Category Archives: Countdown

Andrea is the kindest non-family member I have ever met. She is one of those people that you know you can always go to if you want to talk. I learned of her kindness starting in 11th grade, when she helped me get a job at her workplace. We worked together at Silo Ridge and did the inside jobs. These were always fun because we were constantly talking and laughing, something she makes you do every time you speak. We would go to work directly from school and always got food on the way. It was just a trend she had to follow. Usually we picked up Dunkin’ Donuts or something small, and sometimes I had no money so I didn’t want to get anything. Andrea always insisted that I was going to get something and she would pay for it, never letting me be the one in the group not eating. It was these tiny gestures that showed she was a caring friend.

Andrea also was always available to just talk about things that were on a more serious level. She wasn’t the type of person to ignore the problems of her friends, always reaching out to them. My favorite times were twice when we just sat in her kitchen, just talking and eating a spread consisting of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, bagels, and iced tea. These times were weird in a way because they happened the exact same but were roughly 2 years apart.

Oh well, it was times like those, and her amazing sense of humor, that make me glad to have Andrea as a friend.

When I moved to Dover Plains at the age of 4, T.J. was the first person I met. He lived upstairs and was 2 years older than me. I was drawn to him as a friend because I thought he was so “cool.” He always had the best toys and always seemed to be doing something that amazed me, so I joined in if I was allowed. I felt glad to even be in his presence.

The thing about T.J. that stuck out to me was his hanging out with me even when we were older, in our low to mid teens. It astounded me that somehow someone older than me by 2 years and with a completely involved life found time to hang out with me. He participated in games our others friends would be playing and seemed just like one of us, it never bothered him to get involved.

The affect T.J. had on my was being the bigger sibling I always wished for but never had. He always acted right and was never out of line with his actions. He consoled me on personal things and taught me to have respect for others. I saw him in college a year ago and it sort of amazed me. Here we were, years later, and he was the same T.J., greeting me by name as he passed.

We no longer live near each other, both of our families have since moved. The hardest part of that move was saying goodbye to T.J. and his family, who had moved in at the exact same time we had. Our families had known each other for 13+ years. This is why I am happy seeing or talking to them if I ever come across them, especially T.J.

Dylan, to me, is an extremely mature individual. Hanging out when we were younger, he helped me keep the younger members of our group in line. When someone in the group wanted to do something that was out of line, we worked together so that that person realized the wrongness of their action. This kept us out of trouble per the guilty-by-association rule of today. I admired his ability to voice his position to you regardless of what it was. Even if he thought you were an idiot for doing something, he told you, and that made me have great respect for him.

Another quality of great admiration to me was his ability to be a leader in any group. In sports, football and basketball mainly, he told people what to do and directed them, and always gave his own full effort. He was extremely smart given his age back then, and I see him going far. I thank him for his ability to keep peoples’ heads on their shoulders and lead by example. Being a caring person who was always free to provide advice helped too.

Crystal is the person that filled the sister role for me when I lived at the Holmes residence. When we first met, it was always Jim and I making fun of her and annoying her in one way or another. Over time, especially after I moved in, I developed a respect for her and stopped those foolish games.

Crystal was always quiet, so I made it a habit to engage her in conversation. We discussed school and things and over time became like siblings around the house. This made me feel at home in their household. When I moved out, Crystal was the last family member I ever saw as I set my house key down on the table. We said our goodbyes and I left, leaving behind the friendship that I had built up in my 1+ year living there.

I make it a habit to keep in contact with her whenever I can so as not to lose that sibling-like bond. I thank her for giving me someone to talk to and making my stay there more family-like.

Dean Nelson was my Ethics teacher at Dutchess Community College this past fall. He was a very straightforward individual who spoke his mind but no matter what, always seemed right. Since the very first day of class, I was immediately intrigued by his lectures and paid attention every second. Throughout the year, I became more aware of being a moral human being, not in any religious or strict way, just in a common sense way. Shortly after the first exam I visited Dean’s office to discuss my grade and see what I had gotten wrong. After this visit, the visits became more frequent to the point I referred to myself as Plato to his Socrates.

Dean taught me through his class how to have proper respect for both humans and animals and privately consoled me on vegetarianism. I was a vegetarian for roughly a month from late December until mid-January and have stopped for now, due to the lack of available food sometimes, but I do not eat meat alot. I do eat some, mainly chicken, but in due time I will be vegetarian for good. He showed me that it is easier than advertised and I can still lead my overly athletic lifestyle living on a meatless diet.

In one class, he invented a quote which I committed to memory. It went “teaching, for me in here, is like chopping down forests or irrigating deserts.” What he meant was that in order for people to be successful in life morally, they had to adopt their own thinking and throw out what they had been told by their parents, religion, etc. He, more than anyone else, enforced my idea that everyone needs to improve the way that they live morally and stand up for the beliefs that they have. He wanted all of his students to put grades aside and apply his teachings to their lives, not because he was preaching to us, but because he was showing us the way we ought to live. He said that his job would be done if only one of us took his teachings to heart. I know within myself that that goal was met.

The affect that Ed has had on me is a weird one, especially since we are better friends outside of school than we ever were in it. He had such an affect that it required no association on our part, just a drive for the same thing.

Besides Jim Holmes and I, I have never met someone who was completely obsessed with playing dodgeball when the tournament came. We all shared a passion for a game that most others wrote off as a pointless gym class activity. The game to us was much more than throwing a dodgeball, it was all about winning, and that is the way it should be.

As to the actual positive affect on me that Ed had, it can be summed up in an ironic phrase, “friendly rival.” This rivalry started minorly in my junior and his sophomore years in high school. We shared a second period gym class and were always pitted against each other in games, dodgeball included. He, to me, was a guy I loved facing in games. I liked even more knowing that once in awhile we were on the same side of the gym, combining our works.

The climax really came in my senior year and beyond, when I was captain of my team and Ed was on his team, the DP Snipers. His team had just won a game and was walking off the field as ours walked on it. For a reason I will never know, we shook hands as we passed each other. Our team went on to win that game but both of our teams would lose that year. This was my last chance to win the dodgeball crown, but Ed would have 2 more, both of which I was present for.

I visited the school three main times Ed’s senior year, once for pep rally and two for dodgeball tournaments. The first tournament I watched as once again Ed and his team came up just short. The second tournament I had the honor of returning as a player. I campaigned (successfully) to get an alumni team into the games and we were to play the winner of the tournament. As we sat on the sidelines, we saw the Snipers regain their old form from my junior year, the last year in which they won. Ed had been part of that winning team, as had 2 of his teammates. The time came for us to play the winner, and it was who I had expected it to be. I had spoken with Ed online the night before and we had ended our conversation with “see you on the court tomorrow,” both knowing it was the truth. This marked the first time we would ever face off in tournament play, a match-up I was looking forward to.

In that game, another fitting end came my way as I was eliminated by the old rival. This time I honestly felt honored in some small way to have been done in by him, knowing that he was the man on his team with the ability to do so. After our team had been completely beaten, Ed and I met at halfcourt for a handshake and I told him that I was proud that he won this tournament, he deserved it.

All in all, this may not be a piece that people reading can understand, but to me it meant something. To have someone that is your equal physically in so many ways, including left-handedness, was a pleasure. Alot of people saw Ed as a loudmouth who couldn’t back up his words with wins, but in the end he proved that to be false. I always kept my passion inside, choosing to do my talking through action. Ed was more outspoken but not lacking in skill. As good a player as I was, I never won a title, he won 2. Enough said.

Nick Delango and I became friends through the game of football. During my junior year of high school I wanted to join the football team and so in the springtime I went to the practices and workouts in order to become more accustomed to the game and playbook. Back then the Dover High School playbook was not what it is now. That year it contained somewhere in the ballpark of 75 plays, a bit too many if you ask me. My senior year it only contained about 13 plays, probably due to the coaching change that occured in the offseason. Anyway, I played wide receiver and thus in practice was coupled with the other guys at my position. The captain and longtime starter in our squad was Nick, who was in his senior year.

I was new to the team and learning the plays as practices went on, but Nick already knew them all so it was just repitition  for him. I don’t know if he noticed I was having difficulties or was just being kind, but he sort of took me under his wing that year. Through him I learned more about the game of football both academically and practically. He showed me how to line up properly, what each play meant and how to run the routes that came with that play, and that missing a catch wasn’t time to be upset with yourself. Through his tutelage, I became more accustomed to the game, even though I chose not to play that year, leaving the team shortly before the season began.

I would return to the team however in my senior year but this time I was most dedicated. I wanted to play this year all the way through, and made it a habit to make it to as many workouts as I could over the summer as well as participate in pickup games to better my skills. Nick had graduated by this time so his knowledge was no longer available for me to tap. I did, however, contact him on my own, asking him to help me with my workouts. He accepted, once again showing me his unselfishness and willingness to help me get better at the position he had mastered. I was forced to leave the team that year after making it through all of doubles. I came down with a weird sore throat that caused my throat to close tightly so I could only drink fluids for about 2 or 3 days. During my time away, the team had gone to camp and scrimmages and I determined that any chance I had of proving myself was gone after missing those things. Even though I did not show the results of Nick’s aid on the field, I took them to heart and made it a habit to learn and mimic them. For his work and devotion, I am thankful.

Number 19 on the list is a person who I have not spoken with since I was in kindergarten. I do not know where he is or even if he remembers me, but I remember him and his influence.

Chris was the first friend I ever made in my entire life. He was older than me by a year or two but someone watching us communicate back then would never have known. We came to know each other by living in the same neighborhood, having the same bus stop and riding the same bus, and having parents who let us hang out even at such a young age.

I think Chris and I were drawn to each other because we both thought what the other was thinking, always did what the other one did. My memories of his image have faded, but I remember all of our actions, most of which took place on the bus. We used to sing “Gangster’s Paradise” by Coolio every day at the top of our lungs and we knew every single word. I do not know why we did this but it seemed fun and no one else on the bus seemed to think we were annoying, so we just continued with our vocal displays. The only memory I have of us as friends other than the singing, is the one time he came over to my house and we did homework together then rode bikes. Due to him moving away I do not have any more information about Chris, although I did wonder recently where he could possibly be, but I am only free to guess.

I hold our childhood close because of the freedom we felt when acting out as we did. We were never getting in trouble or anything bad, just singing aloud on the bus. It is nice to be able to have such fun at such a young age, and experience a friendship that stays with you, even if the person doesn’t.

The countdown begins with the 20th most influential person to ever grace my life, that being Lakin Wood. This is one of many surprising entries I am sure. This is probably due to the fact that Lakin and I are not friends and have never been friends. We have spoken only once, ever, but that conversation stayed with me ever since. I am very good at recalling events from memory that people involved don’t even remember happening, my feeling is that this is one of those instances. Now for the impact itself.

When I was in middle school (grades 6-8), I liked to frequent activity nights at the high school. There was really nothing to them, just playing whatever games or sports were going on in the gym or dancing, it was one or the other. I was not a good dancer, and didn’t feel like embarassing myself in learning on the spot, so I always stuck to the gym and played basketball. I thought I was good, and maybe I was, but that night I learned more.

I was shooting off to the side by myself when a girl walked up to me. I didn’t know her but I knew of her. Her name was Lakin Wood and she was two years older than me. The high school students were usually chaperons for these events and I assume on this night she was filling that role, probably for community service credit. When she approached me, she told me that I was shooting the basketball wrong and proceeded to show me the proper way to do so. It was a simple little lesson but I listened because she was older and played basketball for the high school team. My shot wasn’t really affected that much, she just showed me how to better release the ball and to increase my accuracy a little.

For this little piece of knowledge I am thankful, because I play basketball many times per week and at the collegiate level. It is a game I have enjoyed throughout my life and continue to learn more about whenever I take the court. I thank Lakin for taking the time to teach a kid that she didn’t even have to bother talking to.