D's World

Day 2 - NYC Trip: The NYC Tour with World Trade Center

speaksuccess@gmail.com (Dedrick L. Wilson) — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 21:29:00 +0000

Click To View Day 2 of my trip to New York City!!

If you like the post, don't forget to +1 it..

With Love,

Dedrick 3.1

DREAMWORLD: ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A 5th GRADER? (Feedback Welcomed)

speaksuccess@gmail.com (Dedrick L. Wilson) — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 16:35:00 +0000

Funny story.. I usually don't remember my dreams but there was something different about the one I had last night. When I got up, I realized that I felt a little let down. So I thought back to my dream while it was still fresh in my mind.

Picture it, Nashville 2011! (For my Sophia Patrillo fans):

I was appearing on the Oprah Winfrey show for some reason with a bunch of 5th graders. It seemed really strange that I was the only adult on the stage. As I looked around the set, the set was setup like Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader. The only difference was Oprah Winfrey was the host and not Jeff Foxworthy. Talk about weird!

One of the challenges on the game was where all of the contestants would have to play the Telephone Game. This game requires you to start a conversation with one person and that person passes it on to the next and so on until it gets to the last person. The last person is supposed to be able to repeat what the first person said. This game is supposed to test several different skills such as memory and communication.

I was the last person in the challenge and I was not able to communicate back to Oprah what the first person said. I felt defeated. Oprah's response to me was, you did not get the conversation right because you were too busy trying to over analyze how it was being communicated and the process in which it was being communicated that you missed the actual conversation. She said you will no longer be a guest on the show. (Sad Face)

There are times when I find myself trying come up with all of the possible results without having all of the facts. Don't get me wrong.. Analyzing the situation is not a bad thing.. It's when you spend so much time analyzing that you miss out on listening for information that can critical to the end result.

MORAL: Simply put, don't over think a situation so much that you miss LISTENING to the critical details.

FEEDBACK: What do you do when faced with situations like this?

You Can Win!!

speaksuccess@gmail.com (Dedrick L. Wilson) — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 01:24:00 +0000

I pondered awhile on what I would write about next and it wasn't until the other evening while the classic 1978 film, The Wiz, was on that it hit me. This scene with Michael Jackson singing, You Can't Win, was profound! It spoke to me on so many different levels. I won't bore you with all of the levels. :)

I have seen The Wiz a number of times since I was a kid. But not until I watched it this last time, did I realize something. While the crows on the ground were telling Michael he couldn't win and speaking all kinds of negativity things to him, he only had one hand that was bound in the ring. He was so close to his freedom and wasn't aware.

There are a lot of people that are in the same position as Michael was. They are so close to being free from the opinions and the negativity of others but they just don't realize it. Some may say, but he had paper for brains and wasn't smart enough to figure out what to do to get off the stick. Guess what, we as human beings don't have paper for brains. God granted us the ability to be able to think without it being dictated to us what to think.

Furthermore, Michael didn't realize that the purpose a scarecrow in a field is to scare off crows! He didn't realize the power that he possessed. If he would have tapped into that power, he would have been able to tell those crows off and would not have accepted the negative energy they were speaking over him. We have power to determine what we accept in our lives. Will you go another day accepting the negative opinions of others regarding you? Or will you start believing in yourself and start accepting what the Creator has designed you to be.

The choice is yours. You don't have to stay hung up on a stick and take the abuse of others. Start thinking and then get down from the stick and live the life you are meant to live.

A wise woman by the name of Katherine Mansfield said this, "Risk! Risk anything! Care no more for the opinions of others, for those voices. Do the hardest thing on earth for you. Act for yourself. Face the truth." The truth is, YOU CAN WIN!

With Love,

Dedrick 3.0

Happy New Year 2011 from D's World

speaksuccess@gmail.com (Dedrick L. Wilson) — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 01:23:00 +0000

Happy New Year 2011 from D's World

Check out the most recent video podcast!!

Much Love and Peace in 2011!!

~Dedrick 3.0

DEDRICK 3.01: MEMORY FULL

speaksuccess@gmail.com (Dedrick L. Wilson) — Sat, 06 Nov 2010 13:21:00 +0000

MEMORY FULL

You know it's amazing what a little time away from your normal surroundings can do for you. This week I had some serious time to myself to reflect and here is what was at the forefront of those thoughts. By the way, this post will be really short :)

As I was on the beach this week in Florida, I was taking pictures and trying to save the pictures of this awesome experience of nature. I wanted to capture how the waves moved and covered the sand like a silk blanket. I didn't want to miss any of the smallest details because to me those intimate details made the experience even richer.

But as I was snapping away, a little message appeared on my camera's screen that read, "CARD FULL". And I thought to myself, there is no way that I could have used up all of the space on my 8GB memory card. Then it dawned on me, I forgot to delete the images from past events from the camera. Due to this unfortunate oversight, I was not able to finish taking pictures until I cleared my memory card of past events.

I am glad that cameras have progressed because back in the day, cameras would allow you to unknowingly take pictures and add them on top of other pictures if you didn't know they were already pictures on the roll. This occurence was called, Double Exposure. You didn't know that your film was double exposed until you went to get them developed and saw that you had multiple pictures in one print. What a big mess that was! It was actually a bunch of confusion splattered on paper.

Lesson Learned: In order for one to appreciate today's memories, one has to let go of the stuff that one thought they needed to hold on to.

The pictures were pertinent for that time frame in which they were taken, but I needed room for new stuff and it prohibited the process from moving forward. If there are things that you are holding on to that will mess up the moving forward process, it's time to release them. Past hurts, disappointments, failures, relationships, failed business ventures, etc., let it go. Erase that memory card and get some new and fresh memories.

PS. For all of my smart techy people, be sure you are not uploading and saving pictures that need to be trashed. :)

With Love,

Dedrick 3.0

Be sure to sign up for all of the posts and podcasts announcements for THE VIRGOEXPERIENCE: DEDRICK 3.0

DEDRICK 3.0: EPISODE 1- UTOPIA

speaksuccess@gmail.com (Dedrick L. Wilson) — Sun, 10 Oct 2010 15:13:00 +0000

So I contemplated for a long time which topic to start off with and this one kept playing back in my mind. Over the last several months I have had many conversation around reality and "UTOPIA". According to Websters, Utopia is defined as any real or imaginary society, place, state, etc, considered to be perfect or ideal.

Often times in our relationships, we build them based off of this perfect world that we see painted above or on the television screen. When in "reality", this place only exist in the mind. If I were to blow the picture above up, what would stand out to you most? We are so busy focusing on the scenery, that we miss what's right in front of our face. You would probably not focus on the fact that this is a PAINTING. A creation based on one's perception of what perfection looks like. Couples do have disagreements, friends do fight, family members do disagree and colleagues don't always come to a compromise. I compare this mindset to the hour or less quick fix that happens on television. Subconsciously, we see TV show characters work out some of the greatest feats in an hour or less and we try to apply that to our lives. And when it doesn't work out the way that we see it advertised, then the first thing out of our mouth is "I don't have time for this!"

Relationships are things that take time to make them what they should be. I often see people giving up on some of the best things because they have no patience to work through the complexities of a relationship to get to the rewards. Due to our microwave society, we want everything to fall in place and be perfect in the time that it takes to pop a bag of popcorn. But the thing that miss in the analogy of the popcorn is that in order for the kernels to pop, there has to be some degree of heat for the kernels to turn into the tasty morsels that we have grown to love. But you have to make sure that you pay attention to the process to make sure that your bag pops to it's full potential. If you stop the process to soon, you never get the full benefit that was intended for that bag. If you don't pay attention and let it sit under the heat too long, then the there is smoke and a funky smell that is not pleasing to anyone.

Lastly, be real with each other. In the past, we all have made the mistake of trying to make something work that was never meant to work. We put on masks and perform Oscar worthy shows! Stop it. Until we realize that nothing is perfect we will never be able to move to having healthier relationships. In my opinion, perfection can't be achieved on this earth. The moment you think you have reached perfection, you will find something else wrong with it that you didn't see at first. Live in reality and not utopia. Utopia, in the end, will always leave you desiring for more.

"To know oneself is to disbelieve utopia" - Michael Novak

With Love,
Dedrick 3.0

DEDRICK 3.0 LAUNCH (10/10/10)

speaksuccess@gmail.com (Dedrick L. Wilson) — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 03:28:00 +0000

DEDRICK 3.0 LAUNCH (10/10/10)

October 6th, 2010

The much awaited Dedrick 3.0 will launch on 10/10/10. You don’t want to miss it! Make sure to sign up to follow the blog at http://virgoexperience.blogspot.com. If you are have an iPHONE, iPAD, iPOD or iPOD Touch, you can visit the iTunes store and search for Dedrick 3.0. Once you are there, you can subscribe to the podcast to get up to date video and audio versions of the blog.
With Love,
Dedrick
Logo Designed by: Illusion Forrest Design Firm, Nashville, TN - Richard Howard
Video Promotion Created by: Lil’ Black Boy Productions, Atlanta, GA - Morris Singletary

Illusion Forrest Design Firm Commercial

speaksuccess@gmail.com (Dedrick L. Wilson) — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 23:33:00 +0000

Illusion Forrest Design Firm Commercial

Are you looking for affordable print and web designs?? Look no further, click below to find out about a company who's primary goal is to provide top quality service and products that can not be compared! See video for more information!

Dedrick

Save the Date- Dedrick 3.0

speaksuccess@gmail.com (Dedrick L. Wilson) — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 04:02:00 +0000

Click to view Promo #2 for Dedrick 3.0! Subscribe now to make sure you get the updates and announcements of the Official Launch!

Dedrick

PROMO: VIRGO EXPERIENCE: DEDRICK 3.0

speaksuccess@gmail.com (Dedrick L. Wilson) — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 16:22:00 +0000

THE VIRGO EXPERIENCE: CULMINATION (SEPT 12)

speaksuccess@gmail.com (Dedrick L. Wilson) — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 14:35:00 +0000

MY 30TH BIRTHDAY

What can I say about the September 12, 2010??? Ok. I could say a lot but for time sake, I will keep it brief. The day was filled with nothing but the BEST! Started my morning off with church and ended it with True Blood. Talk about a day!

Special thanks goes out to everyone that made it a special day. Most important, I want to say thank God for allowing me to see another year and another decade. I believe that He has me here for a purpose and a reason, and I am not going to give up or quit until it is accomplished. I am reminded of one of my favorite quotes by Maria Robinson,"Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending."

Special thanks goes out to Richard Howard and iF Design Firm, Brothers of Purpose and WDW for making this event a night that I won't forget. I won't post all of the pictures but here are a couple that made the top of the list. And p.s. I am so glad that you all kept the roast clean. lol.. Thanks for all of the kind words. Lastly, Richard and Terrance, thanks for the priceless memory of the "3" and the "0" lol

For those that couldn't make it, you missed a good time. I am going to have to go back and watch True Blood again... In my Terrance Westfield voice, "Don't Judge Me!" :)

All promotional work for my party was done by:

IF YOU ARE NOT FOLLOWING MY BLOG, SHAME ON YOU!! lol.. Stay tuned for the next series:

DEDRICK 3.0

The Virgo Experience: Day 11/ Part 2 (2000-2009)

speaksuccess@gmail.com (Dedrick L. Wilson) — Sat, 11 Sep 2010 21:16:00 +0000

As promised, now we are on Part 2 of yesterday's post. Here lies the introduction of the next group of very special people in my life.

First up is Richard F. Howard. Richard has been a true friend to the end. The time that has been spent with him has taught me that there is so much more to life than just what I see. It has taught me that my way is not always the best. Although one of the most difficult friendships that I have had, it has been one of the most rewarding. Thank you Richard for all of the lessons you have taught me and the lessons that you continue to teach everyday. Who would have ever thought that I would friends that grew up not being used to instruments in church. lol.. (Sophia, you are included..) When I need to hear some good ole fashion country top tapping music of our ancestors, I can always count on Richard. :) ok ok.. I quit. Thanks again for who you are and everything you do. Much love and success in all that you put your hands to.

Next on the list are my Brothers of Purpose. What can I say about this group of professionals?? I could say a lot but for the sake of this post, I will keep it brief. I was first introduced to this group of gentlemen about 7 years ago by E.K. Dawson. Since then, I know that if ever I need someone to talk to, I have brothers all over the country that I can call on. Maurice Braxton, you have been a true friend! I laugh everytime I think about the the arguments over the Las Vegas trip and that very angry email chain that went out! LOL.. Thanks Brax for who you are! Antoine Bell, another true friend. Everytime I have been in Chicago, you have graciously open your home and provided nothing but the best hospitality. Love you for it! Josh, James, Tim, and Ashanti, you guys have played a big role in my life as well. You never treated me different or like I didn't belong. And I really appreciate all of the experiences we have shared. Josh, you were there during the John Legend time frame.. lol.. Mark Stevens, thanks for being a much much older brother! You have been a good friend, eventhough you were not in NYC when we were there to visit and pushed us off on Cary. Thanks for that.. Cary is amazing! I would remised if I didn't mention my newest bros, Sean, Lewis, David Curry, and Anthony H. Thanks guys for sitting on those long calls and listening to me go off on a tangent about stuff.. Maurice, I guess somethings never change lol..

Now to BOP Nashville! Guys, from day one it has been a pleasure to serve you. Titus, Robert, Richard, Greg, Samson, Reggie, Dwight, Cody, James, Kyme, Lorenzo, Montiz, Dion, Rodney, and even Jeff, Trey and Jermaine C. thank you for allowing me to be me. Flaws and all, you guys stick by and continue to support to purpose and mission of our organization. We have some stories that are priceless! All I am going to say is my bday celebration after the meeting last year at Rob's house. Dion hit the floor.. (think about it) lol.. I see nothing but the best in the future! You guys are like family. Much love to all of you!

Lastly, WDW! What can I say about this group of clowns! lol.. Charles, Mike, Chris, Greg C., Erica, Tee, Richard, Memory, Terrance, Tehran, Marcus R., Keith, Adeniyi, DC and our late brother Anthony, I love you guys. You have been like family to me as well and I am appreciative for all that you guys have done. The stories that we have just over the short period of time are priceless. I knew this was a special group when Chris had the moment at Urban Flatts in the chair. Or should I say lack of chair. lol. The potlucks (mustard and all), movie nights (Jackie's Back), game nights (AI), many many conversations of various topics (pools and cabins), road trips, etc have been a breath of fresh air! You guys don't judge and if there is a problem, we discuss it. Thanks guys for what you have brought to my life! Love you all! Honorable Mentions: Lamont Jolly and Troy Cooksey

The stories could go on and on but I will save some of those for the last day! I hope all of the posts thus far have let you in to my life and how each of you that have read it have played a part. Tomorrow culminates "The Virgo Experience" posts. There will videos and pictures tomorrow to bring an end to this series!

NEXT SERIES: INTRODUCTION OF "DEDRICK 3.0"

THE VIRGO EXPERIENCE: DAY 10/PART1 (2000-2009)

speaksuccess@gmail.com (Dedrick L. Wilson) — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 17:13:00 +0000

WOW! What a decade this was... There is so much that happened in this decade that I will take today and tomorrow to cover it. So without further ado... Introducing the 2000s!

Me in 2001

It was January of 2000, when I decided to come move back home from Kentucky to Nashville. (Still thinking that was one of the most craziest moves I have ever made in my life.) According to Rob and Katrice, the period while in Kentucky was went I was talking a bunch of foolishness. lol.. So they were elated when I decided to come back home. (Let's just say Alax, my niece, wasn't getting anything for Christmas that year because I didn't believe in it.) Mixed in the mix of all of this was my move to Washington DC as well..

Upon returning home, I quickly snapped out of all of that! That's when I joined one of the best churches in the world, The Victory Church of Nashville. Bishop Kenneth H. Dupree was God inspired and instilled so many lessons in my life that have played a major part in the development of who I am today. Thanks Pastor! Elder B and Connie, thank you both for the roles you played as well. While working at the church, I did not understand some of the angles that you came from then, but now I understand and appreciate you more for it. Thanks for your continued prayers and love! I truly thank God for all of you.

I also met some more of my life long friends in this decade as well. Greg Nixon and the late Tim Traughber were introduced in this decade. Ohhhhh the stories that one can tell. Greg has been a true rock and was right there with me during the alleged "BLACK PERIOD" in my life. Thanks bro! Timmy, was there in a slightly different capacity. He was the goofy one that hated to sing tenor and would get mad because he couldn't sing the top note. :) I sure do miss this guy.. truly gone to soon. RIP

And then how can I mention this decade without mentioning my Sagittarius friends ! Jeff is like my second dad. I traveled on the road with him so much to various places and spent so much time at his house that you would have thought he was my real dad. He taught me so much about life and to not sweat the small stuff! All I can say is Faith and Brandy got us through a lot! Next, we have Dion! Dion was another buddy that played a major role in the 2000s. Dion was the buddy that I could talk to about anything and not be judged. (I know... believe it or not, he didn't judge then.. lol lol) And we could talk about music and the arts for hours on top of hours. If I didn't have his friendship during this time frame, it would have made it even harder to make it through the rough patches.

And then there was my current place of employment, which will remain nameless. (lol) In July of 2005, who knew I would meet some of the craziest people! This is where I introduce Sophia Pain (aka Lophia Cain), James Conley, Nikki Morthel Johnson, Kelly Skiles Mathis, Lauri Marshall, Jennine King, Cori Nicholson, Bridget Scott and a host of others! How do I explain this place.. Let's just say Sophia is the sister that I never had. We have been going back and forth since the first week when she accused me of talking about her hair. (Now for all that know me, you know I wouldn't do that on the first week. But it's going down the second week.) She has truly been a good friend through the ups and downs and although I am not a fan of a lot of Aquarius people, she is one of my favs. And oh, I appreciate her for not wearing flats to work out of respect for me. lol lol lol.. James and Nikki, you know we go way back to Cummins Station. I miss those days of James typing with his head to the side as he was going off on "nameless"! That was priceless. And who could forget how we used to watch Nikki come into work SUPER LATE every morning from the 5th floor window. I don't think she was EVER on time! Kelly was truly a breath of fresh air for DSK. I just don't think they were ready for her and vice versa. Lauri Marshall, all I am going to say is this is my buddy! Thanks for listening and giving your "sound" advice! Bridget is one my fav traveling buds! Thanks for the SCRAPPLE experience.. Now I really know what foods I don't like lol. And then there is Jennine! Jennine is my buddy and I think underneath all of that hair is some blond! LOL.. And once again, Jennine, thanks for not wearing flats! Lastly, my favorite manager of all times! Cori, I have learned so much from you over the short period of time that I will take with me forever. From "Fair and Consistent" to "Just do it and deal with the consequences later"(of course all ethical things, people), these will never be forgotten.

This period of my life has truly been one that has really molded me into the man that I am today. I am thankful for everyone that has played a part in this posting. You know I came in today to work and joked with Sophia about her spoiling me with my annual brownies and she told me that I like a kid. lol.. I wouldn't want to work somewhere where you can't have fun and truly be you. And be able to say when you are not feeling something or somebody and be able to go lunch afterward. I appreciate all of you.

Honorable Mentions: The Victory Church of Nashville, Jabez, Rodney Alexander, Richard Howard (Part 2), Maurice Braxton (Part 2), Antoine Bell (Part 2), WDW(Part 2), BOP (Part 2), Deborah Stewart, Larry Hampton, Tim Brown, Josh Cruz, James Lott, Fran Miller, Erik Harding, Brandi Pope, Adam Mays, Alaxandria Griffin (Part 2), Makenzie Wilson (Part 2), Shelan Wilson (Part 2), DSK Family, CNA, Facebook, Twitter,

Now it's your time! Share a story of a memorable time that we shared...

THE VIRGO EXPERIENCE: DAY 3-9 (REMEMBERING THE 90s)

speaksuccess@gmail.com (Dedrick L. Wilson) — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 18:33:00 +0000

Hey everyone, I know it's been a minute since the last post and everyone has been asking why?? So I decided to catch up. So you will have 6 days all in one. (I know what you are saying Sophia.. Only Dedrick)

I want this post to focus on the 90s. The 90s is when I did a lot of my growing up and met a lot of my friends that I to be life long.

I will start with Junior High.. It was 1992 at West End Junior High School. Dedrick, believe it or not, was the class clown and constantly got in trouble for joking all through class. Being the class clown led to me keeping a secret from my mom that was the catalyst that turned my whole education around. I failed 7th grade. At that point, I realized that I am not a failure and that was not the way I wanted my life to be. I turned things around and ended up making the Principal's List throughout the rest of my time in Junior High. (The secret was I never told my mom until I had to confess. My brother told her. Gotta love siblings.)

Next I will move on to high school! High school was a very interesting time in my life. I was really focused on my education at that point and my music. Many people don't know this but I had the opportunity to work with Arista Records producers as a kid. I turned them down because I wanted to focus on my education... (Kicks myself now.. not really) I was not one of the popular band kids or a jock. I was in the orchestra and was in the madrigals. I made Honor Roll and Principal's list all throughout high school.

This is also where I met my best friend, Robert L. Matthews. At first I thought he was one of the most arrogant people I had ever met and thought he was very unapproachable because he was one of the "cool kids". Who would have ever thought that all these years later, he and I would be the best of friends. He will probably kill me for this next remark but I have to tell it. After school, we would go to each others house and we had to make sure that we had our after school snack, Kroger brand Pop Tarts, "Toasted Treats". And also, we would have to have Papa John's pizza. Of course, each of us had to have our own individual medium pizza. lol.. (I know that's a shame) Too bad it shows on me now and he is still the stick figure he was in high school. :)

This is also where I met Jermaine Boyd, April Rucker and Katrice Heyward. Jermaine and I stayed into arguments all of the time but he was truly a friend that I could count on then and even now. And then you have April Rucker. April was my little sister. She and I would drive back and forth to Antioch every day and sing the entire time.. (April, remember "Bet You Never Find Another Man As Good As This..") And then lastly, Katrice. Katrice was a very special friend of mine. She understood me when a lot of ppl did not and matched my sarcasm 100 percent. lol.. Thanks for challenging me.

Also, honorable mentions include: Leslie Davis, Kesha Crowder, Mia Washington, Geneva Cook, Brenda Elliot, Janet Baggett, PCH Singers (POJ), PCH C/O 98, Corey Russell, Kareem D. Jenkins, Roberta Shannon, Mary, Kim, Tiffany, Berea College Black Music Ensemble

Ok. So here is the part you can play a part in:
REMEMBERING THE 90s

-You can sing the rap to "The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air"
-You know that "WOAH" comes from Joey from "Blossom" and that "How Rude!" comes from Stephanie from "Full House"
-You remember "I've fallen and I can't get up"
-You remember going to the skating rink before there were inline skates
-You remember boom boxes vs. cd players
-You remember Alf, the little brown alien from Melmac and Vicki the Robot from "Small Wonders"
-You knew all the characters names and their life stories on "Saved By The Bell"
-You watched the original Care Bears, and Ninja Turtles
-You remember a time before the WB.
-You know the Macarena by heart
-"Talk to the hand" ... enough said
-You always said, "Then why don't you marry it!"
-You remember a time when you didn't own a computer
-Martin and Roc
-Mariah Carey, Subway and 702, Mary J Blige, Mista, Jodeci, Brownstone, Kelly Price, ABC, Boyz to Men, Brian McKnight, Tupac

Now it's your turn...

THE VIRGO EXPERIENCE: DAY 2 (SIBLINGS)

speaksuccess@gmail.com (Dedrick L. Wilson) — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 17:08:00 +0000

CEDRICK AND LEEMON

I thought long and hard about what I was going to write about today. So I decided, why not write about my relationship with my brothers. These are the next two people in my journey. Leemon Ant'Juan and Cedrick De'Shaun are their names. For most of my childhood, it was just my brothers and I. My worked long hours and multiple jobs so we had to entertain ourselves. Not to say that my mom was never around, because that is not true. But the majority of the time, it was my eldest brother looking out for Cedrick and I.

Although my eldest is only about a year and half older, he stepped up to the plate to make sure that his little brothers were taking care of.

Growing up, it was always a proven that Leemon was the most intelligent out of the bunch. I looked up to him because he was the one that would travel to see all parts of the world and he was also the one that was so gifted, that he went to magnet schools. I really did want to be like my big brother. Even to the fact that I wanted to dress like him in Jr. High School. :) (For those that know my brother, you can only imagine me wearing the clothes he likes to wear.. lol)

On to the next, you have my twin, Cedrick. This guy, from birth, has had a lot of challenges thrown at him but he did not let that stop him. Being born with all kinds of health challenges, he rose above it all and said that those things won't get the best of him. I admire him for being a fighter and never giving up.

So I am sure you are asking, where is the funny story today... Well, here's a good one. And yes I am going to tell my twin's story because it's his bday as well. Cedrick, being the inquisitive kid that he was took a "balloon" to school one day. Not knowing that this so called "balloon" was in fact a male prophylactic. lol. I know, funny right! So the teacher caught him blowing it up in class, and called my mom immediately. My mom's first question to Cedrick was, WHERE DID YOU GET THIS? He said, from one of his friends. So you know he received the ultimate spanking for this action.

Here's the even funnier part, my brother Leemon and I were at two different schools from Cedrick and when we got home, we were in trouble too. My brother told my mom we knew that he had it and she gave us all one of those spankings! (I know CRAZY, right) I still ask my mom to this day, "why did we all get in trouble for that?" And her response is still the same.. "You knew he had it and didn't tell me.." :)

Lesson for the day: Don't try to keep things from your mom... She will always FIND OUT!

Now your turn. Share with me a funny story from your childhood.. And can you guess which one is me in the picture??

THE VIRGO EXPERIENCE: DAY 1 (REMEMBERING THE 80s)

speaksuccess@gmail.com (Dedrick L. Wilson) — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 15:56:00 +0000

I have to go all the way back for this story. It starts in a place called Nashville, TN. On September 12th, 1980 at 11:42P at MEHARRY HOSPITAL, I was born into this world. I always hear stories about this day in time from my mom and they make me laugh. One story that sticks out is regarding my deceased Aunt Helen. In the 80s, the medical technology was no where as advanced as it is now. So my mom carried a little secret around until the day of the delivery. Everyone knew that my twin Cedrick was there because of the ultrasound, but little did they know, someone else was in there as well. It was ME! I was hiding behind my brother on all of the pictures that my mom's doctor would take. (I know that's very hard to believe considering that I love to take pictures now :)

So it's delivery day, my mom and my aunt were in the delivery room and Cedrick is born. The doctor gives my mom the congrats speech... and then says, alright let's get the other one. Flushed with shock, my Aunt Helen fainted in the delivery room. SURPRISE! I came out 8 minutes after my brother and it was feet first! :)

Everyone had only prepared for one child but little did they know that Dedrick would grace the world as well that day.

I thank God for blessing me with some of the best parents that a person could ever have. It is because of their beliefs and morals that I have turned out to be the person that I am today. Bonnie Jenkins and Howard Wilson, thank you and words will never begin to express the love that I have for both of you. Thanks for putting up with my spoiled, whinny butt for all of these years.

To end this story, I wanted to throw in some #REMEMBERWHEN things for all of my friends and family that remember the 80s.

You are a child of the 80s, if
-You wanted to be on StarSearch. (Come on, we all did)

- You know what "Sike" means.

- You knew what Willis was "talkin' 'bout."

- You've heard of Garbage Pail Kids.

- You own any cassettes.

- You know where to go if you "wanna go where everybody knows your name."

- You knew "The Artist" when he was humbly called "Prince."

- You could breakdance, or wished you could.

- You Believed that "By the power of Greyskull, you HAD the power!"

- You thought that Transformers were more than meets the eye.

- Partying "like it's 1999" seemed SO far away.

Now it's your turn to participate!!

INTRODUCING "12 DAYS OF THE VIRGO EXPERIENCE"

speaksuccess@gmail.com (Dedrick L. Wilson) — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 13:57:00 +0000

First, let me start off by saying thanks for taking apart of one of the most memorable celebrations of my life. To me 30 represents the true age of when a boy becomes a man. Old things are definitely put behind me and new opportunities start to open. Each one of you has played a vital role in getting me to this stage in my life and I am very appreciative.

This one is for all of my DEEP WONDERS. Thank you Lord for allowing time to run on a little while longer and not allowing my bed to be cooling board. :)

Over the next 12 days, I will SPOTLIGHT someone or a group of people that have really made a difference in the development of me. Also, I will have pictures of times past that have had a lasting impression on my life. And lastly, I will be posting remember whens.

I would love for everyone to participate and post and repost! Let's do it up!

So without further ado.. ENJOY THE 12 DAYS OF THE VIRGO EXPERIENCE!!!

With Love,

Dedrick

GEARING UP FOR "12 Days of the VIRGO EXPERIENCE"

speaksuccess@gmail.com (Dedrick L. Wilson) — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 17:30:00 +0000

Starting on the 1st of September, I will be doing a variety of events online to bring in 30 years! Stay tuned as you don't want to miss the daily Facebook, Twitter and Blogger posts that will include stories, #rememberwhens, information regarding bday celebration events, pictures and etc... Who knows, your name may be mentioned... So keep an eye out and don't hesitate to participate! You don't want to miss it!

And hey, stop by and share your most memorable experience with me on my blog!

Dedrick

A Birthday Treat (I just had to upload this)

speaksuccess@gmail.com (Dedrick L. Wilson) — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 19:21:00 +0000

A Deep Story from Facebook!

speaksuccess@gmail.com (Dedrick L. Wilson) — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 17:57:00 +0000

For the Married, Thinking about Marriage, and the Divorced - A MUST READ!

by 'Justin Jones-Fosu on Wednesday, July 28, 2010 at 12:01am

MARRIAGE

When I got home that night as my wife served dinner, I held her hand and said, I've got something to tell you. She sat down and ate quietly. Again I observed the hurt in her eyes.

Suddenly I didn't know how to open my mouth. But I had to let her know what I was thinking. I want a divorce. I raised the topic calmly.

She didn't seem to be annoyed by my words, instead she asked me softly, why?

I avoided her question. This made her angry. She threw away the chopsticks and shouted at me, you are not a man! That night, we didn't talk to each other. She was weeping. I knew she wanted to find out what had happened to our marriage. But I could hardly give her a satisfactory answer; she had lost my heart to Jane. I didn't love her anymore. I just pitied her!

With a deep sense of guilt, I drafted a divorce agreement which stated that she could own our house, our car, and 30% stake of my company.

She glanced at it and then tore it into pieces. The woman who had spent ten years of her life with me had become a stranger. I felt sorry for her wasted time, resources and energy but I could not take back what I had said for I loved Jane so dearly. Finally she cried loudly in front of me, which was what I had expected to see. To me her cry was actually a kind of release. The idea of divorce which had obsessed me for several weeks seemed to be firmer and clearer now.

The next day, I came back home very late and found her writing something at the table. I didn't have supper but went straight to sleep and fell asleep very fast because I was tired after an eventful day with Jane.

When I woke up, she was still there at the table writing. I just did not care so I turned over and was asleep again.

In the morning she presented her divorce conditions: she didn't want anything from me, but needed a month's notice before the divorce. She requested that in that one month we both struggle to live as normal a life as possible. Her reasons were simple: our son had his exams in a month's time and she didn't want to disrupt him with our broken marriage.

This was agreeable to me. But she had something more, she asked me to recall how I had carried her into out bridal room on our wedding day.

She requested that every day for the month's duration I carry her out of our bedroom to the front door ever morning. I thought she was going crazy. Just to make our last days together bearable I accepted her odd request.

I told Jane about my wife's divorce conditions. . She laughed loudly and thought it was absurd. No matter what tricks she applies, she has to face the divorce, she said scornfully.

My wife and I hadn't had any body contact since my divorce intention was explicitly expressed. So when I carried her out on the first day, we both appeared clumsy. Our son clapped behind us, daddy is holding mommy in his arms. His words brought me a sense of pain. From the bedroom to the sitting room, then to the door, I walked over ten meters with her in my arms. She closed her eyes and said softly; don't tell our son about the divorce. I nodded, feeling somewhat upset. I put her down outside
the door. She went to wait for the bus to work. I drove alone to the office.

On the second day, both of us acted much more easily. She leaned on my chest. I could smell the fragrance of her blouse. I realized that I hadn't looked at this woman carefully for a long time. I realized she was not young any more. There were fine wrinkles on her face, her hair was graying! Our marriage had taken its toll on her. For a minute I wondered what I had done to her.

On the fourth day, when I lifted her up, I felt a sense of intimacy returning. This was the woman who had given ten years of her life to me.

On the fifth and sixth day, I realized that our sense of intimacy was growing again. I didn't tell Jane about this. It became easier to carry her as the month slipped by. Perhaps the everyday workout made me stronger.

She was choosing what to wear one morning. She tried on quite a few dresses but could not find a suitable one. Then she sighed, all my dresses have grown bigger. I suddenly realized that she had grown so thin, that was the reason why I could carry her more easily.

Suddenly it hit me... she had buried so much pain and bitterness in her heart. Subconsciously I reached out and touched her head.

Our son came in at the moment and said, Dad, it's time to carry mom out. To him, seeing his father carrying his mother out had become an essential part of his life. My wife gestured to our son to come closer and hugged him tightly. I turned my face away because I was afraid I might change my mind at this last minute. I then held her in my arms, walking from the bedroom, through the sitting room, to the hallway. Her hand surrounded my neck softly and naturally. I held her body tightly; it was just like our wedding day.

But her much lighter weight made me sad. On the last day, when I held her in my arms I could hardly move a step. Our son had gone to school. I held her tightly and said, I hadn't noticed that our life lacked intimacy.

I drove to office.... jumped out of the car swiftly without locking the door. I was afraid any delay would make me change my mind...I walked upstairs. Jane opened the door and I said to her, Sorry, Jane, I do not want the divorce anymore.

She looked at me, astonished, and then touched my forehead. Do you have a fever? She said. I moved her hand off my head. Sorry, Jane, I said, I won't divorce. My marriage life was boring probably because she and I didn't value the details of our lives, not because we didn't love each other anymore. Now I realize that since I carried her into my home on our wedding day I am supposed to hold her until death do us apart.

Jane seemed to suddenly wake up. She gave me a loud slap and then slammed the door and burst into tears. I walked downstairs and drove away.

At the floral shop on the way, I ordered a bouquet of flowers for my wife. The salesgirl asked me what to write on the card. I smiled and wrote, I'll carry you out every morning until death do us apart.

That evening I arrived home, flowers in my hands, a smile on my face, I run up stairs, only to find my wife in the bed - dead.
My wife had been fighting CANCER for months and I was so busy with Jane to even notice. She knew that she would die soon and she wanted to save me from the whatever negative reaction from our son, in case we push thru with the divorce.-- At least, in the eyes of our son--- I'm a loving husband....

The small details of your lives are what really matter in a relationship. It is not the mansion, the car, property, the money in the bank. These create an environment conducive for happiness but cannot give happiness in themselves. So find time to be your spouse's friend and do those little things for each other that build intimacy. Do have a real happy marriage!

If you don't share this, nothing will happen to you.

If you do, you just might save a marriage.
Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.

A CHRIST-CENTERED MARRIAGE IS A MARRIAGE THAT IS SURE TO LAST A LIFETIME.

So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate. Matthew 19:6

This picture was taken by Botography! Very nice pic as my wife and I are inseparable (see as both of our hands are together) LOL!

An Old Episode of a Classic MTV Cartoon called "Daria"

speaksuccess@gmail.com (Dedrick L. Wilson) — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 19:43:00 +0000

In my late teens and early twenties, I watched this cartoon faithfully. Daria's personality was so dry and her sarcasm was out of control. Enjoy.

The Boondocks: The Fundraiser (Not Suitable for Kids)

speaksuccess@gmail.com (Dedrick L. Wilson) — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 15:13:00 +0000

Riley organizes a fundraiser with Cindy McPhearson and other kids from Woodcrest.

BOONDOCKS: A DATE WITH THE BOOTY WARRIOR

speaksuccess@gmail.com (Dedrick L. Wilson) — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 16:31:00 +0000

Having conquered his fear of prison rape, Tom volunteers to lead Huey, Riley, and some classmates on a trip to jail as part of a Scared Stiff program. But when a riot breaks out, Tom has to get the kids, and his delicate backside, out of jail in one piece. (Not suitable for kids)

Visit D's World to see this week's episode!

BOONDOCKS: Tyler Perry Parody (Not Suitable for Kids)

speaksuccess@gmail.com (Dedrick L. Wilson) — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 14:13:00 +0000

This is CRRAZZZYYY!!

My Pretty Little Niece, MaKenzie Wilson singing!

speaksuccess@gmail.com (Dedrick L. Wilson) — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 23:16:00 +0000

My 1 yr. old niece singing Justin Bieber... :)