CARDRUNNERS

My fiance and I headed out to Best Buy (BB) today looking for one of the HDTV upconverting DVD players. They aren't too expensive, under $100. We walk in and get greeted by 3 young guys in BB attire hanging out by the front kiosk (the station at the front so they can tackle you if you try to run out with a CD, DVD, or 50" plasma). One of the BB guys very politely asks if I need any help.

BB Dude#1: "Can I help you?"
Me: "DVD players?" (i'll ammuse them even tho i know where they are)
BB Dude#1: "Right back there." (pointing)

Easy enough. I get there and they have 6 models of the HDTV upconverting DVD players priced from $79 to $110. Another BB guy comes by and politely asks if I need any help.

BB Guy#2: "Can I help you?"
Me: "Just checking out these HDTV upconverting DVD players."
BB Guy#2: "You have an HDTV?"
Me: "No, Sherlock, I have a llama with a double-wide ass."

No, really, I said that. Anyways, the guy talks to me for what seemed like 30 mins but was probably only 27 or 28 telling me all about the DVD players they had, what I need etc.

So I thank him for the help and I start analyzing the 6 DVD players they had. A solid 45-50 seconds go by... when you guessed it, another BB guy comes by and asks if I need any help.

BB Guy#3: "Can I help you?"
Me: "No thanks, I got it."

He got the hint, and left quickly. Good boy. So we look at the selection and narrow it down to 2.

BB Guy #4: "Can I help you?"
Me: "No, I got it."

Then he annoying starts to tell me about the one I was looking at. And why it is better than the other one. Then he asks me another question:

Annoying BB Guy#4: "So do you need any HDMI cables? They are over there."
Me: "No, I got it."

We picked the one we wanted and headed over to get some blank CDRs. We get there and stare at the selection for like 2 seconds.

SOB MFer BB Guy #5: "Can I help you?"

I ran at his ass like a banshee and beat the living crap out him. My fiance pulled out his hair and scratched his eyes out.

We paid for the DVD player and CDR's and left.

Awhile back,  roughly year and a half maybe, Andrew made a pretty awesome suggestion to the CR community, and I think I was the only one to take it to heart.  Andrew basically expressed how he sponsers some less fortunate children from another country through a  program.  The children are from very poor countries (Kenya for example) and really could use our support.  I always liked the idea, however I never knew which program was best to use to make sure all of the money donating went to the kid.  The joy of helping others has always been sometihng I enjoyed.  I always put others first and really try to help the less fortunate and try to help better their lives.

One thing I've always struggled with is the rags vs riches approach. I honestly would probably go broke and live in poverty if needed to help other people.  I don't know if it's just my upbringing from my parents, something I've developed on my own, or just seeing and knowing people before that have experienced poverty.  I always struggled with wanting to help people and I can really say that while I'd love to be a multi millionaire some day (and strongly thing I will be), that I'd donate such a large portion to help others.  I really don't know what I'd need all that money for.   I express this because of the joy helping better someone elses lives can bring to you. 

I've been sponsering my kid for over a year now.  It's not a big commitment on my part but maybe $50 a month plus a yearly sum I give him.  The main thing is raelizing how far this money goes for him.  It's amazing to think that my kid wasn't in schooling, didn't have a family bathroom, and didn't even go to doctors or anything of that nature.  $50 a month is such a large sum to these people in third world countries that it can do wonders for them.  I can happily say that my kid is healthy now, has schooling, and has a family litron now thanks to my efforts.  The mailing system is so inconsistent in the poor villages, that it can take months for mail to reach point A to point B.  Due to this, I've had little contact with my kid I sponser.  I did receive a initial report (which was really sad and hard to read) and a few pics.   Since then, I only have received a picture of his house he drew me with a letter expressing how happy and appreciative he is.  I've sent him gifts, games, and clothing all to help better him. 

I talked with Andrew the other day and told him my child doesn't send me much and he was telling me his kids sent him pictures and drawings all the time.   After I told him that, I received a update package from my kid today.  In the pictures, my kid is wearing the clothes that I sent him almost 1 year ago which kinda makes me feel pretty good that I can help him out.  He also sent a picture of his house, which is nothing more than a few bricks with a tin roof.  It's always great helping others and I encourage everyone to do it.   Even something so small and help make a big difference in someones lives. 

Odds are that that at some point in your family tree, someone helped cut your family a break to get where you are today.  So next time you think you have it hard, think how fortunate you are to even have a computer, let alone the ability to afford internet, a CR subscription, and the ability to play online poker for real money.   Next time your on tilt, before you start spewing more money away, stop, check out the link below, and realize how that $25 your about to spew can change someone elses life.

Plan USA

This is the first time ever mentioning this here, but my nephew died due to premature birth. Ever since that day, I've been very active in helping others, charities, and trying to make best of every situation for everyone. I truely believe everyone should have a fair shot in life, and I try to help anyway I can. I've been very vocal in the past about donating to charities and trying to get people involved in it. Anyways, when my newphew died prematurely, it devasted my whole family. It's a shame that someone just entering this world had to leave it so quickly. I've been very active in donating to the March of Dime since then which is an organization specifically organized to help premature birth and find ways for more cures.

I've joined my moms team which supports Brandon (Nephew) in raising money and I've set up my own page for donations. My goal is to raise $3,000 which I think I can is very achievable and would love to do more. I encourage anyone to visit my page and make any donation. Every step counts and you never know or can predict when a baby may be bon premature. Please donate and help find a cure so we can show and share our world we live in with more people.

The payments are very flexible for donations as they accept Credit Card, Check/Cash, or PayPal. If you wish to help out and your only option/easier is through a poker site transfer, you may transfer to the following before APRIL 15 (need time to withdraw it)

PokerStars : TrevRob (Shippensburg)

Full Tilt : TRob20 - City letter (S)

Please help me reach this goal. I'll provide updates every few days. If we can raise more than $3,000, I'll try to have some sort of incentive. Maybe something silly or maybe I can get a few CR pros to agree to play in a private tournament for all donators.

CLICK HERE TO DONATE!!!!!