I'm a believer!

1961 to 6119

Thoughts bouncing around my mind: ie, ramblings. Where did the past 50 years go? I felt so smart when in 1961 I saw that when this year was written out and then turned upside down it was still 1961. When is the next date/year this will happen again - 6119??

Twenty years can go by pretty fast; forty years goes by a little slower, but depending on one’s age it’s all relevant; my mom would ask, “How did the past sixty years go by so fast?” We’re all destined to see our own mortality sooner than we plan; it’s inevitable.

Holding one of my grandsons is different than holding one of my own kids when they were the same age. I’d like to hold them again but it would be an awkward moment…why is that? Oddly, I don’t have the same expectations or future plans of my grandsons as I did my four kids. I’ve seen firsthand that my plans and expectations didn’t matter; free agency being the proverbial two-sided sword. We make our own destiny.

My first house costs less than my most recent car did. My first car cost less than my current lap top computer. I delete all e-mails telling me someone from high-school is trying to “re-connect.” I can second-guess how I spent money over the years but none of it will reappear.

Grey hair is caused by children. I can’t imagine life without a microwave or my cell phone. I have no idea what technology will be in "everyday use" when my grandsons are my age; I went from turning a knob to manually change one of only three channels on a small black and white TV to watching videos on my cell phone. I look in the mirror and know I’ll never again see that once familiar young man without grey hair and wrinkles. I know what causes body aches – but I resist slowing down. I should have invested in real estate instead of the stock market but I’m glad I invested what little I was able to. (Hint to those under 30 reading this…don’t waste your money on any “CD” that won’t return $ in the future)

Life seemed better when we sat in our front yard in the evening talking and waving to neighbors. Sizzler isn’t nearly as good as it once was! Politicians are politicians; they’re in it for personal gain/status/egos. Pigs will never fly. Graffiti is not art. Family is more important than anything.

The good, the bad, the ego & satisfaction

Okay, so I don't do this anymore (referring to the picture above) also, I was never bald, heavy or wore a blue uniform, but I did put handcuffs on literally thousands of immoral folk over the years. There was a certain amount of satisfaction, sometimes more than others, when I'd actually put handcuffs on the bad guy, say "you're under arrest" and haul his/her sorry butt to jail. Truth is, some times I miss this. I wish I still had the ability of custodial arrest, but, since I don't, I've learned to be resourceful.
As you may or may not know, part of my job is to locate, identify and present cases to prosecute unlicensed "contractors". There's a fine line when I see a good person trying to make an honest living (I show leniency quite often.) as opposed to low-life, dishonest, fraudulent cheats, 'repeat offenders' or those who blatantly tout themselves a licensed contractor, knowing full well they should be licensed for a trade they advertise they can do. I play on the ego of these latter types. Such was the guy I filed case(s) on today. Last month while in a small town about an hour's drive north of Vegas, I found two business cards boldly pinned to a 'contractor' bulletin board in the local hardware store. I immediately recognized the business names as well as the 'construction superintendent' as who I'd dealt with before. His lack of respect of the laws kind of got my ire up. Both licenses have been revoked. The person named on the cards has never been a manager or qualified employee on either license.

*Long story short: I called him posing as homeowner interested in new pool installation. He had ample opportunity to tell me he can't do this anymore. He didn't. I made copious notes during our conversation, obtained his email address and verified who I was talking to. "Yep, them's my business cards." I gained his trust and through only two email conversations he acknowledged he can design and construct my pool and provided price quotes. *Oddly enough, a week long gap of no correspondence occurred, because he was "out of the country on a church mission assignment." (I didn't ask what church.) Today when I called him and let him in on my investigation he cried foul, using profanity not new to my ears, saying I'd used fraud to catch him. "Who's the fraud?" I asked him and told him the Supreme Court approves my methodology, the courts won't approve of his. He has three prior cases with plea bargained adjudications, one awaiting trial. I strongly recommended to the D/A no negotiations this time. . . (Note; the one outstanding case involves a homeowner who's out a lot of money, as this guy abandoned the job near the end when he had been paid in full. He's not very Christian.)

Pictures from places far. . .

far away. Here I am in the barracks at Ft Lewis, Washington, Army basic training. I was 18 yrs old. We were "buds for life." I can't remember their names & I don't know what happened to them. We all went different ways after basic training. Without hesitation, we relied on each other for everything.
This one below is Plieku Vietnam. All dressed up for guard duty that I pulled every third night. (Here I am standing in front of a bunker built between our hooches to run for cover during mortar/rocket attacks. The perimeter bunkers were just sandbag covered holes in the ground, and on the edge of our camp and jungle.) We sat on/in bunkers surrounding Camp Holloway. Each had the old, hand crank field phones. One hour watch, and sleep three, as there were four men to a bunker. A few scary nights and never enough sleep...

After I made Flight Engineer, (as below), I didn't pull guard duty anymore. It was "my helicopter" and had to ensure the periodic maintenance was always done and it was always ready to go. Had some 24 hour work days. I missed several meals coming in late and the shower water was turned off. I'm with one of my crew chiefs' waiting for pilots to fly out on some mission of resupply, pickup troops, etc. I can't remember his name either. I was 19. (it's a can of Pepsi in my hand) Notice the oil/grease stains... in retrospect, I was nuts.

I am a lucky man; husband, dad, grandpa and son!!

The Chinese Fire drill

Ever wonder when this originated? In the little research I did, it's claim is the 1970's however it may have been here as early as the 1940's with the return of our soldiers from WWII. They had contact with the British, who during WWI had nick-named a clumsy or bad aircraft landing as a "Chinese landing." Eventually this spread to other phrases for anything done inept or clumsily. I remember it being a new thing to do in the 1970's. That's me in the picture above right near the driver's door as we rushed around my buddy's 69 Mustang when I was in Alabama, on a cold winter day, we had no extra money and needed some excitement . . . . :-) Believe it or not. (at least I blogged)

What I found out today

Today I found out why flavored carbonated beverages are called "soft drinks". It's because soft drink refers to nearly all beverages that do not contain a significant amount of alcohol (hard drinks). I grew up calling all soft drinks, coke; but later heard the terms"pop" or "soda." Strange how that is. Interestingly, a study in 2006 found most carbonated drinks actually do contain a little alcohol. . . hic . . . Didn't know that, did you? We can thank the CO2, which when added, results in a natural fermentation of the sugars and the flavor extracts used in these "soft drinks". Wait!! It should be noted that a typical container of yogurt of similar size contains about two times the amount of alcohol.
Now, you guys know too. Enjoy your yogurt....... :-)

a few thoughts on golf

There's several reasons why I like golf, none probably more obvious than the wild life on the course. . .
or, the wild life I might see on the way to the first tee. . .

or, the greenery & scenery hidden from view to the "non-players". . . (what can't be seen, is the slow-but-sure, developing confidence & improvement)but most of all, there's nothing like the sound of the ball falling into the cup after successfully reaching the green.