What a day, and what a night! When I was driving home from work yesterday, I was composing a blog post in my mind about the crappy attitude of one of my so-called advanced students during a use of force simulation. That was until there was a car accident a hundred yards in front of me on I-95.
I stopped and assisted at the scene until Virginia State Troopers were on the scene and then got on my way, knowing for certain that I had used up my time to get home and change clothes for the wedding that I was going to be attending that afternoon.
OK, so I drove straight to the church and sat in the parking lot. I thought that it would be bad form for me to show up in my by-now sweaty, grimy uniform. I figured that at least I could be there when the couple came out (and explain to Mrs. Gunfighter what had kept me). Ha. I decided that it might be best if I just went home, showered and changed and waited for the Mrs. and Soccer Girl so that we could go to the reception together.
Well, I turned out of the church parking lot, as distracted as all heck, and was going the wrong way! So, a hundred yards down the road, I made a U-turn… and got stuck in a very deep, very muddy ditch!!! I was assisted by the cops from the county I live in, a wrecker was called, my car was dragged from the ditch, and I was on my way. I got home got cleaned up, and we were off to the reception!
Despite the crappy afternoon, the reception was great! We got to see friends that we hadn't seen in months, but most importantly, we got to celebrate the marriage of two really good young people, whom I know with all of the certainty that I can muster, will have a long, loving and happy life together.
So, on the drive into the office this morning, I realized that this was the first morning in a couple of months that I have driven to work in total darkness.I reckon autumn is on it’s way.
Road lit by tail lights
Commuters, to your labors!
We welcome the dawn
Japanese poetic stylings aside, I thought about a few other things as well.One of those this was the person that I regularly see in the vicinity of the Springfield Interchange, who drives a SmartCar.You know what I mean, right?One of those little cars that looks like nothing so much as it looks like a roller-skate with a steering wheel.Well, I don’t have an ax to grind against little cars, nor am I againstecology-driven mechanical design… it’s just that I really think that the last places anyone should be driving a SmartCar is on the Interstate highways… especially I-95 in the vicinity of Washington, DC. It just doesn’t make good sense.
__________________
Other thoughts had to do with the dream that I had last night/this morning.In my dream, Mrs. Gunfighter and I were trying to bribe our way through an airport, onto a flight from some Soviet-style country to the United States.Apparently, I had the bright idea to give the ticket clerk a really crisp bill (not sure if it was a $20 or something larger) that was stuck inside of a church bulletin.I know, kind of strange, but it gets stranger.Apparently, my ruse didn’t work, and we had to flee the airport… but the place that we fled to was the yard of my childhood home.
We walked into the yard, but is was strange, because when I was a kid, the vacant property next door was sold and a new home was built, but in my dream, that house (which was owned by a local police officer) had been torn down, and that property was just grass-covered.I talked to the people who currently own the old house, and the man said that he wanted to show me something, and that was a small brass plaque.On the plaque was a raised treble clef, and a dedication to Mrs. Bertha Medley.Mrs. Medley was the choir director in my church when I was a little boy.She has been dead for years.The man also asked me why I had used a church bulletin printed in Japanese at the airport.
Strange.
I also spent some time wondering about where I was going to go for lunch… but I got nowhere with that.The simple answer is somewhere that I can have a few minutes of alone-time with my book.That is where I will be at about 11:15 Eastern Time.
___________________
Then I thought about exiting the highway, and trying not to get into a flaming wreck while I did it.I was successful.
___________________
I had a good workout this morning… thirty minutes on the elliptical and then a vigorous round of lifting the kettlebells!
I started writing this little post while I was cooling-down, and finished 5 minutes before post, after showering and changing.
Oh, and I am testing a new holster today.Exciting, no?
Today’s post was brought to you by the number 49, and the letter S
Here in the United States, September 11th is now known as Patriot Day. Patriot Day was instituted by President George W. Bush (and an act of Congress) in 2002 to memorialize the victims of the terrorist attacks that took place on this date the previous year.
Most people in this country refer to this day simply as "nine-eleven" or 9/11, and unfortunately, spend entirely too much time talking about the attacks that occurred on this day, nine years ago. Why do I say too much time?, because compared to the numbers of innocent deaths that were caused by the attacks, the United States has more than amply taken it's pound of flesh in retribution.
The attacks of September 11th, 2001, instigated two wars in which nearly six thousand (and counting) American service men and women have been killed; wars in which hundreds, perhaps thousands of allied service men have been killed, wars in which uncounted thousands… even hundreds of thousands of civilians have been killed, continuing to this day. Well, I don't know about you… but none of this makes me feel particularly patriotic.
I started thinking about how I should mark Patriot Day, because I don't think that there is any really good reason for waving the flag on a day that has no meaning other than a commemoration of the death of thousands of people, so I did what I normally do when I need to work things out… I wrote.
Being patriotic comes naturally to me… Love of country and service to the same run long and deep in my family, but to me, patriotism means more than jingoism, so I decided that not only would I not be doing any flag-waving, I would do what comes naturally when I think about doing what is good for my country. So I spent September eleventh like I spend most of my days: I spent money on things that were made in the United States, because spending our money at home is good for our economy; I spent the day with my family, because family is what we are… or should be what we are all about; I cheered for my daughter's soccer team as they pummeled another team in their season opener, because athleticism and competitiveness are good and healthy things; and I drove my American-made car, because I believe in buying American when I can.
Do you know what I didn't do on Patriot Day? I didn't support the liars, racists, and myth-makers that propagate stupidity by accusing the President of the United States of being a Muslim (or a socialist, or a foreigner). On Patriot Day, I didn't spend one single minute grousing about my taxes (which pay for our wars and for so many of the things that people in this country want and need). I didn't talk about our loss of freedom, because there has been no loss of freedom in this country since this President came to power… the loss of certain freedoms happened on the watch of the previous President (the one that founded Patriot Day. See the Patriot Act). Do you know what else I didn't do on Patriot Day? I didn't try to deny the right of any Americans to build a house of worship. Neither did I ram the cars of some of the other parents at my daughter's soccer game… those foreign-made cars which were sporting those stupid "Don't Tread on Me" stickers so popular with the Glenn Beck crowd. I didn't do any of those things, because I don't believe that those are things that a patriot should do.
The last thing that I did for Patriot Day was to pray. I prayed for my family, my friends and coworkers, and the victims… all of the victims of war, and other senseless violence, and I prayed for peace. I did this not only because prayer is a regular part of my daily life, and not only because praying for peace is a good thing, but because I have the freedom to practice my faith as I see fit, as long as it doesn't impinge on the rights of others to practice their own faith, or to not practice a faith of any sort. That too, is Patriotic.
So let's begin: This afternoon, while Mrs. Gunfighter and SoccerGirl were at the salon, I went to get a few things from the grocery store. When I parked the car, I noticed the bumper sticker of the car next to me… it was this:
Now, don't get me wrong, I am all about free speech… I love it, but, I have to tell you that freedom of speech also means the freedom to be a complete f***ing idiot. Seriously… was this sentiment necessary? You have heard me comment about this more than once, but I am afraid that I have to bring it up again: Supporting the troops has nothing to do with endorsing our current wars in Iraq and Afghanistan… and yes, I know that the war in Iraq is technically "over" (whatever that can possibly mean for 50,000 combat soldiers in a country where people still shoot at you).
In my view, supporting the troops means making sure that they have what they need to fight. Making sure that they have those things, for a civilian, means producing weapons, ammunition, training, equipment, food, uniforms, and transport (among other things). Now most of us can't really do anything about those things on an individual basis, but what we can do is this: We can make sure that those things get paid for and into the hands of the people that need them as fast as possible.
I am on record as being against these wars from the start, but you have never heard me, or most of the people who are against these wars deride the soldiers who are fighting them. You have never heard me or nearly any of the people who are against these wars complain about the cost of said wars, except in terms of the cost in human lives. No, the people who are most in favor of these wars are the cheap, miserly, outright nasty SOBs who spend so much time carping about taxes. Taxes pay for the wars folks. Taxes buy the ammo; feed and clothe the soldiers; buy the gas that fuels the helicopters, drones, bombers, and Striker vehicles.
Once again, it has to be said that it appears to me that the second most patriotic act that you can do when your country is at war is not waving the flag, it is bearing the fiscal cost. Conversely, the most unpatriotic thing that you can do is to claim to "support the troops" while be unwilling to pay for them.
This fine fellow that you see here is Charlie. Of course you already know that. This is a picture of Charlie taken as we drove back from the kennel the day after we came home from vacation. Isn't he a handsome fellow? That is my boy!
Now this… I found this picture online after I read a story printed somewhere several weeks before I went of vacation, but never got around to writing about. I won't take too much time with it today, because we are heading off to church in a little while, and I want to get this posted. What I would like to say, as emphatically as I can, is this: Eww!
Seriously.
I suppose in the fashion industry, this might be the ideal female figure, but not in the world that I inhabit. I am rather sure that it isn't in your world, either. Lord have mercy, people… where was this fashion show held?, Bergen Belsen? There is something very wrong with us, friends, if the standard of feminine beauty looks like a starving 12 year old boy with long hair and high heels.
In this picture, you can see some of the people in the M-4 rifle class that I was teaching just before my vacation. If these chaps look tired and worn out, it is because they are. If you didn't already know, here in northern Virginia it was nearly as hot as the surface of the sun for most of the summer… these guys are seriously feeling it. They were a good class, though, out of 24, all but two were able to qualify with their new rifles.
This speaks for itself... or at least it should!
Lastly, you get a picture of me, taken with my webcam, minutes ago. It wasn't supposed to be thelast picture, but Mrs. GF needs the computer before we go to church.
I haven't looked at my blog in a few days (I have an end-of-summer headcold), but I noticed that one of my vacation guest-blogger's post didn't launch as scheduled... turns out I didn't schedule it properly... well, since my friend was willing to help me out, I am going to post this even though I have been back to work for a few days already.
Please meet, my friend Anali! She writes about food and all sorts of things at her blog. I am pleased to tell you that this lady was one of my first blog-buddies, and I am proud to know her.
Off we go!
Red is bright.
And bold.
It doesn't take "no" for an answer.
Red demands "yes!"
I've been drinking a lot coffee in red mugs lately.
![](http://<img src="https://gunfighter1.typepad.com/th_madskillz.jpg"/>)
