New Blog Location

My blog has moved. www.everettbracken.com

TOMS Shoes

TOMS Shoes is perhaps my favorite company in the world. I love Apple because they have incredible products. I love Nike because I am a sports-a-holic. But I love TOMS Shoes because they are good. I'm not talking about the products (although they are good too); I am talking about the people and the business plan. For every pair of shoes they sell, they give one away to kids who don't have shoes. One for one. Check them out, and consider doing their "One Day Without Shoes" on Thursday, April 16th.

Parents

When I am with a group of people, and my mom is present, perhaps the scariest words she can say are, "Remember when..." At that point, it can go either way - good or bad. Those words can cause my blood pressure to rise like very few things can. On the one hand, she could say:

Mom: "Remember when you scored 46 points against Bayshore your junior year?"
Me: after a brief sigh of relief, "Yeah, I was feeling it that night."

But it could also go the other way:

Mom: "Remember when you cheated on your girlfriend with your best friend's girlfriend?"
Me: "Actually, I have spent the last 19 years trying to forget that. Thanks for bringing it up again, especially in front of my best friend."

What embarrassing things do your parents do to you?

zoo atlanta

Susan, Daniel, my mom, and I went to the zoo on Sunday. I like the zoo. But it got me to thinking about some funny things I have observed at the zoo.

1. Animals don't get embarrassed - I have seen an elephant facing away from the crowd, lift his tale, and proceed to take the biggest dump in the world. You should have heard all the "ohs" and ahs." I didn't know that much feces could be inside any one animal. I have also seen a gorilla "inspecting" his privates right there for everyone to see. And don't get me started on the elephant I saw that had, what I thought initially, was a fifth leg.

2. People don't get embarrassed (at a zoo) - have you noticed how grown men and women will talk to animals (who can't understand a word they are saying anyway) like they are little babies? "Hey dittle orangutan. Hey dere. How are you dittle baby? You're so cute." Meanwhile, the animal is probably thinking, "What a moron. I can't even understand a word you are saying to me."

3. Some people actually look like some of the animals - this is a fun game to play. As you walk around the zoo, try to identify which animals that the other people most resemble. You'd be amazed at how many people look like animals. Personally, I resemble a turtle (especially when my face is shaven). Just remember to do this quietly, because it would be quite embarrassing for your kid to yell out, "hey, that woman looks like an elephant!"

Have you ever seen anything funny at the zoo?

pet peeves

I have several pet peeves, and I want to draw attention to two of them here.

1. The Invisible "S" - Have you ever noticed how people add an "s" at the end of certain stores and restaurants? For example, Krogers or Outbacks.

Friend: "Hey, do you want to go to LongHorns tonight?"
Me: "LongHorns? Is that possessive or plural?
Friend: "Huh? What do you mean?"
Me: "There is no s on the end!"
Friend: "Yes there is!"
Me: Pull out my iPhone and Google it to prove them wrong.
Friend: "You're a jerk."

2. Touching my computer screen - I hate getting those greasy fingerprints on my screen! I want to see my documents and webpages clearly, not through the veil known as smudges. I'm always uncomfortable when someone is pointing toward something on my screen - I can feel my stress level rise with each inch as their finger moves toward the screen. Sometimes if feels as if it is in slow motion. If it is someone I know well, then I can say, "Hey, be careful not to touch my screen. It is a pet peeve of mine." But if I don't know the person, then I can only hope that they know proper computer screen etiquette.

Do you have any pet peeves like these?

twitter

I have started to use twitter this week. I want all my friends to start using it! If you don't know what twitter is, go check it out. It is like a facebook status, but only the people who want to "follow" will see it. And you can follow others, even celebrities if you would like. How cool would it be for friends to stay connect with one another throughout each day, not just when you are together or on the phone? This is the great benefit of twitter that I see. I can go to my twitter home page and immediately see some funny comment that my friend has made, or I can even laugh at what Rainn Wilson wrote: give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. give a fish a man, and you feed him for like 2 and 1/2 months.

Sure, no one wants to know that you are going to the post office. But wouldn't it be cool to know that your buddy is on his way to watch the final four in Detroit?

So, ALL MY FRIENDS NEED TO GET ON TWITTER! That means you too, Adam. Visit me on twitter by clicking here.

2 annoying things

I had two annoying things happen to me today. I share them here in hopes that someone may stumble upon this blog and learn to never do either of these things.

1. A "friend" (let's call him "Tyler") didn't want to loan his own Flip HD video camera to a group of high school students (I'm sure he came up with some lame excuse), so he tells them that I have one and gives them my number! So I get a call from a high school student that I have met a couple of times, but don't really know very well, and he asked to borrow it for a week! And part of the time he wanted to take it with a group of buddies to the Smoky Mtns. Ummm, no. I ended up letting them use it for a couple of days, and I'm just hoping these jokers are responsible. But, in the end, I can't be mad at Tyler, because I have done the same thing many times! Karma.

2. I was at the orthodontist with my daughter this afternoon, and this lady in the waiting room received a call. Now, proper ettiquette in this situation would be to either receive the call quietly and say, "Hey, I'm at the Dr's office, can I call you back?" or walk outside and have your conversation. But this lady must have missed that day's lesson at "How Not To Be An Idiot School." This lady proceeded to receive the call and talk VERY loudly, annoying the other 6 of us waiting for our kids. We each looked at each other rolling our eyes, and huffing loudly hoping that she might get the hint. Finally, I went over and grabbed her cell phone out of her hand and told the lady that she was being rude and inconsiderate. Ok, that last sentence isn't true, but I thought about it.

Have you ever done any of these things? Come on, admit it. We are all friends here.