Now That I've Calmed Somewhat.....

I have several friends I know that voted third party, & after thinking about my last post, I owe them an apology.

I know why you voted the way you did & I actually understand the reasoning behind it. McCain wasn't anywhere near the Conservative we needed, but he wasn't a communist, just the lesser "bad". I actually HOPE you're message to the Republican party came through loud and clear: "STOP GIVING US MILKSOPS, CHOSEN LARGELY BY DEMOCRATS FOR US TO VOTE FOR!" "WE WANT AND NEED A TRUE CONSERVATIVE TO LEAD OUR COUNTRY, NOT SOMEONE OBSESSED WITH 'CROSSING THE AISLE' IN ORDER TO WORK WITH SOCIALISTS WHO'LL STAB YOU IN THE BACK AT THEIR FIRST OPPORTUNITY!"

Was it something like that? I know I'd been screaming those messages for the last 2 years....

I guess what I'm REALLY pissed about is this: How many selfish, lazy, non-thinking brain donors there are in this country who continually vote for liberals, after all the damage liberals have done to our nation. The same people who continually fuck up are the same ones who say that they're the only ones who can fix what's wrong. How does that make any sense whatsoever??

It's so easy to be a liberal Democrat; there's no thinking involved. Everything they do is based on how they FEEL.

So, my fellow Conservatives, let's do what we can to get the Congress back in 2010.

Again, I apologize to my third party friends for my earlier outburst.

UP THE REPUBLIC!

Congratulations America!

You've just elected our FIRST MARXIST PRESIDENT of the U.S.S.A!!!

Feel good?

Feel proud?

Well that's funny.....

Considering you've fucked us all.

You third party voters...

You wanted to make your "statement" & you did:

You were willing to accept an anti-American Socialist over a man who, despite his many, MANY faults, truly does love his country, who sacrificed more than the vast majority of us ever will for his country, for your "statement".

Was it worth it?

I wasn't a big fan of McCain, God knows! But 1 of 2 people were gonna win this election, one of whom is a man who's stated that his country sucks

(in different, no doubt more nuanced words),

wants to "redistribute"

(read: "confiscate")

the money of folks who work hard and give to other folks who don't, thinks it's just fine to let babies who survive their abortions die anyway since "that was the mother's intent in the first place", thinks his Black Liberation theology is a wonderful religion & his hate mongering "Reverend" Wright is a good man.....

I don't need to go on.

What else can I say but...

Welcome to the White House, mulatto messiah.

I hope our nation survives you.

UP THE REPUBLIC!

Now With 100% More Shirt!

So, Saturday I loaded up with Contagion, his boy Boopie, & Shadoglare, and went down to Ottawa, IL. for some shootin' fun. I'd never been to the Buffalo Range before and I'm glad I went. The Plinkin' Pit rocks! Folks bring whatever they want - except metal, glass or toxic items - to place in the pit, & then shoot it.

Target of choice on this occasion.... Somebody's old printer. Watching chunks fly off that printer while hitting it with 7.62 x 54 rounds fired from Contagion's Mosin Nagant made me giggle like a little girl! I learned a couple valuable lessons also:

1. The mosin kicks like a fucking mule, as the bruises on my shoulders will attest, &

2. When firing the mosin, or any bolt action rifle, left handed, make sure your left thumb is well out of the way when working the bolt with your right hand. That mother'll slice it quite nicely.

As fun as it is to shot, I think I only put 30 rounds through that Mosin, mostly for reason #1.

The AK-47 now..... I wish I'd had at least another 300 rounds for that. Gawd, is it nice to shoot! I can see why a lot of AK shooters wear gloves though... That fore grip gets fucking hot!

The Walther PPK now, I think I was the only one who enjoyed firing that little gun. I didn't have the problem of "slide bite" that some complain about, & I wasn't overly concerned about hitting targets with it (most targets were at least 100 feet away, & it's only good for the first 50 or so), but for close up, it's not a bad little pistol.

The .357 was fun as well, but the newest love of my life?

The Colt .45 model 1991. That's about the most accurate I've ever shot with a pistol. There is nothing I don't like about that gun; the way it sits in the had, the ease of operation, everything.

I've got to get me one o' those!

We left the range around 2 I think, & headed back to Contagion's to find his lovely wife Ktreva, along with lovely Wil, Red, & Petey in the backyard, partaking of adult beverages.

Stuff gets fuzzy from there.... Graumagus showed up, as did Bruce & I think at least another 30 people....

Hell, I don't know....

I know that I'd brought the bodhran down & Petey & I sang some songs. I think I got ass-punched a couple times.

And yes, at one point I removed my shirt. Wouldn't you if it was covered in various and sundry stomach fluids & snot?

Not my most dignified moment.... Oh no....

Bottom line, we all had a good time & though I didn't feel up to blogging much (read: "I didn't want to yack on someone's laptop) I'm looking forward to Blogcrawl '09.....

Probably as a Designated Driver....

Blogcrawl 2008

Yeah. It's happenin'.

I should probably wait till I'm sober......

I'm shirtless , I'm drunk.... that's all I should say right now.

Change Is Hard.

Which is why I prefer bills.

*rim shot*

Yeah, I know....

Really though, for me change has always been difficult.

I'm not talking about the empty "promise" of change proclaimed by the liberal's mulatto messiah currently running for president, but actual life altering change.

Tomorrow I go to a local college to speak with an adviser about returning to school for my teaching degree.

I'm looking forward to it, don't get me wrong. This is a good thing; an end to my loooong series of dead end jobs; the first step to an actual career.

I just know it won't be easy. I just turned 38, I have a wife and 4 kids & I have to get a job to work around whatever hellish schedule I'm about to subject myself to......

But I can't let those things stop me. I'm done with excuses & I'm finally going to go through with it.

It's just scary for me, ya know?

I'd appreciate prayers, good thoughts, whatever sort of karmic support I can get.

Thanks in advance. :)

9/11 + 7

Remember this?

And this?



Remember them, the heroes who ran in, many to their deaths, while everyone else ran out, .....





and the prayers the survivors offered up to their Lord on that day & after?






Remember the barbarians who did it.....



and the barbarians who celebrated their "triumph"?



Remember the victims....


and the families they left behind?




Remember those who fight so that this never happens again?


Remember.

I Know I Was Gonna....

But I didn't.

Sorry.

I was gonna critique the Galesburg Heritage Days event, but well..... you know.

I just can't get excited about posting anymore. There's no inspiration, the words just don't come to me anymore. I have a head full of ideas but when it comes time to write them down.....

The only reason I'm posting now is that I took the day off originally because the sitter was going to be closed. Her husband kept it open, but I took the day anyway. Just to get some shit done around the house & yard without arguing kids.

What the hell, right? The bullshit I have to put up with from my incompetent boss, retarded co-workers, piss poor drivers, & customers who get upset that I'm not a fucking psychic, I deserve a "me" day.

Let me explain that last part. I go to a place of business to pick up freight. All I know when I walk in their door is: 1. How many pieces of freight I'm to pick up, & 2. What the approximate weight is.

That's all!

I don't know where their shit's going! They, the shipper, need to tell me that!
I don't know what exactly it is that they're shipping! They, the shipper, need to tell me that!
I don't know what service they want to use (Next, 2nd, or 3rd Day, guaranteed or not guaranteed). That's all information that I get from THE SHIPPER! I DON'T KNOW ANY OF THAT GARBAGE UNTIL. THEY. TELL. ME!!!

Many, many times I've had to listen to some fucking brain stem talking on the phone saying, "This guy [me] doesn't know anything!"

To which I've said, "How can I know if you don't TELL me? This is all information that I need FROM YOU if you want me to move your freight!"

Work's been bumming me out. I'm just not going anywhere, you know? My hours are still cut from 10 to 11 hours a day to 7-1/2 to 8. I need to get out. Every time I walk in that shop door, I die a little.

I need to go back to school. I've been thinking about it for awhile & by next spring, I'll be enrolled in school again.

What field? Teaching. History (or "Social Studies", if you prefer). To 6th - 12th graders.

The Wife thinks I'm coo-coo for Crazy Puffs. Not because I want to be a teacher, but because I want to teach history to packs of walking hormones! Truth is, I feel I can deal better with older kids than with younger ones.

It's something I have a passion for, history, ever since I was a kid. History never bored me & it always confused me why most people seemed to be so..... blah!.... about it.

My only problem is before I can start school, I have to get a different job.

A job that pays at least what I make now, because to tell the truth, I can't honestly say we're making it right now, & with a drastic pay cut, we'd be back in the crapper once more.

The Wife's been saying that if I need to take a job that makes less in the short run, to do it because in the long run, I'll have a degree & the certification to teach anywhere.

Heh. That sounds good..... Until the bills start piling up...... again...... and the fireworks start..... again.

Yep, we've been there before...

If there's anyone out there who's been in this situation, how did you handle it? How did you go back to school as an adult with kids and bills and such?

I really want to know.

No, I Don't Need a Drug Test, Thank You!

Now that I've got a bit of time, I can fill ya in on the truck driving nun story.

Well, it's not so much a story as an observation, but here's what happened:

'Twas the middle of last week & I was pulling my truck into a TA truckstop, where I would wait for a call from my dispatcher telling me to go somewhere and fetch something.

I sit a LOT in my current job, waiting for such calls.....

Anyway, I'm going into the TA for a (diet) coke & as I open the door, there's an honest-to-God nun coming out. I hold the door for her, she smiles, nods & passes by.

Now I thought it odd that a nun was coming out of the commercial drivers door but I wasn't going to chastise the sister. I just assumed her station wagon was nearby.

I go in, pay for my diet coke, & walk out. As I do, the Penski rental tractor-trailer nearest the door fires up & when I look up at the driver, there she is: the little nun.... in full habit.... sitting behind the wheel of an 18 wheeler flatbed hauling a fork truck.

I was.... well.... speechless!

I walk back to my truck, I know, with my jaw hanging down, staring at this improbable sight as Our Lady of the Interstate pulled out of the lot & right on down the highway.

Friends, I can honestly say "I have seen about all there is to see, truckdriving." I've seen Africans right off the boat (one of which wore a dashiki!), Sikhs wearing turbans, newly arrived Asians, Eastern Europeans, & even a few Canadians, but if you'd told me, "Wes, today you'll see a Roman Catholic NUN driving a rig", I'd've told you to go take your meds.

Of course, when I told folks back at the shop what I'd seen, my DP wanted to send me to the clinic for a drug test.....

Maybe I shoulda went....

Ah well, that's what happened. Tomorrow I'll tell about Heritage Days, but right now I need to say my novena to Our Lady of the Open Road. +

Three Years Later....

And I still don't post for shit!

It's been three years & two days since I started this blog.

I'm still wondering, "Why?"

I'll update soon. I have to tell somebody about the truck driving nun, but as I've gotta go to bed, it'll have to wait.

Yeah, I suck!

You Think You Know Somebody.....

I don't know what to say about this.

This man is (was?) my friend. We had a lot of fun in "The Miserable Few" & later in "Twice Daily", the Irish bands that we played in together. He amazed me with his talent on guitar, bazooki, mandolin, banjo & anything else he played.

And then I hear a news story on the radio & later, in order to prove that this isn't the guy I know, that it's somebody else, I went to the original newspaper article & read this:

A Lindenhurst man has been charged with possession of child pornography found on his computer by a Kansas technology firm.

Peter Macdonald, 57, was arrested Monday by Lake County sheriff's police.

Lou Archbold, an investigator for the Lake County state's attorney's office, said Macdonald sent his laptop computer to Resq System in Olathe, Kan., to have a new hard drive installed March 16.

Technicians at the firm could not start the computer, Archbold said, so they called Macdonald for his user name and password.

Macdonald supplied the company with the information, Archbold said, and technicians found a pornographic picture of a young boy as the desktop background of the device.

Technicians also located several files they suspected contained child pornography, Archbold said, so they contacted local police.

Kansas police sent the computer to the FBI for analysis, Archbold said, and the FBI alerted Lake County authorities.

Macdonald was taken into custody at his home at 839 Colony Court. He was released after posting $10,000 cash for bond.

He faces up to seven years in prison if convicted and is scheduled to appear July 7 in court.

When I saw the photo at the top of the page, it was like getting hit in the gut. Denial kinda stops at that point.

I want to give my friend the benefit of the doubt, you know?

But as a father, I don't want to hear excuses, I don't want to hear lies, I don't want to hear rationalizations. Pedophiles make me puke. There's not a pit in Hell hot enough for those who get off on the victimization of children.

Even if one of them was my friend.

I still pray that this is some mistake. We all know people who've taken pictures of their little kids in the tub, running around nekked and what not, without one iota of a sexual thought - the kid's cute, & that's it.

Of course, nowadays that could be seen as kiddie pr0n even when it's plainly not....

I just don't want to believe that my friend is a pervert is all.

Their Intent

I was happy to see that the Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the 2nd Amendment.

That's partly sarcastic: imagine the Supreme Court having to "uphold" an actual amendment -- not a court ruling, BUT AN ACTUAL, ALREADY EXISTING AMENDMENT to our Constitution!

It disturbs me greatly that 4 judges voted to just toss out one of our most important freedoms, that of being able to defend ourselves from harm, with firearms, & that this already clearly defined Constitutional right wasn't held up BY ALL NINE JUDGES!

Those four liberal hacks claimed that they "didn't know the intent" of what our Founding Fathers meant when they wrote the 2nd Amendment...... Fuck, they didn't look too goddamned hard, did they, because my incompetent ass found various comments from several of the Founders on just exactly what they meant when they wrote:

"A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."

• To preserve liberty it is essential that the whole body of the people always posses arms... -Richard Henry Lee, Additional Letters From The Federal Farmer, 1788

• The Constitution [shall] be never construed to ... prevent the people of the United States, who are peaceable citizens from keeping their own arms. - Samuel Adams, Massachusetts' U.S. Constitution ratification convention, 1788

• Let us remember that if we suffer tamely a lawless attack upon our liberty, we encourage it. - Samuel Adams

• The supreme power in America cannot enforce unjust laws by the sword, because the whole body of the people are armed, and constitute a force far superior to any band of regular troops... - Noah Webster, An Examination of The Leading Principles of the Federal Constitution, Philadelphia, 1787

• No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms. -Thomas Jefferson, Proposed Virginia Constitution, 1776

• Arms in the hands of individual citizens [may] be used at individual discretion ... in private self-defense... - John Adams, A Defense of the Constitution of Government of the United States of America, 1788

• ...[A]rms discourage and keep the invader and plunderer in awe, and preserve order in the world as property... Horrid mischief would ensue were the law-abiding deprived of the use of them. -Thomas Paine, Thoughts On Defensive War, 1775

• Guard with jealous attention the public liberty. Suspect everyone who approaches that jewel. Unfortunately, nothing will preserve it but downright force. When you give up that force you are ruined. - Patrick Henry, Virginia's U.S. Constitution ratification convention

• If I were an American, as I am an Englishman, while a foreign troop was landed in my country, I would never lay down my arms - never - never - never! You cannot conquer America. - William Pitt, Speech, November 18, 1777

• Necessity is the plea for infringement of human freedom. It is the argument of tyrants; it is the creed of slaves. -William Pitt

• (The Constitution preserves) the advantage of being armed which Americans posses over the people of almost every other nation ... (where) the governments are afraid to trust the people with arms. - James Madison, The Federalist, No.46

• A strong body makes the mind strong. As to the species of exercise I advise the gun. While this gives a moderate exercise to the body, it gives boldness, enterprise, and independence to the mind. Games played with the ball, and others of that nature, are too violent for the body and stamp no character on the mind. Let your gun therefore be your constant companion on your walks. -Thomas Jefferson, August 19, 1785

"...on your walks." Unless you're just walking around your house, I'm pretty sure he meant when you're not home!!!

• "The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government." - Thomas Jefferson

• "Government is not reason, it is not eloquence, it is force; like fire, a troublesome servant and a fearful master. Never for a moment should it be left to irresponsible action." - George Washington

(The above quotations were found here.)

That's just a few, but you get my point. THEIR INTENT & MEANING WAS CLEAR & JUST AS RELEVANT NOW AS THEN.

And if you still can't understand it, then piss off, 'cause I have no time for someone who can't read what's in front of them.

With Love (I'm sure) From Petey

That sonofa..... I mean, my good friend Petey smacked me with this meme, & nice guy that I am...... aww Hell, here it is:

The rules:

1. Post the rules of the game at the beginning.
2. Each player answers the questions about themselves.
3. At the end of the post, the player then tags five people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know they’ve been tagged and asking them to read the player’s blog.
4. Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve posted your answer.

====================================================================

What were you doing five years ago?

I was working as a temp making rotary brakes. Exciting, eh?

What are five things on your to-do list for today?

1) Go to work
2) Come home to work (dishes, laundry, kids' baths, etc...)
3) Go down to Contagion's to fill out the online registration for Theatiki (seeing as how my 'puter's a piece of shit & barely able to handle this blog). I should probably ask him first, of course.....
4) Fill out this freakin' thing
5) Go to bed, so I can repeat steps 1 & 2.... into perpetuity.....

What are five snacks you enjoy?

1) Those Reese's Granola bars with the peanut butter on 'em
2) The Wife's cookies. Doesn't matter which ones; peanut butter, chocolate chip, peanut butter- chocolate chip, etc...
3) Peanut butter & honey sandwiches (are you seeing a pattern)
4) Cheese, the stinkier the better!
5) corn chips with salsa

What are five things you would do if you were a billionaire?

1) Get one or two off-shore accounts
2) Pay off my & my family's debts
3) Donate a goodly portion to Catholic Charities, the Boy Scouts, the Red Cross & whatever other worthy charities I can think of, all anonymously. I have ALWAYS wanted to do that -- drop a couple thou in a small church's collection plate, & walk away.... That'd be the BEST!
4) Get the fuck out of Rockford!!!
5) Take The Wife & kids to Scotland, Ireland, & England for a year... maybe longer

What are five of your bad habits?

1) Smoking cigarettes... a pack & a half a day now...
2) I drink a lot -- A LOT -- of Coke. I'm working on sticking to Diet Coke as of today
3) I get pissed easily, especially at fucking morons who don't know how to fucking drive!
4) I have a slight tendency to curse.... &
5) Sometimes I understate facts

What are five places where you have lived?

1) Roodhouse, IL. Born there, left there at the soonest opportunity
2) Ft. Benning, GA. All too briefly.. Long story & I'll not repeat it
3) Jacksonville, IL. For the one year I went to MacMurray College & thereby met The Wife
4) Champaign-Urbana, IL. Where The Wife & I lived after we married
5) Rockford, IL. God help me...

What are five jobs you’ve had? (a short list)

1) Security guard (briefly)
2) Fork truck driver in a warehouse
3) Machine set-up/operator in a paint/colorant factory
4) Machine operator for a brake manufacturer (very briefly)
5) Truck driver

Now I know I'm supposed to pass this on to five other people, but I know from experience that by the time I get these meme things, all my close friends have already gotten 'em, so what'd be the point?

This one was one the better ones: nothing nasty &/or nothing that was nobody's goddamned business....

There's that cursing problem....

Memorial Day

I've always had trouble wishing anyone a "Happy" Memorial Day. It's a day of contemplation, a day for showing our pride in our service men & women, & a day for giving thanks to those who've sacrificed their all for their - our - country.

My dad, a veteran himself of the 1st Infantry Division - The Big Red One - sent this to me & I thought this would be best time to share it. Thanks dad, for this article and for serving your - our - country in the jungles of Viet Nam.

Hopefully, someday, I'll learn more from Dad about his experiences & with his permission, share them. I'm extremely proud of him.

"This picture was taken in 1918. It is 18,000 soldiers preparing for war in a training camp at Camp Dodge in Iowa. A gift from our grandfathers. ..




















As the web site of the Iowa National Guard explains, the above-displayed photograph of a "human Statue of Liberty," formed by 18,000 posed soldiers, was taken in July 1918 at Camp Dodge, Iowa, as part of a planned promotional campaign to sell war bonds during World War I:

On a stifling July day in 1918, 18,000 officers and soldiers posed as Lady Liberty on the parade drill grounds at Camp Dodge. According to a July 3, 1986, story in the Fort Dodge Messenger, many men fainted; they were dressed in woolen uniforms as the temperature neared 105 degrees F. The photo, taken from the top of a specially constructed tower by a Chicago photography studio, Mole & Thomas, was intended to help promote the sale of war bonds but was never used.

A reader whose great-grandfather appeared in this picture passed along to us some contemporaneous information about the photograph prepared by the Committee on Public Information.

The design for the living picture was laid out at the drill ground at Camp Dodge, situated in the beautiful valley of the Des Moines River. Thousands of yards of white tape were fastened to the ground and formed the outlines on which 18,000 officers and men marched to their respective positions. In this body of soldiers are any hundreds of men of foreign birth, born of parents whose first impression of the Land of Freedom and Promise was of the world's greatest colossus standing with beacon light at the portal of a nation of free people, holding aloft a torch symbolic of the light of liberty which the statue represents. Side by side with native sons these men, with unstinted patriotism, now offer to sacrifice not only their liberty, but even life itself for our beloved country.

The day on which the photograph was taken was extremely hot and the heat was intensified by the mass formation of men. The dimensions of the plotting for the picture seem astonishing. The camera was placed on a high tower. From the position nearest the camera occupied by Colonel Newman and his staff, to the last man at the top of the torch as plotted on the ground was 1,235 feet, or approximately a quarter of a mile. The appended figures will give an adequate idea of the distorted proportions of the actual ground measurements for this photograph:

Base to shoulder: 150 feet.

Right arm: 340 feet.

Widest part of arm holding torch: 12-1/2 feet.

Right thumb: 35 feet.

Thickest part of body: 29 feet.

Left hand (length): 30 feet.

Tablet in left hand: 27 feet.

Face: 60 feet.

Nose: 21 feet.

Longest spike of head piece: 70 feet.

Flame on torch.: 600 feet.

Torch and flame combined: 980 feet.

Number of men in flame of torch: 12,000

Number of men in torch: 2,800

Number of men in right arm: 1,200

Number of men in body, head and balance of figure only: 2,000

Total: 18,000

Incredible as it may seem there are twice the number of men in the flame of the torch as in the whole remaining design, while there are eight times as many men in the arm, torch and flame as in all the rest of the figure. It will be noted that the right thumb is five feet longer than the left hand, while the right arm, torch and flame is eight times the length of the body.

Arthur S. Mole was a British-born commercial photographer who worked in Zion, Illinois. During and shortly after World War I, Mole traveled with his partner John D. Thomas from one military camp to another, posing thousands of soldiers to form gigantic patriotic symbols that they photographed from above. The formations depicted such images as the Liberty Bell, the Statue of Liberty, the Marine Corps emblem and a portrait of President Woodrow Wilson. The Wilson portrait, for example, was formed using 21,000 officers and men at Camp Sherman in Ohio and stretched over 700 feet. H is "Human Liberty Bell " was composed from over 25,000 soldiers, arranged with Mole's characteristic attention to detail to even depict the crack in the bell. Mole and Thomas spent a week or more preparing for these immense works, which were taken from a 70 or 80 foot tower with an 11 by 14 inch view camera. When the demand for these photographs dropped in the 1920s, Mole returned to his photography business in Zion .

This picture, as well as additional photographs produced in the same style by Mole & Thomas and other photographers (and featuring the patriotic themes mentioned in the preceding paragraph), can be viewed at the web site of Chicago's Carl Hammer Gallery."

(all emphasis is mine.)

To all vets out there, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you.

Where Was I....

Over the last little while

(since St. Pat's Day),

I flat haven't had the energy or the time to post anything. Politically, things are in the shitter

(I don't need to tell you that!),

Personally, not much has been going on to write about. I think part of my problem is that I have never, ever liked repeating myself & that's what a lot of blogging is about. You all know what I think politically, religiously, and personally

(Unless I really need to rehash something)

and I've always thought that if I have to say the same things over and over, then either (or both) of two things is true:

1. The intelligence of the reader/listener is sorely lacking
(not true in the case of those I call friends)

or

2. I S.U.C.K. as a communicator.
(the most likely of the two).

Well either way. let me try to catch up in what's been going on in the Bodhran Clan.

Firstly, Squeaks has been rechristened. Since he breaks wind with the resounding thunder of his old man, he is henceforth called Boomer. He's almost 3 months old now. I'll have some new photos soon.

Secondly, I was informed last week that my work day has been shortened from 9 am - 7(ish) pm, to 11:30 am - 7(ish) pm. The volume of freight over the last few months just hasn't been there.

For example, if I had more than two deliveries & more than 2 pick-ups, (granted I cover a large area), I was a busy man. Lately, I leave the dock with one delivery, drop it off around 10 am or so, and find a place to park until 4:15 when I go to my first of two daily pickups, unless I'm lucky enough to get called for an unscheduled pickup.

If it wasn't for the fact that I'm a voracious reader (and sometimes napper) I'd be bored off my ass! Hell, face it, I'm both of those things and I'm still bored off my ass with my job. I became a truck driver to see a whole helluva lot more of the country than the northeastern part of The Sheoples Republic of Illinois!

Damned familial responsibilities....

Anywhoo...

Thirdly, living history. Now, I know the history and origins of the bodhran, & to be honest although it is an ancient instrument it just plain wasn't in this part of the country during the time I reenact -- early French & Indian War.

It. Wasn't. Here!

Usually, I don't care (I seriously couldn't care less) of what most people think of me. However, I do have friends who are living historians (Seamus, Petey, Wil & others) & I'm not ashamed to say that I DO care what these fella's think in the context of historical accuracy.

While discussing the issue of the bodhran in the Northwest Territories in the middle part of the18th century, I challenged my very good friend and confidant Seamus to find information on the subject, knowing all the while what he'd find but hoping he'd find something I'd missed.

He searched, he cursed, he searched some more, he drank, he searched some more, drank more, tried to deny the evidence before him.... and finally came to terms with the fact:

There is no documentation that we could find of there ever having been bodhrans in this part of the country before the early 20th century!

Needless to say this sucks for me! It's what I do, I play the bodhran and sing Jacobite songs! What the hell do I do now?!

I strive for historical accuracy. For fooksake, I shaved off my facial hair after a discussion with Seamus and Wil about how improper beards were considered for "civilized" men in polite company.

How can one put a limit on historical accuracy? If I continue playing my bodhran at events, would I be perpetuating a lie upon those who come to reenactments to be educated in the life-ways of our ancestors?

I don't think I could LIE to people like that!

Oh, CRAP!

This past Saturday a very good friend of mine got married.

I wasn't there.

I overslept.

Sorry Virtue.

*hanging head in shame*

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Yeah, it's early but it's on a freakin' Monday this year.....

The first Monday of Holy Week?! The last week of Lent, when we're not supposed to have any fun at all?!

Sorry, but that's just wrong.

Here's my obligatory Irish Music contribution: The Chieftains & The Corrs; great music and hot Irish chicks!




And if you like that..... or not ;-)

Planxty, in 1979, singing one of my all-time favorite songs, "The Frost Is All Over"




For my friend Petey, who loves to sing sea chanties, more Planxty singing, "Sally Brown".



And for some kick-ass uillean pipe & bodhran playin', yet more Planxty from 1980.

(I wish I'd known about this stuff back in 1980!)



Here's one I just found, one of my most favorites to sing at rendezvous, "The Little Drummer", by, you guessed it, Planxty.

Christy Moore is singing..... when he had the hair of an oompa loompa.... ;-)

Ya gotta love the voice, though.



Well, I 'spose I should call it quits for now, but before I do, having recently learned of the death of one of Irish music's greatest singers, Tommy Makem, on August 2nd of last year, I found a song that he sang with The Clancy Brothers, and one that I want sung at my wake, "Isn't it Grand Boys". God bless ya, Tommy.



I obviously can't end on a sad note, so here's The Chieftains with Earl Scruggs, the best banjo picker I've ever heard.

(And who can be sad with a well plucked banjo around?)



And finally....

Well, almost....

The Chieftains & Altan.



Now for the last tune,

(No, really...)

I have got to end with a bodhran solo.

The incomparable Joe John Kelly!



Have a grand St. Paddy's Day!

I Blame Snoofy!

When Snoofy was younger, she liked unicorns. As lots of girls do.

Now she's older, & it seems she's developed my sense of humor.

So.... My sense of humor + a young girl's love of unicorns = what Snoofy found on you-tube.



Blame who you will. *grin!*

I Hope This Is For Real...

Long time friend of mine from Jacksonville, IL, whom I'll call "J-Mac", emailed this little gem to me. I hope to God it's for real! :^)

Most Syrians struggle to even read Arabic, much less have a clue about English.

So, how do a group of Syrian protest leaders create the most impact with their signs by having the standard 'Death To America' (etc.) slogans printed in English?

Answer: They simply hire an English-speaking civilian to translate and write their statements into English.

Unfortunately, in this case, they were unaware that the 'civilian' insurance company employee hired for the job was a retired US Army Sergeant!

Obviously, pictures of this protest rally never made their way to Arab TV networks, but the results were PRICELESS!

And Now....

Heeeere's Sqeaks! Fresh out of the box....

So to speak....

Nurse Sarah (a fantastic nurse, BTW) took this picture not 30 seconds after he was born, at 5:39 pm, on the 22nd of February.















This picture was taken roughly an hour before Squeak's blessed arrival, just before The Wife was taken to surgery, after more than 24 hours of hell.

(We're smiling in anticipation of this crap being OVER!) Note the funny blue hat. ;-) I wanted to keep the scrubs shirt, but the nurses wouldn't let me.















"Oh man, I can finally stretch out!"

Not ten minutes after he was born, Sqeaks was taken to the nursery where they put him the baby warmer, put a teddy bear-shaped sensor on his belly, an ID bracelet on his arm, & a security monitor on his ankle.














"Done and done!"

The Wife with Squeaks. I think she looks pretty good considering what she went through.

She tends to disagree, but then, she would.

Love you, Honey! :-x














Here's Snoofy, Big Sister x3. She's especially protective of Squeaks. She growled at me.... growled at me.... when I went to take him away from her!














This is Magoo with her new baby brother. She's so proud of herself when she's able to calm Sqeaks when he starts fussin'.

Magoo? Calming?! Strange but true. I'm proud of her, too.














And this is Smooth (formerly "Baby Boy"). I think he's the most excited of all the younglings, 'cause he's not just a younger brother anymore; he's a BIG brother now!














The proud Da with his youngest (and last) youngling.

I was a cute kid, too..... wtf happened, I don't know. All I know is, I look like my dad

(minus the hair: hair's over-rated!)

and if I showed you a picture of me when I was two years old, and a picture of Smooth at the same age, you'd have a hard time telling which is which. I did!
















The whole Bodhran Family.


God bless, ya'll!

And There Was Much Rejoicing....

YAAAY!!!

The Wife & Squeaks are home!

Finally!

I don't think The Wife really wants me to go into any more detail about "the experience" other than neither she (nor I) had any real idea about how she'd feel after a C-section and for how long she'd feel like her insides were trying to fall out.

But she's home, he's home & that's all that matters right now.

Thanks to all for the positive thoughts, good vibes and prayers. We couldn't've gotten through this without you. :-)

Thanks too to Ms. H, one of the best next door neighbors anyone could ever have, for picking the younglings up after school & for fixing supper for a couple of nights. I couldn't've gotten a fraction of the things done that we needed without her. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

I'll get pictures up the next time I post.

Peace to all.