Gunfighter: A Modern Warrior's Life

Happy Thanksgiving!

As a blogger, as a parent, and as a person who has a rather unhealthy need to see his name in print, I thought I had better put my holiday thoughts into some frame for all to read.

I won't bore you with the details of my cooking... at least until tomorrow, neither will I talk about my wife and children, who are all about the house doing all manner of things (mostly reading).  Today, while I saute the shallots for my wild rice and sausage stuffing, and simmer the applesauce, please allow me to share something with you.

Like many of you, I live a fair share of my life online.  Many of my friends, those that I can't wait to share stories of my children with, are people that I know via kind words and pictures that I see on a screen.  Many of you that read this, although we have never met, and may never meet, will certainly understand this.  The funny thing is that even five years ago, this social setting would have come across as strange to so many people, but not anymore.

Times have changed a bit, and so have our social lives.  We interact differently, and as a result, many other things in our lives have changed.  In days gone by, family and dear friends would gather on feast days, like Thanksgiving, eat and celebrate together, enjoy each others company, and after a long day/evening, travel back to wherever they live, looking forward to the next time that they would all be together... which, very often, was the following Thanksgiving.... but things are different now.

Some who may read this, won't live in Prince William County, Virginia.  Most  won't live in Virginia at all.  Some will read this all across America, and beyond, because our world is smaller now.

So, friends... as you sit wherever you are, eating whatever you eat on this day, with people that you love, please know that there is someone in Prince William County, Va. that is thinking of you and yours, and thankful for your acquaintance, and friendship.

Gunfighter

Shout Outs

To the driver of that silver Honda minivan with Georgia tags that crossed two lanes of traffic to get to the off-ramp on I-95 this morning... is making that exit so important that you would endanger not only the lives of your family, but that of all the other motorists within a hundred yards, as well? 

To the lady in the red hat... when I saw you yesterday, you crossed to the other side of the street, rather than pass me on the sidewalk, so why were you all smiles and "Good Morning" when you passed me while I was getting in my patrol car today?  Oh, wait.  I get it.  To you, I stopped being black when you realized that I was "blue".

To the people in my agency that attempt to make political phone calls on my government phone, just to see who is going to violate the Hatch Act... Please stop.  I don't need to be tested.  I don't need any loyalty tests... do you have any idea how fucking glad I will be when this administration is over?  God-damned fascists.

To Stacye... you rock!  This is going to be so much fun... thanks for remembering me.

To the lady with the little dog this morning... what a cute pooch!

To King Isepick... I'll get that thing done today.

To the Maytag people... 14 years is a long time for a washing machine.  I'm not even a little angry about it.  It was a good soldier.