My Life....

     Today started out much better than yesterday did by far! I went to work, I only had to work a single 4 hour shift where I cleared $100 which is a great shift for me. I was blessed with many very nice and solid tipping people. If everyday of work was as beneficial as today was I would be a happy camper.

     After work I went and got my hair cut and a shave, which to me is one of the best things I can possibly do to reinvigorate my self image. I feel so refreshed and rejuvenated after it that it's hard to bring me down. I then when shopping with some co-workers and spent a bit too much money, but hey everyone makes mistakes. I learned today that it's always better to let the good times out weigh the bad in your memory and to always push forward. I also learned that smiling will almost always over power anyone who is foul mouthed or in a bad mood. It's contagious!

Sorry I don't have more from today, maybe one day I'll video blog my day. I have also thought about reviewing and blogging about recipes, gadgets, stores, and restaurants, let me know if you think I should delve into this!

~Ben

New hope

Tonight I was given new hope in humanity by the form of two wonderful guests at my table. One was an older woman who worked for the Blount county library system and the other was a retiree from HGTV of 29 years. They showered me with compliments and praise and even told my manager how she was wasting my talents and time.

This selfless act single handedly made my night possibly my week. They implored me to put in applications elsewhere and even told me they would put in recommendations for me. I have waited so long to feel this kind of appreciation, it truly makes me feel great. This is what people need in their lives. People need to feel appreciated in whatever job they do, it's not an easy world to live in and sometimes all you need is a thank you or a hug and it will somehow make everything better.

I would love to hear about your stories regarding selfless acts of kindness or charity. Feel free to leave a comment below!

~Ben

The Holiday Spirit

     The holidays have started and some have even finished, for many of us holidays are a time of new beginnings and for others it's a time of reflection over a year that has come and gone. For whatever reason you celebrate the holidays (or don't) , we can all agree that this special time of year always brings out a different side of people that we don't always see. This can be good, you might get gifts or even just a smile, or it could be bad, and your family could bicker the entire day and end up holding grudges.

     I had a great day filled with love shown not only from my family, but from my friends as well. I also saw some hate from family, but this was overshadowed by good memories. My mother, who is struggling to keep a roof over our heads got together money and framed my diplomas for me and surprised me with them early this morning. This kind of selfless love is what should characterize this season, but often gets lost amongst the selfish consumer whoring that we all are guilty of at one point or another.

     What I am saying is people forget that their actions directly affect others and we should try to work together as the human race, and not just around the holidays. We as people forget this, some of us try to make a world a better place and some just try to mask their inferiorities by breaking down the spirit of others. While others go spend at least one day out of their week at church to be reminded of how to treat others, but those lessons often times get left at the alter (that is a discussion for another day).

     So, what ever you celebrate, I hope you do so; happy, safe, and with people you love.

~Ben

Family ties

I feel that everyone takes the holidays differently. Some people are still deep seeded in traditions, while others are dead set on making new ones on their own. I am quite conflicted when it comes to family. My parents separated a few years ago now and therefore I always have two of everything.

I am currently at my dad's side of the family's Christmas party, every year we meet up at a cabin in the mountains and spend the entire weekend there. This year is no different, so that sparked a thought in my head. I wonder how many families still actually have traditions and if they have changed over the years.

I asked some of my friends about their families and their traditions, and most of them either don't have traditions or don't even spend the holidays with their family. Now, I'm not much of a family guy myself, but I always try to make some time for them around the holidays.

I hope everyone takes time to spend time with the people they love whether that's their friends, family, or otherwise. Leave a comment below about some of your family's traditions or your plans for the holidays and we will talk about them.

Thanks for reading,
~Ben

A different direction.

Tonight we take a break form the typical melodramatic postings of my background!

     I am talking about the break form insanity I received last night! I got to go out with my boyfriend and go see the lights at Dollywood. It was a brisk evening filled with fun, laughter and the occasional swear word while riding the coasters at night.

   What is your favorite thing to do that takes your mind off of your surroundings?

:)

A wonderful addition....

As we continue on...

     After pulling myself up I wasn't content with where I was so I set off to work towards a goal. My end goal is to open a business (preferably a restaurant) and prosper. I do this goal to not only help further myself but also those around me that have helped me during this great journey we call life. I never forget those who help me even if it is just giving me a compliment, because sometimes that's all I need.

    I began my next semester of college and started working more diligently towards opening a bakery with my friends Tiffany and Stephanie, they would prove to be two of my closest friends during college. We worked through the nights and weekends, doing everything from sketching out possible bakery layouts and signage, to building menus, to writing the business plan. We traveled around Oak Ridge, TN (where they live), looking for the perfect place to open up shop. We finally found somewhere that was somewhat affordable, the only downside being it was previously a finance office and didn't have even the slightest inkling of restaurant readiness.

     So we began the build out needed, we were fairly broke during this time and therefore did a majority of the work ourselves with the help of friends and family. This took almost a month to complete but in the end it was worth it. We opened up on April Fools Day of 2012. It was no joke. This would begin a very important chapter in my life and would provide me with more hands on learning than college would ever come close to teaching me.

     to be continued....


If anyone has any comments or wants to share a story of there on, I invite you to do so! I am always on the look for others who wish to share their experiences and lessons.

Thanks,

~Ben

More regular updates to come!

I would just like to thank everyone for checking out my blog, and I hope it will help to inspire you to do great things with your life!