You’re Neighborhood Hope Dealer performs ”You’re So Amazing” to encourage the people. Released 08/22/2020. *Not for promotional use. Super Mario ”Game Over” music credit to JTBS on the track.
Enjoy!
V.R.
Tag: poetry
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.
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.
Celebration 2019
As we enter 2019, where are you mentally, emotionally, spiritually? Are you optimistic about a new year, or plagued by issues of your recent past that maybe didn’t quite work out. Let’s be honest for a second, 2018 was a rough year for many people. I think about how many people i know that struggled with what i call the 3 D’s: debt, death, and disease. I won’t get into my own situations, but let’s just say 2018 was a year of struggle and growth for me personally.
Now, take a minute to reflect back in your mind. Close your eyes. Remember a time of the simple celebration of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness! I remember 1987, i was 4 years old. My pops use to throw these house parties with the best food. I was the youngest of 8 children, but i remember the fun we had celebrating New Years Eve! My dad had the vintage big tall wooden sub-woofers with the tunes of Frankie Beverly and Maze’s “Joy and Pain”. Oh when that baseline came on, the floor shook! Picture us with afro’s, half fro’s, and Jerri-curls! For my coming to America fans oh yes, we indeed let our “Soul-Glo”.
We didn’t have much money growing up in the hood of East Winston, but we would celebrate like we did. Yeah there was some smoke in the air at times. I said that was just a machine. I saw a bottle or two that look like root beer but was missing the word “root”. As we would get down all night dancing like the Jackson-8, my mom would let the smaller children hook up the Nintendo and we would play Super Mario Bro’s, Duck Hunt, Megaman, Contra and the other classics. I’m talking 8-bit and pixels!
Anyone from my generation knows what i am talking about, and don’t even start on that Tecmo Bowl! It was always Joe Montana and the 49ers vs Bo Jackson and the Raiders. Anyone else remember how Bo Jackson use to just have people bounce off his back on that game? It wasn’t even fair!
It’s hard to believe that was 32 years ago. It still feels like yesterday to me. To our youth, y’all wouldn’t believe how much of us we see in y’all as you grow. I love the excitement that you bring. Don’t get me wrong i love my old school music, but if you catch me on the right day, i might be listening to some Lecrae, Kendrick Lamar or J. Cole, I’m just saying. 🙂
I told this story because celebration is about much more than a party. For the Christian, celebration is the younger sibling of worship and praise. It is a direct response, not necessarily to a situation or circumstance, but to gratitude for God giving us just one more day. Even for the non-Christian, celebration releases endorphins of euphoria as we enjoy those we love and cherish, even if they are no longer physically with us.
See i believe in having a great time? You know why? Because God put us here to have life, and have it more abundantly! Why would our loving God make us in His image, put us here on His earth, and give us His grace and favor, just for us to be miserable? Think about that. In 2019, take that trip (if you can afford it), do that activity, love harder!
Also think about this, people have been celebrating for centuries! In my mind, before the fall, I’d like to believe that Adam and Eve celebrated frequently in the Garden of Eden! All of that good food! Adam had his woman, they were naked and unashamed! Plus the animals were there chilling! Adam could get a tiger ride anytime he wanted one! In my mind, Eve was like “You haven’t lived until you have rode a rhinoceros!” All of that, and they had full access to God! Just because they fell, doesn’t mean God didn’t intend for them to have His best! He intends the same for us, so celebrate! 🙂
What am i saying? I’m saying in 2019, as you strive for your complex goals, don’t forget the simple celebrations of daily life from the routine and the mundane. In the bible Paul said “In all things i have learned to be content.” Contentment in 2019 doesn’t mean to stop striving, definitely not! It simply means to be thankful for what God has already done in the process as you strive. I’ll close this message with an original poem I wrote entitled “Reset”. I hope that you can hold on to these words for encouragement as we enter into what will be the glorious year of 2019.
“Reset, by Vintage Retroman”
To celebrate this life is to celebrate a treasure/ Because everyday’s a gift so strive to make each day better/ Choose to live your best life, choose to let go of the past/ God’s already in the future, and His plan is so vast/
For your life, and for mine and really all of us should/ Remember that He causes all things to work together for Good/ so celebrate, don’t hesitate because He loves you/ and meditate, on the fact that He put no one above you/
He knows your struggles, pain and all of the things you deal with/ He cares, He wants you to know that He is still with/ You as you journey for your greater purpose grinding/ It will be worth it as you crush it, in 2019! Happy New Year everyone!
V.R
Withholding Heart, Spiritual Song By Vintage Retroman
Withholding heart, is the way that i fail You daily/
Withholding heart, even though i truly need You/
Withholding heart, i struggle in my imperfections/
Withholding heart, sometimes i do what i shouldn’t do/
(Bridge 1)- So take my heart, and completely make me over/
So take my heart (take my heart)…and make me brand new/
So take my heart, because i don’t have any power/
And take my heart, oh Lord I’m desperate just for You/
Verse 2- Withholding heart, please forgive my imperfections/
Withholding heart, sin has left a crimson stain/
Withholding heart, a sinners plea for grace and mercy/
Withholding heart, yes i messed up once again/
(Bridge 2)- So take my heart, it’s not about me trying harder/
Please take my heart, please dissect it for repair/
Please take my heart, and dip it in your living water/
Yes I’m so glad, that despite me You are still there!/
(Worship chorus 4x) So this heart of mine! It’s Yours, it’s Yours!
Lord, please, just take my withholding heart!
Pac-Man Poetry By V.R.
I’m like a yellow pizza pie with one slice taken out/
I flow around eating pellets and making sounds with my mouth/
I hit the arcade’s with much success in the 1980’s/
I’m so successful that that my sequels we’re starring my lady/
Who has that pretty bow in her head but don’t let her appearance fool you/
When it comes to clearing stages her goal is to rule you/
Oh sure both me and my wife we’re chased by those pesky ghosts/
But if I swallow the big pill, they better run or else they are toast!/
When the black screen blinks, I power up, the ghosts turn a shade/
Of blue I’ve never seen before with their faces disarrayed/
In this maze, I eat cherries and strawberries gaining extra points/
If played in arcades, be sure to bring plenty of coins/
Because I’m truly a retro classic, even in modern times/
And to the ghosts, my foes named Blinky, Pinky, Inky, and Clyde/
Although we’ve been at odds for years trying to get the upper hand/
I thank you, because without you there would be no Pac-Man!/
V.R.
TMNT Poem- The Tale Of 4 Heroes In A Half Shell
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/
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
P.S.- Download the Free Fiver App below. It’s an awesome tool i use for services i need on demand. It is also a great way to make extra money by providing services on demand. V.R.
My Morning Prayer- By Vintage Retroman
I thank You for waking me up this morning/
And sending me on my way/
I thank You for Your grace and mercy/
To be with me this day/
I thank you for loving me continuously/
And keeping me in Your heart/
It is because of You that I woke up this morning/
For God You gave me a new start/
God the Father, I thank You for Your infinite power/
Jesus, thank You for dying for me/
Holy Spirit, i can’t take credit for this poem/
It was You that planted the seed/
My life is not easy or fun at this time, I’m not battling one demon but a few/
But this i know, every stronghold i have in my life, can easily be defeated by You/
So I ask for Your blessing and I ask in this prayer/
Give me love, hope, patience and Your eyes/
So when trouble comes my way that I know it cannot stay/
And I’ll never be taken by surprise/
I love you Lord and I’ll never measure up to the sheer amount of grace that you’ve given to me/
I just thank You for my faith, for my family, for my friends, and just simply one more opportunity.
Amen
“A Vintage Style Of Love”- Love Song by Vintage Retroman
Verse 1- Do my eyes deceive me?/
Could it really even be?/
This lady of the purest attraction/
Is sitting right here next to me/
If cloud 10 was a such thing/
And not a fantasy/
You make me feel like a new man/
I love the way that you love to love me/
Chorus: And I’m grateful…
And i love how you’re loving me..
And I’m thankful….
Open my eyes so that i can see…
The timelessness of love and passion, drifting through ecstasy..
This is the Vintage style of love, thank you for loving me….
Verse 2– We are somewhere/
Between Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell/
With you by my side girl/
I know I’ll never fail/
God must have known ahead of time when He sent you my way/
That you’d be mine instead of all the tension that comes with play/
Chorus x2: And I’m grateful...
And i love how you’re loving me..
And I’m thankful….
Open my eyes so that i can see…
The timelessness of love and passion, drifting through ecstasy..
This is the Vintage style of love, thank you for loving me….
Bridge: You just don’t understand/
How your love makes amends/(in my heart)
Feels..like..the..way..love used to feel/
Let’s never part….(Pause and key change in music)
Chorus: And I’m grateful…
And i love how you’re loving me..
And I’m thankful….
Open my eyes so that i can see…
The timelessness of love and passion, drifting through ecstasy..
This is the Vintage style of love, thank you for loving me….
The End
V.R.
Welcome 