Great-fuls

Whelp with the holidays rapidly approaching, it is time for annual list of Great-fuls. That's where I list all the things I am thankful for that I think are truly Great (Hence Great-ful! Get it?) I do this as a way of reminding myself that no matter how rough things got the past year or even how rough they might get in years to come, there are always things to be more than grateful for. It always leaves me feeling happier. You should try it. Okay here goes:
1. My Wife- For some strange reason, well over a decade ago, an amazing, attractive and very intelligent woman decided that she loved me enough to spend the rest of her life with me. Since that amazing time, we have had our fights (Some true doozies) and rough times. But we are still together and I love her more today than I did when I married her.
2. My health- Despite the fact that I have diabetes, migraines and more joint pain than the Rockettes, I am very grateful for my health. I have lost 135 pounds, reduced my cholesterol and can ride my bike 10 miles, jog five or walk as long as I want to. If I can keep this up, my Dr. is confident that one day my Diabetes will go into remission and I will no longer need medications. I am in better health than I was in college and I love it.
3. My family- This includes my Bio Family and my Married Family. I also include a select number of non-bio family that are as much my family as anyone else is. I proudly call my mother in law, "Mom" and I feel as close to the rest of my wife's family as I do my own. I recently reconnected with two people who are my brothers in everything but blood and am damned proud of that. Without this amazing FAMILY, my life would be a much darker and lonely place.
4. My "kids"- I am the proud owner of 6 cats and 2 dogs. They make my life better just by being there. Every morning when I wake up, my "kids" greet me with happy noises and lots of attention. I can feel my stress go away and my blood pressure drop just by being around them. Yes they are expensive and sometimes I wonder just how we can afford them, but I wouldn't change it for the world.
5. My friends- Whether it's people that I have known for decades or my eleventeen billion friends on FB, I am grateful for every single one of them. Whether it is an Author friend helping me with my work or a neighbor friend buying my corn on Farmville, I appreciate all of them. They make me smile and they make my life a little bit better.
6. My work- For those of you who don't know I am an Author. Okay not a famous one...yet, but it is what I do. I am grateful for the ability that I have to take the crazy often times weird worlds and people running around in my head and put it down on paper. I may never get rich at it, but I have the sheer joy of watching entire worlds and universes take shape under my finger tips. (Plus it tends to keep me off the streets.)
7. My faith- I won't say what my beliefs are. Anyone who knows me already knows and the rest probably don't care so much. It has never been an easy road and I admit to have wandered off of it more than once and doubted my way more often than that, but I never truly lost it and I think it is stronger now than it has ever been. It sustains me in even the most troubled times and keeps me going when I have doubts about the road ahead of me.

Well, that's my list for this year. I could go on (and on and on) but most of the things I am grateful for fall under one of those headings. Do you have a Great-fuls list and if you do, what's on it?

Equal treatment for all people

http://rivals.yahoo.com/highschool/blog/prep_rally/post/Player-with-Down-Syndrome-kicked-off-team-by-rig?urn=highschool-wp4452

Wasn't really sure which blog to put this one in but finally settled on my "wisdom" column. The above article is one of those that, at first glance, will peeve you off. A young man with Downs Syndrome is being kicked off his football team and the whole town is railing against how unfair this is and how the young man should be allowed to keep playing. I mean, you have heard this sort of story a hundred times in the past. Evil (insert group name here) kicks some kid with (Insert special needs name here) off team/group/club just because he/she is different.

This case is different. The young man is not being tossed because he has DS or that special efforts have to be made for him to play. He isn't being removed from his team because of any special expenses incurred because of his activity. He is being removed from "actively" playing because he is too old. He is being removed under a rule that applies to everyone that plays high school sports. Simply put, at age 19, he is too old to play on the team.

Keep in mind, hidden under all the uproar, is the fact that the young man can still be with his team, wear the jersey and do most of the things that he was doing before that brought him such joy. (Lead the team on the field, cheer from the sidelines etc.) The only things he is not allowed to do is dress out completely and actually run the ball.

Now I have friends who have Downs Syndrome (One very dear one who I hope will not take this column the wrong way) and I have seen the struggles they go through to simply have their children be treated with the same dignity and respect as other kids. I have seen how hard they have fought to allow their kids to be able to do all the things that the rest of the world takes for granted. I will stand beside them at any time to fight for those rights, but this isn't one of those cases.

The young man has played on his team for quite sometime. He has had all the same privileges and rights as every other member of his team. He has earned the respect and adoration of his friends, teammates and fellow citizens. He has stood as a shining example of how "different" doesn't mean "bad." One of his fellow players even admits that he has become a better player because of him watching and cheering from the sidelines. In short he has had a high school sports career that most kids would envy.

Now, like all kids do, he has grown up. He has become a young man about to make his first steps into a very large world. The rule that prevents him from playing is not a rule aimed at Special Needs people. It isn't singling him out because he has Downs Syndrome. It is a fair rule that applies to all athletes playing. If one of his teammates turned 19 he'd be required to stop playing as well. Basically, this young man is being treated just like everyone else.

Equal rights and fair treatment for everyone means exactly that. With some very specific limitations, the same rules and laws should apply to everyone. People that object to this ruling claim that an exception should be made because the young man has DS. They say that he won't be able to comprehend why he is being removed from the team and it will shatter him. Well, I say that these people are doing the young man and all people like him a great disservice. Don't make exceptions where people are being treated the same. We have way to many other fights out there that actually need to be fought.

A perfect life

Okay here is a few things about me that some people know and some don't. I have Diabetes. I have been unemployed for going 4 years now. I am legally blind in both eyes and would be completely screwed if not for glasses. I have knees that are so badly messed up from high school football that me walking sounds like rice krispies in milk. I am 60 pounds overweight. I have the perfect life.

I am betting that last one threw everyone off after the first statements, but it is true. I have a life that most people would be envious of and many would probably kill for. How can this be so, you may ask. (Well hopefully you are asking because if you aren't it makes this blog pointless) The first few statements are pretty grim so what could possibly make me think I have the perfect life? Read on and you will understand.

Let's deal with the big one. I have diabetes. That's pretty big and believe me I was blown away when I found out. However, thanks to modern medicines, diet and exercise not to mention the support of good friends and family, my diabetes is completely under control and I have suffered no health complications because of it. (Knock on wood) I have the very real, very possible chance of one day getting off of the medications entirely and leading (what passes for) a normal life. So all is hoopla there.

Eyesight we will skip because it is no biggie. As for the knees, sure I messed them up and will suffer for the rest of my life because of it, but I had the time of my life playing alongside some amazing people so I can live with that.

I can hear what you're thinking, "Wow, 60 pounds overweight! What a slob." All I can say in my defense is two years ago, I weighed 130 pounds more than I do now. With tons of exercise, tight control over what I eat and drink and a whole lot of effort, I lost all that weight and fully intend on losing the remaining 60 by next year. So yes, I am overweight, but I can promise you that I am much better shape than many people and my health has never been better.

"Okay, fine," you might say. Then you will happily point out the out of work thing and you are right. Being out of work sucks. The loss of the extra money, the feelings of uselessness and the sheer boredom are the pits. I wish every day that I had a job, even a crappy one. However, thanks to my amazing wife's hard work and dedication things are pretty incredible despite my lack of employment. We have a wonderful house and plenty of food to eat. We have health insurance if we get sick and even have a brand new car to sport around town in. We are in no danger of going hungry, being homeless or having to walk 50 miles to work uphill both ways in the snow. (Yes I know I live in Georgia) In a time of extreme economic uncertainty for most of the country, we are safe, comfortable and happy.

There are two final conditions that make my life perfect. 1. I am married to the most amazing woman who ever lived. She is smart, talented and beautiful. She works hard everyday and rarely complains. Her brilliance is the reason why, in a few short years, we will be 95% debt free. She is everything I ever wanted in a wife and quite a few things I never imagined. I love her and amazingly enough she loves me. That alone would make my life perfect.

2. I have the good Lord above watching over me and mine. His guidance in recent times has been invaluable. I know that no matter how hard things get, how much we struggle, He is always there watching. The list of things I have to thank Him for is far to long to put in this blog, but I thank Him anyway. I know that no matter how far I fall, He will always be there to lift me up and dust me off. Knowing this, how can my life not be perfect.

I guess what I am trying to say in this seemingly self serving and sappy blog is this. No matter how bad you think things are. No matter how bad you think they are going to get, always remember that there may well be things in your life that make things better. You can have the "perfect life" without things being perfect. Never forget that.

Just fishing

These weekend, I spent a morning standing in the hot sun with little or no shade. I spent 5 hours sweating, being attacked by Skeeters, Gnats and more than a few ants. I got badly sunburned on my neck and the back of my head, plus cut my hand in at least two places. By the time I was done, I was hot, sweaty and more than a little dehydrated. It was one of the best days of my life.

During this torture, I spent 5 hours with one of my oldest friends (still living anyways) talking about everything from hunting to politics. I was with someone that I didn't have to mince words with or dumb down my conversation for. I could say what I wanted the way I wanted and not worry about hurting his feelings. We haven't really spent any time together for the better part of two decades and have only had brief contact since finding each other again on the Net, but that morning you wouldn't have been able to tell it. We were just as comfortable with each other as we had been back in college days. We literally picked up from where we left off without the least bit of effort.

So, what that does that say about our friendship? Simple, its solid and everlasting. He is one of three or four people that I know I can call on in an emergency and he will be there for me. He is one of maybe two friends that if I were to call up and say, "I just killed someone." the only question he'd probably ask was "Need help hiding the body."

I make some small claim to intelligence. I'd post my IQ here but in reality those numbers have very little meaning. For instance, I suck at math so my score is lower than it could be, but that doesn't make me any less intelligent. The only reason I mention this today is because my friend is easily my intellectual and creative equal. He is a brilliant writer/author/social commentator with three books under his belt. His humor reminds of me Will Rogers and Mark Twain with a little Lewis Grizzard thrown in for good measure. So spending 5 hours with him fishing for Bream and Bass was fantastic. Getting to spend lunch with his amazing family was just an added bonus.

So to sum it all up: Friend/Fishing/Fun. Nuff said!
(For those who are curious, the cooler of fish we caught came out to about five pounds of fresh fish after I got them cleaned and prepped.)

Showing Appreciation

I recently had a discussion with someone I care a great deal about. It involved feeling and showing appreciation. Needless to say, being your typical male the discussion rotated around me and my need to feel appreciated. Half way through this discussion, the other half of this conversation asked me if I appreciated her and if I did, how was I showing it? Being of a one track mind, these questions kind of threw me and my rant pretty much devolved into "Uh, Um, Duh."

So now, in the bright sunlight of a brand new day I am pondering what she asked. Forgetting the rightness or wrongness of my feelings of not being appreciated (Prolly wrong), do I appreciate her and everything she does for me and if I do, do I show it?

First part first, do I appreciate her and everything she does? That one is easy. I grew up very poor and even though we always made do and were happy, there was really never enough of anything. I remember my brother coming home from school, carefully washing his one suit of clothes and hanging them out to dry so he'd have clothes for school the next day. I remember when a big bowl of Mac and Cheese wasn't the side dish, it was the whole meal. Like my brother, Benjamin, I remember working in sweltering heat, picking veggies and such so that we'd have food to eat. So I remember wanting and needing everything.

Now, I can open up my dresser or trunk and find drawers full of clean new clothes. I have shoes for all occasions that aren't the $9.00 Wal-Mart shoes that might last a month. I open up my refrigerator and freezer and see weeks of food, veggies and even desserts stocked up. I wake up in the mornings and can make a cup of high quality coffee and sit at my high speed computer surfing the internet. Most importantly of all, I go bed beside and wake up beside the most amazing woman in the world. So, in answer to the first question, Yes I appreciate her very very much. More than words can ever express.

Now on to the second, much trickier question. Do I tell and show her everyday how much I appreciate her. Do I express my amazement that she has stayed with me all these years when God and my friends know I am not easy to live with. Do I show her the awe and gratitude I feel at all of her hard work in keeping us fed and with a roof over our heads? Do I give her all the thanks and love she deserves for putting up with all she puts up with?

Being typically male, my first impulse is to say "Of course I do." Being a fairly intelligent and mostly honest person, the official answer is "Probably not." She works so hard and puts up with so much grife from me and from her job. She comes home exhausted, hot and sore everyday. I think that she deserves so much more appreciation than I give her.

So, starting today, I make this resolution in front of God and all my readers. (You two know who you are) I will do everything in my power to make her understand just how grateful I am for everything she does. I will do my best to quit being so damned whiny all the time and care more about her. She deserves all of that and more.

Welcome to the new American Revolution

This probably seems like a strange venue to be speaking about revolutions and striking back against the government, but since all of this came about because a bunch of tired, angry Rednecks started joking around about tailgating Congress and "Taking back America one rib at a time" it seems strangely appropriate to talk about it here.

So here is the basic idea behind the "Tailgate Revolution." (Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_218764408157645&ap=1). The American Government is broke, can't be fixed and something needs to be done about it. Unlike politicians and pundits, we aren't going to stand around and gripe about it, blame other people and ask for money. Griping hasn't done any good, we all share the blame for this mess and...well honestly who'd give a bunch of crazy Rednecks money. (If so inclined we will take small unmarked bills however.)

Our goal is to gather as many people together as we can and send a message to the President, Congress and the Senate that is uniquely our own. Some time this summer, once we have gathered as many Brothers and Sisters as we can, we intend to flock (Do Rednecks flock? Gaggle...) to DC and stage the first ever Tailgate Revolution! By showing up in the thousands and simply peacefully protesting (Okay grilling, barbecuing, deep frying etc) before these great halls of power and basically making a nuisance of ourselves, we are going to show the powers that be that the basic building blocks of America (Lower and Middle Class citizens) are sick and damned tired of all the bullcrap that is going on.)

Traditonally, Revolutions are generally started when People of power aren't satisfied with what the other People of Power are doing, so they overthrow those people and put themselves in charge. The Revolutionary War was started because a bunch of Rich, White Men decided they didn't like what another bunch of rich white men were doing to them. The Civil War started the same way (No matter what you believe the causes were) when a bunch of (Once again) rich white dudes didn't like what a bunch of other rich white dudes were planning.

So (With some notable exceptions) the history of revolutions really hasn't done much for the non-rich people and, for the most part, they weren't really consulted about it. Well, here is the new American Revolution which is being planned by a bunch of people who struggle with their bills, worry about the next paycheck and probably think owning stock means buying chickens.

We are going to send a clear message to the government. Will it do any good? Will change come about because of it? Who knows? We hope so, but only time will tell. But hey, even if nothing changes this time, we will still be around to try again and again. In the mean time, there will be plenty of ribs, steaks and turkeys cooked and lots of fun had by all. Join us! Let's send that message!

I gots Coffee in my pants!

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/video/caffeine-laced-pants-weight-loss-13676961

Okay I am the first to cheer the wonders of caffeine, coffee especially. It lowers your blood pressure, lowers your blood sugar and even helps prevent cancer. I think the drying and cooking of the mighty bean is one of the greatest discoveries since the slicing of the bread. But there have to be limits to even the mighty bean's powers and I am sorry but coffee in your clothing does not help you lose weight.

The company Lytess claims that their caffeine laced undergarments help slim you down and help you lose weight because the caffeine in the cloth "stimulates" your metabolism and helps you burn calories. If that doesn't sound more than a little unbelievable to you, then I gots a bridge in Brooklyn and some ocean front property in Arizona I will sell you on the cheap.

All the experts who have studied this product agree that Caffeine, when INGESTED, works wonders for the system. Entire books have been written about the subject and pretty much all of them agree that drinking tea or coffee on a regular basis is a great way to keep healthy along with regular exercise and healthy diet. You don't need some gimmick to get the benefits. All you have to do is have a cuppa in the morning. When all is said and done, drink your coffee, don't wear it.

New toy, new toy!

I have to admit that I am a major geek when it comes to gadgets and gizmos. I play video games like Pokemon and such because none of that stuff was even science fiction when I was a kid. I watch cartoons all the time and freak when the latest sci-fi fantasy movie comes out. So now I have discovered a new (ok new to me) gizmo that does for coffee and tea drinkers what computers did for video games.

Yes Brother and Sister Coffee Lovers I am talking about my brand spanking new Tassimo single serve machine. With all the ease of tying your shoe, it lets you brew a huge variety of coffees and teas plus hot chocolate and cocoa. You just fill up the tank in the back, click a tiny little coffee coin into the slot, turn it on and poof you've got a hot cuppa filled with a latte, cappuccino or hot tea. When you are done, you simply pop the old cartridge out and toss it. (I take any extra moment to dump the grounds/leafs from the cartridge into my compost holder, but that's me)

Now to add to this amazing thing, from this day on, I will receive coffees and teas shipped directly to my door directly from the company. How much more excellent can you get than that?

So yes, it is a good time to be alive and be a coffee drinker. (Course come to think of it, pretty much anytime is a good time to be alive.) Be prepared my Caffeinated Brothers and Sisters, because the Revolution is upon us! Viva Caffiends everywhere!

Drink Coffee, Fight Cancer

http://news.yahoo.com/video/health-15749655/coffee-s-effects-against-cancer-25261934

As the above video shows, my beloved bean has, once again, shown just how powerful and wonderful it is. Not only does the soothing beverage of Coffee help keep the world running smoothly and help us fight the urge to beat the crap out of someone, it has now been proven that coffee, decaf or regular, can reduce the chance of colon cancer 60%. That's right folks, 60%! The study shows that drinking six cups of Joe a day can help keep you from dying. (Wow if its cumulative, then my percentage of protection is probably closer to 125%)

Now this is on top of previous research that shows that coffee can help regulate insulin in the body and even prevent diabetes all together. It has also been shown to help combat Parkinson's and other degenerative brain and nervous disorders. So many things that the might bean does!

So don't just sit there drinking your cola or beer! Pick up a cuppa or four and make yourself healthier. Drink coffee, save lives!

The End of the World as We know it

Read an article in a magazine yesterday that has got me a little worried about the fate of the world. It listed over fifty things that, if things continue the way they are, we will run out of by 2050. Now this isn't a cute and fluffy animal list, but more of an inanimate but important list with things like helium on it. The list is pretty impressive and if I can ever find it online I will post it for you guys. However, the most frightening things that it listed as being threatened are Chocolate and Coffee.

According to experts, climate change (Whether you believe in Global Warming or whether or not People are responsible for GW, you can't argue that the climate is changing.) is threatening the areas where coffee and cocoa beans grow. Changes in temperature and rainfall combined with the inherent difficulties of cultivating these precious commodities is making it more and more difficult to grow them. Since both (cocoa plants especially) require some very specific conditions to thrive, it is entirely possible that we might face severe shortages if not complete loss in a fairly short period of time.

God, can you imagine a world without coffee or chocolate? A world where two of the most potent balms for man's belligerent nature don't exist? Being extremely creative and a little demented, I can and believe me when I say its not a very pretty picture. So many people depend on these miracle products to keep their tempers under control and to boost their morale when otherwise they'd simply find a dark closet and hide.

So come on folks, help save the world. Recycle, reuse, reheat...wait no forget the last one. If we don't do something now, the world isn't going to be a very pretty place in 30 or 40 years. I mean, do you want to live in a world where 80% of the people are going through DeeTees?

Do you know what is in water?

My random thoughts for the day. Did you ever wonder why, up till a fairly short period of time ago, almost everyone drank coffee, tea or some sort of alcoholic beverage? Look at old style movies, television shows and even listen to old style radio programs and you will see men and women sipped tea, drinking coffee or drinking wine. Pictures painted during these times show the same thing as well as early photographs. Rarely if ever did you see anyone enjoying a long glass of water.

Now the reason for this is the same reason why drinks like coffee and tea have become so deeply ingrained in the very psyche of men and woman all over the world. Up until a very short time ago, drinking water was physically hazardous. Water from rivers and streams had untold amounts of feces and parasites in it. Water from wells could easily carry toxic lead or other poisonous elements. The only way to safely ensure that the water you drank was fairly safe was to boil it. Hmm, boiling water...what does that suggest?

As an aside, alcoholic beverages were safe because they either were distilled or brewed and either process would easily destroy anything harmful in any of the water used. This is why you never saw a cowboy walk up to a bar and say, "Gimmee a tall glass of ice water in a clean glass!"

Okay aside over with. The brewing of tea and tea like beverages has been going on for a very long time. Besides the hundreds of benefits of drinking tea, the boiling of the water to make it would purify it. People could enjoy a hot drink and not get sick. Of course, I doubt the early brewers of these drinks ever realized this, but I am certain that, subconsciously at least, they equated the improved health with the tea drinking.

Coffee, of course, is much newer and doesn't have the same length of history as tea, but the same principle applies. As long as the waters weren't completely fouled, cooks could dip a coffee pot into any old stream or pond, dump coffee grounds in and let it boil till the treat was ready. Again, you got a jolt of caffeine without the danger of the runs.

These days, most of us don't have to worry about things like that. I personally have three seperate sources of filtered water available in my home and drink water with a head abandon that would horrify and puzzle my ancestors. However, I still brew many pots of coffee every day and enjoy every drop of it. Doesn't hurt to play it safe right?

How do you determine wealthy?

I am a wealthy man. No, I don't have all the money I need, let alone all the money I want. No, I don't have the most up to date computer, MP3 player etc and probably won't for a while to come. I sure don't have the kind of vehicle I want (Nothing fancy, just a new Ford Ranger). So how do I judge myself wealthy.

Well besides the fact that I am married to an amazing woman whose financial skills have kept us comfortable even though I have been out of work for three years now? Besides the fact that I have lost 135 pounds over the past two years while managing to keep my diabetes under control? Besides the fact that I am the proud "parent" of some of the most amazing animules in the world? Besides the fact that I have been blessed with some of the best friends around? (Wow, thats a lot of besides) Yes, besides all of that.

Here is why. In my kitchen, sitting on my counter is the means to brew any style of coffee drink I want. I can go old school and simply brew a pot of black coffee in my Mr. Coffee. I can get a little up tech and brew two individual cups of coffee in my 2ToGo coffee brewer. I can brew a cup of espresso that will grow hair on you and then curl it or turn that espresso in a white foamy latte in my Espresso Machine. Heck I can ever take that espresso, some ice, a little almond milk and some flavorings, toss it into my new uber blender and create a frappe anytime I want one.

Now think of the poor schmuck who has to get dressed, drive across town to a coffee shoppe and shell out $4.00+ for a latte or a frappe. He wastes his precious time and gas to buy a drink that I can make in the comfort of my own kitchen to my exact specification for a fraction of the costs. That is why I am a wealthy and lucky man. May all the Gods of Coffeedom bless you as they have blessed me.

Food for thought

My Brother in everything but blood posted a notice that he was going to go hunting for some wild dogs that had killed a bunch of goats (Herd, Gaggle, Flock?) and then have a massive cook out with the goat meat. Now my first reaction was Hot Dog! Barbecue Goat. Needless to say a lot of the reactions weren't quite so positive and pretty much amounted to Goat? Ewww! Which (Like most things do) got me to thinking. So lets talk about "To talk of many things: Of shoes--and ships--and sealing-wax--
Of cabbages--and kings--And why the sea is boiling hot--And whether pigs have wings." or at least Goat, Deer and fish. (To anyone who doesn't recognize that quote, SHAME SHAME SHAME!)

It annoys my wife to no end when I start a sentence with "Back in the day" or "Back when I was a kid" because she claims that I am not old enough to have earned the right to talk like that, but that's the way this diatribe starts. Back when I was a kid (Hey Goat, Kid? It is a joke, don't you get it), we ate goat, venison, squirrel and pretty much any sort of meat that was slow enough to get caught. We didn't necessarily eat it because it was super good but simply because we were hungry. Half our food came from hunting and fishing. When you grow up dirt poor, you learn to eat everything you can and when you can cause it might be awhile before you get more.

Now that said, a lot of the food we "poor" folks ate and most better-offs turned their noses up was and still, just good food. Ever had Tripe? Most people turn their noses up at it these days, but it tastes great in soups and stews. Chitterlings? "Chitlins" I can promise you most people these days have never even tried them, but properly prepared they are good. The Aforementioned Goat? Goat meat can be a little tough and slightly bitter, but you prepare it properly in BBQ or a good think Stew and you got some darned good eating.

Now the thing that really kills me about people who won't touch these excellent foods is the things they will eat and consider it grand cuisine (Can't believe I spelled that right the first time). I won't even get started on raw clams and oysters since that is a different kettle of fish. Two of the most popular fish out there today for seafood dishes are Whiting and Tilapia. I haven't been to a restaurant lately that doesn't have at least one or two dishes starring this fish. People shell out big bucks for them. A decade ago, these fish were considered "trash fish" and most people would have turned their noses up at them. Now they are the "in" dish.

I guess what it boils down to and to make a long story short (Too Late), don't turn your noses up at something just because you have never had it. Don't be afraid to try new foods just because someone else has labeled them as "trash" or "bad." Be brave, be daring and try them all. After all, where would we be today if someone hadn't had the courage to try and eat a raw oyster?

Friendship

Yesterday on the day before my 47th birthday, I was reunited with two amazing people that I have seen in 25 years. One is a wonderful lady who has always been one of the most charming and entertaining people I have met. The other was a man whom I count among my 5 Best Friends of all times and one of two people I consider a brother (Besides my actual biological brothers.) At the risk of sounding immodest and egotistical (Wait too late)he is one of the few people that I have ever encountered that I consider to be my intellectual and creative equal. Even now after nearly 3 decades, I feel as close to him as I do anyone I know today.

Now all of this got me thinking about different things and one of them is friendship. I think friendship and friend are prolly two of the most misused words ever. Maybe because I have a much stronger view on what it means to be a friend but I think when most people use the words they actually mean acquaintances. They mean people they go to the clubs with on the weekend or meet for lunch together at work. All that is cool, but that is not friendship to me.

My Daddy told me once, "Bobby a real friend is someone if you call them up and say you just shot a man, the only thing that the friend is gonna do is help you get rid of the body." Maybe that sounds a little extreme, but that is the way I view friendship.

There are exactly two people besides my wife that I can honestly that I could call and no matter what they would help me. Brothers in everything but blood and twins in everything but body, these two people would do anything for me and I would do anything for them. Fight for them and die alongside of them if I had to.

I have lots of "friends" that are good people and I like them alot. Heck, I got hundreds of FaceBook friends and I like them all, but I give my true friendship out sparingly because, with me, it carries a lot of obligations because friends stay at each others sides no matter what.

So Phil, Ben, Thomas, Shari and a couple of more, you know who you are and what you mean to me. I'm there in a heartbeat (or three in some cases cause they are far away.) Friends to the end.

Unsung Heroes

(Climbs up on dusty soapbox and adjusts tie. Pulls wrinkled copy of Coffee Lovers of America out of coat and waves it.) Brothers and Sisters, I am here today to speak to you of those long lost, never remembered heroes that have made such a difference in our lives, but that hardly anyone even stops to ponder. These nameless men and women have given us so much, but are all but forgotten. They have never had a day set aside for the millions of followers to recognize, but today we will honor them.
So many of the things that we enjoy today were first discovered and put to use by people that lived so very long ago. These faceless, nameless saints are the ones who showed us important things like, while disgusting looking, oysters are safe to eat raw. They showed us that if you shove certain types of burning leaves in your mouth, you get a nicotine buzz (Also cancer, but we will ignore that one for now.) These brave souls discovered that if you hit something with a stick long enough it stops moving and you can eat it. So many gifts these ancients gave us.
Perhaps the greatest discovery in all the annals of Man's history has saved countless lives and enriched our lives to no end. Yea, even greater than the invention of the slicing of bread. Of course I speak of the humble coffee bean and the miracles it has worked on our world.
We will never know the name or face of the first person to put bean to boil although it was probably some grand woman of the distant past. More than likely this woman of long ago was looking for some form of food to feed her family and boiled the beans much like we would peas today. I can only imagine the looks of amazement and joy on these peoples faces as they sipped their "soup" and got the first caffeine jolt. It must have been truly amazing.
Thanks to the person who first was daring to boil a coffee bean, we haven enjoyed centuries of pleasure and peace that only the mighty bean can give us. Countless lives have been spared because the coffee soothed our souls and we didn't beat the crap out of people who annoyed us. Now the great beans grow all around the world and come to us in hundred of different types. Our world is richer because of them.
So Brothers and Sisters, take a moment of gentle silence for these unsung heroes and then grab a fresh mug of your favorite blend.

The mightiest bean on the planet

Coffee has been called many things in America. Joe, Java, mud, murk and Jamoke.
Poplar theories abound. The word Joe for coffee has two seemingly reasonable possibilities.
In 1860 a popular song of the times was "old black Joe" written by Stephen C. Foster the same man who wrote "Camp town races" and "Oh! Suzanna". Diners of the time picked up the slang 'Cup O Joe'.
Another possible answer could be that Secretary of the Navy, Joseph Daniels banned alcohol from US Navy warships in 1913 and sailors began drinking more and more coffee and calling it 'Joe'.
Whatever the reason it is called that, Coffee has been a standard for most Americans for a very long time. We drink it in the morning to wake up, sip it during the day to keep going and down it at night just to stay awake long enough to watch the news on TV. We drink it hot and cold. We gulp it down in such vast quantities that it has made Starbucks a household name.
Most coffee snobs would turn their noses up at being offered a classic cup of Joe IE a cup of black, house brand coffee maybe with a little sugar in it. They down their Venti Triple Espresso Double Caff with Soy Milk and designer whipped cream and poo poo the plain and simple fact that the only difference between their $7.00 drink and my $1.25 cuppa is $5.75 and a fancy name.
Now don't get me wrong, some coffees are better than others and I enjoy the more expensive ones when I can afford them, but Maxwell House gives you exactly the same buzz and tastes pretty good and some of the best cups of coffee I get come from simple little diners that probably spend $30.00 or so on an industrial size container of coffee grounds.
But expensive or cheap, fancy or plain Coffee is the balm that truly keeps most of us drinkers from simply reaching out and beating the hell out of someone who has really cheesed us off. So it's time we give the mighty coffee bean its due and quit hiding our cups behind newspapers so that no one can see us.
Oh for those who are wondering, this column will not always be about coffee. Mostly whatever catches my attention that doesn't fit into the format of my other blog. Hopefully you will find these posts humorous, maybe a little insightful and definitely fun. Drink on, my brothers and sisters of the Bean.