Big Gold Dog....

I like to watch this every now and then...and it still brings a tear to my eye thinking about another Big Gold Dog.

I'm honored.....!

I didn't think I knew much about stamps, but apparently I do. And I didn't know I'd been honored, but apparently I have. At least the Federated Philatelic Clubs of Southern California appreciate my efforts......whatever they were. Thank you so much for the Exemplary Service Award

Upcoming: The Paula Nelson Band

Under the category of "here's something else to do in Midland". On Saturday December 6th, at 10p.m., The Paula Nelson Band will be at Kroc's in Midland. Paula and her band are hot commodities in Austin and around Texas and the USA. They play a mix of Texas rock, blues and hot country. Paula is the daughter of my friend Connie Nelson......her Dad is Willie. Connie at right in photo, Paula on the left and daughter Amy in the middle.

Just a dog.....

A letter by an anonymous author and sent by a friend.....

Just a dog...

From time to time people tell me to "lighten up, it's just a dog" or "that's a lot of money for just a dog". They don't understand the distance traveled, time spent, or costs involved for "just a dog". Some of my proudest moments have come about with "just a dog". Many hours have passed with my only company being "just a dog" and not once have I felt slighted. Some of my saddest moments were brought about by "just a dog". In those days of darkness, the gentle touch of "just a dog" provided purpose and comfort to overcome the day.

If you too, think that it's "just a dog" you will probably understand phrases like "it's just a friend", "just a sunrise" or "just a promise". "Just a dog" brings into my life the very essence of friendship, trust and pure unbridled joy. Because of "just a dog" I will rise early, take long walks, and look longily to the future.

For me, and folks like me, it's not "just a dog". It's the embodiment of all the hopes and dreams of the future, the fond memories of the past, and the pure joy of the moment. "Just a dog" brings out what is good in me and diverts my thoughts away from myself and the worries of the day.

I hope that someday people can understand that it's not "just a dog". It's the thing that gives me humanity and keeps me from being "just a man or woman".

So the next time you hear someone say it's "just a dog", smile because they "just don't understand".

Open House Success...!

Our open house at The Springboard Center was a great success. The Mayor, the president of Midland Memorial Hospital, two district judges and 100's of patrons and supporters were in attendance. Guests had a chance to hear what the center and it's programs will mean for Midland and the surrounding areas and to tour the facility which will be officially opening in February 2009. As always, our friend and national spokesperson Jeanne Cooper of The Young and the Restless provided a great treat and and inspirational words.

Here's a photo slideshow of the afternoon: Springboard Open House and take a video walk thru of the new facility! Video Tour

Kiva....a great idea

Some time ago I ran into Kiva and wrote that I found this vehicle to make micro loans to individuals in 3rd world countries to be absolutely the highest and best use of the Internet. I still feel that way. After chunking in some money I invested in a woman, Sharifa Said Seif, and her hopes of expanding her clothing business in Dar es Salaam. Fast foward nine months and the loan was paid back in full. The idea of Kiva is to keep "rolling" your invested dollars into new loans as they are repaid.

Yesterday, on Veteran's Day, I thought that a good way to remember some of my past was to help someone in Southeast Asia. So my credit balance went to Savy Ek a woman on the Mekong River in Cambodia. Mrs. Ek is a silk weaver and needed some funds to buy materials to help her business grow.

The amount of money we might spend, without a thought, on a nice dinner out is a near fortune to someone in the poorer regions of the world. Kiva is a great way to help someone else up!

Kablooey!!

As a kid I always liked blowing stuff up with firecrackers. Today was the ultimate blow up, the implosion of the old Midland Savings Building. Here are my shots from the media viewing area on the 3rd floor terrace of the Hilton Hotel.

Open House........Ya'll come!

The Springboard Center, our home grown non-profit substance abuse treatment center will be having an open house this Friday to show off our new and nearly completed 11,500 square foot facility. We'll have a light Mexican food buffet and you can meet our national spokesperson Jeanne Cooper of The Young and The Restless, the newest Emmy Award winner for best actress in a daytime drama.

Things kick-off at Noon at the Center which is located at 200 Corporate Dr., off N. Big Spring Street behind the 1st National Bank branch. Here's our MRT Ad with info. Hope you can make it.....!

From Sir Charles...

"Poor people have been voting for Democrats for the last fifty years....and they are still poor."

-Charles Barkely-

Christmas For OUR Troops...

Our Christmas For OUR Troops program is once again swinging into high gear. For the past four years we have sent Christmas gift boxes to our troops serving us in harms way in Iraq and Afghanistan. At first the idea was to send a few boxes of neccesities and goodies to some of the troops we knew were overseas, sending probably 40 or 50 boxes the first year. Last year we sent over 600 boxes and this year the plan is to send over 1,000!

The support from individuals, businesses and churches has been overwhelming! People donate items, large and small, they donate services, money and most importantly their time and efforts! This year we have a whole new group of people in New Mexico who are gathering gifts and providing locations for others to drop off their donations. But....we can always use more help, items for our troops and yes sometimes money. Last year the postage bill for sending our boxes exceeded $12,000! So, if you can help in anyway, please look over our website linked above. We are a registered 503 [c] non profit corporation....and every dime goes towards showing our troops they are not forgotten.

And for a reminder of why we do this....read the few of many, many letters we have recieved back from our grateful servicemembers.

Doyle Dykes...

It was another of those nights when I wonder where all the folks in Midland were....the one's who complain about the lack of things to do in town. Guitar virtuoso Doyle Dykes played before 75-80 folks at the First Presbyterian Church. In fairness it was a Sunday night and I suppose since Doyle was appearing at 1st Presby, more secular folks might have had the impression that this was a religous event. Doyle does have a great spiritual message in his music, which is why the church brought him to town, but Doyle played mainly what he's known for....hot lick country guitar! Doyle has played on stage with Les Paul, Chet Atkins, Duane Eddy, Peter Frampton, John Fogerty, Vince Gill, and has been a regular on the Grand Ol' Opry. He is also the national spokesperson for Taylor Guitars and Rivera Amps.

A small crowd, but a great chance to talk with a musical genius!

Mission Accomplished.....

For the last week I have been intending to add an update concerning the success of the 25th Divisions visit to Midland. Luckily, in Sunday's Midland Reporter-Telegram, Mella McEwen has done a good job of summarizing the trip. I had a great time in the week with the 25th Division soldiers and the feedback from them on their experience was very positive. I'll be seeing them again soon. And a big thanks to the Midland oil community for their support and assistance. Here's Mella's take on the trip.....

Soldiers visit Midland for tips on protecting Iraqi oil facilities
by Mella McEwen
Midland Reporter-Telegram
Published: Sunday, October 5, 2008 3:14 AM CDT

Before heading to northern Iraq later this fall, eight members of the U.S. Army's 25th Infantry Division -- who have previously been to both Iraq and Afghanistan -- detoured to Midland to learn about the oil and gas industry. "Our goal was to get a broad overview of the oil industry and better prepare ourselves for going to Iraq," said Lieutenant Colonel Nancy Blacker, adding that another goal was to identify experts who could assist their efforts once they are in Iraq, experts they can call or e-mail after they arrive in Iraq.

The division's 'mentor,' retired four-star General James T. Hill, contacted his close friend Wallace Craig of Midland for help preparing the division to oversee oil operations in Iraq. "When they first contacted me, I envisioned they were more worried about how to secure the equipment, but their main focus is on putting Iraqis back to work, increasing production and growing the economy," he said.

Craig -- who was in the division in the mid-1970s -- said Hill, a close friend and fraternity brother, had asked him to go to Iraq, but he told Hill the soldiers would be better served coming to Midland, visiting actual facilities and talking with industry representatives. "I said they needed to look at getting many involved because the industry is so segmented," he said.

He then enlisted Midland College's Petroleum Professional Development Center to set up three days of training for the soldiers. The first day was a full-day classroom seminar, "Overview of the Oil and Gas Industry" presented by T.E. Gill at the PPDC building in downtown Midland, followed by an update on global markets, sales and prices at Wachovia Securities.

The second day involved a field trip, touring a Pioneer Natural Resources well site, pipeline operations at Plains All American tank farm and control center and compressor systems at Exterran. At the Plains tank farm, Craig said, the soldiers saw how a large-scale storage facility operates and how it is vulnerable. "They needed to know what the red flags were and what the red flags look like," he said.

Lt. Col. Blacker said the group got a good understanding from both the classroom presentation and the trip to actual sites "to see what the equipment looks like and what right looks like."

The second day concluded at the Petroleum Museum with a panel discussion involving experts in various segments of the industry. Nick Taylor, president of Mexco Energy, was among the panelists talking with the soldiers. "What they were most concerned with was creating jobs, boosting the economy and getting people involved," Taylor observed. He said one thing that amazed him was learning that the Iraqis have now buried their pipelines and encased them in concrete. Better securing the pipelines, he said, will let the Iraqis focus on economic development. Participants discussed suggestions such as holding a trade show similar to the upcoming Permian Basin International Oil Show.

"We directed them towards adding revenue, increasing production, recovering gas that's now being flared, capturing the vapors from production facilities," said Taylor. "We talked about generating facilities, using portable generators -- engines or turbines, those microturbines. Some of them thought that might not be feasible at this point but they were glad to hear our ideas. "We also talked about fertilizer, chemicals, value-added products," he continued.

Taylor noted that, since his days in the army, the military has broadened its concerns from combat to dealing with civilian-military affairs, which he found encouraging.

Craig said there is a benefit to Midlanders from the soldiers' visit in that contacts were made "so that when things improve, there will be opportunities in Iraq, especially for service companies. The potential in Iraq is huge. It has the second largest reserves after Saudi Arabia. That region is going to be a major energy center and it needs revitalization and it needs people who know how to revitalize it."

Lt. Col. Blacker said her group "really appreciate being here and welcomed with open arms."

The Army arrives..

After several months of work in the planning stages, my army consulting job got down to business today with the arrival of a number of command and staff officers from the 25th Infantry Division who have come to Midland to learn the basics of the oil business. The 25th Division will be deploying to the oil rich regions of Iraq in the very near future.

On Tuesday we will be having a full day of instruction in oil production systems at the Petroleum Professional Development Center. Wednesday morning will find us touring oil field production and transportation field sites followed by an afternoon panel discussion and question/answer session at the Petroleum Museum. Thursday we will be visiting the Alon/Fina Refinery in Big Spring before the 25th group departs that evening.

Tonight, with the help of The Petroleum Museum, I hosted a welcoming reception attended by many oil business legends who have helped me in putting the seminar together including Mayor Wes Perry, Arlen Edgar and T.B. O'Brien, who was responsible for extinquishing the oil fires in Kuwait after the first Gulf War.

It's an honor to be able to assist my old division as they prepare to deploy to Iraq....and once again I'm amazed at the quality of people we have serving in our armed forces. Like Major Kuhl, from the 25th Division's legal office. Major Kuhl recently graduated with honors with a masters degree in law from the University of Virginia. She could name her ticket in the corporate legal world, but chooses to serve her country. Enough said.

Two Years......

It was two years ago yesterday that Tres, The Big Gold Dog, passed away peacefully at home. Much has happened since then but it seems like only yesterday that he was here.....and at the same time, a lifetime ago. I think of him every day.

A trip east....?

Life really is interesting and sometimes really interesting things just appear out of the blue.

For the last year I've been trying to make arrangements on my own to go to Afghanistan to do photography. I had lined up media crendials and the paper work to become an "embedded" photographer with the army. The problem was securing transportation. To pay for travel out of pocket is extremely expensive and my efforts at securing a ride over on a military aircraft have not panned out...

So it was with a great deal of serendipity that a call came from an old friend several months ago offering me a paid trip with the army, not to Afghanistan but to Iraq. The friend is a recently retired senior army general who now consults for and advises the army. He told me that an infantry division would be deploying to the oil rich sectors of Iraq in January and that they wanted someone on board who knew the oil business...and the army. My name was suggested. Talks ensued in which I told commanders that I'm not really an expert in any one area, but my strong suit is knowing a lot of people who are so why don't we put together a consulting team of many experts from the differing areas of the oil business. The idea was well received.

So after a call received today, I guess I'm officially a US Army consultant for Iraq. The consultant who is hiring other consultants. We will be hosting, in Midland, a large group of the divisions staff officers and commanders for an "oil business 101" seminar after which we will be on call as the situation dictates in Northern Iraq. Trips over are likely, hopefully very short trips.

Interesting to boot in that the division I'm working with, is the very same one I served in all those years ago.

Gone West...

Ed, "Too Tall" Freeman was one of the four Medal of Honor recepients from the battle at LZ Xray portrayed in the film, We Were Soldiers. Today, I received the following sad news from someone who knew him best.

folks:
please be advised that an american hero crossed the river this morning bound for Fiddlers Green:
Maj. Ed (Too Tall to Fly) Freeman (Medal of Honor, Ia Drang Valley) died in a Boise hospital where he had been in intensive care and on life support for a number of days.
Ed was great company in a foxhole or a watering hole, and a great loyal friend of everyone who ever spent time around him.
Ed's best friend for only about 60 years, Bruce (Old Snake) Crandall, and Bruce's wife Arlene spent time with Ed saying their goodbyes--and continuing their long-running argument over which of them was the Second Best Pilot in the World-- last week.
Bruce told Ed that to prove he was the BPITW Bruce would get a chopper for the burial and sling-load Ed's coffin right into the grave.
We all mourn the loss of one of the Cavalry's two best pilots in the world.
Details of funeral home, funeral arrangements etc. are below.
Garry Owen!
Joe Galloway

Sad News....

I remember the sadness at the passing of The Big Gold Dog like it was yesterday. Now....I can share that feeling with Janie and her family on the loss of their dear friend and companion, Zoie.
Sounding Forth....with sadness

Birthday...

Today is my Dad's birthday, he would have been 85 years old. Having spent so many years watching his health decline, I like to look at many of the old photos like the one above to remind me of what a great and active life he had. I miss him immensely.....

Blogging for Fair Havens..

Blogging for Fair Havens organizer and grand master Jimmy Patterson is smiling here because we've just reached our goal of $10,000......just a little more than half way through the 24 hour event!! Thanks to all... and there is still time to donate using the link above!!

Blogging for Fair Havens

Things are going well in the HEB parking lot as local bloggers led by Jimmy Patterson are busy raising money for Midland Fair Havens. Local luminaries like Midland Mayor Wes Perry [above] are stopping by frequently to show their support. With only 8 hours under our belts, as of 3 o'clock, a grand total of $7,800 has been raised towards the total goal of $10,000. You can still make your pledge! Check out Blogging For Fair Havens