How Legends Are Made Part 1 of 3- Link’s Love Letter (Remastered)

To my dearest Zelda,

I sincerely hope that this letter finds you well. Please give your father my greetings and salutations at the castle. I pray that things in central Hyrule are going well for you and the royal family. Also, please accept my deepest apologies, I intended to write you last week but a situation came up in Death Mountain that kept me occupied in battle. Yet and still since I missed an opportunity to write you back from your previous letter, I am sorry and I promise to make it up to you later.

I was thinking about you last night as I took an evening off from battle and slept at the Kakariko Village Inn. In your last letter you asked me the truth about how have things been? Honestly my situation has been a challenge. I feel as if things will never change here in Hyrule. My nemesis Gannon and his minions are relentless in their pursuit of the Triforce. Those golden triangles and the power they possess have been a constant source of conflict throughout the decades. It is an ongoing struggle, because it seems that his support is so large and widespread in this region. By no means am I giving up the battle, but I cannot show weakness in front of my people or the enemy. I am glad I have you in my corner because things can get a little lonely out here. I feel as if I am a bounty hunter, consistently acting alone in my fight to protect this land from evil.

On a brighter note, I want to share with you what I was thinking. Do you remember back when we were kids Zelda? I remember you were the best at hitting those Octoroks square between the eyes with my slingshot! 🙂 I think we were around 10 years old when I first found my Ocarina. You would sit outside the gates of the castle and I would play for you, sometimes for hours. Your favorite was a song I created just for you, and I called it “Zelda’s Lullaby”. We would snack on Deku seeds and drink that delicious ice cold milk from the Lon Lon Ranch! Let us not forget how mad the ranch owner Talon would get when we would sneak in at night and fill up my bottles with that milk! We would run off laughing, because he was so slow he could never catch us!

As we got older, I remember how you would join me fishing at Lake Hylia. Oh how I loved the crystal blue waters of that lake back then! You were around 16 or 17 when I caught that 20 pound Hylian Bass! It took us forever to reel that fish in. Then you and I would saddle up on my horse Epona, and ride off into the sunset. Things were so much simpler back then. I know we were so young, but I think consistently of the memories.

Zelda my love, I miss you so much. I long to look into your beautiful eyes. I miss your sweet perfume and how it’s scent would radiate off of your soft skin. I can’t wait to see your gorgeous smile and hear your sweet high pitched giggle. I cannot wait to kiss your soft tender lips and hold your beautiful warm frame next to me. Honestly babe, to hold you at this particular moment would heal my deepest battle wounds. It’s so difficult, because i can see you, yet you are not here with me.

Well my love, the blacksmith is almost done forging my Master Sword. After that Epona and I have to head over to the Water Palace. I received a call from King Zora, leader of the fish people. Danger awaits me there, so I ask that you pray for me that my courage and stamina will exhort themselves, and I will defeat whatever evil awaits me. Zelda, please know that I miss you. I adore you my Hyrule Princess. I love you my sweet queen. For any reason that I don’t make it back, please see the attached letter. It has specific instructions of a stash of rupees and spoils of war i have collected through the years. Think of it as my insurance policy taken out on you, but I have every intention of making it home to you alive. This is the life I chose Zelda, and I hope that you can understand. This is what legends are made of my love. Until our next communication, take this as a token of my undying love and affection.

Your’s truly,

Link

**Stay tuned in for part 2, Zelda’s response**

V.R.

Memory Lane Moments Part 6- The Beauty Of The Blend

Legacy…to make a lasting meaningful impact on people, spanning throughout several generations. To leave a legacy is one of the single most important experiences many of us dream about. Presidents talk about legacies, as do athletes, musicians, and celebrities. We should all make it our ambition to leave a lasting legacy for our children, family, and friends. I have heard that as important as success may be to some people, significance is held to a higher standard. To be significant is a key ingredient in leaving a legacy.

I think back to growing up in the 1980’s and 90’s. My dad on a very limited budget did his best to leave a legacy for our family. I am not speaking about money in this case. He left us a legacy of fun memories that no amount of money can buy. He and my mom sacrificed everything for the few things we did have. That is why my Nintendo NES and games meant so much to me. 1 game console for a family of 10, picture that!

When I look at my children, I try my best to emulate the same spirit my dad had towards us. I am blessed to have a blended family. Sure we have our struggles. My wife and I constantly talk about how there really is not a blueprint for all of the issues that come along with a blended family. We are doing our best to leave a better financial legacy for our children than our parents were able to. With that being said though, the most important values we are trying to instill are God, family, and fun.

Blended families many times are looked at with a negative connotation. When kids are products of a divorced home, there are typically issues and pain that traditional homes don’t have to deal with. I believe when my kids struggle with the emotional impact of their past, they strive to loose themselves in video games. My sons play Minecraft, Terreria, and Brawlhala among other titles. I believe they sometimes find peace between the joysticks. When I talk to them, the conversations remind me of my childhood.

Of course I don’t have all of the answers. Legacy is one of those concepts that is mostly subjective. It means different things to different people. But I do believe it is important to leave a legacy for future generations, regardless of wealth or prestige.

The moral of the story: What do you want people to remember you for? If you have kids, do you spend enough time with them? Do they know you? Do they only know your victories, or do you also share your struggles and failures with them? I’m only asking because these are issues I struggle with, and I want to make sure that I am not alone in my struggles.

For my situation, there is beauty in the blend. I want nothing more than to see my 4 children, 10 years from now talk about how much fun they had in their childhood. I pray that they love each other, and discuss their memories with one another. There is so much nostalgia in the phrase “Hey, do you remember back when…?” I hope and pray that you all focus on building and leaving a legacy that lasts for your family. If you don’t have children, legacy is not just limited to biological kids. Kindness to a younger sibling, compassion for foster kids, empathy for the next generation falls under the same umbrella. May we go forth in 2020 and do our best to leave a beautiful legacy for the next generation. -V. R.


Pace Yourself When Running The Race

Sonic The Hedgehog

As I sat playing Sonic The Hedgehog late last night, my oldest daughter who is now 16 actually took a moment to watch. A break from being the cool teenager, the varsity cheerleader, and the bookworm. I’m delighted to see her spending time with me! As parents with teenagers know, those moments are few and far between!

As she looked on, she let me know “Dad, I don’t like Sonic.” “Whaaaaat! How could you not like Sonic?” I said. He’s the fastest thing alive? She said (in her usual sophisticated teenage voice), “The game is messy, too much going on. Between his speed, moving patterns in the background, too many enemies, I can’t keep up.” Then she went back upstairs to her normal teenage routine.

As I continued to play one of my favorite childhood games, I started thinking about my life as Vintage Retroman. Could there possibly be a lesson in what she said? I believe there is. When we are going so fast in life that everything becomes a blur, life can become messy. Remember that you can’t be everything to everyone all of the time.

When running your race, focus on the goal and pace yourself. Remember that you should never run the race of others. Eliminate the background noise of busyness and focus on what is truly important. Remember that it is possible to be the jack of all trades, yet the master of none. One of my favorite characteristics about Sonic The Hedgehog is that as fast as he is, he paces himself to conquer each zone, one at a time. He never leaves his friends behind (well, occasionally tails but who’s counting😊) and he always keeps his eyes on the prize, which are those Chaos Emeralds.

I have been guilty of running the race of others. At times I still struggle with trying to do everything. When I think back to Christmas of 1991, my first time playing Sonic The Hedgehog on the Sega Genesis, pure nostalgia sets in. Back then, life was much slower. As an 8 year old kid, the only race I ran was with my friends outside in the neighborhood before the street lights came on. Times have changed, but principles don’t.

I encourage you all to run your race and pace yourself. Try not to get so caught up in the pressure that you can’t focus on your goals. Give yourself grace from time to time as you push to do your best. Remember that life is a vapor, it goes so quick. Lastly, take time to invest in yourself and your health, so you can be your best for everyone else. Signing off for now, V.R.

Memory Lane Moments Part 5- Capitalize On The Close Ties

It is so rare to find true friends. If you were born in the ’70s, 80’s, or 90’s, think back to how many friends you had growing up. Now link that to today. What type of correlation do you see?

Truth be told, lifelong friends are a rare commodity. Our experience sends us through many twists and turns. The stresses of life can make people numb, and living in a very individualistic culture automatically disconnects us. What are we to do?

I have thought much on this subject. Today, I truly have one best friend I call my brother. From the days of 8th grade, I remember it like it was yesterday. The year was 1996, October to be exact. My parents had just moved across town and I left all of my friends behind at Mineral Springs Middle School and transferred to Wiley. As a 13-year-old boy, I was crushed. I had so many friends at MSM, and to leave in the 8th grade? What were my parents thinking?

I distinctly remember it being mid-October. There was a slight crisp coolness in the air. As I rode on the vintage style school bus, I was a new teenager surrounded by fresh faces, scared to death. As the bus stopped and I walked off reluctantly, I heard a kid yell the F… word out of the window. This is my first day at my new school, I thought? I’m going to hate it here!

As I walked in, the school setup was completely different. In the mind of an 8th grader in the 90’s, I hated seeing the hallway crowded with students at their ivory white half lockers! I was used to the safe whole blue lockers of MCM! I mean come on, I can’t even get a whole locker? Look how inflated my backpack is? Those were my thoughts.

As I headed to my classes on my first day, I surprisingly met a few nice people that I hung on for dear life. After all, this was middle school. My identity was partially wrapped up in my associations. Sure they were nerds, but I didn’t care. They were nice!

Then a transition happened after lunch. I was apparently being watched by a group of kids. The “cool” clique. The kids wearing the Boss, Phat Farm, and Enyce shirts and jeans at that time. These kids were so cool, they listened to 2pac, Puff Daddy and Nas on their Sony Walkman’s and could rap all of the lyrics! They knew all of the latest entertainment news, gossip, and what happened on the last episode of any 90’s sitcom!

Somewhere between Mrs. Cunningham’s history class and Mrs. Nail’s math class, a young lady from “the cool kids” walked up to me and asked, “why didn’t you sit with us at lunch?” I had no answer for her, so I just shuddered. She said, “Well, you are welcome to sit with us tomorrow.” 🙂

What a pleasant surprise! I was so excited. Her friend that walked over with her smiled at me and I fell in teenage love (or in other words, infatuation). It ended up being short-lived though because she had a so-called “boyfriend” that went to another middle school. I hated him from a distance.

Then in Mrs. Cunningham’s class, I met my best friend Brandon! Have you ever met someone you just instantly clicked with? As we sat and joked about Mrs. C’s “bulldog-like” jaws and how to mean she was, every day we left class laughing. All throughout High School, Brandon and I developed a brotherhood. Everyone called him B for short. I caught on. We were great students grade-wise, but our conduct and candor were questionable.

We talked to many females, and had our fair share of rejections. Yet simply by the law of numbers, we had plenty of success stories with girls too. I am happy to say that myself and many members of the clique were cool all through high school, college, and beyond. 🙂

As the years rolled by, life happened. People got married, some got divorced, some got both like I did. People having children, some getting multiple degrees. Some working, some moving, some living a second childhood doing the same exact things they were doing in the ’90s.

B and I remained brothers. Fast forward to 2018. He and his wife have a beautiful family and home, living in the lush green hills of the great state of West Virginia. Me, my wife, and our 4 beautiful children live out in a rural area of North Carolina. Though it all, the secret formula behind lifelong friendship is easy. Give each other space and grace!

Space- Understand that life happens. Don’t be so immature if weeks or months go by and you don’t talk much. I appreciate the small text messages and calls. Give your friend(s) space to grow as people.

Grace- Understand that your friend(s) are human just like you. They need love, acceptance, and forgiveness too. Never be bitter, be quick to forgive. Don’t be selfish. Be humble and help them.

This is my experience. I hope that this helped somebody. We are all human. We are all trying to just figure out this thing we call “life”. Thank you for reading! I can say I know my brother Brandon thanks you too! Why? As my reader, just know that he is my co-administrator on http://www.vintageretroman.com. 🙂

New generation! Je’well, our youngest, with Brandon’s daughter Brailyn.

Signing off for now,

Vintage Retroman

2020- The Disconnect of Being Too Connected by V.R.

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Sometimes I just wish for a day that we all could go back. I am talking a time machine and warp back to the past, even if only for a day. As I stare at the small 3.5 x 5′ screen I can’t help but wonder, have I became a zombie, a servant, a slave to the rectangle device we call a smartphone? I am not trying to be one of those “Holier than thou” type people. I love my phone as much as the next person. As I stare waiting for the next update, the next like the next comment, I get a small fix of the drug I like to call, technocodine. Ok, I just made that up but you, my reader get the picture.

It wasn’t always like this. In elementary school in the 1980s, we played outside and loved it! Rarely did we have technology in our hands except maybe a Nintendo controller for a short time after getting home from school. I remember the days of passing notes in class to my 1st “real” girlfriend, trying to catch her attention and hide from my geometry teacher at the same time. At the bus stop in Middle and High school, our status updates were who we called last night on a landline phone and what the conversation consisted of. Prank calls were the best and we all knew to be ready for the wicked “3-way call of doom.” There were no screenshots. The worst that could happen was leaving an embarrassing message on someone’s answering machine!

Where I grew up, if you had a feud with someone you might end up in a brawl after school in front of a small crowd, but regardless of who won or lost guns were rarely a factor. Today, when arguments break out it quickly goes viral on social media and kids are killing other kids over opinions, ideas, and emotions that are not even real. I have never seen anything like this. I worry about our younger generation. The same technology that grants so many opportunities if used correctly, has also caused so much harm to homes, families, and communities.

I know what you are saying, who does this guy Vintage Retroman think he is? He is so self-righteous. How dare he address this subject with his audience while he uses technology to do it? Truth be told, I am preaching to myself as well. I am addicted to technology. It is the disconnect of being too connected at times. It’s quite troubling actually. I used to go to the beach to sit out and enjoy the warmth of the sun, the sound of the crashing waves and all the beautiful sights. Now when I go to the beach, I have to capture every single moment on film. I am not saying that there is anything wrong with taking beautiful pictures. What I’m saying is, if taking the perfect picture to capture the beauty of the moment becomes more important than enjoying the moment, that is a problem.

Here is an idea for you, my reader. What if for one day, the world had “International No Technology Day”. Literally 24 hours. Would the world stop spinning? What if there was one day where everyone had to actually have a conversation with another person face to face? Picture just one day, where we talked to our kids and spouses about everything in person. What would it look like, considering we’ve been conditioned to be slaves to technology? Once again, I am not trying to make anyone feel bad. I am trying to make us all think.

I say all of this, as I type my article on my laptop. My smartphone just went off so I will be checking the latest news and social media updates just like you in a minute. Then, I look over at my wife and kids and they’re doing the same. Oh sure we’re all in the same room, so I will justify my actions by saying we are all spending time together. It’s easier that way right? I am sure that my sons would enjoy what they are doing on their phones or video games way more than me tossing the football with them in the yard. My 8-year-old daughter doesn’t want to have a tea party with me for sure. Well, maybe they would like that, maybe not. One thing’s for certain though, there’s no way my daughter who plays on her high school softball team wants me to go out in the yard and play pitch and catch, right? Yeah, that’s right, she’d much rather watch softball updates on Twitter or the College Softball World Series?

I am a hypocrite in every sense of the word. I wrote this article for me. I have diagnosed myself with the disconnect of being too connected. Can someone please teach me how to hold down that little red semi-circle button that says “Power”? Can someone please help me remember the conversations with my mother around the table while eating a delicious meal? Will someone please let my wife know that I am so sorry. I know that we used to have really long, deep conversations about life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. I must admit here recently that the quick text conversations of “Hey, how is your day?” “Oh good, that’s good” and “I love you” get just a little old after a while. To my reader, while you are explaining things, please let my children know that I love them and that I promise to learn how to put the laptop, phone, and games down for a little while. I can’t be the only one infected with this disease. Just remember that it is not the devices themselves that are the problem. They are only inanimate objects. We only get sick from the actual disease when our thoughts, motivations, and objectives become subject to over connection. To my reader, I would never judge you. I am simply a fellow traveler trying to get back to using technology for good in its proper context. Let us take this trip together, one step at a time. Signing off for now.

V.R.

Reflecting On The Internet Of The 1990s!

The internet of the 1990s! Do you remember America Online (AOL) and Netscape Navigator? Who remembers Ask Jeeves and the early versions of Internet Explorer? There was nothing like hearing that static noise coming from your modem before connecting on a dial-up connection. The 90’s references in this video were amazing, as cheesy as the acting was!

I remember the first time that I discovered the beauty of the internet! The year was 1997. My mother picked up a free Netzero disc from our local grocery store, and our computer had Microsoft Windows 95 installed on it. With our first internet service provider (ISP) being Netzero, the service was lesser expensive than America Online, but it was not as fast, even for dial-up internet service.

 

When I found game websites like http://www.miniclip.com, I was so excited! Although they would load extremely slow, it was worth the wait. I remember being in high school, and everyone was bragging about what version of America Online they had.

Of course, this was well before social media, so the way we connected online was through emails, chat rooms, and soon after personal messengers. I will never forget the first times I used the AOL messenger to message my friends at school, in particular girls. My friends and I would set up times at night to invade chatroom’s and make connections with people, all across the world!

The internet over the years has truly changed the way that people network and learn. Although the internet is flooded with negative content, what would we truly do without it? I prefer to celebrate the good that the internet has provided over the recent few decades. The efficiency it has enhanced for so many people. The opportunities that it has provided. The entertainment that it has introduced. Most importantly, the lives it has changed by connecting people in ways that are positive and genuine. Like myself, my reader gets online today on a computer, a smartphone, or any other device. Think about if you did not have the opportunity to use the benefit of the internet today. Appreciate it, enjoy it, and use it for good.

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V.R.

The Official Vintage Retroman Video Game Story

In year 23xx, the world as we know it was peaceful. After decades of war, bloodshed, and tears the planet Thothar was finally at peace. The robot apocalypse was over and humans finally began to rebuild their broken world. A world once ruled by depression, anxiety, mental illness, and evil was no more. Also, the ways of the past had been completely forgotten.

As the Robot Generation now lived at peace with the human race, rebuilding took place faster than ever. Several members of the Robot Generation were advanced architects, and the quickly created new infrastructure. The leader of the Robot Generation was creater Dr. Yvonne, who made them to be an asset to the humans. All was well, until one day there was discovered to be a software glitch that stemmed from a virus manufactured by the evil scientist T-Mac the Terrible. She created these viruses during the tech boom of the 1990’s, but because they were dormant for so many years people simply thought they were destroyed by 1st and 2nd generation anti-virus software.

One day as Dr. Yvonne was at an event unveiling a new generation of peaceful robots, it was sabotaged when T-Mac glitched her new line of “Super Droids” or “SD’s”, an elite lineup of ultra bots with drone capabilities. The Super Droids were comprised of the following robot leaders, each equipped with the power of their name to use against humanity:

1) Depression Man

2) Anxiety Man

3) Fear Man

4) Jealousy Man

5) Hate Man

6) Slander Man

7) Addiction Man

8) Confusion Man

The Robot Generation was almost completely destroyed by the power and actions of these evil beings, partially due to the fact that humans couldn’t work with the Robot Generation because their minds and emotions were controlled by the Super Droids power. Terror ran amuck in the southern region of Thothar again, and Dr. Yvonne knew she had to do something or the world would be destroyed.

She started working on a top secret project codenamed CDZJJJ, or project CD for short. Along with her fellow comrades ZB, NickZ, CounterFlordan, and CoolieJ, they worked nonstop under the most intense conditions underground. With most of the human race destroyed, Dr. Yvonne fused the human DNA of former Robot Generation lead programmer Cornelius Calhoun with an elite lightweight robot armor and named him Vintage Retroman, or V.R. for short. The named was developed because Cornelius loved the retro culture of his youth and spoke frequently about it.

As V.R. went through strenuous training, he gained strength and eventually set out on a mission to defeat the Super Droids! He knew that along with the strength of his armor, it was essential for him to be mentally ready to face the challenges of each Super Droid. As he battled and defeated each SD, he was granted their power! Power over depression, power over anxiety, power over fear, and so on! He would then take the power of overcoming these weaknesses and not only use them against his other enemies, but also grant strength back to the remaining humans in Thothar and give them courage.

Eventually V.R. defeated each leader and it was time for his final showdown with Dr. T-Mac. With his armor weakened from battle inside of a great fortress stronghold, T-Mac was a formidable villain. As hard as Vintage Retroman fought, Dr. T-Mac had years to plan and prepare for this. Every negative attack thrown at V.R. deeply penetrated his armor and damaged him. As T-Mac prepared to destroy him, in the 11th hour she felt weakness from within and her stronghold shook violently. What was happening she thought?

Dr. Yvonne remembered that T-Mac’s stronghold had a weakness. She remotely cracked into T-Mac’s computer system and disabled all of her weapons. Vintage Retroman mustered up enough strength to grab his blaster and deliver the final blow to T-Mac the terrible and the evil empire!

As the team that created the CDZJJJ project searched for Vintage Retroman, they eventually found him. He was beaten, battered and scorn almost to the point of death. They picked him up and carried him back to the lab.

As Dr. Yvonne removed his burnt up cracked armor, she look into the eyes of Cornelius Calhoun. “It’s finally over sir, you did it Cornelius. You saved Thothar!” As he looked up at her he stated “We did it Dr. Yvonne” with a slight smile. As he rested his head, Dr. Yvonne slowly reached down and kissed him in his weakened state. “I hope this gives you strength” she said with a smile. Cornelius was pleasingly shocked and said, “I didn’t even know you liked me.” Dr. Yvonne responded “Well, i couldn’t admit it because as you know i am no damsel in distress. I’m just as much in the fight against evil as you are. Now that the fight is over, let’s rebuild this world, and our lives together!” Cornelius responded “I’d love that!”, and they held each other and enjoyed the peace for a change. This is my story. Signing off for now,

V.R.

TMNT Poem- The Tale Of 4 Heroes In A Half Shell

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Listen up everyone i have a story to tell/

About 4 heroes, who happen to be in a half shell/

Their names for short are Leo, Mikey, Donny, and Raphael/

Turtles that are teenage mutants from the sewers that smell/

We met up with April O’ Neil who reported that crime/

Is sharply increasing, because of this group called the foot clan/

Led by the infamous villain Shredder who in space and time/

Is trying to capture New York City and rule it under his hand/

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Master Splinter, we need your help in fighting the goons on these streets/

We need your training, your mental toughness and expertise/

Sure you’re a rat and we we’re mutated by toxic waste/

Let us have courage, leave the training base, and fight crime with haste/

To our nemesis, Rocksteady and Bebop you will see disaster/

Also to Mr. Stockman, the fly creature with the first name of Baxter/

Your luck has run out, Shredder since you are not the master/

Run from the presence of the turtles or we will finish this faster/

The T stands for teenage not that it matters at all/

The M for mutant, the bigger they are, the harder they fall/

The N stands for Ninja, fighting crime until it will cease/

The T for turtles, unlikely hero’s to restore the world’s peace.

V.R.

Kirby, Lit In Dreamland!! A Rap By V.R.

I’m just a pink puff/ looking to eat lot’s of random stuff/ such an unlikely hero, some people say i don’t look so tough/

But i say, you shouldn’t judge a book by it’s cover/ because in Dreamland i promise you will never find another/

Hero/ My name is Kirby and i came on the scene/ in 1993 battling King Dededee on your screen/

So take a trip to Dreamland where there is no half steppin’/I eat my enemies like wack MC’s and then take their weapon/

It doesn’t matter if it’s Vegetable Valley or the Grape Gardens/ Or if that tree that i have to battle has all those apples falling/ You can be Paint Roller, Heavy Mole, or even Meta Knight/ I’m lit in Dreamland, i save the world, and then drop the mic……. (Crowd screams)

Written by Vintage Retroman

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The Superb Mario Medley Is Truly Superb!

I have always admired people with talent that are not afraid of thinking outside the box when using their gifts. After watching this medley, i was highly impressed!

The combination of instrumentation with their vocals creates a feeling of both retro and modern nostalgia! I watched this video several times!

The transition of the songs are excellent, and i love the costumes they created for the performance. Very impressive, creative idea. Musically superb! Do yourself a favor and take time to check this out! Signing off,

V.R. (Also, checkout and download the super cool FREE Inbox Dollar app! I highly recommend it for gamers and those that like interactive apps! 🙂