Alrighty, since you guys were receptive to the idea of the QOTD being more than about wrestling, we're gonna open it up to truly whatever.
So, I thought I'd start off with a pretty great question that I heard on the World's greatest podcast, and my future home of employment, The Adam Carolla Show.
Instead of a birthday, what's your worthday? Instead of celebrating your birth, you celebrate the day you truly did something you're proud of. Something you want to be remembered for. For some of us, we probably haven't had that major, defining moment, so what's closest? Or, what would you like that day to be?
For me, there's so much I want to achieve. However, if I died tomorrow, I'd like my Worthday to be when a few years ago, a Marine who I'd never met, or ever talked to before emailed me out of the blue to say that a song I'd written got him through an entire year in Iraq. He said without it, he's not sure if he could have dealt with everything. That felt incredible. As a musician, that's what you strive for. To help people. To reach people. It sounds corny, but it's the truth. So, for someone I'd never met or talked to before to have heard my music, and for it to have effected him so much is pretty fucking cool.
So, how say you?
Anyone who has a question they'd like to see in the big, bright lights of the BoD, send'em on to caliberw@hotmail.com
So, I thought I'd start off with a pretty great question that I heard on the World's greatest podcast, and my future home of employment, The Adam Carolla Show.
Instead of a birthday, what's your worthday? Instead of celebrating your birth, you celebrate the day you truly did something you're proud of. Something you want to be remembered for. For some of us, we probably haven't had that major, defining moment, so what's closest? Or, what would you like that day to be?
For me, there's so much I want to achieve. However, if I died tomorrow, I'd like my Worthday to be when a few years ago, a Marine who I'd never met, or ever talked to before emailed me out of the blue to say that a song I'd written got him through an entire year in Iraq. He said without it, he's not sure if he could have dealt with everything. That felt incredible. As a musician, that's what you strive for. To help people. To reach people. It sounds corny, but it's the truth. So, for someone I'd never met or talked to before to have heard my music, and for it to have effected him so much is pretty fucking cool.
So, how say you?
Anyone who has a question they'd like to see in the big, bright lights of the BoD, send'em on to caliberw@hotmail.com
The day I got my teaching degree, May 31st, 2008. I had gone through such a deep depression during my freshman/sophomore year of college that getting a degree seemed like a fucking pipe dream. I was in tears when I was handed my diploma and it was the biggest moment of my life, so far.
ReplyDeleteFun fact about elementary aged kids: they DO mark for Bryan, but Cena is still numero uno.
This isn't that big of an accomplishment looking back, nor will I be remembered for it, but I will say that getting the lead in our high school's fall musical to start my sophomore year is on the list. A few reasons really. It had been a rough summer, some bad falling out with close friends, but I had the auditions for that show to look forward to and focus on, and it was one of those things when I knew I knocked the audition out of the park, and the part was mine. Then when the cast list went up, everyone congratulated, and seemed genuinely happy for me.
ReplyDeleteAnd the girl that I was in love with was cast as the female lead and I got to kiss her for several months in rehearsals
Caliber, As for your question yesterday, protein, creatine,
glutamine, and BCAA’s are definitely your foundation, and if you are lifting
hard essential post workout. I have also taken some over the counter test
boosters that help as well, (these might not be necessary for everyone but my
genetics are more Dynamite Kid then Ultimate Warrior, so the extra boost helps.)
The real popular thing these days are pre-workouts. Without question they give
you an extra boost of energy but the only problem is that your system gets used
to them so they lose their effect after awhile.
That's a great accomplishment. Being able to act & sing is no joke, as both require total dedication & talent in order to be worth a spit. Anything ever happen with the girl you were in love with?
ReplyDeleteMe, I don't like pre-work out stims. NO-boosters are fine. But I just feel like if you need a drug to get amped for the gym, then perhaps you shouldn't even be lifting. I can't wait to hit the gym, every time. I'm like a caged animal before hand. As for genetics, I'm between an endo & a meso. I'm 5'9, with stocky type of features, I have naturally big calves & legs, and my arms are short. As of writing, I'm 260lbs, with about 18-20% bodyfat, so, I can definitely pack on the muscle. I also attribute that to my training style, Heavy Duty.
I'm about to turn 30, so I know my test is going to start dropping a bit. I"m wondering if any OTC test boosters are really worth it. Which ones would you recommend?
You ever do any steroids? I'd like to try a cycle. Just a small amount of some classic Deca, just to see what happens.
That's awesome, Eric. Absolutely nothing better than accomplishing something that almost seems impossible.
ReplyDeleteYou know, I gave some thought to teaching. However, the way teachers are treated these days are a joke. No one cares about them. They aren't given respect, or funding. I'd also be afraid of there being some case where I know a kid is being physically abused, because I'd have to go to that kid's house, and throw whoever was doing it through the bay-window, Triple H style.
I would have majored in theater in college but I dance like the straight white person I am so that held me back somewhat. Plus I liked other things besides theater, (sports, Monday Night Raw.) Nothing ever happened with the girl, unfortunately but we were always pretty good friends so there was that at least.
ReplyDeleteAs for steroids. No never tried them. Not out of any moral objection mind you, I always said that if they were less expensive and I could find a doctor to help me do it safely then I would love to try them and see what happens. Not having back acne is nice though.
For the OTC stuff from what other people at GNC say the best one out there is called P6 Red by Cellucor, (it's also the most expensive so that that for what you will.) Personally I tried and liked A-HD and Anabolic Elite by BPI. BPI on the whole I think is a pretty good brand.
What if the parents have a gun, Pillman style?
ReplyDeleteAs a male, I've lucked out as an elementary teacher in that the job market is huge for me, because schools love that. The pay has been mediocre thus far, basically you float around between schools for the first 5-7 years of your career before finally getting tenure the 3rd or 4th time around and being settled in for life with almost zero chance of being laid off or fired. I'm on my third school now, two years in, so I'm crossing my fingers for tenure this time around since I love it. Overall though, the public education system is definitely flawed in how teachers are paid and treated. If I'm fortunate enough to settle into this current situation, I'll be fine when the pay slowly builds up.
ReplyDeleteAs for kids who were abused, I've yet to personally experience that, but I've heard enough stories from co-workers and my college teachers that it's almost a certainty that I'll encounter it at some point in my career. In the event that a child flat out says they're being abused, we have to contact the principal and school nurse immediately for a sitdown, then the police. The scariest part to me is that the parent(s) WILL come in and WILL confront you as a result. I'd like to say I'll be able to stand my ground easily but you don't know until it happens. Even harder is actually getting the child separated from the abusive home. There's so many legal hurdles to get over and far too often, the child ends up back home. Even then, they get skipped around between foster homes or relatives that don't want them, and it's just depressing as fuck. I count my lucky stars every day that I grew up in a normal household with parents who have been together for 40+ years.
I think I can say this here...
ReplyDeleteMy worthday is May 24. In 2008, I was going downhill. I screwed up a big job interview in January, flubbed a few more interviews, was dumped by my girlfriend the first week of May (she took the dog), the newspaper I worked at was on the cusp of closing, I gave my car back to the bank, everything was going to hell.
I got my hands on some prescription painkillers (won't share how) and planned on ODing on them at a party I was at. Really stupid plan, I know. As you can tell I was making a multitude of horrible decisions. I felt like the world was just coming down on top of me, like it wasn't going to get better. It was your standard suicide fare. A small part of me did want the attention, but the overwhelming majority wanted to die. I thought about it hard for a two week span. I was either going to jump from the top of my work building or find a way to sneak a gun from someone. Instead, I went the pill route.
Back to the party. I wandered around, said a few kind words to people I knew, hung out on the back porch by myself and cried. It felt like it was time. For whatever reason this guy I barely knew started talking to me about life. I guess he had seen me crying. It felt like everybody around me was more in the business of telling me advice than listening. He listened and then just went off into a big spiel about how unimportant all of this was, that the universe wasn't conspiring against me, that I could take a stand. He was really drunk and might have just been going on a tangent, but it worked. It was good to hear.
After he stopped talking and disappeared to go piss on his neighbor's fence, I went to a bathroom upstairs and spent a good amount of time looking in the mirror. I realized then how stupid I was for even thinking I could take my own life or injure myself. I flushed the pills down the toilet. From that point forward, I told myself never to cope and always to confront. Not sure it works for everyone, but it worked for me.
I remember it vividly. I was standing on the edge of my toilet hanging a
ReplyDeleteclock, the porcelain was wet, I slipped, hit my head on the sink, and
when I came to I had a revelation! A vision! A picture in my head! A
picture of this! This is what makes time travel possible: the flux
capacitor! It's taken me nearly thirty years and my entire family
fortune to realize the vision of that day. My God, has it been that
long? Things have certainly changed around here. I remember when this
was all farmland as far as the eye could see! Old man Peabody owned all
of this! He had this crazy idea about breeding pine trees.
That's heavy.
ReplyDeleteWhy'd you have to drag poor Marty into the mess, you old coot?
ReplyDelete1.21 GIGAWATTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDelete*starts barking and looking in a far off direction*
ReplyDeleteWhat is it Einie?
ReplyDelete*whimpers*
ReplyDeleteOh my God they found me.
ReplyDeleteWho, Doc? Who?!
ReplyDeleteFairly depressing that as a 32 year old I can't come up with anything. I've had some good success career wise but nothing that sticks out as something I would remember/be proud of for the rest of my life.
ReplyDeleteOh well. ...one of these days something will come along!
WHO DO YOU THINK? THE LIBYANS!
ReplyDelete*arabic language is heard followed by machine gun fire*
Rodney Dangerfield didn't become a hit until his 50's. So, as long as you're just a good person, that's so much more than most people. I mean, it doesn't have to be career wise. It can be anything. A lot of folk choose when their children were born.
ReplyDeleteOnce Marty arrives until he's shot at by Old Man Peabody is one of the greatest pieces of film ever. So fucking awesome.
ReplyDeleteYou know after 9/11, for a good while when you'd see the movie on TV they cut all that out? So, Marty just ended up back in time out of the blue.
Then I hope the feed cuts out just in time.
ReplyDeleteI remember that and it was annoying.
ReplyDeleteDoc dies and nobody knows why.
So sad.
Getting into law school was something I'd always wanted to do. So that, or winning my provincial (ie State) wrestling championship.
ReplyDeleteAlso, love the idea for expanding QOTD.
The juice is really expensive. I'm also one of those super careful type guys, so the only way I'd do them is if I could get them medically, and have check-ups. I'm too afraid of getting some counterfit bullshit.
ReplyDeleteGlad things worked out man.
ReplyDeletei'd like to hear the song.
ReplyDeletei love that gill is your avatar, so fitting
ReplyDeleteI have no clue what state you work in. However, in California, it is much different than that in reporting abuse. If any person on the school grounds (custodians, teacher's aides, superintendent, parent volunteer, etc.) suspects a minor might be abused or neglected, they have to notify child services asap by phone and within 48 hours by document. If that means I have to get class coverage for my next period, the school must give it to me or they could be liable. It is 100% anonymous unless you want to give your name. If one is not sure whether to call it in or not, call it in anyway because I heard of people who have lost their jobs for not reporting including one local district superintendent. I had to make 2 phone calls in my 10 years (one was not abuse, one definitely was).
ReplyDeleteMy local district (Los Angeles Unified) has been on national news for this stuff and it is something we don't mess around on. The most famous one is that for decades a male elementary school teacher jizzed on a cookie and other things (at home) and made the kids eat it blindfolded (Think hell's kitchen taste test challenge). He then would take pictures of that.
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/03/13/los-angeles-district-settles-claims-involving-teacher-accused-lewd-tasting/
I'm in the same boat.
ReplyDeleteThat was the other thing, I know some guys now that I can trust to get me the real stuff, but for the longest time, I didn't so I didn't want to take the chance of throwing money away.
ReplyDeleteI love how you have the words "fairly depressing" next to a picture of Ol Gil. Not sure if it was intentional or not but pretty funny.
ReplyDeleteFor me, it would have to be the day that the Fuj passed me the torch, and put me over in the center of the ring.
ReplyDeleteOnce you've been on the receiving end of a torch passed by the Fuj, there's no greater honor.
Mine's pretty easy and was just yesterday in fact: the birth of my daughter.
ReplyDeleteFor a runner-up, I actually don't remember the date, but it was about 10 years ago when the first concert I booked and promoted myself was held at The Social in Orlando. It was just local punk bands on a Wednesday night but it was still a big accomplishment for me, especially considering I was just a senior in high school. Within that same year I was writing my regular music column for 411, met tons of bands and interviewed Andrew WK and All american Rejects. Pretty crazy time in my life, and I regret not keeping it going. I was like the kid in Almost Famous for a little while there.
What do you think about No Child Left Behind?
ReplyDeleteGraduating medical school. Not married and dont have kids but I'd imagine those are probably the overwhelming answers f
ReplyDeleteCaliber, what's the context of the song? Are you a songwriter? How'd he hear it, etc? Def a cool moment hearing that from a marine.
ReplyDeletecongrats
ReplyDeleteHow long did you write at 411? I acutally wrote there for a brief period of time. I also did one review on Impact for Meltzer's site. I am truly an internet wrestling journeyman reviewer
ReplyDeleteIntense man. Glad things have turned around for ya.
ReplyDeleteMine was this past January when I made the decision to go back to school. Working in psychiatry, you can either become a psychiatrist, clincian, or nurse to actually make enough money. I decided to go back for nursing.
ReplyDeleteThanks man. Hopefully wont have to live off Ramen Noodels and pull all nighters ever again.
ReplyDeleteI tried to not go the cheesy, cliché route...but I have to.
ReplyDeleteIt has to be the day I married my high school sweetheart. We had a chick flick of a relationship, meaning we were together, split up in a nasty, nasty way...and found each other later in life when we both matured. Even through all that, we remained friends and spoke daily. That's what led us to here.
I'm certain that this day will be supplanted by the upcoming birth of my twin daughters, but this will always be a close number 2.
im living off top ramen right now...
ReplyDeletei dont have to, but theres no chipotle in afghanistan
Good work on the Holly interview recap. Interesting read.
ReplyDeleteI'm currently working on my Master's in Teaching, and that's really the nightmare I have for my future career — the abused child. I know I will handle it, because I have to (both legally and morally), but I don't look forward to it at all because no matter how it plays out, the child will suffer.
ReplyDeleteMe too. I'm a musician myself and I'm very interested in hearing this. Caliber, linkage please!!!
ReplyDeleteCongrats! I also just a year ago went back to school, since I've been spinning my wheels in a deadend job for going on eight years now. I was tired of it, and finally broke down and did something about it. It's been difficult, and I have run into about every conceivable problem that could arise (transcript not transferring properly, financial aid taking forever, advisor having me take the wrong classes, etc.), but by god I'm making a go of it!
ReplyDeleteMuch respect for being over there. Creamy chicken and Beef flavored have saved my ass many times.
ReplyDeleteI once found $40 and used it to buy a round of drinks for the people that I was hanging out with that night.
ReplyDeleteOne of them was named Tony.
What, if anything would you suggest doing differently? (Hopefully this doesn't come off as trolling. I have an MA in Public Policy, so asking questions of experienced people is how I am used to crafting new solutions to problems... but I have found people get enraged easily when I asked questions for whatever reason)
ReplyDelete1) I teach 7th grade and grades don't truly count until 9th grade (8th grade counts for walking at culmination ceremony, but even if you fail all your classes, you still move on to 9th grade.) Thus, if a student fails my class and learns nothing, they still move onto the next grade, I have taught middle school for 10 years and I have never seen one student held back due to grades, I have students with 5-6 fails and still move on and we wonder why they drop out of high school. Thus, make them repeat the grade over again. Make them repeat classes over again.
ReplyDelete2) Students have a right to a free and public education according to the courts. However, should the taxpayers really have to pay for the student who has to repeat a class multiple times. Thus, I would have parents pay for summer school and for that 5th-6th year of high school education. If you start hitting parents in the pocketbooks, they will care more about their children's education.
3) Stop forcing all students onto the college path. Right around 13-14 years old, have students determine if they want the college path or not. For the students not on the college path, have them take basic math, basic english, etc and not on algebra 2/trigonometry/etc. Bring back wood shop, metal shop, auto shop home ec. Many of my students will enjoy school much more if they gave them this option. Many other first world countries do it this way, but American politicians & educators are afraid to tell parents that their kids are not college material. One of my cousins is failing out of school but he can fix almost any car with any problem. If you gave him the option of the non-college track and put auto shop in the school, he would jump at it in a heart beat.
I once sat next to NBA icon jerry west on a flight from los Angeles to Houston. I've had several graduations, passed several large tests of admission into professions, etc but sitting next to the logo for over two hours is the coolest thing I'll ever do. I didn't say anything to the man out of respect but he did ask me where I was traveling to.
ReplyDeleteWell that trumps em all bro, congrats
ReplyDeleteAlso fuj putting me over on the BoD was a glorious moment
ReplyDeleteIf could give a internet post a standing ovation I would do just that, but I'll have to settle with an up vote.
ReplyDeleteHowever let me say...
If my calculations are correct, when this baby hits 88 miles per hour, you're gonna see some serious shit!
The day i opened for swollen members and the first time i heard my song on the radio(college radio).
ReplyDeleteSomeone else already said that... downvote for unoriginality. :(
ReplyDeleteWhere I work our HS students have access to a Career Academy at the local junior college to do just that. They can take health tech to agriculture classes to power plant. Its a great way for those kids not going to college to have skills to be ready to enter the workforce right of of HS.
ReplyDeleteHey c'mon...I went to b level house shows I wasn't even booked at to get that fuj rub (no homo). Does that other guy even respect THIS BUSINESSES???
ReplyDeleteYes. The Fuj asked him to work out with him at the BoD gym and he accepted.
ReplyDeleteI was lucky enough to hear it myself and can tell you it got me through a lot of tough times as well. Good job Caliber.
ReplyDeleteImagine my surprise when I found out it was just a cover of an earlier tune that I found below. Not a good job Caliber.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFuixy78IuI
You up-voters are the best.
ReplyDeleteProbably two weeks ago when I finally got my degree from California State University, Chico. I've battled numerous personal issues, from anxiety disorders that forced a three-year sabbatical to losing my stepmother (she was only 44) this past February after a long bout with leukemia, which meant I got my degree about nine years after I first came here. But looking back on all I dealt with, and the fact I still stuck with it, continued to grind, and finally finished school (with a couple of Dean's Lists selections to boot), I have to say that I definitely went through a life chapter that radically shaped who I am, and emerged a much better person leaving college than I was coming in.
ReplyDeleteNOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! BASTAAAAAAAARDS!!!!!
ReplyDeleteThere's that word again, "heavy"! Why are things so heavy in the future, is there a problem with the Earth's gravitational pull?!
ReplyDeleteWatch this, watch this!
ReplyDeleteMy district instituted a new policy starting this year.
ReplyDelete1) no more D's in high school so the grading is A B C Fail.
2) Eliminate about 10 classes in order to graduate so its now 170 units (5 units a class) instead of 220 units.
3) In order to graduate, you must pass all the classes that are required for admission into the University of California/Cal State University system. That includes math through algebra 2 and 2 years of foreign language.
The major problem with these new requirements that classes like wood shop, metal shop, home ec, etc don't count towards graduation so many schools basically gave it up.
Me too. Though I can't think of any really bad defining moment, so I guess that's a plus.
ReplyDeleteYeah, my school has a skills center that students get to go to in their Junior/Senior year
ReplyDeleteI wish I could give you 2, one for the comment itself and another one for having the balls to post it. I was once in a similar situation myself, so I know where you're coming from.
ReplyDeleteThat makes me feel safer. I teach in Minnesota so I hope it's the same case.
ReplyDeleteIt's a joke. The standardized testing curriculum is an archaic model in general, and there's no way you can reach every kid equally through that idea.
ReplyDeleteWhere do you live roughly? I was south of Kandahar near the Pakistan border two years ago
ReplyDeleteTo be avclear she was born 4 yearz afgo but yesterdsay iwas her bday
ReplyDeleteI wrotes for 4q11 music dsfpr about A csaouple years in 03 0r or somerhbin like tha.
ReplyDeleteI thought the same thing.
ReplyDeleteHere you guys go. It's the song Recess. A song I wrote at 19, about growing up, and how crazy it was to me at the time. A lot of people say it's my best, but I disagree. I think perhaps Sucker, or Beach Scene From The Karate Kid are my best. Both are there if you guys want to hear them. I write & produce everything.
ReplyDeletehttps://myspace.com/scrublifemusic
Man, the first AAR album is a masterpiece. They're such an original, fantastic band that don't get their due.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I'm a musician. It was my main passion before I started focusing on writing. I started off as a rapper, no joke, and became really great at it. However, when I turned 17 I really started getting into rock. Bands like Blink 182, Guns & Roses, Oasis, Simon & Garfunkle. So, I taught myself to play guitar. I then got a bass guitar, and some recording equipment. I then created a style of music that blended pop-punk & hip-hop. However, I wasn't content with just one style of music, so I started writing whatever style fit the song. Some would be straight hip-hop, others would be folk. I don't mean to sound like an ego, but I've written some damn good songs.
ReplyDeleteThe one in question is called Recess. I wrote it at 19, when growing up really starts to become a trip. The song is about the good times of being young, with no pressure and such, and the crazy shit that goes on as you get older. You reminice, and sometimes pine for the past, but then you have to realize the future can hold whatever you want, and the best can still be ahead of you. A lot of people say it's my best, but I think Sucker, or perhaps Beach Scene At A Karate Kid. You can find some of my tunes at....
https://myspace.com/scrublifemusic
That's awesome. A lot of people don't have the balls to go back to school. So right on.
ReplyDeleteThat's awesome, man. Cheesy & cliche is great. Having a fantastic relationship is really the Holy Grail, so congrats. Congrats as well on the twins. I'm envious of people who've got a happy family. I hope to have that one day too.
ReplyDeleteWhat? You got to open up for Swollen? That's awesome. I use to rock them along with Cage, Copywrite, and a mess of other underground backpack rap. They helped to inspire a lot of my rap as well. Yeah, that's right, corny Caliber is a rapper.
ReplyDeleteThat's fucking awesome, man. I'm really happy to hear that. Obviously I'm not happy to hear about your stepmother, that's terrible, but to be able to become stronger after such an event is incredible. What's your degree in?
ReplyDeleteWow, that's a hell of a story, man. That's a hell of a worth day.
ReplyDeleteI assume everything is better now?
Its funny because I got the advance copy of the "Swing Swing" single through my school paper, and I reviewed it on 411 before it hit real big. And then the same company that supplied us (me) with music to review got me in for an interview with them when they headlined in Orlando (along with Flashlight Brown and Motion City Soundtrack, who I unfortunately missed while I was doing the interview) and everyone was amazed because Dreamworks was the record label and they had like NO ONE on the list, they were wicked strict. And here I come, some high school douche in Dickies and an old T-shirt, and I waltz right backstage and onto their bus.
ReplyDeleteI also love their single "Gives You Hell" for how bratty and snotty it is, considering I heard through the grapevine that Tyson Ritter actually was one of the cool kids in school and that song was less a kiss off to haters and more "nyah nyah I'm famous and you're not!" For some reason that makes it seem punk as fuck to me.
English Ed, so I'm looking to work as a tutor. They make some pretty good bank.
ReplyDeleteYeah was in my local town but it counts! Madchilds last album dopesick was nutso. I thought prevail really stepped his game up on the last album too. Really good guys.
ReplyDeleteIf u still spit i make beats so holla at a player player!
ReplyDelete