In Memory of Mr. Penneman

I'm a firm believer that everything happens for a reason. I attended a funeral today of a man that, in the eyes of many, was truly insprirational. He was a man that kept promises, worked hard, and was dignified and dutiful. An example that life is meant to make changes and postive impressions on others. The minister giving the eulogy repeatedly emphasized the fact that life ends. So my conversation to you today is about the life that you lead today, if tomorrow isn't promised.

Wanna Bet?

Bet that i'll be a voice of a nation
Bet that you'll be the crowd that is slavin
Over the combinations that i'm creatin
The word rubix cubes over which you're debatin
Bet that i'll be the silent voice of my solo nation.
Bet that my heart won't sleep
Bet that my words will keep the beat
That pumps the flow that sustains your being and
Maintains the breathe that escapes u even as we speak
But that's not what u believe to be truth.
You doubt that someday my apex will be higher than you thought it'd be?
You doubt that i'll steal the joy that you didn't intend for me to see?
I'm taking up the money and any valuables that you possess
To place your bet against the best that i have yet to express
And i'm gonna let these passages keep the score...Wanna Bet? I'm game...

Just A Rant...

Women continue this "men ain't shit" kick but stop and think for a minute.Men only do what women accept. If Tyrone knows that he can't get any unless he asks politely, then dammit, he is gonna ask politely. Women are scorned by men because the women before them and they themselves set up the dominoes. Elvis would have stopped wearing tight jeans if the girls didn't go crazy when he stepped on stage. Consider the happily married couples that u know....After a while, the husband stops buying his own clothes. Whatever his wife wants him to wear is what he puts on, no questions asked. Men stop working out when they get married cause their wives want to "spend time" then the woman sees his belly pokin over the top of his pants and assumes that he stopped working out because he doesn't care about how she feels about it....The only reason dudes cat-call and whistle at girls is because there is a girl somewhere that is gonna have a positive response to it. (Whistle at six girls, two of them turn around and engage in conversation....the odds are good and th process is effortless) That may not be polite but it is effective and efficient

Essay topic

What are other things Congress could be doing besides investigating steriod usage in professional sports? Is it really that important? What are your views on the current situation and what would you do to change it if you wanted to??

Pressure

This poem is a means of relieving the pressure......
Pressure that i've felt since the first day i met her
She owns a smile that just begs me to stare
Emerald eyes and silky hair
A voice that serves to soothe my soul
A beautiful body, and truth be told
She doesn't know how much i wish
and wait and want for just one kiss
The kiss to end this pain of mine
The pain that grows with passing time
She's the one I want to love
And i pray to God and the stars above
That someday, somehow, somewhere
Her eyes will return my longing stare
Cause right now...it's just too much pressure

ME

words cannot define the man behind the mystery, but imma give you the skinny anyway...where do we start? I'm the best of the rest of ya folks for the most and i like to kick it, would be nice, but i'm too different, would be a thug, but that's just ignant. The ambassador to the world for the young boys and girls with immaculate talent, God-given gifts, and a southern accent. I'm easily misunderstood and you would cause you don't know me. You can say what you want but the truth is you can't hold me. Can't touch this cause i'm too elusive. You tryin to understand but my english is too fluent. You'll understand some day when it's entirely too late, but until that day read this over and over and over until you can possibly relate.

Poetry

A page wit a face of words that becomes nerves. A rhythm like a heartbeat With many purposes it serves To nourish, comfort, quiz, and confuse Praise, destroy, flatter, and abuse. Let your words reach out like fingers and toes. And touch those that need to be touched. Inspire those that need something to hold. Be bold and let your poetry strike a nerve.

An Acquired Taste

Girls, they sit back and chit-chat, Converse of u will,
About all the things that guys do
Cause they don't know the drill.
They wonder why guys are dogs
And stray away from home.
Now that question I can't answer cause
I've never committed that wrong.
But I can surely shine some light
On why guys play the field.
Take a look at urself, A long stare if you will.
Ask urself this question:"How did I get with him?"
Was it because I'm super-smart?
Or because I look good in denim?
Do I dress like I'm easy?
Do I flaunt all my goods?Do I flirt with all the boys
And show them that they could...?"
Ladies take the time to think
About this friendly advice.
Cause you don't want to be a Baby's Momma,
You wanna be somebody's wife.
You knew who he was
Before you got with him.
So why'd you pick the pimp,
Instead of his gentleman friend?
You set yourselves up
To fall like dominoes.
Then want to get mad cause he left
You for one of those "stupid hoes."
I'm not saying that it's O.K. for guys to do the things they do
But what I am saying is that
Some of the blame falls on you.
You say, "I want a thug.""I want a bad boy."
Then you are complaining. When you become his chew toy.
You overlook the guy
Who will one day own the world.
You let him slip away To get with some other girl.
See you could have been the one
Rockin Chinchilla clothes,
But you paid him no attention
So SHE is spending his bill folds.
It can all be avoided If you make better choices.
Stop bein so naive
And listen to your inner voices.
See, Roderick R. is no saint, Nor do i profess to be
But I'm better than most cause
They make it easy for me
I just felt like advising
The ladies of the world
To stop fallin for the dog
And take a second look
Now dudes if you're mad
Then u know what u are.
Real men are comin back
So make room at the bar.

It Won't End

Here I am again to describe myself today. Thankfully I made it here and still have stuff left to say. Today wasn't promised, that's why I thank God my momma prays. Oh and this isn't a poem, just another one of those days. A day for me to express the talents that God has given me. A day to show you the things that I've been blessed to be.......I'm on another level than the previous years. I've taken some initiatives and conquered a few fears. I feel that this is the beginning of the man I wanna be. I hope that some day you'll be proud. Proud that you know me. I'm on a mission starting right now to be the best that I can be. I don't know how long that will last, But I guess we shall see...

Roderick R.

Essay Interview

Wes Barrett
Location Manager of The Fresh Food Company
barrett-wes@aramark.com

Amanda Job
Associate Location Manager of The Fresh Food Company

1. How long have you been in the restaurant industry?
Job: "I've been in the food industry 11 years.

2. How long have you been with Eagle Dining?
Job: I've been with the Eagle Dinging 2 and and half years.

3. How do you feel about the hours of operation?
Job: Well we're open early on weekdays (7am) and close at 8pm

4. How do you feel about the amount of bonus bucks given out?
Job: Well marketing and financial handles that aspect of Eagle Dining. But more recently, you get more bonus bucks than ever. I think its great and the student saves a lot of money.

5. Whats your take on keeping places like the cafeteria open later for students so they dont have to use the bonus bucks?
Job: I thinks its a good idea. Keeping the cafeteria open even just a little later (30 min to an hour) could really benefit students and help them save their bonus bucks.

6. What were the past hours?
Barrett: We used to close at 7pm a couple years ago and back when we were at the commons we used to close at 6pm.

7. Was it always like this?
Job: Well the hours have been extended obviously and we've expanded our dishes.

Letting Go

As time passed by my mom told me the one of most important things someone can do while growing up is to let go. Whether it be friends, school, or a significant other, when it ends, you have got to learn to let go.


I've had to let go of a lot since high school. But since I entered the college life at USM its safe to say that I'm going to never look back...lol. I've had the time of my life in college, but sometimes its just hard to let go.

But, my friends... I don't have to let them go... because I know their always gonna be here... Xavier and Jhermi... we done been thru a lot... for a minute we fell off for various reasons... but then, in our senior year of high school we got back together... y'all are like my brothers. I got nothing but love for you guys and all of my other friends. From Neco punk ass, to dat chickenhead Sydnie. From Jessica (not Jessyka!!) crazy ass, and Heather cursing Kelly out, Nolan being so pretty, Meredith gettin my money, my baby Jackie actin like she dont love me (lol), kickin it with Eternea in the 5th grade, my home skillet Victoria, the queen of crazy herself C-Top, Cierra and her chanil (not chanel) earrings (she think she ballin'),to Haley not takin showers, I've got some absolutely crazy friends. It's way to many of y'all to name but you know I love y'all...

Letting go is one of those things that all of us have to go through a some point of our lives... we cant move on until we let go... sometimes we dont have to but when the time comes we know what we must do. Until then ima chill out and let things progress... watch my friends grow up as I grow up... and make this as memorable as possible.