Starting Out

So long and thanks for all the fish

Eight years ago when I walked into the Connecticut Post for the first time, I met a group of nice people. Last week, when I departed for the final time, I left numerous friends, some of whom have become as close and dear as family.

]]> Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would be apart of something so great for so long. I chuckle as I think back to my first days when I was very different than I am today.
Like my higher voice and shorter stature of my early Post days, I was a much different person than I am today.
This newspaper helped to shape and mold me into the person I am proud to have become.
Although I am an out-going person today who enjoys meeting new people and reveling in finding individuals to speak with for stories and projects, I was not always this way.
Before Cindy Simoneau, the former assistant managing editor of the Connecticut Post, gave me the opportunity to show this newspaper, and myself, what journalistic talents I possessed, I was a shy, quiet person who hardly spoke with individuals I knew well, let alone strangers. She, and metro news editor, John Schwing, took a chance with a young, short kid who possessed little experience but had a big dream.
Through my nearly-decade reign at the Post, I have been given the opportunity to shine both with my writing and my design skills. I discovered just how miraculous producing a daily newspaper is with so many people all working with the single, simple objective of educating and informing, you, the reader.
My diverse experiences here offered me the very rare opportunity to work on every desk — from news and business to sports, features and editorial. I was given the real privilege of learning every facet of newspaper production from interviewing and writing to copyediting and design. It has been a truly eye-opening adventure that gave me an early opportunity to experience what print journalism is really about.
Through my internship and freelance work here, I have had the opportunity to meet some really great people who I will miss greatly.
My experiences here helped me to learn how to write, edit and layout a story — invaluable skills that will undoubtedly be used throughout my career.
Although I have paginated my last page and filed my final column, I will not soon forget how much I lucked out when veteran editors gave a young kid the opportunity to soar.

So now I'm out. Because I'm not sure how long I will have this blog online, I encourage you to write me at jdeloma@gmail.com as soon as possible so we can stay in touch.

Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road

No more pencils, no more books, no more teachers’ dirty looks, degree please.
After 18 years of formal education, including nursery school and kindergarten under my belt, I have finally reached my goal of becoming a college graduate. On Sunday, dressed in a long black robe accented with a gold and blue-lined hood and topped off with a cap with a shimmering tassel bobbing to and fro, I made the triumphant walk across the academic quadrangle that I passed through countless times over the past four years.
However, this time something was different. This time, I felt like a super star.

]]> As I made my way down the center isle toward the library passing by energized family and friends on what felt more like a red carpet than a brick pathway, it all started to click – this is why I worked so hard over the past two decades.
As I sat with my 1,331 other soon to be fellow alums, I felt like I did something special, something, extraordinary even. And that is when it hit me. It now became clear. I now began to understand why my family sacrificed so much and pushed me so hard toward the completion of my degree so that I could revel on this day.
An undergraduate degree, I realized, means far less about understanding the Ptolemaic universe theory and much more about understanding life in general and about the world that we call home.
Over the past two decades, as I worked toward this achievement, I learned substantially more than just theories, formulas and about past presidents; I was instilled with more important lessons such as the value of friendship, compassion and honesty.
The people I have met, the relationships that have developed and the experiences I have lived during the past 18 years have made me who I am today. Looking back on it all, I have come to realize that the learning that went on inside of the classroom was just part of my education. My interaction between my teachers, fellow students and those around me has also prepared me for what comes next.
Although I have completed my formal education, at least for the time being, I realize that life’s biggest lessons lie ahead. As I journey off into the real world, I am confident that I have developed a strong foundation of education on which I hope to build a career, a family and a fulfilling life.
I thank all of those who helped me reach this point, I certainly would never have been able to achieve so much without so much support!

So like life

Tomorrow, May 21, 2006, I will be a college graduate. I was just looking at some pictures when I came across this one.
It has been said that a picture is worth a thousand words; this one speaks no fewer. It was taken just a few weeks ago at my friend Meredith's apartment. In it, my friends, from left, Meredith, Bethany, Jamie (that's me!) and Renée proudly huddle behind Nancy as the curtain slowly descended upon our fourth year of college. Of all of my classmates, I will miss few more than these graduating seniors.
One of the first things one will realize about this image is that it is not crisp or perfect, the lighting is not the most ideal nor is it absolutely centered and yet it is beautiful because of who I am standing with. The past four years are now becoming a blur, although everyday was not perfect, I remember smiling faces, good times and a lot of laughing with a few slices of pizza here and there. I made it through the few darker days because I was never alone on my collegiate adventure. When I do think back on my four years at Quinnipiac University, a beautiful picture develops of days that I would never change. I will miss each and every one of you in more ways that what mere words could ever express.
Congratulations to everyone making the walk as a representative of the Class of 2006!

Here comes the drop...

So I will be graduating in less than a week. From all indications, I have successfully fulfilled all requirements both in the school of communications and at the university in general; what once seemed daunting now appears to have been the easy part. On Sunday morning as I participate in Quinnipiac's undergraduate commencement excercises with my 1200 or so classmates, I will have finally accomplished a goal that had been created for me before I was even born: to earn a college degree. After 16 years of work, I will finally have the opportunity to feast on my bounty, but what if there is no bounty to be found?

]]> So I will be graduating in less than a week. From all indications, I have successfully fulfilled all requirements both in the school of communications and at the university in general; what once seemed daunting now appears to have been the easy part. On Sunday morning as I participate in Quinnipiac's undergraduate commencement excercises with my 1200 or so classmates, I will have finally accomplished a goal that had been created for me before I was even born: to earn a college degree. After 16 years of work, I will finally have the opportunity to feast on my bounty, but what if there is no bounty to be found?
For the past eight years, I have worked at the Connecticut Post doing almost everything imaginable from writing news stories about acupuncture for pets to designing sports pages while advising the newspaper's teen section, writing short editorials and business stories. However, with that said, I am not in the mental state I thought I would be in right now.
I imagined I would have found some amazing job somewhere doing exactly what I want but instead I am faced with sheer uncertainty a mere five days before I enter the real world. I am scared, I am not gonna lie. It seems like yesterday, literally, that it was March and I kept telling people, "I have nothing to worry about; I'll start worrying if I don't have a job by May 1," More than two weeks past my self-imposed deadline, I still have nothing.
For the past 21 years, I was advised not to rush my adolesence but rather to enjoy my childhood and prolong my entry into the real world for as long as possible; ironically I now find myself offering the same advice to my CT Teens. At some point in the past few days, it has hit -- I am an adult. Despite knowing my family will still be there for me, I am very anxious as to what lies behind life's next turn. Echoing again and again in my head is, "Will I make it?" Despite all of the support of my friends and family, I am still anxious. For the first time in my life, everything is likely to change all at once - my official residence, my income source, my job and my career title - no longer will i be a full-time student. Words do not begin to express all of the emotions rushing through my body right now.

Playing the race card

It has been said that the key to international peace is to look at the world, and everybody in it, through a child's eyes. It seems to me that this would be the best solution to a peaceful coexistence of people around the world, around the nation and around the office. I find it to be unfortunate whenever anyone uses the race card; I find it especially unfortunate when someone uses the race card to dilute one's wrong doings; I find it most unfortunate when a person of influence and respect uses the race card to distract people from their own wrong doing. Unfortunately just hours ago, a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, a person an entire district and nation looks to for guidance and leadership has played the race card in a most irresponsible manner.

]]> Racism exists; there is no question in my mind that this statement is true. However, I believe people of all color, creed and background sometimes use it as a means to distract others from a totally unracist action.
According to an NBC affiliate's story in Atlanta, U.S. Representative Cynthia McKinney (D-GA), punched a security officer in the chest with her cellphone in her hand. Her reason for the alleged assault, in the words of a statement released on her behalf -

"I was rushing to my meeting when a white police officer yelled to me. He approached me, bodyblocked me, physically touching me. I used my arm to get him off of me. I told him not to touch me several times. He asked for my ID and I showed it to him. He then let me go and I proceeded to my meeting and I assume that the Police Officer resumed his duties. I have counseled with the Sergeant-at-Arms and Acting Assistant Chief Thompson several times before and counseled with them again on today's incident. I offered also to counsel with the offending police officer."

Why did the Congresswoman need to bring up the security guard's race? Why did she have to do it so high up in her statement? She tries to immediately distract the public, the very same public who elected her because they thought they could trust her, by pulling out the race card.
Representative McKinney is black, I bring this up only because she brings up the security guard was white. Why did she bring up the security guard's race? Although she did not admit to punching the guard, the article states that witnesses saw her punching him:

Witnesses say McKinney pulled her arm away, and with her cell phone in hand, punched the officer in the chest.

It seems to me that the U.S. representative is trying to use the race of the white guard to excuse her actions. The race of the other individual is completely irrelevant...and yet she brings it up again and again.
For example, according to the NBC's affiliate's story:

The statement's writer says that she has been harassed by white police officers she says do not recognize her due to her recently changed hairstyle.
"Do I have to contact the police every time I change my hairstyle? How do we account for the fact that when I wore my braids every day for 11 years, I still faced this problem, primarily from certain white police officers," the statement says.

Congresswoman McKinney ought to be ashamed of herself for seeing our society as black and white as opposed to as a collection of human beings all working together to form a better place.
The people of her district ought to use their power of not reelecting a person who focuses too much on the color of someone's skin and not enough on finding solutions to her district's and nation's problems.

When blog spam strikes

Because of excessive blog spam - I did not know it existed either but I assure you it does - I am closing the comments section on most parts of this blog that are more than a week or so old. Comments that have already been posted - and is not spam (sorry spamming dudes,) - will remain, but no more comments will be accepted via the site.
With that said, you are still encouraged to post comments, even on old entries, however, now instead of entering your thoughts on the bottom of the entry, you will have to e-mail them to me at JDeLoma@gmail.com and I will put them up immediately - assuming you are not my spamming friend, of course. To make matters easier for both of us, please include what entry you are commenting on and your name so I know where to put it and to whom to give credit for the comment.
I apologize for having to do this but I have been receiving dozens of new spam comments weekly and it is getting to be too much.

A horrible role model

I came upon a very disturbing news story recently:

While introducing the vice president, U.S. Rep. Rick Keller said Cheney had responded to Keller's recent votes against the administration on three issues by telling him: "Don't be too hasty. Let's go hunting. We'll talk about it."
Cheney himself said that when he returned to the White House from the hunting trip, Bush told him, "Dick, I'm 38 percent in the polls and you shot the only trial lawyer who supports me."

As if it were not bad enough that the Vice President of the United States got away with shooting someone and covering it up, now he is using it to rally support from other Republicans.
Although I was one of Cheney's biggest critics when he did not come forward about the shooting, I think that may have been best now that I know he views shooting of innocent civilians as humorous and a rallying call to GOP extremists.
I don't know what Mr. Cheney learned in school but I learned that one ought to come forward and take responsibility when one does wrong and then ask for forgiveness. The Vice President, I suppose, mistook that lesson for covering up one's wrong-doings then blaming everyone around you for making mention of it and then using it to raise money and get cheap laughs. Dear God, I hope children do not ever look to this man as a role model.

See 'V for Vendetta'

Never before have I viewed a movie that sent as many shivers down my spine as "V for Vendetta." After screening the awesome film, I was struck by how much the movie that takes place in future Britain parallels America today. In numerous ways, President Bush is running the United States of America today like the corrupt government is run in the movie.

]]> "V for Vendetta" beautifully illustrates what happens when people fear their government. One of the recurring ideas of the film:

"People should not be afraid of their governments, governments should be afraid of their people,"

may remind many of Thomas Jefferson's idea that:

"When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty."

In the theatrical trailer and throughout the movie, it is clear that the fictional regime uses fear extensively to hold onto power and rule without boundaries. It is even said at one part of the film:

"Fear became the ultimate tool of this government."

Looking at today's real American government under George W. Bush, an informed citizen may recognize the administration's extensive use of fear to carry out its policies and break countless laws and disregard the U.S. Constitution.
One need not watch Fox News Channel for more than a few minutes before feeling the need to duck and cover. It would seem that terrorists are actively working to bomb our malls, subways, sky scrapers, schools, places of recreation and interstate highway systems in the coming hours. Our President has used fear as an excuse to strip us of civil liberties and search our property without warrants. The President has exploited America's fear by detaining individuals without charges and tapping phone lines illegally in an arrogant and pompous manner.
The process of inducing fear in all of us reminds me of a particular quote in the movie:

"What we need right now is a clear message to the people of this country. This message must be read in every newspaper, seen on every television...I want *everyone* to *remember*, why they *need* us!"

It is asked in "V for Vendetta,"

"If our own government was responsible for the deaths of a hundred thousand people... would you really want to know?"

What we do know is that according to Iraq Body Count, between 33,710-37,832 Iraqi civilians have been reported killed by military intervention in Iraq - or approximately 1/3 of a 100,000 people. How many more thousands do we not know about? How many could have been executed on our own soil?
Obviously I am not encouraging any physical attacks on our country's infrastructure, any buildings or any government officials. What I am encouraging is for more citizens to become active in calling for, as President Abraham Lincoln said in his Gettysburg Address, "government of the people, by the people, [and] for the people."
I encourage everyone to see "V for Vendetta" and see if I am totally off with this logic or if I am onto something.

Remembering a legend

A news legend has left us. Bill Beutel, long-time ABC News anchor, has died. Please click here for the complete ABC News story.
Bill Beutel was one of my biggest influences growing up. I remember watching Mr. Beutel nightly on WABC-TV channel 7 with my family. He really helped me to understand and respect journalism for the awesome thing that it is. He will be missed.

"If I leave a legacy and I hope I do, it's my joy in this work. There's never been a day I didn't want to come to work. My legacy, I would hope, is that younger people would find the same kind of joy in this kind of work because it is difficult, it's competitive, it's frustrating. But what we do on the tube each day, if we are giving ourselves to it, we are doing something of great value to the country, to ourselves. We do something worthwhile and with God's luck, you can be happy doing it. I was," Beutel said.

Thank you, Mr. Beutel for giving me the opportunity to find the same kind of joy in journalism that you have exhibited for so many years; I may not have discovered the passion of journalism inside of me if it were not for you.
In the timeless words of the veteran newscaster, "Good luck and be well."

Dark day in American history

It has been said that something cannot be appreciated until it is gone. Throughout much of American history, the world has looked to America as the source for freedom, liberty and compassion. Despite changes in administrations, Presidents from both parties have always worked to maintain a consistent foreign policy that looked to preserving America's strong and compassionate image around the around the world. In six short years, President Bush has managed to not only blow the opportunity to unite the world following the September 11 terrorist attacks but push the pendulum so far in the other direction that much of the world now wants to see America's destruction and thus helping the terrorists more than helping preserve national security.

]]> Few times in world history has so much of the world come to the aid and support of one country; I cannot recall a single time when so much of the world has come to pledge so much support to the world's sole superpower as was the case following the 2001 terrorist attacks.
President Bush has managed to accomplish an amazing feat - he found a way not only to deteriorate the vast majority of global support in an unprecedented short period of time, but managed to transform the support for America into contempt and disdain in countries that were once strong American allies.
Three years ago, President Bush initiated a war that the world, the Iraqis, the United Nations, our allies, nor many Americans supported. The war, which was based on lies and misconceptions, was fought for a variety of changing reasons to best benefit the president. It started out to rid the world of a growing threat followed by disarming a country that possessed weapons of mass destruction and then to make life better for the Iraqi people. Looking back, Iraq could not have been a threat to any other nation, did not have a single weapon of mass destruction and the people are largely worse off today than they were under Saddam Hussein; certainly a civil war would be very unlikely today if the dictator was still governing the crippled state.
By launching the war in the names of the 9/11 victims, he used thousands of tragedies for evil. He launched the war, if you recall, to better secure America but the only thing that has come is a more dangerous and anti-American world.
If President Bush had worked with the U.N. and our allies instead of launching an unjust invasion of a sovereign state, perhaps Iran would not be so close to acquiring weapons of mass destruction as our troops would not stretched so thin and our reputation around the world would not be so eroded.
Certainly, 2,317 American troops would not have returned home in body bags nor would 17,004 brave soldiers have suffered war injuries. As for the Iraqi people, despite Hussein's numerous atrocities, it seems very unlikely that between 33,679 and 37,795 Iraqi souls would be lost if not for the war.
The only hope on the horizon is that in 960 days, America will have the opportunity to select a new President who will hopefully begin the excruciatingly long process to repair the still incomprehensible wounds that will surely become the Bush legacy.
May God bless America and our troops serving so courageously overseas in a war not of their choosing.

Something positive to look to

For a person who has not exactly seen many happy relationships last the test of time - personally or in the lives of the people around him - it is refreshing and invigorating to see a couple so much in love. I am privileged to have two friends who are very much in love and have come to prove that a relationship is worth having. Today, I wish my friends Karen and Chris a happy two year anniversary!

]]> I have been able to call these two amazing people friends for over a year and a half and my life is better because they are part of it.
I met Chris during my sophomore year at Quinnipiac when he was head copy editor of The Chronicle, my campus newspaper. Ever since meeting him, we formed a strong bond and have gone on several trips together - including Dallas and his beloved Martha's Vineyard.
As for Karen, we met last year when she was head copy editor and Chris was managing editor - or probably more appropriately my co-editor in chief. Over the past year, Karen and I have enjoyed watching many episodes of "Are You Afraid of the Dark" while enjoying Italian dinners from a nearby restaurant when not working as university archivists.
I think one of the best measurements of someone's importance in your life is not what your life is like when they are in it but what it is like when they are not. I am confident to say that my life is far superior when these two folks are in mine.
But back to the point of this entry, Chris and Karen have gone through a lot together - many situations that an inferior couple would have easily been destroyed over but they persevered. What these two people have is something really special and something that I hope everyone can experience in their lifetimes. Happy anniversary, guys!

Not good times

When looking back I will certainly not consider the past week as one of my best; in fact, it is likely to be remembered as one of my worst. Over the past few days, a few critical things have hit me all at once: graduation, what I am doing AFTER graduation, $1,400+ worth of repairs to my car and nearly $2,000 in taxes.

]]> I never really thought much about what the transition to adulthood would be like, what I have realized, however, is it sucks. I am usually a very positive, worry-free kinda guy. Sure, I may stress out a little now and then but generally I am one of those people who remains generally well grounded.
Although despite my outward appearance of still being that calm fella, I am beginning to worry more and more about not just the future but my present. One of the few things I really ever had to worry about was money. Although I would not say I was wealthy, I would say that I have always lived a very comfortable lifestyle with iPods, suede jackets and other nice things.
However, now debts are really beginning to stack up in front of me. In but a few weeks, I will have to pay for everything I do and want. At this point, although, I finance the majority of my survival, my cell phone bill and insurance has always been provided for me. After I graduate on May 21, I will be responsible for paying for those things as well as my gas, car repairs, food and social life -- as well as rent and other life necessities.
Will I be ready? Will I survive? Will I be able to continue the lifestyle that I very much enjoy and cannot imagine living without? Granted, this monologue is likely to appear very selfish and self-centered but this is how I am currently feeling. Part of why I am writing this is to give others an insight into my psyche and so here it is, for better or for worse, this is who I am.

84 days til the completion of 18 years of work

If all goes according to plan, in 84 days, I will be a college graduate. In twelve weeks from today, I will have earned a B.A. in journalism with a concentration in print from Quinnipiac University. I have been working towards this point since my first day of nusery school in September, 1988 and yet now I find myself dragging my feet; I am not yet ready for the ride to end.

]]> One of my main objectives has been to graduate college. By May 21, I will have completed the equivalent of 18 grades in various levels of education ranging from preschool to college - all building toward this momentous day in my life.
Although my undergraduate commencement is still several months away, I am slowly coming to grips with what that means. May 21, 2006 is so much more than a day, it is a critical marker in the history of the life of James N. DeLoma. What I do with the knowledge I have accumulated over the past 18 years and how well I am able to use that knowledge will surely shape my future.
For the past four years at Quinnipiac, I have had the opportunity to enjoy life largely sheltered by others; all of that is about to change. Although I will not be forced to become entirely independent upon graduating college, I will have to begin acting more like an adult. For the first time in my life my primary occupation will no longer be that of a student, and that frightens me.
Up until this point, I never had to give much thought to where I wanted to be in the future and how I would have to get there, now I do. Change is always scary, I have said that before but not until now have I understood what it meant.

My Altima will see another day

For the first time since getting my 1997 Nissan Altima in the summer of 2003, I had to consider purchasing a new car. Since then, my car really didn't give me any problems; it has always be a dependable means to get wherever I need to go...until approximately a month ago.

]]> The problem started very simply: my r.p.m. gauge (which spans 1-8,) indicated that in order to drive normally, instead of working at the usual 2-3 r.p.m's, it would have to work at 4-6 r.p.m's.
Although it caught my eye I did not think it required immediate attention.
After a week or so passed, my check engine panel light became illuminated causing me to worry. After expensive repairs, I was told my car was good to go, and it was, until the next day.
A day after getting my car back, my check engine light became illuminated again. This time I was sure that I would need a new car as the cause for the problem was initially unknown. Fortunately, however, the talented mechanics my mom suggested explained that it was a computer error resulting from the repairs. Since picking up my car this afternoon, I am happy to report the check engine light is off and my car seems as good as new; the "Jamie mobile," as it is sometimes called, will roll again.

Another of adulthood's lessons

Becoming an adult brings many lessons. Among these lessons is the understanding that noone is immortal; everybody will die at some point, like it or not. February 24 marked the 11-year-anniversary of my aunt's passing and with the date came the continued understanding that life does have a beginning and an end.

]]> Although I was only 11 years old when my great uncle's wife died, I was very close to her. I loved and admired the woman with a thick cough and witty humor; the same cough that would ultimately lead to her passing from this world to the next. She was the first death I would ever really experience with some form of understanding.
Although pets had died before Aunt Vi's passing, nobody had died in my immediate family since my great grandmother Rose - who under Catholic tradition became my Guardian Angel as she died on my third birthday.
Because I was so young when my Grandma Rose died, it really did not affect my life to any great degree at the time and so when my aunt died eight years later, I woke up to the startling reality of human mortality.
Since my aunt's passing, I have become considerably more mindful that I could loose anyone I love at any moment and that I should enjoy the time with these people while I am blessed to have it.
It is still hard to imagine a world without my best friends and immediate family. Although I consider myself to be a young adult, I still can't grasp death fully. My only hope is when it next shows its dark face, I could be rest assured that I spent all the time humanly possible with the person and have said everything I needed and wanted to say before his or her passing onto eternal life into another realm.
I pray that the Lord blesses the souls of my aunt Vi, Grandma Rose and all of my loved ones with eternal life and understanding.