- I could have done this edition earlier in the month but there was a big reason I put it off until specifically today (March 31). In late June of 2009, I wrote up the "retribution" edition. The main topic I covered was about an editorial I wrote up during my first go-round at Ohio State responding to an article in the OSU student newspaper The Lantern. I did so partially in defense of my friend Laura Dudek who was being forced out of her position in Ohio State's Undergraduate Student Government, partially as a defense of the newspaper and partially to knock down a peg or two a USG representative who made critical remarks and took personal potshots at Laura in the article regarding her exit from USG. Quite frankly, what that jackass stated...that's right, I called him a jackass...ticked me off. He was being petty and cruel and I wasn't having it. In fact, the name of my editorial was appropriately titled "USG rep should get off his mountain" because he acted like he was oh-so-high-and-mighty it made me sick. Anyway, you can all check out more of the details about what happened after I wrote that editorial all those years ago here in the "retribution" edition. The main reason I am specifically bringing this subject up again now is that today is the 20 year anniversary of that editorial appearing in the Lantern. A few years ago I went to the School of Journalism on the OSU campus and made photocopies of that editorial because it was the first time I made an impact through the media. It would become one of the biggest milestones and one of the biggest turning points of my life though I wouldn't truly realize how much until years later. Quite frankly, if it weren't for that editorial and the aftermath, as bad as a lot of it was for me personally, there probably wouldn't be a DJ's Random Thoughts right now. Before I say more, I do want to make one major correction to that retribution edition that literally slipped my mind for years until I recently looked at my college transcripts. I inferred then that it was my last quarter of my first go-round at OSU. I was wrong. While working at Sears, I did return for spring quarter of 1996 and took two classes. I now remember still reeling from the stuff that happened in 95 while taking those classes but I thought I should make the appropriate correction now. I can't believe I actually forgot that...my bad on that.
Anyway, this now-20-year-old editorial is one of the biggest examples outside of DJRT of something I strongly believe myself to be: protective...hence the subtitle for this edition. In the editorial I was being protective of my friend Laura. Many of you have seen me be protective of my friends, more than likely in the club but elsewhere as well. I am actually rather protective of many things. I am protective of my beliefs which are well manifested here in DJRT. I am protective not just of my friends but the relationships they are in. I value relationships to much and I want to see them not just work out but simply work and I try to help them along any way I realistically can if necessary. My friends are like family to me so when their relationships are threatened by outside forces I feel compelled to step in...it may not be the wisest of decisions or even my "business" but since my friends are my business that compelling aspect will likely be there. I am protective of my memories as they have served me in different capacities over the years. DJRT has been especially helpful with that these past few years. In the last few years, I have also learned to be more protective of my personal time...in other words, to make as much time for myself as necessary. Granted I may have alienated some along the way doing that but before learning to do so I really had trouble managing my time and there were many who took advantage of that for their benefit and my detriment, so it was something I absolutely had to learn if only for my own sake if not the people I want and have around me. It's still something I'm trying to sort out but I'm almost there in that regard. Eventually I hope to be protective of my own romantic relationship....not that I'm not open to having one in the near future or even now but with my current situation and the general state of things for me and around me, getting together with a woman is low on the priority list right now...it doesn't mean I'm not open to change but I'm just not feeling it at this time. With so much that I value, it should be no surprise how protective I can be and I'm pretty sure with many things and areas of your lives and specific people, it's likely the same scenario for each of you too.
- As far as my birthday goes for this year, although some of you have been talking about it a bit, I'm really not up for celebrating it this year. A lot of what happened and many of the expectations I had leading up to last year's birthday are weighing heavily on me when this has come up and, to be honest, it might take something completely huge or big to make me change my mind on that. The vibe does seem different this year than last year but I really don't want to jinx that so unless something comes along that significantly changes things, I really don't want to make that big a deal of it.
- Speaking of a vibe, I went out dancing last Saturday night at the Red Fox. For the first time in Lord knows how long, it felt like 2003 again, both at the Harry Buffalo in Akron and the Big Easy in Columbus. I think it had a bit to do with seeing my friend Jalen for the first time in years but when Alan, the deejay there, got the music going it was great and it took me back. Granted, like I said before I'm more into the here and now and the future but it was nice to have that feeling I had from back in the day. Maybe it'll come again, maybe not, but at least I can regularly hope for at least just as good a time if not better whenever I go out wherever I go out. Maybe that should be the expectation but, again, I don't want to jinx the vibe.
- Something that took me completely by surprise this year was my enjoyment of this year's Wrestlemania that took place a couple days ago. The reason it took me by surprise is that the storylines that led up to it were...well...pretty bad. I had trouble watching some of it over the past few months over the horrible dialogue and storytelling and I went into watching it with very, very low expectations. Unlike the past few years where it was only a one or two match worthy card, it was solid top to bottom this time around. I popped hard for the DX vs. NWO shot during the Sting-Triple H match and the rest of the show was just good. That even included the main event with saw a Money in the Bank cash-in and eventually win of the WWE Title by Seth Rollins. It was just a good show all around and I am hopeful that the momentum it started keeps up in the future.
- I've talked an awful lot about my return to Columbus in 2004 to finally get my college degree...about some of the events that led up to it, about my time there at OSU, about my pride in finally getting my degree, not to mention other things. In the future I may talk about even more specifics about that timeframe. For this edition, there is one specific event I want to talk about from then that I've only told a few people about. It isn't a big secret or revelation or anything like that but it may be the one thing that if it had not happened I would not be a college graduate and my life would have been completely different. I'm more surprised that I haven't actually talked about this before but now I'm going to. As I've revealed before, I was a regular at the Harry Buffalo and talked a lot about my former time in Columbus to a lot of folks up here around Akron including some who eventually became part of The Crew. For a few months leading up to that initial trip to Columbus I had been bugging them about taking a trip to my old stomping grounds Club Dance which at that time was called The Big Easy. However, about a month before that initial trip down there something happened that, looking back now, changed everything for me. That "something" was a golf event.
Now, I bet a lot of you didn't expect to see that, especially since I'm not really that into golf. Sure, I watched it on TV from time to time when it caught my fancy but it's really rare when that happens. The summer of 2003 was one of those rare occasions. In late August the NEC Invitational took place at Firestone Country Club in Akron and I was able to secure a couple of volunteer shifts at the event working at a concession stand near the 18th hole of the playing course. This was one of the few events I can remember past or present that all the major top names in golf at that time were at one event and they were at this one. There was no cut so all the golfers played all 4 days of the NEC Invitational. I worked the first two days of the event on August 21st and 22nd. I remember those dates specifically because I got a couple things from the event to give to my mom for her birthday (she likes golfing). Anyway, I bet you're all wondering at this point how the heck this led me back to OSU. Well, during both of my shifts my co-workers and I would start getting to know each other and several of my conversations led to me talking a bit about attending Ohio State. My co-workers asked me why I never got my degree. I hemmed and hawed around it because, quite frankly, I didn't have a good answer to give them. Many of them would tell me it was a shame that I wasn't able to get my degree. That really got to me. I would go home after my shifts and wonder to myself why I didn't have my degree, why I didn't stick it out, what led me away from college and Ohio State specifically. After my second shift I did some serious soul searching. All I knew at that time was that I had had enough of the "awww what a shame" stuff so that night I resolved to work on finally seeing if it was possible for me to go back to college and get a degree.
Over the next few days I started looking into what and how long it might take. I couldn't use the internet at home because it was dial-up then which meant the phone line would have been tied up and I didn't want anyone to find out what I was up to unless I was sure I was gonna be able to pull this off. I went to the library every day and used the internet there for hours on end digging up anything that would help me get back to school. I consulted with a few people who I had known and trusted for years...it was only about three or four people I could count on at that point in my life but there's obviously many more than that now. Anyway, I made the call to work on getting back to OSU partly because I had already put in a lot of time and effort there and I didn't want any of that to go to waste. Due to a couple of specific circumstances I just happened to benefit from regarding going back there, I could go back with more of a clean slate without the school-related baggage from before. That would end up a huge relief for me. It took a lot of work but because of that diligence, checking my e-mail every day and responding ASAP to any inquiries regarding FAFSA or enrollment or housing or whatever, less than a month later...I believe by the 17th or 18th of September...I finally got everything I needed, got squared away and got myself ready and psyched up for a return to Ohio State. Once the return was confirmed, I really got psyched up for that first road trip down to The Big Easy. It amazes me even now that it only took about three and a half weeks to go from being a college dropout with no intention beforehand of going back and having no idea what I was going to do even the next day to becoming a confirmed student at Ohio State starting Winter Quarter 2004. It blows my mind that I was capable of pulling that off. As I progress...slowly at this point...toward wherever my life is leading me, I have to remember that sometimes events happen that can change the course of my life in a heartbeat and that I do have the ability to make the best out of such a course change. As bad as a lot of the things I have talked about regarding my life, this one event proves it can be just as good for me if not better than I imagine. Believe me, I do have an imagination.
- Back in late February, I went to the last Jayfest wrestling event in Barberton. It was one of the few times I was able to get out of the house for a while (I'll talk a bit more about that in the next blurb). There were a lot of folks from MCW at the event and it may have been one of the last times I would see many of them...I'm hoping that's actually not the case but it is a possibility. Anyway, it was great being able to see them after not seeing them for so long in person. The matches were great and Christian Vaughn had two great matches to finish out his in-ring career. I had a blast being there and hanging out with my friend Micah afterwards to watch the WWE Fast Lane show. I don't know how many wrestling shows I'll be able to go to in the near future but it was definitely great to see many of the guys again. At this point, I'm just hoping for wrestling shows that are going to be worth actually going to locally at this point...and I'm not the only one who thinks that.
- The one thing that has been a constant so far in 2015 is the winter weather. If it wasn't a deep freeze, it was a heavy snow. It was that way up until about a week and a half or so ago. It was so bad that my driveway was buried and I couldn't get the car out to travel around. There were times when I would try to shovel but where I shoveled would just get covered over like it wasn't done and then there were the sub-zero temperatures. If people wanted to know why I didn't do much travelling this winter season, that's the big reason. All I can say is that I'm glad spring is finally here. I've already gone through my bi-annual weatherization so I'm primedand ready to get going when the real good weather finally hits.
- In the past week or so I've been working on my festival schedule which I won't be publishing like I did last year...again, I don't want to jinx any good vibes so I'm taking no chances. Last year, due to my personal and emotional issues, I didn't go to as many festivals or take as many walks as I had in previous years. I may not be able to make it to all the festivals I want to this year but I am hoping to go to as many as I possibly can which I'm hoping will be more than last year. With being shut in for months due to all the snow, I'm hoping that within the next month or so I'll be able to get to my walks around Cuyahoga Falls again. I'm also hoping to get back to going out dancing regularly again as well. Thanks to the cold I need to start working on getting back into dancing shape again. There's a lot coming up on the horizon and that unlike last year I hope I'm up for it this time around. Regarding one of my regular events, I do want to note that there is a new concert series being put on by the city of Cuyahoga Falls and the organizers of both the Irish and Italian festival events that is replacing the old "Rockin' on the River". It is now the Riverfront Concert Series and it will have some of the same bands as last year and a few new faces (one is a Billy Joel tribute band I'm interesting in checking out). It will still be taking place on Fridays and it will start on May 22nd and run through August 28th with the aforementioned Irish and Italian festival weekends being the only interruptions. If anybody wants more info, they can check out updated information from their Twitter page Riverfront by IROK.
- Song on Repeat: "Heart in Chains" by Kate Voegele. It's still hard to believe that one of my favorite shows, One Tree Hill, had it's season finale almost three years ago. Shoot, there was an OTH convention recently that I would have killed to go to if I was able, but alas I will have to consider attending one down the line. Kate Voegele was a part of the main cast on the show and this was the last song she performed as a guest star in the last episode of season 8. I know the cast has moved on to bigger and better things but I do miss that show. I guess I'll have to console myself with past episodes.
- Shoutouts: Sarah & Dave, Jenny K., Micah, Zach (Christian Vaughn), Justin Mane, Justin (Jebediah), Kevin B., Zach G., Joshua, Mike Meekins, Melissa, Stephanie, Ron M., Cheryl, Ron M., Kevin N., Cory, Stan, Jay, Mary, Alan, Desiree, Bob & Lynn, and Jalen.
That's it for this edition. A lot has been said and there will be more in the future. As you can see from the edition pic, I've been working on different variations of a logo. None of them will be replacing the logo I do have because I love that one but I do want ot show off my ingenuity and customizing skills every once in a while and I think this edition's pic is one of my better ones. With that, I'm going to take off now. Until next time, folks. Take care and God Bless.
DJ
