Dewayne's Blog

Cruise Pictures

2011-05-06T23:15:00.004-04:00

Ahhhhh! What a wonderful time we had on the cruise! The weather was absolutely beautiful and we had a great time going to all the different islands; hitting the beaches, going to the rain forest on Dominica and touring around Bonaire and Aruba as well as snorkeling with the Green Sea Turtles in St. Thomas. Champagne, daiquiris and piña coladas, my oh my! LOL
If you have never been on a cruise you must go!

Click here to see pictures from the cruise. Enjoy!

DeWayne

Decision!

2011-04-10T12:39:00.003-04:00

Well friends, the decision has been made. My friend Jose and I will be traveling on Princess Cruise Lines out of San Juan, Puerto Rico on April 24th aboard the Caribbean Princess for a 7night tour of the Southern Caribbean. Click here for the itinerary. I am so excited as we were able to get a great price for a balcony and I am already thinking of Mimosas in the morning and Mojitos in the late afternoon :)

I have been shopping every weekend and I have decided that this is the weekend to lay out everything I bought, and start returning the overage of items I purchased. You would freak out if I told you that I spent more on clothes than I paid for the cruise...oops, I just did!

Which Cruise Ship?

2011-03-14T20:30:00.004-04:00

The Celebrity Solstice

The Caribbean Princess

So, a friend and I are seriously planning a 7 night Southern Caribbean cruise for our birthdays which are only a day apart. The only issue now is which cruise line - Celebrity or Princess?

Tribute to A Friend

2011-01-24T20:02:00.002-05:00

I just found out today that a friend of mine from work passed away on Friday. While we did not work in the same office, we worked closely on some projects, and he was just a really neat guy. AJ was one of that kind of person you could just pick up where you left off from one time to the next. He had a sneaky grin on him, and you could see the mischievousness in his eyes. I can remember sitting in his office, just shooting the breeze and hearing him say, "riiiiiiite?" I cannot imagine what AJ's partner, Ray is going through at this time, but I hope the fact that AJ was liked by so many people is some small comfort to him. The following is for my friend. I am sorry I did not get to say goodbye, but thank you so much for the good times and friendship....

In those quiet moments in the still of the night
Remember to rejoice and celebrate life
Do not think of me gone and weep
I am not there, I do not sleep
I am a thousand winds that blow
I am the diamond glints on snow
I am the sunlight on the grain
I am the gentle autumn's rain
When you awaken in the morning hush
I am the swift uplifting rush
of quiet birds in flight
I am the soft stars that shine
You will hear my gentle voice
and remember to rejoice
Never give up your fight
and remember always
to Celebrate Life.... ---- Author Unknown

Christmas Trip to Munich

2010-12-18T19:35:00.026-05:00

I took my first official visit to Germany at the beginning of December. I went to Munich (München) for a few days to see the Christmas Markets. I flew over from New York (JFK) on Lufthansa on a Airbus A340 aircraft. It was the first time I had ever been on that aircraft. It is huge! While it's not the largest capacity aircraft on the market, it certainly is the longest and one of the most impressive in-flight.

The flight from JFK was an overnighter. The weather was horrible the day I was scheduled to leave (the inbound flight diverted to Philadelphia!). Thankfully, the weather cleared around 4pm so my 6ish departure was only delayed a short time. Germany is 7 hours ahead of us so between the overnight flight and the time difference, I arrived in Munich at 8:30am December 2nd. Notice I didn't say, "bright-eyed and bushy tailed?" I think I may have gotten a total of 2 hours sleep. But that's okay, being the aviation geek I am, I had plenty to occupy my time; not to mention the tons of movies Lufthansa offers via their onboard entertainment system. Oh yeah, I finally did get to see Salt with Angelina Jolie. It was a great movie!

So after I cleared Customs and Immigration in Germany, I went in search of their transit system. They have a transit station right at the airport and there are two lines on the Bahn; the S and the U. My hotel was on the S line; so I paid my fare ($12.00 US) and was on my way.

Since I made my plans rather "last minute" my hotel was sat about halfway between the airport and downtown Munich (a distance of about 25 miles). This was nice, because I didn't have that far to go in either direction...about 4-5 stops either way! I stayed at the European version of the Radisson - called the Park Inn. Here's a picture of my hotel.

In case you were wondering, it was a short walk from the train station to the hotel...here's what the walk looked like..I didn't mind it at all.

Once I got to the hotel, of course, no rooms were available yet, so I relaxed in the lobby, logged on to my iPad, and surfed the net and updated my Facebook profile. It was only a short time before my room was ready and I checked in. By this time I was so exhausted, I laid down and took a 4 hour nap. I woke up around 5pm and took the train into Munich to explore a little bit and to grab a bite to eat. This being only my second time in Germany (the first time, I was on a layover when I worked for Northwest and we were in Mainz). I didn't realize the different geographical regions that comprise Germany, so just because I was in Bavaria this time, I thought the food would be the same...um, no. Luckily, I found a restaurant that served my favorite - wiener schnitzel...and boy, do they serve you a lot of it - take a look!

So, after dinner it was a little stroll around the Marienplatz and a look at one of the Christmas Markets and some Gluehwein.

I met up with work friends who came in from earlier stops in Cologne and Berlin to visit the Christmas Markets there. They agreed that the best markets were in Munich. So after dinner at the Hofbräuhaus it was off to more of the Christmas Markets.

Oh yeah, how could I fail to mention how cold it was in Munich? They had some freaky cold and snowy weather before I arrived. The snow had stopped, it was still all over the place, but the cold had settled in and I don't think it got above 20 degrees the entire time I was there! The cold, mixed with the wind and all that frozen ice and snow.....brrrrrr!!!!

Here are some pictures we took in and around the Marienplatz....

But, regardless of how much fun you have, it's always nice to come back home. I will definately be returning to Munich.

Munich, Germany - Here I Come!

2010-11-13T01:13:00.004-05:00

My passes on Lufthansa arrived today. I'm planning on heading to Munich, Germany on December 1st to visit the Christmas Markets. Apprently these are prevalent throughout Europe and the one in Munich is one of the oldest. Check on this link .

My flight leaves JFK at 5:45pm on Wednesday the first, and arrives in Munich around 8am. I figure I should clear Customs hop the train and be to the hotel by around 10 or 10:30am. Maybe they'll let me check in early and catch a little nap before I go exploring. Friends will be arriving from Cologne on Friday around 4pm and we'll do dinner and then more exploration.

I am so excited! I haven't been to Germany since I worked for Northwest Airlines in 1999 and then it was a layover Mainz (just outside of Frankfurt). I am staying at the Park Inn a few miles east of Munich.

I'll be posting pictures and writing of my adventure.

Later -

Welcome First Root Canal

2010-11-13T01:09:00.002-05:00

So, it only took 47 years, but today I welcomed my first root canal. So far (and I say that while on oxycodone), it hasn't been as bad as I had read and been lead to believe. I think maybe advances in dental technology and treatments have improved so as to give us a break. One thing I didn't know is that they do a root canal in two parts. So I'm heading back in a couple of weeks to finish it up. It's amazing how a problem in your mouth can affect your facial area. I thought the right side of my face was going to fall off it was hurting so bad. I think I'm going to be okay now though! Yippee!

Oh, if you are reading this and live in the NNJ area, the professional that performed my root canal, and whom I would highly recommend is Dr. Steven Bair in Lodi, NJ.

A Weekend Miracle

2010-10-09T08:56:00.002-04:00

So you think you had a bad week? Friday afternoon, some friends and I go out for drinks and dinner after work. We're just starting to relax when we receive heartbreaking news. One of our colleagues' 3 year old daughter was involved in a serious traffic accident and was being air-lifted to a hospital 3 hours away from her Mom. We jumped into action making arrangements to get everyone where they needed to be. Thankfully, while she does have some broken bones, there should be no permanent damage. There will be an extended recovery period; but we'll all be there for her.

Just goes to show how things can change in an instant. Never take anyone for anything for granted. If you love someone, tell them. Never leave a situation in anger, even if you can't resolve it.

2010-08-07T01:32:00.000-04:00

2009-11-26T18:53:00.002-05:00

Thanksgiving - the day Americans set aside for reflection upon all of the things in our lives that we are, or should be thankful for. I love Thanksgiving because it's one of a few days during the year when we all seem to be a little nicer, we seem to be a little more patient, and we act like the people we should be all year long.
When I reflect back on the past year, I realize that while it wasn't perfect, it was full of blessings. Even though both my Mom and Dad are no longer here, I am so thankful that they chose me to share their life with and instilled values in me that have made me the person I am today. I am thankful for my sister and her family and my friends who are like family. I am thankful that I have a job that I get up and go to every day; and while sometimes it is frustrating (tell me a job that isn't!), it is the greatest place to work and it brings me lots of joy and satisfaction. I look at my friends who have gone through so much this year and ask myself, "could I handle it like they have." Do you really value your friends, or do you just accept them because they are your friend? Do you truly realize how talented your friends are? Pick out your best friend and imagine for a moment that you didn't know them. Then imagine someone giving you their resume...what would you think of them? Or watch them interact with other people - what would you think of them. Now ask yourself...what if YOU were the friend? What would your friends think of you?

Happy Thanksgiving!

Here Comes The Bride

2009-10-15T22:40:00.002-04:00

My youngest niece is heading to Las Vegas tomorrow to get married. She's 23 and she's marrying her long-time boyfriend Pat. Since I'm the one who "flies for free" in the family, I'm going to be the family representative - LOL.

Will write more tomorrow

2009-08-20T21:44:00.005-04:00

2009-08-14T23:33:00.001-04:00

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Living It Up?

2009-05-22T21:26:00.002-04:00

Well, it's Friday night....watching Dolores Claiborne and thinking to myself, "I wonder if 9:30pm is too early to go to bed!" Exciting week at work; started up service to Montego Bay, Jamaica - flew down yesterday on the inaugural. Taking the day off on Monday for Memorial Day - then heading to Dallas Tuesday through Thursday.

2009-05-16T19:02:00.001-04:00

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Clean Clothes

2009-05-04T22:47:00.004-04:00

Did you ever wonder why your cat will go right for the clean clothes pile on the bed to lay down on when he could have the whole rest of the bed to stretch out in?

2009-05-04T22:46:00.001-04:00

Enjoying some sweet tea for brunch in Salt Lake City at Market Street Grill

Desiderata

2009-04-07T11:49:00.001-04:00

Go placidly amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible, without surrender,
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even to the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons;
they are vexatious to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain or bitter,
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love,
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment, it is as perennial as the grass.
Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.
Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be.
And whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul.
With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.
--- Max Ehrmann, The Desiderata

Back To The Gym

2009-03-21T22:16:00.005-04:00

Well, today I finally went back to the gym. I can't believe it's been so long since I've been there (but you know I still pay for it every month!) . My gym is 24 Hour Fitness located over in Hasbrouck Heights, NJ and it's really cool! As their name states, they are actually open 24 hours. Some of the amenities (such as the pool, steam room, sauna, etc) are not available between midnight and 5am. Their facilities include: a downstairs area with a open basketball court, 2 racquetball courts and a weight lifting area. Upstairs there is studio for aerobics, a spinning room, a child care center, mens and ladies locker rooms, a lap pool, hot tub, steam room and sauna. They have the largest cardiovascular area that I've seen. My favorite cardiovascular device is called an "Adaptive Motion Trainer" Here is what one looks like:
It's really cool because you can step, run, or use it as an elliptical. It is very low impact and you can vary your routine so that you don't become bored. Oh, and the best thing is that there is a TV screen mounted right up front so I can watch TV while working out! How cool is that? Oh yeah, and there is a place to charge your iPod (it doesn't work with my iPhone, however).

If you have any encouragement you want to send me to keep going to the gym; It will be greatly appreciated!

Lessons from Pilot

2009-02-11T20:06:00.002-05:00

When I came home, I realized the reason that everyone needs a cat. They are so good at correcting little errors you make. How many times have you forgotten and left the salt shaker on the table when you know it belongs on the floor?

My Earthquake Experience

2009-01-08T20:04:00.003-05:00

It's a little after 8pm and I'm sitting in the Ft. Lauderdale airport awaiting my delayed flight home to LaGuardia. For the past 3 days I was in San Jose, Costa Rica on business. Actually we stayed in Cariari, Costa Rica near the SJO Airport which is actually located in Alajuela. Everything was fine until we started to depart on the 1:30pm flight to Ft. Lauderdale. We were seated the first row when at about 1:20pm, the aircraft began to sway from side to side. Initially I and my fellow co-worker who was seated right next to me thought the aircraft had been hit by a belt loader or by a tug. However, the aircraft continued to sway from side to side; so I looked out the window and saw the jetbridge at the adjacent gate moving. That's when I said to Kevin, "We're having an earthquake!". Sure enough...it lasted for about 10-12 seconds. Doesn't sound like a lot of time - but when you're in the middle of one, believe me..it is!

We immediately saw Customers running down stairs out of the Airport Terminal onto the tarmac. The airport was closed down while they inspected for damage and then it continued to be closed for a little while because of the aftershocks. All in all I think our departure was pushed back about 1 hour. The Captain told us it was a reported 6.1 magnitude quake centered near the local volcano.

When I got to Ft. Lauderdale and could get a look at news reports, it was determined that it was indeed a 6.1; the largest earthquake to hit Costa Rica in the past 30 years. The following information was obtained from The Huffington Post.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the 6.1-magnitude temblor was centered 22 miles (35 kilometers) northwest of the capital of San Jose in the early afternoon, near the Poas Volcano national park.

The Red Cross said in a statement that a young girl, who hasn't yet been identified, was killed by a landslide unleashed by the quake near the city of Alajuela, north of the capital.

Local TV station Teletica showed broken windows, fallen ceiling panels and cracked walls in Alajuela. The quake was felt strongly throughout the small Central American country, Teletica said. Cell phone service was interrupted briefly.

Happy New Year! Welcome 2009!

2009-01-01T10:54:00.002-05:00

The first day of 2009! Wow, it seems like only yesterday we said goodbye to the 20th Century! Now here we are, one year away from completing the first decade of the 21st! Enjoying the "rest" from the Holidays and spending time at home doing all the little things that I just didn't find time to do the first few weeks of December. Found out yesterday that I'm heading down to Costa Rica for a few days next week in anticipation of our service from Orlando. Also, today is the day Jose is heading home to Colombia to visit his family after a 7 year absence! I am so happy for him! He should be landing in Bogota around 1pm, and then will be with his family about 6pm tonight. Boy, the first day of the new year is freezing here in NY! I think it's like 18 degrees with a high of about 25 and wind chills in the teens.

Good Wishes to Everyone for 2009!

Christmas 2008

2008-12-25T22:52:00.005-05:00

Merry Christmas! I was able to come back home to Florida on Wednesday after an exhaustive "non-revenue" travel experience. Because of the horrid weather across the U.S., flights were cancelled and overloaded. Consequently I wound up in Ft. Lauderdale on Monday night and had to spend the night at the Courtyard Marriott - FLL Airport and catch a Continental Connection flight home on Tuesday morning. My sister cooked a wonderful meal today. We had a deep fried turkey, pork roast, turnip greens, green bean casserole, rice, dressing, deviled eggs, lima beans, crescent rolls and chocolate layer cake! Yum Yum Yum!

Okay, now on to Christmas. I asked for (and got!) something I always wanted from my childhood. Something that my Mom said she would make for me, but never got the chance to....a sock monkey. Now I thought everybody knew what a sock monkey was, but my sister didn't - she had to look it up online. Here's what they look like -
Now my friends (one in particular - you know who you are Brian) makes fun of me for asking for this gift. However, it was almost 1 year ago since my Mom passed away, so this was the year that I needed this sock money for many different reasons :) I got my sister and brother-in-law a camera and Z16 from Kodak, my oldest niece a necklace, my younger niece some earrings and my nephew a shirt.

My sister, brother in law and myself went and picked out some nice white Poinsettias to put at Mom and Dad's grave. DeAnna and I took them up there today after Christmas dinner. I guess I'll be down here until the weekend. My best friend wants me to go to Las Vegas with him to visit friends for New Years. I made my flight reservations the other day, so I guess I'll go.

2008-12-09T09:24:00.001-05:00

It's 9:20am and I just got to
Sunny Orlando where I will be on company business for a few days. At
least it is nice and warm here; although the weather is not supposed
to be as cold in New York as it was this past weekend!!!

Sent from my iPhone

Great News!

2008-12-07T14:11:00.001-05:00

My friend Jose who has been in the United States for about 10 years, had his final interview with Immigration last week. He got his permanent Green Card!! I am so happy for him! He just made his flight reservations back home to Colombia to see his family he hasn't in such a long time.

My Trip to Bogota, Colombia

2008-12-07T13:29:00.005-05:00

I went to Bogota, Colombia December 1-3, 2008. My airline is beginning non-stop service from Orlando at the end of January, so I had a few days to check out the area and see what to expect. Flew down on Avianca in a 767 - they do a nice service, but I am not really a fan of the 767 unless they have gone through a major interior overhaul. I much prefer the DC10. Once in Bogota, I found it very interesting that the hotel had no air conditioning or heating. I found out that Bogota has no seasons and the weather remains constant year-round. It was pleasant during the day, and a tad chilly in the evening. Bogota is great for shopping; especially for leather, emeralds and 18kt gold! The exchange rate is around 2,140 Colombian pesos to each US Dollar - so it's relatively cheap. We hired (through a reputable source) a taxi and driver to take us to shopping and dining locations for 15,000 pesos per hour - so for our own personal car and driver for 4 hours came to $40USD including a generous tip! Can you imagine what 4 hours for a car in NYC would cost?

Thanksgiving

2008-11-29T00:56:00.007-05:00

Well, Thanksgiving 2008 has come and gone. It was the first Thanksgiving without Mom. My sister told me she had a pretty rough time. I on the other hand, seemed to do okay. I just kept focusing on conversations Mom and I had about "no regrets" and "remembering the good times." I must confess I do miss hearing from her and being able to ask her advice and having her tell me she loved me.

I went and had dinner with friends for Thanksgiving - they were all of Latin descent, so it wasn't your typical Thanksgiving dinner. Of course, outside of the United States - who celebrates it? Sometimes I'm a little ethnocentric in believing that "our way" is everybody's way. I guess the first step towards help is recognizing..LOL

Oh yeah - and the funniest thing! My friends told me about the guy that was dancing the "Single Ladies" video - Shane Mercado. Check out his clip on YouTube.

Welcome JetBlue Terminal 5!!

2008-10-22T20:36:00.002-04:00

Wow - it's finally here! After almost 9 years, JetBlue has our own brand new Terminal at John F. Kennedy International Airport! I can remember when I was hired for the third flight attendant class in 2000, we shared Terminal 5 with United and America West Airlines. I think we had 3 ticket counters, and only one of the rotundas. What a difference a few years makes! We are now the largest domestic carrier at JFK and we now have a world class Terminal!

I left the corporate office and went to check out our new home. What a breath of fresh air and a re-energizing event. Tons of restaurant, lots of room, places to sit and shops, shops, shops!

The Crewmembers and the Customers both seemed excited with the new surroundings. There were a couple of minor glitches - but hey, it's to be expected, right?

I hope when you travel JetBlue you will leave a little early and enjoy all the wonderful things T5 has to offer!

Sunday night

2008-10-19T21:46:00.003-04:00

I was supposed to go to Las Vegas this weekend with my best friend to visit another friend who has just moved out there from Chicago where he worked for United Airlines. He got out of the airline business (probably a smart move!) and headed west! I wasn't able to go because I had some things to do here at home and besides - Las Vegas is not the best place to try to non-rev into and out of. My best friend also works for United, and had to buy a reduced fare pass on USAirways to get out there and on American through San Francisco to get home! See - that's why sometimes it's smart to stay home..LOL.

A little update on Pilot - he is growing like a weed and just becoming more active every day! He runs, jumps, throws himself on the floor and rolls around like a puppy dog! He loves rolling around on the tile floor in the living room and laying on his back so I'll rub his belly. And there is just something about the bathroom that draws him in there. Everytime I head there, he almost knocks me down trying to get in their first and then he just lays on the rug until I leave..LOL crazy cat!

17 Days and Counting.....

2008-10-18T23:21:00.005-04:00

Wow – just think; in little more than 2 weeks, we as a country will make history. We will either elect the first African American as President, or the first female as Vice-President. I wonder what scares people most. Obama as President or Palin as Vice-President? As far as qualifications go, I think McCain and Obama are both capable individuals. Regardless of who you for vote – just vote!

New Member of the House! (reposting)

2008-10-18T22:36:00.002-04:00

Good morning,

Today is Sunday August 17th and for those of you who are cat lovers, you will be able to understand what I am going to reveal. After loosing Max, it was very difficult to come home to an "empty house." I wasn't quite ready for a new baby so quickly, but I came across a rescue kitty and he stole my heart. I was surfing "Pet Finders" (a great website BTW for those of you looking to adopt a dog or cat) and saw a kitten I was interested in. I called the number listed and found out his foster Mom was getting ready to permanently adopt him. PetFinders.com is a site where animal rescue organizations place their adoptees in one location for everyone to see. I spoke with Chris from "Only Hope" cat rescue who said she had a beautiful part Russian Blue male who she was getting ready to show the next weekend at an adoption booth in NYC.

So, I loaded up and went over to take a look. I fell in love with him right away. Then when Chris told me the story of how they found him I knew it was the right thing to do. He was rescued from East Harlem, NY. "Only Hope" worked with him to help him understand that people were good and not to be scared of them. When they first saw him on the street, his ears were laying flat just like the wings of an airplane - hence they named him Pilot. Isn't that a riot? I am a flight attendant, and my cat's name is Pilot.

Pilot is a beautiful Russian Blue mix. I think the Russian Blue is the more dominant gene because he has the majority of those features. The one thing I forgot about a kitten is how much more active they are than a full grown cat! Pilot has so much energy; running around the house, jumping across the bed; leaping tall ottomans in a single leap - well you get the idea.

I wanted to let you all know that I have a new baby and his name is Pilot!

TGIF!! (reposting)

2008-10-18T22:35:00.002-04:00

Wow - it's Friday! woohoo!! Sitting here watching Steel Magnolias...it's one of my favorite movies. Growing up in the South, I completely understand everything going on here..LOL. I went to the Bay area of California last weekend for the 4th. Visited with a friend of mine whom I hadn't seen in a few months. The weather out there was beautiful (but isn't it always?) I e-mailed the Crematory where Max was sent, and asked them if I could get a bigger urn because the one they sent him back in was just a little too small. They were so nice - they sent one right away and didn't even ask that I send the other one back. I've been thinking I want to get another kitten, but so far all I have done is look. I don't know that I'm ready - but I am missing having someone waiting at home for me. Maybe I should look for a person - rather than a cat? Of course cats are probably easier to deal with! LOL

Had trouble with my computer. About 3 days before it was one year old the hard drive failed on it and I lost all of my data. No - I didn't have it backed up. Yes - I know that I should. Took it to the Apple Store and they replaced the hard drive, but didn't want to give me the old one. I explained to the Assistant Manager that all of the pictures of my recently deceased Mother was on there and they were so nice - they gave me the hard drive to take and try to have data recovery peformed on it. I'm suprised the hard drive went so soon, but hey - who knows why these things happen.

More Pictures of Max (reposting)

2008-10-18T22:31:00.006-04:00

I thought I had more digital pictures of Max, but I could not find them. I did however find some photographs that I scanned and entered here. I decided to have Max cremated (although some people tired to talk me out of it). I picked up his ashes today along with the lovely wooden box. I now keep Max on my mantle right next to a candle and some of his pictures. I am glad I decided to do it - it gave me some closure.

Late Father's Day post (reposting)

2008-10-18T22:30:00.008-04:00

II feel bad that I didn't post anything for Father's Day. My Dad passed away in 1994 and until January of this year, Mom had taken on both roles. I never realized how not having your parents makes you more aware of your own age and your own mortality. I still miss my Dad even though it has been 14 years, and Mom did such a great job of being there for us even though we were grown adults! It still doesn't seem like she's gone. I haven't been back since the funeral, but I'm going to try to go back later this year.

To My Best Friend

2008-06-12T22:26:00.006-04:00

Today I said goodbye to one who loved me unconditionally. One who never placed demands, never asked for anything in return and who only wanted one thing - to love me. I'm talking about my cat Max. Max was with me for 16 years and they were the best 16 years of my life. Maximillian Cook (Max) was born on January 21, 1992 and came into my life a few short weeks later. We lived in 7 different residences in 3 states. Max was with me when I bought my first house, my nephew was born, my sister's two grandchildren were born and when I lost both my Dad and Mom. Max was the best friend anyone could ask for. I am going to miss the way he would wait until I got settled in bed then come right up and snuggle against me resting his paws on the crook of my arm and settling in for the night.

On a bright note, I was able to track down the lady in Tallahassee from whom I purchased Max. She and her husband owned a pet store and she used to breed Tonkinese from her two show cats. She never sold cats through her pet store (no "puppy mill") but one of her employees put her in touch with me and I was able to purchase Max from one of the last liters. Max's father was also named Maximillian and his mother was named Mocha. Linda and I were able to talk for about 45 minutes and it was very cathartic for me given today's events.

I recall when Max was just a kitten and had come to live with me and my roommate Robert. One night, Robert and I were having dinner and Max climbed up right on the couch behind Robert and made a giant leap, all 4 paws right in Robert's mashed potatoes! I laughed so hard I almost wet myself, but Robert was not as amused.

When I was having my townhouse built in Tallahassee, my best friend Ryan took Max and placed him on a ledge which was about 12 feet off the floor. After Ryan placed him up there, he said to me, "hey, look what Max did!" I almost had a heart attack. Ryan thought it was funny and I think Max had a good time up there.

Once my Mom came to visit me for a week. She told me that when I left for work, Max would go upstairs and climb in my bed and sleep while I was at work. Mom said she always knew when I was almost home because Max would run down the stairs and jump into the front window and about 1 minute later I would pull into the driveway.

Max loved to play catch. Never had to worry about buying him a toy. Simply take a piece of paper, wad it up (he loved to hear the crinkle of paper) and toss it. He would jump up, and catch the paper in between his paws while up in the air. It was the most incredible thing I ever saw.

So many people would tell me, "I don't even like cats, but I love Max!"

I miss you Max and I will remember and carry you in my heart always. I wrote this poem in honor of you -

I Open My Eyes

Where are you? I look up at your window perch and expect to see you stretched out enjoying the cool breeze blowing over your body

Where are you? I look in the living room to see if you are perched up on one of the pillows looking like the Great Sphinx

Where are you? I look in the kitchen to see if you have climbed up on the counter walking up and down like you are on the runway showing off the latest fall fashions

Where are you? I look in the bathroom to see if you are drinking out of the toilet or opening the bathroom cupboard - just because you can

But you are nowhere to be found

I close my eyes and try to sleep. I feel you jump on the bed, the crinkle of the comforter under your paws as you make the way to your spot in the crook of my arm. I feel your whiskers are you put your face against my cheek

I open my eyes but you are not there

With much love - your friend and protector
DeWayne

Update on Max

2008-06-05T19:32:00.002-04:00

Max
Max is doing better, he went several days without eating, but some gentle coaxing and some Nutri-Cal has goten him back to eating a little bit and I'm so happy! He is still very weak and thin (especially his back legs) but I'm coaxing him to eat and helping him when he can't jump up on the couch or bed. I'm so hoping he gets better! The Vet called back and said that his test showed he did not have cancer - thank goodness! The bad news is that they are sure he has heart problems and there is really nothing they can do for him. I have him on 4 pills a day (have you ever tried to give a cat a pill?), so I'm hoping for the best.

Trip to the vet

2008-05-30T15:12:00.002-04:00

My cat Max hasn't been feeling well for the past several days. I was out of town last week and had him boarded with the Vet after he went for a thryoid check-up and to see why he was loosing weight. The Vet took some blood to check his thryoid and sugar level. I went down to Atlanta for a week and came back on Thursday night. Max was home and eating and seemed to be doing okay. Well, on Friday, he stopped eating and didn't eat for the rest of the weekend. He kept drinking water but that was it. I took him to the Vet Emergency Doctor this morning and she felt that Max had fluid on his lungs. She did a chest tap and drew off 365 milliliters! He's home now and seems to be doing a little better although he has yet to eat anything. I think he's just stressed because of the operation today and the shot of lasik he got to remove the existing fluid. I'm keeping my fingers crossed because he's been with me since he was a baby (January 1992).
Happy Memorial Day everyone!
My cat Max hasn't been feeling well for the past several days. I was out of town last week and had him boarded with the vet after he went for a thyroid check-up and to see why he was loosing weight. The vet took some blood to check his thyroid and sugar level. So, I went down to Atlanta for work and came back on Thursday night. Max was home and eating and seemed to be doing okay. Well, on Friday he stopped eating and didn't eat anything for the rest of the weekend. He kept drinking water, but that was it. So I took him this morning and the emergency doctor said she felt Max had fluid on his lungs. She did a chest tap and drew off 365 millileters of fluid! He's home now and seems to be doing a little better although he has yet to eat anything. I think he's just stressed because of the operation today and the shot of lasik he got to remove the existing fluid. I'm keeping my fingers crossed because he's been with me since he was a baby - 16 years (January 1992). Happy Memorial Day to all!! - Dewayne

What does it mean someone left the cake out in the rain?

2008-05-15T21:10:00.002-04:00

Thursday - man, I wish it were Friday already! This week, while it's gone by faster than normal, certainly was a busy week. Weather here has been crazy. Cold one day, hot the next, rain, wind..I thought this was the middle of May?! Tried the new Pizza Hut pasta dish - the chicken alfredo. You know, it wasn't bad at all. I recommend it (all my Italian friends are disowning me now I know....). I wanted to go out of town this weekend, but I need to take Max to the vet to have him re-checked out. The Vet said he has hyper-thyroidism, so I have to give him a pill twice a day - have you ever tried to give a cat a pill? You should try..it's an experience! So, I want to see how the medicine is working.

Vegas Vacation (repost from original blog)

2008-05-10T22:20:00.002-04:00

My sister and I spent a few days over my 45th birthday out in Las Vegas. She had never been there before. We flew from JFK on JetBlue and spent 3 nights at the Bellagio. Visited Hoover Dam and Red Rock Canyon as well as the spa thing.

It was a very nice time. Our Mother passed away a few months before, so we needed the time away and together.

To Mom (reposting from my original blog)

2008-05-01T20:00:00.003-04:00

Mom,
It's been less than 4 months since God called you home to be with him, Dad and all of your loved ones that were waiting for you. There isn't a day go by that I don't miss you and think about picking up the phone to call you. While with my head I wouldn't want to bring you back, with my heart I would bring you back in a minute! I think of all the time we said "no regrets" when the time came, but I would give anything to have just another few minutes with you.
I love you so much,

Your son, DeWayne