I’m Back

I apologize to anyone who followed this blog but I got tired of the political stuff and dismayed by the Obama regime. However, since it’s election season, I think it’s time to ramp it back up. Plus I still have thoughts on music, sports, and life in general. So here we go again!

My apologies

My apologies go out to anyone who may check this blog for updates; I have been so frustrated with the things that are happening that I haven't had the heart to comment. I will endeavor to do better.

Update

So far so good on the New Years Resolutions. The wife's company Christmas party was a bit of a setback, as was the massive soreness that a 46 year old out of shape fat guy accrues when hitting the gym five days straight. Taking a couple days off to recover but will start hitting it hard again tomorrow.

New Year's Resolutions

I have never been real big on New Year's resolutions, I tend to live for the moment and pursue the things I enjoy with gusto. However, I had a medical event on Dec. 30 that made making some New Year's resolutions seem appropriate, given the timing. So in 2010 I have resolved to:

1) Lay off the beer except on special occaisions (Jazz Fest would be one of those). So far I have stuck to this one, believe it or not.

2) Lay off other booze beyond one medicinal drink or small glass of wine. So far I violated this one once, on Sunday, but I was having a gout attack from Hell at the time. Yesterday I went to the clinic and got that taken care of.

3) Get in the gym again; it has been way too long.

4) Drop 50 pounds. This one will only be tough if I regress on the other 3.

Wish me luck and feel free to ask for progress reports; I need the moral support!!

I'm back

Obviously I have been remiss and neglectful in maintaining this blog. I hate to say it, but the events that are taking place in this country have overwhelmed me to the point where I have not known where to start. But I think that it is important to get some messages out, so here I go again...

Remembrance

Today is, of course, the 8th anniversary of the attacks on America by Islamist fundamentalist radicals. It was disturbing to me to learn that flags were flown at half mast for the death of Senator Kennedy (which I do not in any way mean to disparage) but were flown at full mast today. I can't believe that the collective memory of this country is so short. I am disheartened and really do not know what to add to that.

Road tripping

I just got home from Denver last night; as has been my M.O. of late, I drove out. There are a lot of people who tell me I'm crazy for driving instead of flying, but there are a lot of reasons why I prefer to drive these days. Not the least of these is that driving can be a rewarding, educational, and eye-opening experience. In driving to Denver from southeast Louisiana, one encounters the massive sprawl of Dallas - Fort Worth; the beautiful vistas of the Texas panhandle; the prairies of eastern Colorado; and the majesty of the Front Range of the Rockies fading into view (although for the first couple days of this trip that sight was obscured by smoke from the California wildfires). You see the wealth of massive ranches and farms and the crushing poverty of some of the most rural areas in the country. You can experience great regional cuisine and see historic landmarks. I have been fortunate enough to travel much of this country, and I always enjoy the opportunity to see anything new.

I'm back...

Yes, for anyone who checks this, I have been negligent in posting - we were once again on the road at Fort Benning and Fort Gordon - the graduation ceremony was no less amazing this time and the Infantry Museum was fully open. It is definitely worth seeing if you are ever in the area. A highlight for me was "firing" an M16 on the same trainer that the troops use for their practice. Of course, my son the soldier laughed at my effort - definitely need a little practice to reach their standards.

Cheap Thrills

Anyone who rides a motorcycle knows that you are going to have the occaisional "Oh S***!" moment - it's how you react to them that defines whether or not you should consider parking it for good. Needless to say, panic and/or hesitation are not desireable reactions when you are in the moment.

Today I was coming into a small town, doing about 35 in 3rd gear in a 35 zone, and had a light go yellow on me at that exact distance where you just aren't sure whether to try to stop or to gun & run. Unfortunately, I chose to try to stop, which would have been the right thing to do on dry pavement. On wet pavement, however, I fishtailed; released the brakes, tried again, fishtailed again. Now I am at the big white stripe that delineates the intersection, still going 25 mph, and the light has by now changed from yellow to red. Drat. At that point, you hope that the folks in their cages are paying attention to the show, and run the red light. I'm sure that anyone who was watching probably thought that I was going too fast and/or was out of control; the fact is that wet pavement takes away one of your two huge defensive meneuvering advantages, the ability to stop quickly. Live and learn; luckily I lived to learn this time.

Experiences like this remind you of just how little control you have over things when they go awry on you.

Plumbing woes

I think that if I had it all to do over again, I would seriously consider becoming a Master Licensed Plumber - not that I posess the skill set or the aptitude for such a thing. I was awakened this morning to a severed water main and a well pump that was doing a fine job of watering one side of my yard. Once I figured our which breaker shut off the well pump (I'm not an electrician either) I set about trying to find a plumber who could come out on a Saturday. Ha!!

Now, I had looked at this thing, and determined that I could probably fix it myself, but I have a tendency to like things done on my house by someone who actually has a clue what they are doing. Since no one like that was available, I made the requisite 3 trips to the hardware store and 2 false starts before finally completing the task myself. I am still not sure if the 5 hours or so of my time, gallons of gas, and parts purchased for experimentation were a better value than a competent professional - the point is that you can no longer FIND a competent tradesperson, and not only a plumber - heating and A/C, auto mechanic, whatever. When my parents were young, young men apprenticed to a trade because it promised a good living and a future. Now, young people either go to college or become unskilled labor - we see it in the Land Surveying community, there are no good, smart kids coming in at entry level. If this trend continues, good luck getting anything done right in another 20 years or so - unless, of course, you or someone you know can do it yourself.

I think that there will be a shortage of skilled tradesmen in this country and that at some point these individuals will be able to write their own tickets. And that includes motorcycle mechanics!!!

Back at home - for now

OK, I know I have been negligent in keeping this current; I was on the road on a fairly arduous business trip from Sunday evening until Friday afternoon, but I am back and have some things to vent about.

Back Home

We just returned from Daniel's graduation from Army Basic Combat Training at Ft. Benning, GA. For those who have never witnessed or taken part in something like that, all I can say is, if you ever have the opportunity, sieze it. It will renew your sense of pariotism and pride in your country and the fine young people who volunteer to defend it. Graduation at Ft. Benning takes place on a parade ground behind the new Infantry Museum, which will officially open on June 19 (we were able to see some of it). The museum is a magnificent structure on a beautiful piece of ground, and is worth the trip if you are ever in the area. The graduation itself is nonstop pageantry and demonstration of military tradition and etiquette. The Army band is wonderful and inspiring, and the troops are simply amazing. An impressive display that I thoroughly enjoyed.