Changes

I couldn't tell you how many times I opened this blog up and tried to write something. I could tell you that I have 6 posts started and are just sitting there as drafts. If you scroll down the last time I wrote was almost a year ago. But so much has happened in a year.

I woke up this morning, feet hit the floor running. That 230 alarm usually goes off and gets about 3 snoozes before I actually get out of bed. But I was out of my house in 20 minutes for work. I showed up to work with my normal RBF, just how it is when you're like me. I went through the motions of work. Dealt with the nonsense that is lazy people or people who know how to push my buttons. When I went on my first break I check emails. THIS RARELY HAPPENS. The first email was from my little brother in Ghana. We chatted back and forth throughout today. I cried, laughed, and got mad.

Hold up, let me explain.

Yeah, I miss the guy. He's a mini me. Just like me, but he's the strongest person I've ever met. To go to a different country for two years of your life to teach something you believe in, that.. that's some serious respect from me. Whatever it is, gospel, charity or whatever, doing what you believe in, that takes some serious guts and stuff. We shared some old stories about growing up, and then he hit me with some reality. "Mel, I'm not gonna lie, life sucks sometimes. Suck. It. Up. It could be so much worse. Look where you are compared to where you and I were both at a year ago."

Yup, I was mad, because *gosh darnit ;)* he was right.

A year ago I was miserable as hell. A year ago, I dreaded the alarm of my phone at 530am. I dreaded driving to a job where I lost more hair than ever imagined. I went through the motions and emotions of my day to day life. I had to beg and plead with people to switch me shifts so I could go play softball on the weekends. I hated going out on dates. I hated meeting new people.

Just life man. That's just the way it was.

Here we are a year later. So damn happy. Yeah, its not perfect. But its better. I still have my 30 second dance parties, either to or from work. I still know how to twerk out on those ball fields. ;) I know the value of a good phone call, mom, dad, grandma, S/O.. There's not many people I let call me but they're usually a nice long chat.

Some things haven't changed though.

I still think I can drive my jeep through any mud hole that comes across my path. I still think that I can get down with the youths. I think that I can still pull all nighters....I can't I'm basically useless without 6 hours of sleep. But for some reason, I still keep pushing my limits. And I keep referring to myself in the third person....oops.

Remember how awful that beginning of last year was? I DO! Broken nose, bronchitis, SET MY DAMN LEG ON FIRE?! Just to name a few... oh how this year has already been a 180 from last. Guys my little brother Zach was right. So much is different from last year. Not to go into detail, but it just feels like that little rain cloud over my head isn't pouring on me these days. Don't get me wrong, I still have crap days here and there. But oh my goodness, there are so many more good days than bad.

I went to write a little post back in October, and again in November. I couldn't bring my fingers to write what I was feeling. Tears filled my eyes, no I didn't cry. Mel Flo doesn't cry. But I was so happy. I smile so much these days and those days. I feel more loved and I feel like there's more love to go around. Well, what I mean by that is, well there's less hatred. It's not noticeable to many people. But, a kid 7000 + miles away notices. He pointed out a "genuine smile" in a few of my pics I send him.

But, to be honest, I never thought this is where I'd be a year later. I never thought I'd be who I am. Well, I still am your friendly "IDGAF" MelFlo, dance at the most random moments, smart ass comment serving, laughing too loud, mouth of a sailor Mel. But I never thought I'd be happy to go to a job. I never thought I'd find someone who would humble the hell out of me. I never thought I'd have and be doing a lot of the things I do in my life.

Guys, I promise to bring back the funny stories. Looking back on my old posts, a good chunk of those were depressing as hell. Some were just some shout outs to the parents and family. But in the beginning there were some funny ones... This is life according to MelFlo, and let me tell ya its funny. Well, I make it fun. Just Give me a week or two and I'll have some new content for y'all. Like me and the BF driving up to "Restricted Area" and 4x4 all over it in the mud..because, screw rules...jk. Or the time he told me not to drive into a mud hole cause "we don't have anything to get us out if we get stuck" so I looked this man into the windows of his soul and said, "I've done this before I know how to get out no worries." and at this point in the story is were the narrator would say, "at this point MelFlo F*cked up"

Damn near pulled my entire bumper off trying to get unstuck. But we laughed, I got pissed, and we both got muddy. But these are the moments I live for.


See its just crazy how things change over the years. One day you wake up you're 6 and praying to the man upstairs that your mom lets you go play with your friends. And the next day you're waking up to go to work at 230 am....oh wait that's just me? oh okay... but you get my point.

This.
Is life according to Mel Flo