jay perry – Monsters vs Me

Articles Tagged with: jay perry

August 31, 2011

GIVE UP TO GAIN: No Ice Cubes August Ends and September Begins

August proved to be more of an “answering questions” month. Back on July 31st when I said that I was giving up eating ice cubes, people immediately had a confused idea of the whole premise of this challenge. Most people questioned it and thought that I was just taking the easy way out for the month.

Little do people know, and my family can definitely back me up on this, but I had quite the little addiction. Sure, eating ice cubes that were at the bottom of your drink happens from time to time, but when you go to the freezer for the sole purpose of grabbing an ice cube to eat it, and doing it over and over, then it becomes an addiction.

As seen in last months video post (GIVE UP TO GAIN: VIDEO POST – No Poker July Ends and August Begins), I outlined the potential dangers of eating ice cubes.

So how did I do? I beat this habit. Studies show that it takes 28 days to either develop or break a habit. I’m now ice cube free for 31 days and have beat this addiction. My teeth definitely thank me for this one.

For me, August is right in the middle of Wedding season. I was thankfully extremely busy with weddings this month, so much that I really had no time to make a video for Septembers Give Up To Gain. I guess it’s a good problem to have.

Again, these months are getting harder and harder to choose something to give up.

This month I’ve decided to give up an addiction I’ve had since my days in elementary school. I have recently controlled it over the past couple years but lately I have been on a super health kick so it’s time for these to go as well. So this month I’m going to give up my addiction to… Skittles!

I remember back in my high school days, my parents use to buy boxes of skittles from Costco and I would always have a pack on standby. If I didn’t play hockey back in the day, I would have been quite the pudgy child as I would eat around a pack or two a day. Lately I have a pack around twice a week but that’s still too much.

Along with Skittles, I’m going to give up any sort of candy. With having a two year old nephew, there’s always candy around, and I always find myself snacking on it and with Halloween just around the corner, now is when stores start to load their shelves with cheap giant bags of candy.

Although September will be known as “No Skittles September”, Skittles is used for all candy.

Do you have an addiction to candy? chocolate? Would love to hear your crazy candy stories. Do you think you could do it?

Again, follow me on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/jayperryMvM to follow along with my progress.

Have a great month!

July 31, 2011

GIVE UP TO GAIN: VIDEO POST – No Poker July Ends and August Begins

It’s been 31 long days of no poker. It was tough. Watch the video as I talk about it and what I’m giving up next month.

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSlYZ9FoGsA

July 15, 2011

Top Five Fridays: HBD Vladimir The Bold & top ‘THE’ nicknames.

Vladimir the Bold was born Vladimir Andreyevich or Владимир Андреевич Храбрый in Russian on July 15, 1353 and was the most famous prince of Serpukhov. His moniker alludes to his military exploits committed in the wars waged by his cousin, Dmitri Donskoi of Moscow.

I have no idea what any of that means, nor do I care. All I know is that he has one gnarly nickname. “The Bold”. You know you’ve done something right in life when your peers nickname you “the bold”. Good job Vladimir and happy birthday.

To honour Vladimir and his birthday today, I thought I would list the top 5 ‘the’ nicknames not named ‘bold’. When I was younger during my baseball years, I was nicknamed ‘the chief’ because I had won an essay writing contest to become police chief for a day in Hamilton. (There’s a little nugget of information people probably didn’t know about me). But as my baseball career came to a halting end, so did the nickname. It was buried in the dirt behind the plate where I spent years.

So here are my top 5 ‘the’ nicknames.

5. The Duke

This one was a no-brainer. Born Marion Robert Morrison on May 26th 1907, better known as The Duke, better known as John Wayne, was an amazing actor, director and producer. This is definitely one cowboy you didn’t want to upset. His gun slinging skills were the best in the land. John ‘The Duke’ Wayne is most notably known for starring in films such as; The Searchers, Rio Bravo, The Quiet Man, True Grit and many more.

4. Wilt The Stilt

This man may only need an introduction to those males who don’t follow sports. I’m pretty sure anyone who follows sports knows of him and most females KNOW of him. Wilton Norman Chamberlain was a professional basketball player in the NBA playing for Philadelphia/San Francisco and the Los Angeles Lakers. Standing at 7ft 1in, Wilt ‘The Stilt’ is best known for scoring 100 points in 1 game.. or his ladies. (google it)

3. The Plumbed Knight

When searching google for awesome ‘the’ nicknames, I came across James G. Blaine. I had never heard of him, nor was I too interested to find out until I saw his nickname. ‘The Plumbed Knight’. Amazing! Anyone named The Plumbed Knight is cool in my books. It turns out that James G. Blaine was a U.S. Representative, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, U.S. Senator from Maine, two-time Secretary of State and was nominated for president in 1884, but lost to Grover Cleveland. So after reading all that boring political stuff, he was basically a politician with an amazing nickname. The nickname came from a speech titled “Plumbed Knight Speech”, which was a nominating speech made famous by Robert Ingersoll on behalf of James G. Blaine. Again, boring stuff.. but try and call one of your buddies The Plumbed Knight without laughing.

2. Billy The Kid

The youngest of today’s entries, William Henry McCarty was allegedly born November 23 1859 though there aren’t any records to prove it. He was a 19th-century American frontier outlaw and gunman who participated in the Lincoln County War. According to legends, he killed 21 men. His 5ft 8in build, blue eyes and smooth complexion are partly what attributed to his nickname as ‘the kid’. If you haven’t at least heard of Billy The Kid, then that means you must have been born in the mountains, raised by gorillas, and haven’t left the confines of your mud hut.

1. The Pelvis

Which scouring the interwebs for other names, I found The Pelvis, and upon further investigation, it was the second nickname that I didn’t know he held. I was always going to put him at #1 since thinking of doing this post anyways but it was a nice surprise to see a second name. If you don’t know who The Pelvis is what about The King? That’s right, the number one spot goes to Elvis Presley. This music icon makes a well deserved appearance on todays Top Five Fridays for being such a legend in the music industry and now the nickname industry. I wonder how LeBron James feels for stealing ‘the king’ nickname. What a loser.

Honorable Mentions
The LIttle Tramp – Charlie Chaplin
The Iron Mask/The Iron Horse – Lou Gehrig
The Swedish Nightingale – Jenny Lind

Again, these are just my opinions and I would love to hear some that you think I may have missed.

Thanks to Wikipedia for providing all the information.

July 1, 2011

GIVE UP TO GAIN: No Procrastinating June Ends and July Begins

Last month proved to be quite the challenge, but quite the needed kick in the butt. If you have been following along with my Give Up To Gain project, then you’ll know that last month was ‘No Procrastinating June’. No more five more minutes of sitting on the couch, no more “I’ll get at it in a bit” mentality. The goal was that if I made up those minutes here and there with productive activity, the end result would be great. Looking back on the month, I can say that it has been quite the busy month for me. 80 hour work weeks, little sleep, but so much fun. Everyone always says to me “Why don’t you put down your work and have some fun for a change”, but I pick up work to have fun. What I do for a living rules, and makes me super happy. It’s really hard to call it work.

So with every pro, then has to be a con. So what was my con this month? Well, it’s more of a positive con if that makes any sense. I was so busy this month that I had no time to make a video for July’s Give Up To Gain. This just means I’ll have to step up my video game for August.

So what to give up for July????? As the months go by, I’m having more and more difficulty trying to find something to give up. My problem is that I don’t really have any bad habits (or at least I don’t think so). I was put on a new strict diet last week, so giving up any bad food is already out of the question. I did alcohol already. hmmmmm. So I may be going a little off the board with this one here but it’ll be worth it in the end.

When I’m not out on the road or on location shooting, I’m usually in my underwear spending time working on my computer. Sometimes hours and hours on end and yes, many of your wedding photos have been post processed while me in nothing but a pair of black Hanes boxers. I tend to eat the majority of my meals in front of my computer and as I can’t really do work while eating, there is still a giant screen that I can look at and touch the mouse from time to time. So what do I do while I eat???? I play lots of online poker. Yes tis true. I may have an ‘online playing poker while eating addiction’. Some might say it’s a good thing because I do win money online but I do lose at times too. I also tend to play a lot of Facebook poker. I am leaving with just over 10.5 million in my account and won’t be back till August.

So instead of playing pointless online poker while eating, I’m going to get caught up on online workshops. I’m a huge believer in that you should never stop learning and can never have enough education. I have hours and hours of workshop videos that I hope to finish this month.

This is one challenge that people can catch me on. You can see if I’m online playing Facebook poker. but you won’t for the entire month of July. I am even going to extend this to home games. No poker at all, in any shape or form.

So again.. no video this month. But it was because I was super busy with work. July’s goal may sound easy, but trust me I love playing poker. A little secret not too many people probably knew about. In August, lets set up a game.. I’m in!

No Poker July

June 19, 2011

Top Five Fridays: Top 5 Dads in Movies

Today is the day we salute the man who had a big part in who we are today. No matter how big or small the role, remember to say thank you to your Dad.

On Friday I posted Top 5 Dads from TV and today I thought I would do a special Sunday edition of Top Five Fridays and list what I think are the top 5 Dads from Movies. Again, you may have a different opinion and I would love to hear your top 5 lists or who you think I may have missed.

With that being said, here are my picks for Top 5 Dads from Movies.

5. Darth Vader

Darth Vader, also known as Anakin Skywalker has held many job titles in his life. From Jedi Knight to Dark Lord of the Sith to Supreme Commander, there is one title he may be most proud of: Dad. Father to Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia Organa, Darth has become one of the most well known fathers in Hollywood history. It’s crazy to think that someone filled with such evil can be such an iconic figure.

Nobody praises Darth Vader for being the worlds #1 Dad, but we do see his loyalty in Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi when he sacrifices himself to save Luke from the Emperor, (as seen in the clip below). This is one of the times we see compassion from Darth towards his son.

Who knew that such an evil villain would make my top five list. Maybe it’s his importance to the Star Wars franchise or my obsession with these movies but either way he’s a father and deserves to be recognized. HFD Darth.

Darth Vader’s ideal Fathers Day gift: 10-Day Caribbean Cruise

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yWR5jePoH8

4. Clark Griswold

Played by Chevy Chase in the popular National Lampoon’s _______ Vacation movies, Clark is a middle class man who only wants the best for his family. I’m sure we have all seen most of these movies so I won’t go into detail about them. When we were young, the only thing we wanted to do was go to Disney Land. Clark tries his best to fill these requests by his children but opts to take them onâ€¦â€¦ less expnsive vacations.

Even though the destinations may not be the best or the road to get there isn’t always paved with a yellow brick road, it’s the thought and effort that makes Clark a great father. He’s a family man at heart and sometimes that is rare to find. HFD Clark.

Clark Girswold’s ideal Fathers Day gift: More Christmas lights.

3. Daniel Hillard/Euphegenia Doubtfire

Mrs. Doubtfire, a classic movie released in 1993, was a film showing the great lengths a father would take to spend time with his children. Daniel HIllard, played by Robin Williams, is a recently unemployed voice actor who seemed to never grow up. After numerous immature antics, his wife decided to file for a divorce and move on with her life. As Daniel had no job and his residence wasn’t up to par to raise a family in, the courts granted custody of the children to their mother. Daniel was allowed to see them only on Saturday evenings. As a father, this wasn’t acceptable and he decided to apply for the housekeeping position that his ex-wife had posted. Ok, we all know the movie so I won’t go on anymore about it.

The idea that someone would dress up in women’s clothing, wear makeup, and live a double life to spend time with his children is something he deserves huge kudos for. Ok, it may not be the best way to go about doing it, but it’s more about the effort that he is putting in. His children mean the world to him and he didn’t even second guess taking these extreme measures to see his children. HFD Daniel.

Daniel HIllard’s ideal Fathers Day gift: Coach purse.

2. Mufasa

As the title character from the animated movie The Lion King, Mufasa is the Great King of the Pride Lands and more importantly, father to Simba. Numerous times throughout this film, Simba gets into troublesome situations where he is then taught lessons by his father. Mufasa is later killed by sacrificing himself while saving Simba during a wildebeest stampede. Simba thought he was responsible for his fathers death and at first he doesn’t realize that his father would take a bullet for him no matter the situation.

It was now up to Simba to take back the land once ruled by his father. There is a point in the movie where he doesn’t feel like he is powerful enough to take on this big feat until his fathers spirt comes to him and instills the necessary confidence in him.

One of the most important things we want from our fathers is for them to be proud of us and to believe in everything we do. Mufasa is a great example of this and had an important role in the success of Simba. HFD Mufasa.

Mufasa’s ideal Fathers Day gift: A cold beer.

1. Chris Gardner

If you have never seen the movie The Pursuit of Happyness, I strongly recommend it especially if you are in need of some motivation. Chris Gardner, was a man who only wanted one thing and that was to provide a better life for his son Christopher Jr. After struggling with homelessness and poverty, we see his will and determination to never give up. Chris is the model for hard work paying off.

I am definitely choosing Chris Gardner as my Hollywood Father of the Year. I can’t understand how one can even get through all the failures that have occurred in his life. He is an inspiration for everyone.

Raising a child on your own must be one of the hardest tasks anyone can be presented with but Chris shows us that no matter how hard the task may be, when your heart is in it, there is nothing that can stop you. HFD Chris

Chris Gardner’s ideal Fathers Day gift: Spend time with his Son.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajjGtsjI7CM

Honourable Mentions
Sonny Kaufax (Movie: Big Daddy – Actor: Adam Sandler)
George Banks (Movie: Father of the Bride – Actor: Steve Martin)
Robert “Rocky” Balboa Jr. (Movie: Rocky series – Actor: Sylvester Stallone)

Again, these are based on the character in the movie and not the person who played the role. Some of these movies are fictional and some are based on facts, but either way we can learn from them. Sometimes media is the best form of education. Just because the movie may have been made up, doesn’t mean we can’t learn valuable lessons on how to be a father.

Let me know in the comments if you think I’ve missed anyone. Would love to hear from you.

Happy Father’s Day to all fathers out there and a huge HFD to my Dad. Thank you for being amazing to me and supporting me while I chase my dreams.

June 17, 2011

Top Five Fridays: TV Show Dads

Sunday marks the day most fathers wait all year for. They get to be pampered, waited on, and celebrated. Fathers Day should be a day of appreciation for the man who had a role in who you are today. Most fathers take the day off, but if you are anything like my Dad, the day will go on just as usual. He will be outside cutting the grass, trimming the hedges, and anything that needs to get done around the house. I guess that’s where I get my strong work ethic (or ‘don’t know how to relax’ work ethic) from. On a side note: If you need this day to force you to appreciate your father, then something is wrong.

Some of you may know my Dad, but most probably don’t. Instead of going on and on how amazing he is, I thought I would devote this weeks Top Five Fridays to my favorite Dads that you know.

There will probably be a lot of different views on who I selected, but again, this is just my personal opinion. I haven’t really watched much television at all in the past 6-7 years so I’m not really familiar with new TV shows.

So here are the top five TV Show Dads.

5. Danny Tanner.

Danny Tanner, played by everyones favourite vulgar comedian Bob Saget, was a single father and always there for his family. He played the main character on the hit show Full House. No matter the situation, Danny always had the best advice to give his daughters while a slow sad melody played softly in the background.

Who can forget Tanner Family Fun Nights. As families grow older, the bonding seems to stop. Danny made sure at least one night was devoted to family. Class act.

Danny Tanner’s Ideal Fathers Day Gift: Lemon Pledge.

If you were a fan of Full House, you know that Danny was a clean freak and sometimes even referred to as a ‘Lean, Mean, Cleaning Machine’.

Did I mention he’s a magnificent dancer?

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7N1QXhPLEU

4. Frank Costanza.

I can’t say I’m a fan of Frank Costanza because of his parenting to George Costanza, but I’m more a fan of how entertaining he would be as a father. There is never a dull moment when he is around. Frank, played by screen legend Jerry Stiller, was a regular character on the popular NBC sitcom Seinfeld. His crazy antics and the way he constantly fought with his wife Estelle, is what made him such an interesting character and he played the role extremely well.

Does your father have any obsessions that could rival Franks? Frank was a simple man but boy did he love his TV Guide. We are introduced to Franks obsession in Season 5, Episode 10 – “The Cigar Store Indian”, and how upset one can get when an issue of TV Guide goes missing.

Frank Costanza’s Ideal Fathers Day Gift: Insoles that would battle his terrible foot odour.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxGRE2wpjsY

3. Uncle Phil

Uncle Phil, played by James Avery, was the Uncle and father figure to Will Smith (played by Will Smith) in the show The Fresh Prince of Bel Air. Uncle Phil was your caring father who worked extra hard to give his family a better life. When life got tough for Will, Uncle Phil took him in and instantly became the father in Wills life.

Although he technically doesn’t fit into this list, I decided to break the rules a bit.

I think we all have someone like Uncle Phil in our life. A soft, caring individual who thinks of others first, but is big and tough and not afraid to throw down when needed.

Uncle Phil’s Ideal Fathers Day Gift: Hillary to get a job.

One of the sad moments of Fresh Prince of Bel Air, but touching and shows Uncle Phil being there when needed.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MROibblbxks

2. Tony Micelli.

From playing second base for the St. Louis Cardinals to becoming a live-in housekeeper for a divorced advertising executive Angela Bower, Tony Micelli, played by Tony Danza has been a model for what it takes to be a father.

Going from athlete to cleaner must have been quite the change but it was all done to provide for his daughter Samantha.

Just like Uncle Phil, Tony slowly develops into the role of a subtle father figure for Angela’s son Jonathan.

Tony Micelli’s Ideal Fathers Day Gift: Baseball Memorabilia

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtHfkAjUEeE

1. Dr. Heathcliff Huxtable.

This man really needs no introduction. As one of the worlds most famous comedians, Bill Cosby played one of the greatest TV Dads in history. He always knew how to solve a problem, and when needed, disciplined his children, but in a way we weren’t accustomed too. He would never raise his voice and his style of parenting is what made him so successful but more importantly, a friend to his children.

Dr. Heathcliff Huxtable’s Ideal Fathers Day Gift: A knitted wool sweater

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fZ74s1kd64

Honourable Mentions
– Al Bundy
– Homer J. Simpson

Again, I’m basing my selections on the character they played on television and not the person in real life. Did I miss someone that you think should be on the list? Let me know if the comments.

I am going to post another Top Five Fridays on Sunday where I pick the top 5 Dads from film.

Happy early Fathers Day to all Dads out there. Keep up the amazing work.

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