Coffee Kites Musings and Photos

my pictures

2011-01-24T08:31:00.002-05:00

for right now I am placing my photos on flicker but shortly I will feature some of my pictures here as well.... http://www.flickr.com/photos/dennistrue/
Enjoy

I'm Back.....

2011-01-16T09:48:00.001-05:00

Hello all I know it has been a while but I am back finally and since I am in school for Photographic Imaging at Art Institute of Virginia I will be putting some of my work on my blog to share with you all...

Sunset

2008-03-30T21:08:00.005-04:00

It was an absolutely beautiful day the temperature was 75 degrees and there was a soft breeze blowing across the yard. We were in the back yard spending time with Lady, my 17 year old Border collie/Springer spaniel mix, but today was different no matter how wonderful the day I couldn’t help but hear those words from the vet in my head –Complete kidney failure –nothing more could be done –we have to not let her suffer –we have done all that we can –the dog food has done damage that can’t be undone –she made it a year after that and you gave her a good life.

We were spending my last day with my faithful companion. She has been by my side ever since she was rescued from the SPCA 15 February 2002. Oh how I love my Lady! Our travels have taken us on so many adventures and there are so many memories that we will cherish forever.

Those echoing words a death sentence –She will suffer if you wait –This is the right thing to do -17 is great for her –So just bring her back this evening –there is no choice –I promise it will be very peaceful -She will just go to sleep.
As we got in the car Lady in the back resting on her favorite blanket for the last ride I noticed the sunset. Orange, Red, Yellow, Gold, Purple, such a glorious sight but I couldn’t truly appreciate it not with the sadness in my heart knowing that my friend, companion, Child was spending her last moments here.

As we waited I let Lady wander a bit getting all the good smells of the other pets that had been here earlier. Not wanting to actually go inside knowing that she would never walk out. Lady refused to sit anywhere she just stood on her shaky legs. She knew and she understood as she gave me a kiss and licked away my free flowing tears. It was all I could do not to run away. Facing the unbearable in my heart, yet knowing this was the right thing and what had to be done.

At 8:24PM on 27 March my Lady, My Wonderful Lady went to the Rainbow Bridge where she waits for us ready to play and be by our side forever. When we left the vets the sunset was gone and it was dark. I briefly thought that this was fitting Lady had had her last sunset…. Now that sunset was gone.

Good-Bye my dearest friend and thank you for blessing everyone’s life you touched. You may not be here with me now but your spirit is everywhere around and I will cherish the memories with you forever, see you at the bridge where there will be sunsets but never night...

Everything you need in one box

2008-03-16T08:13:00.005-04:00

Ok now this has got to be one of the best designed things I've seen in a really long time a whole room's furnishings all in one neat little box! and it actually looks pretty good

Enjoy!!!

Trudy Allen

2008-02-08T11:22:00.001-05:00

Last Saturday evening my wife's Grandmother Trudy Allen passed away after blessing all that knew her for 93 years. Liz, my wifes cousin, made a wonderful video montage, I hope you enjoy this tribute to Trudy's enduring impact on all of our lives.

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Eulogy for Trudy Allen by her grandson Jason Shanker

February 7, 2008

There is so much about my grandmother that I admire. When I was young, and knew little about her life, I just knew that she was the perfect grandmommy. Though we grew up on the other side of the country, we got to visit here often and she came out to California to visit as well. Those were times that my sister and I would look forward to for months, and talk about for months afterwards. Grandmommy's house always had a cookie jar (unfortunately a tradition we did not carry forward into our house). Magically it seemed always to be full (no matter how many of them I would sneak out!). She always remembered birthdays, and her voice on the phone was the sweetest, kindest thing a little kid could hope to hear.

As I grew up and learned more about her, I came to realize that there was a lot more to her than just being that perfect grandmother. There was a strength and a courage and a resiliency to her that would be very easy to miss if you went just by appearances. The fact that this gentle, softspoken, kind soul had seen so much of the world, had seen so much of both joy and hardship, and had persevered through all of it was something you only learned little by little about her.

Part of the reason that knowledge came so slowly is because Trudy was the very last person who would ever complain about her circumstances or brag about her accomplishments. In all the years I knew her, I can't recall ever seeing her angry, or ever hearing her complain about anything. Into every life some hardship must come, and it's up to us how we deal with that hardship. Whenever my grandmother faced difficulty, she focused on what needed to be done to take care of her family and her loved ones and then she picked up and set about doing that.

The amazing thing about the strength she exhibited was that she was a strong, capable and independent woman decades before it came into fashion. Driving your three girls cross-country might not seem like such an unusual thing to undertake today, but she did it 58 years ago in 1950 when she drove her girls out to the West Coast. Raising those three girls in a warm and loving home was a gift she gave them which I'm sure changed all of their lives.

My daughter, Ellie, loved her great-grandmommy from the first moment they met. Ellie talks about her great-grandmommy all the time, and when her plastic toy phone “rings” and we ask her who it was it seems more often than not to be great grandmommy on the phone. I'm so grateful that Ellie got to know her great-grandmommy, and that our second daughter (whose impending arrival prevented my wife Jenny from traveling here today) will grow up hearing stories of her great-grandmother's life. As the father of two little girls, I am so grateful for the incredible example they have in their great-grandmother. Her courage and quiet strength in the face of adversity are qualities I will always admire, and the love and kindness she showed us are things I will always strive to show my own children as well.

Thank you so much for being here today to help celebrate this remarkable and amazing life.

the Hawaii Chair?

2008-01-29T17:24:00.000-05:00

Ok now this has to be the craziest new product I have seen in along time...
OK seen in forever!!!!!!

Heath Ledger Dead

2008-01-22T18:04:00.000-05:00

Movie star Heath Ledger has been found dead in his New York apartment.

This is so sad Heath you will be missed by an entire generation, Watching the Batman movie will be a bittersweet pleasure seeing your work knowing it is your last.

Thank you for sharing your life with us if only for a short time....

Feel free to put your own condolences below.....

PPP

2008-01-21T08:33:00.000-05:00

Well I found this site called Pay Per Post (PPP) and I decided to give it a go,
“Hey I figure how bad can it be when I am actually getting paid to post in my blog.”
I will say that since your blog has to be approved first the wait was long (2 Weeks) until my blog was approved, but other than that my experience on PPP has been good. The customer service is top notch and the directions for choosing and accepting offers is fairly straight forward.

So in the future, some of my posts here will be my reviews and thoughts of various items from websites to products. I can assure each and every one of you that faithfully read my blog I will not sell out or ever not tell you what I actually think about what ever it is I am writing about. If I don’t think that I can say something nice then like my mom always said “if you can’t say something nice then keep your mouth shut”

I would say to all the bloggers out there, hey give it a try it won’t cost you anything and if you decide to you can make a little green for doing what you already love to do.

Here is the link for all of you if you are interested.

http://payperpost.com/

get paid to blog

Apple's new Macbook air

2008-01-15T18:38:00.000-05:00

This is a sweet new Laptop from Apple that Steve Jobs just introduced at Macworld Conference & Expo in San Francisco

I want one!

Whiny Cowboy Fan...

2008-01-14T18:17:00.000-05:00

Ok it is no secret that I cannot stand the Dallas Cowboys... well it would appear that their fans are a whiny bunch just like T.O. after the game yesterday

So to the Cowboy fans out there Sorry but I just had to post this once I saw it on YouTube....

Musing #8

2008-01-12T06:24:00.000-05:00

Taken Away
this was written a year ago while I was still on deployment...

I was looking out over the Indian Ocean this evening and I saw a beautiful sight. The sea was glassy calm. As the ship passed through the water the phosphor (photo luminescent algae) was glowing brightly in the ships wake. The phosphor was bright electric neon blue - not like in the North Atlantic where the phosphor is neon green and not nearly as bright.
As the waves crashed down and the water churned from the props the ships wake glowed a path into the inky black darkness. It glowed in the foam and created lighting bright strings rippling like plasma across the wave tops.
Then to my amazement, I could hear splashes off in the distance. At first, I could not figure out what it was, then the splashes came closer and I could see huge “blasts” of phosphor spouting into the air. As my eyes adjusted to the darkness, I could see more. Finally, I saw what caused those mini explosions in the phosphor. Dolphins were jumping the waves in our wake, merrily playing and jumping giving us an unbelievable light show to the likes few have ever seen.
Taken aback, all the days’ problems and troubles just washed away, if only for a few moments. Tonight was one of those times when I knew in my heart I belong at sea. For only a moment I was taken away, I was no longer onboard the ship I was just watching nature at it’s finest soaking in everything, the sights and sounds of the magnificent show before me. There was no better place on earth, then right here.

Musing #7

2008-01-08T06:53:00.000-05:00

The History Of Coffee (well my speech on it at least!)

Once upon a time, Kaldi, an East African goat herder, was tending to his herd when he noticed that one goat was missing. Kaldi being a good goat herder, of course went in search of it. When he happened upon his goat, he found it eating the berries from a strange plant. Then to Kaldi’s wonder and amazement, the goat stood up on his hind legs and started dancing… This is the legend of how Coffee was discovered.

Through my obsession with coffee and the research I have done, I want to take all of you on a journey through out history. We will travel the globe and learn how coffee has had a long and sometimes tumultuous voyage from those humble beginnings to what we drink today.

Now, Let us revisit Kaldi. It was somewhere between the year 600 and 800AD when Kaldi saw his now dancing goat; he decided to try some of the berries himself. In no time at all Kaldi was dancing right along with his goat! The legend continues and it is said that a local monk happened by while they were dancing and inquired about what was going on. Well he took the berries back to the monastery to share with his fellow monks. At first, the other monks thought they the berries were evil; that was until they realized how they could stay awake during prayers and that they had more energy when doing the chores. The monks started drying the coffee cherries and crushed them to make a tea-like drink. Now there is no concrete evidence of the validity of this story and. we really don’t know how coffee was first discovered.

The early accounts we do have of coffee from “The History of Coffee” at TELLUSPLANET.NET, Originally the coffee plant grew naturally in Ethiopia, but once it was transplanted in Arabia [

Yemen

] coffee was monopolized by the Arabs.

Who first roasted it is debated, but the accepted belief is that the Arabs started boiling the beans (calling the drink “qahwa” literal translation is that which prevents sleep) and from there someone started roasting.

Coffee moved with the spread of Islam according to National Geographic for almost 200 years Transplant of the coffee plants was forbidden by the government. That was until a young Indian, Baba Budan smuggled out seven coffee cherries on his belly to Mysore, India and started a farm - descendents from those plants are still growing and producing coffee today!

Mark Schapiro stated in “muddy waters” that Coffee started spreading like wild fire from there and in 1453; the Ottoman Turks brought Coffee to Constantinople and there the first coffee shop “Kiva Han” opened in 1475. A new law goes into effect in

Turkey

making it legal for a woman to divorce her husband if he fails to provide her with her daily quota of coffee.

Continuing on in “Muddy Waters” in 1511 the corrupt governor of Mecca was threatened by the spread of coffee through out the Muslim world tried to ban coffee, He was promptly executed! Even at this early stage of coffee was just that important. People would kill for their coffee.

Around 1600 Coffee was brought before the Pope his advisors urged him to ban coffee because it was the Infidels drink. It only took him one sip for his blessing and shortly thereafter coffee started spreading throughout Europe.

The Dutch being entrepreneurs wanted in on the coffee growing business, they were not content to just be a consumer. National Geographic recounts how the first coffee plants were covertly acquired by the Dutch in 1690 and in 1696, the first European owned Coffee Estate was born on Java. And yes, this is where the Nickname Java for Coffee came from.

Now the Dutch trying to improve relations with Louis XVI (fourteenth ) of France reluctantly gave him what became one of his most cherished possessions a Coffee plant for Paris’ Botanical Garden in 1713.

Following the bush so to speak, Mark Schapiro tells us that, a seedling from the botanical garden was stolen in a midnight raid by a young French naval officer after being refused when he asked for one and in 1723 that seedling traveled to the tiny island of Martinique and shortly there after was producing more coffee than Java.

Now the final illicit step for coffee was to

Brazil

in 1727. Lieutenant Colonel Palheta originally sent to settle a border dispute between the French and Dutch colonies. Well he fell in love with the Governor’s wife and they plotted to become rich by spreading coffee again. Both the French and the Dutch wanted to like the Arabs before them keep coffee firmly in their control. The Governess hid coffee cuttings in a bouquet of flowers that she gave to him as a farewell gift, when he departed for

Brazil

.

National Geographic reports from then to the 20th century

Brazil

has been the single largest supplier of coffee in the world. From Brazil Coffee spread the world over through out the “coffee belt.” (The area between the tropic of Capricorn on the bottom and the tropic of Cancer on top) And in 1998,

Brazil

alone exported over 22 million 60-kilogram bags.

One last item of note according to “Real coffee” on December 16 1773 there was the now infamous “Boston Tea Party” and after the Tea Party, it became very unpatriotic to drink tea and ever since then (even before the birth of our country), coffee has been the single most popular drink in America.

In Conclusion, I hope that I have educated you on the travels and tribulations of the truly exciting journey that coffee has taken. You can all see Coffee has had a very vibrant and lively trip from those early days of Kaldi and his goats, to the wonderful drink that is enjoyed around the world today.

Musing #6

2008-01-05T17:32:00.000-05:00

Last Sunrise in the Mediterranean

0455 (4:55 AM) Thursday morning May 10^th, the water was glassy smooth the only ripples were from the bow slicing smoothly through the water. The sky was still starry as we headed west. Behind us, the light started almost imperceptibly at first then growing faster a deep rich gold along the horizon. The clouds are still dark and inky, above them night is still grasping firmly refusing to fade away to the onslaught of the new day.

As the light grows, there is Spain off to the north. Rising up from the water not welcoming but refreshing nonetheless, for you see today is our last day in the Mediterranean Sea. After today, I am most likely to never sail on any body of water other than the Atlantic. Standing quietly I think back over the memorable past 17 ½ years I have spent them in the Navy. I wonder what the future holds and what will happen with my life after I retire.

Turning back to the sunrise at hand, the sky is growing brighter and that gold is now showing orange with a purple line above with the night still refusing to fade away. The clouds are lighting brighter by the second moving from purple to fire red with orange below as the sky brightens up there are merchant ships carrying cargo to and from all parts of the globe passing along.

Today is the dawning of a new day and the closing of a chapter. As the sun slides up to the horizon, the night finally relinquishes it grasp. Such a poetic moment should not be interrupted by idle conservation, I remain, fellow sailors have come and gone today; just as they have come and gone through out my career.

I cherish this moment like few others in my life. Looking back for the last 214 days of this deployment and the last 17½ years in the navy, I can truly say wow it has been one hell of a ride. Just as the day takes over the night, it is time for the younger sailors to take over for those of us “old salts” this day is different than every one before and the Navy is different today then it was when I came in a scared kid. Somewhere along the way I became a man, today is the day when the kids of today will need to step up and be men too.

I guess it is finally time for me to start looking west towards that sunset and let the younger sailors have the day.

HOW TO SIMULATE SHIPBOARD LIFE - NAVY STYLE

2008-01-04T17:47:00.000-05:00

Speaking today on behalf of those that think that the Navy lives a "TOP GUN" existence. You know, those people that have watched one too many episodes of JAG, and think that Navy life is glamorous! Here are a few suggestions on how to experience the real Navy life, right in the comfort of your own home.

Buy a dumpster, paint it gray and live in it for 6 months straight.
Run all of the piping and wires inside your house on the outside of the walls.
Pump 10 inches of nasty, crappy water into your basement, then pump it out, clean up, and paint the basement "deck gray"
Every couple of weeks, dress up in your best clothes and go the scummiest part of town, find the most run down, trashy bar you can, pay $10 per beer until you're hammered, then walk home in the freezing cold.
Perform a weekly disassembly and inspection of your lawnmower.
On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays turn your water temperature up to 200 degrees, then on Tuesday and Thursday turn it down to 10 degrees.
On Saturdays, and Sundays declare to your entire family that they used too much water during the week, so all showering is secured.
Raise your bed to within 6 inches of the ceiling.
Have your next door neighbor come over each day at 5am, and blow a whistle so loud that Helen Keller could hear it and shout "Reveille, Reveille, all hands heave out and trice up"
Have your mother-in-law write down everything she's going to do the following day, then have her make you stand in the back yard at 6am and read it to you.
Eat the raunchiest Mexican food you can find for three days straight, then lock the bathroom door for 12 hours, and hang a sign on it that reads "Secured - contact OA DIV at X-3053"
Submit a request form to your father-in-law, asking if it's ok for you to leave your house before 3pm.
Invite 200 of your not-so-closest friends to come over, then board up all the windows and doors to your house for 6 months. After the 6 months is up, take down the boards, and since you're on duty, wave at your friends and family through the front window of your home...you can't leave until the next day.
Shower with above-mentioned friends.
Make your family qualify to operate all the appliances in your home(i.e. Dishwasher operator, blender technician, etc.)
Walk around your car for 4 hours checking the tire pressure every 15 minutes.
Sit in your car and let it run for 4 hours before going anywhere. This is to ensure your engine is properly "lit off".
Empty all the garbage bins in your house, and sweep your driveway 3 times a day, whether they need it or not.
Repaint your entire house once a month.
Cook all of your food blindfolded, groping for any spice and seasoning you can get your hands on.
Have your neighbor collect all your mail for a month, randomly losing every 5th item.
Spend $20,000 on a satellite system for your TV, but only watch CNN and the Weather Channel.
Have your 5-year-old cousin give you a haircut with goat shears.
Sew back pockets to the front of your pants.
Spend 2 weeks in the red-light districts of Europe, and call it "world travel"
Attempt to spend 5 years working at McDonalds, and NOT get promoted.
Ensure that any promotions you do get are from stepping on the dead bodies of your co-workers.
Needle gun the aluminum siding on your house after your neighbors have gone to bed.
When your children are in bed, run into their room with a megaphone, and shout at the top of your lungs that your home is under attack, and order them to man their battle stations.
Post a menu on the refrigerator door informing your family that you are having steak for dinner. Then make them wait in line for at least an hour, when they finally get to the kitchen, tell them that you are out of steak, but you have dried ham or hot dogs. Repeat daily until they don't pay attention to the menu any more they just ask for hot dogs.
In the middle of January, place a podium at the end of your driveway. Have you family stand watches at the podium, rotating at 4-hour intervals.
Lock yourself and your family in your house for 6 weeks. Then tell them that at the end of the 6th week you're going to take them to Disneyland for "weekend liberty". When the end of the 6th week rolls around, inform them that Disneyland has been cancelled due to the fact that they need to get ready for E-cert, and that it will be another week before they can leave the house.

Put your family through these, and then let them tell you how glamorous Navy life is.

What will Japan bring us next?

2008-01-02T08:53:00.000-05:00

ok so it is pointless but you have to watch don't you?

I Wanna Be A Popstar

2008-01-02T05:18:00.000-05:00

Ya know the truth hurts sometimes...
This guy is good and I Love the Video!

Enjoy!

http://view.break.com/372438 - Watch more free videos

Wii upgrades?

2008-01-01T20:52:00.000-05:00

I Love what this guy has done! I hope we can get some games from Wii like this!

ISO (in search of)

2008-01-01T09:46:00.000-05:00

hello all I'm looking for something to post here, and I'm hoping that you my fans can help. I am looking for the 100 things that I would do if I was an evil warlord.
Can anyone help me out?

Happy 2008 to all and I hope that this year finds you and yours "...healthy wealthy and wise"!
(now who can tell me who first said that and what is the rest of the quote?)

Dennis

Happy New Year

2007-12-28T15:51:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year to all!

Finally, I am on leave I really needed a break from the Ship! I am visiting my in laws this week, for the record I have the best in-laws out there I mean this between Marjorie's sister, Beth her husband Mark and the best 2 nephews in the world Evan and Holt, and my wonderful Mother-in-law Betty. Berry (father-in-law) and Alice and her daughter Neely. I am truly blessed to have such a wonderful extended family that has made me feel a part of their family ever since I first met them.

Thanks to all and I hope 2008 is your best year yet!

(I promise to post a picture of the family as soon as I can get back to my home computer)

Dennis

What College Viewbooks Don't Tell You

2007-12-22T08:08:00.000-05:00

There are some real gems in here!

reprinted from
http://www.geocities.com/CollegePark/6174/h--colle.html

1. Quarters are like gold.
2. Be creative in the dining hall.
3. Flip flops become as important as soap, shampoo, etc.
4. You will never find so many excuses for a bucket.
5. Asleep by 2:30 am is an early night.
6. New additions to the food groups: Mountain Dew, Doritos, Ben & Jerry's, Ho-Hos and Oreos.
7. Make sure your alarm clock has back-up batteries.
8. Showers become less important.
9. Sleep becomes more important.
10. Two meals a day are standard.
11. Recycling becomes synonymous with laundry ("Oh, my jeans can last until Christmas...there's only a *little* bit of mud on them...").
12. You can never make too many meals in a crock pot or hot plate.
13. 10 minutes is more than enough time to get ready for your first class.
14. Going to the mailbox was never an ego booster/breaker before.
15. It takes more than one person to carry your laundry, books, trash, etc...
16. You begin to nap again.
17. Your bill in the bookstore will almost equal tuition.
18. Isn't it amazing that the book your professor wrote is always required for his class?
19. Labs used to be fun.
20. T.A. used to stand for teaching assistant, now, for terribly articulated.
21. Squirt guns = stress relief.
22. E-mail becomes your second language.
23. Frat parties are exactly like they are in the movies.
24. Ten-page papers used to sound impossible, now they're a Godsend.
25. You never realized so many people are smarter than you.
26. You never realized so many people are dumber than you.
27. Professors are like celebrities: you see them, but they never see you.
28. Western Europe could be wiped out by a horrible plague and you'd never know, but you could recite last week's episode of "Friends" verbatim.
29. See every movie under $3 that your campus provides; it's actually proportional to the amount of money you have.
30. Road trip whenever possible.
31. Pick up all new lingo.
32. Plain pasta never constituted a complete meal before.
33. The health service attendants are there because they couldn't make it in a real hospital, never ever forget that.
34. Forget putting the toilet seat down, you just pray that they flush.
35. Frisbee becomes a contact sport.
36. Care packages rank up there with birthdays.
37. College girls are the same as high school girls, just with more freedom...and no curfew.
38. It never sucked so much to get sick.
39. Pop a vitamin and breakfast is covered.
40. Learn to love your roommate, especially when he leaves you the room.
41. You always thought that worshipping the porcelain god was just an expression...it's not!
42. You'll learn more about male genitalia than you ever thought necessary, guys talk more about that than women and sex put together.
43. Beware the freshman 15, or in some cases, the freshman cup size.
44. Even though the beds are long, they are also extra narrow.
45. Things that were a huge deal in high school are now commonplace.
46. You never thought you would share so much about yourself with people you have known for such a short time.
47. Computer games go in and out faster than the latest fashions.
48. Any game can be made into a drinking game.
49. Disney movies are more than just classics.
50. Find one thing you like in the dining hall and go with it.
51. You will hear more stupid nicknames than you ever thought possible.
52. Phone calls almost never happen and when they do, you just don't get the messages.
53. Cereal makes a meal any time of day.
54. Keep your high school term papers; nowadays, everything is recycled.
55. ATMs are the devil's advocate.
56. Beware the boy in the Care Bear toga.
57. You almost forget how to drive.
58. You'll drink anything if it's free.
59. People still cheat, it's just more technologically advanced.
60. You get really good with excuses for skipping class.
61. The girl you're going to marry may live right next door, so keep your stereo down.
62. Ordering food at 1 am is a common occurrence.
63. You never realized how cool you can be.
64. TV becomes a bigger time sucker than ever before.
65. You realize how great your hell summer job was once you get to work study.
66. Keys have never been so important, yet you seem to lose them more than ever before.
67. You meet the type of people you only thought existed in the movies.
68. You learn to sleep with light, noise, extreme , and roommates snoring.
69. You don't have to cover your textbooks anymore.
70. You become a juggler with the balance between school, friends, girls, activities, work, parties...
71. You live for chicken finger day at the cafeteria.
72. People that were geeks in high school seem okay now.
73. You begin to realize that college is about the ideal lifestyle, except for those pesky classes.
74. You get good at rationalizing on whether to do homework or not.
75. Procrastination becomes an art.
76. Jeans may be worn as many times as the wearer desires (for example, see # 12).
77. The only reason you ever dress up is when everything else is dirty.
78. Your parents start to tell you stories about their college days.
79. With all the wealth of knowledge around you, you start to feel like you're on intellectual welfare.
80. Going to the mini-mart is a major treat.
81. You have two kinds of shoes: everyday shoes and party shoes.
82. Classes: the later the better.
83. The cute girls actually talk to you now.
84. The longer you're there, the less you talk about home.
85. Always wear your safety goggles, they're not kidding.
86. You just don't learn last names.
87. Card games never lasted for hours before.
88. Boys will dance in college.
89. People who never talked to you in high school are now your best friends when you come home.
90. You are NEVER alone.
91. It's amazing how late you can stay up doing absolutely nothing, yet falling asleep in class or in the library takes an average of two seconds.
92. You spend a ridiculous amount of time pondering the mystery of whether the cafeteria Lucky Charms are the real thing.
93. People magazine is your deep philosophical reading material.
94. You begin to subdivide your room into sections such as den, library, etc. to make it sound like a house.
95. All you have to do to make new friends is have mom send up some cookies.
96. You never realized how quiet your house was.
97. Dishes aren't dirty enough to wash until they have bugs and/or mold in them.
98. Printers only break down when you desperately need them.
99. You get along so much better with your family now that you never see any of them.
100. You become an expert at space optimization.
101. Anything can be cooked in a microwave.
102. Girls are almost as messy as guys. Girls just hide it better.
103. A trip to the grocery store requires 3 hours, in order to price check everything.
104. You can't study when it is too quiet.
105. Your cherished CD collection will never be intact again.
106. Going out to a restaurant to eat, only happens when your parents come to visit.
107. You become a really good pen-pal when you have a boring class.
108. There is such a thing as a blow-off course.
109. You actually rationalize staying home and watching Ricki Lake to going to class.
110. The first sign of spring and classes become even less of a priority.
111. If an 8:00 am class is required for your major, change your major.
112. Clever margin manipulation can turn a 4-page outline into a 100-page senior essay.

Merry Christmas AWSOME LIGHTS!!!!

2007-12-20T14:24:00.000-05:00

Another Great Christmas Video for everyone!!!! these are the Lights to beat this year!!!! PLEASE WATCH THEM FULL SCREEN!!!!!!
WOW you really have to watch all to appreciate them!!!!
So which song is your favorite?
let me know post a comment below!

Richard has 192 channels for control and I only wish I could get to Utah to see these in real life......
Merry Christmas to all!!!!!

HD Version - Music Box Dancer - Holdman Christmas Display 2007 from Richard Holdman on Vimeo.

Winter Wonderland - Computer Controlled Christmas Lights from Richard Holdman on Vimeo.

Jingle Bells - Computer Controlled Christmas Lights from Richard Holdman on Vimeo.

Amazing Grace Techno - Computer Controlled Christmas Lights from Richard Holdman on Vimeo.

Miracle from 34th Street - Computer Controlled Christmas Lights from Richard Holdman on Vimeo.

Welcome home "Big E"

2007-12-19T10:25:00.000-05:00

Just in Time For Christmas

Today is a big day for thousands of spouses, friends and family of the sailors embarked on the USS Enterprise (CVN 65) and the other ships in the Enterprise Battle Group.

The big "E" pulls in to Naval Station Norfolk just in time for Christmas! I for one want to wish them all a Warm Welcome and Happy Holidays! Pier 12 is a mad house with anxious family and friends all waiting to see the ship on the horizon... counting the longest moments of the entire deployment....
After what seems like an eternity the ship finally came into view the Big “E” looks tired and ready to be home. Sailors man the rails all along the flight deck in their Service Dress Blues, shivering both from the cold and the anticipation of finally being back.
As the USS Enterprise rounds past the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower a roar is heard from the pier and those thousands of anxious friends and family welcome home their sailors. Sliding forward, painfully slow the tugs slide the Enterprise into her berth and finally those words that every sailor longs to hear “MOORED, SHIFT COLORS!” another even larger cheer goes out through the crowd. Moments later the call is heard across the flight deck to dismiss the sailors manning the rails. A mad scramble ensues with everyone running trying to get a better view to find their loved ones in the crowd below. Cell phones and walkie-talkies come out, tears, laughter, cries and shouts. The warmth all but drowns out the cold and wind, no one minds today after the Big "E" is finally home.
Just moments from now the Brows will be across and those sailors that have been gone will finally be reunited with their loved ones. Just in time for Christmas.

BZ BIG E!!!!!!!
Dennis

Straight no Chaser

2007-12-17T17:07:00.000-05:00

MERRY CHRISTMAS ALL ENJOY!!!!

Jose Cuervo Christmas Cookies

2007-12-15T11:31:00.000-05:00

Thought it would be fun to share some of our favorite recipes for Crhistmas.
Here is my wife's favorite. The cookies taste like crap, but for some reason, my wife insists on making them every year.
Jose Cuervo Christmas Cookies
1 cup of water
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup of sugar
1 tsp salt
1 cup or brown sugar
4 large eggs
1 cup nuts
2 cups of dried fruit
1 bottle Jose Cuervo Tequila

Sample the Cuervo to check quality.
Take a large bowl,Check the Cuervo again, to be sure it is of the highest quality, pour one level cup and drink.
Turn on the electric mixer.
Beat one cup of butter in a large fluffy bowl.
Add one peastoon of sugar.
Beat again.
At this point it's best to make sure the Cuervo is still ok, try another cup just in case.
Turn off the mixerer thingy.
Break 2 leggs and add to the bowl and chuck in the cup of dried fruit.
Pick the frigging fruit off the floor.
Mix on the turner.
If fried druit gets stuck in the beaters just pry it loose with a drewscriver.
Step aside the mixerer and use power drill if screwsdiver gets stuck in beaters.
Snapple the Cuervo to check for tonsisticity.
Next, snift two cups of salt, or something. Who geeves a sheet.
Check the Jose Cuervo.
Now shift the lemon juice and strain your nuts.
Add one table and spoon.
Add a spoon of sugar, or somefink.
Whatever you can find.
Greash the oven.
Turn the cake tin 360 degrees and try not to fall over.
Don't forget to beat off the turner.
Finally,Throw the bowl out the window,Open the window
Finish the Cose Juervo andMake sure to put the stove in the wishdasher."

Seasons Greetings!

2007-12-15T10:06:00.000-05:00

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

I just want to send out the warmest Holiday Wishes to each and every one. I never realized how much I appreciate the holidays until last year when my country called and I answered. I was deployed and for the first time I didn't get to see my family, I wasn’t there when my nephews and other family opened their gifts, I never had the opportunity to sit down with the family for a good meal or spending time with those I loved. These things I had taken for granted up until now. Never again will that happen to me. Don’t get me wrong if I need to serve over the holidays again I will and do it with pride and honor, but taking the holidays for granted… not this sailor!

Therefore, to you and yours, I am wishing you all a safe, joyous and prosperous holiday season! I hope that 2008 is the best year ever for each and every one... Be good to each other not just during the holidays but the whole year long!

Dennis

Musing #5

2007-12-05T01:20:00.000-05:00

I have heard numerous words to describe how I view coffee. Some say I’m fanatical, while others will say I am just plain nuts. I have been called everything from a drug dealer to the coffee man. Then there are some, a very select few, which call me a connoisseur. Even though there are many different opinions about me and my coffee the one universal opinion is that I have the best coffee on the ship.
I am sure you are wondering what about my coffee is different. I roast my own coffee beans, every week. Yes onboard the ship. I have over 30 pounds of green coffee beans onboard from every different coffee growing region on the face of the earth. I can tell you the difference in coffees by country and region.
If you simply tell me what you like about coffee I can give you three or four recommendations on the spot. Chances are I have at least one of them onboard and can roast you some the next time I am roasting.
Do I have your attention yet? Did you know that coffee is not supposed to be bitter or sour? Not fresh coffee, fresh roasted coffee that is! I have sailors from all over the ship that come by weekly just to get a bag of coffee from me. The best part, I think, is that the finest coffee in the world can be bought for a fraction of the price of roasted coffee. On average I spend around 5 dollars a pound for coffee. The same coffee from a gourmet shop would cost around $30.00 to $40.00 per pound.
Am I obsessed? I don’t think so, I believe that I just enjoy some of the finer things and I am willing to go the extra mile to get them. Do I mind the name calling and the kidding? Not at all, I know that deep down every coffee drinker onboard wishes they had my “True Brew” coffee in their cup everyday.

Guest writer from the ships paper...

2007-12-03T00:37:00.000-05:00

Soldier’s Angels: A Touching Opportunity for True

By Mass Communication Specialist
Seaman Adrian J. Escobar

Fire Controlman (SW/AW) 1st Class Dennis True browsed the Soldiers’ Angels website late November in search of care packages for Sailors aboard IKE. The next month, he was contacted by Janice Parker, an intern working on her master’s degree in social work at Willamette View, a retirement community north of Milwaukee.
Wanting to find a way to encourage residents in the assisted-living wing to socialize, she found him through Soldiers’ Angels. Soldiers’ Angels is an international organization that provides aide and comfort to the men and women service members and their families.
Parker asked True if he would be interested in being a pen-pal to a group of seven retirees at the retirement center. Without hesitation, True accepted.
“This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get to know people and hear their stories from a completely different time era,” said True.
Shortly thereafter, True was adopted into the Soldiers’ Angels foundation and received his first letter. Since then, he has received a total of 127 packages and over 250 letters.
“Two men out of the group happened to be veteran Sailors,” said True. “Each one had a 1944 Shellback certificate.”
True received letters of personal accounts during the Depression and World War II, as well as general stories from the 60s. He was told stories of their children,
husbands and wives. He also shared stories of his own, and was able to jog memories of Paul Gillette, a 91 year-old member of the center.
“I sent him a story of my travel through Cyprus [the post below this one]that reminded him he had hitchhiked from Chicago to Yellow Stone when he was between the ages of 18 and 19,” said True. “He was then able to share that forgotten memory with his family for the first time.”
Due to the great response in the group, Jim Mertz, Willamette View’s chief executive officer, extended to True and his wife, Marjorie, an expense-free invitation to meet the group for the first time. He felt it was important for the pen-pals to meet. True was greeted with warmth and lots of smiles during his visit.
“I had lunch with the Angels and gave a power point presentation about the deployment,” said True. “It was a moving experience to meet them in person, and I will cherish it forever.

Musing #4

2007-12-02T21:49:00.000-05:00

The Walk or Why You Never Trust a Local...

The USS Dwight D. Eisenhower had just anchored off the coast of Limissol Cyprus. After riding in on the Liberty Boat, I was on the beach and looking forward to getting to the hotel room that a group of us were going to stay in while we were there. After taking the contracted bus to the second of the pre-designated stops, four of the six people that were all headed to the Grand Hawaii Hotel got off the bus.
First, we had to wait on the rest of the group, so we decided to split up; the other two went on to the hotel. My liberty buddy, Tracy and I agreed we would wait on the others in the liberty party. We remained in the vicinity of the bus stop watching for the others. After about an hour and 17 busses later we decided that we must have missed them in the crowds getting off the bus.
This is where the fun and our story really begins.

We decided to head out. We had the free tourist maps of Limissol that were being passed out as soon as we were on shore. We saw our hotel on the map just outside the “magnified area” on the map and we were already half way there according to our map. Looked like about one mile maybe one and a half. No problem we will be there in no time. The “ever conscious me” even stepped into a gift shop and asked “How far was the Grand Hawaii Hotel?”
“Oh it is not too far just a little ways up the road, only about two Kilometers or so.” The shopkeeper cheerfully replied, undoubtedly hoping for a fast sale of some trinket. I did purchase a large bottle of water, both to say thank you and because a seasoned traveler always keeps well hydrated.
With new found confidence that the hotel was “just up the road” we headed out. We started out enjoying the scenery. We walked along the beach where we both agreed the local scenery was to our liking. The attire of the beach going crowd kept our spirits up. There is just something about topless beaches and sailors just getting ashore, always a great way to take your mind off the walk.
I checked the map periodically to see our progress; we are trekking along quite nicely. We are making significant progress along the “magnified” portion of the map. One mile down and only about a half a mile more to go, right?
Wrong.
We started looking around and the area was getting less and less touristy and more and more remote. Gone were the beaches filled with people replaced now with weeds and rocky shores. Not being overly concerned (yet) but still not seeing the hotel. I notice that the wind has picked up, the sun is gone, the water has transformed from a beautiful tranquil green to an ominous choppy dark green/inky black and dark clouds are rolling in (now I am starting to get a bit concerned). There is no easy shelter in sight as the first fat raindrops start to fall. We quicken our step a bit around the bend, ahead we see it - no not the hotel - rather a little apartment complex that has a wonderful covered alcove. Whew, just in the nick of time we duck in, at that same moment the sky opens up and a huge gully-washer (downpour for those non southern readers) is upon us.
After about 20 minutes of studying the map and looking for a legend, attempting to reassess our current location, and still not finding one. I can see that we are outside the “magnified” area on the map. It appears that we are right on top of the hotel or at worst it should be just around the next turn in the road. We have already traveled best guess over two and a half miles. I honestly have no idea how far the hotel is at this point. Being the “seasoned sailors” that we are, a little rain, now muddy road, and lack of landmarks on a map won’t stop us! We head back out only slightly worse for wear.
Onward Ho! Now passing the estimated three mile mark.
Each bend seems like it will be the one. We come across some beautiful ruins that were being excavated. Here I am trying to walk and get some pictures of the ancient columns and building foundations. SPLASH! Oops! Yuck! I step in a huge mud puddle, in the muck up to my knees. Now my feet are completely soaked and my shoes are almost twice as heavy from all the mud now hitching a free ride. Our sprits are sinking with each and every step. Adding insult to injury the sidewalk ends and it would appear that we are going to have to travel on the side of a very narrow two lane road. After just a few steps I spy a wooden walkway on the other side of the road. Carefully we cross the road, seems simple enough, right? Except for the fact that the Cyprian’s drive on the opposite side of the road so you are have to look the opposite from what we are used to.
We make it on to the walkway with out incident, other than an upset local that let us know his frustrations with his horn and a few choice words which neither of us understood. As we walk along the beach the sun has once again started to shine and my shoes are shedding off the now caking mud. Things are once again looking up but still no Grand Hawaii Hotel.
The walkway changes to a beaten path after about half a mile. About a quarter mile ahead I see some buildings that look like hotels and I mention this to Tracy we quicken our step. Moving forward the anticipation builds, we are thinking this has got to be our hotel. Lo and behold our Mecca, we finally have arrived at the Grand Hawaii Hotel.
Dragging our tired yet relived butt’s inside, we spy the rest of our party sitting in the bar relaxing. They look us over and you can just see in their faces the questions like “Where in the hell have you been?” and “What happened to you guys?” We summarize our events, everyone started to chuckle and tell us that they had all caught a cab, because who ever they had asked said it was way too far to walk. Slightly frustrated and feeling rather icky, I headed for the room for a long hot shower and a change of clothes.
I have learned a valuable lesson during this course of events. Never trust a local, rather ask around to make sure you have good information and for Pete’s sake Never, Never, Never (yes, I said it three times) trust a free tourist map, spend a few bucks and get a real map. The journey was lovely, aside from a few minor mishaps. I will look back on my trip to Cyprus fondly for years to come. I am now wiser and more wary of the seemingly innocent events that led up to one heck of a walk.
Just in case you were wondering, when I took a cab the next day back down to the bus stop area of Limissol checking the odometer I discovered that we had actually walked around ten kilometers or roughly six miles.
Thinking back to the shopkeeper, maybe he did say ten kilometers and not two. We may never know for sure.

my stumble blog

2007-11-11T09:08:00.000-05:00

My StumbleUpon Page

why is the Blog silent?

2007-11-08T12:40:00.000-05:00

Well just a short post to say that web connections while out to sea are marginal at best and normally non-existent.. so with that being said I am currently out to sea I will return home shortly and I will post another musing... so have patience everyone and I assure you the musings will commence again.

Guest writer

2007-11-03T06:17:00.000-04:00

A friend of mine Steven, wrote a review of one of my favorite Coffees the IMV or Idido Misty Valley. I just had to share this with all of you! Thanks Steve!!!

It was an early fall day, rainy and colder than one would expect at this time of year. After coming back from a work trip that took a lot out of me I was looking forward to a wonderful pot of coffee. I had just the thing. Dennis had roasted up a batch of IMV, and this man has remarkable skill. He seems to know the bean, to understand what it wants in a roast. For we all know that taking a roast a touch too far may bring us a good cup of coffee, but some of the flavors will be gone or will have a faint taste of being burned - very faint, but there, affecting the entire cup. Should the roast run a bit too short and some flavors don't have the chance to introduce themselves to the other flavors in the roast and to the cup one is about to drink. Dennis knows how to get them all to the party.

The first sip is a bit of a trick, for it tastes like a simple cup of quality coffee - the flavor is full, the "coffee" flavor present, a bit of an earthy tone is front and center. But, on the second and slower sip one can taste a multitude of soft flavors that by themselves are very good, but together make up a coffee that is like none other one will have tasted. There is the treasured chocolate flavor of many very good coffees, which in and of itself can be hard to bring out in a coffee, especially one as complex as IMV. And, sitting next to the chocolate is the true taste of a floral bouquet - how is that possible. And, it wouldn't seem they would go together, but they do. I believe it is the other flavors that bring them all together, for a fraction of a second after the floral flavor is a more citrus one, not sour, but the zest of a citrus fruit in a chocolate background.

It doesn't stop there. This roast is not a particularly dark one, and I believe this allows many flavors to come out without one dominating the experience for the taster. As the chocolate subsides I was surprised to taste a true hint of vanilla, another flavor not come by easily in a roast, but here it is in Dennis brew. While not overpowering, there is a sharpness to them, they cut through the "coffee" and earthy tastes, along with a sample of cherry, almost as an afterthought it hides among the other flavors.

I also live in Costa Rica and the coffee reminds me of that, not in the actual coffee, but in the tropical nature of the combined flavors, much like the cornucopia of fruits one would find in our yard down there. The taste lingers sweetly and dissipates with no aftertaste, the palate is cleared for the next sip.

My goal is to work at roasting this coffee to the point where Dennis, himself, would say, "well done." Care goes into this roast, that is obvious. For it would take very little to miss the true "sweet spot." I imagine that there are a number of places to "pull" the roast that would give one a very good cup of coffee, but there is a very small window which would allow so many varied flavors all to have their say without any of them taking command of the cup. This coffee, every sip, is a gift to the senses. Drink on, drink on ...

Musing #3

2007-11-01T14:44:00.000-04:00

Don’t Fight It...

Just the word change makes some people nervous. Why is that? What is it about change that causes us to fight it? Change is inevitable. Not one of us can truly prevent change no matter how hard we fight, Change happens. There is just something about change, which we equate with bad things. Change can be good.

I can look back in my life and some of the worst things (I thought at the time) I can remember about changes in my life actually became some of the high moments. Going to a new school –very traumatic at the time, yet after the hating the uniforms and having school on Saturday, I soon learned that my new school had it good points as well. After all having those Saturday classes made the school year shorter. The smaller class size get me a better chance of getting the extra help I needed in my weak areas. APS (Aiken Prep School) even had a “Sports day” where we all competed against each other. My ninth grade year, the Sports Day was the single proudest moment of my childhood. I had never been a super athlete as a child(heck, I was usually the "Last Picked for Kickball") but that day I actually won. My name is forever on the halls of APS as the senior champion for 1985. The school and the winners list goes all the way back to 1919.

Other changes I have readily accepted, even embraced – getting married, getting divorced 9 years later, getting married again, joining the Navy etc. (Speaking of joining the Navy; now that is just asking for change and lots of it!) From boot camp, to the fact that you are transferred from duty station to duty station, every three to five years. If you did not want change then the military is not for you.

Conversely, if you take a closer look at the military as a whole, the structure and schedule you keep is very indicative of a lack of change. Some people embrace the military for just that reason. The traditions and heritage of the Navy are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to rigidity (used here to refer to lack of change).

Change is constant and well “ever-changing” (pun-intended). We need to learn to accept change and evolve with the changes, to appreciate the changes we experience every day. Some days we don’t want to change and wish that our little bubble would remain exactly the same but once we have accepted the changes that will inevitability happen in our lives, our lives become richer and more fulfilling all the time. There is no reason to fight the change. We should all embrace change and find out how we can use the changes to enrich and better our own lives.

So let’s talk about Coffee…

2007-10-23T12:40:00.000-04:00

Coffee is my passion my obsession if you will. I roast my own coffee at home using different methods. My first method was using a stainless steel dog bowl and a heat gun. Roasting your own coffee is easy and fun. Now I use a special drum inside a propane grill and I can roast up to 6 pounds at one time. Having Fresh coffee every day is such a treat I used to be a -6 shot grande-heavy whipping cream-4 Splenda-Latte at the mermaid. I was spending almost 7 dollars a day on coffee and that was if I didn’t get one in the afternoon as well so lets do some math since I was a customer for 4 years there I was spending 49 per/week that comes out to over 2500 per year. For the four years I went daily I spend over 10 thousand dollars there so what can I do to reduce that figure and have even better coffee? Well I started reading, learning, and found that I could roast my own do it better and cheaper.

Musing #2

2007-10-21T16:31:00.000-04:00

Why are We Obsessed?

You can find it almost everywhere on billboards, trucks on the street, television, magazines, the Internet, even in schools and churches. Millions upon millions of dollars are spent every day on advertising that pushes the latest fashion or trend. It seems everywhere you turn you can not escape the deluge of commercials, images and pop-ups from advertisers. Modern culture has showered us with what soap we should use, what car to drive, what cell phone is the best, where to shop, what shows to watch, but most importantly and the topic of this musing, What we should look like and what we should wear.

Let’s explore the core of this issue. Human beings all want to be wanted and loved. We want to be attracted to the opposite sex and looked upon as equals or even better than our neighbors and peers. With that understood, we go above and beyond our natural physical state in an attempt to make ourselves more attractive to the opposite sex. We dye our hair, wear make-up, obsessively workout in the gym, all in an attempt to fill that basic human need. We purchase the same car, electric devices, or clothing in an attempt to be like our neighbors and peers, otherwise known as “keeping up with the Jones’.”

The modern commercial businesses and advertising agencies know this. They feed on our basic desire to belong, be acceptance and loved. They exploit our needs and own self-conciseness to further their profits. They sell that in order for us to be one of the “beautiful people” or one of the “happy people” we must blindly follow (purchase) their product or service, which changes from month to month. If we don’t, we are doomed to unhappiness, loneliness, unattractiveness and being outcast. There are those who embrace this sub-culture of outcasts however advertisers have crept in and now have a “target market” for their demographic as well. Sadly we know they are doing it but we have been programmed to buy what they are selling from an early age.

When we are very young we mimic our parents then as we gain social skills and become more aware of our place in society we start to worry about how we are viewed. What our peers think of us and if we will fit in. These issues are very important to the growth and development of children and how they will perceive themselves as adults. Peer Pressure is a powerful tool harnessed by the advertising industry. If the impressionable youth of our culture learn the message as we did that to be accepted we must hide our true self and conform to our peers, that we must buy this brand of clothing or look like that model on the magazine cover to belong then they has been program successfully and the advertisers have won a new generations worth of customers.

All that has successfully been done is to teach children to hide their real and true self from the world only showing the superficial, just as the advertisers want, and the cycle continues. The more we buy into the idea that we can buy happiness, beauty and love the more we spend and the more they spend pushing the next “latest and greatest.”

If beauty is only skin deep then shouldn't we obsess about whom we are inside and what kind of person we really are instead of how we look and what appearance we show the world? If we believe the media and the advertisers then skin deep is all that matters.

I disagree with this whole idea of superficial beauty. Personally I find most “supermodels” not very attractive and apparently some of the world agrees with me. Recently, Spain and Italy banned size zero models from walking the catwalk due to the fact they send the wrong message to the younger generation. Finally someone has realized that the super skinny is not healthy and is a bad influence on young girls. I applaud their efforts and hope this counter thought will continue. At least it is a step in the right direction.

I truly hope that, we the consumers can send a message to the fashion world that enough is enough - That our culture dictates what is beautiful not them. I personally do not think that a woman with 30 rings around her neck is attractive but in some cultures in Africa she would be the most beautiful in the entire village. There are countless cultural differences the globe over. I guess in the end “beauty is [after all] in the eye of the beholder.”

Musing #1

2007-10-18T18:31:00.000-04:00

I’m A News Junkie

It was November 7th, 2000, on a cold, snowy day in Groton Connecticut. I sat at the end of a hotel room bed watching the election results scroll across the bottom of the television screen. Much to the dismay of my fiancée, the election was not decided that night. There were still recounts and “hanging chads” to discover. This was a news junkie’s Shangri-La. I watched all night and the next day, only pausing to grab a smoke or a fast bathroom break. Although I was up for 27 hours, I never noticed being tired nor that I was ignoring my loved ones. I was obsessed. This was not the first time I had been on a “news binge” nor would it be my last.

Every night when I lived with my grandmother, from birth to age 6, she watched the CBS evening news. I was constantly kept abreast of current events from around the world. It was from her I learned current events were important to me. When looking back through the news worthy events in my life. I can remember where I was and through what media I first heard the news. Every time I would hear the breaking news jingle the world would stop and I would sit transfixed in front of the television. Over the next few hours, I would sit patiently waiting through the newscaster’s reports repeating the same sketchy facts over and over. Hoping and praying that in this go around they would have some new fact or expert to explain the little data they had. So that I could ponder in the puzzle with the rest of the audience about what was happening in the world around us.

The year was 1979 I was 10 years old in Aiken, South Carolina. One hot and sticky summer day in July my father mentioned that I should go to The Wilcox Hotel. There was going to be a press conference with a presidential candidate. I thought about it and said I would go. I turned and asked my dad what I should ask? My dad said to ask who his advisors and cabinet members would be. He went on to explain that the advisors were just as important if not more important, than the President. Off I went and that day I became the news and I didn’t even realize it. The next day The Aiken Standard, and The Associated Press picked up the story about a 10 year old that stumped a presidential candidate when he asked about who he would pick for his cabinet. It took George Bush eight years from then to become the President. He won in the first election I was able to vote in. I was proud of the fact that I had actually met him and had become the news with him if only for a moment.

When I was in middle school every Saturday, yes we had school on Saturday, we all had to read and discuss an article in Time Magazine. The only story that I really remember was when Mohammed Anwar Al Sadat was assassinated. I could never get out of my mind how a man that was trying so hard to help bring peace to the Middle East was the victim of such a violent act.

When I was 12 our family vacation was a trip to Washington D.C. I was seeing the nation’s capitol for the first time and loving it. As I went by the Supreme Court building I saw a news crew setting up. I walked up to them seeing the CNN logo on the camera and van; I told them I loved watching CNN. The entire news crew was in shock, first this was a 12 year old and second I had actually heard of CNN. To me CNN was always on TV but what I didn’t realize at the time was that the southeastern United States was the only area that CNN was available. Now of course CNN is worldwide 24/7 in a multitude of languages.

Driving to school one morning in October 1987 I heard about the stock market crash on the radio. After getting all the details I could, I of course called my father to let him know. Something else a news junkie loves to do is to spread the news. I live for those moments where I get to be the one to tell someone and watch the reactions.

I was sitting in my trailer in 1989 watching the World Series when all of a sudden it seemed that the stadium moved. The sportscasters made some comment like what was that? Then the screen went blank then to the test signal and the accompanying annoying tone. I sat perplexed waiting for some indication of what happened. The last image on the screen was that of Jose Canseco walking out of the stadium with his wife who was crying. It only took a few min before a hastily gathered news anchor came on screen to tell all the viewers that apparently there was an earthquake near the Bay Area of California but there were no details at this time. Once again I was hooked and glued to the screen all that night and into the next day I watched images of the Fisherman’s Wharf area buildings collapsing and on fire. I remember vividly seeing the collapsed highway and shouting out in horror that it was a double decker highway and that there were probably cars trapped in there.

In the 1990’s came the advent of the internet (in my home) at first it was simply a novelty for sending electronic mail. Then wonder of all wonders, oh yes! The true holy grail of the news junkie, The World Wide Web! It was an entire world of news at my fingertips. I knew more than the TV did, or at least I knew it faster! I could surf through every different news web site that I could find, in the same time it took Tom Brokaw to read the teleprompter. I had ten times the information and from six different viewpoints at my finger tips.

Then I discovered CSPAN, I could see the inter workings of congress live. What I really loved about CSPAN was the other events they would cover, one being The National Press Club Luncheons. It was during one of the lunches that I first learned of Matt Drudge and The Drudge Report (www.drudgereport.com). Matt was my new found hero he linked all the hot news on one convenient easy to read page. Using courier font, black on white reminiscent of the newspaper of yester year he turned the news world on its ear. Around the water cooler instead of “Did you read the article in the paper? It became “Did you see Drudge this morning?”

A plethora of cable news exploded on to the scene in the mid 1990’s. MSNBC was my preferred choice for news as it seemed geared more towards a younger generation. I enjoyed the “web savvy” outlook that they seemed to have. It was on MSNBC that I watched with never ending interest the O.J. Simpson Trial and finally the acquittal. It was in berthing on the ship that I watched the slow white bronco chase. I’ll never forget the line from the criminal trial “If the glove doesn’t fit you must acquit!” It was soon after the real spectacle began, the civil trial. Once the verdict was read there were hordes of reporters running down the court house steps waving banners with codes to tell the news casters what the was verdict. Then the second wave of even more reporters letting the world know in an instant how much the jury was going to award the families.

The day we buried my wife’s grandmother in Lincolnton, North Carolina, I was watching The Today Show before we left for the funeral home. No one will ever forget where they were around 9:00 AM on September 11th, 2001. I once again hung on the edge of my seat as the first details started coming out about what was going on. Then the unimaginable happened we actually saw the news taking place and the reporters became just like us spectators and observers. At the moment the second plane hit I knew that this was no accident. In my heart I knew the world would never be the same again. The age of innocence was gone forever. Except for the funeral, I was once again glued to the television or when I was in the car on the radio. It seemed every channel was covering some aspect of the events in the days following the horrific attack. I never got enough. I wanted to know every detail, every perspective, every account. Some of America wanted away from the shock. I found once again by indulging in every bit of news I could get I was able to cope and move on through one of the biggest tragedies of our generation.

I love the news. I relish the dirt, I cry with the horror, I cheer the hero’s. I use every medium I can find to learn everything about the news. Now with simply the click of the mouse or the remote button you can have knowledge of events all around the world. No more waiting until the paper arrives or the news at six. No matter how I get it I will keep up with the news every day because I’m a news junkie.

Why Coffee Kites and Musings?

2007-10-17T17:33:00.000-04:00

Well to put it simply I thought if I am going to finally take the leap into the world of Blogging I had better talk about my passions if I don't I'll never update it and no one will be interested in it in the slightest.
So to all you coffee lovers out there bear with the kite stuff:
For you kiter's hey wanna a cup of Joe?
and my musings well that will just be me I hope there is something for all my visitors shortly.

Dennis

My first post to a blog, yes ever!!!

2007-10-16T17:06:00.000-04:00

I have never ever done a blog before so here goes:
I am going to put up some of my writings I have written (I'll have to dig them out)
I hope to share my passions of Coffee and Kites I roast my own coffee and build kites. I guess that makes me kinda handy.