Pencil Box Nostalgia

I add stickers to some furniture, like old travel trunks

The other day, I basically scrubbed down my entire desk. Which happens to be a $15 auction find, my parental units aquirred in '94. I took off a few years of sharpie marker from wayward art projects and ink bleeds. Needless to say it's quite white now.

I decided to hang up a couple posters on my wall as a backdrop for my desk, a mere college guy tactic to concealing some wall damage, which I'll repair in the coming months. I plan on repainting my room and reflecting my more mature and refined tastes. To hang the posters, I had to move the entire desk as a result I dumped all the drawers from their bays. In the process, I unearthed my old Spacemaker pencil box from grade school.

Who Had One?

These things were built to last, I was never particularly easy on school supplies. Most everything I had got destroyed, lost or borrowed and never returned. Every parent and grown kid on the planet, knows this reality. I wonder if you can still find these things? I wouldn't mind grabbing on in Blue and Dark green to contemplate my orange one. Well more on point, just to sort out my various writing and drawing impliments.

Anybody else have one of these growing up? I actually used one straight from fourth grade to 12th. I'm still using it now to store my Sharpies, Pens, Mechanical Pencils and a pack of markers. " Total Big Kid"

Hope everyone is well.

What can you do, to make the world a better place?

While you're in college, it's a golden oppourtunity to both live and learn. One thing you can do is challenge yourself to make the world a better place by trying something new. Here are few simple ideas that'll brighten somebody's  day or clean up our plannet just a bit.

Organize a group clean up, select a location prone to litter, maybe a place you like to hang-out, the beach or a section of highway.  You can make a day of it by planning to celebrate a days hardwork with a pizza feed. When it comes to community help, your school might even be on board to help you spread the word about your clean up by announcing it on their PA systems and allowing you to put sign up sheets through out the campus.

Volunteer at a local soup kitchen, this is a great chance to meet people you may not have thought about talking to be for.  You'll be rewarded with warm smiles, you'll help out the less fortunate and find new value in what you have been blessed with.

As a college student, you'll probably take day trips into the nearest big city. Next time you go out pack half-dozen simple sandwiches( Avoid peanut butter) and pass them out to homeless folk you meet on the sidewalk. It will warm there heart to know that for a brief moment, somebody thought about them and took time to give them a nice moment.

Talk to your school/ campus administration about starting an on campus community veggie garden ( best for warmer climates), that students can contribute seeds to and help farm. This could then be used by students in their own cooking or to help a culinary program on campus.

There are a lot of great things you can try, that'll help change the world and make it that much better, one step at a time.

I hope you are all well.

-Hutch

Friends come in all shapes, sizes and ages.

http://www.11alive.com/story/life/2014/07/08/farmington-next-door-neighbor-friendship-emmett-erling/12390649/

I came across this news story about young boy and his best friend, a world war ll veteran. Mind you I grew up with the utmost love for the military Canada, American and British Alike. I would of loved such a friend, in fact I would love one now. But I know what it's like to be a young child and have a best friend old enough to be your Dad or even your Dad's Dad. I had both.

When I was hardly a tyke a young couple moved in next door, and I aparently noticed the new neighbour had a beat up rust red pick up truck. They hadn't even unloaded the moving truck before I strutted over and asked about the weather. A friend ship was sparked, he was old enough to be my Dad. His name was Calvin, he used to set aside a special bag of halloween treats just for me. I remember summer days sitting on the tail gate of that old truck, ice cream dripping down my hand and arm from creamsicles, melting faster than I could eat them. If I fell of my bike, and believe I did. He'd haul me up and say try again.  That all changed when I was about 6, Calvin past away. I was kid who'd lost one of my two best friends in the world. There were definitely a lot of tears, because Calvin he wasn't old.

I also had a neighbour, across the street. His name was Ron and he was something of a garage carpentry enthusiasts. To this day I can't see one of the jigsaw looking lawn reindeer without thinking of the guy. He was older, older than my Dad. His Grandkids 3 or 4 years behind me. I used to go over and chill out in his garage, talk shopr or as much shop as hardly 9 year old could about the baseball scores and my baseball game. Him and his wife moved away when I was probably 14. It sucked, but a family with kids a 5 years younger than me moved in, so I had some minions to teach things to.

Friendships are a special thing. Cherish them.

2014 Pool Party Playlist : Playlist series part 1

It's summer, schools out, you've been out of high school halls and college dorms long enough to forget your locker combinations. Besides a part-time summer job to save up a bit, you've probably got one thing on your mind. Enjoying your summer. If you have a pool or one of your best buds have one, then a pool party is an awesome way to spend a day.

Music is a great way to change the mood of any event or preserve it for that matter. Today I thought I'd share whats on the top ten of my pool party-playlist for 2014. I'm of those guys who's friend as the pool.

1.  Don Henley - Boys of Summer

This song is practically a summer anthem for me. Not to mention Don Henley has such a distinct voice.

2.  Will Smith - Miami

I can vividly remember this song being played at the first " Big Boy" pool party I ever went to. I was 12 and there was even an open snack bar set up and the parents stayed inside and not on the patio to full on super-vise.  Since then, this has always been a pool party staple for me.

3. The Eagles- Hotel California

This song may have been your Dad's pool party jam back in '72, but it's timeless. Add a vintage summer vibe to your tunes with this bad boy.

4. M83- Midnight City

Over all I like this song, it's a simple feel good song.

5.  Bryan Adams - Smmer of 69

This song is simple, because it's so true. When you get a little older and start looking back. There are some summers that'll just stand out to you and stick with you. Memories.

6. Miley Cyrus- Party in the USA

I will confess, I'm not the biggest Miley fan, in fact I'm not. But this song it's summer. It fits and I truthfully love it. Even though I didn't want to it. 

7.  Capitol Cities - Safe and Sound

This song is great, it's one of the best curren songs around to me. It's light, feel good and fun. Exactly what you need at a pool party.

8. Calvin Harris - Summer

This song is pretty self-explanitory. The name says it all. Not only it's a feel good song with great back beat. It's about summer and more or less falling in love. Meeting someone special. 

9.  Cody Simpson - La da dee

Can we really argue a song with a Ukelele? This song is just plain fun to me with the summery infusion of the Ukelele.

10.  Aaron Carter - Summertime ft the Baha Men

This song, this just expresses everything great about being home from college and out of high school for the summer. Sure it's a little cheesey, but it's just good old fun. This song probably came out when I was 14 and we probably broke a few CDs over-playing this song on the beach or at pool parties in the early '00s

These are my top ten on my summer pool party playlist. I hope you guys get a chance to check them out. I know it's an eclectic list, but thats just me for you.  If you have more pool party james that you like. Feel free to send them to me on twitter @major_hutch or leave them in the comment below. 

Later Days.

- H

Headphones for the College kid.

Let's face it, we love music. It expresses our feelings, lifts our spirits and makes life a lot more awesome. In college, you're going to listen the 80% of your tunes through a pair of headphones. Headphones are not only delivery method for music, but a nod to your personal style and your over all lifestye.  Let's face another shinning truth about college, you're likely going to be kind of broke. You're paying for food, books, tuitioin, sometimes even laundry. So I've compiled a list of a few awesome headphones to fit your wallet, and your style. Most of all, I've actually used these. I'm an athletic guy and I'm not easy on my headphones.

Wicked Audio Deuce

I love the Deuce in- ear headphones. They've got a comfortable fit and they don't fall out of your ear needlessly.

20-20,000 HZ freaquency, 10 MM driver and a 4ft cord. Making for some great sound quality.

Don't get me started on the colours made available for this model.
Red, Lime Green, Hot Pink, Orange, Black, Blue, White, Purple, Teal, Yellow. Making for a lot of options.

They retail between $9.00 and $12.00

Sony Fashion Earbuds

The fashion earbuds, are pretty generic in design. They're ear cushion free but have a big of a soft shell rubber capping on it.

13.5 mm driver, 18-22,000 HZ frequancey and 1.2 M cord.

They've got a solid section of colours
Light Blue, Green, Red, Black, Violet, Pink, and grey.

They retail for $9.99

Skullcandy Uprocks

Skullcandy has been a constant brand for me. Featuring some of the best sound quality. The uprocks an awesome on ear headphone.

Skullcandy has reputation for both basic colours, combination and some unqiue ones. They also do a lot of collaborations with other brands, athletes teams ect.

These retail for $39.99 to $49.99 depending on the uprock selection you choose.

It also features a solid warranty.

Moki Dome Headphones

These are an ok headphone in my book. They're pretty bass driven and I'm not huge on base when it comes to music.

They're a stylish piece, that remind me of old fashion pilot ear phones, on a 60s love trip.

They're carried by walmart and generally run under $30.00

PBteen/ PBdorm Rock-Out

I know Pottery Barn anything, makes you think about well built furniture, bedding with awesome patterns and style tiles. But the PBteen/ PBdorm brand headphones are actually pretty solid.

The last pair I had were rock-outs. Which were comfy on the ears, came in a sweet pattern and the sound quality was good for under $50.00.

Right now on the PBteen website they're running for $19.99 on sale in Houndstooth.






Over all, these are just some suggestions, from my experience. I'm not a huge fan of breaking my wallet on a pair of headphones. Especially considering how often and how hard I use them. Like design and just about anything, headphones are unique to the person wearing them. So get out there and find something that works for you.

For now, I'm back to the job search. Hope you're all well.
-Hutch

My Summer Bucket List

Summer, it's a break from school and some of the more mundane things that make up a student's life. Summer should be yet another oppourtunity to forge new memories, try new things and hang out with the friends' you've grown up or went to high school with. Most students generally want a part-time/full-time summer job, but thats usually nessistiy so I'm not count it on my bucket list.

I'm a pretty money conscious guy, so I like to do a lot of things that are free or fairly cheap. So I can save money for the following school year or more important things like Christmas gifts for my family.

Cherry Blossoms Hyde Park

1. Visit Hyde Park: Seriously it's kind of local to me and I've never been here. I've always heard of these amazing cherry blossom trees and that it's a great park to go for a job or brush up on one's nature photography.

2.  Paint My Room: My room has been the same colour since I was 14 and my mother had veto powers. I've grown out of  blue on three walls and a burgendy accent wall look and I'm on the prowl for something more mature.

Canada's Wonderland: Leviathan

3. Ride The Leviathan:  I love rollercoasters! I vividly remember my first coaster being that little dragon one that pops up at carnivals. I was probably two. This summer, I've got Canada's Wonderland's Leviathan in my cross hairs. It's a Giga-Coaster ranked amoung the tallest coaster of any type in the world.

4. Round Off- Back Tuck: This year, I'm planning to be on the coed varsity cheer squad. I'll be a stunter(base) but I'd like to come in with a bit more tumbling under my belt. So training my round off- back tuck is on my buck list.

5. Visit a Museum: Even with school being out, it doesn't hurt to learn something new. A trip the museum is a fun way to learn new things. I'll probably take my nephew Joshua and make a day of it.

Splash Island Waterways

6. Youngest Nephew's First Waterslide: This summer my youngest nephew Eli is big enough for the small waterslides and park rides. I don't get to see him often, I miss a lot of milestones. This summer, I'll take him on his first waterslide. Like his brother before Joshua before him.





7.  Help a Homeless Person: I may not be rich, but I am blessed. I have a roof over my head, I know where my next meal is coming from and I only ever walk around barefeet because I feel like it. A lot of people don't have that luxury. This summer I want to make up a backpack kit, with a set of socks, a t-shirt, A tupperware, Can of pasta, Water Bottle, Box of granola bars, Soap bar, Tooth Brush, Toothpaste, Fork and a sandwich to give to a homeless person during my usual city trip.

looks delicious

8. Find a new Pizza Restaurant: Ever since high school, I'd research the net to find a nice pizza/ italian resturant to try when I'd visit new cities when the performace acrobatic team would go on tour. This summer, I'm starting that fire again and finding a pizza place in the city I've never tried before.

9. Build a Slip-N-Slide: I'll admit to being a 5 year old in a college body. But this summer I'd love to build a slip-n-slide and leave it up for a few days. To chill on with friends and even let the neighbourhood's younger kids have a go to cool off in the summer.

10. Sticky Note Random Cars: Find a sticky note pad, grab my favourite pen and head to the mall. Leave inspiring or nice messages stuck to the drives side of the windsheild. Leave a hashtag and maybe you'll be able to follow your own handy work.

I'm sure this list will grow in time, but these are some of the things I plan to do. What's on your summer bucketlist?

Hope you're having a great day
-H

Fighting The Freshman 15

The Freshman 15, if you have heard of it by now, you will. The Freshman 15 is an arbitrary weight gain of around 15 pounds many freshman are prone to gain. Mostly because you're diet in the school cafeteria, isn't what your mom stacked on plate at home, or simply being a day student that is spending most their meal time on campus. Here are some weapons to arm yourselves with during the battle of the bulge.

Stalk Your Prey

When you're at the cafeteria, pay attention to it's full range of choices. Opt out of pre-made meals and assemble your own. With veggies from the saled bar, fruit for dessert and the heathier part of the nights meal like a lean meat.

Start The Day with Octane in the Tank

Never skip breakfast,  it's the one meal that puts your best foot forward. Gas the tank from the start it'll keep you alert in your early classes, it'll also curb the tendoncy to buy rubbish snacks from the vending machine.

Image: PBteen's Gear Up, Houndstooth lunch gear

Snack Right

Take it back to grade school, invest in a lunch bag, box or tote and some tupperware. Pack some healthy snacks from home or the dorm.  Pack some cut up fruit in a salad, maybe a small salad or even a scaled down sandwich. You can even toss in some dried fruit for the sweet tooth, string cheese or even some cheese and crackers.  PBteen and PBdorm offer an awesome selection for lunch bags and food containers.


Stay Active
 One of the biggest tips, I could ever give would be to stay active. Go outside play some flag football,  hit the weightroom, join intermural sports teams. Take up jogging, freerunning or long boarding. Being active burns fat. Helps your brain to stay alert and'll probably help you sleep better.

Well guys, I hope some of these tips will help you on campus next year.
Here's to conquering the Freshman 15

-Hutch