Goodtime.

I have the best roommate in the world. And I’m not just saying that either. Recently some things have occurred in his life or may even occur soon in my life that may see us part ways as roommates and it makes me sad. Truly and genuinely sad that I may lose somebody that I have grown to love as a brother and a best friend. I have so many mixed emotions about these recent revelations and would like to reflect on how I feel about him and about the person I have become in the near two years that we have lived together. It has been probably the two most influential years of my life when I really needed to grow and did grow and needed somebody so badly to lean on and found that salvation in him. I would like to now tell you a bit about Kevin Martenson.

We came to live together by a bit of chance as the M1W wrestling school in the Anaheim area was being started by a good friend of ours and he needed instructors. Coincidentally, Kevin’s old roommate was leaving the state and Kevin needed a new place to live. At the time, I was staying with my parents after a recent break up saw me move away from the girlfriend I was living with previously. I didn’t need much more reason to move to Anaheim seeing as though this is where The Angels play and where Disneyland is and when Kevin agreed to it, it was on.

Obviously, Kevin is a fellow wrestler and I figured I’d get the wrestling part out of the way first. Above anything he does in the ring for himself, I think Kevin is a great instructor at the wrestling school. And  as we go on here, you’ll see that this is just apart of his giving and selfless personality. He has so much patience with beginners and does not see himself as being better than anybody no matter if they have been wrestling for years or if it’s their first day. It’s a trait and tact that I wish I had more of. As a wrestler himself, he is vastly underrated. If he has a flaw it’s that he tries too hard. But it’s not in a bad way. Kevin knows the basics of pro wrestling so well but he doesn’t confine himself to them or rely on them. He’s always striving to do more or be better with his creativity and force himself to think outside the box. And that’s not always something that equates into success when you’re always evolving your style and adapting new things to your craft. He puts so much effort into everything he does that he is an inspiration to work with and be around. 

Aside from wrestling, Kevin is probably thee absolute best person as far as character and class that I‘ve ever met. It could be because he was brought up in small town Pennsylvania but he is so unlike anybody I know, especially involved in the entertainment business. I have never seen Kevin be selfish or greedy. He is such a giving person that it’s almost unbelievable. I can be very selfish and very needy at times but Kevin will always give and give. One of my fatal flaws is that the more you give me, the more I will take and because of this, Kevin has had multiple chances to get upset or angry with me and has never been anything but genuinely nice and caring towards me. He is so forgiving of all my flaws but doesn’t let me rely on my flaws without motivating me to be better.

Kevin knows all of my dark and dirty secrets but still expects nothing but the best out of me. I fear the kind of degenerate I would have become if Kevin didn’t expect me to be so upstanding all the time despite all various times I‘m sure I’ve let him down with my various exploits. And it’s not as if he judges or looks down on me when I do. It’s more like, “I can see why you did that, but just try better next time.” He has a phrase that has become common place around here about me that goes something like “this is something that would only happen to you.” He likens my life to that of a movie. And it doesn’t matter what type of movie whether it be a comedy or a drama or a mystery or even a horror movie. He just understands that for better or for worse, I tend to live a rock star lifestyle and can’t function very well boxed in but Kevin is there to remind me that normal rules have to apply to me or else I would go insane. He is very much the angel on my shoulder to counteract the devil who often times appears on the opposite shoulder.

The entire time we have lived together Kevin as been in a relationship. I will tell you this and mean it more than anything I have ever said in my life… Kevin is BY FAR the best boyfriend that a girl could EVER have. Not once in the entire time we have lived together have I ever seen him talk to, comment on, flirt with or even look at another girl in a manner that he couldn’t with his girlfriend standing right next to him. And that’s the way it should be, but it’s not because it isn’t human nature or human instinct. To be honest, it’s almost disgusting. Not only that, but he will put her ahead of himself and involve her in his decision making 100% of the time, even when she doesn’t come close to doing the same. His girlfriend is one of my best friends but she tends to be as flawed as I am at times. Again, Kevin is so forgiving of her flaws though and has the patience to give her the time to better herself. He has an unconditional love for her that every relationship should be about but very few are. I feel like whomever is “lucky” enough to get me in a relationship in the future will get a better relationship out of me because of Kevin’s influence.

Kevin and my friendship has become more than just wrestling or training together. More than just watching True Blood or It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia together. He’s somebody that I can look up to and aspire to be more like. He is a good person. Much better than I but I am much better for knowing him and getting to live with him. Although his reasons for leaving would be more on a negative note and mine would be more of a positive note, these past two years are entirely unforgettable to me. It has been a rough time emotionally for me and Kevin has helped centered me and helped me combat my own demons and helped me to become a better person. If I am experiencing a redemption of character then it’s in part owed to Kevin.

- Joey