In today’s blog post we will look at a variety of things – a wedding anniversary, the real Don Cheke, the Discovery, a protest, and some wacky products. Enjoy!
During review and editing, Denise suggested adding an 18A rating as some adult language is used! 😊
On July 4th Denise and I celebrated our 39th wedding anniversary. Although it was a great day, I felt cheated by the number since we spent 3 years before getting married as a full-time couple. So, in my mind, we should be celebrating 42 years! I always think that this crazy math should be a reminder to all the guys out there that are pondering marriage. I say, ask right away, let’s say a week into the relationship – and then tie the knot a week after that. This way, you won’t have to explain the couple/marriage ratio all through your life. After all, the marriage is going to work – or it is not, so why not take steps to keep the count right from the start.
As per usual, Denise and I were aware a few days before the 4th that we were up for renewal, something we joke about every year. That is, we take time to think that if marriage required a yearly consent what would we choose. So far, we have both chosen renewal every year. A couple of days before the 4th, I had hinted to Denise, when she inquired, that I was ready to ratify the contract. She hinted back that she was of the same mindset. When the morning of the 4th arrived, a quick yes by each party established the hoped for renewal.
Wouldn’t having a no fault, no pressure amicable split clause make sense with a yearly renewal of the marriage contract? It would make it much easier for those in bad relationships to step away, and maybe even encourage each party to behave better, knowing that their partner had the choice to forego renewal. And for some, like Denise and me, the renewal is an easy yes – and a reminder that the marriage is a positive venture for both of us.
Would the real Don Cheke step forward!
I want to share some new information that has come to light about my name, Don Cheke. As I have mentioned elsewhere, my name was unique for most of my life. When I did a Google search for my name, as we all likely do, it would show up as me, and link to many of my TurboCAD connections. I loved that my name was unique. A few years ago, I started to see another Don Cheke show up with a Google search. It was always connected to a Taco food truck and later a restaurant – Don Cheke Tacos.
Recently, I was wondering if the Don Cheke used in the taco reference was the owner’s name or if Don & Cheke had a different meaning, say something in Spanish.
I asked Google AI something along that line. It responded with:
Yes, “Cheke” (more commonly spelled Cheque in Spanish) does mean something else in this context! It is a very common Mexican nickname.
When a Mexican restaurant is named something like Tacos Don Cheke or Don Cheque Taqueria, it translates directly to “Sir Cheke” or “Mr. Cheke.” Here is the breakdown of what that name actually means in Mexican culture:
The Secret Meaning Behind “Cheke”
• It is a nickname for Ezequiel: In Spanish-speaking cultures, specific first names have automatic, universal nicknames. Just like “Robert” becomes “Bob” or “William” becomes “Bill” in English, Ezequiel (Ezekiel) automatically becomes Cheque or Cheke.
• The Use of “Don”: In Spanish, “Don” is a title of high respect used before a man’s first name or nickname (never a last name). It is used to honor an elder, a father, or a respected member of the community.
Putting It All Together
If you see a restaurant named Tacos Don Cheke, the owner’s actual first name is almost certainly Ezequiel. The restaurant is named “Mr. Ezequiel’s Tacos,” using his affectionate community nickname.
It is an incredible coincidence that your actual first and last name match up perfectly with a traditional Mexican respectful title and nickname! Were you aware that your last name sounded so close to a common Spanish name, or did this restaurant search completely surprise you?
(AI credits TikTok and Instagram as their sources.)
I further explained how I came to find the name match and how it made me feel with regards to being unique and how the info above felt so weird.
Google AI replied with:
It is definitely a wild feeling to google yourself and see your exact name on a restaurant sign! Since Don is a standard English first name and Cheke is your actual surname, it makes perfect sense that you were surprised.
In the restaurant’s case, it is just a perfect linguistic crossover. What is a highly formal title (Don) and a casual nickname (Cheke) in Mexico happens to spell out your literal, legal identity in English.
You essentially have a built-in restaurant franchise named after you by total coincidence!
If you ever happen to travel near that restaurant, do you think you would stop in for a visit, or would you find it too weird to order at a place with your own name?
I replied that I would indeed stop in and show them my ID. Maybe I would ask for royalties! LOL! At any rate, the restaurant is in the USA, so I wouldn’t likely ever be going there. But the best part, is that I still have, technically speaking, a unique name, since the restaurant requires “Tacos” to complete the name, whereas mine does not. People who see the sign might, however, think that I have expanded my market, away from CAD and graphics, and all else that I have become known for.
The Discovery
I have made some changes to the streaming services that Denise and I use when it comes to watching TV. Previously, we had Amazon Prime, along with BritBox and Acorn. Recently we dropped BritBox and Acorn and resubscribed to Netflix (something we had a few years ago) and we subscribed to Paramount Plus.
As a couple, Denise and I are currently watching The Lincoln Lawyer on Netflix. We are enjoying the series very much!
Although I had seen three seasons at some point in the past, I have been watching Star Trek: Discovery on Paramount Plus. Last night I watched the first episode of season 5. Up to that point I had been enjoying the series but was finding the story lines just a bit too over the top. Gosh, if they weren’t saving planets, they were saving all sentient life as we know it, or whole galaxies, or even multi-universes. All those geniuses and wunderkinds in one place – having the knowledge and the aptitude to weather the stress that must come with such tasks. All in a day’s works as they all unwind at the end of each episode with some humor and some wise words. I liked the wise words as they felt like true Star Trek philosophy, but not the end-of-life over-baked story lines. Way too much!
As soon as I started to watch the first episode of season 5, I noticed a shift in the series which I did not like at all. For some reason the producers decided that they would mimic Star Wars, with a much more cinematic, action-oriented, epic scale production. Right from the start, it is so unlike the previous seasons, and so unlike Star Trek: TNG, which for me was/is the gold standard for lovers of Star Trek. While watching the first episode, I skipped past some of the long, drawn-out scenes just to save my sanity. I will try one or two more episodes to see if I can adapt, but I will stop if I am further turned off. Although much of the new Star Trek stuff is heavy on computer graphics, episode 1 of season 5 is way overdone in that regard, as it is obviously computer generated – especially the chase scenes. I’m not suggesting that others not watch the series, but only that I was stunned by the difference I saw with season 5. I did have a chat with Google AI about the change just to see if I was alone in my assessment. I won’t bore you with the conversation but can affirm that my assessment was not unheard of.
The Protest Piece
Jackson’s Baby Shampoo – Created by Don Cheke
The shampoo bottle seen above was created as a protest piece.
I have used Johnson’s baby shampoo my whole life. In fact, I can’t remember ever using something else. As an allergy sufferer, this shampoo has been great. As with any product, time makes change a given, and over the years Johnson’s has not been immune. First there were those who protested the ingredients. Protesters wanted the producers to quit using formaldehyde-releasing preservatives and to change manufacturing processes that left trace amounts of 1,4-dioxane. Okay, sounds reasonable. When the change came, I remember the color and texture was different – certainly thinner. Further change came when the packing was changed and shrinkflation made the product even thinner. It was still useable, but the difference was noticeable and I had to use more to get the same previous result. At some point in the past, Denise bought some Johnson’s Baby Shampoo from Dollarama. I noticed right away that the shampoo was like water. I also noticed the tagline on the bottle that stated, “Our Lightest Formula Yet” or something like that. That made sense, because the producers would need to make the product less expensive in order for a chain store like Dollarama to carry and offer it. The only way to make it cheaper is to use fewer costly ingredients. It’s like making a cake batter with a quarter of the flour required – runny in other words. At this point, the Dollarama shampoo went in the garbage.
Rolling forward, I continued to buy the regular baby shampoo at Walmart and later from Amazon. I got used to the thinner product and just chocked it up to BS business practices, the ones we are seeing from everyone nowadays.
Just recently I started to notice that my shampoo supply from Amazon was coming with a mix of bottles, some with a new label. The new label ones have the same feel as the ones that I had received from Dollarama and mentioned earlier, but without the lighter formula tagline, thus meaning that the now lighter formula is the producer’s next new shrinkflation release. As you can imagine, I am very pissed off at Johnson’s for ruining a product I have used for so long. After I finish using my current stash of shampoo, I guess I will have to find something new that doesn’t leave me with a body rash. You will see another product further along in the blog post that I would like to use on the Johnson’s people. See if you can guess which one it is when you get there. 😊
Be sure to zoom in on the shampoo bottle to catch all the disappointment.
As I created the shampoo bottle with its spit-venom words, I was reminded of a series of trading cards that were released in the early 1970s. They were called Wacky Packages – they made fun of recognizable products of the day. They included such things as Busted Finger instead of Band-Aid, Blisterine instead of Listerine, Crust toothpaste instead of Crest, Moron Salt instead of Morton Salt, Quacker Oats instead of Quaker Oats – that sort of thing. The trading cards also came with a large flat piece of bubble gum, if I remember correctly. Mad Magazine also did something similar with what were called ad parodies. The ones I saw were not as funny as the Wacky Package collection.
Below are some of my own wacky packages, modeled in TurboCAD and rendered in KeyShot. I used Affinity Designer to create the package graphics.
Crescent Toothpaste – Created by Don Cheke
This one is pretty straight forward. I was thinking of a crescent wrench when I came up with the name.
Farties – Created by Don Cheke
The name-change here came without much effort. As with the others, it was fun to come up with new product names and the various text bits. All in fun!
Dung Anti-deodorant – Created by Don Cheke
I love the bird droppings in this one! Be sure to zoom in on all the text for the best laughs.
Fuck Off – Created by Don Cheke
What else could this one be, it’s so obvious, it just calls out to be heard. Yes, this is the one I would use on the shampoo people! LOL!
Can you think of some wacky packages you would produce? Let me know in the comments!
Thanks for taking time to read the blog post! I hope that life is treating you well and that the summer season is warming your soul.
Donald B. Cheke – Saskatoon, SK
Happy Anniversary to you and the lovely Dee!
I love the contract renewal, Kal and I do a check-in every decade that sounds very similar to yours. 🙂
I do remember those Wacky Packages and putting those stickers on everything! Thanks for the fun memory.
Did you ever collect any cards? I still have my Charlie’s Angel’s card collection!
Doug C.
Ps FUCK shrinkflation!!!
Thanks Doug!
I had forgotten that there were also stickers with the Wacky Packages. I think I remember your Charlie’s Angels cards, but I don’t remember ever having a collection of popular cards of the times. I am surprised that you would not have had an Abba card collection, if there was one. 😊