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.
Please visit my main blog at marinadedave.com
Monday, March 14, 2005
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.
Thursday, December 30, 2004
RESTAURANT REVIEWS
This is a new section I would like to devote to restaurants. I will write reviews of places where I have dined. I certainly would like you to write to me and offer your opinions on all types of restaurants in your area. You will get full credit under the name of your choice and the date of your submission will be posted above the review. I will just make typo corrections and highlight certain items.
You may post your reviews in comments or e-mail me at marinadedave@yahoo.com
AMURA JAPANESE RESTAURANT
8/25/2005
Yesterday, three of us from work went to the Amura Japanese Restaurant in Lake Mary, Florida, a suburb north of Orlando. The name "Amura" comes from a deviation of their original name. It was, at one time, called "Samurai" but someone had already registered that name. Instead of completely renaming themselves, they dropped the first and last letters. Amura is Japanese for "Asian Village."
Upon entering, we noticed it was nicely appointed. Not way too elegant, but, not at all shabby. Overall, it's a very nice interior and quite large inside. When the hostess seated us, we immediately noticed how loud the lunchtime crowd was. The open ceiling with exposed air conditioning ducts had a lot to do with that. It didn't bother us since we were three guys and there was nothing romantic about it. A cute and petite waitress came up and took our drink orders. In the meantime, we perused the regular menu and the requisite sushi sheet that we're all familiar with, if you like sushi. This one, though, had a very large selection to choose from, with little descriptions accompanying each item.
When the waitress, Tita, came back, we ordered three Seaweed Salads with Spicy Tuna from the regular menu appetizer list. We also ordered the Shrimp Tempura with Vegetables. The Seaweed Salads with Spicy Tuna were really good, with a decent amount of the raw fish. With it were slightly pickled sliced cucumber and julienned daikon radish. Very enjoyable. The Shrimp & Vegetable Tempura came with various battered and deep fried vegetables and two large shrimp. Kind of tough when there are three of you, but, we cut them up and there was no problem. The salads were $7.99 each and I don't remember what the tempura was, but, hey, I wasn't paying. Saturday is my birthday and they wanted to treat me.
From the sushi menu, we ordered nothing but rolls. Lots of them. They brought the feast out on one of those Titanic sized boats that took up much of the table for four. We ordered the "Brainstorm" ($10.99) which consisted of soft shell crab, shrimp, smoked salmon, cream cheese and scallions. Very good. We got the "Crunch Munch" ($6.99) with tempura crunch, crab, avocado and mayonnaise. Another good one. We had to see what their take on the "Dynamite Roll" ($7.99) was going to be. This was just tuna, yellowtail and wasabi. So far, no complaints. The "Hiroshima Roll" ($11.99) was a strange name to me. I don't think naming something after death and destruction was that appropriate, but, it was good. It had tuna, yellowtail, snapper and mayo stuffed in it. The "Kamikaze" ($9.99) was merely a spicy tuna roll, albeit, tasty. The "Super Crunch Roll" ($9.99) was loaded with tempura crumbs and I don't remember what else. The "Unforgettable Roll" ($10.99) was spicy tuna, eel and tempura crunch. They like using that crunch stuff a lot, but, it does add a flavor that, overall, enhances a little bit. Now, last, but, not least, we penciled in the "Volcano Roll" ($10.99) which consisted of scallops, real crab, which is sometimes hard to find these days, salmon and cream cheese, but for 11 bucks, it had better be the real thing.
Overall, all of the rolls were delicious. The fish was firm and very fresh. Obviously, you could put all of the rolls on a scale, listing from first to last. There wasn't one particular roll I would not order again. There wasn't anything any of us could complain about. Me? Personally, I thought the prices were kind of high, although, this particular location is in a high end section of town. There are expensive homes nearby, some of the costliest around the metro Orlando area. Heathrow and Alaqua come to mind. Plus, there are some pretty sophisticated office buildings all around, housing some business suit type clients.
There are over 70 rolls to choose from, including vegetarian. We got 8 rolls. There are so many, we could go back and never order the same ones for some time to come. One I'll order next time is the "Mexican Roll" ($6.99) which has tempura shrimp, avocado and jalapeno peppers in it. All of the rolls were large, so we ended up bringing a good part of our order back to the office. I never get sick of sushi, so, needless to say, I didn't cook anything for dinner. There is also a fine selection of Nigiri sushi to choose from, not nearly as extensive as the rolls, though.
Amura has three locations in the Orlando area. This one is located in the Colonial Town Park at 950 Market Promenade Avenue, in Lake Mary. The phone number is 407-936-6001. I didn't ask if they take reservations. Next time, I want to ask the cute little Thai waitress if she wants to marry me.
SPATZ OF WINTER PARK
9/22/2005
Spatz is one of those neighborhood type bars with pool tables, electronic darts and golf. They have an eclectic blend of blue-collar workers, professionals and college coeds as their regular customer base. The bartenders are beautiful. Already, from gathering this information alone, you can pretty much conjure up a good idea of what's on the menu. They offer the usual bar type grub, from Jalapeno Poppers and Cajun Curly Fries to Burgers and Wings. There is a small but nice selection of stacked high deli type sandwiches. Spatz's House Rack ($6.95) is loaded with roast beef, ham, turkey and cheese, for example. And all sandwiches come with chips, a pickle and several other options, like what type of bread you want. The Philly Cheese Steak with grilled peppers & onions ($6.50) is a really good sub and quite filling. If you like Mushroom & Swiss Burgers ($6.50) don't pass this one up. We're talking about a half-pound of top grade ground beef here. The only complaint with it is that it depends on who's doing the cooking if you want it a certain way, like rare. Not that there's any talk of state law regulating how it's cooked, mind you, because there isn't. It's just that some people don't know how to grill a burger just right. And that leads me to Bill...
Bill is the lunchtime chef, and I do not use that term "chef" lightly here. Bill comes with high-end credentials, having spent many years in some of the finest restaurants around the country. Why on earth would someone want to leave the security and confines of world class dining? Well, take the word "confines" for instance. After so many years indoctrinated into a corporate realm, one could quite conceivably understand the burnout. Spatz happens to be the lucky outfit he’s settled in on. Not that he's in any immediate hurry to go anywhere else right now. Job offers still flow, but he's pretty content right where he is, and it shows in the quality of his work.
Until he started cooking at Spatz, the food was nothing out of the ordinary, for the most part. Don't get me wrong, the menu items are very good, but, bar food is bar food is bar food. You can only eat so many burgers and wings until you're left with tuna salad and onion rings. Not that there's anything wrong with their versions, either. But, where Bill excels, and it's a true asset to the restaurant he works for, is in his professional style of cooking. Everything he makes is delicious. Soon after he started there, he brought me a sample of gumbo he had concocted. I'm not a real gumbo aficionado, but this stuff was great. The okra wasn't slimy at all. I could clearly detect buttery notes instead. The shrimp were not overdone. I savored what few bites he allotted me. That got me started, and since then, I've tried his Clam Chowder, Vegetable Beef and other soups he's made whenever I go in. I've yet to find something I don't like. Homemade soups are not his only specialty. One day, I went in and the special of the day was Beef Stroganov. Just the right blend of sour cream and other ingredients over a bed of noodles. He had Grilled Trigger Fish one day. I had never heard of it before. It was spiced just right and was, indeed, a very nice piece of fish. Last week, he offered an 8-ounce NY Strip Steak for $7.95. All of his specials come with two sides. This one had French Fries with Gravy as one of the sides. For those of you who have never had that, you don't know what a treat you're missing. The other day, I tried Beef Burgundy. Yum. You don't know what to expect when you go in there, but I guarantee it will be excellent, and it will be very affordable. Prices vary due to the variety of offerings. Don't be fooled by the ambience. Believe me, the quality of the food belies your surroundings. You can peruse the regular menu, but don't go in there without asking your server what the specials of the day are. Or call Bill over. Ask him if he can whip up a new special for you one day. He brings a vast amount of knowledge blended with years of experience into the kitchen and he's certainly brought the level of the bar up quite a few notches.
Remember Bill when you are thinking about catering your next function.
Spatz of Winter Park is open Monday through Saturday, 11am-2am, Sunday, 12-12. It is located at 1025 W. Fairbanks Ave., Winter Park, Florida. The phone number is 407-647-3354.
You may post your reviews in comments or e-mail me at marinadedave@yahoo.com
AMURA JAPANESE RESTAURANT
8/25/2005
Yesterday, three of us from work went to the Amura Japanese Restaurant in Lake Mary, Florida, a suburb north of Orlando. The name "Amura" comes from a deviation of their original name. It was, at one time, called "Samurai" but someone had already registered that name. Instead of completely renaming themselves, they dropped the first and last letters. Amura is Japanese for "Asian Village."
Upon entering, we noticed it was nicely appointed. Not way too elegant, but, not at all shabby. Overall, it's a very nice interior and quite large inside. When the hostess seated us, we immediately noticed how loud the lunchtime crowd was. The open ceiling with exposed air conditioning ducts had a lot to do with that. It didn't bother us since we were three guys and there was nothing romantic about it. A cute and petite waitress came up and took our drink orders. In the meantime, we perused the regular menu and the requisite sushi sheet that we're all familiar with, if you like sushi. This one, though, had a very large selection to choose from, with little descriptions accompanying each item.
When the waitress, Tita, came back, we ordered three Seaweed Salads with Spicy Tuna from the regular menu appetizer list. We also ordered the Shrimp Tempura with Vegetables. The Seaweed Salads with Spicy Tuna were really good, with a decent amount of the raw fish. With it were slightly pickled sliced cucumber and julienned daikon radish. Very enjoyable. The Shrimp & Vegetable Tempura came with various battered and deep fried vegetables and two large shrimp. Kind of tough when there are three of you, but, we cut them up and there was no problem. The salads were $7.99 each and I don't remember what the tempura was, but, hey, I wasn't paying. Saturday is my birthday and they wanted to treat me.
From the sushi menu, we ordered nothing but rolls. Lots of them. They brought the feast out on one of those Titanic sized boats that took up much of the table for four. We ordered the "Brainstorm" ($10.99) which consisted of soft shell crab, shrimp, smoked salmon, cream cheese and scallions. Very good. We got the "Crunch Munch" ($6.99) with tempura crunch, crab, avocado and mayonnaise. Another good one. We had to see what their take on the "Dynamite Roll" ($7.99) was going to be. This was just tuna, yellowtail and wasabi. So far, no complaints. The "Hiroshima Roll" ($11.99) was a strange name to me. I don't think naming something after death and destruction was that appropriate, but, it was good. It had tuna, yellowtail, snapper and mayo stuffed in it. The "Kamikaze" ($9.99) was merely a spicy tuna roll, albeit, tasty. The "Super Crunch Roll" ($9.99) was loaded with tempura crumbs and I don't remember what else. The "Unforgettable Roll" ($10.99) was spicy tuna, eel and tempura crunch. They like using that crunch stuff a lot, but, it does add a flavor that, overall, enhances a little bit. Now, last, but, not least, we penciled in the "Volcano Roll" ($10.99) which consisted of scallops, real crab, which is sometimes hard to find these days, salmon and cream cheese, but for 11 bucks, it had better be the real thing.
Overall, all of the rolls were delicious. The fish was firm and very fresh. Obviously, you could put all of the rolls on a scale, listing from first to last. There wasn't one particular roll I would not order again. There wasn't anything any of us could complain about. Me? Personally, I thought the prices were kind of high, although, this particular location is in a high end section of town. There are expensive homes nearby, some of the costliest around the metro Orlando area. Heathrow and Alaqua come to mind. Plus, there are some pretty sophisticated office buildings all around, housing some business suit type clients.
There are over 70 rolls to choose from, including vegetarian. We got 8 rolls. There are so many, we could go back and never order the same ones for some time to come. One I'll order next time is the "Mexican Roll" ($6.99) which has tempura shrimp, avocado and jalapeno peppers in it. All of the rolls were large, so we ended up bringing a good part of our order back to the office. I never get sick of sushi, so, needless to say, I didn't cook anything for dinner. There is also a fine selection of Nigiri sushi to choose from, not nearly as extensive as the rolls, though.
Amura has three locations in the Orlando area. This one is located in the Colonial Town Park at 950 Market Promenade Avenue, in Lake Mary. The phone number is 407-936-6001. I didn't ask if they take reservations. Next time, I want to ask the cute little Thai waitress if she wants to marry me.
SPATZ OF WINTER PARK
9/22/2005
Spatz is one of those neighborhood type bars with pool tables, electronic darts and golf. They have an eclectic blend of blue-collar workers, professionals and college coeds as their regular customer base. The bartenders are beautiful. Already, from gathering this information alone, you can pretty much conjure up a good idea of what's on the menu. They offer the usual bar type grub, from Jalapeno Poppers and Cajun Curly Fries to Burgers and Wings. There is a small but nice selection of stacked high deli type sandwiches. Spatz's House Rack ($6.95) is loaded with roast beef, ham, turkey and cheese, for example. And all sandwiches come with chips, a pickle and several other options, like what type of bread you want. The Philly Cheese Steak with grilled peppers & onions ($6.50) is a really good sub and quite filling. If you like Mushroom & Swiss Burgers ($6.50) don't pass this one up. We're talking about a half-pound of top grade ground beef here. The only complaint with it is that it depends on who's doing the cooking if you want it a certain way, like rare. Not that there's any talk of state law regulating how it's cooked, mind you, because there isn't. It's just that some people don't know how to grill a burger just right. And that leads me to Bill...
Bill is the lunchtime chef, and I do not use that term "chef" lightly here. Bill comes with high-end credentials, having spent many years in some of the finest restaurants around the country. Why on earth would someone want to leave the security and confines of world class dining? Well, take the word "confines" for instance. After so many years indoctrinated into a corporate realm, one could quite conceivably understand the burnout. Spatz happens to be the lucky outfit he’s settled in on. Not that he's in any immediate hurry to go anywhere else right now. Job offers still flow, but he's pretty content right where he is, and it shows in the quality of his work.
Until he started cooking at Spatz, the food was nothing out of the ordinary, for the most part. Don't get me wrong, the menu items are very good, but, bar food is bar food is bar food. You can only eat so many burgers and wings until you're left with tuna salad and onion rings. Not that there's anything wrong with their versions, either. But, where Bill excels, and it's a true asset to the restaurant he works for, is in his professional style of cooking. Everything he makes is delicious. Soon after he started there, he brought me a sample of gumbo he had concocted. I'm not a real gumbo aficionado, but this stuff was great. The okra wasn't slimy at all. I could clearly detect buttery notes instead. The shrimp were not overdone. I savored what few bites he allotted me. That got me started, and since then, I've tried his Clam Chowder, Vegetable Beef and other soups he's made whenever I go in. I've yet to find something I don't like. Homemade soups are not his only specialty. One day, I went in and the special of the day was Beef Stroganov. Just the right blend of sour cream and other ingredients over a bed of noodles. He had Grilled Trigger Fish one day. I had never heard of it before. It was spiced just right and was, indeed, a very nice piece of fish. Last week, he offered an 8-ounce NY Strip Steak for $7.95. All of his specials come with two sides. This one had French Fries with Gravy as one of the sides. For those of you who have never had that, you don't know what a treat you're missing. The other day, I tried Beef Burgundy. Yum. You don't know what to expect when you go in there, but I guarantee it will be excellent, and it will be very affordable. Prices vary due to the variety of offerings. Don't be fooled by the ambience. Believe me, the quality of the food belies your surroundings. You can peruse the regular menu, but don't go in there without asking your server what the specials of the day are. Or call Bill over. Ask him if he can whip up a new special for you one day. He brings a vast amount of knowledge blended with years of experience into the kitchen and he's certainly brought the level of the bar up quite a few notches.
Remember Bill when you are thinking about catering your next function.
Spatz of Winter Park is open Monday through Saturday, 11am-2am, Sunday, 12-12. It is located at 1025 W. Fairbanks Ave., Winter Park, Florida. The phone number is 407-647-3354.
Wednesday, December 29, 2004
Can Religion and Evolution Coexist?
My grandfather was a preacher. When I was young, he told us all to pray in "thees and thous" as if it were a structured English that might be more understood by God. It clearly was an old way of speaking, but, God had been around a lot longer than me, so who was I to question it? But I did. I asked him why? Jesus never even spoke English. My grandfather didn't quite have an answer for me that made an awful lot of sense. I mean, Jesus never heard of the King James Version of the Bible. It was written long after His time. Once again, also many years ago I questioned him. He said that bodies should be buried, not cremated, for the resurrection of the body at the time of the Second Coming. Just before this, I lost my Boy Scout troop leader, who was a TWA pilot. The plane crashed and his body was never recovered. He could have been pulverized, like someone in an atomic or major explosion. I aked him about these people, who have no body. He didn't quite have an answer for me on that one, either. My point is not to question his religious fervor or rationale or beliefs, but to show how far religions have evolved since those days in the early 60's. Many religions of the Christian faith no longer adhere to such thinking. New versions of the Bible have been written. People of all faiths are cremated every day. As far as other religions, I am not that learned and make no conjectures of my own. Certainly my grandfather had to have changed with the times, but he was old even then, being born in 1904 and instilled with doctrines from an earlier era.
This recent event encompassing such a massive area of destruction in Sri Lanka, Phuket and surrounding countries was and is terrible and catastrophic. These things have occurred since the existence of earth. How could such things happen? I don't think a merciful God would snap His fingers and...Poof! Death and destruction everywhere! I have a hard time, for one thing, believing that God is a man, with the same organs and urges as the ones He placed on earth, but that is another issue. I think the earth is continuously evolving, thus evolutionary. This earthquake was a natural disaster, which brought on the impending tidal waves, and caused the deaths of so many innocents. The forces that caused this did not happen overnight. It took how many thousands or millions of years for all the dominoes of nature to fall in just this precise formation in order for this to happen? One thing of particular interest to me is how do animals know when to find shelter? How many animals were killed during this event? Did something tell them to seek higher ground, a message we humans did not receive? Why would God alert the animals and not us? Could this be an instinct preserved from ancient times that we've lost as we evolved into a more intelligent species? Everyone, at some point, has sensed something they wouldn't normally feel. Could this be remnants from a time long gone that we've mostly lost down through the years?
Could nature and God coexist? Why not? We do with nature. If there is a God in the universe, don't you think this god would want humans to learn to fend for themselves? To evolve into constructive, intelligent beings that know how to protect themselves and others, and to grow with life's experiences? I'm certain that more people around the world are murdered every year than the ones who were lost on that fateful December day. Would God want any of these events to take place? I don't think so. And you can pray for the rest of your life for none of this to ever happen again, but it will. Unnatural versus natural deaths. Such is the recurring theme.
Think of the first computer. It was the size of a house. How small are they today? It has evolved into what it is today and will evolve into what it will become tomorrow, with God's help, or did we as humans do it all alone? This is what I ask unto you: Shall we live in a distant past, intrinsically tied to the laws of God written by men from a bygone era? Or are we to live here on earth, bound by the forces of nature not of our doing, along with an ever evolving God and universe and grow along with the ride?
This recent event encompassing such a massive area of destruction in Sri Lanka, Phuket and surrounding countries was and is terrible and catastrophic. These things have occurred since the existence of earth. How could such things happen? I don't think a merciful God would snap His fingers and...Poof! Death and destruction everywhere! I have a hard time, for one thing, believing that God is a man, with the same organs and urges as the ones He placed on earth, but that is another issue. I think the earth is continuously evolving, thus evolutionary. This earthquake was a natural disaster, which brought on the impending tidal waves, and caused the deaths of so many innocents. The forces that caused this did not happen overnight. It took how many thousands or millions of years for all the dominoes of nature to fall in just this precise formation in order for this to happen? One thing of particular interest to me is how do animals know when to find shelter? How many animals were killed during this event? Did something tell them to seek higher ground, a message we humans did not receive? Why would God alert the animals and not us? Could this be an instinct preserved from ancient times that we've lost as we evolved into a more intelligent species? Everyone, at some point, has sensed something they wouldn't normally feel. Could this be remnants from a time long gone that we've mostly lost down through the years?
Could nature and God coexist? Why not? We do with nature. If there is a God in the universe, don't you think this god would want humans to learn to fend for themselves? To evolve into constructive, intelligent beings that know how to protect themselves and others, and to grow with life's experiences? I'm certain that more people around the world are murdered every year than the ones who were lost on that fateful December day. Would God want any of these events to take place? I don't think so. And you can pray for the rest of your life for none of this to ever happen again, but it will. Unnatural versus natural deaths. Such is the recurring theme.
Think of the first computer. It was the size of a house. How small are they today? It has evolved into what it is today and will evolve into what it will become tomorrow, with God's help, or did we as humans do it all alone? This is what I ask unto you: Shall we live in a distant past, intrinsically tied to the laws of God written by men from a bygone era? Or are we to live here on earth, bound by the forces of nature not of our doing, along with an ever evolving God and universe and grow along with the ride?
Monday, December 27, 2004
Message From The Captain
My brother sent an e-mail from Iraq the other day. Then he called Christmas morning. It sure was neat talking to him. He seems to be safe, which is hard to believe. He caught a very bad cold. The insurgents lob missiles into the base at night while they are asleep. They land wherever. If they hit you, then it was just your day. That is their greatest fear. The soldiers then go on a seek and destroy mission. Some of the locals will try to tell them where they are coming from. Once in a while, snipers get close to the base and try to shoot personnel, so that is also a danger. In the meantime, they must get up during the deluge of missiles and dress in full gear for protection. This disrupts their sleep patterns and probably is what the insurgents are trying to do if they can't do anything else. The food is good, he says, the billets (beds) are hard and not very comfortable. Otherwise things are OK so far. He works at least 12 hours a day.
On his way to Iraq, there is a funnel on the plane where you pee. It is open for all to see. Not really a cheap thrill, since they all know where they are headed. The women arrive dehydrated. They don't drink any water so they don't have to go. In order to do so, they must expose a lot more of themselves than the men. There are a lot more men than women aboard. And it is a pretty long flight.
I worry about his safety every day, but it is reassuring when I get an e-mail and get to talk to him. His wife is a little less apprehensive now, too. God be with them all.
On his way to Iraq, there is a funnel on the plane where you pee. It is open for all to see. Not really a cheap thrill, since they all know where they are headed. The women arrive dehydrated. They don't drink any water so they don't have to go. In order to do so, they must expose a lot more of themselves than the men. There are a lot more men than women aboard. And it is a pretty long flight.
I worry about his safety every day, but it is reassuring when I get an e-mail and get to talk to him. His wife is a little less apprehensive now, too. God be with them all.
Monday, December 20, 2004
Just In Case...
My brother, the Air Force captain, is halfway around the world now, in a place no one wants to be. I just got off the phone with his beloved. Now that he is gone, she is filled with anticipation and the void only a spouse knows. I know how I feel, but she would feel his warmth in the morning, enjoy the breakfast banter and all that goes on in making a marriage so special. This morning she was alone. She is a military wife and is aware of the pitfalls of being one. But, when the time comes, it's tough, no matter how strong you are.
The weeks preceeding his departure, he left little hints, not on purpose, of course, but, I guess just a natural instinct to protect her. He told her little things, like, how to work the sophisticated stereo she never got around to learning, just in case...
Make sure you do this, just in case...
Don't forget that, just in case...
He's gone away before, as is the nature of the business, but, never thrust into a hostile environment. I think not being able to contact your loved one has got to be one of the worst things in the world. For all concerned.
I told her that I would keep in touch with her. Try to fill some of that void. Fortunately, she has family and friends where she lives to help her along the way. I told her to call me when she is down. I will lift your spirits, I said. Together, as a family, we will all be strong. We will all pray for his safe return.
Little does she know how weak I may feel inside. I will never tell her, just in case...
The weeks preceeding his departure, he left little hints, not on purpose, of course, but, I guess just a natural instinct to protect her. He told her little things, like, how to work the sophisticated stereo she never got around to learning, just in case...
Make sure you do this, just in case...
Don't forget that, just in case...
He's gone away before, as is the nature of the business, but, never thrust into a hostile environment. I think not being able to contact your loved one has got to be one of the worst things in the world. For all concerned.
I told her that I would keep in touch with her. Try to fill some of that void. Fortunately, she has family and friends where she lives to help her along the way. I told her to call me when she is down. I will lift your spirits, I said. Together, as a family, we will all be strong. We will all pray for his safe return.
Little does she know how weak I may feel inside. I will never tell her, just in case...
Friday, December 17, 2004
La Caca Pasa Cafe
Back in the mid-eighties, here in Florida, there were 2 movements gaining momentum. One was about outlawing vulgar bumper stickers, such as the ever redneck popular "Sh*t Happens." The other one was about making English the official language of the state. I thought about printing my own bumper stickers if both of these were enacted into law. Simply, it said "La Caca Pasa Cafe," which, loosely translated, means "The Sh*t Happens Cafe." Then, if I were to be pulled over by a Spanish reading cop, he would not be able to ticket me since English would be the official language. Imagine what nasty stuff I could put on my car as long as it was foreign. The obsurdity of it all.
Alas, only the bumper sticker law was passed. I could have made a killing in the bumper sticker business.
Alas, only the bumper sticker law was passed. I could have made a killing in the bumper sticker business.
Wednesday, December 15, 2004
Saw A Bumper Sticker This Morning...
It said:
I'LL GIVE YOU MY GUN...
BULLETS FIRST
I didn't blow my horn and wave.
I'LL GIVE YOU MY GUN...
BULLETS FIRST
I didn't blow my horn and wave.
Wednesday, December 01, 2004
Book Cover Design
This is a book cover I designed for a book my father wrote. He has been sober a very long time. He has had small quantities printed and it is being used in a rehab facility now. He is in the process of having it printed for a larger audience.
At first I was reluctant to do the work since I myself drink occasionally, but then I realized that if he took it elsewhere, that doesn't mean the other designer doesn't drink either. Plus, it's for my father. Who would do a better job than his own son, a graphic designer?
At first I was reluctant to do the work since I myself drink occasionally, but then I realized that if he took it elsewhere, that doesn't mean the other designer doesn't drink either. Plus, it's for my father. Who would do a better job than his own son, a graphic designer?
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