Share and Share Alike

While on leave, I went to my high school that I graduated from to visit one of my history teachers. This guy is probably one of the biggest reasons why I enjoy history as much as I do. He had made the class fun and interesting and the world did not seem as scary. Well, my thinking was he and maybe his class would be interested in maybe five or ten minutes of information about the last year of my life. I am thinking this would be a great opportunity for a history class.

I never made it, to see him or any class at my high school, and this is why:

I went to the high school office and upon entering I had told the secretary my intentions her reply was, " You cannot see anyone in the high school, especially a teacher, without an appointment." I then replied with, " This is the last weekday I am in town, couldn't I go in between periods and catch him and ask if he had some time of about ten minutes?" Her reply was frank and coarse, "No. "

I am a person that does not give up easily so I attempted to see someone else that was free in the administration since this rule did not seem to apply. And I was able to stay a little longer while I talked to the guidance counselor who was once once of my math teachers. (Another good teacher that made me enjoy math.) While I talked to her, I still attempt to see any class and talk with any of the "Good" teachers, but my attempts were futile. I even talked to the new and current principal, who in my opinion is very timid. (Which that seems funny, because everyone else I talked to said she rules with an iron fist.)

I did have a great conversation with my old math teacher, but a nary a student. Is my first hand experience in a situation that boring, that I couldn't be seen? The biggest excuse I was given is that there is too much disruption of the class time to see any visitors. I am just missing the point that these people were trying to tell me. I cannot figure it out. Also, you must also realize that I have visited the school before with teachers and students, once after I came back from Kosovo and a time after when I went to Zaire. (Zaire does not exist anymore, so don't bother looking it up.) Both of those times, I received a warm welcome and was told to come back more often. I even was a pen pal to one of the classes while I was Albania.

I just don't get it. The opportunity was there, but I was met with an iron gate.

Shell Game

While I believe I am a realist at heart, I really have a hard time believing in the good.

The good in people. The good in politics. The good in a soul. The good in tomatoes. The good in life.
( I threw in the tomatoes for fun.)

Knowing my family if they decide to read this, the reaction will undoubted be in disbelief for what is really is. My friends or at least the ones that see me often to say they are my friends will if they read this say this post is a ruse or a play on words. The people I have met on the virtual reality will chalk this one up to a pessimistic behavior pattern common in people of my stature. The true point to this post is to say that I am empty. Vacation really did not help fill it. I wanted to think that but it is not the case.

I am empty.

I do not know how to fill it.

I am empty.

Humble

I was wrestling with the idea of the blog post title and was thinking of something like " I got big balls" or "Tweety-Bird meet Abominable Snowman" but have decided to go with something a little more shrewd. I was thinking the reason why most of the vacation I had was such a success is because the people I met were so down to earth and interesting. Well, I have a theory on why that is so. We are all humbled in some way. All of the people I encountered have suffered in some way to expose ourselves to the elements of life. We all know that life can be bigger than us and are not afraid to admit it.

I really don't know, it is a theory.

End of Vacation

I just got back tonight from my adventures. On the way back, I visited the Evil Twin's Wife and the "Evil Twin."
Neither of us thought about a picture, Shame on Us!

As a consolation prize I did take photos of the driveway(in West Virginia) but they will have to wait a few days until I can upload them.

RevGals Friday Five: Hope

The RevGals Friday Five is inspired by hope. Sally writes:

What have you seen/ heard this week that was a :
(Side note from the author, this one is a little more difficult.
So polar bear with me.)

1. Sign of hope?
I will have to get back to you all on this one.

2. An unexpected word of light in a dark place?
My Father should be okay if he follows the advice of the doctors he has been seeing.

3. A sign of spring?
Other people's smiling faces.

4. Challenging/ surprising?
Brett Favre is starting a new life and retires from the Green Bay Packers.

5. Share a hope for the coming week/month/year....
I hope the pain will go away.

Bonus play... a piece of music/ poem guaranteed to cheer you?
Instant Pleasure by Rufus Wainwright
(Note: You could click on the link on the side bar to hear it. If it doesn't start right away click on play at the bottom of the page.)

Sam's Fine & Spirits - Valders, Wisconsin

Sam's Fine Food and Spirits is my parent's establishment. They have been in this restaurant since 1991. So this would be my formidable years of high school. Sometime while being in the Corps I made a website to help in advertising and has been my contribution to the family business. I really need to work on this website and I will once I settle in North Carolina. Here are the main pages:

The intro and description.

`

The "Map quest" map of where the restaurant is.

`

The page describing the main entrees.

`

A picture of the building in 1910 with the original owner.

`

And, a carry out and delivery menu.

Bad Blogger, Bad

I am way behind the times. I went and visited Ladyburg, Presbyfruit, and The Village Carpenter on my travels to Wisconsin. I was given the photo and have not posted it yet, but they all have. (Either a camera was forgotten or it was dead, only TVC's camera was able to take a a photo and her camera has seen the day as well.)

Presbyfruit is in red, TVC in black, moi in blue, and Ladyburg in chartreuse.

I did not spend enough time there and the area was rich in architecture and culture I will have to figure out another trip. ( With less snow though.)

Wonderful Wisconsin Winterland

It might be too early to say wonderful, but the alliteration I wanted to use makes it just so. It snowed all the way from Ohio to my final destination in Valders, Wisconsin. (It is a small town of about a grand.) My current plan is to stay up here for a about a week, but I have no solid plans. I know when I have to be back, so I might even leave early. They is a body shop conveniently located right behind my folks place, so I am going to be having some touch-ups done while here on my truck. I won't be posting as often as normal, since I am on vacation and technology seems to be a tad lagging in this area.
TTFN

RevGals Friday Five: Leap Year

Hello from your Fifth Friday Five team, will smama and Songbird~

It's Leap Day!! Whether you're one of the special few who have a birthday only once every four years, or simply confused by the extra day on the calendar, everyone is welcome to join in and play our Leap Year Friday Five.

Tell us about a time you:

1. Leapt before looked
This vacation.

2. Leapt to a conclusion
With almost all women.

3. Took a Leap of Faith
Any Marriage.

4. Took a literal Leap
I used to be a pole vaulter in high school.

5. And finally, what might you be faced with leaping in the coming year?
Life.

(Sorry for the short answers today, but just as the post below suggests, I am on vacation.)

On the Road

I have been traveling the last few days. Last night I didn't quite get as far as I wanted and have ended up at a Holiday Inn in Wauseon, Ohio. Up until this point in my trip there has not been any snow except for some flurries here and there. Well, there is about three inches on my truck. Fun.
What makes this really exciting is I forgot to pack my jacket. Not that my jacket was really warm anyway, but it is more the principle I think.

300th Comment - February

Fairlane has given me my 300th comment of the month.

Congratulations!

You are now entitled to my imaginary collection of troll foot cozies.

Thank you for your continued support!

Fun with Navy Medicine, Part XI - C

Not that I expect anyone to keep track of my health issues, I mean this is a web journal or my diary or whatever and all you are reading bits and pieces of my personal life. Mel, keeps on insisting that I say "exactly" what is wrong in her comments, and I feel I have covered this. NO DOCTOR HAS THE EXACT UNDERSTANDING OF THE HUMAN BODY. But the last one has some good guesses and what little he has told has made sense to me.

The EPB and the APL are my problem tendons. The goal at the moment is to keep me from moving my thumb using those two tendons. Surgery is needed for the APL and therapy for the EPB. The best recovery time suggested is six months.

Fun with Navy Medicine, Part XI - B

I was made a new splint today, but unfortunately after several hours it seems to hurt me more than help me. There is no way to go back and have it modified or remade today so first thing in the morning I will be visiting the hospital.
Anyone who has experience with a major base in the early morning hours knows just how fun traffic will be. Hopefully, the burned off gas will be worth it.

Fun with Navy Medicine, Part XI

Not just anyone can get an MRI in Jacksonville. At least not in a short amount of time. In about two weeks I will have an MRI, then about a week later my doctor and I will look at it. "We" are going to figure out when I have surgery after this appointment.

So no matter how you look at it I am looking at about month or so before any action takes place.

RevGals' Friday Five: Heaven

Singing Owl of RevGals has had the loss of her sister and has decided to a heavenly Friday five. She writes:

So how about we share five "heavenly" things? These can me serious or funny or a combination of the two.
What is your idea of a heavenly (i.e. wonderful and perfect):

1. Family get-together
I would have to say the first few days of whatever leave period I am on.

2. Song or musical piece
Ride of the Valkyries (The beginning of Act III of Die Walküre by Richard Wagner) My favorite is actually the Apocalypse Now version with the "warfare" in the background or foreground depending on your point of view.

3. Gift
Good Hug (Many)

4. You choose whatever you like-food, pair of shoes, vacation, house, or something else. Just tell us what it is and what a heavenly version of it would be.
I would normally answer with Twizzlers, but I think I may be in a transition phase with that. I suppose food wise I would have to say, roast duck. It is just awesome.

5. And for a serious moment, or what would you like your entrance into the next life to be like?
What, from your vantage point now, would make Heaven "heavenly?"
I would like to think that it is better than "this" but I am ready for a surprise. (I make fun of it all the time.)
I would say riding the breeze on a warm summer day would be just fine.

The Meaning of the Asterisk

I thought I wrote about his before, but someone emailed me asking and if one is asking then there are twenty others.

I have an asterisk next the blogs that I have classified "holy."

I am not a holy person, I am though a man, and men tend to need road maps at certain times in life. This addition you could say is my landmark to help me find my way.

Take that anyway you all feel you need to take it.

Up in the Morning Before the North Carolina Sun

Normally, I would be doing some sort of PT right now. I haven't really done anything in the morning that would qualify to be PT. After my visit with my new doctor, "we" learned that I have two tendons with problems. One would require surgery and the other therapy. He had explained about all the possible problems that could occur during the surgery and he explained what I still need to get done before he can operate. So this morning I have a" laundry list" of crap to do and call.

I haven't heard anything about the house since yesterday. I don't expect to until later today, the sellers are in California. Apparently, there are several others that put in offers besides me on Tuesday, so someone is not going to get what they want. My agent "said" they were leaning towards mine, but who knows what the fuck that means.

Blog Roll Amnesty Redux

I stole this idea from Mathman who stole it from Rotus which is nifty in its ownright.

"It appears that the rules by which Technorati, Google and other important social websites and search engines rank blogs do not take blogrolls into consideration but do count links within posts. I want my blogroll to count so I am posting it here. If you would like to be included in my blogroll, please leave a comment on this post, including your blog’s URL. I make no promises as to performance but, at least have good intentions.

My Blogroll Policy (Redux) : If you ask me to, I will link to your blog or website even if it offends me, when I get around to it. I reserve the right to decline to link, or to remove a link without notice and without giving a reason... This policy is subject to change without notice. Don’t argue with me, this is my blog."

Wyldth1ng's Blogroll:

You've Really Got to Love Your People*
Yearning For God*
When Will I Use This?
Ton-Fifty-ONE
The Village Carpenter
The Daily Gut
Suitably Flip
Sharing a Journey*
Seeking Authentic Voice*
Rogue Gunner
Random Thoughts of an Aspiring Expat
Presbyterian Gal*
Presbyfruit
Post Secret
Possible Water*
PoliTits
MilBlogs
Magdalene's Musings*
Lost in Lima Ohio, A True Crime Blog
LadyBurg*
Jeans, Flops, and Jesus*
Inner Dorothy*
Identity Mixed
I, Splotchy
Hot Cup Lutheran*
FranIAm
Faith in Community*
distributorcap NY
Confederate Yankee
Cheesehead in Paradise*
Bruttally Honest
Blonde Sagacity
Beyond Assumptions

Then this is the extra list that I have not added due to pure lazyness.

RevGalBlogPals*
Zaius Nation
We Do It Too
The Warped Mind of Ron
The Glamorous Life of a Hausfrau
Random thoughts and Acts of Stupidty
Random Laundry
No Smoking in the Skull Cave
Mock, Paper, Scissors
Meaning and Authenticity*
Jonestown
Growing Where I'm Planted*
Freida Bee
Bits and Odd Pieces of Mindy's Kingdom
Aunt Dahlia
all the way from oy to vey
My Saturday Evening Post

Vexing Day

I apologize to everyone I have supposed to contact either yesterday or today. I have been busy doing stuff that I should have been doing all weekend. Today, I put on offer on a home, which I can not get my hopes up because so did three of people. The home has been on the market one day. I changed my offer twice just to make mine better than the others.

Also, in possible good news, I am seeing another doctor tomorrow for my wrist/hand. Hopefully, progress will take place.

Pain Without Love

If you are a regular reader you know that I have been in pretty much constant pain for about three months now. Most of my regular readers are also married and/or have kids. I am a single man. No surprises right? I want to have sex (throwing out a number here) four times a day. Luckily for me "rosy" never turns me down. (Alright, where am I going with this?) Well, the variables of me trying to have sex are really against me. The best way to really increase my odds is to go to a non-military town or find an all girl sorority. Here is the catch to my fun, every time I move my left wrist or thumb, pain takes over and whatever I am doing takes second seat. It almost seems like I am in a catch-22.

(I suppose I am not blogger savvy enough because my videos don't seem to want to work for me, that is okay.)