Just keeping you posted...

Seems our Program Manager is caught in Florida, flight grounded by high winds which we shan't name. She has to catch a later flight this week. The rains will be here, although they say Thursday will have a break. The rains come in bands like waves upon the beach and I did jog and walk yesterday but then was well soaked in the evening drive. I have lost, last week, one of my better workers to the Chain Bus, he had to move on to Monroe Corrections Complex. That made me short, and sure enough one of my other better workers has two afternoons of group counseling to attend every week before the end of December, and yesterday they had the Veterans Banquet - yes, we have Veterans inside our fences that are in State issue serving time, we also have them in Corrections Officer uniform and admin - there are Veterans everywhere - just not as many as there were at the end of the draft in 1973. The Republic of Korea, Israel and Switzerland still have almost universal military service for various reasons.

I had attended for eighteen weeks Infantry OCS at Fort Benning, GA, in the Fall of 1967. Got pretty close with the rest of the platoon. Years later as a First Sergeant I was running the streets of Fort Bragg and saw one of my platoon mates, now a Major in Special Forces and we talked in his office. He had once been visiting a Federal Prison on some mission or other, and had run into one of our platoon mates in the administration of the institution and they talked and caught up, then the administrator, called on a telephone and they brought in a prisoner, who just happened to be one of our platoon mates. Strange, no guarantees of how well you will do, just because you had a chance it all comes back to what you choose to do and act.

Back to reality of today, I had best take out the garbage and get ready to run, have to make better choices, my wife told me no early retirement - I have to keep on keeping on... but the government wants my tax contributions, so I already know. Do remember to honor the service of our vets tomorrow - from this vet it is embarrassing to see free meals and such, but tears flow when the children who I hope never know war say thank you. Their future has always been what it was about, we don't want to dwell on our past.

Gray Day but yesterday was bright blue...

I have had a great weekend, Saturday and Sunday were perfect and I did my fifty mile motorcycle loop in great country and weather and puttered by the Harley-Davidson folks twice (Destination) I was so cool. Finish the day with the wife, wine and time well spent, completely forgetting I work in a prison library.

Okay I wake to gray skies, but still dry, time to get into the routine and increase my performance and I jogged in gray sweats, dark gray shirt and reflector belt, blue hand weights - get out and do it. When I return I call my mother and we talk a little bit, she never has her hearing aids in when I call, but the phone is flexible. I get cleaned up, and mount the Trusty Triumph, knowing that it may rain before I get home - still, I need to ride. There is a sixty-six year old woman out there in her eighth month of pregnancy, and it wasn't my fault - I realize how difficult it is to live twenty more years at the pace of an adult that must stay ahead of a growing child - evidently no one has told her and she wants it all. Strange that I think that doing exercises during commercials is the way to get myself ripped and hardbodied, and my friend agrees, but do I have the resolve to really work out during commercials? Well, what else is there to do - certainly not watch them...

I work through the afternoon and evening, library stuff, hearing that the White House has ordered the automobile companies to new mileage requirements - why don't they order everyone to walk? We would save so much fuel and be healthier. Oh, but Obama smokes doesn't he? So we know how smart he is, how much he cares about his children and how much he is doing to personally reduce carbon levels in the atmosphere - do you think the reason you don't see pictures of him smoking is media bias - or that they have been bought? Well, I did try to assist one inmate patron in finding books about the problems with smoking and how to quit. Found some, not as many as years ago, and gave him my personal story and motivation, but remember that inmates don't smoke - no tobacco inside the prisons - or any legal tobacco anyway. I chase everyone out, turn off the machines and lock up - it is waiting on me, the rain is back, Summer only a memory.

I ride home in the rain, one other fool rider out on the highway, but the bike performs and I roar and splash my way home. My wife opens the motorcycle door when she hears me coming and I do what she has wanted since I bought the motorcycle - I ride it straight into the garage - it means backing out tomorrow, it means I will be out of sync as the bike isn't in combat parked position, but then I never ride it out of the garage, just push it to the launch position like the Space Shuttle. It is good to be home, rain drops dripping from my soaked trousers - I will love hot medicinal soup and salad, hot coffee and WWE RAW. A letter waits from my mother, with her poetry, to read. Good night. Oh, and don't forget the commercials and the exercises during.

Work week is waiting for my attention...

I rolled up some coins, $12.50 worth, and will deposit them in the Credit Union savings, wrote a check for my wife and her household maintenance, paid the internet service charge and telephone bills. I have stimulated the economy, and I update the last month of my wife's Savings account and our family worth in cash is a couple thousand over our debts, we can breath. Amazing how intelligent the Federal government is on sneaking a little extra back into our pay checks. And Applebee's has 2 for twenty, which is almost exactly what the freeing up of my income tax with-holding were... if we liked them better we might have dined there yesterday.

Is there any hope of the government making that with-holding deduction reduction permanent? No, they aren't that smart, the media is going to attempt to convince them that they need to save the Mexicans and children of America from Assault Weapons (again?). But this is the same America that continues to buy more than the CMP can process, another warning thank you for too much business and lowering inventories this weekend. I feel so unprepared for shooting much this month, but I think I only get to shoot one more day live for record, two days of teaching coaching (Appleseed 18-19th), four days of supportive observation (BOOMERSHOOT!). Best I be doing a lot of study, drills and maintenance on the firearms. Be good for all the best reasons.

Monday Morning Blues...

Well, no Blues really. I did have to get up and move quickly enough to see the doctor at 8:30, his office. I did wheel my motorcycle out on an empty stomach and ride through McChord AFB with my best reflective vest on under my loaded backpack with reflective belt. The military knows how to protect people, they load one down with stuff, certification and lock up the ammunition so when the Mongol Hordes show up no one can shoot them before they ride over your arrowed pincushion of a body. Just pile the heads over there as a marker, thanks. I really don't care about wearing the vest, I like solid reflective tapes to call attention to me and my motorcycle in the darkness, but I do think I am smart enough to figure that out on my own - doesn't take a General. Probably the same guy that says concealed carry will not be honored on his post/base (The Commander).

I was a little early, but they opened the door and allowed me to ground my helmet, backpack, leather coat with reflective vest. Then I get weighed, blood pressure measured (don't ask way too high since pretty young women are messing with my body and my mind isn't on the motorcycle), blood drawn and doctor comes in to talk, measure, tap, listen and tell me what is good for me. Gentle manner and I now know that exercise will kill me one day, but good that I have been exercising or I would be dead - I have a load of medications to return to, another appointment in June after Hawaii. I go out and put the gear back on, knowing the other old men in the waiting room are just jealous that I am riding a motorcycle into the beautiful day and adventures. The drug store explains how much of my medications are covered by my two medical insurances - my wife has three and still one has a co-payment, sigh. Can't wait for universal care, or actually I can wait a long time. If they had universal forms and medical records keeping for the patients I might be convinced they cared.

I get an eight grain roll and black coffee at Starbucks as I wait for the pills to be piled. Then I ride off to find every Sunny Day Chrome Shining motorcyclist in the McNeil Island Department of Corrections has filled the motorcycle parking lot, lovely - it is good I was wearing sunglasses, the reflections are blinding. It is a better day for motorcycling than library work, but I park, walk to the dock, ride the ferry and see my supervisor, my inmate clerks and patrons and work on through the day, until the ride home in the evening. I have an anxious waiting by the open garage door wife (?) and I know I am not late, but have a great grin for the picture and knowing that dinner is waiting, Salmon and vegetables, hot coffee and Monday Night Raw where we find out who won what at WrestleMania 25, which I was too busy and too cheap to pay for a view.

I am so centered on myself this Monday, that except for worrying about brother traveling to Mom, Mom preparing to move to North Carolina, milk pick up in New York and the state of shooting sports in the United Kingdom (right up there with Henry the VIII's jousting, I believe) I have no idea how Barack has saved me from those evil folks in North Korea with their ICBM launchers. Time for my breakfast gruel and exercise that will kill me.

With the government and the economy out of control...

The Media will concentrate on Gun Control, citing the recent attacks of lone gunmen upon the defenseless innocent law biding citizens, adding the number of victims up and wondering when it will all end. In my home there was much more anxiety about the North Korean missile launch and what will happen. Probably because my wife is Korean and she doesn't fear me with guns as much as the media thinks she should. I told her that if the United States government had feared the Korean missile launch it would have been bombed, just one laser guided bomb and the threat would have been over - and it never happened, although President Obama thought the launch was an illegal act - which I am sure was never written anywhere in Hangul for Kim to read. You do know that there doesn't seem to be any problem with Gun Control in North Korea?

So we are going to have media examine the American gun culture, again. Diane Sawyer has a special about arming for self defense. Which I would be happier about if she really had been armed for the last twenty years or so... is there a reporter that does carry? that shoots any firearm regularly? is there a successful reporter or correspondent that does believe in the Right of the People to Keep and Bare Arms? Notice the loud roar of them, or is that a deafening silence? I really don't know, but if there is one I would be happier. I do know that John Stossel has done his best to point out the myth. ABC 20/20 Myths, Lies, and Downright Stupidity with John Stossel, Myth #10 Gun Control Reduces Crime. On U-Tube forever!

Well, it is Palm Sunday and time to prepare for church, Luke 22:36. Be good out there, be very good. I will shoot this afternoon - but then it is still a legal activity where I live. Go gently.

When I was young...

I had too much money and so I purchased three rifles from Winchester of Hong Kong, didn't everyone? My father asked why my Model 70 was in 30-06 and my only answer was that I thought that was a good round (I had no real idea, but I knew that one worked for deer and Pennsylvania). Since I declared today a rest day from exercising I took the rifles out and looked at the Model 70 for scope mounting, and decided not to... cause I have no knowledge about scopes and the rifle as it stands now is pure beauty. I must be the right size, cause all my rifles fit me so well, or I fit them well, another day it is good to be me. Funny that I like all my rifles, want to really be perfect with the M1 Garand, but love the beauty and perfection of the Model 70. Maybe I could get both of them National Match sights... sure.

The Sun was out, the sunglasses needed...

Thursday afternoon as I got into the Caravan for the trip home the Sun was shining brightly, I put on the sunglasses and buckled the seat belt and put the machine in gear. Nice to go home with the Sun still up and shining, means that motorcycle weather can't be far behind, and Friday is the last riding day of this week - it is a date... So I got up and dressed and opened the garage door and rolled the motorcycle out to start it up. It is thirty-four degrees, frosty mostly everywhere, and foggy in butter knife cutting possibilities. Doesn't matter, get the boots on and grab the gear, if one has to be driven about something riding a motorcycle is a good way to go. With the fog I won't notice the fogging of the face shield, will I? Just riding in the gray cotton misty cold. The humidity is high, or those are really fat drops of cold cloud making the morning fog. Doesn't matter, only the ride, staying up and leaning hard and rolling up and out of it. Gets colder, since the gloved hands don't get warmer, I run out of the primary tank fuel, switch to reserve and ride on. So quiet, figuratively, and so alone and in control. Roll into the parking lot, shut down and leave the helmet.

Friday is clean up day, finish the unfinished week, wish I could go home early, but don't - talk books, tell the big old worker that F. Paul Wilson has a book about Jack before he got old enough to be a Repairman. Talk to one of my workers about David Drake, whom is the best writer in the current world according to the worker, I got happily stuck on Hammer's Slammers long before he (David Drake) wrote some nice postcards back to me while I was performing speed bump duties in Saudi Arabia in Desert Shield. We had lots of time to read as we waited for an opportunity to excel. I have finished building the March book cart of stuff to buy, will submit it on the 1st of March, doesn't pay to wait they could cut my budget again and I would rather be ahead than behind. I did a lot of talking today, even with other staff - very rare, but they have been talking to me about work, re-entry resources, motorcycles and today - rifles and shooting in Europe and here in the Northwest. I lock up after shutting down the computers, a good week of work - in four days, one more of five to go and February will be history, too.

I talk a little on the ferry, ride the bus to the parking lot and start smiling more as I get closer to the Trusty Triumph. Get the helmet, start the bike - remembering to put it on reserve tank, and ride off to re-fuel and go home. The Sun is shining, it is warmer, much, than it was in the morning, but the traffic is heavy and don't know about the economy where y'all are - the I-5 South lanes are a slow moving parking lot as I glance that way as I zoom over the bridge above the lost upon the highway to California... riding home is good the bike is responsive and I don't see the fearless woman on her Sportster, although I did yesterday, she has new black leathers with fringes, new to me. I think she goes home early on Friday afternoons. There must be a secret to missing all the red lights, but with too many cars there seems no hope. I do fill the tank up, and head on home. Roast, corn, potatoes and hot coffee the news tells me that Wall Street doesn't believe the Whitehouse about Bank NATIONALIZATIONS this weekend. But I am not holding stock (directly in banks now - my mutual funds are a different matter) in banks. I do trust my wife, my motorcycle and my M1 Garand - which I am off to shoot with tomorrow.

I shouldn't go to work today, stimulous is in the way.

I guess one of the things I like about growing up was my independence from my father's pay check, and managing my own money, making my own way. There were a couple times I was a bit short - and asked for help, and quickly paid him back. It was really great when I could see far enough into the future to manage my mortgages, auto loans, credit cards (not really as good on that as I could be). Nice thing about being responsible, of course, I will miss out on the extra money the government is going to reward the needy.

When we finished the tax filing for 2008, I was amused to find that my wife and I had donated more money to others in charities than we paid in taxes to the Federal government. Although I think the total tax picture (adding fuel taxes and other ones from state and county) might get them closer to even, how much tax is on ammunition?

I guess I don't really mind the government helping feed the hungry, cloth the naked, and shelter people from the weather. But isn't this the same government that can't get HDTV working on schedule? Yes, I am on HDTV, but that was because I don't need the assistance to get there, just the day and the hour - Sony and Comcast love folks that want wrestling in HD - have you seen any wrestling lately? the fireworks and fakes are more colorful for sure. Sorry, if you can't enjoy it because the government was supposed to assist your transformation to the Twenty-first Century. Maybe after the War on Drugs, the War on Terror and the HDTV problems you understand why I am certain (absolutely!) that the government has no idea how to fix an Economy - the one I live and work inside. Well, the government intentions are good and the Divas do look hot in the ring on HDTV, but it ain't wrestling. Smackdown tonight!

I do remember that one of the points of a campaigning Senator Obama was the endless war in the Middle East. Bush's War, but now that President Obama has increased the troop strength by 17,000 it is Obama's War. What is the purpose? What is victory? What is the price to that purpose and victory? And why if the military thought 30,000 was the Afghanistan Surge numbers, are only 17,000 being sent? If we drop five million unemployeed Americans on Afghanistan we can transform the entire country. That was one of my ideas for winning in Vietnam, too. Just bring all the unemployed of America to the war zone and it would change everything... but we wouldn't have HDTV on schedule, would we?

Hibernation ended here today...

I have to get out there and stimulate the economy. Sure fuel prices have been creeping back up, still I had to cut the lawn and get rid of the leaves, attack the moss, stomp on the mole hills before they become mountains. And I know why bears are grumpy when coming out of hibernation, they go twist the wrong way when whacking a tree with dead bees and no honey, and they hurt their back, that's why. I was going to exercise gently and then go shoot, but responsibility got in the way. The yard looks a bit better, and after my left-over lunch (which I carefully ate around the rice and potatoes) my wife says she will take me out to dinner tonight - some pagan ritual probably - never know about Korean Baptist ladies.

I ironed my shirts and pants last night while watching men and women in a bit more than nothing dance and jump around the squared circle charming the chumps (yes, I was one paying attention - looking for the famous Ranger Chokehold), anyway, about my shirts and pants - it is time to buy replacements. Shirts, long sleeve, button down collar, size 16 1/2 33-35, color white, light blue or french blue, 100% to 80% cotton (six of them). Trousers, Dickies work trousers with cellphone pocket on right leg, reinforced knees, color steel or silver - but not white nor gray, 34 x 32, (six of them). That should help me look better, get my wife off my back a bit, and stir that economy. Those new shoes I bought, the Teva ones with the spider on the heel are very nice - one more pair of those. I also want a pair of Carhartt Duck Bib Overall to wear when I go shooting, seems some folks don't want the militia movement cammo worn and I have this weight and belt problem making my sitting shots bounce with my surging pulse beat. Love having a beating heart, just don't want the compression of my fat against the arteries to affect my shooting. Speaking of shooting and the economic stimulous package...

In the home are five clips of eight rounds of 30-06, and four loose rounds in the grab and go ammo can (.22 also but I never count them). In the Caravan are eighteen clips of eight rounds of 30-06, and sixteen rounds in a box, in one ammo can, and sixteen boxes of 30-06 (20 per box) and one box of Federal 30-06. Hardly enough for the depth of the Depression and Uncivil Disturbances about to show up at my front door. Nor is it enough to punch all the paper and steel targets I need to practice upon to get better at this American Rifleman position I aspire to... So I figure about five hundred dollars to CMP will get me about 1384 rounds of 30-06 in the ammo cans - with a give or take on the shipping costs. A couple more bricks of .22 would be good, the .45 APC and 9mm Luger are enough until I start shooting them for competition (never: too old, too slow, too un-needed - you know why men want bigger guns). Anyway, there are another hundred rounds of 30-30 and of 30-06 for the hunting rifles, and all kinds of bird shot and slugs for the shotgun.

Well, too much possibility of rain to wash the Caravan, although after a bit of reading I may sneak out and grease the chain on the motorcycle, bring the tires up to pressure if they aren't and prepare for sunshine riding on the Trusty Triumph, so much to do and only so much of me.

Sunday, without much Sun...

Slept in well, which make my day start so right, and the dreams are good, the blood pressure just fine. Church is good, stay to help clean up in the kitchen, help the kids make macaroni and cheese (kindergarten sized), then off to the range. Now it is cold, there was snow waiting outside my home but it is melted already, so this isn't the bone chilling cold like Indiana has, do you know what else Indiana has? Miss America, according to Wyatt Earp. Anyway I go out to shoot, trying to make sure I fire a rifle seriously at least once per month, I checked it out I could become a Master Hunter, certified by the State of Washington for my shooting proficiency and answering questions and doing twenty hours of service for Fish and Game somewhere in this state. Twenty hours of hunting feral hogs?

Anyway back to Fort Lewis and Range 15, pay my fee, set up and fire away. One shooter came over to ask if I re-loaded my 30-06, and I had to confess that I hadn't started yet but it was my intention. I didn't mention that my wife has already outlawed re-loading in her home. He asked about my rifle and if I had gotten it through CMP, and I said I had and that it was Correct Grade.
I fired eight rounds and then watched other shooters on the pistol side, where I see the young man (they are all young men) firing a .45, and he stops and come over and shows me his reloads for it. He casts his own ball with lead found around, and reloads at about $17.00 per five hundred rounds. Which is super cool, and he was doing alright with his pistol while I was there.

I check my target mostly low right, paste the holes and change my sights when I get back, but they are loose. My next eight are low left, paste them, change my sights one last time. I should be close. I wonder about American shooters, they seem to always want sitting and a bench to fire from, and I liked the military a bit better. Firing from firing positions (foxholes) gives one a firm start, both for excellent tactics (if you had to choose between cover and concealment - go for the cover) and a supported position. When moving: then standing, sitting, kneeling, squatting and prone positions are better than sitting at a bench. Nothing is perfect in life, we will take what we get, and should practice all those positions, dry fire and live fire. With sling and without, but lots of practice. Well, I fired my last eight rounds, took the target down I am close enough for today and Redmonkey Zombie-paras. If they stand still and don't bounce around, I do need to start that practice, too.

Something made me look up WWII and the cartoon is one of the truest ones from a war zone by Bill Mauldin, who must have been an excellent political cartoonist - Patton didn't like him. But even before I got a chance to go to war I understood a certain reality of it, because I had read his book (Up Front) at my grandfather's home - and my grandfather was a working Peace Activist.

Riding clears my mind.. or not.

So the rain quit for a day, the floods go down, and I ride my motorcycle to work at the Western State Hospital Library. The ride is cold and great... one shouldn't be in love with a machine at my age, but.

As I thought during work, about smoking - having been convinced by a State Trooper to go buy my first two packs of cigarettes (because he was going to stop me) - and finally growing wise without government overwatch and quitting after eight years - to the now banning smokers to the far away from people that deserve clean air - in Washington State it is twenty-five feet from doorways, off campus, outside of prisons, and the list will only grow as they creep into controlling everything.

Now I really don't care about the smokers, and I am not smoking, but did the government do this for me? my children, grandchildren or for the alien conspiracy that controls those civil servants in Washington DC?

I don't drink badly, don't drive under the influence of anything except my wife's watchful eye, so whatever one thinks I may have done before I was old enough to drink legally, or after, I quit getting drunk about the same time I stopped smoking. Must have gotten old enough to know better, but since my wife and I have a half a glass of wine some nights with some cheese I sometimes go buy another bottle - and I never knew the government was controlling my conduct for my (and other's) safety - and I can't buy a bottle between the hours of one to five in the morning. It really impressed me that the checkout clerk wasn't old enough to buy their own that was telling me this. There seems to be an underground market in buying cases and six packs from the trunks of the employee's vehicles during this period but it could only be a rumor, or they would be mounting criminal investigations about it.

So, in the 2nd Amendment struggle, the government is using the same tactic. If I had been my grandfather - who in 1920 could have purchased a BAR or a machine gun - but then in 1934 an excessive tax was placed on automatic weapons, just the type of thing most Americans wouldn't care about and the criminals don't either. Can you find any prosecutions of a criminal for failing to pay a Federal Tax on his automatic weapon? The continuing infringement continues, and all for my safety.

Remember it is the same government that sent me off to become deadly and death dealing with the same weapons and ammunition (and much greater than that) in its name and for its causes.

And they failed to de-program me. Lucky them, I grew out of thinking I had to destroy everything in my way about the time I quit smoking and drinking. Although I have really gotten much better at all the skills I needed. I just can see what lies beyond the target better than I could as a young man. So I don't need the government to tell me I can't use, own, carry or feed any weapons for any reason. I already know the proper limits, of myself, of the weapons and of the government. So I want my representatives in the Federal, State and local government to get rid of all laws that infringe on my Right to keep and bear arms. I also would like government support at all levels to build public shooting ranges, to buy/store/and loan me weapons to train with and/or carry in defense of the free state. I want the government to provide as much support for the 2nd Amendment as they did during the elections, insuring every citizen could vote -- that all those same voters are responsible enough mature citizens to keep and bear arms.

I want the government to remember to serve me, and you. I want the government to remember that they should treat me as an adult, a complete competent adult - a responsible adult.

Of course, since only a few people read these ramblings, I will have to write my representatives again and remind them before the 20th of January, and then I will have to remind the President on the 21st that he is my representative to ensure that the whole Constitution is followed. Some people are such selective readers, maybe the justice and the President should read the entire Constitution at the swearing in?

Really, I could just browse and feed my read all day

The amazing amount of material to find on the Internet. Will never become more than I am if I don't break free, and what is that Facebook thing? Pictures and text (almost) messaging. I think I see a greater divide between the generations and education systems - wonder where that change will lead the country and the world.

Getting time to close the library for the year, had 715 circs, yesterday in only three hours, the evening session was closed due to transfer of contraband, or almost escape attempt during the Visiting Movements - I downloaded records for donated CDs while my crew had Picture Card Count with the rest of the prison population. About two hour delay in ferry boats while they re-established their security inside the fence, so I rode a packed ferry with lots of families that had been visiting. The visitors took it all in stride.

The annual wrap up of numbers for the year, the cleaning of 2008 from the computers, the blocking of days in the 2009 calendar for meetings, holidays and just because I can will happen at my last hour in the library on McNeil Island for 2008. I will know what I did, the numbers will reflect my opening and closing the doors and the patrons that visited. About my personal goals for the year, they didn't happen - don't think lists work well - I did shoot better, ride better, and knocking off the medications has made me feel much better the last few months.

King County Jail has decided to save money by using Corrections Officers instead of librarians to provide library services to their prisoners. I know how well that will work - it all depends on the officer and how much care they have about the mission. They sold it on doubling the budget for buying new materials - from $15,000 to $30,000 for books. Sounds like a good deal but the price of paperbacks has gone from 7.99 to 9.99 or 14.00 for large urban fiction so I figure they will get just about the same number of books unless they are visiting Half-price Books more often. In the end it is all about the budget, there isn't that much money around they gave it to the bankers, or some such thing. I was denied access to GuitarWorld on the internet, couldn't get an article requested about Shredding, so I asked the IT folks - the answer - officially, is that if they are going to deny access to that site for the Department of Corrections employees then the inmate patrons can't go there either. Land of the Free, home of the ? It isn't censorship if they are protecting the children is it?

Obviously, I had better get a better attitude and put a smile back in my heart and head - I am about to work in a prison again and need to make that as small a prison as possible, and allow my library to open all the escape hatches in everyone's mind and day. Later!

After a bit: packed out the donated paperbacks - I encourage everyone to donate to the USO, prisons, and places where people wait for better times (homeless and battered women's shelters) those paperbacks you read once or gifts you haven't gotten around to reading yet, re-cycle and load up another person's mind with mush and matter. It really helps when someone needs escape and motivation and company.

I also took the garbage out, since they missed us in the snows, and along my path I found the set of missing house and car keys. Mine, and I feel better about seeing grass and tossed beer cans if I can find good stuff for my piece of mind. Already my lucky day, better check the Lotto tickets!

Yes I know it is election day but...

I don't want a media circus using my interest to pump me full of their ad time, I don't want to think that commercials today cost almost as much as the Superbowl. I don't want to know anything about the election exit polling and predictions. I still remember Peter Jennings reporting Florida three different ways in one evening, and it took the Supreme Court to finally decide that issue.

Since no one is paying attention to me, the law should be that the media may not engage in prophecy on election day - no predictions of the winner, no reporting of the results until the last polling place closes as far to the West as that is - Hawaii gets four electoral votes, Alaska three and those seven could be all that matters. And only the votes counted - not any exit poll junk numbers, and stop using percentages - one candidate gets ten votes, one gets five - I don't want to know that the first has a hundred percent lead - I want to know one had ten and one has five. The voters don't need discouraged by MSM. Actually, the only two things that should be allowed to be reported - where the polling places are, and any emergency reaction teams for fires, floods and avalanches. And then I would also like the television and cable companies to have NO Commercials the entire day. Call it a tax that doesn't enrich anyone save for the silence - nice nature pictures and mood music might be nice.

Well, have a great voting day, the three from this home are cast and probably counted, and although Washington seems to be a BLUE state (who picked that color?) the Democratic Governess was reported to be behind in early voting - by a Republican sympathetic newspaper, strange days and stranger ways. Where is Guy Fawkes Day? Can't get here soon enough.

An aside, the picture is from my better past - many of those young people became just fine citizens of note, and many of them were members of the Junior High Rifle Club and shot targets down in the High School gymnasium. That small difference is probably only part of the reason the Nation is no longer as wonderful as I remember it then - but put the guns back into the schools, it would make me happy and I know there are some young men and women that would love to engage targets for score, one bullet at a time...

You have been selected by...

I have received my summons: Jury Summons, You have been selected for Jury Duty! Official Court Document -- Do Not Discard

Yep, on the 15th of September, 2008 Year of Our Lord, I will be reporting to the Courthouse for Jury Duty. Should I carry a pistol so I can lock it up as I go through the disarming process at the entry? No, I shouldn't make bother, take some good books to read while waiting and see what they have for me to do in Judgment and Justice - I will do my best.

Good enough or do you really need more?

There is a lot of stuff in my life, sixty years worth and adding to that every day. Looking at some blogs I notice that one gun is better than another - or so some would say. I like my two forty-fives and if I am serious about shooting I will drag them out and wear them. I didn't feel they were concealed carry so I went looking for smaller and still troublesome to those on the other side of my pistol. Got me a 9mm, and it almost disappears - with a pocket protector with pens no one notices. Just have to watch the happy huggers. But I was reading about my pistol on blogs and I got all kinds of comment - good and bad.

So I take it to the range and shoot, and don't find any of the problems mentioned. It is double action, and I take up the trigger and look at the target and hit the target when it fires, just like I was supposed to... out of the box, into my hands with full metal jacket. It does everything I ask, if I care for it properly it should for a long time. That takes care of carrying, then the only question - as in all heroic things - is opportunity and stepping up when it knocks.

Lately I get an urge to have a military rifle (who me?) I like the M-14 (with a 10 round magazine), can use an M-16, and love the looks and feel of the M-1 Garand, and a Springfield '03 would fit me - I just know it. So I start to look and hunger and want to buy... but wait, I have two 30-30 lever actions, and a Model 70 in 30-06. What is the reason I was hungering for a military rifle? Because I could - there is no need in my life for one, I could be pleased just firing one once in awhile but don't even have to do that. Okay, maybe I NEED to have a semi automatic rifle, but you are going to have to sell me that real hard. I know how to use a machine gun and automatic fire in combat, defense or offense, but I don't need a BAR or any of the machine guns. Not until the war starts and I figure I will get all the bullet launchers and ammunition I need, because I will be more willing to step up than many... So I will fire my rifles like I fire my pistols - with love, care and affection. And they are all straight out of the box, and they all shoot straighter than I can aim them - but I don't need Olympic precision, I only need combat effective and until the lights go out, I will always have that... or so I seriously believe.

ABC of me, thanks to Breda,

I know there isn't anything of interest in me worth writing but since my choice was about the Lotto tickets or filling in my blanks for the world, the small part visiting I thought I would follow Breda, fine pistoleeress that she is (why yes I made that word up, but so have hundreds of others before me-it is a perfect noun for Breda, even if she is several hundred rounds behind me in shooting - I do have years on her). Anyway, although Breda gave me the idea, the Armed Canadian convinced me to spend the time.

Airborne, Army, Awful -- oh, accent, you didn't notice but I will drop a y'all on ya, along with yens and youse guys. But that is just playing, I speak like the television news fellows and color my speech with emotion when riled, Minnesota, Ohio, Pennsylvania then North Carolina.....

Breakfast, yes, daily, old fashioned oatmeal nuked in microwave, raisins, crushed walnuts and almonds, 2% milk, mixed with medications and black coffee. Wife spoils me on weekends with eggs and such.

Chore I don't care for - wasn't that why it is called a chore? Trapping moles comes to mind, I don't take any pleasure in it, and have to be really pushed to go out and set the traps. But have done it before and will do it again, but would rather reach a negotiated settlement (but have more faith in winning the Lotto).

Dog or cat - have had both in our home over many years, we gave up - since my wife and I have two very different ideas of the place of animals in our world, and different methods of training the poor humans taking care of the animals - we gave up after giving up my son's dog. Too much heart break. I would love to have a harrier to jog with and my wife wants a toy something to smother with maternal love.

Essential electronics, my computer - did I mention I have three, two set up and one backup and I don't want to live inside them, but seem to sometimes too often?

Favorite Calogne? Whatever she is wearing that I only notice when I get nearer her neck - oh, for me? Old Spice after shave - no one ever gets that close to my neck that they would care and I don't wear it often. That bottle has been in this house about eleven years now.

Gold or Silver - I like both, have rings in various amounts, but really cold steel stirs me much more than gold or silver. Although I do think the real American Silver Dollar was a great coin to have in one's pocket.

Handbag? I wear a backpack for local motorcycling, or a messenger bag on my bicycle, but handbag, that is too metrosexual and young for a throwback like me - handbag? I am old but I am not dead.

Insomnia; I have been known to sleep through rocket attacks, my wife likes to stay up late and I like to get up early - but we both have different reasons for staying awake - and always a problem that we just haven't the best solution for --- yet.

Job title - officially: Library Associate, or hidden: Library/Archival Paraprofessional level 5 or personal one: The Library Keeper.

Kids: Had one lost one, had another and he grew up. The best reason for Earl and KC was the kid. Wish we could have been better bumblers, but still feel blest.

Living arrangements? Home in suburbia, married long time. If it needs adjusting my wife will let me know - loudly or with deafening silence (guess which is worse?).

Most Admirable Trait - I don't think I have one, or any that stand out - I think my two friends might have an answer to that but I don't want to get too proud of any of me - I do know the dark side.

Naughtiest Childhood behavior - escaping, broke out of my playpen by breaking the slats, jumped out of a second story window when I was four or five, ran away from home to join Castro in Cuba against Batista (the mountains slowed my progress to a halt and a retreat - it was only a three speed English racer and the night was dark), breaking into my home when my father locked me out as a teenager (was so proud of my son when he did the same when his mother locked him out).

Overnight Hospital Stays - only one, my first major motorcycle accident put me and my concussion in the hospital for recovery and observation. Lovely motorcycle and fool boy meet steel guard post - post wins!

Phobias - isn't that something you fear foolishly? Only long legged redheads that think I am something.... everything else I fear righteously. You can get killed out there.

Quotes - "You could be wrong, you've been wrong before."

Reason to smile - pure joy in the wonder of others and love and laughter.

Siblings - Sister, brother, sister and they are all doing well differently and the best they can beautifully.

Time I wake up - from 4:20 am early work day to seven am if I don't need to work for pay that day.

Unusual talent or skill - none, I am normal but broken in well.

Vegetable I refuse to eat - I am an omnivore - it is all food if it doesn't bite first, that makes me happy, I once didn't like lima beans and wax beans but then met C-rations and learned how bad they truly could be.

Worst habit - tapping on something or clicking a pen - I never notice. No matter what Breda says, Procrastination is an art, not a habit and I will perfect it one day when I get around to it.

Yummy stuff, watching a perfect Combined Arms attack or defense destroy a worthy enemy in combat. You either do know what I meant or you haven't ever been there, and both are fine.

Zoo animals I like most, human beings wandering the zoo, all the other animals should be free where I could enjoy missing them by my clumping along gracelessly. But we do visit zoos, sometimes, and watch the polar bears wear their fur off in frustration. Which might be why Animal Planet is so much more fun than the zoo.

See, it was interesting for me, but a bit boring for y'all. Bye!

End of the world, just around the corner...

I am not a scientist, but was watching a demonstration of the effect of cellphones on honey bees, and they were dying so badly - compared to honey bees a foot away without cellphones. Now I don't believe all the cellphone users in the world are hunting honey bees, but they are being attacked by the constant bombardment of the GPS satellites.

According to Albert Einstein, our very existence is inextricably linked to bees - he is reputed to have said: "If the bee disappears off the surface of the globe, then man would only have four years of life left." is a quote used much, and it helps if four years from now the Mayans, Einstein and William Earl Dungey have said it is over, we blew it and we had our chance. The Road by Cormac McCarthy is worth reading but not worth looking forward to living as... a minor character, there will be no major characters.

I was naked today - which in ancient terms meaning unarmed - when Sir Lancelot was caught with Queen Guinevere, naked (without his sword) and had to borrow the sword and armor of the first knight he killed coming through the door. So I was visiting the doctor for my checkup and not carrying pistol, knives nor tools - I was so defenseless. But my weight was fine, the blood pressure great and the vein found and blood flowed freely - into the vials anyway. Too much LDL, 177, others are in the box, that terrible box. I was warned by the Pharmacy that my new improved medication may cause upset stomach, adjustments, and if I have strange muscle pains to report it to my doctor - oh, and get some Liver enzymes done in six weeks. I asked if it was necessary to attack my liver, I only have one, but they don't look at it that way. Kind of like shaving a little excess from the door to make it no longer stick... and after great training days my muscles always talk to me... since Junior High football practice.

As I was wandering the streets without a police escort, personal body guards or my personal weapons I thought about how I was going to take on and out my attackers - Jeff Cooper had a thing about awareness and the need to know which situation one was in, so you are prepared - and I was going through combinations and take downs and outs that I never got from watching movies. It was an interesting exercise, but futile, no one came at me. After all I am just a harmless older man. Back home, knives everywhere, pistols and rifles, ammunition and hot coffee, hot shower and a soft bed to sleep in - the world isn't going to end today, but when they come for my piece of pie I will be so upset. I wonder how the honey bees feel felled.

Spring has really arrived...

Light fog yesterday, but the weather man has been promising Sunshine and warm weather, so I rode the trusty Triumph. There is little room to park, seems that the fair weather riders have brought their shiny steeds out to play and display. I like that, I see three bald eagles soaring and think that Harley-Davidson is correct to pick the eagle as their emblem - standing for made in America, and coming out only in the best of the weather, and beautiful to watch soar and roar, respectively.

Lots of wild life, two raccoons are digging along the beach at low tide, geese honking in our air, seagulls just soaring in the breeze and ravens flapping furiously trying to keep up with the food chain. Three deer were brousing in the apartment complex, must not be hunting season in town. The smallest of birds seem to be engaged in building nests in hard to reach places. It is Springtime and feels like it, finally.

Library's last open day for the week, Thursday. Today I have to be in Tumwater to help present the ILS blog site and concept to the Secretary of State, it isn't quite ready for prime time - being our public face, for the folks that don't get out much (Institutional Library Services), we would like to share our best and encourage more come in to work with us. Lonely loves company.

I had a normal day at the office, except one patron that started to talk about his family history - which I had helped him research once - and he started to get loud and offended by the other inmates, who were teasing him. When he went into shouting foul language I stopped him, told him not to do that, and when he started to get louder and defensive with me I told him to go out of the library - now. He didn't go and tried talking me down and I started looking for the amber button on my radio as I reinforced that he had to leave now, and I was not happy that I was going to have to call the correction officers to escort him out. He caught that, and said he was going and left. If the officers had come he would have gone to F-unit for failing to comply with my order. The other inmates told me that I had shown real patience - I thought I was one step behind during the incident. He was from lower A unit, which are the inmates that are under mental health care and often on medications for their particular problems. I will have to do better.

The ride home was great, dinner was salmon and my smiling wife, I check the blogs and find folks going to Louisville, and I think of a friend that lives there now - hope she is well. All the news that is fit to print from the gun bloggers and the NRA this coming week, I will be reading when not riding and cutting my growing grass and bettering the world that I live and love in.

Sunday Sharpening

Fighting knives today, with my current carry boot knife on the far right for a size comparison. The one next to it is a NATO fighting knife, which when most NATO rifles are issued with a bayonet, makes me wonder who gets issued the fighting knife? The officers with their 9mm pistols won't wear a knife, so who gets the fighting knife? Maybe machine gunners and medics? I don't know, it is a lower carbon blade and gets sharpened with a file like a bayonet and can't be used to shave. It will cut in a slash and loves to be a stabbing weapon.

Next to it is the Gerber, with the angle so the handle would stay away from the body and sheath. It was one of the surprise great things that came out of Portland, Oregon. It came with a sharpening steel, and the serrated wasp waist edges in both directions - a great design but not necessary, a bit artsy for the true cutter and gutter - but one has to have soul. Gerber doesn't get made there anymore (Gerber isn't really Gerber any longer either). I picked it up during the Vietnam years, but it didn't go there with me, the Army and mail order got me many other blades, all left in country.

The famous Fairbairn from Britain, mine is marked England, but without the British Armory marks so it is only a great copy. A fully functional, if I had one worry it would be that the blade might snap near the point under pressure of the moment and a bone or hard joint in the way. Simple design, sharp edges in both directions and a point picked for ease of entry - slides into meat well.

Last is my prized possession from Fort Bennings School for Boys (Infantry OCS), a real Randall, from Orlando, Florida. My first "made for me" knife. I ordered it in 1967 and waited, went to Korea, and waited and finally got it in 1969, before Nam. I didn't take it to any wars, it with the Rosewood handle is waiting for that maple inlaid library desk, to sit posing as a large letter opener for the day some fool thinks I am under-armed. Nice knife, but an inch too long, I didn't know as much as I thought did then and I ate more ice cream, too. Eyes bigger than my stomach or any good sense. Still a lovely weapon, utility is important but I will never love an electric carving knife nor vaporal blade as much as my Randall.

Experts say...

As television became the stranger invited into our homes, often trusted and paid attention to beyond good sense the "experts" crept into being. Now if you can't quote an expert on whatever subject to prove one's point - the point isn't valid, or you might have to take a poll to make me convinced. I have known a couple of experts: a Junior High teacher who trained the Junior High Rifle Club and coached the high school rifle team, my machine gun instructor in Fort Lewis during the Vietnam War, and that was about it. I don't think I ever became an expert on any subject, I was selected to perform training, coaching and other duties at different times but I am sure that someone else was selected when I had departed for other ventures - the need doesn't make experts, filling the need can help establish one's expertice? I have become convinced that writing a book, coaching or teaching a certain subject seems to be the qualifier now, even when the book and its theories are wrong, experts remain. Ever wonder why we don't have expert ditch diggers? Professional only means that one receives compensation for performance, expert means one is the most ........ yep, fill in the blank.