Just two thoughts to share while standing in line...

the line at the Courthouse for my renewal of my Concealed Carry License.

Thought number one - why are all these normal looking people here in this line - so many in front of me and as I move forward, so many behind me. An Obama effect? nah, couldn't be.

Thought number two, having been in the Driver's License line at DMV and now this line at the Courthouse - how is government providing/support/control of medical care going to make my world better? Well, yours anyway, I have been receiving government assistance on my medical care for a long time --- and as it was noted when I was a Drill Sergeant and they took me to the head of the treatment line -- when a Drill Sergeant goes on Sick Call he is really sick.

One issue people, arise and think.... it matters

Okay, one issue people - the 2nd Amendment - not enough effective thought and philosophy to make the correction in the American culture's thinking about the issue.

Congress and the Executive branch abandoned the 'well regulated militia' pretending that the National Guard is the militia and telling everyone that the National Guard has been around longer than our Constitution (no it hasn't, concerned armed citizens that banded together in defense of their homes, religion, politics and rights have been around over three hundred years - calling them something else doesn't make it so). Once the government does change their portion of the Amendment - they then feel free to change the People's part of the Amendment.

Revolution, or armed insurrection isn't the solution to the infringement of the Amendment - that becomes the danger to the security of a free State. Also one of the Gun Lobby's favorite reasons for weapons - self defense makes the sheep in our world (where everyone can just get along) afraid. I am sticking with the reason that I shoot is that I am a law abiding citizen, fully capable of using dangerous weapons with safety, and I don't need a government to shove me into Depends or Pampers to keep me from soiling myself daily.

So, since I know how to use machine guns, automatic weapons, submachine guns, rifles, pistols, explosives and other such - like I know how to find the proper place and time to defecate so as not to upset the public nor my friends and family - I don't need the regulations, laws and infringement on my rights to be armed and dangerous. I also don't advocate destruction of my community, government nor world to make it my way - but then I do think there are more good people in the world than bad - but the bad ones tell lies, cheat and dishonor their ancestors for personal gain and general stupidity. I remain, armed and dangerous, but then that is all in my mind and not in yours, you never think about me - just the old man in the back of the room. Thanks.

The side of me, I will never see...

Quality time, with my wife and she wants to go to the YMCA and soak up heat, and I want to go shoot my pistols. So we do a little of both. She snaps some pictures of me shooting and this one catches my eye - since I never see this side. One never really knows how the world sees one, looking in a mirror helps get the hair straight and eye brows swept up but it is backwards from what you really are. So pictures have to cover the real you - and you do keep throwing away those that don't make you look good, tough, resourceful and brave (or at least I do). Some will worry about sexy - but that is so young in thought and foolish I am above that now, so above worried about looking sexy. But I do still look.

I, of course, am looking at how fat I am, hoping I still fit my pants and the spare tire isn't bulging too much (suck that stomach in, way in!). I was going to the Y so I will get a workout in, twenty-five minutes and nine seconds to row 5K, and thirty minutes on a step-strider for real sweat. I shot my KelTec PF-9, thirteen bullets, last seven all in the black. I also fire my favorite Colt Mark IV, Series 70, Government Model, .45 cal -- the last twenty only missed the black seven times, must have been rushing. It makes me happiest that all the bullets hurt the target aimed for, and although I couldn't charm my wife into shooting more than pictures I was very happy that she liked how well I perforated the paper and wants me to invite one of her ministers to come shooting one Saturday - I am all for that.

It is very difficult to be really objective about one's self and images. One of the reasons we test ourselves so often as we learn skills or achieve new levels of proficiency - we want to see how we are doing against the others in the race - The HUMAN Race, of course. I heard so many times yesterday that we were in the best country in the world, and although I know it is my country I have been in others and don't find this one the best at everything - there are some really great ideas that our country should consider. That goes back to my point about not seeing some sides of me - beyond my back, just in how I am in a social situation, how my critical comments will be received by people with other agendas, how I look to those afraid of weapons in my home, hands and head, how I look to those that knew me way back when -- that is a side I will never see. Everything about me I see through my mind's eye first; colored by trauma, emotion, desires, fears and dreams. I will never see your real "Earl" (me), I just hope I am better than either of us have noticed and remarked on in my life.

Just a fifth of Patience, Black Label, please...

I have three inmate library clerks to train, and it is amazing how little they know about work and life and the library. I have had much success training real workers in the past, they understand work and what kind isn't a problem, for all real work is similar. If I get someone with good life skills I can train them also, great attitude and harmony with the lesser universe and work is just a different instrument to play on and they dance through our work day. I could blame lack of library knowledge on the school system, television or credit cards and book stores -- but it could be they just shouldn't be library clerks if they were never real library patrons - how much customer service can you explain to someone that has never been a customer?

Less than a week on the job and they already want the library to be run differently, they want more creative time, they want to expound on their previous job and how wonderful they did there, they are becoming afraid to ask questions of me (have I been biting their heads off, or just am snappy having little tolerance for stupidity). I emphasized that they must look at the computer screen as they scan barcodes, and make sure they are doing what they think they should. But they know everything about computers and it doesn't look cool to keep looking at work instead of holding a wonderful conversation. Another shot of patience, please.

They don't understand they have so much more to learn, one shouldn't spend time sitting when the boss spends his time on his feet, that fellow needs more time shelf reading and shelving. When they get a chair and abuse it, it becomes a throne and overthrowing Kings is part of my past I don't like dwelling on and hardly want to repeat. My work is cut back and I have only two more days to try and finish February well - which is only a personal goal, but it is one of the only man I respect almost completely -- me. I do know a bit too much about his dark(inner)side, still he doesn't have much faith in excuses performing to expectations.

There is one advantage in their slow work habits, they can't get ahead of me, even when they try they are falling behind the power curve - it is all mine. The experienced clerk and I laugh a lot about the new guys, but then we keep hoping tomorrow they will be a bit better and learn another lesson or two. We are making them earn that forty-two cents an hour, shouldn't I get some extra compensation, too? Another shot of that patience, please. All my rewards are waiting in Heaven, going to get stuck in the library there, too?