Jeremy and Courtney seem to be doing fine in their California digs. He is having a good time with his music where it is having an impact on the local scene. We love ya, young'uns!
Not much else going on today in the hills; hot outside with rain again possible.
Have a Tuesday!
Our trip across the US started out pretty good. We got the truck all packed up on Thursday and headed out Friday June 29th around noon. Our first day was not filled with too much excitement but we sure did have a lot of beautiful scenery along the way. About 2 hours into our day, we said goodbye to Georgia and crossed into Alabama.
In a few short days, Jeremy—my grandson, my friend, my brother—will be leaving us for new opportunities on the Golden Coast of California. He and Courtney, along with Queen Remy and Prince Bubba, will load up a U-Haul and leave their home in Atlanta to seek their fortune in another part of this vast, wonderful land. His grandparents are going to miss him worse than anyone else; even though we will be as close electronically as we ever were.
There is a “less fortunate” guy that lives on the street in my neighborhood. He washes car windows, shines tires and rims and sells bottled water to get by. I have helped him out quite a few times, wanting nothing in exchange. Yesterday, Courtney went to lunch and the man approached her, asking if he could wash the windows on her car for a few dollars. I was on the phone with her at the time and told her to give him a few dollars for a meal. He insisted that she let him work for the money, but she told him to save his supplies for the next customer. He gave her a bottle of water for being so nice. She didn’t want to take it, but he told her that he hasn’t sold many and for her to get her a bottle and maybe she would be his blessing.
I made a point to find him after work yesterday. He was at the same place Courtney saw him earlier in the day. I stopped and asked if there was anything I could do to make his day better. He said that he only needed about $20 more to get a room and a meal for the night. I gave him enough to get through the evening without having to work so hard in the hot sun. He introduced himself as Ruben Cain, also know as “Cheeseburger.” Ruben lost his family eight years ago in a car accident and had to bury them alone. My compassion has always brought me to help Ruben out. I have never seen him drinking alcohol, smoking, eating pills, or anything of that nature. I have always seen him work for his pay and never seen him high or in low spirits. We talked for about 30 or 45 minutes while we were in the dollar store, buying him some bottled water to sell and some cleaning supplies for the vehicles he works on to earn money. The man is very positive and has a good outlook on life, especially to be living on the street. He preaches the bible and loves the lord. I commend and respect Ruben for staying strong and living each day to his fullest potential. I told him I would get some clothes together to give to him today. The manager of the dollar store told us if I can’t find Cheeseburger when I come to drop off the clothes, she would keep them in her car until she gets off work this evening. Ruben told me that on Christmas last year, folks had left him 14 plates of food at the dollar store for the holiday. It is good to know there are still good people in this cold world. Ruben said that he had been beaten-up and robbed six times. All of the money that was stolen from him in those times didn’t even ad up to $20. So sad!
After leaving the dollar store, I took him to the Western Union where he keeps his cooler and dropped him off there with his belongings. Before he got out of the car, he asked if he could lead us in prayer. He prayed for me and my family, my finances, thanking me for blessings him. I couldn’t ask for a better friend. Ruben is happy to be happy, in his words. That statement in itself makes me happy! I broke down 3 good times yesterday after we bonded. I wish I could do much more to help Ruben, and hopefully in the near future I will be able to send more blessings his way, no matter where I may be in the world, I Got You Cheeseburger!
This Post Is Solely For You And The Less-Fortunate Folks Of The World! I Love You All!!!
A recent survey of 10-year-olds revealed that over half of the kids thought that eggs grow in a field, like wheat. It is past time for something to change. There should not be that much of a disconnect about the source of food. It is time for parents to do something with their kids that they may not have done before: go pick some food!
Jeremy and I finally got to go to the race Sunday that we have always wanted to, Talladega baby!!!! It was the best NASCAR experience we have had yet! It took almost 2 hours to arrive to Lincoln, Alabama where the super speedway is located. It had rained a little on the way to the track but had stopped by the time we arrived.
This post is a dedication to the folks that have inspired me throughout my journey thus far. People can have an impact on your life without them realizing it.
God : I want to thank the creator for giving me the mind to know and understand my soul/spirit. Without the understanding, I would’ve never been able to leave my physical body, control hallucinations, communicate with the dead, see ghost and/or spirits, feel fallen spirits around me, read people by their emotions and interactions, etc. To be raised as a country boy to young parents with little direction, my elders took it upon them to share and spread knowledge, many without realizing it. Those stories Paw and Pap tell about childhood and teen years usually teach me some things.
Mom (Chrissy Anderson) : I love my mother with all of my heart. There’s nothing in this world I wouldn’t do to protect her. What I love about her most is her rebellious ways. She will let you know how she feels in the blink of an eye and will give you an ear full in a split second. For some reason, I turned out to be the same way. At times it back-fires, but I will continue to be me.
Dad (Mike Rollins) : I love my father dearly. The thing I respect most about him is the relationship we now have. It’s more of a best friend type of relationship instead of a father-son relationship. What I got from him is being athletic. He played sports all of his life and now referees youth basketball. He was offered to play college baseball after high school, but a little boy named Jeremy was born and he decided to be there for me and my mother instead of moving out-of-state for school.
Granny Dot (Dorothy Anderson) : The love of my life. The reason I am a loving human being at heart. Dot taught me about the simple things in life. Especially not to care what others think about you. The quote I will never forget her saying is, “sticks and stones can break your bones, but words can never hurt you.” I used to get picked on and called racial names during grade school. She was always there to reassure me that I was one of God’s children and not to worry about other folks ignorance. She also instilled in me the love for other living beings, whether human or animal. I miss her presence so much, but I thank her even more for meeting with me in the spirit world. See you soon Granny Dot!
Paw Wayne (Ken Anderson) : When I was around 19 or 20 years old, my Paw gave me some iron-on transfer paper to make my own t-shirts. I wanted to start my own business, designing clothes. That was actually my inspiration to do so. When I took the paper home and made my first shirt, I started my own business, Revolution Incorporated, shortly after. I have also learned how to write much better from reading my Paw’s blog posts. We have the same writing style in many ways. My country grammar takes over proper english in my head when writing, but I usually find a way to make it make sense to the rest of the world.
Bob Marley : I started listening to Bob Marley’s music as a teenager. It was inspiration I never knew existed. The peaceful chants, rastaman driven songs, stance on injustice, historical lyrics and positive vibes sent me to a place unknown. Marley also inspire my dread locks, as I like to call them, natty strands. The life, music and positivity Bob possessed was unthinkable. Such a beautiful soul!
Michael Franti : Michael Franti is the lead vocalist and guitarist for a band called Spearhead. They are a hip-hop/reggae/rock band out of San Francisco, California. I first saw Spearhead play at the Orange Peel in Asheville, North Carolina about 10 years ago. Ziggy Marley was the headliner for the show and I hadn’t heard of Franti & Spearhead until that concert. The reason I say Michael is an inspiration is because of the love he puts into his music and lyrics. He proved to me that you can write righteous music in a positive form. After enjoying that show, I started taking my song writing serious. I wrote a song called “Love Jones” in its entirety the day after the concert. Rebel rock!
Mario Blaylock : My big brother from another family and mother. Mario is one of my best friends, if not my closest friend. I shared my testimony about our friendship in a previous post. Mario told me to always be me. He made me believe that being myself is the best person to be in this world. Which I later figured out is true. I battled with being the “black sheep” for most of my life. Until growing up and meeting folks like Mario, I didn’t know who I really was. I didn’t always think for myself. Now, I rely less on others when it comes to making decisions. I’ve learned to be strong and have confidence in the knowledge that I possess. I’ve also learned not to care about what anyone else thinks about the way I look, dress, carry myself, speak, act, etc. That I one of the best things to happen to me in life, learning to live as Me!
Dorian Johnson : Some may find this inspiration a bit funny but it’s true. I met Dorian about a year ago when he started work where I make my living. We work for two different companies, but we are both in the same building and see each other daily. When I first met Dorian, I got a really good vibe from him. He is a positive person, very intelligent, hard worker and has traveled the world. The reason DJ made my list is because of his beard. Yep, his beard. Dorian is Muslim so it fits his religious tradition. Born in New Jersey and raised in France, Dorian lived and worked in Kuwait for seven years. I wear my beard because of the country folks I grew up around. My Paw had a beard for a while and I always liked Tommy’s beard as a kid. I’ve been growing my beard for about a year and a half now and I don’t plan on cutting it anytime soon.
Courtney Cundiff : My fiance, Courtney, has inspired me tremendously within these last 12 months. She proved that being strong can get you through some of the most difficult times in life. I honestly do not think I would be able to endure the physical and mental pain the cancer treatment brought her. She is such a strong woman, I must commend her. Even with the bad days she dealt with, she hung in there and made it through cancer free!
I wanted to take the time to thank the folks that have inspired me to be a better man and even better human!
Enjoy Your Weekend Good Folks
