I received an e-mail from someone after reading my "Not About Terri Schiavo" post. The person said there is no Heaven or Hell. When you die, you're gone. Journey over. It made me think a little and I decided to respond with this post.
When I was living on Bonnell Street, in Flemington, NJ, back in the late 70s, I had several experiences that you could call strange. One night, lying in bed, I was dozing off, but awakened by the front door opening. At that time, I lived alone and my bedroom was the first one up the stairs. I heard footsteps, like female footsteps, not heavy, walk across the room and start up the stairs. I was sure I had locked the door. I waited until the steps came almost to the top. There was no way I was going to let an intruder near me. I jumped out of bed and at the same time I turned on the light switch, I kicked into the air at my target. There was no one there. OK. The possibility of it being a dream was true, but, I've never dreamed like that. I wasn't on drugs. When I was awake, I still heard the footsteps coming up. I heard the door open. I was scared and quite alert. What was it? I don't know. When I first moved in, I heard voices coming from the kitchen a couple of times. It stopped whenever I entered the room. No one was outside talking. Those, I just ignored. Thought nothing of it. Until...
When I started seeing Maryen, but before she moved in, we were going out for the night to hear a friend, Ken Yard play in a band in Easton, PA. Ken and his girlfriend, Nancy were living with me at that time. They had left hours earlier. We stopped at Maryen's and then mine to get changed. While I was in the bedroom looking through my dresser, Maryen went down the hall to the bathroom. She left the door open. The downstairs door opened and up the stairs walked a female. I assumed Nancy had come back for something because she walked right into their bedroom. They should have been hours away. When Maryen came to my room, she said that Nancy was home. I said, yes, I know, I heard her. When I had glanced out of the corner of my eye, I saw a shadow walk by. Maryen saw the same thing. I yelled, Hi, Nancy! There was no answer. We walked into their room. No one was there. I looked under the bed and in the closet. Nothing. I would have shrugged it off again, but, Maryen heard and saw the same thing as I did. I had never brought up the notion of spirits in the house to her before. I mean, we hadn't been together that long. I didn't want her to think I was crazy. Was that strange? Or were we? We never experienced anything again.
About a year or so later, I ran into an author and locally renowned historion on Flemington and Hunterdon County. When I told her of my incidents, I piqued her interest. She researched the address. Later, she told me a seven year old girl had drowned in a well out back hundreds of years ago. The well was long gone. At one time, the house was part of the Fleming Castle estate, most likely a barn, erected after the castle was built in 1756.
I had always been skeptical about ghosts until those experiences. I can't say for sure that I believe in them, but, I won't say that I don't, either. I think what I'm trying to say, is that, if there is even a remote possibility of the existence of apparitions, then there is also that chance of an afterlife.
Please visit my main blog at marinadedave.com
Wednesday, April 06, 2005
Monday, April 04, 2005
Not About Terri Schiavo
I had the good fortune of seeing some very close friends over the weekend. They have a son they took to Universal Studios and Disney World. Since I live here in the Orlando area, I went with them. Their son, Ryan, who is 24, is mentally challenged, to be politically correct. Very much so.
One thing that's true about people with his mentality. They are so innocent. A really great guy and extremely people oriented, but, he'd walk around naively naked if no one told him to get dressed. It kind of makes me think about the Schaivo case. Take a woman who had virtually no brain function left, and a guy like Ryan, who was born with very limited mental faculties. Suppose Terri Schiavo, or someone with a condition like hers, being the result of an injury, at any age, never had a chance to formulate their religious beliefs. Ryan has no concept of any type of supreme being just by the inherent nature of his mind. You can't teach him. He, and many like him, are babes in the woods. Do these people have no chance to go to any type of heaven if there is such a thing as an afterlife? Don't tell me that God has a "special place" for the innocents. Whose God? Yours, mine or someone elses? Where, in your scriptures, does it state a "special place" where God baptizes them into Heaven? Do they go to a place reserved for the mentally challenged? Or do they lose that handicap?
What happens, if a teenager, who might have been brought up in a religious and/or structured family, does typical teenage things, like swearing, drinking, smoking and generally becomes rebellious and antisocial? There is that 16 going on 30 thing, you know. Then they die before having a chance to become an adult and really formulate their opinions. You don't know what positive or negative influence they might have had on life. What happens to them? Hell? They still had the mind of a child.
At what point are "mind-less" people acceptable to God? Who is authorized to answer these complex and moral questions? Religious leaders always seem to have the answers that suit their own desires and beliefs, though. For example, why is it better to err on the side of life as you are condoning the death penalty? I'm not questioning that or the right to die. I just wonder who is qualified to answer for God.
I do know, though, that Ryan, Terri Schiavo and all like them will always have a "special place" in my heart.
One thing that's true about people with his mentality. They are so innocent. A really great guy and extremely people oriented, but, he'd walk around naively naked if no one told him to get dressed. It kind of makes me think about the Schaivo case. Take a woman who had virtually no brain function left, and a guy like Ryan, who was born with very limited mental faculties. Suppose Terri Schiavo, or someone with a condition like hers, being the result of an injury, at any age, never had a chance to formulate their religious beliefs. Ryan has no concept of any type of supreme being just by the inherent nature of his mind. You can't teach him. He, and many like him, are babes in the woods. Do these people have no chance to go to any type of heaven if there is such a thing as an afterlife? Don't tell me that God has a "special place" for the innocents. Whose God? Yours, mine or someone elses? Where, in your scriptures, does it state a "special place" where God baptizes them into Heaven? Do they go to a place reserved for the mentally challenged? Or do they lose that handicap?
What happens, if a teenager, who might have been brought up in a religious and/or structured family, does typical teenage things, like swearing, drinking, smoking and generally becomes rebellious and antisocial? There is that 16 going on 30 thing, you know. Then they die before having a chance to become an adult and really formulate their opinions. You don't know what positive or negative influence they might have had on life. What happens to them? Hell? They still had the mind of a child.
At what point are "mind-less" people acceptable to God? Who is authorized to answer these complex and moral questions? Religious leaders always seem to have the answers that suit their own desires and beliefs, though. For example, why is it better to err on the side of life as you are condoning the death penalty? I'm not questioning that or the right to die. I just wonder who is qualified to answer for God.
I do know, though, that Ryan, Terri Schiavo and all like them will always have a "special place" in my heart.
Thursday, March 31, 2005
Business Card Promotion
This is a business card I designed for a company I work for. If you wanted to order cards, guess who would do the design work?
Monday, March 28, 2005
Marinating Tips
Please click on the title of this post (above) to link to the actual Marinating Tips post, or CLICK HERE .
Thursday, March 24, 2005
The Difference Between Men And Women
This morning, on my way into work, I stopped at a grocery store to buy some frozen entrees for lunch. The store was promoting a 'buy one, get one free' deal, so, I wanted to take advantage of that and stock up. On my way out, a somewhat attractive woman stopped her car in front of me. She looked and said, "I can't find my drink!" I walked over to her vehicle, not too close, though, and looked in. Then she turned around and looked into the back seat. There, in plain view, were pretty much her exposed butt crack and cheeks. Her jeans were slid down. Far.
Well, and a mighty fine 'Good Morning' to you. Not what one would expect to see at 8:00 o'clock in the morning. At least, not from a total stranger.
I wished her good luck, told her she'd either find it or get wet, and went on my way.
I thought about what if, when I approached her, I noticed she wasn't wearing pants or anything at all down there. Suppose it was a man doing the same thing to a woman, exposing all his parts, what would she do? My guess is that she would take down his tag number as she was running back inside and call the police. Most men, though, in this situation, might be inclined to ask for her phone number and a date. Or at least give it a passing thought before calling the police.
Well, and a mighty fine 'Good Morning' to you. Not what one would expect to see at 8:00 o'clock in the morning. At least, not from a total stranger.
I wished her good luck, told her she'd either find it or get wet, and went on my way.
I thought about what if, when I approached her, I noticed she wasn't wearing pants or anything at all down there. Suppose it was a man doing the same thing to a woman, exposing all his parts, what would she do? My guess is that she would take down his tag number as she was running back inside and call the police. Most men, though, in this situation, might be inclined to ask for her phone number and a date. Or at least give it a passing thought before calling the police.
Tuesday, March 22, 2005
San Diego Fires
When I went to San Diego, I went up to my hosts' mountain home, overlooking Lake Cuyamaca. I took this coming down the mountain, January 7, 2005. This is from the San Diego Fires in October of 2003. A lot of the structures haven't been rebuilt yet. Construction companies are backlogged, just like roofing companies in Florida from the hurricanes of 2004.
It kind of symbolizes, to me, how devastating fires can be. A little piece of Heaven turned suddenly into a fiery Hell. It was one of the worst in the history of the United States.
It kind of symbolizes, to me, how devastating fires can be. A little piece of Heaven turned suddenly into a fiery Hell. It was one of the worst in the history of the United States.
Monday, March 21, 2005
Update On Bud
It's been a while since Bud underwent his chemo. Soon after, he came down with a rather high fever and a general malaise. No strength. No appetite. He lost a lot of fluids. The doctors have no idea what has caused the fever. They've run lots of tests. I asked him, you know, if they've treated 10,000 people with AML, how could you possibly be the first person to come down with a fever? They have no idea. He tried to eat a hospital pizza the other day. He is on a very restricted diet, but, that seems to be OK to eat. I said, hey, if you're allowed to eat a lousy hospital pizza, why not order a good one from an Italian restaurant. From their last trips out to Houston, when he underwent the clinical trial chemo, they got to know Johnny Carrabba, his mother, Rose, and his cousin, Damian Mandola, from their Houston restaurant. I said, order a pizza from them. They make a good pie you would enjoy. It's not too big and, perhaps it will enhance your appetite!
He must lose the fever and regain his strength enough to undergo one final chemo treatment just before the stem cell transplant. If this does not occur, he will not be able to have the transplant and that would be a most terrible thing.
He must lose the fever and regain his strength enough to undergo one final chemo treatment just before the stem cell transplant. If this does not occur, he will not be able to have the transplant and that would be a most terrible thing.
Monday, March 14, 2005
Maggie & Bud
This is the last picture taken of my sister, Maggie, and her husband, Bud, before they left for Houston, where he will undergo chemo before his stem cell transplant for leukemia.
This was taken a little over 2 weeks ago. Since then, he has undergone that chemo and is a very weak person now. He must remain this way until his transplant in the beginning of April. If his condition improves during this time, it also means his leukemic blast levels are on the rise, and that is not good. It's almost a sort of suspended animation, but, you are conscious. No energy and not much of an appetite. In the meantime, he will undergo platelet and red cell transfusions up until then.
We are all pulling for him.
This was taken a little over 2 weeks ago. Since then, he has undergone that chemo and is a very weak person now. He must remain this way until his transplant in the beginning of April. If his condition improves during this time, it also means his leukemic blast levels are on the rise, and that is not good. It's almost a sort of suspended animation, but, you are conscious. No energy and not much of an appetite. In the meantime, he will undergo platelet and red cell transfusions up until then.
We are all pulling for him.
Friday, March 11, 2005
Pizza Delivery Boy Dave
Back in the early 80's I worked for an ad agency. We designed advertisements for a department store chain based out of North Carolina. We also did radio spots and I got to do several voice-overs. We ran ads and radio spots throughout a good part of Florida. The copywriter, Larry, and I became pretty close friends. At some point, he had health issues concerning his liver. The doctors wanted to do a biopsy which entailed his overnight stay in a downtown hospital. I went early that evening to see him. I asked the head nurse if he was on any type of restricted diet. She said no. I asked him if he wanted a pizza, that I wanted one, too. Of course, he said. There was a place called Lorenzo's a couple blocks away that made a pretty good pie, the kind that when you fold it to eat, the oil oozes down your arm. Not very healthy, but it sure was tasty.
Now, back in those days, I used to imbibe in a little green stuff once in a while, if you know what I mean. Earlier in the week, I had a friend who set me up with a little of that green stuff. I called the pizza joint and ordered a large pie with mushrooms and extra cheese. When I brought it out to my car, I broke open the bag of already cleaned stuff and began to sprinkle it all over that pizza. I knew the oil would make it very moist and easier to eat. I figured it would help him relax.
I got back to the hospital and took the elevator up to the second floor. As the doors opened up, there was another nurse standing there. She asked. "Where are you going with that pizza?" I answered, "To Larry's room. The head nurse said it was OK." To which she responded, "No you're not! Not without giving me a piece!" "Well," I said, "you can have as many slices as you want." She took two. Larry and I ate the rest. I didn't tell him about that extra spice, but, he did ask me later if I had done something with that pie, that he sure did feel good that night and next day, even with the anticipation of knowing what was going to happen in the morning. Yes, I did. We both wondered about what happened to the nurse that night and laughed. She was a really nice lady and I'm sure it did her no harm. At least, I hope she didn't get into any trouble. Hey! What are friends for? And she was the one who insisted on eating some.
Larry died a couple of years later from complications of liver cancer. He was a great guy and I still think about him every so often. He was the one who gave me that stuff.
Now, back in those days, I used to imbibe in a little green stuff once in a while, if you know what I mean. Earlier in the week, I had a friend who set me up with a little of that green stuff. I called the pizza joint and ordered a large pie with mushrooms and extra cheese. When I brought it out to my car, I broke open the bag of already cleaned stuff and began to sprinkle it all over that pizza. I knew the oil would make it very moist and easier to eat. I figured it would help him relax.
I got back to the hospital and took the elevator up to the second floor. As the doors opened up, there was another nurse standing there. She asked. "Where are you going with that pizza?" I answered, "To Larry's room. The head nurse said it was OK." To which she responded, "No you're not! Not without giving me a piece!" "Well," I said, "you can have as many slices as you want." She took two. Larry and I ate the rest. I didn't tell him about that extra spice, but, he did ask me later if I had done something with that pie, that he sure did feel good that night and next day, even with the anticipation of knowing what was going to happen in the morning. Yes, I did. We both wondered about what happened to the nurse that night and laughed. She was a really nice lady and I'm sure it did her no harm. At least, I hope she didn't get into any trouble. Hey! What are friends for? And she was the one who insisted on eating some.
Larry died a couple of years later from complications of liver cancer. He was a great guy and I still think about him every so often. He was the one who gave me that stuff.
Tuesday, March 01, 2005
Insurgents near Kirkuk attacked the Al-Dibbis oil field belonging to the North Oil Co.
My brother, Tim, took this picture from his base (Krabtown) in Kirkuk. The insurgents keep blowing it up. American soldiers protect the employees who go in to work on it.
He has sat down and drank tea with the Kurds who work on base. He says they are very friendly and happy the Americans are there.
He has sat down and drank tea with the Kurds who work on base. He says they are very friendly and happy the Americans are there.
Wednesday, February 16, 2005
Why Him, Not Me?
Acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) is a malignancy that arises in either granulocytes or monocytes which are white blood cells that battle infectious agents throughout the body. AML is not inherited or contagious. It develops when there is a defect in the immature cells in the bone marrow.
The effects of AML are:
1) the uncontrolled, exaggerated growth and accumulation of cells called "leukemic blasts," which fail to function as normal blood cells, and
2) the blockade of the production of normal marrow cells, leading to a deficiency of red cells (anemia), and platelets (thrombocytopenia) and normal white cells (especially neutrophils, i.e. neutropenia) in the blood.
Acute myelogenous leukemia is the most common type of leukemia in adults, with an estimated 10,100 new cases of AML reported each year. Older people are more likely to develop AML than children. In fact, the risk for developing the disease increases about ten-fold from age 30 (1 case per 100,000) to age 70 (1 case per 10,000).
For years, my sister had loser men. Then along came Bud. A salt of the earth sort of guy. All around great guy. Loved by all. They've been together and happily married for quite some time now. In December of 2003, he fell ill. This is what he has. He went through a year of chemotherapy at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas, traveling back and forth from Florida every month. He finished treatment in December of last year. The chemo forced him into remission and all seemed well and right on schedule. Last week he was tested and his red and white blood cell and platelet counts were too low. Too low, that, the doctors were quite alarmed. It didn't work, but without it, he wouldn't be here today. Since the chemo did not work, he is not eligible to take it again. This was a clinical trial for approval by the FDA with new types of drugs. The trial period is now over. They left for Houston on Sunday. There, the doctors will test him for leukemic blasts, which must have returned in order for his counts to be low, and to take bone marrow to test for a matching stem cell transplant donor. There are at least 2 suitable donors right now. His marrow will be killed through a massive dose of chemo, which is deadly in itself. Much stronger than the last procedure and highly toxic. If he survives this, and many don't, the doctors will proceed with the transplant. The greatest risk of the transplant procedure is the fear that the new donor cells will attack his organs. If this occurs, his organs will shut down. If it works, interestingly enough, his blood type will change forever to the donor's type. This is a risk he must take. He wouldn't survive without it anyway. He will be in total isolation for at least a month. They will have to move to Houston for a minimum of six months. All of his siblings have been tested as donors, but none are compatible. This is his last resort. It will either work or it won't. As it was when given chemo last year, his immune system will stop working and he will have to watch his diet and whom he comes into contact with. He is a very strong and brave man and has an incredible will to live.
We would all love to have him around for a long time. All I ask is that you have a kind thought or prayer for my brother-in-law, Bud Trexler and my sister, Maggie, who is also going through a very rough time right now.
The effects of AML are:
1) the uncontrolled, exaggerated growth and accumulation of cells called "leukemic blasts," which fail to function as normal blood cells, and
2) the blockade of the production of normal marrow cells, leading to a deficiency of red cells (anemia), and platelets (thrombocytopenia) and normal white cells (especially neutrophils, i.e. neutropenia) in the blood.
Acute myelogenous leukemia is the most common type of leukemia in adults, with an estimated 10,100 new cases of AML reported each year. Older people are more likely to develop AML than children. In fact, the risk for developing the disease increases about ten-fold from age 30 (1 case per 100,000) to age 70 (1 case per 10,000).
For years, my sister had loser men. Then along came Bud. A salt of the earth sort of guy. All around great guy. Loved by all. They've been together and happily married for quite some time now. In December of 2003, he fell ill. This is what he has. He went through a year of chemotherapy at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas, traveling back and forth from Florida every month. He finished treatment in December of last year. The chemo forced him into remission and all seemed well and right on schedule. Last week he was tested and his red and white blood cell and platelet counts were too low. Too low, that, the doctors were quite alarmed. It didn't work, but without it, he wouldn't be here today. Since the chemo did not work, he is not eligible to take it again. This was a clinical trial for approval by the FDA with new types of drugs. The trial period is now over. They left for Houston on Sunday. There, the doctors will test him for leukemic blasts, which must have returned in order for his counts to be low, and to take bone marrow to test for a matching stem cell transplant donor. There are at least 2 suitable donors right now. His marrow will be killed through a massive dose of chemo, which is deadly in itself. Much stronger than the last procedure and highly toxic. If he survives this, and many don't, the doctors will proceed with the transplant. The greatest risk of the transplant procedure is the fear that the new donor cells will attack his organs. If this occurs, his organs will shut down. If it works, interestingly enough, his blood type will change forever to the donor's type. This is a risk he must take. He wouldn't survive without it anyway. He will be in total isolation for at least a month. They will have to move to Houston for a minimum of six months. All of his siblings have been tested as donors, but none are compatible. This is his last resort. It will either work or it won't. As it was when given chemo last year, his immune system will stop working and he will have to watch his diet and whom he comes into contact with. He is a very strong and brave man and has an incredible will to live.
We would all love to have him around for a long time. All I ask is that you have a kind thought or prayer for my brother-in-law, Bud Trexler and my sister, Maggie, who is also going through a very rough time right now.
Tuesday, February 15, 2005
Ah, San Diego...
Recently, a friend of mine moved to the San Diego area, where his sister and her husband and children live. I had met them when they came to Orlando last year and we got to be pretty good friends. They are very, very nice people. They invited me to come out there when he moved and see what that part of the world is like. It's beautiful, to say the least and a wonderful gift from them.
We flew in to San Diego airport the day before Super Sunday and headed east on I-8 for the mountains. They have a ranch on North Peak, which is 9 miles south of Julian. I thought I would need an oxygen mask. We were 5,675 feet up. I was fine. No problem breathing at all. That night, I went outside and looked up at the sky. I saw stars that I never thought existed. Billions and billions of them, just like Carl Sagan said. The air was so crisp and clean. The Pleiades, or 'Seven Sisters' star cluster was so bright, I almost needed to wear sunglasses. I looked off to the east and the lights of a city were clearly visible. This was El Centro, 68 miles away. It looked about 5 miles from me. The surrounding areas were magnificent. Mountaintops, valleys, canyons, a lake and desert below us. The most gold ever mined in California came from Stonewall Peak, which is pictured here, a few miles from us. We were actually higher. You think of San Francisco and the "Forty-Niners," but, no, this one was the mother lode.
When the fires of 2003 rolled through, they lost their house and other structures. A local fireman saved the barn. They have three horses. They built their home atop the barn, incredibly well designed by them. These are very unique and talented people, resilient to a fault. The wood came from their land. They use as much as they can from their own resources without disturbing (and in harmony with) nature. They will rebuild their house.
Cold weather set in. Sleet, freezing rain, rain and snow. Watching the Super Bowl at 3:30 in the afternoon with friends from the area, staying warm by a fire. Good food and drink. What more could one want from life? Warmer weather?
Well, we came down the mountain Monday morning. The temperature was warming up and ice was falling off the trees. It was 36 when we left and 66 down below. Two hours later, we were eating lunch at the Poseidon restaurant in Del Mar, right on the Pacific ocean. Amazing. Freezing to soaking up the sun in no time at all. I should have left my jacket in the car. We went to Torrey Pines Golf Course, home of the last Buick Invitational (which Tiger won,) the 2008 U.S. Open, and, where Scott Peterson was arrested. I have an actual Torrey Pine Cone. Ebay, anyone?
The remainder of my time was spent in Encinitas and surrounding communities, mostly along the coast. It's interesting to see how nature erodes the coastline. Homes that are worth millions of dollars are poised to one day drop into the sea, hundreds of feet below. Instead of row houses, like in Philadelphia, there are many homes stacked on top of each other, up and down hilltops. Many hilltops more inland from the sea have homes built around the top for a beautiful vista, overlooking valleys. This is expensive property and similar to lakefront property in Florida because of the exclusive nature of its location and panoramic views. The temperatures range from 50-70 degrees pretty much year round. On my final day there, we went to the Fort Rosecrans National Cemetary in Point Loma, overlooking San Diego from the north. What a view. This is where many naval veterans would prefer to be buried, even more so than Arlington.
When it comes to the cost of living, yes, it can be more expensive than other areas. Housing, for sure. But, you can find seasonal items like 6 lbs. of navel oranges for a buck. 3 heads of lettuce for 99 cents. Gas ran about $2.10/gallon for reg. unleaded. I bought a disposable camera for $10.99 in Orlando and bought another one out there for $6.94. Same one. Taxes are higher, but, hey, so's the income. Everyone will find something to praise and complain about, no matter where they go.
Friends told me, before I went, that I would fall in love with the San Diego area. They were right.
We flew in to San Diego airport the day before Super Sunday and headed east on I-8 for the mountains. They have a ranch on North Peak, which is 9 miles south of Julian. I thought I would need an oxygen mask. We were 5,675 feet up. I was fine. No problem breathing at all. That night, I went outside and looked up at the sky. I saw stars that I never thought existed. Billions and billions of them, just like Carl Sagan said. The air was so crisp and clean. The Pleiades, or 'Seven Sisters' star cluster was so bright, I almost needed to wear sunglasses. I looked off to the east and the lights of a city were clearly visible. This was El Centro, 68 miles away. It looked about 5 miles from me. The surrounding areas were magnificent. Mountaintops, valleys, canyons, a lake and desert below us. The most gold ever mined in California came from Stonewall Peak, which is pictured here, a few miles from us. We were actually higher. You think of San Francisco and the "Forty-Niners," but, no, this one was the mother lode.
When the fires of 2003 rolled through, they lost their house and other structures. A local fireman saved the barn. They have three horses. They built their home atop the barn, incredibly well designed by them. These are very unique and talented people, resilient to a fault. The wood came from their land. They use as much as they can from their own resources without disturbing (and in harmony with) nature. They will rebuild their house.
Cold weather set in. Sleet, freezing rain, rain and snow. Watching the Super Bowl at 3:30 in the afternoon with friends from the area, staying warm by a fire. Good food and drink. What more could one want from life? Warmer weather?
Well, we came down the mountain Monday morning. The temperature was warming up and ice was falling off the trees. It was 36 when we left and 66 down below. Two hours later, we were eating lunch at the Poseidon restaurant in Del Mar, right on the Pacific ocean. Amazing. Freezing to soaking up the sun in no time at all. I should have left my jacket in the car. We went to Torrey Pines Golf Course, home of the last Buick Invitational (which Tiger won,) the 2008 U.S. Open, and, where Scott Peterson was arrested. I have an actual Torrey Pine Cone. Ebay, anyone?
The remainder of my time was spent in Encinitas and surrounding communities, mostly along the coast. It's interesting to see how nature erodes the coastline. Homes that are worth millions of dollars are poised to one day drop into the sea, hundreds of feet below. Instead of row houses, like in Philadelphia, there are many homes stacked on top of each other, up and down hilltops. Many hilltops more inland from the sea have homes built around the top for a beautiful vista, overlooking valleys. This is expensive property and similar to lakefront property in Florida because of the exclusive nature of its location and panoramic views. The temperatures range from 50-70 degrees pretty much year round. On my final day there, we went to the Fort Rosecrans National Cemetary in Point Loma, overlooking San Diego from the north. What a view. This is where many naval veterans would prefer to be buried, even more so than Arlington.
When it comes to the cost of living, yes, it can be more expensive than other areas. Housing, for sure. But, you can find seasonal items like 6 lbs. of navel oranges for a buck. 3 heads of lettuce for 99 cents. Gas ran about $2.10/gallon for reg. unleaded. I bought a disposable camera for $10.99 in Orlando and bought another one out there for $6.94. Same one. Taxes are higher, but, hey, so's the income. Everyone will find something to praise and complain about, no matter where they go.
Friends told me, before I went, that I would fall in love with the San Diego area. They were right.
Wednesday, February 02, 2005
The Power Of War
My brother says, "we have a rule to be within 3 minutes of our gear now. [They wear it most of the day, anyway.] We have to wear it due to the attacks. We're worried about the rocket airbursts more than anything because of the shrapnel. I've seen the damage it can do. Attached is a hummer that got blown all to shit. It was armored too. I collected some .50 cal rounds that exploded inside. Me thinks the poor guys didn't make it but I didn't find any human remains...like teeth."
Let's hope and pray there was no one in that vehicle when it was hit.
Let's hope and pray there was no one in that vehicle when it was hit.
Thursday, January 27, 2005
Sunset In Iraq
This is my brother, Tim, stationed at Krabtown, otherwise known as Kirkuk Regional Air Base. Kirkuk is north of Baghdad and southeast of Mosul. There is generally more of a Kurdish population there. They are a lot friendlier than the rest. He says, "Off in the distance you can see the low, long smoke cloud that's always with us. Car bombs are starting now. Elections thing I guess."
Sunday, January 23, 2005
Not A Typical Day
Oh boy, where do I start?
I left Orlando to visit friends, Stewart & An, just north of Ft. Myers Saturday morning. Stewart and I have been best friends since early high school in New Jersey. Got about 150 miles away, about 30 miles from their place. All of a sudden, the car started to lose power. I turned off the engine and as I was coasting to a stop along the shoulder, I saw steam eminating from under the hood. Now, bear in mind, when you're traveling 75 MPH down I-75, you don't get to see that steam. The car gave me no sign whatsoever that there was a serious problem going on underneath that hood. Temperature gauge showed nothing unusual. No bells and whistles went off. Nothing. What happened, though, was that the top radiator hose burst. Unfortunately, when the car started to power down, it was due to a major malfunction. Minimally, I blew a head gasket. It only gets worse from there. Warped head. Broken camshaft or a combination of all of the above. No compression. When the towtruck came and raised it onto the bed, fresh antifreeze was coming out of the tailpipe. Not a good sign. I had called my friend from where I broke down and he stopped and picked up a new hose and coolant and drove to where I was. So, here I am. No car and 3 hours away from home. We left it at a Publix shopping center in Venice, with the manager's permission, so at least there won't be a storage fee. My father says he can rent a hitch and come and tow it back, so that's good. I put new tires on it last week and changed the oil. The new tires are now worth more than the car they rest on. My father is going to talk to his friend, a retired Ford engineer (mine is a Mercury) about my options, but, even so, I think I'm in a mess.
But it gets better...
While standing outside of Stewart's pick-up, I called my folks to let them know what was going on. All of a sudden, I started getting that ooh, ouch, yikes! sensation of fire ant bites. I must have had 10,000 of them on me. I was covered in them from waist down, inside and outside. They sneak up on you and, I have no clue how, they emit a silent signal to strike. All at once they all go into action. You don't even know they're there, until it's too late. Fortunately, I've never had a really bad reaction to any insect bite or sting. I have no allergies I am aware of. I got a little light headed for a few moments. My right hand got pretty swollen and is still sore. My legs got it the worst, but my hand bothers me more. Go figure.
Yet, throughout my day, I remained the eternal optimist.
I left Orlando to visit friends, Stewart & An, just north of Ft. Myers Saturday morning. Stewart and I have been best friends since early high school in New Jersey. Got about 150 miles away, about 30 miles from their place. All of a sudden, the car started to lose power. I turned off the engine and as I was coasting to a stop along the shoulder, I saw steam eminating from under the hood. Now, bear in mind, when you're traveling 75 MPH down I-75, you don't get to see that steam. The car gave me no sign whatsoever that there was a serious problem going on underneath that hood. Temperature gauge showed nothing unusual. No bells and whistles went off. Nothing. What happened, though, was that the top radiator hose burst. Unfortunately, when the car started to power down, it was due to a major malfunction. Minimally, I blew a head gasket. It only gets worse from there. Warped head. Broken camshaft or a combination of all of the above. No compression. When the towtruck came and raised it onto the bed, fresh antifreeze was coming out of the tailpipe. Not a good sign. I had called my friend from where I broke down and he stopped and picked up a new hose and coolant and drove to where I was. So, here I am. No car and 3 hours away from home. We left it at a Publix shopping center in Venice, with the manager's permission, so at least there won't be a storage fee. My father says he can rent a hitch and come and tow it back, so that's good. I put new tires on it last week and changed the oil. The new tires are now worth more than the car they rest on. My father is going to talk to his friend, a retired Ford engineer (mine is a Mercury) about my options, but, even so, I think I'm in a mess.
But it gets better...
While standing outside of Stewart's pick-up, I called my folks to let them know what was going on. All of a sudden, I started getting that ooh, ouch, yikes! sensation of fire ant bites. I must have had 10,000 of them on me. I was covered in them from waist down, inside and outside. They sneak up on you and, I have no clue how, they emit a silent signal to strike. All at once they all go into action. You don't even know they're there, until it's too late. Fortunately, I've never had a really bad reaction to any insect bite or sting. I have no allergies I am aware of. I got a little light headed for a few moments. My right hand got pretty swollen and is still sore. My legs got it the worst, but my hand bothers me more. Go figure.
Yet, throughout my day, I remained the eternal optimist.
Wednesday, January 19, 2005
More From The Captain
My brother has been in Iraq almost a month now, so, he's had time to adjust to the lifestyle. We e-mail each other several times a week discussing what is going on in our lives. We have always been close, so this back and forth banter is very good for both of us. Being a specialist in his field, he probably will not venture off base, since his work is confined to that area. Hopefully.
The most disheartening thing, where he is, is the rocket attacks at night, rockets that can land anywhere on base. Everyone lives with that fear of not knowing if your time may be up.
The best thing there is the ice cream. He says, "Yup, the food is quite good. They have the creamiest, smoothest ice cream I've ever had. In fact, they also have the best eggs, sausage and hashbrowns, too. Lunch and dinner is regaled with fresh veggies and fruit. The dinner entrees themselves are not noteworthy, however they do have a large variety...There's an abundance of low quality desserts as well (except for the ice cream!)" I wonder if the ice cream isn't sent in from Russia. Russia is well known for having the best in the world, believe it or not.
"The food gives us much gas which can be a real joy at night. I've never had so much gas. I think it's because we don't chew our food as diligently as we should in hopes of getting out of the ever so populated chow hall in a rather quick manner - high density means high target value. It's always, always on everyone's mind." I told him it was always rumored that the military put saltpeter in food to keep one's libido in check. Maybe they switched to something else to keep them from getting any strange ideas about each other.
The temperature ranges from the low 30's at night, to the low 60's during the day. Not too bad, for having to spend time where you'd rather not be.
There has been news about the lack of armor on Humvees and other vehicles. This photo should help disperse some of those rumors. My brother brought this to my attention. This photo was posted today at a military website, which I then uploaded to my blog post. Of course, I blurred the faces. Here, these men are in Iraq to install protective armor on Humvees and other vehicles, in this case, installing an armored roof. There is probably a lot going on there that we don't know about. Stuff that normally wouldn't be reported in the press. I've found from other blogs that many, many Iraqi people are appreciative of our efforts. I'm not trying to take sides about being pro or anti-war, but always be aware of what is actually going on in the world. We tend to view the press as being open-minded, but I think they can be pretty closed when it comes to espousing their own views. Especially with this war.
I would love to hear from people who would like to send their wishes and thoughts on to my brother. These soldiers really do appreciate messages sent from anyone. Any and all words of encouragement mean an awful lot to them. E-mail me at marinadedave@yahoo.com or add a comment here and I will forward every one of them to him. Thank you very much.
The most disheartening thing, where he is, is the rocket attacks at night, rockets that can land anywhere on base. Everyone lives with that fear of not knowing if your time may be up.
The best thing there is the ice cream. He says, "Yup, the food is quite good. They have the creamiest, smoothest ice cream I've ever had. In fact, they also have the best eggs, sausage and hashbrowns, too. Lunch and dinner is regaled with fresh veggies and fruit. The dinner entrees themselves are not noteworthy, however they do have a large variety...There's an abundance of low quality desserts as well (except for the ice cream!)" I wonder if the ice cream isn't sent in from Russia. Russia is well known for having the best in the world, believe it or not.
"The food gives us much gas which can be a real joy at night. I've never had so much gas. I think it's because we don't chew our food as diligently as we should in hopes of getting out of the ever so populated chow hall in a rather quick manner - high density means high target value. It's always, always on everyone's mind." I told him it was always rumored that the military put saltpeter in food to keep one's libido in check. Maybe they switched to something else to keep them from getting any strange ideas about each other.
The temperature ranges from the low 30's at night, to the low 60's during the day. Not too bad, for having to spend time where you'd rather not be.
There has been news about the lack of armor on Humvees and other vehicles. This photo should help disperse some of those rumors. My brother brought this to my attention. This photo was posted today at a military website, which I then uploaded to my blog post. Of course, I blurred the faces. Here, these men are in Iraq to install protective armor on Humvees and other vehicles, in this case, installing an armored roof. There is probably a lot going on there that we don't know about. Stuff that normally wouldn't be reported in the press. I've found from other blogs that many, many Iraqi people are appreciative of our efforts. I'm not trying to take sides about being pro or anti-war, but always be aware of what is actually going on in the world. We tend to view the press as being open-minded, but I think they can be pretty closed when it comes to espousing their own views. Especially with this war.
I would love to hear from people who would like to send their wishes and thoughts on to my brother. These soldiers really do appreciate messages sent from anyone. Any and all words of encouragement mean an awful lot to them. E-mail me at marinadedave@yahoo.com or add a comment here and I will forward every one of them to him. Thank you very much.
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