tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148193322012-03-07T12:07:45.681-08:00<center>The wartime thoughts of a "Fuzzybear Lioness..."<p> USO girl, Soldiers' Angel, Sheepdog caretaker and proud American</center>FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.comBlogger12971100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-23276916777687693052012-03-07T11:56:00.005-08:002012-03-07T12:07:45.691-08:00

Rest in Peace, Captain"Lex" Lefon...John, himself a leader of men, said it best: “He was the leader you wanted to be led by.”A civilian myself I cannot claim the personal experience that proves John’s opinion true, but I felt it instinctively, and I saw that truth born out in how men and women I admired responded to him. Every good word I have seen heaped on his memory these last hours is

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-45037089524333330662012-03-07T07:06:00.003-08:002012-03-07T07:13:59.262-08:00

I first published this in May 2008 when Lex retired. With the awful news of yesterday, I have nothing to say. Only tears to shed for all who loved him. Those words I wrote upon his retirement are even more true today. I will try to write more in the near future, but not now. My heart aches too much for words...I have struggled so much with what to say here, how to honor someone I am honored

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-8886547229412257732010-10-16T07:25:00.000-07:002010-10-16T07:33:47.594-07:00

I have been reading Christopher Hitchens' great memoir, Hitch 22 and now admiring his reaction to the challenge of likely-fatal cancer, admiring not only his amazing mind but the courage to In earlier times, without derision or irony, this would have been called "humanism," a delight in all things human -- in wit and wine and good company and conversation and fine writing and debate of

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-62619006074463740112010-10-06T13:46:00.001-07:002010-10-06T14:02:12.760-07:00

I seemed to run into a lot of tear-inspiring items today. So, grab a tissue and let's get it over with all at once...A hero who fell in battle:It’s the result of a considered decision, made in a moment of solitude and earnestly committed to over and over again. It’s a decision that you’ll go down fighting. A decision that your own life is not more valuable than the lives of your team. You can

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-48602609427080617572010-10-02T20:59:00.001-07:002010-10-02T21:00:35.282-07:00

This video says it all.

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-84823439024450713672010-09-30T21:03:00.001-07:002010-10-01T07:45:41.694-07:00

I've been a fan of Bruce Willis ever since Moonlighting, but not being a particular fan of action movies, I hadn't see Die Hard until tonight.Of course, any movie about terrorists is seen through the prism of 9-11, but I think I've gotten pretty good at setting that aside in order to see an older movie for the individual bit of fluff that it's supposed to be.Can't do it with Die Hard, though.Cop

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-83262865184792205142010-09-29T09:25:00.001-07:002010-09-29T09:36:05.439-07:00

As a Chargers fan, it pains me to write this but I have to give credit where credit is due... ;)From a resident of Louisiana who forwarded this to me: This is being circulated all over New Orleans. FYI the Saints also did Rehabbing with the Troops through WWP & there was NO PR for it. The guys even came to town preseason and not a news story. That is how it should be sometimes!Here are more

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-83749192957547314692010-09-28T15:59:00.001-07:002010-09-28T16:30:44.996-07:00

When a guy is wounded downrange, the medics often write medications and diagnoses directly on his skin, or on pieces of tape affixed to his clothing. This way medical personnel down the line immediately know important information about his care as he is transfered through the combat medical system. Click through for context.

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-39943256479038986922010-09-27T13:49:00.001-07:002010-09-27T14:14:38.240-07:00

I've been feeling drawn back into blogging, and I think this finally pushed the right buttons...Lex wrote about a massage he received yesterday:At some point it was revealed that I’d been in the Navy, and retired. This is something of which I am perhaps unseemly proud. There was an almost imperceptible pause in her ministrations, before she asked, almost casually, “Have you ever killed anyone?

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-88042517576158283172010-03-21T08:25:00.000-07:002010-03-22T10:13:52.935-07:00

[Pics are up!]Quote of the day, after I climbed into the plane for the second time and sat down with one leg doubled under me and had to awkwardly readjust in that cramped space as Lex waited to strap me in (uttered in bemusement): "Sometimes I think you're 11 years old."My puzzled response: "Because of the silliness, or the lack of grace [grace having been an earlier topic of discussion]?"Lex:

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-12663112865986522572010-03-21T00:01:00.000-07:002010-03-21T00:04:44.326-07:00

A taste, for those who are waking up on the East Coast expecting a full AAR:We lined up for the merge, my brain screaming, “You have no idea what you’re doing!!” Merge complete, I made the mistake of not keeping my eyes on the other plane. I honestly don’t remember what happened, but I think I banked the plane pretty hard. Things got a bit hazy and I might have even closed my eyes. My brain

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-51686625692440097252010-03-19T19:03:00.000-07:002010-03-20T09:10:26.827-07:00

Excerpted from a Facebook chat with my friendly neighborhood chaplain-in-training (C-i-T) tonight:FbL: Hi! Guess what I'm doing tomorrow... *wink*C-i-T: You're probably going flying with Lex, aren't you?FbL: *grin* *grin* *grin* Psychic!C-i-T: you totally suckFbL: Ah, such love and acceptance from the chaplain-in-training! I'm gonna report you!C-i-T: have I told you how much you suck?FbL:

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-47424865227997058432010-03-01T17:31:00.000-08:002010-03-01T17:38:05.411-08:00

Sometimes good people DO get what they deserve. After three miscarriages in as many years (including while husband was deployed), army wife extraordinaire Sarah delivered a healthy baby girl, with hubby fresh from Afghanistan but at her side.There are not words...

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-84030009860939121442010-02-24T08:55:00.000-08:002010-02-24T09:36:39.613-08:00

There have unfortunately been a couple times in my life where I've been through wrenching emotion and out-of-body grief that seemed to liquidate my insides and leave me physically spent for days. But I never had to perform in front of millions when it happened...Joannie Rochette unexpectedly lost her dearly-beloved mother two days before taking the ice at the Winter Olympics. How she found the

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-15175907500642217812010-02-21T08:01:00.001-08:002010-02-21T10:04:23.615-08:00

Beyond having read of him as a hero of Fallujah and author of a powerful book about the battle, it was this that secured David Bellavia a spot in my memory.The part of the film that stuck with me was David Bellavia talking about the response he received from parents of the children's soccer team he was coaching when his book about the first Battle of Fallujah came out. The parents were

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-3226286763221050932010-02-15T22:01:00.001-08:002010-02-15T23:33:20.691-08:00

I was multitasking at the USO today. Local Marines had gotten a few days of leave from infantry training and taken full advantage, making the airport a busy place as they returned to their duty stations.My secondary task was to find a picture of Marines in Marjah that could inspire the homefront to think of and remember the fighting there. And so, sitting at the reception desk, I sifted

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-66948298584680494822010-02-14T21:02:00.000-08:002010-02-14T22:21:21.402-08:00

It all started mid-January when I spotted boxes of Christmas-themed brownie mix at Big Lots for $1 each.Take regular brownies, add a pack of read and green sprinkles and suddenly you have Christmas Brownies! Or rather, remove the pack of sprinkles and you have regular old, delicious brownies perfect for any time of the year at $1 a pan. I had a USO shift at the airport the next day, so it was

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-26169355995840954402010-01-24T06:40:00.000-08:002010-01-24T07:05:52.522-08:00

Buried in a political polemic is something sadly profound about one of the many things that separate "elites" from the rest of us.Mark Steyn discusses the newly-elected Senator Scott Brown's truck in the middle of an article about President Obama's use of words and his astonishingly high number of speeches in the last year:The truck wasn’t just any old prop but a very particular kind: “In some

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-8323503043491983522010-01-23T06:29:00.000-08:002010-01-23T07:01:59.174-08:00

As woman who had no man in the house from age 11 onward, this makes me unbelievably sad:"Going the sperm-bank method is definitely not my first choice, but I am not willing to give up my dream of having a child just because I can't find Mr. Right.As a single woman barreling into the steep back end of my childbearing years with no husband in sight, I am not indifferent to the desire for a child.

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-10849444682865780522010-01-10T07:47:00.000-08:002010-01-10T08:00:11.144-08:00

...in the realm of sports, at least.This morning I scanned a discussion of the Philadelphia Eagles' pathetic playoff performance against the [boo... hiss!] Dallas Cowboys yesterday. Got to the bottom of the article and found this most-recent comment:whoooduh (1/10/2010 at 7:45 AM) cowboy hyped ... i bet the eagles were told to lose by jerry's pals ... bush and the

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-65919105289629514712010-01-06T22:20:00.000-08:002010-01-06T23:23:23.108-08:00

Sometimes I honestly think a frighteningly large number of people "out there" are absolutely nuts.Let's get it out of the way: I'm a Christian Pastor's daughter. Me, I'm not the type to publicly encourage people to convert to Christianity, but I wouldn't believe in it if I didn't think it was the best way to live my life--not because of a promise of heaven (whatever heaven actually is), but

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-40138264547414107002010-01-06T11:29:00.000-08:002010-01-06T11:41:18.389-08:00

Jonn Lilyea said that seeing so many Americans welcoming his son home from Afghanistan "brought tears to my wife’s eyes and it was hard for this old infantryman to hold my own back. Still."Just reading about the work of Operation Welcome Home Maryland in the Baltimore Sun brought tears to mine (read it all, and note the faces in the picture accompanying the article).The volunteers of OP Welcome

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-87365914106281627562010-01-03T22:15:00.000-08:002010-01-04T14:14:25.214-08:00

Perhaps this is just a function of age and the truth that wisdom only comes paired with an accumulation of years (no, I know I've only accumulated less than half of my expected years), but a couple of interesting things came together for me this evening...Cassandra wrote a wonderful post about personal responsibility, politics, government and marriage. And no, I doubt you can guess her point--or

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-15392142017471803912010-01-03T08:41:00.000-08:002010-01-03T09:35:26.814-08:00

These titles tickled my funny bone when I encountered them recently...From The Campaign Spot: Ah Yes, That Dainty, Sensitive, Dovish Dick Cheney We've Heard So Much About -- never thought I'd see those adjectives in a discussion about our former Vice President!Also from The Campaign Spot: Americans Begin to Learn 'Change' is Not a Synonym for 'Improvement' -- better late than never...From

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-49248203916645983022010-01-03T08:28:00.001-08:002010-01-03T09:27:58.514-08:00

Victor Davis Hanson outlines the roost potential for 2010.Need anything to keep you awake tonight?

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-83528587218909243942010-01-01T23:21:00.000-08:002010-01-01T23:37:42.369-08:00

...If you're in the 5/2 Strykers.Greyhawk has the details. Short version: You take a group of soldiers superbly-prepared for urban warfare in Iraq, decide at the last minute that for "optics" they should be deployed to Afghanistan while another brigade's deployment is quietly stepped up to fill the gap created in Iraq units... and soldiers in that formerly-superbly-prepared group are killed at

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-886795734936048222010-01-01T22:29:00.000-08:002010-01-01T23:50:51.177-08:00

...Apparently, there are people out there who've been doing that for quite awhile and are just devastated to find that their discovered meaning is actually as empty as the coffee cup itself.It [Starbucks] brought us exotic places and sounds, exposed us to an underground in the safety of a cushy seat: teaching us about places where our coffee came from, and new music and literary voices. It tried

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-89292263547207742522009-12-16T12:45:00.000-08:002009-12-16T12:47:39.485-08:00

It's been way too long since I posted, but I wanted to lend my support this.The school district has been slanderous, and CJ's chain of command has been pathetic by not telling the school district to go pound sand when they complained about him.The whole story here.

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-75817384678200614112009-11-26T06:53:00.000-08:002009-11-26T07:28:08.319-08:00

May you and yours have much to be thankful for, despite the worries and hardships of this last year!Me? I'm going to ignore those worries and focus on my many blessings--a loving family, a comfortable home, a job that brings me joy along with the flexibility to make my own hours (even when it makes me nuts!), friends and the technology to stay in touch with them across the miles.And even more

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-31864012216875199222009-10-26T05:43:00.000-07:002009-10-26T05:48:13.716-07:00

For my two remaining readers...Why have I been AWOL? Part of it is this: It's Valour-IT Competition Time! I'm remaining neutral this year, but Cassandra of the Marine Team says it all so beautifully, regardless of which team you want to join:Please open your hearts and your wallets. Dig deep. These are some extraordinary young men and women - they've given their all in service of this great

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-71604698935884762292009-10-03T20:22:00.000-07:002009-10-03T20:25:42.643-07:00

One man talks about why he flies...More here.

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-64270837916679546282009-10-02T07:08:00.001-07:002009-10-02T07:08:52.520-07:00

It's just one picture.Go.

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-82883536199330939522009-10-01T20:34:00.000-07:002009-10-01T21:23:32.575-07:00

Drove down the freeway this afternoon to my local airbase, one eye on the road and one eye on the Blue Angels practicing the entire way. Saw the full wedge dive straight for the pavement on the horizon, then scatter in six arcs that skimmed the ground. My own mini airshow.Believe it or not, I didn't have any near-mishaps until I left the base (that stretch of freeway is notorious for accidents

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-76254792191616314782009-09-27T19:12:00.000-07:002009-09-27T19:15:09.291-07:00

Is it just me, or is this not even remotely cute?:

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-4114708451588382292009-09-27T17:13:00.000-07:002009-09-27T17:51:24.073-07:00

As I've written many times, the wounded servicemen and women who come back from war and conquer their gargantuan new challenges are an inspiration, a testament to the human spirit. A reminder that much of what we do and don't do is "all in our heads."We celebrate those who successfully conquer physical challenges and remake their lives in defiance of supposed "limitations." When we see how far

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-16640415041473169272009-09-24T19:05:00.001-07:002009-09-24T19:29:46.600-07:00

I suppose part of why I'm not blogging right now is that the big military-related issue right now is Afghanistan, and it's a political snake pit. I hate writing about politics.But a couple of other people have been saying it well without turning into the raving, foaming-at-the-mouth lunatic I'd be if I started on the topic...Marine Wife Cassandra: Take Your Time, Mr. PresidentRetired Naval

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-78243477349969509962009-09-23T21:19:00.000-07:002009-09-23T21:26:41.045-07:00

I'm still here... I think.I just really don't have anything military-related to say these days. And I hate how I've been making this blog about me instead of the troops. Thing is, I spend all my day doing troop-related stuff, and I feel like my life has been kind of interesting lately, so my ego would rather talk about me than about them.This is just embarrassing. This blog used to be

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-32670832489198211542009-09-14T18:32:00.000-07:002009-09-14T18:41:33.356-07:00

I've been on vacation, but fighting mild migraines (yes, there is such a thing, fortunately). I wanted to write about John and his father, but I can't wrap my hurting head around it.In the meantime, read this:Some people talk about how brave or heroic this attitude is, but for me it is simply practical. I refuse to let this keep me from living my life to the fullest, and you would too. It's

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-27830089656178645362009-09-13T08:16:00.001-07:002009-09-13T08:24:47.584-07:00

This time of year, doting parents are seeing their kids off to the first day of school. Many of those with young adults are leaving their dear ones in the rear view mirror and wondering how their how their kids will do at college so far away from home...This past week? The president addressed a joint session of Congress, the war in Afghanistan took an evil turn, throngs converged on Washington

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-14218954174951496422009-09-11T07:30:00.001-07:002009-09-11T07:46:17.265-07:00

Today I wasn't going ot mention the links below. I didn't want to make this political.But just now I turned on the radio and they used brief excerpts of news reports from 9-11-01 as a lead-in to the local talk show. Those sounds still chill me, make my stomach turn and my hair stand on end... they still make me cry. Because I'm the kind of girl who cries when anger becomes overwhelming, and

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-55802665236610142902009-09-11T07:27:00.000-07:002009-09-11T07:49:29.242-07:00

Over at Lex's house, a commenter had a fascinating analogy to explain and illuminate the meaning of the congressman who shouted out in anger (frustration?) during Obama's speech last night. He compares it to the subtleties of leadership and chain of command (two very different things) in a naval aviation squadron, and what happens when the lower levels rebel:So, it is like a squadron. If the

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-53403890046411791512009-09-11T06:26:00.000-07:002009-09-11T06:49:13.311-07:00

Today my biggest worry is that the ant scouting party in my kitchen is the harbinger of a third full-scale insect assault in 10 days.For that lightly-borne concern, I owe a lot of people more than could ever be adequately expressed, much less repaid. Exactly eight years ago, my worries were a lot more primal.Some of our heroes fell that day, but those who remain have proven over and over again

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-15694889504484198422009-09-09T07:01:00.000-07:002009-09-09T07:23:25.943-07:00

Is it possible to be a mentally-healthy female AND a misogynist?Between this and this and this, and now this, I could easily end up hating most of my sex. At the very least, if this is a true representation of a majority of women these days, I certainly better-understand the attitudes of some of the men I encounter...From relieving boredom, to keeping the peace or curing a headache, women have

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-5046584993648660512009-09-06T09:57:00.000-07:002009-09-06T10:52:00.529-07:00

Yes, the title is shamelessly stolen from CDR Salamander. Hey, it's a good one!Somewhere in my surfing yesterday, stumbled into the vast store of funny videos created by America's military service members. Some of it is downright dangerous--warning: don't search some various of "bored soldier" on YouTube. You'll come up with some funny but very "scary" stuff.Here's what happens when soldiers

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-65366620664417480492009-09-04T12:43:00.000-07:002009-09-04T16:12:45.088-07:00

That's what the SECDEF called it, and that's powerful language for someone in his position.Others are thoroughly documenting this repugnant story, so just allow me to add that the argument that publication was justified because it "shows the truth of war," more clearly than otherwise is ridiculous (that was reportedly the photographer's justification: to get people to "think about the war").It

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-16920044635044575662009-08-31T07:32:00.000-07:002009-08-31T07:59:59.308-07:00

As a non military type, this whole evolution seems to translate to if it seems easy, blame the people who do the job - they make it look easy. And it’s not.Take a look at some of the people who make it look easy, then check out one of the things they make look oh-so-easy (be sure to read the comments for a fuller understanding).From an Air Force pilot:Every branch has it’s technical quirks, but

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-64184409298060384362009-08-29T20:33:00.000-07:002009-08-29T21:20:35.017-07:00

That must be what it is.So, I'm following up the drivel below with more halo-crowned drivel...I think most of this essay is rather pedestrian (I imagine the writer sitting in front of her computer thinking, "What's the most eye-catching column I could write this week? I've got absolutely nothing of substance to write about. Hmmm..." Commercialism meets the shallowest of feminism). But this

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-36347883392026263492009-08-28T17:34:00.000-07:002009-08-29T21:26:52.982-07:00

I honestly don't understand. I have my opinions, but I'm obviously missing something here, 'cause I just don't get this...A married woman puts for the following reasons why lies are necessary in a happy marriage (now, I understand "No honey, that doesn't make you look fat," but these examples in support of lying don't seem to me to speak to a happy marriage. Or to a person I'd really trust very

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-69177331698796040472009-08-27T21:23:00.000-07:002009-08-27T23:11:51.436-07:00

It may not seem like much, but for someone who doesn't even have to step outside the house in order to work a 40-50-hour week in front of the computer, this is a lot! Two days ago I only had two things scheduled for these four weeks. I'm almost afraid to discover what will get added tomorrow...September 15 - A day of touring a Marine base to see infantry training/facility. Supposedly it

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-38788500399409363622009-08-23T22:11:00.000-07:002009-08-23T22:18:20.503-07:00

Rachel Lucas has had one of those amazing cold turkey successes with addiction and credits attitude as a huge part of that success:After 20 years of serious addiction, all I had to do was decide that not smoking was a liberation rather than a punishment. Just decide it. Not being able to have that cigarette isn’t something that sucks, it’s more like being slowly but surely released from

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-32641355208289011712009-08-23T20:21:00.001-07:002009-08-23T22:22:52.631-07:00

He has no personal effects. The only things that came with him from downrange [to Germany] were an envelope with a couple of [military challenge] coins and his Soldiers' Angels backpack.A wounded warrior who is has gone back to work now has a friend following a familiar path. Read what he says about those who have come to the aid of his wounded friend and the wife who is now shouldering a

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-86183418393345284802009-08-22T08:11:00.000-07:002009-08-22T13:27:27.993-07:00

We're not in the post-racial period," Paterson said. "The reality is the next victim on the list - and you can see it coming - is President Barack Obama, who did nothing more than trying to reform a health care system." Paterson said the campaign against him is being "orchestrated" by reporters who would rather make the news than report it.Well, let me just go take my racist self off to that

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-66302193400741677372009-08-20T22:18:00.000-07:002009-08-20T22:20:27.634-07:00

Three strikes....followed by a homerun.

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-25634870818657237632009-08-18T21:30:00.000-07:002009-08-18T22:39:18.947-07:00

As might be seen in the posts I wrote below, I was in a foul mood for most of the day, the kind of mood that makes you want to say, "To hell with work! Let's go eat chocolate and watch a movie!" Well, I persevered and completed my work (and only indulged lightly in the chocolate), though it was a real battle with my undisciplined mind.This evening I dragged my sorry rear end out to go bike

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-41456014736190121142009-08-18T15:15:00.000-07:002009-08-18T15:38:22.771-07:00

I only know from observation, but I'm guessing you can spot a fighter pilot by where on his uniform he puts his glasses when he's not wearing them. But aren't those supposed to be sunglasses hanging there...? ;) GULF OF OMAN (Aug. 17, 2009) Vice Adm. Bill Gortney, Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command, speaks to pilots from Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 113 aboard the aircraft carrier

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-46689919232088036122009-08-18T00:04:00.000-07:002009-08-18T07:52:43.950-07:00

I'll never forget the day I discovered racism. [click for more] I was about 5 years old and watching a TV show, a rare treat. The central character was being mistreated and I couldn't understand why. My mother said, "They don't like him because he's black." My response was a confused and forthright, "But that's stupid!" Of course she agreed, and tried to explain how "some people don't

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-72858379543037800522009-08-17T18:17:00.001-07:002009-08-17T18:46:15.506-07:00

I've been somewhat irritated with half the planet these days. So, we might as well add the other half...The most striking result was in the responses of single women. Offered a single man, 59 per cent were interested in pursuing a relationship. But when he was attached, 90 per cent said they were up for the chase.I don't know whether to hate those women or pity them. What is wrong with them?!!

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-46484483822107337402009-08-15T10:59:00.001-07:002009-08-15T11:15:53.065-07:00

Just some things I wanted to share...It's Hip to Be Round -- Apparently President Obama is just so darn healthy and hip that people are rebelling by getting fatter. [It's NYT; get password here.]Rebuilding Bryan Anderson -- It's from a year ago, but I just stumbled across it today. VERY interesting article about how the vitality and activity level of today's war amputees is affecting the

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-90762739442663292532009-08-15T09:53:00.000-07:002009-08-15T10:21:03.522-07:00

Just remember this the next time America goes to war and people talk about how they support the troops while opposing the war, and how it's not about politics.[self-censoring for the sake of civility]

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-12755329568505793832009-08-15T08:15:00.000-07:002009-08-15T10:23:18.320-07:00

Nathan writes about a certain amount of discomfort he feels when someone thanks him for his service, pointing out that it has its benefits and he does it with eyes wide open regarding the risks. He then talks about how the families serve and sacrifice too. Here's how he closes:But do you still want to thank a servicemember?Here’s what you should do. Words are nice, but actions are better.Find

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-2652050755854554332009-08-14T16:17:00.000-07:002009-08-14T16:21:25.106-07:00

Supposedly that's me in the purple (no Bill, it's not a pantsuit):I don't think it quite looks like me, but I thought it was cute and it was fun to make...Get yours here.

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-58421914791369204702009-08-13T22:19:00.001-07:002009-08-13T22:54:07.789-07:00

At various times this last year I've had up to three people I care about deployed to a combat zone at once. Grim returned safely (twice!), and now Sgt. B is safe at home, too.I started to say in comments at B's place that if we could just bring home BillT, I would finally be able to sleep well.But then I realized I'd spoken too soon: I have one friend whose son is about to deploy to Afghanistan

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-74414187599637534722009-08-09T11:45:00.000-07:002009-08-09T11:50:29.734-07:00

I know you hate hearing something is a must-read or a must-see. But please don't miss this.Grab a hankie, listen to the words, and watch the American Heartland show its colors, as seen from the camera of a police car:[H/T Miss Ladybug]

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-44550956557801908862009-08-08T09:33:00.000-07:002009-08-08T09:58:41.936-07:00

...I just hate the new Navy Service Uniform.I'm short, and when I sit down at the USO reception desk, I can just barely see over the counter. Thus, I often don't see much of the person standing in front of me below mid-chest height. Since my distance vision isn't completely correctable, I usually cannot rely on a perusal of pins and service ribbons to recognize his service branch, especially

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-35854710615749115952009-08-07T07:23:00.000-07:002009-08-07T07:43:06.833-07:00

...and a little afraid.As I've said before, I try to avoid politics in general here, and usually when I do address it it's a military-related issue. The last time I told anyone I was hurt by and ashamed of my president was when the WH never issued an official statement on the hate-motivated attack on American soldiers in Arkansas.But I am once again hurt and embarrassed. He is showing an

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-92015158301879031802009-08-06T08:47:00.000-07:002009-08-06T23:33:41.613-07:00

UPDATE: A perfect fit with this post and my reply to BillT in comments... When you've grown up around people like Kevin and his neighbors and coworkers, this sort of thing doesn't surprise you at all.I LOVE this!The group sends boys and girls to camps where they can learn to weld or run a lathe. It provides training and scholarships to vocational schools, and aims to "dispel the myth that a

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-29484215143101923202009-08-04T08:20:00.000-07:002009-08-04T08:24:09.933-07:00

This really speaks for itself:Sometimes, writing the letters is hard."It does come to the forefront. When you write a lot, 'cause the pain is still very much there for us, so I know what that pain is," said Linda.To learn more about the Living Legends Team referenced in the link above, click here.

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-79977652190687504182009-08-03T12:45:00.000-07:002009-08-03T12:59:40.011-07:00

To certain people who are driving me nuts today...It's "He gave it to John and me," NOT "John and I!!!"You don't have to know any fancy grammar to get this one right, folks.Here's the simple way to ensure accuracy: Anytime you don't know if it's me or I, just take out the other person in the sentence. For example, the sentence I started with--take out John: "He gave it to I," or "He gave it to

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-15582964365892013392009-08-02T17:32:00.000-07:002009-08-02T17:42:23.560-07:00

This is really just too much:The Times published an especially embarrassing correction on July 22, fixing seven errors in a single article — an appraisal of Walter Cronkite, the CBS anchorman famed for his meticulous reporting. The newspaper had wrong dates for historic events; gave incorrect information about Cronkite’s work, his colleagues and his program’s ratings; misstated the name of a

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-39234380228601715932009-08-02T07:24:00.000-07:002009-08-02T21:42:22.090-07:00

His family... at long last:"One of these Iraqi citizens stated that they were present when Captain Speicher was found dead at the crash site by Bedouins and his remains buried," the Pentagon said in a statement. He was positively identified through a jawbone found at the site and dental records, said Read Adm. Frank Thorp.As reports of his possible survival surfaced over the

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-87473054667660766662009-07-31T13:34:00.000-07:002009-08-02T13:11:27.854-07:00

Carrier Air Wing 7 homecoming:Much more here.

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-61102192521594289212009-07-31T12:50:00.000-07:002009-07-31T13:49:11.465-07:00

That would be moi.For those who don't know, I drive very little. Since I work from home, I'm rarely out-and-about. The biggest trip each week is the half-hour drive from my home located just off the freeway to the USO at the airport located just off the freeway (real complicated, haha!). Other than that it's the bank, the grocery store, etc.So, the very best birthday present I got this last

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-29783798050854976292009-07-28T19:52:00.001-07:002009-07-28T21:21:24.585-07:00

I don't have time to write much, but I wanted to share...Corporal Dunham and his ship - This is just too much for words.A crown or the American Army? - Which would you prefer?Too beautiful to describe - For my friends who fly in the front seat... and those who dream of doing so."As the Colonel said on his Twitter site..." - Another sign of the military starting to "get it" in terms of both IO

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-49163970529959774162009-07-27T14:13:00.001-07:002009-08-15T10:32:49.060-07:00

I've met some of these guys briefly, but I doubt they remember me. Other of the names are familiar because they're on the Valour-IT roster. But I know them. I know their type.And I love them. Each and every one of them... the ones who know my name, the ones who don't, the ones I'll never meet,those whose names I've never seen.I read this article aloud in the USO this morning and laughed so

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-49631886018872037892009-07-24T20:49:00.001-07:002009-07-24T21:13:43.453-07:00

Some days I feel like an idiot...And other days I start to believe that just maybe I've got better judgment and more intelligence than at least 75% of the people I see or read about. Today was one of the latter.Apparently I--and I'm guessing the three people who read this blog as well--am smarter than the CEO of Associated Press. As Ed Morrissey puts it, "Let’s just call it the Fast Track to

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-48241458263454058762009-07-20T06:44:00.000-07:002009-07-20T06:54:09.973-07:00

My thoughts? Greyhawk is a very wise man.It's hard, but he's right.

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-55675233771663522082009-07-19T08:39:00.001-07:002009-07-19T09:08:16.222-07:00

Peter Hitchens notes something interesting in Britain, which has had a very difficult week among those who love and support the British troops. He writes of a funeral procession (scroll down):But people of my class and generation, the fiftysomething graduates who are thick on the ground in Oxford, were almost entirely absent, though the place was not hard to find, and it was well after the

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-5185103608299457642009-07-17T18:51:00.000-07:002009-07-17T18:56:33.915-07:00

Interesting..."The quick action of the 14th Iraqi Army Division inspires confidence that the criminals who committed this act will be brought to justice," said Maj. Gen. Rick Nash, the commanding U.S. officer in southern Iraq.The act?Three American soldiers were killed in Iraq when rockets hit their base outside the southern city of Basra, the U.S. military said Friday.

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-22135464174788261252009-07-15T13:30:00.000-07:002009-07-15T13:35:30.477-07:00

A companion to the Marine post awhile back... This time the challenge is how to deal with "diversity":I’m career military, and I got a survey form that I had to fill out noting the race and gender of the soldiers under my command. My NCO and I both thought it was ridiculous, so we put “Army Green” for everyone’s race and “Soldier” for everyone’s gender. My commander passed it up [the chain of

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-71384263031537526922009-07-15T12:41:00.000-07:002009-07-15T13:21:20.720-07:00

Did I get your attention? Good.I've stumbled across several articles lately about sex, abortion and relationships/marriage. I haven't had the time to write about them in the manner I'd like, so I'm tossing them all out here...This one especially had an impact. It's ostensibly about a man's evolving thinking on the ethics of abortion as an atheist, but it becomes much, much more. I'm still

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-72893694582491514222009-07-12T04:00:00.000-07:002009-07-12T06:49:55.847-07:00

I haven't spent much time around ships, but this captures something I've sensed even in my limited exposure to the differences between ships active and retired:...when so much effort and care and design and work goes into building them, seeing them discarded like this is sad. The ports they’ve hit, the places they’ve been, the experiences they’ve seen, the waters they’ve sailed…a ship is an

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-91148577972528472362009-07-10T17:19:00.000-07:002009-07-10T18:27:10.578-07:00

I was cleaning out my work email and found a rather old one--from January 20, 2009.An acquaintance had sent me a collection of YouTube tributes to President Bush. I was busy at the time, but I think another reason I never got around to watching it was because I resented being sent it. I liked President Bush (still do), but I do not like acquaintances making assumptions about my political

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-7947419883199595072009-07-10T09:19:00.000-07:002009-07-10T09:44:22.891-07:00

We've gotten used to seeing our warriors in urban Iraq, living on built-up American bases, or even trudging up and down the mountains of Afghanistan, but these pictures remind me of the beginning of the Iraq war and the long slog through the desert...This time it's Afghanistan.They are young. They are brave. And they are ours. In fact, Soldiers' Angels has over 800 of them waiting for adoption.

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-38715681053608959362009-07-09T12:43:00.000-07:002009-07-09T13:37:44.138-07:00

From my favorite aviation blogger...Via Twitter: Reason #27 that flying is like sex: It's much better when you don't have to pay for it.At least that's what I've heard... Personally, that probably explains my hours of giddiness after recently receiving a certain gift certificate.Related?: Airbags for aircraft. Not that I plan on needing one when I redeem that gift certificate...

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-6110161749816520662009-07-08T06:55:00.001-07:002009-07-08T07:01:41.753-07:00

And here you thought Marines overestimated their prowess and skills...

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-90459837877353343482009-07-06T07:22:00.000-07:002009-07-06T07:58:06.245-07:00

The strange and wonderful trip of a musical instrument...Soldiers' Angels Germany has more on the story.

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-3991187829649202132009-07-05T22:03:00.000-07:002009-07-05T22:13:45.329-07:00

A story of brotherhood and heroism in the U.S. Navy at Chosin, 1950: Thomas Hudner and Jesse Leroy Brown.The fact that his friend hadn't got out of the plane meant one of two things. Either Jesse was too badly hurt to extricate himself, or he was somehow pinned in the wreckage. Without a second thought Lieutenant Hudner prepared to do the wrong thing, because it was the right thing to do.I

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-59203400782244658442009-07-05T09:48:00.000-07:002009-07-20T19:33:03.278-07:00

Via the Mudville Gazette...Marines on the 4th of July were "celebrating" by suffering through their third day traveling on foot in Afghanistan, carrying food, equipment and ammunition on their backs. Conditions were miserable:The high heat, heavy packs, limited water and three straight days of walking through tough farmland terrain were taking a toll, he said. Several Marines threw up or were

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-71084380486611943772009-07-03T14:46:00.000-07:002009-07-03T14:59:15.983-07:00

I'm no political scientist or strategist, but I can't see Palin choosing to resign the governorship as a political move designed to help her into the White House; saddling herself with the label of quitter after less than three years at the state level seems a lot like political suicide.I suppose we'll know more soon, but I'm beginning put my money on the idea that she did it because the abuse

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-17302168978983036802009-07-03T06:53:00.000-07:002009-07-03T08:12:05.698-07:00

Since I've been accused of being a "Jarhead Doxie" and also occasionally "poaching on Maggie's territory," I figured I'd indulge that characterization (talk about leaving oneself open to snark!) with a repost from my aborted attempt to create a new blog. This was originally posted elsewhere in the end of May."What is it with Naval Officers? Seriously. And it's not just the pilots...If I somehow

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-38200548534183040942009-07-02T21:17:00.000-07:002009-07-03T06:39:40.713-07:00

What I know/understand about men could probably fit in a thimble, but this really struck me...And then there was my dad, who told me the day of the Sanford news conference something to the effect that ‘you have no idea how easy it is for men to completely lose their minds because of infatuation with women.’Many sensible and happily-married women say "men are easy," meaning that if you give them

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-40454457381588662352009-07-01T14:55:00.000-07:002009-07-01T14:58:16.640-07:00

Well, not really. I'd make a terrible Marine. But we're both "Lionesses"--the spirit resonates...So the marines in Iraq called these all-female teams (3-5 women) Lionesses. Again, no shortage of volunteers, as female marines, even more than their sisters in the army, were eager to get into the fight.

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-43664635080416910222009-06-30T05:58:00.001-07:002009-06-30T06:12:51.725-07:00

Iraq took another step forward, as we again hold our collective breath:BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq regained full control if its towns and cities on Tuesday as U.S. troops pulled back, six years after the invasion to topple Saddam Hussein. [snip] "This day, which we consider a national celebration, is an achievement made by all Iraqis," Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said in a televised

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-24914858446341056752009-06-29T17:12:00.001-07:002009-06-29T17:17:43.133-07:00

If you have ever doubted the instruction to pack your care packages for deployed troops as if they'll be handled by a bunch of gorillas... check out the condition of the boxes.LA UNION, El Salvador (June 25, 2009) Postal Clerk 3rd Class Mark Gonzalez, assigned to the Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH 20), sorts mail during a port visit. Continuing Promise is a four-month

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-19603769351370055912009-06-23T08:20:00.000-07:002009-06-23T08:38:43.539-07:00

If you've worked with small businesses at all, you probably know about the "entrepreneur type." There's definitely a type, at least among the successful ones. They are focused, energetic, imaginative,bright and persistent. They do not take "No" for an answer. If they want something from you... they'll probably find a way to get it.As part of my job, I am often giving electronic time and

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-78867308476442367112009-06-21T18:51:00.000-07:002009-06-22T06:52:37.282-07:00

You short-sighted, self-focused, nauseating hypocrites! And believe me, that was the nice version of what I wanted to write!If you want to think so highly of yourselves that you believe you are called to "tell the truth" regardless of the consequences, I can believe you to be simply misguided zealots. But you have now proven that belief misplaced. I am reminded of day after day of headlining

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-21495894198980938272009-06-21T08:49:00.000-07:002009-06-21T09:13:05.946-07:00

Yesterday I discovered Major Dad is now on Hulu. I thought it was funny back when it aired, but boy did I miss a lot! Between not knowing anybody in the military at the time and being a very naive teenager, I missed half the jokes and certainly didn't realize the subtlety of some of the humor and underlying messages.I spent 4 hours yesterday literally laughing aloud as I watched the first 10

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-86205763317520219782009-06-14T11:14:00.000-07:002009-06-14T11:27:01.809-07:00

Is there a more appropriate day to run this article than the Army's 234th birthday? Wounded soldier Erik Castillo embodies the warrior mentality applied to the stripped-down basics of living--improvise, adapt and overcome:Five years have passed since he woke up drooling and paralyzed in an Army hospital with a coconut-sized hole in his cranium... [snip]Castillo, she said, has succeeded at one of

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-34000154149642900192009-06-14T11:09:00.000-07:002009-06-14T11:30:16.358-07:00

I think this means I'm back, but I'm not sure. I just know I needed to make that post above here. So, there it is.I suspect there will have to be some redecorating--or maybe even some renaming--around here. We'll see...

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14819332.post-23866493152816408482008-12-02T00:10:00.000-08:002008-12-02T07:27:02.584-08:00

I've written this post--or something like it--at least half a dozen times in the last 18 months and then been talked out of it. But I really don't want to blog anymore. This thing has been limping along for the last two years, and it's time to put it out of it's misery.I didn't start this blog as a place of personal expression. In fact, I gave it the name I did in a deliberate effort to not

FbLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05719429913217863052noreply@blogger.com3