Friday, July 21, 2006

Ryan Earl Brew, my favorite companion

Ryan Brew, 28, of Leland, slipped peacefully from this life on Saturday July 1, 2006, after a courageous four and a half year battle with leukemia. He was surrounded by his family in their Leland home. A true All-American, Ryan was an Eagle Scout, the catcher and MVP of his State Championship High School Baseball team, served a 2 year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Romania, Bucharest Mission, and graduated from NC State University with a BA in Chemistry and a double minor in Biology and French. Ryan is survived by parents, Reggie and Pam, of the home; brother, David and wife Amber, of Winston-Salem; sisters, Lindsey, of Raleigh, Staci, and Taelor, also of the home. A visitation will be held on Tuesday, July 4, at the Coble Ward-Smith Funeral Home on Oleander Dr. from 6 P.M. until 8 P.M. The funeral will be on Wednesday at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Leland at 1 P.M., followed by interment. Bishop Trip Child will conduct services with Elder Robert Orton presiding. Pallbearers will be Reggie Brew, David Brew, Danny Brew, Ronnie Lynch, Lacey Nelson, and Ben Barker. Honorary pallbearers will be Arthur Conkle, John Child, Brad Walker, Hollan Pickard, Tony Eason, Rick Finlayson, Kelly Barnum, Mike Jenkins, Randy Fennell, and David Baldree. Ryan could say, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.” (2 Timothy 4:7) Tributes and condolences may be offered to the family at www.mem.com. Coble Ward-Smith Funeral and Cremation Services, Oleander Chapel, 791-4444.

January 14, 1978 - July 1, 2006

Man remembered for drive, maturity

By Carol Motsinger
Star-News Intern

Ryan Earl Brew started walking when he was 8 months old.

Reggie Brew said this was the first example of how his son was an early achiever.

Because of his determination, attitude and talent, Brew accomplished a great deal in his 28 years, friends and family say.

Brew, of Leland, died July 1. He was diagnosed with leukemia 4 1/2 years ago.

His life was celebrated July 5 during a funeral service at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Leland.

His "immediate appeal was his maturity beyond his years," said Randy Fennell, who met Brew when he was a coach at Leland Middle School.

Brew "was focused and seemed to know exactly where he was headed … even as a seventhgrader," he added.

Fennell attributed some of his success to the moral influence of his parents, Reggie and Pam Brew, and his strong family ties. Other survivors include four siblings: David Brew, of Winston-Salem, Lindsey Brew, of Raleigh, and Staci Brew and Taelor Brew, both of Leland.

Fennell also coached Brew when he was a member of the football and baseball teams at North Brunswick High School.

He graduated in 1996.

As the new freshman quarterback, Brew was a "vocal leader," Fennell noted.

"You usually expect (freshman quarterbacks) to be a little timid and passive," he said. "But he had control of the huddle."

He played quarterback all four years in high school.

The North Brunswick High School baseball team won the state championship in 1996. As catcher, Brew was named MVP of the tournament.

A year earlier, he became an Eagle Scout. He joined the Boy Scouts at 11 and always enjoyed hunting and fishing.

Even after he became sick, he continued to enjoy the outdoors when he could, Reggie Brew said.

After attending the University of North Carolina at Wilmington for a semester, Brew went on a church mission trip to Romania. He stayed in the country for about two years and became fluent in the language, Reggie Brew said.

Brew also was fluent in French. When he returned to the United States, he studied at North Carolina State University.

He received a bachelor's degree in chemistry with a double minor in biology and French in 2004.

Reggie Brew said his son planned on "a career in medicine."

Brew continued to take classes even after he was sick.

"He wasn't going to do anything halfway," Fennell said.

His father noted he continued to be positive and always worried more about other people. Several friends visited Brew the weekend before he died, his father added.

"I think we live in a selfish society ... and Ryan never bought into that. He uplifted me in so many ways," Fennell noted.


I can't really say anything right now. But I'll add my feelings later.

Wednesday, July 19, 2006

I was tagged!

Instructions:
1. Go to Wikipedia.
2. In the Search box, type your birth month and day (but not year).
3. List three events that happened on your birthday.
4. List two important birthdays and one interesting death.
5. One holiday or observance (if any).

1. 1789 - Pope Pius VI appoints Father John Carroll (priest) as the first Catholic bishop in the United States.

2. 1860 - U.S. presidential election, 1860: Abraham Lincoln is elected as the 16th President of the United States, the first Republican to hold that office.

3. 1962 - Apartheid: The United Nations General Assembly passes a resolution condemning South Africa's racist apartheid policies and calls for all UN member states to cease military and economic relations with the nation.

Birthdays
1. 1966 - Christian Lorenz, German keyboardist (Rammstein)
2. 1861 - James Naismith, Canadian inventor of basketball (d. 1939)

Deaths
1. 1231 - Emperor Tsuchimikado of Japan (b. 1196)

Holiday
1. Dominican Republic - Constitution Day (1844)

A Must See

As you may know, of late I have been on an astronomy kick. I've learned how to make very nice starfields, planets, and nebulae in Photoshop. It's been a lot of fun. Well, the other day I stumbled upon a website that you *must* go look at. It is the NASA picture of the day site. You can reach it here. http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html

Visit it and then go look at the archives. There are some of the most beautiful and awe inspiring pictures on there. And I have to say looking at them, reinforces my belief in God. Wow. His creations are astounding.

Here are some examples:

Monday, July 17, 2006

Text



Just a couple of tries at interesting text effects I've tried out.

Wednesday, July 12, 2006

Ce am facut?

Well, it has been awhile since I've posted something on my blog. I haven't really had anything that I wanted to say or share the past week. But I'll share what I've been up to.

Today I cleaned all of my dishes and emptied some junk from the fridge. My disposal unit was stinking, so I had it eat a lemon. It smells nice now.

This past week I've been listening to Romanian radio online. I rediscovered a station that I "loved" back on my mission. It was on in the metros and taxis. It is called Radio Twenty-One. And its name is said in English in Romania. "Rrrrrrradio Twenny-one!" I love to say that. Anyway, this and one other station are a lot of fun to listen to. Romanian radio plays lots of good American hits along with their Romanian hits. And Romanian radio fits my musical likes perfectly. I've discovered a band I really really like, Akcent. Their songs are very catchy and have a good beat. I've found and downloaded some of their stuff.

Today and yesterday I went over to my friend Aaron's apartment complex. A bunch of us went hot tubbing and swimming. The pool felt so nice! My friend Dalin dunked me! :( I was in the deep end (nine feet). I hate being dunked! I can't swim underwater. Anyway, I touched the bottom of the pool and then pushed my way back up. The surface looked so far away. That fact means that I opened my eyes underwater. I'm surprised I didn't lose my contacts. So that freaked me out. But later it also excited me. I touched the bottom! It probably isn't as hard as I think it is. I could learn to dive. That was something cool for me to think about.

While I was there I played Seafarers of Catan with my friends Dalin and Robert. Dalin had played Cities and Knights and Settlers before, but never Seafarers. He beat Robert and I soundly twice. So much for being oh so good! (Third in the tournament!) Robert and I want a rematch. Badly.

Sunday, July 02, 2006

Cell Phones and Driving Don't Mix

Just a quick pointer to a relevant artice: Apparently driving while talking on a cell phone is as bad or worse than driving drunk according to a new study. Check it out here. I believe it. So just a warning to all of my friends and family who drive and have cell phones. Don't do them together.

Saturday, July 01, 2006

The super and not so super hero movies

I took this list from MSN. It has some movies that I've never heard of and now I want to see them. First, the best:

The Top Ten Best Super-hero Movies

10. The Rocketeer - I thought this movie was actually boring. Women seem to like it though.

9. Spy Kids - I've never seen it, but it looks good for a laugh.

8. Hellboy - Chris G. loves this movie. I think it didn't quite peg its potential.

7. Inframan - Never even heard of it, but the synopsis makes it sound worth seeing.

6. Darkman - No clue.
5. Superman II - When did this movie come out? I probably saw it then and that was the last time.

4. The Incredibles - A+ all around. It's witty, stylish, fun, and endearing.
3. Spider-Man - Great movie! Didn't you just want to hit him when he said no to Mary-Jane!?

2. Batman Returns - This movie gave the Batman series new life. And by a new life, I mean reality. No more comic disasters!

1. X-Men - This movie was perfect. I didn't think it could be improved upon, but X2 actually was better. It is very rare that a sequel is better than its predecessor.

The Top Five Worst Super-hero Movies

5. Hulk - The characters never developed, we never cared about them.

4. Fantastic Four - Juvenile at best. The characters were two-dimensional.

3. Catwoman - I'd like to see this movie just to see how bad it really is.

2. Dare Devil - Coincidentally, I saw this movie tonight for the first time. It felt like it was only a quarter of a movie.

1. Batman and Robin - Speaking of comic disaster...

Now there are some of these I haven't seen, so I can't know how accurate these lists are. But there are some honorable mentions I'd like to add: Ultraviolet, X3, Flash Gordon, and Supergirl. I'll let you guess which ones go in which list. ;)