When the Smoke Clears

I had already talked briefly about my friend Mary, but she sprang to mind again this afternoon. I went to lunch at the chow hall and had a heaping pile of potatoes.
Germans love potatoes.
When I spent the summer studying in southern Germany, our student housing had a kitchen and dining area on the [...]

To my friends who arranged this blog for me, Thank you so much. I need to get a little something up here today to let you know I am still alive.
I spent Saturday at a little gathering a few hours from The Rest meeting up with bloggers from all over the country at a [...]

Class act, Apple. Truly, a class act.
(I imagine the home page will change in a few days, but the following link will still be active.)
Mrs. Parks is indeed a lady who taught us, even forced us to think differently. I regret never having shaken her hand myself.
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Update: the main web page is back to [...]

I’ve been feeling out of sorts lately. It’s not the typical ennui that comes with the autumn season. In fact, Fall is usually a time of great regeneration for me, a time to burst with energy, but something is not right. I’m drained lately, and not by psychic vampires or worse. I’ve not slept well [...]

The Simpsons are all going Middle Eastern:
Homer=Omar
Bart=Badr
Abdul=Gwynneth
I wonder if Marge has to get that hair under a Burqa.
Even more frightening when you think about it: the number of seasons the Simpsons have been on. I’m sorry, but it’s hard for me to wrap my brain around the fact that most of the [...]

No explanation necessary.

Guest-blogger!!!
This year the United States Army fell short of its recruiting goal by over 7000 soldiers. This number is astounding not only for its implications to the sustainability of our nation’s Army, but the amount of money our government has spent on marketing, advertising, and recruiting bonuses.
The Army currently sponsors a NHRA drag car, [...]

Okay, not SOOO lazy. I did work with a friend to noodle-out a major settlement on a new facility that had people at each others’ throats, and now everyone seems much happier with the design and layout. And I did manage to get to several short meetings and fill out all the required paperwork that [...]

A cold day came for a visit here in the mountains. I’ve already called down to Florida to check on the family there, and I’m about to check on the friends too. We had a parade today as well, and a big ceremony. With the wind whipping across the parade deck, it was easy to [...]

It’s always amazing, sitting on a narrow rock ledge, wind whipping by, a drop of several hundred feet to your right, a solid wall to your left and the phone rings. Maybe that’s why I like my trips to Canada so much, no cell coverage where I go.
It’s surreal how connected we have become [...]

Alright, first off I’m back from the weekend fun. More on that soon. Second, it appears butterbar was too shy to write. I’ll get on his case for that one and offer my apologies, especially to Amelie. He’ll show up soon, I am sure.
As I get ready to clean all my gear and take [...]

Alright, friends, here I am just getting started and already I am slacking off on my duties. FTX. You know. Gotta go.
Anyway, I have asked one of my best buds to step in and take a stab at posting over the next couple of days. No, no one famous in the blogosphere, I’m not [...]

In today’s episode:
Tangy Fruit Mix:
Orange-flavored Dried Cranberries
Dried Apples
Vanilla flavored yoghurt covered raisins
a SMALL handful of M&Ms. A “soupçon,” if you will, just enough to get one or two per handful.
Cheesy-fire
Cheddar flavored Chex Mix
Original Goldfish
Dry-roasted peanuts… and none of that low-salt crap
Cheez-it Twisters, Hot Wings flavor, to taste
Now for prepackaged meal stuff, [...]

Ah the weekend already beckons. Too many things to do this week, too much dumped on me at work and I can tell the stress is rising. When I start having dreams about the office, it means even my rest periods are being infiltrated by my work ethic. No wonder I’m tired.
But now the other [...]

The blogfather is being tortured by a picture of himself when he was a wee tyke. He ruminates over why parents would do such things to their children.
My mother is cooler than that. She keeps the pictures hidden. But displayed prominently (with special lighting, even) in every place she has called home is a [...]