Car Crash

    If you have ever been in a car crash before you know how scary it can be. Even the smallest fender bender can give you some post tramatic stress for a few weeks. I know I had some when I got into my crash last year in feburary. It was almost a year ago. My car was deemed totalled. On the plus side, I got to drive around my dads car for a month while he drove the rental since I am not yet 25 and am unable to drive a rental. 

    It was just another day driving to high school. I take an alternate route than everyone else because I get there much quicker even if it is a little bit of a longer distance. It is a two lane road, one lane traveling in each direction with a yellow lane marker in the middle dividing the two lanes. I got to the intersection where I turn off the street, left onto the road my school is located on, 248th Avenue. I was sitting in the left lane waiting for the light to turn green, once it did I crept up into the middle of the intersection to turn on the solid green light once traffic passed. I looked back in my rearview mirror as I saw a car approaching through my peripheral vision. And boom, they crashed into me just like that.

    They rear ended the back of my car, completely altering the bumper, trunk, and the rear frame. As soon as they crashed into me I told the girl I drove to school to call the police and I got out to check on the driver. He was dead asleep at the wheel. I thought he was knocked unconcious but after yelling at him seeing if he was okay a few times he slowly woke up. He crawled out of his window and admitted that he was sleeping. He was going around 40 mph when he struck the rear of my car. No one was injured though. The police came to write a report and deemed him at fault. On the court date, he did not show up and I learend this was he third crash in a few months. The state put a warrant out for his arrest for failing to appear. 

    Although getting into a crash is never good, it was a good thing to experienece for the better. I am very observent of my surroundings more now, than I was then, and take more precautions. On the bright side of it, I didn't have to pay for my new car, it was his insurance that did. I never thought someone would crash into me because they were asleep.

Cane's Chicken

     Have you ever heard of Raising Cane's Chicken? If not, you are most certianly missing out. The location near my residence opened in 2017, which was the first time I had ever heard about it. Little did I know it was a growing phenomena. Ever since my first visit, I have absolutely loved it. They have the standard chicken fingers, fries, toast, and drink, like most chicken places. But what sets Cane's apart, is their sauce. Its essentially just mayo and ketchup sauce but it has a little more to it, like worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, papper, and liquid smoke. There is nothing like it anywhere. It's signature taste is what brings me back every time. 

    Raising Cane's chicken was established in 1996 in Baton Rouge Lousisiana and it has spread to over 600 locations across the United States. They have a signature look with only four items on their menu, a three finger, four finger, and six finger combo, in addition to a sandwhich combo. They have mastered the craft of cooking chicken. In addition to this, they have mastered customer service. Driving up and hearing, "chicken, chicken, chicken, which combo you pickin" is just iconic and there are others like it that they say on a daily basis. I personally, have never met a canes worker who is not excited to be working there or does not have a smile on their face.

    Each time I go, it makes me want to go back more and more. I get Cane's a few times a month. My signature is just a three finger combo, a large Diet Coke, and two extra cane's sauce. The extra Cane's sauce is an essential piece to the meal. Being able to get the chicken smothered in Cane's sauce is the only true way to eat it. Cane's is a one of a kind place I will go to as long as I live on this earth.

What I encountered with "The Tillman Story"

     Over the weekend I viewed The Tillman Story (2009) directed by Amir-Bar Lev. I must say, this was a movie that I quited enjoyed viewing. I have always been intrigued in the military myself and even toured the United States Air Force Academy prior to attending North Central College due to having an interest in joining. For some time I have known who Pat Tillman was however this documentary opened my eyes to a whole new perspective of not just Pat Tillman himself, but the entire United States Military. 

    There was one specific scene that opened my eyes, and this was towards the latter of the documentary. There was a P4 memo, which is a confidential memo meant for speicifc eyes only, that was uncovered by the Assocaited Press a few years after Pat Tillman's death. It told high ranking military officials, only a few days after Tillman's death, that he was 100% confirmed killed by friendly fire. Yet, with this information, the family only learned this almost a month after his death. During this moment, it was also uncovered that his armor, weapons, and journal were "taken care of" (The Tillman Story), and by that meaning, they were actually burned, in order to cover up any investigation into the friendly fire.

    Continouing on, after this, it was uncovered that the Secretary of the Army personally wrote Tillman an email congratulating him on his enlistmant. No other solider ever recieved a personal letter from the Secretary of the Army for simply enlisting. Tillman recieved one because he was Patrick Tillman. I became very curious and wondered if Pat Tillmans death was in fact caused on purpose as a publicity stunt to enhance the publics outlook on US foreign policy.

Sports Betting Lines

    Personally, I do not bet, one reason being I am a NCAA and of course I am not of age, yet I still look at the betting lines. Many of my older friends, my parents, and their friends all love to bet. I can imagine the thrill. I always look at the betting lines just to see what they are and somehow they are always absurdly close to the actual game.

     For example the super bowl last night. The total combined score line was 74.5. Meaning that the total score for both teams either needed to be below, or over that line if you were to bet on it. The super bowls score was 38 - 35. The total point amount? 73. That is insanley close to the line. Another example, is Chris Stapletons national anthem time. Yes the national anthem time. You can bet on virtually anything nowadays. But back to the time of the National Anthem. The line for the anthem was set at 125 seconds, Chris Stapleton sang for 121 seconds. Both are very close.

     These types of examples happen every week, every game. It gets many people thinking, are these games scripted? The lines posted and the actual results of games are always so close to one another. There is never an easy bet. Of course Las Vegas (the location where bet lines are formed), does have experienced workers who just know the game but it never hurts to think about other possibilities.

Animals

     I've always grown up with animals in my house. They are difficult to live without at this point in my life. I started off with just one dog called a Shih-Tzu. Her name was Lola and I remember on one of my Birthdays she collapsed in my back yard and later died. She was only 7 at the time and I always adored her. She never bit anyone, never took a piss in the house, never even barked. She was just happy and always wanted to lay next to you. 

    Moving on from the sad part, my dad said we were never going to get another dog. About a week later my mom told him she could not function without a little animal walking by her side. With my mom being the boss, they went out and got one that same day. They ended up getting a little Yorkie named Roxanne who we have had for 11 years now. A year later, my mom thought Roxanne needed a little friend so we got another Yorkie who we named Francis who is 10 now. Francis constantly pees on the carpet, barks, and growls everywhere. Yet she never bites unlike Roxanne who bites anywhere she sees food. We also ended up getting a bunny and turtle somehow. 

    The oldest dog Roxanne is the ruler of the house, Francis followers her around like a little servant, they both do not like the bunny because she is emotionless, and they are both scared of the turtle. They act tough but in reality are not. One thing that I look forward to every year is what my mom dresses the animals up as. One year it was an under the sea theme, another was a clown, also there was a food one. This year it was a medical theme. The pictures explain themselves. 

Walgreens

     I have been working at a Walgreens on the south end of Naperville for a little over two years now. I make above average pay and know how to do almost everything. My bosses know this and just let me do whatever I want when I clock in because they know I will get work done. Its an easy job that can be stressful at times with customers. I work in the pharmacy occasionally as well and I very much dislike it due to the unwarranted amount of stress that comes with it.

    But this is more of a rant. Customers. There are some very rude and flat out idiotic customers that come into Walgreens. I could be stocking shelves, counting inventory, putting items where they need to go, and customers will be on the other side of the store shouting "Hello" and whistling at me like a dog and start yelling asking for something is. I always think to myself, how difficult is it to walk about 50 more feet and just ask, "Do you know where ______ is?". On top of this, there are people who just think that employees do not know how to do their job. They believe they have been working their since 1996 and know how the entire store operates. They start telling us what to do. Customers have asked if they can use a CVS coupon or if I, standing in the photo department, can fill their prescription when the Pharmacy closed and the big metal barrier states that their is no pharmacist on duty and that no prescriptions can be filled yet they still find a way to yell at me about it.

    There are very very nice customers who come in and make the day better but those dumb customers who come in and just ruin your shift makes you occasionally wonder how they have jobs. 

The Beginning

    I never thought I would ever be writing a blog. Yet here we are, about 17 years after blogs peaked their use in 2005, I am writing one. I should start off with a little about me. I am currently a college student at North Central College pursuing a Bachelors degree in Accounting. I only live 15 minutes away yet I chose to live on campus. Of course my parents wanted me out of the house but I wanted to get the so called "full college experience". What really drove me to come here was the fact I could play free golf and get free golf gear here and not be stressed out doing it.

    About that, in my early days, I was quite the athlete one may say. I played soccer, baseball, dabbled in some football. I did most of the common sports. However golf was not one. My dad always begged me from an early age to play golf. He was always watching golf, every weekend it was on, every single TV in my house would have the golf channel on listening to two British broadcasters whisper to each other while some unathletic looking person was hitting a tiny white ball into a cup for millions of dollars. If an alien were to hear that they might think we are insane, but it is one of the most played sports out there. I never really had in interest in playing and pushed my dad away constantly. I would always try to watch something different because it just seemed boring to me. 

    Now I would call you a lunatic if you described me as that today. I have a feeling while one day when I was sleeping, my dad cast a spell to make me fall in love with golf. When I woke up for my first day of high school something changed. I could not get enough of golf. Everyday I would go practice for a few hours, one summer I played every day. 18 holes. 7 days a week. All summer. I just could not get enough of it. It has even advanced to the point where I enjoy watching it on TV (did not think I would ever say that). I even sports bet occasionally. Golf has in a way become one of the biggest parts of my life and I must say I do love it. Now golf is not my entire life, I actually work, have friends I go out with, and play video games, but it is something I would like for all of you reading this to know from the beginning. That I love golf.