I was surprised by her kindness.
That’s all for now.
@Kijuana,
2. A phone call from an unexpected source
lol, this definitely depends on the source.
@The Champ,
*ring ring*
Champ: Hello?
Caller: Hey, it’s me, Tarnisha.
Champ: Hey Tarnisha, damn, it’s been a while. . . like 9 months since I last saw you. What’s going on?
Tarnisha: Oh, I’ve been good. Doing my thing, learning a lot about childcare, working hard, getting ready. . .
Champ: Getting ready for that nursing program. . . yeah, I always did think you had a great head. . .
Tarnisha: Oh Champ, you so crazy, but nah. Actually, I’m getting ready to have lil Champ.
Champ:
Tarnisah: Hello? Hello? Oh hell naw!
*This is a transcript of an actual conversation. Only one name was changed.
Co-sign the list AND “you don’t have to own the land to appreciate the view.” may just be the t-shirt slogan of the ’09!!
@AO aka It’s like yo’ Daddy told you,
this is a shirt that should only be worn by women with big boobs
@The Champ,
So…when are you going to put these shirts on sale?
That phrase would look great spread across my boobs.@N.I.A. naturally,
*trying to visualize that in e x p a n d e d font*
@The Champ,
co-sign!!!
Taking a chance to get to know someone who was “not my type” and finding out that we fit like a hand in a glove.
@SexyCool,
please expound and sh*t
@The Champ,
I’m usually attracted to a certain type of guy – 6’2 or taller, slender or at least in shape, athletic, impeccably groomed and dressed, mad swagger (I know – hated word), center of attention, head turning type dude.
Well, the guy that I’m dating now is barely taller than my 5’10″ tall so that when I’m wearing heels, I’m taller than him. He could stand to lose about 20 pounds. He is well groomed and dresses nice. He is fairly attractive, but he is not going to be the guy that turns head when he walks through the door.
When he approached me, it was in such a simple and respectful way that it caught my attention. If I had just been walking by, I would not have seen him, because he was not who I was looking for. However, I am glad that he was looking for me. Because this man treats me so good. He is good to me and good for me. And he makes me want to be just that good to him.
I guess I could say that I am normally looking for Idris Elba and got Joe Clair instead.
@SexyCool,
thanks for expounding. i hope it works out, and i hope he never, ever, ever sees this comment
1). When my job pays me for a day that I REALLY wasnt supposed to get paid for. That extra 8 hours in my check really brings a smile to my face.
2). I can definitely agree with the above mention of a white christmas. Honestly, it doesnt even have to be christmas, I just love waking up, seeing the white snow that no one has walked through yet, cars havent driven through…and knowing I don’t have to go to work. Another big smile.
Okay, I wont cosign on anything else…everyone pretty much answered this question already anyway
@SimplyMe,
welcome and sh*t (i think)
Unexpectedly hooking up with said randomly seen extremely physically attractive person – You know, how Turtle felt when he bagged Jamie Lynn-Sigler. That’s a gift from Buddha lol.
@Da Iceman,
Unexpectedly hooking up with said randomly seen extremely physically attractive person
i call this phenomenon “the caribana”
@The Champ, LOL I must find my way to Toronto next year!
@Da Iceman,
I must make it to Toronto too. Me and my roomie. But not for those reasons. LOL I just love to party.
Good Post Champ.
There are always little things that happen to pick me up during the course of any given day when I’m bummed out. Yesterday a DJ made my day. He played EXCELLENT music at the dead a$$ venue where I was working lol. Here are a few small things that make my days a little better:
-the changing seasons. I love summer time. But there is nothing like being outside in the fall. All the trees with the changing leaves. The air feels clean, a little crisp, and airy lol. And fall fashion is just like no other season. Yum. And this fall has been a little exceptional so far because I’ve witnessed my five year old be introduced to trying to play football in an organized setting. hahaha. He’s so clueless but it’s super cute. The older boys just break his little neck running past him. Ha. Poor baby.
-Hot chocolate.
-Walking my puppy. He gets on my last nerve most of the time. But when I take him outside he gets so wiggly and playful that I can’t help but laugh. I have a BAD history with pets (and men HA!). I usually get rid of them. But he’s a sweetie. I think we’ll keep him.
-Good music, of course… listening to some now
@pgh muse, “Good music, of course… listening to some now ”
Co-sign
*Coming home from work and school and my S.O had cooked dinner.
*Random hugs from my friend’s son
*Hugs from my girls when they greet you and say good bye
*My S.O telling me that I’m beautiful.
@Nicki Sunshine,
“Coming home from work and school and my S.O had cooked dinner.”
Just curious, does it matter what he cooked?
@Nicki Sunshine,
, nice list.
1. A genuine compliment on a bad day, when you know the sky is about to fall and the sun seems like it has disappeared forever, then someone walks up to you and says, “I bet you have a beautiful smile,” then you smile and they say “See I was right,” waves, winks and just walks away, leaving you smiling like and ijdit, lol.
2. The one song that will have you screaming..erm singing at the top of your lungs, yesterday Cover Me by 2103 came on yesterday and I sang like they wrote that song for me..I was singing that song all day long and still humming it right now.
3. Unexpected freeness, lol.When you realized that you are blessed, when it seems like your troubles just disappeared because you have people who love you. Now Y’all know I’m getting married next year (right? right) well just this weekend my best friends husband (who is a professional photographer) offered his services ALL DAY LONG as a gift (meaning free!!), now this man’s packages START at $5k! My cousin who is a DJ just had a cancellation as is now djin’g the reception for FREE!! I was doing the Amen Hallelujah dance ALL WEEKEND!!!
@Smiley Face,
Your #2 and #3.
WOW!!!
*I love that song too.
@miss t-lee,
Girl!! Nothing can ruin my mood today, lol! (knock on wood)
@Smiley Face,
Goddamn. That’s excellent!
*makes note to start befriending photogs…*
@Me fail english?, Hell YEAH!
@Smiley Face,
Aw, your numba one sounds straight out of a movie. That would most definitely make me feel good.
And GREAT on number 3! That is fantastic. I’m sure I’d also be SO thankful for that hook-up.
1. I saw a rainbow and an orange crescent moon last week I was crunk.
I took pics and everything.
2. A hug from my nephew, even though his 15 year old azz is recently thinking he’s a ladies man or something. Ugh…lol
@miss t-lee,
1. I saw a rainbow and an orange crescent moon last week I was crunk.
I took pics and everything.
this sounds like something ron burgandy would say
Oh! I forgot one! Veggie Pizza from Salvatore’s. It’s the BEST!
@pgh muse,
the feta cheese pizza from pizza parma is better
Unexpected rewards….
1. When the cable man not only comes during the agreed upon times, but he is early.
2. Whenever a guy buys me my first drink. I usually get the first, and a dude will get my second. But, when dude pays for my first drink, I am always pleasantly surprised.
And, I completely agree with your list, Champ.
@N.I.A. naturally,
i’ll have to admit, the cable companies have gotten better with showing up at reasonable times. while they’ll still say “we’ll be there between 6am and 2pm”, they at least call an hour before they’re gonna show up now
Recent events…
- This morning I found a parking space and the meter was broken. Yay!
- I went out over the weekend and the establishment’s wristbands were the same color as the ones I brought with me. Free admission for me and my friends. Double yay!
- My eyes were open in the last few pics I took (I always blink so they’re usually closed or I look drunk when I’m sober). Triple yay!
- Last week was a good hair week and I think this week will be too (and people are noticing). Quadruple yay!
-Bumped into my little cousin at the store when she was out with her babysitter. Her eyes lit up like a Christmas tree when she saw me. Quintuple yay!
-Hung out w/ my workaholic friend (who I have a HUGE and obvious crush on) two days in a row. Sextuple Yay!
Other stuff…
-Seeing deer when I drive into my apt complex at night.
-Random phone calls from friends just to say “I love you.”
-Infants who don’t know you but smile and wave at you anyway.
-Turning on the TV and catching Barry Gordy’s the Last Dragon.
@Voiceovereason, I went out over the weekend and the establishment’s wristbands were the same color as the ones I brought with me. Free admission for me and my friends. Double yay!
LMAO! When we going out?
@pgh muse,
Just let me know when you’re ready!
@Voiceovereason,
You always keep a stash of wristbands on you?
@Monk,
Not always. Only if I’m going somewhere that I don’t think is worth a cover. Or if I’m with people who will insist upon going into the VIP section. I hate paying the cover and then extra for VIP. I feel like it’s a waste of money.
@Voiceovereason,
I never thought of that. You’re really living up to your moniker.
@Monk,
Thanks
@Voiceovereason,
“-Infants who don’t know you but smile and wave at you anyway.”
I LOVE this. I was recently in TGIFridays and this little infant boy just couldn’t stop cheesin’ at me. He was SO cute. Had the kind of smile that lights up his entire face. Pinchable cheeks and all. Cute overload. Everyone was teasing me that he had a crush on me. lol
Little babies are nice…when you watch them from afar and when you’re able to return them to their
ownersparents.@Cheekie,
Little babies are nice…when you watch them from afar and when you’re able to return them to their owners parents.
Yes! I absolutley love children, but the thought of not being able to return them to someone…scary.
@Cheekie, I really love it too. I felt my ovaries twitch yesterday when Monica (the singer) posted pictures of her youngest son on his new bike. I love little boys. *sigh*
Finding something FLYYYYYYY as phcuk on sale, and its only one left in your size like it was waiting for you only….loves when that happens……..
When Dallas loses and the Skins win…..
Discovering new music/artists, that you instantly fall in love with…miss LAUNCH they were excellent at the intros on your personal stations…….
Nature, like a butterfly or lady bug landing on me and yes Voice of Reason seeing animals like deer or rabbits or lil foxes etc in SE running wild and free……I hate Zoo’s, they are like prisons, the animals look depressed, sickly and lethargic as he11…
Seeing hearts in the clouds…
Strangers that are like angels, so kind in moments when you need it most
@OrangeStar616,
“Nature, like a butterfly or lady bug landing on me and yes Voice of Reason seeing animals like deer or rabbits or lil foxes etc in SE running wild and free……I hate Zoo’s, they are like prisons, the animals look depressed, sickly and lethargic as he11…”
I went to my girl’s wedding in Botswana during summer 08 and our group went on a safari. We saw giraffes, zebras, etc. in their natural habitat and I was almost too stunned to take pictures.
@Voiceovereason,
I am so with you. After going on safari in Kenya, I can never go to a zoo again!
*I am no longer in Albuquerque…*
@V.E.G. from Albuquerque, I hope one day to go on Safari myself!!!
@OrangeStar616,
When Dallas loses and the Skins win….. This doesn’t happen very often does it?
@A-Town Genius, often enough!!! sh*t even if we don’t win, and they lose too, thats a bonus LLS!
@OrangeStar616,
LOL I’m just messin with you man I’m a Falcons fan so y’all got a whole lot of losing to do if you wanna go through what I been through with this team… the current Buccaneers make me happy though they lose every week!
@OrangeStar616, “When Dallas loses and the Skins win…..”
Skins = Giants and you’ve got a winner. Still not understanding why there are so many cowboys and steelers fans that are FROM DC running around this mufukka. Turncoats.
P.S. GO GIANTS!
@IVR, LOL to tell you the truth if I wasn’t wit the hometeam I’d probably be a Steelers fan myself LOL but a Dallas fan, NEVER, ol “git wit” a$$es LOL
@OrangeStar616,
Yay! Go Steelers!
-Snapple on sale. Say what?!
-Forgetting you had a reimbursement on its way til you check your bank account. Cha-ching!
-Not checking your phone all day and when you do finding the sweetest msg ever from a loved one.
-Having someone borrow smthg from you and they return it without asking. Or even returning your car with a half tank ot more.
@Me fail english?,
I’d like to add, planning to meet ppl and they’re actually there on time. I’ve been known to leave folks on account of them making me sit at the bar too damn long.
@Me fail english?,
You too?
I knew you were cool peeps…lol
@Me fail english?,
“-Not checking your phone all day and when you do finding the sweetest msg ever from a loved one.”
Aw, this is a good one!
It was this one time when I got my money back for some shoes I got at Shoe Carnival. Seeing as though I had a receipt…it obviously was just a part of their return policy. But ya know what…it made me smile regardless! lol Good morning!
I’d add:
*When someone basically reads my mind (or blinker) while driving and lets me over without me having to wave, hunk, or hit them to get their attention away from their cell phone.
*Getting a bill or restaurant check that’s lower than what I expected.
*Waking up next to someone you really love.
*Spending great, fun times with family that doesn’t involve a holiday, a funeral, a graduation, a marriage, or any special event. Just because and shyt.
@Monk, Yes! spending time with family for no reason at all…and having a blast! Such a great feeling.
“1. free food”
This JUST happened this morning. Although, the food was in form of coffee. I was in Dunkin Donuts getting my much needed Monday java fix and they gave me my coffee, I stood there like 3 min with my money in hand, and then one of the rapidly-speaking workers was like, “Freecoffeetodayma’am”. O_O Ching, ching! Started off my Monday right.
“2. finding money”
My most memorable “finding money” occurence was this past spring. I was walking home toward my train when this car zooms by with money flying out of the window. Everybody looked around for a minute to check it this was like that one event on the news when someone threw stolen money on the highway and the cops were demanding folks returned it. But, after that momentary lapse of rationality, we started picking that ish up off the crosswalk. I picked up 5 bucks (it was mostly those and dollar bills). Then, some halo decided to fall upon me and I ended up giving it to that sweet man I always see with a box for money by the train. I told him, “I found this. It’s yours”. Made me feel like a Hallmark card.
“3. a compliment from a stranger”
Yes, these make me feel nice, of course. Now, I’m looking forward to upgrading said feeling. I wish the future stranger who gives me a compliment looks like Idris Elba. And by “looks like”, I mean “is”.
One random unexpected gift that I wish would happen:
A crazy bum walks up to me and quotes a random line from The Color Purple. (preferably NOT “you sholl is ugleeee”) No doubt, my life would be complete because it’ll be thee greatest laugh I’ve had in the history of laughing.
@Cheekie,
Bums give great unexpected gifts! I was riding the 7 train in Queens (the 7 rarely gets performances) and a bum came in to my car and started to sing Love Bizarre by Sheila while he played the harmonica and kept time with a cane. He sang with absolutely no feeling and it might have been the funniest, most random thing I’ve ever seen at 3am.
@Voiceovereason,
Not Love Bizarre!!!
*snickering*
@miss t-lee,
lmao! How the hell do you sing that all apathetic and aloof?? PLus keep time with the cane??
PICK UP THE PIEC-ES!
@Me fail english?,
I’m wondering myself…lol
It sounds like some random homeless encounters I’ve had with folks.
@Cheekie,
Best time finding money for me. I started jogging to get in shape. I’d gotten up to three miles and decided to increase the distance to four miles one day. First day I decided to go four miles, I’m jogging along huffing and puffing when I find TWENTY DOLLARS just lying on the ground. I took it as a sign from God to keep on trucking.
Unexpected rewards make the world go round, and throw Luvvie’s thug on the floor.
*Having a ishtty day & coming to work from lunch to find Edible Arrangements on my desk. *swoon*
*Setting a goal of raising $500 for AIDS Walk Team & having someone donate $1,000 off the bat. Then someone else donating $300.
*Waking up to a message saying “Hey Beautiful”
*Mama cooked white rice, stew & plantains. YESSSS!!!
*Getting a phonecall from the GAP to throw a free jeans party for me and my girlfriends b/c they like my blog.
YESSSSS!!!
@Thuggie Luvvie,
Also, a reward. Going to the store about to buy some shoes. Then taking them to the cash register and finding out they’re on sale for half off! *Does Bro Franklin*
@Thuggie Luvvie,
That is such a beautiful feeling! I bought a pair of boots that were originally around $125 but they were on sale for 50% off. I got to the register and they ended up costing about $12. I paid and ran out of the store just in case it was a mistake.
@Voiceovereason,
LMAO!
@Voiceovereason,
“I paid and ran out of the store just in case it was a mistake.”
OK, this cracks me up because I’d do the same thing. Also, the way imagine it, you running out the door made you look like you were shoplifting. lmfao
@Thuggie Luvvie,
“*Having a ishtty day & coming to work from lunch to find Edible Arrangements on my desk. *swoon*”
Man, I LOVE these. And they’re such a great gift to give too. We recently all scrambled together to get this HUGE arrangement for a sweet coworker when her mama passed. It was something because we had first planned on getting her a smaller average-sized one, but due to the huge generosity of everyone we were able to get her a gigantic one. It was so sweet and even sort of a gift for all of us…even if it wasn’t for us. It was a reminder of how lovely folks can be.
The free burrito I got from Qdoba yesterday.
When my credit score unexpectedly jumps 50 points. Its happened twice.
A random email from a school offering me a fee waiver.
A random call from an NFL team saying they got a hold of my film
A day in the gym where I never had to wait for a machine.
The S.O.
A FREE DAY AT WORK/SCHOOL
-when teh network or computers are down or there is a power outage or storm and no work can be done so you can’t do anything but goof off or go home.
A GOOD TV SHOW/EPISODE
my favorite show is Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Everytime I watch it I laff my a$$ off and I can never wait for the next episode. Any show that give sme that feeling I consider it a gift.
NEW/UNEXPECTED P*$$*
nuff said
GETTING A DEAL/COMING UP ON SOMETHING THATS USUALLY EXPENSIVE/UNAFFORDABLE
In college I remember me and my roommate were looking for furniture for the apt we just got.We had 700 bucks to spend but I only wanted to spend like 300 cause we need money to get “party accessories” to celebrate our new apartment. I ened up getting a 700 couch and a 1500 “boss” chair (I call it a boss chair cause I felt like a boss when I sat in it) for like $140 due to some deal i made with a warehouse guy and some miscommunication on their part on how much i had agreed to pay them. I talked about that scam for years. That happeend in 2000 and I’m still telling that story cause thats how good I felt about it. Becasue of this incident tho my view of how much furniture should actually cost has been warped considerably.
there are more scams but I don’t want to incriminate myself online.
@Deviant,
“Becasue of this incident tho my view of how much furniture should actually cost has been warped considerably.”
This is fact!! That’s one thing about getting that good deal or hook up, it’s hard to pay full price again.
MY PNC
I like her. she’s awesome
1. Getting a thank you note
It’s nice to be recognized and thanked for something you’rve done, especially when you thought of what you did as “no big deal”.
@Ivyette,
Yep. Even if it’s a really sincere verbal “thank you”. That’s cool.
FINDING SOMEONE WITH THE SAME TASTES IN MUSIC
This is a rarity for me and it is usually the measuring stick in whether I even bother talking to you more than once.
HEARING A SONG/ARITIST I LOVE WHEN I’M OUT AND ABOUT
me and my PNC were in a comic shop in Silver Spring and the guy in the store was playing Ironman, Immobilarity and some Nas. I bought a book just becasue of this. It’s rare I hear people playin stuff I really love when I’m out becasue most people’s taste in music (from my P.O.V.) sucks a$$.
@Deviant, I don’t know about the same tastes mine are pretty out there but folk with diverse tastes in music make me smile and yes it does say something about them, a lil something anyway!
@OrangeStar616,
I’m with you on the diverse tastes. I just can’t fugg with people go against the grain JUST for the sake of being different. That’s wack.
@Monk, yes contriviance on any level is WACK even contrived tastes in music cause your so different…LOL…an what funnier is when the music is wack in addition to LLS
Oh sh!t why was I in h&m this weekend. Akward.
The thing that makes my day; Accidental tiddie
From the see through shirts. Or cold air that perks everyones profile. & the most glorious; The Pop Out.
Accidental grope on purpose grope w/o reprocusion
laughing
learning
things just all around working out right
@WuDaMan,
“laughing
learning”
Yep and yep.
The (un)intentional peep show does make me smile…if it’s from the right woman of course. I’ve seen some that made my eyes feel violated.
@Monk,
“I’ve seen some that made my eyes feel violated”
I might get fired for laughing out loud at this. hilarious!
I once found a $100
@WuDaMan,
what did you do with it?
@Ivy St.,
I think I gave it to an adult. I was around or yunger than 5.
*Getting dressed for work and he looks over and smiles that sleepy “I must be dreaming because she is BEAUTIFUL” smile then he falls back asleep (that happened this morning).
* Getting compliments from little kids. They truly have no ulterior motives or even a notion of what that would be. They like what they see/feel about you and say it.
*Having my father, possibly the sternest man on Earth, break down in tears and tell me he’s proud of me ( happened yesterday) and cheesing like a FOOL when he introduces me to his business associates.
*Bank error in my favor. TD Bank seemed to f*ck over everyone EXCEPT ME with their computer fiasco.
* My cousin cooking me my favorite meal and having it ready to go… Rice and stew with fried plantains. iCan’t wait for lunch.
*When the vending machine accidentally gives you an extra item.
@BlackBerry Molasses,
Bank error in your favor? What is this, monopoly?
@kamakula,
I question this also. If the bank makes an error, once they realize it, they want ALL the money back. it only hurts the person receiving the error in the long run.
This reminds me of a couple in Australia, where the bank deposited a few million into their account. They realized it and fled the country. Now they are fugitives.
@Ivy St.,
Yep…it was like a 4 million error though.
Shoo…can’t say that I blame ‘em though…lol
@miss t-lee,
I’d be on the run right now!
LOL!
Ivy On the run would be my name.
@ Ivy St.,
Yep…I would chunk deuce in a minute.
I would just send my love ones blank postcards from random places in the world. After I had left them, of course…lol
_My older brothers-> giving me a $20, filling the house with food, finding money in my purses / pockets when I least expected these.
_I Wrote a letter to my older brother in the Carib reminiscing on how we always used to look fowards to him coming home from work because he made the best fruit juices ever when he reached. I’m talking about staying up very late waiting & sh!t. On my 1st trip back home, he confessed he had no idea. He said if he had, he would filled up the bellies of his little siblings. Then, he promised to visit me with a different fresh fruit for every day I spent there. It was mad sweet & awesome. One of the highlights of my trip.
_It’s feels amazing when you receive compliments from strangers, so return the favor. I swear the best ones got to be from children.
_I check out the thrift shops sometimes. I get a kick at finding amazing pieces with AMAZING price tag to add to my collection. Some family members be thinking I’m breaking my wallet, but when I confess…
_#4 is the truth. I once saw this amazing looking lady. My eyes must have shown my appreciation, she was like “thank you. You made my day.” She totally made mine.
_I sometimes purchase more than I wish to [carry] in supermarkets. My arms usually feel like they’re breaking in two when I’m walking back home. Nothing is more rewarding than finding someone genuinely willing to help you along the way. It’s equally rewarding helping someone else in the same situation.
@SnijanaFleur,
_It’s feels amazing when you receive compliments from strangers, so return the favor. I swear the best ones got to be from children
yeah, giving a compliment to a random stranger is definitely another way to help us fight crime
@SnijanaFleur,
“_It’s feels amazing when you receive compliments from strangers, so return the favor. ”
I agree, though giving one right after they gave you one is always a weird situation. It comes off as me being forced to give one just because they gave me one. I only give one when I mean it. Hell, sometimes, I feel so obligated to give one I look around for something they’re wearing so I can compliment it. lol
Like:
Stranger: OH! I love those shoes you are wearing!!
Cheekie: Thank you so much!
Stranger: Mmmhmm.
Cheekie: …
Stranger: o_O
Cheekie: *looks down* Shoooot, I wish I had your bag!
Stranger: *beams* (their day is made)
@Cheekie,
I agree. You should definitely mean it. No one should feel force to return a compliment just because one was giving. A genuine thank you is enough. The point is to learn from the experience. Remember the way that person’s compliment made your day. Some days, compliment others on thing you admire about them.
For instance, this lady saw me struggling with my grocery bags one day, so she offered her help. I was thankful. When I see people in the same predicament, I offer my help. Some people will not accept it
worried you will steal their ishThey have it under control
. Some will take it.Some people will not accept it
worried you will steal their ishThey have it under control. Others will take it.I’m practicing strike out
3. Compliments from a stranger. Even better, a completely sincere and unsolicited compliment from another woman. I get compliments from men all the time, and both older men and women also have no problem with throwing out the compliments. It’s the very rare occasion that a woman in or about my age group will throw out a compliment. Women are so competitive, so it is extremely rare to get a compliment from one you’ve never met. I was walking home from the store with my headphones in one day and this random woman who just walked past me, turnd around and signaled for me to take out my headphones. She then asked me if I knew how beautiful I was. I still remember that ish like a year later, it is so uncommon.
Someone paying you back when you never expected them to. I have been known to loan out money to family and friends with the expectation to never see it again. I have thousands of dollars in IOUs floating around out there, because these people know that the very mention of their children needing something will draw me in. I was pleasantly surprised when my older brother payed me back the $300 that I loaned him. I almost had to check to make sure they were real bills.
@SaneN85,
You know you are fly if another woman gives you a compliment.
@V.E.G. from Albuquerque,
Yep, I’m just gonna go ahead and consider that a compliment from a woman I don’t know. You have just made the next year for me. If that wasn’t the case, please don’t burst my bubble, just go with it.
@V.E.G. from Albuquerque,
You know you are fly if another woman gives you a compliment.
or a lesbian
@SaneN85, I got one of these back in 2006, and I still remember it. The woman was a visiting lecturer and I had just done a presentation on bio rejuvenation at a symposium. She came up to me at the end, and I expected questions on the presentation..Instead she told me that she was struck by how beautiful I was. She said I glowed from within. sooo nice. And she wasnt hitting on me….I promise…lol.
@Cayenne,
Ever since then, I’ve made it a habit to always compliment at least one woman every day, just randomly, knowing it can make their day. I do have to be careful how I say it though, I’m not trying to have anybody think I’m hitting on them.
Litttle rewards
1. A great run at a random court where you just knew the games were going to be wack. Nothing better than everybody knowing how to “play the right way.”
2. Free stuff period. Doesn’t matter what, just as long as it’s free.
3. Random hugs and kisses from the babies. They never fail to remind me why I take care of them right when I feel like dropping them off at the orphanage.
@Big Man,
Man I’m with you on those good runs. When I get into a game and every thing is just going right, its competitive without either team being dominant those are the best
@Big Man, i’ll go with good runs too. what’s even better is when there is good runs and you still out there dominating.
Got a pretty full plate today, but I’ll try to keep it PG-13 as I weigh in and keep it pushin’.
-Finding ill kicks or a jacket in my size, record I was looking for/could use, any undeniable bargain
-Negotiating/haggling successfully
-Those “come on tiddy!” moments
-Getting the laugh
-Hearing the DJ just destroy a ninja with heatrocks I never heard before or haven’t in a long time
-When they have those rare favorites of mine at Souplantation (Sweet Tomatoes to y’all in other states), Whole Foods, the Indian spot, et al
1. Class ending early.
2. Coming home to find that my cat has left one of her toys on my pillow. It’s like her gift to me. lol
3. Realizing I have 2 more dollars in my checking account then I thought.
4. When someone actually says “Good Morning.”
5. Arriving home after a long morning in the lab to have my favorite breakfast prepared for me.
- having my momma’s husband from outta state loan me his car for 2 weeks…a day before I was gonna have to break down and do another week of rental ($200) to get to work.. ( yesterday)
- early morning, running late for work, lunchtime chex…matter of fact…any random moment of chex brings a smile to my face.
- having a female aquaintance tell me outta the blue how they’ve always admired the man i’ve become and how proud they are of me…..left me kinda speechless.
- having someone tell me, they made a ringtone of one of my songs because it helped them get through some ish…
- finding money in mah jeans ….found a $100 dollars once on some unexpected ish.
- winning free tixs to a concert Ireally wanted to go to ( mos def, talib, jay electronica) but had no idea how…..then getting to the concert and having my boy from the one the opening acts get me in for free…..so I had to pay it forward and give the tix to folks i knew standing in line to buy some.
MOST important…
SNOW DAYS!!!
(sadly enough these don’t exist in my life anymore. I miss Boston!)
*Ok, needed a break from work.*
On a serious note, I received a little unexpected surprise I received last week was from one of my lil whodis who is in college. He told me he looked at me as a big sis and was upset that I hadn’t talked to him in a minute. I had no idea he looked up to me like that, so I made a vow to keep tabs on him on a regular basis to make sure everything is going ok with him.
Unexpected rewards. . .
I’m a pragmatic optimist. This means that while I’m generally upbeat and hopeful about stuff, I’m also working to make sure things go my way – as much as I can possible affect things.
I’m the person who says things like “success is when opportunity meets preparation”. Luck gets you into the door, your education, experience, and training is what keeps you eating at the table.
I’m also a big devil’s advocate type person. I’m not sure what single word best captures this, but it means that while I’m playing things out on my end, I’m also playing things out on the other end. This is of especial importance when I’m in an adversarial situation. So, even though I’m an optimist, there are situations where I conclude that things aren’t really going to go my way and thus I need to be prepared for them.
So, the unexpected rewards for me are when I’m wrong.
Here’s an example. I want to buy a car. I want to pay $5000. I know the car is worth more, and expect that the owner knows this. I expect that the owner would not even consider accepting less than $7500. So even though I expect to end up paying $7500, I still start negotiating from below my desired price ($5000). And then for some reason, the guy decides to sell for $5000.
It’s strange just how much things NOT meeting my expectations can make me happier than when things do. Perhaps I’m more of a cynic than I thought.
@kamakula,
Perhaps I’m more of a cynic than I thought.
I’ll say.
i know exactly what you mean about finding something on sale that actually fits you. i wear a 34 waist and a size 13 shoes. clothes are usally either way to big for me or too small. it really irks me. but every so often you find that gem and its on sale too. really just makes your day.
i often get compliments from strangers as well. those are the best because its genuine. also it means a lot more when a woman compliments a man because if roles are reversed it might seem like the man only gave the compliment because he was trying to holla.
@Tunde,
This is true. I gave a compliment to one of our security guards last week. He was coming from the gym in our building, and I told him he looked good and his wife is going to love his increased strength. He smiled like a kid on Christmas morning. lol. Also, I don’t think a lot of men recieve compliments the way we do. I like to do my part….
Oh, how tall are you? Just curious…..
@N.I.A. naturally,
so, that should say receive, nor recieve. Damn those 35 seconds….
@N.I.A. naturally, yeah sometimes compliments aren’t received the same way. compliments can also be non verbal as well. i get those often (not to toot my own horn pause).
i’m 6′ 5 3/4″..sometimes i just say 6’5 sometimes i say 6’6
@Tunde,
Mmmm…your name is Tunde and you’re 6’6? Love it!! Are you a Que, too? LOL!! j/k. Here’s a compliment for today….Tunde, you give awesome comments on blogs. Have a great day!!
@N.I.A. naturally, actually i’m an omega man. lol. but thanks for the compliment.
@Tunde
lol. I see you, Omega man. lol! And you’re welcome….
Having a twilight zone moment with a good friend . . . just got back from Hooters in chinatown (DC) and the most bizarre things happened in a span of 2 minutes . . . and to top it off an old lady with old woman boobs and a completely shaped up goatee asking me for a newport. The look of shock and awe in my coworkers eyes and the subsequent laughter of us both experiencing the crazy people of DC was a good look to a wack @ss monday . . .
Getting dubbed from a chick . . . catching wood . . . her smiling and dubbing harder . . . good weekend.
Cooking something for the first time and it coming out just right . . . YES!
Lucking up on a good show that you probably wouldn’t pay attention to otherwise (How I met your mother is my SH!!!T)
Having a good day at Jeopardy . . . feeling all full of useless knowledge and sh!t.
Pretty women with a strangely upbeat demeanor. There is one in this building that makes my day every time I see her. And I’m from Brooklyn so I’m not used to it.
Showing up late to work, getting called into the office and being told of a promotion that management thinks is a perfect fit instead of being questioned why I am showing up at 11 LoL . . .crazy b@stards. I’ll take it though . . .
Driving to New York City and seeing the skyline off the turnpike . . . . YES!
A Giants win and a cowgirl loss . . . always a good look.
Coming home to a clean apartment that I didn’t have to clean. I may skip the wife search and get a maid LoL
Late night text from a chick that finally came around after being the “platonic male friend” . . . . I’ll take it.
Look of lust in a female’s eyes . . . YES!
Quick Meetings
Ex hook ups that are still feeling me after I f*kked up . . . Who doesn’t like an ego boost!?!?
My baby cousin . . . she is like a grown woman in a 6 year old’s body . . .Gonna be a GENIUS!
For the last one . . . I was deployed a year and some change ago and a girl that I used to deal with sent me a care package filled with boxers, toothpaste and odd sh!t . . . I was wondering what the hell was going on until I got to the scope and realized it was grey goose with food coloring . . . Now THAT is a good girl LOL! That is all
@IVR,
Lucking up on a good show that you probably wouldn’t pay attention to otherwise (How I met your mother is my SH!!!T)
Having a good day at Jeopardy . . . feeling all full of useless knowledge and sh!t.
Yes to those two!
Cosign to looking for size 12s! Man…I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gone into a shoe store, found a pair of shoes that I was immediately ready to purchase, only to have the pimply faced shoe attendant (in more PC terms) come back with “sorry, we don’t have it in that size, closest thing is a 10.” I haven’t wore 10s since the 6th grade!
Champy–
Why did I just think of you when I saw this?
*giggling*
http://www.brokencool.com/broken_cool/2009/10/video-the-beatnuts-offbroadway-play-deez-nuts.html
Unexpected reward:
-Waking up on a beautiful and perfect SoCal day, on vacation and feeling trapped because homework has to be done THEN receiving an email from the professor saying the homework is postponed: SCORE!
- Getting a 5 nights stay at a decent hotel in Downtown LA for less than $300? YEP!
- Falling upon the cutest vintage clothing store? PRICELESS.
@Su. L.A.,
Or receiving an e-mail from the professor saying that class is canceled on the same day as the class.
Oooh, and I want to add complimenting little boys. When I do this at work, he either turns into the shyest kid on earth trying to hide behind momma, becomes all cute and flirty, or does the eye roll and is like “I know, I hear that all the time”. Either way, it’s so adorable and makes my day.