Gunfighter: A Modern Warrior's Life

The Muse Is Back!

I'm writing again, and I'm loving it!

I have been going gangbusters (as my time allows) lately, and it feels good to be in the creative process once again.   I'm not sure where the project (well, two projects, really) will lead, but one thing is certain, it will lead my thoughts to the printed page.

Having said the, if a get brief with my blogging... that will be the reason.

Now... where was I?  Right...  "It was a dark and stormy night..."

GF

Muchas Gracias!

Thanks to all of you who were kind enough to point me towards blog/banner/template designers! Special thanks to the reader who volunteered her services.   

You know... the generosity of fellow bloggers and netizens never ceases to amaze me.   Tu eres personas muy especial!

GF

HELP WANTED

I'm looking for someone to do some banner, button, and template work for my wee blog, here.

I also need to import as much of my content as possible from my blogger site/s.

If you know anyone who has the time to do this, please point him/her in my direction.

I realize that this stuff can be labor intensive, so I'm not asking anyone to do it as a favor.  We can discuss compensation.

Serious inquiries only.

Gunfighter

A Tale of Two Tuesdays

A Tale of Two Tuesdays

It has been suggested by one of my readers that I should make mr regular tuesday night, Brownie-meeting induced, observations from the loacl Border's Bootstore cafe, a regualr feature here... In the spirit of trying just about anything once, I decided to give it a go.

The reason for the title of this particular post is that although I did write a post while I was at Border's last week, I never posted it, so here is the post from last week & last night.

Aren't you glad about the glimpses into my life, and the really odd stuff that rolls through my head?

I'm sure you are.

Ahem.

Well, whatever your interest was/is, here we go!

GF From last week:

Tuesday Night AT Borders - 2-19-08

I'm just a little behind schedule tonight because the Brownie Troop Leader needed me to fill out permission slips and pick a time for SG and I to work the cookie sales booth at the local Wawa station on Saturday, March 1st..

By the time I arrive at Borders, some blockhead was sitting at my preferred table in the corner of the café, so I am sitting at t table in the center of the room. No matter, I can swivel around in my seat and see my co-patrons anyway. Additionally, I can see down the aisles in the newsstand area. There I see bald guy, who I am certain shaves his head… he has that intense look of the martial artist or the street fighter who knows how to handle himself in a fight… he also has the requisite mustache/goatee combination. He reminds me of so many of those guys you see in the newspaper whenever there is as story about Blackwater mercenaries. Is he one? There are no small number of them in the area where I live.

There is a white guy sitting at the table next to mine… he is probably in his early 30's and has that preppy sort of hair parted-on-the-side sort of haircut, and Jake Gyllenhall-like beard…. The major difference is that this guy looks like he probably stands about 5'6" at his full height.

The guy who is in *MY* seat (yes mine, damnit!) is about 10 years older than me, and seems a rather studious chap. He is using a laptop (excuse me for a minute while I rock out)

"*I got Loooove! I got love, love! I got love, love, love!…." *Sing it Lenny!

So… this guy is wearing a light jacket that has a university emblem on that I can't see. He is wearing glasses and has a slender build, and has salt and pepper hair, slightly longer than mine.

To my immediate front are three chaps, one white about 50ish, the other two are black, and in their mid 30's, they are talking about business now, but earlier they were talking about a local politician that recently retired *(who, by the way, gave SG a cute yellow Onesie when she was born)* I can't really hear them now, because I am rocking out with my ipod to Lenny Kravitz.

To my left front, there are two women who look too old to be undergrads who are clearly working on some sort of class project. Ah, adult education… a wonderful thing. I assure you that I am not mocking, because if I wasn't so damned dumb, I'd be in school, too.

To my immediate left, in the easy chair against the wall is a young black soldier bedecked in digital camouflage, reading a 2008 Buyer's guide for watches.

To my right and rear, there appears to be a husband and wife team that are sitting side by side, with matching laptops, chatting away and looking at whatever website the other is pulling up as they surf companionably.

I wish IAG were here, maybe I could see if she was still behaving the same way.

No matter. I think have some fodder to work with here.

The three business men are now poring over spreadsheets and taking copious notes.

I suspect that the young soldier is an officer… I'll try to confirm.

Here comes an old duffer wearing a Georgetown Crew windbreaker. He walks like I did before my knee surgery. I hope that you don't hurt like I did, you poor bastard.

You know what's sad? The kids working in the café look like they are younger than my oldest daughter.

Ha! I was right about Gyllenhaal-dude. He just stood up, and he can't be taller than 5'4"! I'm going to end here, because I am working on a post on an entirely different subjact, and I need to get started. See you next week. __________________ *****LAST NIGHT*****

I'm here at Border's anyway, and as has been the case the past two weeks, I have been thwarted in finding my usual corner table… which irritates me more than it probably should. So many of the seats are full in the café, that I have to sit at one of the outer tables, looking IN toward the rest of the people, with my back to the door of the store, which is something I pretty much never do. It's almost certain that after I write about these people tonight, that I will sit at the other side of the table so that I won't feel quite so paranoid.

There are some regulars here tonight, I see.

A couple of weeks ago I mentioned a family of three that were working on their son's reading skills… well they are back tonight… the kid is reading a book called "*Diary of a Wimpy kid"*. I recognize it since ScoccerGirl has the same book, and loves it… it is part of a series. Did I mention that the parents are interracially married? Well, they are, if that huge, asteroid-sized diamond on her hand is any indicator. Tonight, mom is still doing the homework with Junior, and dad is surfing on his computer. This family is sitting at the table that is against the wall, to my right front.

Also at tables against the wall are the following: directly to my front is a middle-aged couple that seem to be perusing cookbooks…. Dude, you are balding… lose the pony-tail, you look like a long past-it hippie who hasn't gotten the idea that the seventies are long over.

Next to them, at my left front are two young women who appear to be studying. One looks intent on what she is reading, the other looks bored out of her skull. Their books appear to have been carried in a pink, hello Kitty back pack *(addendum… one of them is older than the other, and appears to be the other one's mother)* *No wonder the younger one looks bored!What teeneager wants to hang with mom???*

What? The old dude sitting next to me has decided to start talking to me even though I am rocking out on my ipod! He wants to talk about guns! He is an old Navy vet… I recognized his old fading SEAL team tattoo… he was really appreciative of talking with another (not quite as) old veteran. He was delighted that my service was in the Marines, paritcularly that it was Marine Infantry... *"The tip of the spear".* We shared about 5 minutes of conversation about the Remington 700 rifle and using it in in arctic conditions. I think the poor old guy is lonely.

Look! hippie couple have gone… and I couldn't get that table without being rude and disrespectful to my new pal. Shit. The girl at the table is a young asian woman with a laptop, who looks like she doesn't want to open that calculus text sitting next to her.

There is on older woman sitting in the corner who is reading a roamnce novel… and at that round table at my right there are 5 women in their 40's playing some sort of card game that is making all of them laugh. They seem to be having a good time.

To my right and rear, there is a 30something woman reading bridal magazines. My advice to you, miss is to not waste your time. Go to a shop pick something that you like and can afford withut going into debt and buy it if it fits. No Bridezillas!

There is a student/teacher duo behind me, tutoring time, I suppose. I can't see the text. Wow, the teacher is really stretching her sweater to it's limits.

Hey!, that lady at the coffee counter was staring at me. I caught her and held her gaze. She smiled. I've *still* got IT, by God! *(even old and fat! Take that, brad pitt! Gunfighter rocks, dude.)*

OK, writing that last part made me laugh aloud, and caused romance novel lady to look askance.

Reading family are now talking animatedly. Dad is wearing a Yankees cap… I like that guy already…. (no world series for the BoSox next year!)

I have to stop now, because I have to head back to pick up Soccer Girl.

Asian girl is talking on the phone and smiling.

See you next, Tuesday.

Rules For Gunfighters

1. 1.   Bring a gun. Preferably, bring two.  Bring all of your friends that have guns, too!

    2.   Anyone worth shooting, is worth shooting more than once.  If you survive the fight, you can always buy more ammo.

3. Only hits count.  The only thing worse than a miss is a slow miss.

4. If your shooting stance in a gunfight is correct, you're probably not moving fast enough nor using cover correctly.

5. Move away from your attacker if you can.  Distance is your friend.

6. If you are in a position to make a choice, bring a long gun (a rifle, shotgun, or sub-machinegun, for those of you who don’t habla) to your gunfight.

7. When the dust settles, no one will care about your stance, your weapon’s caliber, or tactics… only about who lived.

8. If you aren't shooting, you should be communicating, moving, or reloading.

9. Use a gun that works… every time. 

10. The only unfair fight is the one you lose.  Think about this now, while you can.

11. Have a plan.

12. Have a back-up plan, because the first one probably won't work.

13. USE COVER!

14. Watch your flanks and your back.  You're opponent may have brought friends with him.

15. Don't drop your guard… ever!

16. Don't forget to scan your threat area… always assume that there is another bad guy out there.

17. Watch their hands.  Hands kill.

18. Decide to be aggressive enough, early enough.  There is no such thing as being “too aggressive” in a gunfight.

19. The faster you shoot (and hit) your opponent, the less he'll shoot you!

20. Be polite, be professional, love your neighbor… and be prepared to kill everyone you meet.

Thoughts

• How cool is it that I can email a post to my blog?  I knew, in theory that it could be done, but I have never tried it, myself.  I think that feature freakin' rocks!

• I watched Guys & Dolls Monday night.  It's one of my favorite musicals.  I Tivo'ed Terminator:  The Sarah Connor Chronicles.... I watched Terminator last night, after the debate.

• I have no idea what I am making for dinner tonight... Soccer Girl has the Wednesday night soccer clinic, and Mrs GF is going to the Wednesday Lenten service... I reckon that the Mrs is on her own for food.

• Things are getting busy at work.  We are ramping up on the overtime of late.  No complaints from me... that is my vacation money.

• Have I mentioned that the Super 14, the best professional rugby tournament in the Southern Hemisphere started two weeks ago?  Well it has, and it's the bomb, I'm telling you!

Test

Test Test Test

The 2008 Oscars

Well, the 2008 Oscars are in the books.

Let's have a look, shall we?

Please note:  My comments were bing typed nearly in real-time, as I started watching the show at about 9:40.

My friends, the 2008 Oscars are about to start, and if you have been reading me for a while, you know that this is my big TV night!. All of the other award shows, The SAG awards, The Emmy’s, The Grammy’s, The NAACP Image Awards, The Golden Globes, the Juno awards (big ups to my Canadian readers, eh?!), and the Brit Awards (I don’t think any Brits read me anymore… Oi!, you Brits, you can come back now… you know that I love you)….. All of these pale in comparison to the Oscars (although I really do like the BAFTA’s. Before you say anything, the reason that you don’t see any mention of the BET awards is because I am participating in the boycott of BET (Black Entertainment Television)

If you have been reading for any length of time, you know that I love award shows, beyond reason. You also probably know that I seldom have seen any of the nominated films before the show… but hey, that’s me… I’m not watching this show because of who wins what… not at all,

I want to see people say and do really dumb things. I want to see how horribly (or whore-ibly) they are dressed. I want to talk about who seems hammered, who behaved poorly, and to see if Joely Fischer’s breasts make an appearance. Yes, I mean that. I’m a man. Sue me.

As usual, I have Tivo’ed the Red Capet activities from E!… not because of the vapid activities of Ryan Seacrest and Giuliana DiPandi, but because it’s fun to see what these people wear (sometimes it’s REALLLLY bad)

As I type this, we are an hour and a half from start-time, and I am getting a head start on this post as Mrs Gunfighter and I enjoy some wine, and listen to the newest CD in my collection: Gregorian Chill Out. Yes, Gregorian as in Latin monastic chanting. Before you laugh too hard, you should give it a listen some time. Really. Anyway, we are at the kitchen table listening to some music, having a glass of wine, Mrs GF is reading, SG is watching something on television upstairs, and eating her dinner, while I type away here, and keep an ear open for the kitchen timer. I am roasting a chicken, tonight, and I think it’ll be a good ‘un

Well, it’s time for the red carpet…. And after some banal chitchat, the first person up is style guru Kimora Lee-Simmons, that irritating pothead stoner.

Heidi Klum & Seal talk to Seacrest, who were wearing Galliano & Dior… and to be honest, while they look great, does anyone really give a damn who the designer is? Heidi informs us that she isn’t wearing a bra, but she IS wearing “tiny panties” (and thanks for sharing that, Heidi, really).  Heidi says that isn’t interested in seeing any of the movie stars tonight... ash she says: “I have my man!” Um… Heidi? I love you, mein schatz, but that bun on the back of your head looks like some sort of alien appendage.

Ryan gets to talk to George Clooney & his girlfriend Sarah something-or-other. Clooney seems like a good guy.

And then talks to Jason Bateman… Zzzzzzzzzzz.

After Anne Hathaway, he talks to Sairose Ronan…. From Atonement. What a cute Irish brogue.

Hey… The Rock is here! I love that guy!  OK, is it just me, or does he sound a wee bit like Barack Obama?

Here comes James McAvoy! I like that guy. He was great in The Last King of Scotland…

Wait!

Wait!

It’s Helen Mirren… purrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. You know that Gunfighter loves some Helen Mirren. Still sexy. Way sexy.

Oh… It’s Tilda Swinton. I think she is quite a handsome woman... in an unusual sort of way.

Cameron “The Frog” Diaz I still don’t think that she is very good looking.

Alright… it’s show time, kids. Tighten your seat belts.

John Stewart is hosting tonight, and although I don't normally find him to be terribly funny... we will see how he does.

Opening sequence… okay, kinda cool.

Here is John. Hey, it’s Nicholson on the audience, wearing his shades, of course.

Diablo Cody, the screenwriter for Juno has a Sailor Moon (or something) tattoo on her shoulder.l.. and where the hell do you get a name like Diablo Cody?

Stewart:  “The Oscar is 80 this year. Which makes him the automatic front-runner for the Republican nomination”

OK, more stupid political jokes follow, most of which tank.

Jennifer Garner presents first… isn’t she purdy?.  The first award is for:

Costume design

Across the Universe

Atonement

Elizabeth: The Golden Age - Winner

La Vie en Rose

Sweeney Todd

Not surprisingly, the winner, whatever her name is, looks like a complete freak!

Next George Clooney comes out to talk about the history of the Oscar. A montage of presentations etc….

Anne Hathaway and Steve Carrel are next… apparently they are going to star in the upcoming “Get Smart” movie.  They present for:

Animated Feature

Perespolis

Ratatouille - Winner

Surf’s Up

Ratatouille wins! Go Disney!

Here is Katherine Heigl, who looks lovely in red, to present the awards for best makeup... as if anyone outside of the industry really cares.

Amy Adams sings “Happy little Working Song” from Enchanted… I guess it is a best song nominee… it's irritating.

The next Presenter is Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson…. Ain’t he cool?  Presenting for best visual effects.

Visual effects

Transformers

Golden Compass - Winner

Pirates of The Caribbean: At World’s End

Take THAT, Catholic League!

Cate Blanchett is next. So hot... even pregnant. Who doesn’t love the Aussie accent? She presents for art direction but I could care less about that, so I am fast forwarding. Why? ‘cuz it’s my Tivo, and my blog, and that what blog owner’s do!  Yeah.

Oooh, it’s Jennifer Hudson… doesn’t she look splendid!? Thank God that not every woman in Hollywood isn’t built like a dinner fork. She is presenting for best supporting actor.

Supporting actor

Casey Affleck

Javier Bardem - Winner

Phillip Seymour Hoffman

Hal Holbrook

Tom Wilkinson

I didn’t see the movie, but the clip looked awesome.

Bardem thanked everyone, and then gave thanks in Spanish for his mother. Very nice

Hey, Dancing With The Stars Starts Monday, The 17^th!

Here is Kerri Russel for another best song nominee A Song called "Raise it up". I like it… it is being sung with a gospel choir.  Apparently the lead female vocal in this song is only 12 years old. Wow.

OK, getting a little tired of Stewart , now.

Owen Wilson presents for live action and animated short film…. I won’t bother with details, because no one cares.

Allen Arkin is next to present for Best Supporting actress.

Supporting Actress

Cate Blanchett

Ruby Dee

Saoirse Ronan

Amy Ryan

Tilda Swinton - Winner

Swinton makes funny remarks... completely deadpan.  I love the British humor delivery.

Jessica Alba presents for The scientific and technical awards that you, again, don’t care about.

OK, some guy who talks about how the Oscar decisions are made…. Fill, fill, fill.

Stewart is back to introduce Miley (overexposed) Cyrus. the presenter for…. Another best song nominee.

You know, I think that Jon Stewart is hosting his last Oscars... I think that he isn't doing very well.

Seth Rogan and some other fat, bespectacled, hairy schlumpfs with horn rimmed glasses and bad haircuts are nominating for sound editing!

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Forest Whitaker is next, Presenting some award, and he starts with quoting Marlon Brando.... OK, Forest, get on with it.

Actress

Cate Blanchett

Julie Christie

Marion Cotillar - Winner

Laura Linney

Ellen Page

How wonderful. Marion Cotillar seems so nice., and genuine.

OK, it's getting a little late now…. Here is Colin Farrell for the 4^th nominated Best Song

Now comes Nicholson, to introduce best picture montage, and then Renee Zellweger for achievement in film editing.  I wonder who Zellweger's voice coach was, to help her get rid of that God-awful Texas twang she used to have.

Nicole Kidman… the reportedly pregnant Nicole Kidman. She is as white as a sheet… and not very good looking when you get right down to it. Production Design? Fast forward!!!!

Next is Penelope Cruz: Best foreign language film

Foreign Language Film

Beaufort (Israel)

The Counterfeiters (Austria) winner

Katyn (Poland)

Mongol (Kazakhstan)

12 (Russia)

John Travolta presents the best song award, but again, we still don’t care…. Moving on

Hey, after the break, Stewart reintroduces the young woman who did the best song. She apparent;y didn’t have enough time to thank people. So here she is. I guess they were running out of time.

Next is Cameron Diaz… a cinematography award.

OK, I have caught up with the broadcast right at eleven o’clock…

Hilary Swank talks about dead people,shows Montage…

Amy Adams does Best Score…

Tom Hanks with American soldiers from Baghdad, via video... who are presenting the Best Documentary - Short Subject…. Now, I have to ask, what the fuck are you doing on TV if you have a war to fight?

I think those soldiers need to come home. Right now.  If they have time for this bullshit, they aren’t needed in Iraq.

Documentary Short

Freeheld - Winner

La Corona (The Crown)

Salim Baba

Sari’s Mother

Then Hanks presents for..

Documentary Feature

No End In Sight

Operation Homecoming: Writing The Wartime Experience

Sicko

Taxi To The Dark Side - Winner

War/Dance

Harrison Ford presents for Best Screenplay, which is won by Diablo Cody for Juno.  I love the fact she was courageous enough to show her ink.    I don't know about the leopard print dress, though.

Helen Mirren presents for Best actor

Actor

George Clooney

Daniel Day-Lewis - Winner

Johnny Depp

Tommy Lee Jones

Viggo Mortenson

Best Picture

Presented by Denzel… Good God, it’s midnight! I have to get up in 4 hours.!!!!!

Juno

Atonement Best Actor

No Country For Old Men - Winner

There Will Be Blood

Michael Clayton

Paul Thomas Anderson - There will be blood

Ethan & Joel Coen - No Country For Old Men - Winner

Tony Gilroy - Michael Clayton

Jason Reitman - Juno

Julian Schnabel - The Living Bell & The Butterfly

Cue the music, big applause.... I gotta go to sleep.

__________________________________________

Wasn't that fun?  I didn't think so.  I think that had to be the dullest Oscar broadcast that I have ever seen!

Jeez!

Sunday Morning

Shhhh!  It's a quiet Sunday morning here at Castle Gunfighter.

We were on the run all day yesterday... I had to go to a League Director's meeting for soccer, then SG had a birthday party to go to , and then we had dinner with a group of people from the church.

After church this morning, we'll go to lunch and come home to chill out, and prepare for the Oscars. 

Awww yeah... so you know what that means on Monday (maybe Tuesday) you'll get Gunfighter's award show recap... and after the crappy award shows like the Grammy's this year, we should be back to some badly dresses, potty mouthed, irritating celebrities, doing things that always gets them big headlines because live TV doesn't have a lot of filtration.

OK... I have to finish my Sunday school lesson

Seeya.

Before Eighteen

Bloggy pal Los Angelista has tagged me for a meme.  This one is called "Before Eighteen"

Here are the rules:

1. Post these rules before presenting your list.
2. List 6 actions or achievements you think every person should accomplish before turning 18.
3. There are no conditions on what can be included on the list.
4. At the end of your blog, choose 6 people to get tagged and list their names.
5. People who are tagged write their own blog entry with their 6 suggestions.
6. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged.

Wow... 6 things that people should do before turning eighteen, eh?  Here goes:

1.  Learn ALL of your options before listening to military recruiters.

I'm not suggesting that my recruiter lied to me at age 17... not at all.  What I am saying is this:  If you are planning to go to college, make sure that you explore all of your options before buying into the whole "well, the insert branch of service here will pay for it, if I enlist"  Here's why:  in most military endeavors, you won't be working nine to five.  You'll be in the field, or at sea or deployed, or on temporary duty away from your classes.  If you have some notion of going to college after high-school, work it out, and be informed.

2.  Read.

Read alot.  Never go ANYwhere without a book.  Literacy means more than being able to write "see spot run"  True literacy Will give you broad horizons and show you the world, even if you live in a tiny place that is light-years from anywhere.

3.  Learn and live your faith. 

Your religious studies (if you have a religious background) are important.  Being firm in your faith will keep you on the straight path, give you discipline and keep you out of trouble.  Learning about your faith more deeply will give you historical insights on today's world that you might not find from other sources.  Living your faith will keep you grounded, and will make you an example for others to emulate.

4.  Install Your Moral Compass.

This goes along with number three, but works even if you don't come from a specific religious or spiritual background.  Learn what is right and what is wrong.  Learn about good, decent, and honorable behavior.  Your parents are usually a good place to start looking for this, but if you can't get the right direction about right and wrong from them, find a mentor... an older person who can be your example of right behavior.  Believe me, you'll need it.  Especially if your family is as dysfunctional as mine was.  Your mentor can even be a character from literature. 

5.  Have a goal.

When I was a teenager, I had a goal... but it wasn't a life-goal.  When I was seventeen, all I wanted out of life was to shake the dust off my feet, and leave Union, New Jersey for good.  Well, when I graduated from high-school, that's what I did... I probably should have planned better, because I was rather aimless for a long time after that.  I am not suggesting that a teenager needs to know the plan for their entire life by age eighteen, but by then you should be adult enough to have some notion of a long-range plan.

6. Become Tough

I have news for you.  The world can be a tough place.  You'd better get tough, too.  I don't mean callous.  I don't mean insensitive.  I mean tough.  You need to have the mental toughness to not fall apart if you fail.  You need to be strong enough to take a few personal blows and stay on your feet.  You need to be strong enough to face the world like an adult.  It wouldn't hurt if you learned how to fight, either.  Today, we live in a violent society... we always have, really, we're Americans.  However, these days, we see more and more kids (especially boys) who reach age eighteen who have never had a fistfight... most of these young men can't be expected to be able to defend themselves.  A man that can't defend himself, can't defend a family.  Figure it out.