Foxx Tackles The City: I kissed a blog....and I liked it.

Gonna start this week’s blog in a bit of a different direction. Scroll halfway down if you want to go straight to “Notes from the workplace” for the normal lunacy.

“No matter how hard it rains, withstand DA pain” – DMX.

It took the better part of ninth grade, but by the beginning of 10^th grade I had made a homemade poster of that quote to remind me that “When it rains, it pours” and that if DMX can withstand it, so could I. I am pretty sure that I added DA when it should really have been THE, but I was 16, wore my visor backwards, and once saw DMX at a Westchester gas station so I felt that I had earned the right to use slang. For 3 years I left that horrible homemade saying on my wall, always a reminder of better times ahead when I was down.

How that poster influenced my life:

# of years spent hanging in my room before I eventually took it down – 4

# of times I was made fun of for hanging it – 72

# of rap cds I subsequently bought because of it – 8

# of DMX albums I bought because of it - 0

# of times I got laid because of that poster – 0

# of times that I would have got laid if that poster wasn’t there – 0

# of times that I thought it was some awe inspiring quote - 0

# of times that I honestly believed it though – once

The point is that I had a lot of moments in high school and beyond that didn’t go according to plan, but something compelled me to keep it up. Then I got suspended my senior year, although it wasn’t the first, and certainly not the last, it was the first time that I truly disappointed my mother. It was the first one that actually made an impact. Because of my suspension I was unable to play in my homecoming football game and by doing so my mother who came to every single game of mine for 4 years would not be able to walk her son onto the field which was a tradition. Needless to say that was a huge deal for her. Besides being my best sport and a captain, it was also the only time she would have enjoyed watching football for the last 6 years. I was young, I was stupid, and I deserved it, but my mother didn’t. My mother didn’t get very many moments to be proud of me in high school, and this was the one that she really wanted. She cried for days, and I truly don’t think she has ever forgiven me. I didn’t realize it then, but that moment had so much more than just a game to her, and I robbed her of it by being immature. The entire situation ruined me, and I sat in my room and stared at that poster for hours; trying to make sense of it all. When the dust finally had settled I realized two things.

1) I had robbed my mother of the only football related activity that she ever really supported, and she would never forgive me. Something that she had waited and anticipated for years. (Mom, I am truly sorry I couldn't have given you that moment) Truth be told, I have never really forgiven myself either.

2) If I could overcome this obstacle, another one would probably arise, and there was nothing I could do about it, but weather the storm (sorry, I know, horrible pun, I couldn't help it).

The sun came back out, my mother forgave me, and eventually most of the pain finally faded away. The next year I played football in college and got my homecoming game memory back, but my mother never did. That’s something that I will have to live with, and you know what, I have. When I think about that memory, and that ridiculous quote, and know that even though my world was crashing down at that moment, I never let it completely consume me. Why am I saying all this? because right now its raining, both literally and figuratively in my life.

Ways that it is figuratively raining:

1) I have 2 weeks to find an apartment and have no leads

2) I have less than 8 weeks to finish 10 weeks of work.

3) I have diarrhea

4) My workplace has recently been labeled “The Titanic” post iceberg

5) I am 10 minutes from taking a midterm for a class that I literally couldn’t tell you the name of

6) Metro-cards recently raised 7 dollars a week for me, thus busting my already very slim budget

7) My fantasy team is in the toilet. (Not a dire problem, but I only include this bc its less about fantasy and more about the pride of beating your closest friends….that and I’m uber-competitive)

Ways that it is literally raining:

1) Precipitation is falling from the sky steadily

Am I stressed? Maybe a little, but I know everything will work out. Do I know this for sure? Nope. Do I have a plan to make it stop raining? Nope. But what I do know is this; there is a reason why I remembered my homemade poster from high school. My life might be a disaster of bad luck right now, but it will get better. I know this, and I hope next time you go through the same thing you remember your “High school poster” and get through whatever ails you.

Thanks for listening, I already feel better, that was cathartic.

Notes from “The Workplace”

- One “coworker” of mine illegally sells Coke, (shame on you for immediately thinking the drug) at school. He sells cans for a dollar a pop, and makes 22 dollars profit for every 36 cans he buys. It has become such a successful business that he has kept tabs for people. I want to reprimand him for breaking multiple “workplace” rules but honestly, I’m impressed. When I “worked” with him he was a D "worker" who could barely count. Now he has a full fledged business working out of his gym bag. Ethically and morally it may be wrong, but business wise it’s pretty amazing. In times like these how many companies can say that their profit margin is 66% of what they spend? (Not exactly a mathematician people)

- You know your popular when your “coworkers” are using you as their facebook status

- You know your going to get fired when your “coworkers” are using you as their facebook status

- “You look very gay when you prance around the room after the Jets win and slap peoples hands…but its really cute” – what a male “coworker” said to me Tuesday morning. (To my credit, it was a big win)

-Conversation I had with a “coworker” on Facebook

Boy George: Accept me plz

Me: You wish.
Boy George: plzzzzzz

Me: No chance

Boy George: i swear i wont stalk you

Me: You already are.

Boy George: I was looking to see if u had a face book and it was true so I hope u will be a good person and add me

Me: Go find (another coworkers name)

Boy George: eughhhhhhhh no way I very much dis like her because keern slaped me once so i hit him and scince she lllllllooooooooooovvvvvvvveeeeessss keern i get blamed for self defence

Me: Sounds like it was your fault. Your spelling and grammar are atrocious by the way,

Boy George: well if u havent notice on top of ur screen it says facebook.com

Me: Did you notice that the top of your screen it also says “spell check”?

Boy George: Rami says hi…..so….exept my friend request

Me: No

Boy George: Get an xbox then

Me: I think we’re done here.

Yup, these are my co-workers.

Random tangent section of the blog:

- My fantasy loss/Jets win streak continues….and if this truly is fate I couldn’t be happier. At this pace the Jets will have a first round bye and home field advantage through the playoffs, and Ill be gay prancing on a daily basis.

- I once played telephone when I was a kid. I was drinking milk at the time. I heard my whispered word, took a hardy gulp of my drink, and whispered the answer to my father….before I swallowed.

- One of these days I am going to get hit by a car while I am on my bike. I can just sense it coming, yet I haven’t become anymore cautious though.

- A lot of people have asked me what Halloween costume will be? Well, “That's none of your damn business and I'll thank you to stay out of my personal affairs.”

- Poster I wished I owned as a youth