"AIN'T SUNSHINE...."

@ TJ's on 35th Street, Circa 2010

Man, I just spent the past hour being extremely pissed off. Nothing that’s overly major, but still worth venting about to you guys/gals. Okay, I get to the clinic for my pre-employment physical. I’m on noid already because this is the same clinic I’ve had issues with in the past because they wouldn’t clear me for a different job when I was healing from Rotator Cuff Surgery. SO…I go in and the cutie behind the desk made me feel a tad better and I was with Naim so you know how we do! After filling out the forms I’ve filled out ten million times, I went to the back for urine and TB Screenings. Then the nurse directed us to the exam room to wait for the doctor.

Naim Nuru Andrew Matthews, Circa 2011

 I thought about not telling them I was Diabetic because a lot of unnecessary drama comes once they know you’re Diabetic. After checking my blood sugar, it started. First, I must tell you all, my sugars run high right now, but my primary physician is awesome and we’re working on getting the sugar levels under control. The clinic physician basically said he wouldn’t clear me to start the job due to my Diabetes. What? I was livid! I remained cool, though. Once he saw I was down and very disappointed, he said he would clear me, but my primary physician would have to clear me as well. That’s nothing because my primary is awesome so he’ll do it for me. I hope he does it. Anyway, I had to take a form from the clinic to my primary’s office for him to sign and fax back to the clinic to go into my file for employment.

My and Daniela's Family, Circa 2011

 I say all of that to say, life is so full of unnecessary Bull crap at times. When I’m up on a cloud and happily celebrating an achievement or reaching a personal goal, something is always there in an attempt to bring my celebration crashing to the ground in defeat. I’m proud of a few things…

I’m proud of having three college degrees, two of which are graduate level degrees.

I’m proud of having nearly twenty years in an industry of helping and assisting others through Human Services.

I’m proud to have met, found and fallen in love with my soul mate and to have been loved by such an amazing woman.

I’m proud to have four children with that amazing woman with no outside kids or BM/BD Drama.

I’m proud of our children and their individual strengths to be the people they are and the adults they will become.

I’m proud to never have experienced handcuffs being placed on my wrists or being in the rear of a police vehicle; hence never being in jail or arrested for any reason.

I’m proud to be a part of the Matthews Family and a descendant of Andrew and Hattie Matthews from Mt. Holly, Arkansas.

I’m proud to not have a particular genre of music I listen to and to being open to all forms of musical expression.

I’m proud to be the country boy loaner I come off to be to others and the goofy troublemaker I am to my close friends and family.

My, Myself and I, Circa 2012

It hurts though when others who don’t really know you or care to understand you put a stigma on you and wave that banner without truly experiencing who you truly are. I’ve never used my illness as an excuse or not even a reason to get off of work. I hope this turns out well I can start this new path, which was given to me without the chaos and unnecessary obstacles from someone who doesn’t even know how to pronounce my first name.

Pre-Employment Physical

Well, I know it’s a tad later, but Great Morning to you all. I’m getting geared up for my Pre-employment Physical this morning for my new career opportunity. I’ve decided to let Naim (my 6-year old) come with me. I guess, I want him as a form of Good Luck, =D! Hey, you never know! I may do a video post to the blog (www.phrdiaries@blogspot.com) after I leave the clinic. My nerves are weird because I literally “HATE” these clinics when I have an awesome specialist in Dr. Paul Hartlaub here in Milwaukee, WI. For those of you who don’t know, I’m Diabetic and Dr. Hartlaub is the awesome Physician who’s helping me get control of my illness. Well, enough of that! See you in about an hour. Keep your fingers crossed for Great Luck and blessings!!!

"COLONY THINKING"

Lo-Lifes New York, NY: Salute with 2Ls^

Good Morning All,

Those of you who know me have a very direct opinion of me. More so than those you've I've met through work, business or social environments. The one common theme, I feel, you all may share is that I'm a truly honest person. I try not to give you a sugarcoated opinion that's lost behind jargon not too technical to comprehend nor will I speak to you in a slang dialect to fool you just the same. You've heard me say I'm a simple man, from a simple place and time. It's true. I feel life is extremely too short and important to spend time trying to deceive and be dishonest to people who go through similar struggles as you. It's childish and very immature. Now this post isn't directed towards anyone specific person. I'm just speaking in general. 

Matthews and Watts: Family in the community.

Culture is simply defined as "a way of life" and "how you live your life." I watched, over this past weekend, a show called 'Meet The Hutterites'. The show is about a colony of Amish-like people who share a close culture based in their faith. Many cultures like this tend to be religiously based and take the scripture of their faith very literally. In this show, they follow the day-to-day lives of several colonists. What you learn quickly is how private the culture is, but also how the rules and following the rules is what makes this culture or way of life work. 

Educated Matthews Man.

Everyone in the colony has a purpose, job and intent. All focused on maintaining the rules of the colony. The colonists understand their individual roles and vow to maintain those roles and duties in order to maintain their culture. 

I then take that ideology and try to figure a way to adapt it to modern day and society. These colonies and culture are self-sustaining. They really don’t need the outside world for much. If something occurs politically, socially or economically that causes a national crisis or even a nature disaster, these colonies will sustain and survive. I doubt if we can. They make their own clothes, harvest (grow and raise) their own foods and even produce their own economic system.

Matthews Family doing Community Service.

What if we did? What if we were able to come together as a collective and set aside our religious, political and social differences? We could develop a culture and colony based in an industry like science or technology; whereas everyone in the colony would share the common theme of communal advancement. The colony’s schools, youth programs, social atmosphere all would be focused on developing an environment and foundation for that theme to flourish. It wouldn’t have to be a compound, but rather a town or small village. Of course the first generation would need to be willing to sacrifice financial gain due to their focus being the building of the colony and developing the future leaders of the colony.

Yours Truly: Ray Ray, Ray Lo or Butt Hole. Depends on who you ask.

There’s been this idea of people having their independence in thought and freedoms of “being who you want to be”, which is a cultural and social killer. In my opinion, without rules and borders for people to follow and remain in, they are bound to hurt themselves and others. Today this can begin by forming a small group of dedicated people who share the similar ideas of morality and purpose.

I guess, I say all of this to say, I would love to live in a small self-sustaining colony where independence is minor compared to the growth of the youth and future. Beyond racial, ethnic, social, economic, religious and whatever else form of division, we can't flurish or start growth in a positive light until we're willing to truly understand and practice sacrifice.

Matthews, Willis, Sayas, Thomas and Conners: All family!

RM  

2013 Worlds Most Exciting Fight - Marcus Buchecha vs Bernardo Faria

No início de um vídeo blog sobre Robert Drysdale, afirmei que ele (Drysdale) foi um dos meus jogadores favoritos Jiujitsu. Bem, o meu muito próximo segundo favorito é esse cara. A partir da Check Mat Team, Buchecha. Muito emocionante e campeão talentoso.

Drysdale

Rolled Up Episode 37 - All or Nothing - Robert Drysdale - part 2