1st Annual Drewsies Awards

I have been reading and collecting newspapers for two decades now and am  a loyal subscriber to the Gaffney Ledger. That being said, one of my favorite parts of the newspaper is when they give out awards for best restaurants, businesses, etc. I am adding a bit of a twist to my awards show "the Drewsies".  I am awarding 36 different categories, one for each year I have been alive. This will be tough, and I will do my best to be fair and unbiased.

Best journalist/writer: Joe Hughes II
Best photographer: Alvin Hinton
Best DJ: Mike Dawkins

Realest on social media (and life): Billy Moore

Best bar and grill: Patti O's
Best BBQ: Courtney's BBQ
Best service organization: Smokin Rita and Friends
Best gym: Anytime Fitness
Best fitness instructor: Angie Dover
Best trainer: Simone Mack
Best buffet: Best Pizza Buffet
Best fitness community: Upstate SC
Best running club: Run The Rock
Best teacher: Erin Helms
Best civil rights activist: Will Pruitt
Best TV comedy: The Middle
Best TV drama: Orange Is The New Black
Best parties/cookouts: The Morris Boys
Best social network: Twitter
Best chiropractor: Bill and Chad
Best dentist: Brown and Harrell
Best place for tires: Roberts Tire
Best seafood: Captain Steve's
Best steak house: Texas Roadhouse
Best salad bar: Ruby Tuesday
Best birthday freebie: Moe's Southwest Grill
Best sub sandwiches: Sub Station II in Gaffney
Best supermarket: Publix
Best movie theater: NCG theatres
Best pizza, calzones and strombolis: Venus Pie
Best retail store: Target
Best pharmacy: CVS
Best late night hangout spot: Empire Pizza
Best mall: Village of Sandhills
Best shoe store: Nike Factory Outlet
Best new TV drama: Empire

OK I could go on and on but I will stop at 36. Hope all of you enjoyed this year's Drewsies!

Some Necessary Cell Phone Accessories

Many of you are in the process of a cell phone upgrade as the holiday and tax seasons rapidly approach, along with a nice selection of new phones. I recently upgraded my own phone from the Samsung Galaxy GS4 to the GS5. My carrier handles upgrades in a way of allowing you to bundle extra bells and whistles in the form of accessories. I was given the option of picking out so many accessories for a discounted fee. Some were easy, others took some quick thinking into my needs and wants. These vary from person to person. Nevertheless, being on my fifth different smartphone in almost as many years has me in touch with these needs and wants. Here are some accessories I believe one must or should have with their mobile device.

1. A nice case.

This can range from a simple $10 case from a mall kiosk, or a fancier one such as an OtterBox or a BodyGlove. I have had each and can say both are good and will protect your phone well.

2. Extra charger for work, travel, etc

Smartphones use more data and battery power than ever. Therefore, one may need to charge it midday, and particularly at night. Therefore, an additional charger (or two) may be necessary. Get yourself a good, quality one that can also hook into a car charger or a USB cable. Wal-Mart is a retailer that sells these sorts of chargers for around $5 or less for Android and iPhones. They tend to last a little while also.

3. Sims card

Yeah this seems pretty obvious and many phones come with one already. However do not confuse the SD card (required for many phones to function) with the SIMS card, which gives you additional memory, allows you to backup and carry your information with you. The amount of memory you desire is completely up to you and how much you use your phone for pictures, videos, apps and such.

4. Bluetooth device.

Yes those new Bluetooth devices that are headsets are quite fancy and not as funny looking as the ones that stick out of your ear. They also come in handy and are required in many states. Many of you may have automobiles with this feature already built in. However, it still doesn't hurt to have one while you're out and about.

5. Earphones

Your phone usually comes with these also, and the aforementioned Bluetooth can serve as an additional set. However, you may want some bigger, fancier headphones for outside activity or for viewing videos in private. Beats By Dre are popular and pricey. However, one can find plenty of good headsets and earbuds that will not break the bank.

6. Screen Covers.

You want your screen protected from grease and scratches. All of that swiping and touching puts quite the wear and tear on a screen. Choose to protect your device, and at a typically cheap price.

7. Car Charger

Especially if you ever get stranded or if you like to listen to a lot of music from your phone, this is pretty much necessary. They are usually no more than around $5 , and fit in most any vehicle's cigarette lighter.

Other goodies of note: auxiliary cord/connector to car stereo, speakers/hub for the phone, extra cell phone battery, portable charger (these are neat) and even a backup phone.

Which accessories are the most necessary for your cell phone?

Selfie Knowledge and Tips

One of the many popular things to do with a cell phone camera and social media for many, many years has been the selfie.  This is taking a picture of yourself with your own phone. 

Selfies have taken a life of their own, as the front facing camera was invented years ago to help one capture a better angle upon themselves. Also, Ellen DeGeneres popularized the group selfie during this year's Oscars.

Here are some pointers and tips I have picked up along the way in taking selfies.

1. Cook your head and neck slightly downward.

This minimizes showing you holding the camera,  which is important in a good selfie. Also, it makes you look slightly slimmer.

2. Make sure whatever area you use, especially the bathroom,  is clean.

Approximately 75 percent of all selfies are taken in the car or the bathroom for some reasons. You look at the picture,  and all you see is the junk, mess, and clutter surrounding you. Please take of this.

3. Don't overdo it.

Take about one selfie/week maximum.  You need not take 100 selfies/day. It makes you appear narcissistic and self-centered.  Less really is more.

4. Use photo apps to enhance your selfies. 

Add funny effects, reverse angles, or several different photos in one grid. Allow your creativity to take over and simply be a master of your own masterpiece. 

5. Always adjust your lighting properly,  on your camera and the room.

This is all so vital,  especially for the front camera shot. Often the light and resolution are both dimmed, so increasing both can help you create a fine, visible self-portrait.

How many selfies do you take per day, week or month?  Do you have any tips to offer?

Interrupting Phone Conversations: Ummm, Excuse You!

I was raised with a high standard of decorum and manners, that stretched beyond "please and thank you."  My mom wanted her sons to be polite, respectful gentleman, period. She especially stressed that with phone conversations. My brother and I both l learned at an early age when Mom was on the telephone, not to interrupt her,  and to be quiet so she could hear the other person.

Technology has changed this paradigm in a major way. I will be on my cell phone in public and people will not only say hi or hug me (both are fine) but they will try and have a conversation with me. Sometimes if the call is not important, I will call them back and talk with the live person. However, I have been known to give people the side-eye indicating "I'm on the phone, please do not interrupt. "  That matters not to many people. 

It does seem to be a learned behavior also. Children see their parents interrupting people's conversations in public, so they see nothing wrong with doing the same. One of my best friends has a five year old daughter and he's teaching her the old school manners that we both grew up learning. We were on the phone once and the young child kept hollering and screaming for her daddy. My friend used a stern tone and said "baby I'm on the phone right now, please wait a minute. ". If only more parents did this.

Each year brings a new piece of technology.  Windows 8. Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.1. And now the iPhone 5c and 5s. With each new piece of technology comes more features to make personal communication obsolete and irrevelent.

However, being kind and considerate and simply treating others like you want to be treated should never go out of style.  If you see someone on the phone, signal or wave at them, then wait until they get off the phone. It's that easy. Rarely does anyone interrupting have a true emergency anyways.

Now even with Blutooth and hands free devices, it often may be difficult to see if someone is on the phone or not.  However, once you realize it, the same rules apply.

People don't often realize how much something affects them until they experience it and that's sad. 

Seven Common Myths

Myths have been around for as long as the Earth has existed. They continue to grow and become more outrageous.

My research for this blog led me to all sorts of different myths, wives tales and urban legends. However, these are seven that stand out in my eyes.

1. Bubble gum gives you indigestion

My great grandmother Lanier told me this as a small child when I would swallow my gum. I would call her bluff also. Little did I know that many older people passed this down to prevent children from choking on chewing gum. It does digest, and thus does not interfere with your system any better or worse than another candy or good item.

2. Christopher Columbus discovered America

I am personally outraged that we as a progressive nation still celebrate Columbus Day. And for what?  Columbus basically found a new world that was already inhabited by American Indians. They were here first, he came from Italy on a three ship expedition. Now if you care to be technical, it was actually Amerigo Vespucci years later than sailed the ocean blue and named our land America. However, the native Americans were here first and definitely not Columbus.

3. Jesus's ethnicity and birthdate

One must read the Bible with some understanding and back knowledge.  Many parts of the Bible took place in the Middle East,where it is also really hot. Shepherds would go out at night only during the late spring/early summer. Therefore, Jesus is not white. He's actually not black either. He's more of Middle Eastern descent, which can entail a few races. Also, he could not have been born on December 25th, according to Biblical evidence based on shepherds and wisemen.  The miniseries on History channel even depicts Jesus as white, which of course is inaccurate.

4. It's dangerous to talk on the cell phone while pumping gas.

There have been many studies over the years to dispute this claim. It is actually very safe to have a cell phone conversation while at the gas pump. This myth is similar to the old microwave myth about UV rays and such.

5. Reading in the dark damages your eyes

This one was a shocker to me. However, dim to dark light does not damage any part of your eyes. It may be better to read in the light, but the darkness will not harm your eyesight.

6. Fingers get wrinkly when too wet.

The wrinkling of the fingers and your skin is actually a layer that forms between your skin and the water. Incidently, it's not wrinkles, or they would not go away.

7. Lightning doesn't strike twice in the same spot.

I already knew this.  I've seen lightning strike the same tree several times. Also, the Empire State Building is struck several times/year by lightning. Benjamin Franklin invented the lightning rod on the premise that lightning strikes a certain spot more than once.

Cash Register Scams: Be On The Lookout!

The next time you stop in the store, especially if you're buying a large quantity of stuff, be careful. Cash registers have been scamming folks for years. Now with technology more advanced, it is both easier to scam but harder to get by with.


I have an uncle that's a mathematical genius. He had an automatic calculator in his head. He could walk into a grocery store, have a buggy filled with items, and know the exact amount of everything in the cart. This included tax, discounts, and the whole nine. He was in essence smarter than the registers. He would regularly argue with cashiers and managers when they would try to short him. Of course he was always on the winning end. This is when I began wondering how many folks get shorted daily.

One telltale sign a store is trying to fool you in 2013 is those registers that are dark and you cannot see what they are charging you. You need not be my uncle to see if you're being scammed. Have your cell phone/smartphone and utilize your calculator. Some dishonest stores do try to overcharge. Be prepared! It has made local and national news in the past.

Also, if you are using bonus cards, coupons, or specials, make sure you are getting those benefits. Some places like to inconveniently forget and charge you full price. That has happened to me a few times. It can be an honest mistake but still keep your guard up.

Cash registers can be rigged and flawed. Perhaps this is why many of them show short balances when exchanged. However, this is a problem that needs to be corrected.

Therefore, know how much your items are, demand to see the price as it is registered, and double check your receipt. It is easy to overlook something, so don't allow these stores to take advantage. This is real and may have already happened to you. Ending it starts with the patrons so take a stand!