Spoken Word: You're King

This is also posted in the POETRY section.


You're King

What did they think, early on?
It's the early dawn of a new day.
A payday away from the old, how it used to be.
There's no way they could see how it would become.
They had to run, but we focus on fun;
A nice time, a good time, a fabulous night.
A time to fight the battles of old.
The warriors told a different story.
For the glory of war- what's it all for?
We stand at the door.
We're waiting for a hand out, like we once did.
It's like we're still kids, relying on Mom and Dad.
Or a clear path of such laziness.
Away with this! We must love again.
Again we'll begin to see each other.
Not under cover but face to face.
Place to place we'll go be great again,
Not hiding behind technology, and then
Not recognize our own sisters.
The blisters on our hands indicate
The rate that we play- Or do we fight?

No, tonight let's not party.
You're a part of me, and I am of you.
He and she too, we're here together.
We read the letters posted on the web-
They're fearless. But be aware of this:
Your words echo to the stars.
The cards were placed in random spaces.
Do not be faceless like you want to be.
Come out and see the blue skies and greenery.
It's all beautiful. Trust me.
And if you cuss me, I'll understand,
Though my trembling hand is outstretched again.
It always will be.
Simply put, work hard and don't hide.
We're on this crazy ride one time.
If you let your bright shine,
There'll be no regrets.
I must confess to you right now...
If I'm to go out today or tonight
I won't fight it. It may sting,
But I won't deny it. You're king.

Songs Never Recorded- The Storm

The Storm

(Verse 1)
12:45 on a Sunday morning
That’s when it began storming
With an empty bucket; with an empty pale
The water dripped through the roof straight to Hell.

As the storm worsened, the winds blew
North, South, Easter now is finally true.
With The Son risen, we can see
It is true if you trust your history… (I’m singing-)

(Chorus)

Time strewn in a bungle-
No matter what-
A billion bucks, or poor,
Pure, or a slut.
Fuel the empty space-
With all fate
Entropy settled
Time now with hate.

(Verse 2)

Now it’s 3:20 now here today
The morning has begun, girl please
My little box, filled with gold
Has just twisted completely to mold.

Her eyes twinkled from my memory
Those big, blue eyes- I finally see
Slow time down; with her grace.
Father, Son, Spirit, and just a taste. (I’m singing-)

(Chorus 2X)

Ford Recall Update

In the case anyone is interested, I finally got my car back. The service team installed the new "clutch package" and I was on my way.  However, driving home from Atlanta three days later, last Friday, the same thing happened.  I was on I-75, in DRIVE, and the gear jumped to a neutral state. This time, I took out my phone and recorded it. After safely parking on the shoulder, I was able to shut it down, let it rest and reset (I guess) and drive it home--slowly. I called Pam at Pugmire Ford, and she told me to bring it in first thing on Monday.

When I arrived on Monday, I showed Pam the video.  She called a guy over (I think he might have been the lead mechanic, or something of that nature).  I told him my problem and he quickly identified it as a transmission module (or something like that). They put me in a loaner and I got my car back on Wednesday evening. It seems to be running better now.

My problem with this is I originally brought it in because of the transmission issue. I told them my Focus was shutting down and jumping to a neutral state and wouldn't catch a gear. They jumped to the conclusion that the problem must be the clutch package, since there was a major recall.  They didn't really listen to me when I described it until it happened again. All it took was the "lead mechanic" to hear my story in order to identify the issue. Luckily, I bought the extended warranty when I purchased the vehicle. The warranty covers transmission issues until I reach 100,000 miles. So the transmission module repair didn't cost anything additional.

Hopefully, this will be the last blog post about my Ford Focus recall issue. In conclusion, I'm a bit disappointed with Ford. After the initial issues, and me calling and complaining to the corporate office and airing my grievances over social media, everything has been relatively smooth.  Pam has been extra nice and helpful. I don't remember his name but the finance guy at Pugmire in Cartersville went out of his way to help me.  So I appreciate the assistance- it's just too bad it didn't happen until I squeaked about it. You know, the squeaky wheel gets the grease. 

Songs Never Recorded- Sunny Days

Sunny Days, J. Fredrick Clark

(Verse 1)
Thinking back to what was said
A reeling thought; comfort shed

Friendship lost then what a night
Darkness falls to squeeze the light

And I said my two cents
A fog has just rolled in

Confusion sets, disoriented
Confessed my heart, then repented

But the problem’s worse than that
I lost my mind; I want it back

Nothing left makes much sense
A dog, a bone- climb the fence

Bloody water; brain erasing
Hill and bathwater misplacing

The darkness then is known
A beam of light has shown

Deep within I can’t forget
Two from one and then we split

(Instrumental)

(Verse 2)

It’s like I’m someone else
I flame the fuel and want to yell

Liquid peace the rock will move
At the fire I caught a groove

Now she is my life
I found what was not inside

Inside, inside my soul resides
I tuck it in because of pride

Be the best or fall behind
Although I wish I could rewind

Sometimes I miss the days when
We had so much time to waste

Night has left but grey remains
And I dream of sunny days

Things are good; a holding time
‘Til breath depletes, then you die

(Instrumental Bridge)

(Verse 3)
The first time that we kissed
Like yesterday I remember it

The moon was out and it was bright
You said, “Come here.” I said, “I might.”

I then remember kissing you
Oh my god, oh yes I do

Keeps me grounded you see
Back down to reality

Keeps my feet touching down
All upright, I’m on the ground
(Standing upright, I'm on the ground)




---I wrote this one without a real chorus. It was written in stream of consciousness for the most part- then I cleaned it up so it would read better. (I actually did record this at one point, and it's terrible.  Perhaps I'll share it one day....)---

Songs Never Recorded - High Tide

High Tide, J. Fredrick Clark

(Verse 1 )
Do you not remember;
Do you not recall;
When I ran into you
Last year in the fall?

It was a new beginning,
Like we would never end.
All this time I’m lending
So much time to spend.

Autumn love surrendered,
Parting ways; a new life.
Now without your warmness
I cannot get high----

(high) tide, rolling from afar.
I saw you and God
He was in your car.

(Chorus 1)

There comes a time when turpentine
Won’t do anymore

But when she went and loving she sent,
Walking right out the door.

Combusting love with flutter doves
And the radio a-scat.

When she leaves you will not believe,
(when she leaves you cannot conceive)
It would all go down like that.

(Verse 1 repeat)

(Chorus 2)

Raining winds and time begins
To slow down even more.

A sorrow sent ‘til my descent
A silky browning galore.

A lively group who’ve got the scoop
On all the pleasant sights

With teary eyes from lullabies
On all those homeless nights.

(Bridge)

High tide.
Trembling, rumbling through your mind.
People just don’t remember,
Crooked then divine.

High tide.
Shaking me, waking me
Keeps me alive,
And taking me-

On a ride
Lifting me, shifting me,
Holding up
And gripping me.

I got a friend,
I got a friend.
Someone....
Who won’t pretend

The bottle.
My head.
My pillow.
My bed.

Pretending
They'd die
The lights off
But why?

High tide.
Trembling, rumbling through your mind.
People just don’t remember,
Crooked then divine.

(Verse 1)

(Chorus 3)

There comes a time when true divine
Is what we’re looking for.

But it had meant my descent.
Turn the lights out close the door.

A dreamless sleep, through death we weep.
The radio a-scat

When time ceases and life releases
(when you die without diseases)
When beginning then ending pleases
(please just never repeat this)
Never go out like that.

Collective Insanity- Is it me or is everyone crazy?

Is it me or is everyone else nuts?

If everyone else is indeed crazy, doesn't that actually make me the crazy one? If insanity is a state of mind that distorts typical perception, behavior, and social interaction- who am I to say what "typical" means?  I believe my "typical"- or "normal"- is standard.  But if everyone else's normal is different than mine, perhaps I'm the abnormal one.

For example: I am no "tree-hugger" by any stretch of the imagination.  Nor am I someone who thinks all non-human life is precious (I'm the first person who will murder a spider if it's in the house.). But when I hear about people hunting just for sport, it sickens me. Since I live in the heart of the south, it seems like everyone I know are hunters. If I bring up the "hunting just for sport" argument, they always say the same thing, "I eat what I kill." OHHH. OKAY.  That justifies killing something you didn't have to for survival? If you're doing it simply because you enjoy it, it's definitely for sport. I love the outdoors.  I love camping, hiking, kayaking, spelunking, etc. It's just hard for me to wrap my mind around why people would want to kill for fun.  When I squish a spider in my kitchen, I find absolutely zero pleasure in the process. Just go play paintball if you want to simulate a war zone, nothing will be killed- I love playing paintball. I like shooting guns too, just not at animals.

The next thing they ask me is, "Do you eat meat?" Indeed, I do. "Well, someone had to kill that animal so you could eat it." That's a fair point, and I struggle with it regularly. The thought that I'm somehow above the animal I just ate where I can take its body, consume it, and make it part of my own with complete disregard to its life disturbs me down to my soul- and feels extremely selfish. Also, I love Chinese food, Mexican food, hot dogs and hamburgers, seafood, and sandwiches- all of which are formulated specifically to taste delicious-- and don't even get me started on bacon (I own a bacon bowl for Pete's sake). It's easy to conform and push disturbing thoughts away when eating something tasty like Sesame chicken. So, I conform to my surroundings and vanquish my thoughts.

If I ask hunters if they eat deer, the answer is typically, "Of course!" If I ask if they eat cow, "I love me some beef!" Then I ask if they eat dog... "HELL NO, ARE YOU CRAZY?" So, what's the difference? The difference is simply this: an idea. The idea that dogs and cats are somehow sacred. We give them names, shelter, and food.  We genuinely love our pets. When they die, we cry. So what's the difference?  They're all animals, right? .....an idea. Everyone is so upset about Cecil the Lion. A wealthy U.S. man led a beloved animal to his death for sport. I wonder if the hunter would have said that he eats what he kills and he was planning on eating Cecil, would everyone have been fine with his actions?

I'm not saying it's more righteous or holy being vegetarian- I'm definitely not. As a matter of fact, the Bible points out that eating meat isn't a bad thing. Jesus eats fish in Luke 24:42-43.  In Acts 10:10-15, Peter has a vision where Jesus tells him that all foods made by God are not common and are clean to be eaten. If you give thanks for your food, God appears to be fine with you eating animals. I have a hard time believing a creature with eyes, a nose, two ears, a brain, and blood running through its veins should be killed just so you can have fun- that's all. In rural North Georgia, I am definitely in the minority with this opinion.

Another example: I drive to Atlanta from Cartersville every day for work. My daily commute is 44 miles. With traffic (and there's always traffic in Kennesaw, Marietta, and Atlanta) it takes an average of an hour and a half each way. I listen to music, sports talk radio, and sometimes pretend I'm a rock star.  Recently I've been attempting to teach myself the harmonica. When you have 3 hours on the road daily, you do all sorts of things to stay entertained. You also have a lot of time to think.

I look around and see the thousands of people commuting just as I am and wonder where they're going and what's on their minds. Someone is probably happy. Someone is probably sad. Someone is probably in-between. Someone is going through a divorce. Someone's struggling to make sense of a death in his or her family. Someone is dealing with cancer. This is what it means to be human. We have real thoughts, feelings, emotions, etc. Then are bombarded with nonsensical news items such as the Caitlyn Jenner thing. Some of us are still pissed off that Grey's Anatomy's Derek Shepherd was killed off.  All the while, ISIS is beheading Christians. If the most important things in life are judged by how many viewers or how much publicity something has, we're in trouble.

Does everyone just live their lives not thinking about things the way I do?  Am I crazy? I feel like I'm a mad man sometimes....

Songs Never Recorded

When I was a kid, I desperately wanted to be a rock star.  I didn't focus on learning an instrument or on my vocals, but I did write hundreds of songs.  Check out the Poetry link as I will periodically post these songs.

School Again

It seems like Johnny is growing up a little, as most kids do from year to year.  Check out the poetry link for his latest update. (This will be his last update leading up to the new book!)

Ford Recall UPDATE

So, 30 minutes after sharing the blog post on Facebook and Twitter, the dealership calls me and will have a rental/loaner car I can drive first thing in the morning. Coincidence? You decide.

Ford Focus Transmission Recall

Typically, I do not post personal issues on this blog, but there is always an exception to every rule. The below message is what I've sent to numerous attorneys in and around the Atlanta area as well as to the Clark Howard team. Perhaps you can join me in frustration and/or forward this message to everyone you can so the million or so folks that are effected might see some satisfaction...

"Good morning,

My story begins with a 2012 Ford Focus transmission issue.  

In November 2014, I purchased a used 2012 Ford Focus hatchback from the Pugmire Ford dealership in Cartersville, GA.  On Thursday, July 16, 2015, around 2:00 pm, I was taking my daughter to daycare when the car malfunctioned.  It slipped out of gear and seemed to be in a neutral state- despite the shift stick continuing to be in D (drive).  The car rolled to a stop, and I was lucky enough to move it to the side of the road.  They key was still in the ignition but would not crank.  The displays and front lights were still on so I did not believe the problem was electrical in nature nor a battery issue.  After several minutes of attempting to crank the car, it eventually started.  I stopped by the Wal-Mart service center (since it was close in proximity).  They replaced my battery (costing approximately $100).  I was skeptical that I needed a battery, but took their advice regardless.  My wife picked us up and drove my daughter to daycare.  Once Wal-Mart had completed the battery replacement, I picked the car up and drove it (going below 40 mph) back home. 

The next day (Friday, July 17, 2015), I drove the Focus to work (45 miles from my house) going really slow in the right lane.  It had problems switching between gears, but did not stop as it previously had the afternoon before.  However, when driving home it did completely quit on the highway.  (((By the way, I live in Cartersville and drive to Atlanta every day on I-75. It takes about an hour and a half each way.))) I was in the second lane from the left because of the way I-75 and I-85 splits.  There's no shoulder on the left side, so when the car quit, I had to make my way to the right shoulder.  The car was slowly rolling while others were zipping past on both sides.  I felt my life was in danger.  I luckily saw an opening and shot across to the right shoulder cutting several lanes of cars off.  Just like the previous day, I took the key out of the ignition, waited 10 minutes and could crank it again. I drove extremely slowly and eventually made it home.

I worked Saturday morning and didn't have a chance to take the vehicle to the Pugmire Ford dealership service center prior to them closing for the weekend. So, first thing Monday morning (7/20/15), I went by the service center. I was forced to take a day off from work to deal with the issue.  Pam, the service center manager, listened to me tell my story, and she said it sounded like a clutch issue- but they were out of the parts. In the meantime, she had a service guy get in the passenger seat of my car and go on a drive with me.  We only circled the block, turning around in a church parking lot.  We did not run the vehicle above maybe 35 mph. He kept commenting on how poorly the car was switching gears. When we returned to the dealership, I parked in a parking spot (not in a service garage) and he brought out a laptop.  He hooked it to my car while sitting in the driver seat.  After maybe 10 minutes he informed me that it is the clutch issue and for me to go see Pam again. When I returned, all she said was I was on a list. I asked her what to do in the meantime and she said it was drivable- but I told her it really wasn't.  She said most people are driving them currently until they get the part in.  However, it would be awhile since I'm 16th on the list for the part and she had no idea when Ford would send it.  At that point, I realized there was something bigger going on. I asked Pam if I could have a loaner car until my car was fixed, but she said they couldn’t issue one until they were actually performing the work on my car.  Becoming a little agitated, I thought maybe a different Ford service center might get me in quicker. I called a larger dealership (Jim Tidwell Ford) in Kennesaw, GA, and the service adviser explained they had over 150 people in their list for the part.

Not knowing what to do, as I need a vehicle to get to and from work, I called my insurance company (Allstate, Sam Braly). They quickly informed me there was nothing they can do either. I was increasingly becoming worried.  So I called corporate Ford and the customer care representative listened to my story and created a case number.  The next day I borrowed my father’s car- and he moved his day around to help me out, just so I could get to work and back home.  I received a call from a Regional Rep named Debbie (she didn’t give me her last name). She said she had escalated my issue and hopes to get it resolved.  Of course, that answer really doesn’t help me, as she couldn’t give me any time line. She said the guy who took the drive around the block with me on Monday morning listed my car as “drivable” so Ford has no liability and didn’t have to issue me a rental or loaner. I told her that I drive a lot farther than most drivers, and that I don't care where I fall in the spectrum that indicates “drivable” or “non-drivable”-  I need a vehicle to get to work. It's their product that malfunctioned and there’s nothing I could do about it.  

My first issue is with the sales person, Mike from Pugmire Ford.  He did not disclose the fact that the Ford Focus I was purchasing was subject to a recall.  Did he know that information?  Perhaps.  Maybe he didn’t make that information available to me so he could sell a car and boast his numbers, I don’t know.  Second, I can’t believe Ford would simply be fine with allowing me to drive a car that cuts off on the highway.  Wouldn’t you think it would behoove them to take the $30/day hit and issue me a rental car (or a free loaner from their lot) than risk a potential death because of their malfunctioning part? Third, Pam (the service manager at the Ford dealership) never mentioned anything about a recall.  

Please help me if you can.  Thank you for your time."

I realize this is a lengthy post, but it needs to be public. There has not been enough publicity about Ford's transmission/clutch package issues that puts their customers in potentially life threatening positions.  Please help me get the word out so the guilty party(ies) will face their problems.

-JFC

New Poetry entry- THE HAIR

Check out the poetry section as Johnny describes THE HAIR!

Magazine Article- The Beverage Cart, July 2015

Points North Atlanta- The Beverage Cart

This article was published by Points North Atlanta in their July 2015 issue.  I've been writing since I was a little boy. I was the editor of my high school newspaper and literary magazine. My first juvenile book, Across the Lunchroom, was published in 2014.  But there's something deeply satisfying about seeing your first article in print!

I just wanted to share this, as I'm proud of the new freelancing journey I've started.

The Pines of the Past

The Pines of the Past, by J. Fredrick Clark

Inside this man there lives a boy,

And in that boy with little care,

Another one lives who plays coy

With a separate shiny toy,

His voice- I still hear it, I swear!

Beneath the tree we used to swing,

Up the hill that once seemed bigger,

The seat of rubber used to sting

When the sun would bake everything!

As boys we would jump and snigger.

Now I cannot recall those times,

As I could once before, you see-

Between the sappy, creaking pines

The wind would whistle spooky chimes;

This I remember vividly.

Fond memories of yesterday

Are chased by visions of the past,

Which, by my count will rarely stay

Up the hill where we used to play

And wish for times that have long passed.





[This poem is my attempt to mimic Robert Frost's style in "The Road Not Taken"- though, in traditional iambic tetrameter, I stuck to the eight syllables per line,] 

Daycare and Chick-fil-A

Daycare is expensive!....

I've recently gone back to the company that first hired me in 1999.  I was fifteen years old and had no idea what I was getting into.  Money was something I was beginning to WANT in order to have a good time with friends and to purchase gasoline. Since I have an April birthday, most of my friends were driving before me. Eventually, my parents gave me a red, hand-me-down 1991 Jeep Cherokee. I worked on and off at Chick-fil-A until 2006-- through high school and a portion of college. My last regular schedule was actually in 2004.  I moved to Athens to complete my degree at the University of Georgia. I worked only during long weekends and Spring Break from '04 to '06.

Two Saturdays ago, I started working part-time for Chick-fil-A again. I didn't work at the same location where I started. A new restaurant had opened up several miles from the original (owned/operated by the same person). It's bigger and busier than the one where I began. I currently work full-time in Atlanta, and I work at the restaurant on weekends (which only consists of Saturdays, as Chick-fil-A is closed on Sundays). This time, I'm working because I NEED the extra income.  Daycare is expensive!  My daughter will start daycare in a little over a month.

After leaving Chick-fil-A in college, I worked for a few different companies.  I was an inbound call center representative, a restaurant cook, and a ticket seller while working in Athens. The latter was the springboard into my current profession. The two former were miserable.  Specifically, I'd like to compare cooking in a privately-owned, college town restaurant versus working in the back at Chick-fil-A. I will not name the restaurant because, quite frankly, I don't want to be sued-- we'll call it ABC Restaurant.  This is just my perspective and opinion on the differences.

The chicken place does a great job with human resources. They hire young, aspiring employees whose moral compasses are pointing towards goodness. Over the past two weeks, I've met some really nice 'kids' ((GOSH I FEEL OLD)) with bright futures.  They work hard and respect those around them. None of them try to cut corners just to get the job done quicker.

For example: a perfect chicken sandwich consists of a buttered and toasted Chick-fil-A bun, a breaded chicken breast, and two pickle slices. On my first day back (nine years after I left for Athens), I was working the primary station in the back where the chicken sandwiches are prepared. We were in the middle of a rush so swiftness was a priority. I separated the tops and bottoms of the buns after they came out of the toaster.  I reached my hand (we all wear gloves) into the pickle canister and began 'pickling' the open buns. Once pickled, I slid them (on a tray) to the chicken section- where my co-worker would finish the process and bag the sandwich. He stopped what he was doing and asked me for another pickle. I must've missed one somewhere.  He informed me all sandwiches must have two pickles unless the guest specifically requests otherwise.  He wasn't rude about it, he was just letting me know that anything short of perfection was unacceptable.  He knew the perfect Chick-fil-A chicken sandwich contained two pickle chips on the toasted and buttered bottom bun. There were many other instances that first day where I noticed similar occurrences.  These employees understand the right way to do things.

They also kept the store very clean. There are many rules and guidelines surrounding appropriate actions involving food, Because of the intent of these young people (and to be fair, I wasn't the oldest person there- but the older individuals are by far in the minority), an owner/operator would never have to worry about a food inspector making a surprise visit. Nobody performed any questionable acts. If a food item hit the floor, it was immediately discarded.

At ABC Restaurant, not only were the employees very disrespectful to one another, they were rude to the customers. We were never required to wear gloves like the employees at Chick-fil-A. Many times, I saw a food item fall on the floor.  The person who dropped it scooped it up and put it on the grill or dropped it in the deep fryer. "The five second rule" definitely applied. He would say, "The heat will kill the germs."  Now, maybe that's true- but would you [reading this now] want to eat something you knew fell on the floor?  Of course not.  I was "the new guy" for the three months I worked there and never really had to work with the main course foods; I either worked the flattop grill or the prep table- the two easiest positions. There were many other questionable moments I witnessed at ABC Restaurant, some too gruesome to even write about here.

Currently, I am in a spot where I NEEDED to find additional means of income.  I was fortunate enough to still have friends in high places to help put me back on the Chick-fil-A roster.  Even though I have to sacrifice time with my family on Saturdays, I work for an amazing company with talented individuals. I would be remiss if I didn't mention how grateful I am to work with some old friends too.  On the first day, I was a bit anxious and nervous about returning.  Mark and Josh, some old-timers like myself, helped me with transitioning back.  I'm only 31, but when one of my supervisors is the little sister of a friend I went to church with as a youth, I feel ancient.  I heard another supervisor talking about turning 21 in a couple of months.  Then, to make matters worse, I found myself saying the words all old people say....... "Back in my day"......... Ouch!

The Road Not Taken

My all time favorite poem is by the late great Robert Frost.  Yes, it's probably his most famous work. It has been my favorite since I was a little boy.  The first time I heard it, I knew it was really good. Published in 1916, The Road Not Taken is included in the collection Mountain Interval. It's considered to be in iambic tetrameter but is off by one beat (nine instead of eight).


The Road Not Taken, by Robert Frost

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

New Poetry Entry: Galamagoom

Johnny's back to his peculiar ways... Have you ever heard of a horse that moos?

Read the new poetry entry by clicking the poetry link above.

90s Staple

When I was younger, during the early to mid 90s, I would cringe when my favorite Atlanta radio station would play 80s music all weekend.  80s music?! I couldn't stand 80s music. As I got older, I slowly started developing an ear for the over-synthesized sound of the 1980s. Those songs are so cheesy they're good. I know, I have a complicated relationship with my birth decade.

Now, that same station sometimes plays 90s music all weekend. I loved the music the 1990s ushered in. Of course I like Nirvana, Dave Matthews Band, Marky Mark & the Funky Bunch, Mariah Carey, Ace of Base, R. Kelly, Montell Jordan, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, 2Pac, Barenaked Ladies, Lauryn Hill, Britney Spears, Savage Garden, Brandy, Matchbox Twenty, and on and on.

Then of course, we loved our one hit wonders in the 90s such as: Iggy Pop, Marcy Playground, Sir Mix-a-Lot, House of Pain, Tag Team, Blind Melon, Eiffel 65, Deep Blue Something, Tonic, Eagle-Eye Cherry, Vengaboys, Joan Osborne, Dishwalla, The Verve Pipe, Lou Bega, Scatman John and of course Chumbawama.

"Hold up," you say. "Who's Scatman John?" If you honestly don't know, check him out HERE. Seriously, he's awesome!

It wasn't until I made a bet with Ashlee I realized only about 1 in 8 people remembers THE SCATMAN.  I would have bet a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles backpack full of money Scatman John's "Scatman (ski-ba-bop-ba-dop-bop)" was a 90s one hit wonder staple.  I posted this question on Facebook, and it didn't take long for me to realize she was right. I'll admit when I'm wrong, but this was hard for me to swallow.  I loved that song!

But really, check out THE SCATMAN!

New Poetry Entry: Nighttime

Nighttime comes like an old best friend.....  

Check out Johnny's latest entry by clicking the Poetry link above!

Title Explanation

I've been asked to explain why the decision was made to name the blog "You can never go back (now that you know)."

Have you ever wished you could un-see something? Ever wish you could go back to the past and change something? Have you ever thought it would be nice to not know something you found out about someone or something?  I bet you answered "yes" to at least one of these, if not all three.

I can't tell you how many times I've scrolled through Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter and came across something I DID NOT want to see. When scrolling through it's like: baby picture, funny kitty cat video, friend's new job announcement, song recommendation from another friend, another funny kitty cat video, them BOOM--- a giant 7-foot-tall spider!!!  GEEZ!

Of course... I click the link to see what this freak of nature is all about. Sure enough, the spider is real. But it must exist on some remote island a billion miles away.  Nope. It exists in a rundown warehouse in Texas. Texas!!  That's just.... right down there! I heard everything is bigger in Texas, but that's the kind of thing nightmares are made of! First, why did one of my "friends" post such a terrible thing? Second, why did I click the link?  I could have made up a story in my head about it being a hoax or just a Photoshop job.  I can never go back, now that I know....

In life, we are continuously learning.  We learn new things every day.  And with the Internet, we learn about things that we did not have access to in the past.  Whether you embrace the new knowledge or deny it, it's still there.  You can never go back....

New Poetry Entry: Summer Birthdays

Ever think it's unfair for the kids with summer birthdays?  Johnny doesn't.  Check out the latest entry by clicking the poetry link above. 

Johnny's Summer

Fans of Across the Lunchroom can follow Johnny from the end of the book through the summer months.  Click the Poetry link above to continue the journey!

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Across the Lunchroom can be purchased by clicking on the picture above!