My friend Tanya, said something to me a while ago about my not having updated my blog...good point. I haven't. What a lazy person...
So here we are on Memorial day, which always makes me think as a guy in the military about a lot of things. Right now Russ and Rachel are getting their groove on with an all-day Star Wars marathon on T.V. (hi-def no less)that's got them hooked. Aim is reading a book of some sort that keeps her interest and Rowan? Well, he just gets into everyone's business, because that's his job. So now I will blog for the second time in my life.
Memorial day. For a guy that's a career military officer, this day has meaning. I don't know if anybody else is in a profession where there is a common bond such as the military, but since I enlisted in the Navy in 1991, it has shaped and defined who I am. I can't tell you how many times I've talked to someone who's turned out to be prior military. You may not have a long talk and be best buds, but there is an understanding of where that person has been and what they've done along with a respect no matter what branch of service they were in. Say what you want about war and military people, but let me tell you, to enlist or earn a commision takes big balls and a huge committment to the unknown of war. I don't care if you're a supply clerk or a front-line grunt. I stand in awe of those who've made a sacrifice that most of us will never have to contemplate and can live our lives watching our kids grow up and growing old with someone we love.
I've been on this big truth kick right now as I watch the ass-clowns on the Liberal and Conservative sides of the house smear, translate, spin and other-wise lie to people about the ways of the political world. it's funny, I never really paid attention to politics for the majority of my life, and now I know why. What an absolute farce. If you ever want some entertainment, listen to the liberal and then the conservative radio shows (satellite radio) and see how they spin a piece of news. I'm AMAZED at the ways that both parties can do it. What's even better is listening to the people who call into these shows and add their two cents. Priceless.
It leads to a question that I'd love to sit and discuss with people over a finely crafted micro-brew. Are the majority of people out there like me and find themselves somewhat in the middle of the road on politics? Or am I a flake? Rush Limbaugh (d-bag if I ever listened to one) has labeled people like me (moderates) as jello. That is to say that we just sit and wobble, never really committing to anything.
I take offense to that simply based on the fact that I think a person should take a subject and form thier own individual position on it. If it doesn't happen to conform to a particular party line, so what? How does that make me a flake? For instance, I believe in gay marriage (we don't have the right to tell ANYONE they can't marry someone they love), yet I'm a real gun nut (even though I don't own any right now). During the elections, I wasn't about to vote for Obama for too many reasons to list, yet I wasn't going to vote for McCain because he couldn't run an election campaign (so how can he be president?). Pour the beer and let's discuss...
Monday, May 25, 2009
Sunday, July 27, 2008
So now I'm a blogger
Aim (my wife) has had a blog for some time, and several of our friends have blogs. I always sort of scoffed the idea, but as usual, after a while I got to thinking about it and realized that it was a good idea.
Where else could I rant about things and not bore my wife or kids? Where else could I say whatever I want without pissing people off or making them uncomfortable,l or worrying if they were even interested? If you don't like it, don't read the blog. Simple...I like it already.
By the way, what am I supposed to say on this my first entry?
The inspiration and need to write in my own blog came as I was reading one of my wife's entries about my cat, Riley, who died not to long before we moved from Panama City, Florida (Tyndall AFB), to Nellis AFB (Vegas Baby!). She had titled it "Goodbye Riley", and talked a little bit about the circumstances leading up to my having to take him into the vet and have him put to sleep.
That was the hardest thing that I've ever had to do. I have sat in de-briefing rooms with students (when I was an instructor at Tyndall), and told them that their careers as potential flying officers was over and felt bad, but when I took Riley to the vet, it was HARD.
I read Aim's post and got teary (again). Riley was the one cat in this life that I could have had. When Aim and I saw him at the pet store years ago in Vallejo, he came right up to us. When we came to pick him up a few days later, he ran right up to us again. I still remember the drive to our apartment after we picked him up. He sat in a box on Aim's lap, and just stared out the window, looking at things as we went home.
The next almost 12 years went by so fast. It was Riley that met me at the door of our apartment in Pensacola, the day I washed out, and sat with me on the couch, as I drank warm beer trying to figure out where I'd gone wrong.
When I came home at all the odd times that I do as a flyer, Riley was always up to come see me and say hi, no matter what.
I used to love to lay on the couch and watch football or whatever, because within about 1 minute, Riley would climb onto the couch with me and settle in.
The day I took him to the vet to end his pain, I sat in a chair holding him, not believing that I had to do this. Riley was the perfect cat. He was a cool gray color, he had an awesome personality, and he was HUGE for a cat.
The vet left us alone after she gave him a shot to put him to sleep, and it was the most transcendental experience of my life. He looked me right in the eye as he fell asleep, and purred until it just faded off. When she gave him the final shot, he died almost instantly. I've read a lot of stuff about people having these experiences with animals, and now I know what they mean. I like to think that Riley died with not only the person in this world who loved him the most, but feeling comfort and happiness.
I miss him everyday.
Where else could I rant about things and not bore my wife or kids? Where else could I say whatever I want without pissing people off or making them uncomfortable,l or worrying if they were even interested? If you don't like it, don't read the blog. Simple...I like it already.
By the way, what am I supposed to say on this my first entry?
The inspiration and need to write in my own blog came as I was reading one of my wife's entries about my cat, Riley, who died not to long before we moved from Panama City, Florida (Tyndall AFB), to Nellis AFB (Vegas Baby!). She had titled it "Goodbye Riley", and talked a little bit about the circumstances leading up to my having to take him into the vet and have him put to sleep.
That was the hardest thing that I've ever had to do. I have sat in de-briefing rooms with students (when I was an instructor at Tyndall), and told them that their careers as potential flying officers was over and felt bad, but when I took Riley to the vet, it was HARD.
I read Aim's post and got teary (again). Riley was the one cat in this life that I could have had. When Aim and I saw him at the pet store years ago in Vallejo, he came right up to us. When we came to pick him up a few days later, he ran right up to us again. I still remember the drive to our apartment after we picked him up. He sat in a box on Aim's lap, and just stared out the window, looking at things as we went home.
The next almost 12 years went by so fast. It was Riley that met me at the door of our apartment in Pensacola, the day I washed out, and sat with me on the couch, as I drank warm beer trying to figure out where I'd gone wrong.
When I came home at all the odd times that I do as a flyer, Riley was always up to come see me and say hi, no matter what.
I used to love to lay on the couch and watch football or whatever, because within about 1 minute, Riley would climb onto the couch with me and settle in.
The day I took him to the vet to end his pain, I sat in a chair holding him, not believing that I had to do this. Riley was the perfect cat. He was a cool gray color, he had an awesome personality, and he was HUGE for a cat.
The vet left us alone after she gave him a shot to put him to sleep, and it was the most transcendental experience of my life. He looked me right in the eye as he fell asleep, and purred until it just faded off. When she gave him the final shot, he died almost instantly. I've read a lot of stuff about people having these experiences with animals, and now I know what they mean. I like to think that Riley died with not only the person in this world who loved him the most, but feeling comfort and happiness.
I miss him everyday.
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