Breathe so bad fly's and maggot's would be disgusted by the smell...

I'm usually the kind of guy who will tolerate or endure anything, so long as its not permanent. I'll hide my emotions and not give my opinion as its not in my nature to make people feel insecure about something, no matter how bad it may be. I'll leave that task to someone who knows them well enough to do so. However, today whilst I was working the shop floor at work today I'm pretty certain that I smelled the worst scent that I've ever smelled, and I'm almost certain that it'll remain the worst smell I'll ever smell for a long time, I mean if i were to smell anything worse I'm certain I would die in the process of smelling it, as I literally passed out for a split second when I smelled what I smelled today.

As I was flat stacking wood in the lumber department, a customer approached me and asked me where the vinyl fencing was. Usually the first of the five senses that are engaged when addressing a customer will either be sight or hearing. Before I had a chance to engage the customer my sense of smell was met with the equivalent of a sledge hammer blow in the form of a pungent smell, of what I can only describe as combination of fecal matter, vinegar and ammonia. But even that combination doesn't even being to describe how bad this fellow's breathe was. Like I said before, usually I'll never show any sign of discomfort as I feel that it's not fair to make someone feel unnecessarily insecure, but in this case it was impossible. I couldn't keep my composure, his breath had force me to turn my face away and inhale air that was less contaminated than the air around him. I intentionally stood perpendicular to him so as to remain out of his line of breath, and I'm pretty sure I was also unintentionally making faces every time I caught a whiff of his unholy bad breath. Like when you suck a lemon, or take a shot of whiskey and you feel you face's muscle's start to bunch up. It was like that, the only difference was with lemons or whiskey you can probably prevent yourself from making a face, but with this guy's breath... Impossible.

I know what your probably thinking, it couldn't have been that bad, but I assure it was worse. I mean I'm proud of myself for dealing with it the way I did, as I'm pretty certain a lot of people would have just told this guy to get a pack of Tic Tacs or something. Or maybe that he should re-introduce a tooth brush back into his life. Oh and I think it's worth mentioning this guy didn't have halitosis or any sort of infection of that nature, just in case anyone thinks I'm being insensitive. This was plain old neglect of one's mouth. I'm going to end it on this note, smelling this guy's breath was probably equal to smelling Satan's fart, and I pray that he has since seen a connection between all the people who gag when he speaks and mouth.

USA... you didnt dissapoint but you don't need me to tell you you could have done better

The USA are out and I'm not going to be that guy who says we should still be proud and happy, as the team should have won. I'm a little worried, Landon Donovan will be well over 30 by the time the 2014 world cup comes around, Clint Dempsy will in much the same situation. Those were the only real skillful players we had, well not skillful, rather composed, composed enough to not panic in front of goal and composed enough to keep a level head thus making good decisions in every game .

What frustrates me is that the game against Ghana is that it was so freaking close. It's the fact that there are several moments were the USA could have won, and that the game hinged on a few unfortunate moments that could have turned the tide of the whole tournament for them. I really kills me that they had to go out that way, because talent wise they have some real prospects that just need to raise their game and gain some good experience.

There is hope for the future with the likes of Stuart Holden, Jozy Altidore and Maurice Edu. All these players are in and around 20 years old and all are playing in Europe , four years from now hopefully these players with develope into strong world beaters that can lead the USA to international success. Thats the glory of playing in Europe, its were the elite most players will flourish and rise to success, but with that potential glory comes extreme responsibility, the responsibility to maintain one's game and to be sure to get regular games. Because if they don't the coaches will gladly let them sink to the abyss of forgotten players as theres always going to be a player ready to replace them. So lets just hope that USA's young guns will become the heavy artillery in 2014

catching a thief...

I work at Lowe's, and at Lowe's you will find that the loss prevention people there are the most paranoid you'll ever meet. So paranoid that they expect anyone cashiering to open up all boxed items regardless of how well sealed they may be.

So today a customer comes up to my check out with a giant boxed bath tub, an item that cost around $600. Usually in these circumstances a cashier wouldn't bother opening a box this size as there usually factory sealed and when opened are extremely hard to seal back up. However today my loss prevention manager was on the prowl, so i figured keeping him of my back was worth the inevitable ear-ache I would get from this customer.

The usual drill when your about rip open someones boxed item is as such; you say, "sir/madam I'm gona open your box and make sure that everything's in there, it's store policy I'll get in trouble if dont." If your lucky, the customer will yield to your request without too much resistance but often rather than not they will bombard you with a bunch of protesting remarks like; "I don't understand why this is necessary?!", "I want to speak to the manager!", "no your not opening these boxes!, I want them sealed its a gift for someone!" and the ever so famous"this never happens at home depot!"

This customer gave all these protests a try, but my mind was already made up. This box was getting opened. As a took out my box cutter and was about to slash away, this customer exclaimed in a very desperate voice, "C'mon man don't open the box dude, please I'm beggin you..." I saw that this guy was looking really worried and it was at this point I new i was going to find something in the tub. I opened up the box and low and behold, I was looking at a plumbers treasure chest. Galavanized ball valves, copper coupling and piping and sheets of aluminium. The items in the tub nearly were as expensive as the tub itself.

I looked hard at this guy, he was absolutely, distraught. He looked at me with his eyes watering up and he said softly "please". I could see the raw fear in his eyes, I said out loud. "sir it looks like somehow during the packaging process these items accidentally found there way into this tub, I'm afraid there not actually part of the product so I'm going to have to take them out." Without speaking this guy, knowing that i had caught him trying to steal just nodded, paid for his bath tub and gave me the most sincere "thank you" I think I ever heard.

Although this guy was obviously trying to steal, and there are consequences of such actions, I like to think that the way i dealt with this individual will making him reflect and become a better person from here on in.

2010 world cup, my opion so far...

There was a time not so long ago where a victory against a side of the likes of; Italy, France, Spain or England from an underdog nation would raise eyebrows across the whole world wide soccer community. France and Italy in the last world cup in 2006 were the two finalist nations, both these teams disposed of every team trying to end their winning streak, and as for Spain, well they were the victors of the Euro 2008 and an extremely feared side to play against. England's problem is that their goal keeper's are all seem to have a severe case of the buttery fingers, but that aside all of England's out field players are exceptional when they play at club level and when they bring that to the international stage they usually don't lose.

Four years later and these teams mysteriously are a shadow of their former glory as their getting their asses handed to them by lesser nations. I'm sure im not the only one sitting at home watching these sides play thinking to my self that if I were the coach of that team, and I had all the raw soccer talent at my disposal, that I could surely make something spectular happen. Although most of the teams have picked themselves up from there crash landing of a start in South Africa, France seem to be the only side to have taken on some irreprable damage.


France this year is a side that I'm particularly dissapointed with. As a passionate soccer fan the French national over the years have a been a team that have produced some of the best soccer I have ever seen and as a result I'm a fan of many of the team's players. However this World Cup France, considering the kind of fire power they have, have been the worst team in the competition im my opinion. The team has failed to pick up a victory in all the games they played, and the sides they have played havn't exactly been teams with as talented squad nted as France's. They drew with Uragauy, lost to Mexico and the biggest shock of all, they lost to South Africa.


I'm not a fan of the French national team, I'm a fan of the amazing way they play the beautiful game, or at least they used to play it. I just hoping that they can re-group, fire their current coach and start playing the way everyone knows they can.