Susan Glenn

A friend of mine put me on this Axe commercial sometime ago and ever since then I cannot stop thinking about it.  Almost like it shot me right in the high school/early college memory.

Check it out:

Axe Susan Glenn Commerical

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YRB0i9-AUQs&feature=my_liked_videos&list=LL_ekyhBZ4O_vbPuN8KMp2IQ




Susan Glenn.  Every man has had the pleasure, honor and pain of knowing a Susan Glenn in their life.  For most men, she first existed in our early years in our education journey (middle to high school).  This may be a bold statement but this is one of the best commercials I had ever seen because it brought back faces and emotions that were long gone and made me reminisce about my Susan Glenn(s).  That's the beautiful thing about women, some of them don't know that they have this paralyzing power over men.  Some may call this glorify the physical or "putting the pussy on a pedestal" but it this instance, in this commercial, Jack Bauer isn't talking about her looks, he's talking about her soul.

Every guy has or has had a Susan Glenn.  She could be that girl that got away. That one girl you ask yourself, 'What if?'.  She is the one that you never had the courage to talk to.  She is the one that moved to another state.  She is the one who transferred to another college.  She is the one you were too late to forgive and now she is married with kids.  Which is why that last line carries so much weight and you have no choice but to contemplate about it. . . ."If I could do it again, I'd do it differently".

I wonder if women know that they are a Susan Glenn to some one?  I wonder if my Susan Glenn(s) knew that they were a Susan Glenn?  Hmmm, time to make a phone call and get some closure.

This short time that we call Life

Just a quick note because this has been on my mind. . . .

Since working in this hospital, I have a whole new appreciation for my life and my health.  As I have said in past blog posts, I am a Cardiovascular Perfusionist.  Long story short, I keep you alive during open heart surgery.  But since I've been working in this career, I have seen ALOT of things that will question the way you live.

I've seen miracles, accidents, life and death up close.  I've seen deathly sick people make a full recovery and people who have successful surgery drop dead two days later.  I've been in Trauma situations where a patient is coding, CPR is being performed, a pump is exploding and the family of the patient is right there to view it all.

When I tell people what I do, 8 times out of 10 they say "If I have some heart problems, I'm coming to you."  and 10 times out of 10, I reply "I hope and wish and pray that you never have to see me."

So what's my point?

My point is this:  Take care of your life.  Exercise, eat right, call your friends and family.  I'm not saying to do P90X and Insanity, become a vegan and stalk your family and friends, no.  I'm just saying make an effort to live better.  Take a walk, watch what you eat and if there is someone you don't like, stop putting that hateful energy into them and channel that energy towards those who matter.

 Keep on Evolving.

Testimony. . . Thank God.

Something just happened to me that cannot be explained other than an act of GOD.  Here is the story:

In August 2011, I got sick with a fever.  At first, I was trying to tough it out because it's just a fever, nothing that some soup and bed rest couldn't handle.  But my fever would not go down.  100. . .100.4. . . 101.3. . .you know a fever is bad when your temperature sounds like a radio station.  102. . . 103.4. . . . It just kept on rising and I kept on trying to tough it out.  My mother wanted to take me to the hospital and I said no, I'll be okay plus I don't have insurance and I don't want to deal with that bill.  But if it rises another degree, we gotta go to the hospital.  I'm weak and burning up.  Hoping that a shower would make me feel better, I hop in, wash up, get out and lay back down to take a nap.

When I woke up. . . . .104.3. . . and I felt like death.  Thinking about my deteriorated health made my uninsured self realized that a hospital bill might not be that bad.  I called my mother and said, we gotta go to the hospital. Extremely weak, couldn't barely walk, dry heaving, I somehow make it to the car.  I get to the hospital, stumble through the ER doors and get taken directly to see a doctor.  I was given a cold IV and Incredible Hulk Strength Tylenol.  It helped.

I was feeling better and when I got home my gf was waiting for me there worried sick about me.  That made me feel good.  But then the bill came. . . . . $4,083.34.

$4,083.34

I saw that and was like. . . .

Yup, the hospital gave me a bill for $4,083.34.  Of course I couldn't pay that.  So the bill went to a collection agency where they tracked me down and I gave what I could each month.  Unfortunately it was no more than $100 a month.  But every time they called, I picked, made polite conversation, never got an attitude and paid.

The last time I checked I got my bill down to $3,258.00.

Here is where God comes in and says, you are my child and I got you my nigga. . . .(ok, so he didn't say those words exactly but it was close to it)

Couple days ago I get a phone call from the collection agency asking for my payment.   Since they already had my information on file I ask them to take $100 from my card on file.  The person on the phone says, "We can't do that".  I ask, "Hmm, Why not?".  They reply, " Because all you owe on this account is $90.57"

$90.57

First i was like. . .

Then I was like. . .

But ultimately, I was like. . .

As of now, my medical bill debt is paid and I owe $0.00. 

If God can bring you to it, He can bring you through it.  I got deathly sick, got hit with a hefty medical bill, but God got me through it and took care of my debt.  I can't thank anyone but God for this blessing.  

Prayer works people,

Keep on praying,

Let the Lord use you,

Keep on evolving,

Mr. Robinson

Gotta do better

A few weeks ago on Easter weekend my family met up at my grandmother's gravesite for a memorial. It was a very touching and emotional time because of the woman that my grandmother was and the many things that she taught us. Of all the things that she taught us, one thing was always at the forefront:

"Love your family, because they are all you got."

I am blessed to have a really good family. We are in all walks of life and in all types of professions and if I needed anything I don't have to go outside of my family to get it. From social work to law to healthcare to nightlife, we are everywhere. This is where I have to do better, I don't talk to them as often as I should. Family is all you got and in this age of everyone having a cell phone, everyone having a Facebook/twitter/linkedin/social network account, there is no reason we I shouldn't be in more contact with family. A simple "how's life?" can go a long way. I could use the excuse that many people use and say that "I'm too busy". But in actuality, you're not.

And this goes for my friends too. Don't be surprised when I randomly call you just to shoot the breeze. I call because I want to know what going on in your life because I care.

Take home message: pick up the phone and call. Build and strengthen your relationships.

Keep on evolving,

Mr. Robinson

Test post

I just downloaded this blogger app for my iTouch and wanted to see how well it post. Let's see what this thing can do.

Boards. . .boards. . .boards. ugh.

As many of you may know, I am a Cardiovascular Perfusionist.  And many of you have no idea what it is and that's okay.  If you really care to know, google it.  This past Saturday, I took the second and last part of my boards to get my perfusion licence.   I studied but not as hard as I studied for the first part.  Every perfusionist I asked about the 2nd part of the boards said the same thing:

"Oh, its much easier than the first part."
"I'll be surprised if it takes you the enitre 4 hours they give you."
"It's a cake walk."
"Don't worry, you'll be fine."

I was never a good test taker and I did worry and I had a right to worry.  That test was hard as shit.

Some of the questions were very straight forward and simple but alot of the other questions had me looking at the computer screen and mouthing to myself, "What the fuck is this shit?!"  I found myself cursing out every single person that told me that this exam was going to be simple.

The best way how I can put it is this:  You're at a bar/club/social setting with your friends and you see an attractive woman across the way.  You're friends all know that woman because all of your friends fucked her and now your friends want you to go and talk her.  They tell you, "Go talk to her.  We all talked to her and we all fucked the shit out of her. Don't be scared, it'll be easy.  You'll be in and out in no time."  You believe this so you grab ya shit and go talk to her.  But something must have changed from when your friends had her to now.  She must've realized how easy she was.   So she found a church, got saved, started eating right, working out, hanging with new people, read a self esteem book, quit her job at the local strip club, got back in school and transformed into a whole new person.  You didn't know that before you approached.  So now you are putting in alot of unexpected work just so you can fuck this bitch.

That exam was that bitch.

I may be overreacting and I probably it better that what I think I did.  I'll get the results back in 4-6 weeks and hopefully I'll be allowed to put more letters after my name, get that raise (cha-ching!!) and I don't have to take that exam again.

Moral of the story:  No matter what others may say, pray for peace but prepare for war.

Keep on evolving.

Part Time Valentine

Here's a little trip down memory lane:

Who remembers Valentines day when they were in Elementary school?  Wasn't it great?  I remember making little mailboxes out of construction paper and walking around to everyone's mailbox and dropping off their card.  And of course the cards with the candy was always a treat.  And you may have even got a little something extra for your crush.  I think the candy of choice back then was the sour apple blow pops.  If not, they were for my class. I always loved Valentine's Day.  I loved it when I had a Valentine and I loved it when I didn't.

I'm the type to keep my eyes open and I notice that that older we got and the more grades we advanced, the females grew to either loath, dread or love this day.  I always wondered why and one day, during either my freshman or sophomore year in high school I found out.  This is a conversation I will never forget because it is kinda heart breaking and hilarious at the same time.  The names have been changed but if she is reading this, I know you remember this conversation. lol

Me: Hey Cynthia, what's the matter? You OK?
Cynthia:  No Steve, I'm not ok.
Me:  Well, what's the matter?
Cynthia: (hard pout)  Steve, it's Valentine's Day.  And look around.  You see all of these other girls walking around with cards, balloons, teddy bears, flowers, roses and all them gifts.  And look what's in my hands. . . .NOTHING.  I look better than all of those girls and I don't have anything!  They're all ugly but they get stuff! What the hell Steve!
Me: Awwww, poor thing.  (But on the inside I am LMFAO)
Cynthia:  It just makes no sense, that's why I don't like Valentine's Day.  I gotta see all these ugly chicks walk around with stuff that I don't have.  (hard pout)
Me:  Well how about this?  I know I'm not your full Valentine but know that you are loved so I will be your part time Valentine.

After I said that, I reached in my bag, pulled out a red rose and gave one to her.  You wouldn't believe how much her face lit up and how much it made her day.  And she walked around the school with a kung fu death grip on that rose proclaiming to everyone 'I got a rose too bitches. Someone loves me too. And what?'

I know what you're thinking 'Steve, where did that rose come from?'  I had a Valentine that year but she didn't come to school that day so I gave the roses away to my female friend who didn't have Valentine.  It would later become my Valentine's Day Tradition.  Every Valentine's Day, I would come to school with at least a dozen roses and would give them away to my female friends . . . .and sell them for 5$ a piece to the fellas.  It was always a good day.  If you don't believe me, ask anybody that knew my in high school and they will vouch for me.

Sigh, just had to take that trip to memory lane real fast.

On Call Life #1

So I'm getting supplies for an oxygenator changeout when I get a page saying "patient coding, need ECMO now". I run up to the unit and its a madhouse in the patient room. The other surgeon won't get here in time so I had to scrub in with the fellow to put this patient on. Everyone is stressed and anxious. The fellow and I are barking out orders. We ask the RN for clamps for the tubing. The RN says "Take the big ones, the small ones doesn't work as well." And with precision timing I replied, "That's what she said." The entire room burst out laughing. Tension eased. Patient lives. #OnCallLife

A simple 'How are you?'

My manager went off on me earlier this week.  And it seemingly came out of nowhere.  I was getting verbally thrashed by my superior for something that I failed to do.  Note: I'm still new to the job and I was never told that it had to be done.  I go back to the OR feeling like a 4 yr old that just showed his parents his a bad report card and I just stole that last cookie from the cookie jar before dinner and used said cookie to write on the walls.  Yup, I felt that small.

But I began to think, what was the real reason behind the blow up?

When I saw my manager in the office I said I wanted to talk to him and I just asked one question. . .

"How are you?"

I asked it in a way that I was genuine and sincere and I was going to listen to your answer.  And I found out alot of things going on in his life which basically was the reason for the blow up.  I had no idea that he going through that much stuff.  With his home, family, career, if you heard what I heard him say, you would understand why he was a powder keg pressure cooker about to explode.

Which brings me to the title, "A simple 'How are you?'"

When was the last time you genuinely and sincerely asked someone how they were and actively listened to what they tell you?

When was the last time someone asked you how you were and you told them instead of saying the oh so common "I'm cool/good/aight/straight. You"?

Such a simple question with unlimited potential.

Keep on evolving people.


Here's to you,
Mr. Robinson

I'm a Stupid Cat!

Remedy for a bad day.

It's been a long time. . .I shouldn't have left you

It's been a long time, I shouldn't have left you. . . without a dope blog to read to!!!!!

What?  You thought I was talking about someone else? HA!  You crazy!

I haven't wrote a blog post since August and since then ALOT of things have transpired.  I'm going to do better with this blog.  It may not be daily or weekly, but whenever I feel compelled to write something or if something is on my mind that I want to share, I will blog it.

Until then, Keep on evolving people.

Here's to you,

Mr. Robinson