Thursday, July 26, 2007

Overheard...

...At my kid's football practice...
Kid 1: "My mom's birthday is on August 30th"
Kid 2: "August 30th? Hey! That's when my mom gets out of jail!"

...just another day in paradise, here in the Valley...

Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Nine years ago today...

...the most beautiful, intelligent, compassionate and kind woman I'd ever met completely took leave of her senses and exchanged wedding vows with yours truly in front of God and a few hundred family and friends.
Thus began the greatest chapter in my life - my transition from degenerate bachelor to responsible husband and parent (all growed up!) - what a ride!  
I've been having so much fun I can't believe it's been nine years already! (Although that would explain the 8yr old son... conceived on the honeymoon, no less!).
I am truly a very fortunate man, to have found such a wonderful woman and to have her as my companion on life's journey.
Here's hoping the next nine years go a little slower, so I can savor them more...

Tuesday, July 24, 2007

Well it's about time.

Ward Churchill finally got shitcanned. All the bureaucratic hoops have been traversed, all i's dotted, all t's crossed... all in just a little more than a year!
Wow.

I'm surprised...

...that there's not a pool going around over which one of these clowns winds up killing someone first. Hopefully their latest escapades have been an eye-opener for both.

You don't see this every day...


Plane Crash Lands On Wisconsin Highway - Watch more free videos

Bass Pro Shops...

Just recently (as in last week) opened up their very first store in Southern California, in a town by the name of Rancho Cucamonga, about 25 miles from the valley.  I'm very excited to go see all the wonders this large purveyor of things outdoors has to offer, although not quite excited enough to put up with the huge crowds that are reportedly infesting the place at the moment.  Maybe in a week or so...

Monday, July 23, 2007

Mondays...

Are not my favorite day of the week. In light of that fact, I felt like posting a few things that piss me off, for no real particular reason, in no particular order.

Taggers

Few things set me off more than the "artistic" product of some juvenile deviant sprayed across some unlucky soul's property. I would wholeheartedly support public beatings of these little bastards. Nothing is more disrespectful, nothing is more of a f*** you than spraying illegible gangsta symbols all over other people's stuff. Am I the only one who cheered when Sean Penn's character in Colors hosed that little shit's face with his own spray can?

Gratuity added to the check

1. a gift of money, over and above payment due for service, as to a waiter or bellhop; tip.
(emphasis mine)

Don't call it a "gratuity" if you're going to bill me for it. Call it a "service surcharge" or something. I actually find it kind of insulting to see this on my bill, as though it's assumed I wouldn't pay it if it weren't included. Either that, or a sly attempt to get a tip on top of the "gratuity" from the dopes who don't look at the check too closely.
Here's the deal: if you add that charge to the bill, I'll pay without a peep... BUT, that's ALL you'll get, even if your service was stellar. You make the assumption that I wasn't going to pay, then fine - you'll get the minimum I would tip, and no more.

Carpool lanes

Yet another study in the failure of social engineering. Take 25% of the freeway lanes and reserve them for what, 2-3% of the drivers? Hey Presto! You've got gridlock! Here in California, if you have a Prius or other politically correct hybrid vehicle, you get to ride the carpool lane too! It really makes me grind my teeth when government pulls stunts like this to try and effect a change in behavior. My taxes contributed to building those lanes, but if I'm driving by myself, then I'm not entitled to use them.
I do not own a Prius, nor do I intend to, no matter how much my state would like me to.

There's something wrong here...

When people like this receive attention and adulation. I'm sorry, but this guy is not a hero. Bailing on your squad mates is not a heroic act.

Saturday, July 21, 2007

The story so far...

...on the gun I gushed about on Sunday:
So - I had left the gun store Sunday with a promise from the clerk that he'd get word back to me on Monday, one way or the other, and I was in a pretty giddy mood.
Monday morning rolled around... no call.
10am - I decided to call him. No word from the big man yet, says he.
2pm - still nothing, so I called him again. Still no word. If he didn't hear anything today, he'd let me know Wednesday, the next day he worked.
AAAARRRGGHHH!!!
I don't handle suspense very well.. so - I called around. One gun store said sure they could receive the guns, so I called DSA. They said it would be 12-14 weeks to get an STG-58 out here.
Hmpf... that's too long, especially knowing that there's SIX OF THEM CHILLING IN A WAREHOUSE 15 MILES AWAY!
My mood had gone from a giddy high to a pretty despondent low. Why hadn't I heard? Was the guy just trying to blow me off? They really weren't going to sell me that gun. It's obviously too good to be true - this is California, after all.
Tuesday I was considering alternatives like the M1A (which I would still have needed to save up a few hundred for, and I'm a bit suspicious of the quality of the "Standard M1A" compared with the really high dollar ones) and precisely how I wasn't going to shop at their store any more if they were just going to knuckle under and refuse to sell the gun, despite the fact that the DOJ agent had written them a formal apology about his actions.
Wednesday - I called right at 10am again, expecting to hear "no".
The clerk said, "Just got the OK from the boss to sell, but I have to remove the pistol grip first."
"What?" I asked, "Does that mean this gun is illegal with the grip in place?"
The clerk assured me that it was not - they had sold plenty of these already, and they are still selling the Bushmaster Carbon 15 "flip-top" ARs with the pistol grip (blechh), it's just that the boss man was making a further attempt to cover himself I suppose.
Sensing that I needed to act before this dude changed his mind, I took a long lunch break, dashed to the bank, grabbed my cash, flew over to the store and paid for the gun. There was a little bit of a delay since the guns were not automatically available to be released in the system, but a call to corporate cleared that up, and everything else went smoothly. Now the wait... 10 days in California, which means I can pick up the rifle on Saturday the 28th - sans grip, which I will have to order from DSA...
So the bottom line is I'm happy to have been able to buy this gun, but the way these guys are acting about it makes me a little uncomfortable - I hope it's worth all the hassle once I finally have it...

Happy Friday...

Well, it's been a real busy week for us here at the kingdom, so posting had to fall a wee bit by the wayside for a while...

We had a fun Friday night though -- had an opportunity to go see the Dodgers so we took it...



This is the only shot I was able to take tonight before my camera batteries died.

They played the Mets, and it was a tie game right up until the 8th, when the Mets walked away with 3 runs in two plays.

I'm not a real big fan of baseball - I certainly cannot watch it on TV - but I enjoy the atmosphere of a live game, and I think the kids get a real kick out of it too. There's plenty of worse ways to spend a Friday night, that's for sure...

Sunday, July 15, 2007

So close I can almost TASTE it!

So.... in my quest to obtain an EEVVIILLL black rifle here in the Peoples Republik of Kalifornia, I've decided on a DS arms-made CA-legal FAL. Beautiful guns, and I was first made aware of them here...
Biggest problem is, they are $1600+, which for me is a LOT of money. The most I've ever spent on a gun is about $700...
So for the last few months, I've been squirrelling away extra cash, rolling coins, crushing cans, working overtime, whatever... putting away what I can in a manner that does not impact my family's finances...
Anyway, my friend and I were at the gun store today; he had a gift certificate to blow and I was only too happy to tag along. I wanted to have a look at the Springfield M1A again, because I was wavering some in my choice and wanted to be sure. I got to talking to the clerk about the FALs (they didn't have any on display) and he told me that the store owner was getting leery about selling them - apparently a rookie CA DOJ agent blew into one of his stores, saw a FAL on the rack and said "Hey that's illegal - take it down" and generally made a huge stink. The agent wound up having to publicly apologize to the company, but the owner is reluctant to deal with the hassle associated with selling the guns... however; he still has a few in stock, and one of them happens to be this one - an STG-58.
I like this one better than the SA58 anyway, and the bonus is, it's $400 cheaper! Sweet! I can buy one today! I have the green! You see, the STG-58 is not listed on DS Arms' website as CA-legal, so I didn't know they were available... now that I know, that's what I want.
I WANT IT NOW!
The clerk told me they had six on hand, and he didn't know what they were going to do with them. His supervisor told us that he'd tell the owner he had a guy (ME!!!!!:)) ready to go, cash in hand and see what the dude would say. Either way, I'll be getting a call tomorrow, and if I get the green light, that gun shall be mine in ten days' time (CA waiting period).
If the guy says no dice, well that's OK too; now I know I can get an STG-58 that's CA-legal, well there are other gun stores around... may just take a little longer is all...
Update to follow...
BTW, my friend wound up picking up a nice Savage 22mag boltie with a stainless bull barrel brand new for $219.99. A very good deal, I thought... actually, if he hadn't gone for it, I would have (they only had the one - a special order that came minus a scope and had been sitting on the rack too long I guess...)

In the truck yesterday...

We picked up Number One Son yesterday who had just spent a week at summer camp in the local mountains.
He was explaining to us that they slept in teepees, seven kids and one councilor...
..."And the first night, Diego pretended to be a bear, banging into the side of the teepee and making bear noises. The councilor got really mad."
My wife, laughing: "What kind of kid can make bear noises?"
Number One Son: "Diego".
Well, I guess you had to be there....

Thursday, July 12, 2007

Sigh...

Lately, I've been taking to shave my own head... saves time and money, and it's pretty easy with a set of electric clippers. Last night, right before bed, I did it again for the umpteenth time. However, I neglected to ask my wife if I had missed any spots...
So... I woke up bright and early this morning, determined to get into the salt mine early. I rolled in around 6:45, feeling quite proud of myself, only to be gleefully informed by a couple of my coworkers that I had indeed missed a spot. A quarter sized spot. Gah.
So, here I am at home having just finished removing said offending spot and writing a post to whine about it. This extra trip home has completely erased any gain I may have made by getting in to work early.
One step forward, two steps back...

Wednesday, July 11, 2007

Lagging...

I've been dragging a bit this week, taking advantage of a little freedom. Number One Son is at summer camp this week, and My Little Princess is spending a few days with Grandma and Grandpa at Oceanside. So, I've been rolling into work kinda late (8-8:30am) since I don't have to be anywhere to pick anyone up in the afternoon...
I have, however, been hiking the M every day since Sunday...
Unfortunately I've been blowing any gains I've been making by making some pretty poor food choices, since I'm too beat after the hikes to fart about in the kitchen...
Hmmm... One step forward, two steps back...
Made it up there (2.5 miles) in 43 minutes today though, a personal best...

More shots of the Sierras...

Lake Ellory.

Gardisky Lake. Yes, that white blob is snow.

A pond next to Gardisky Lake. Very shallow, had a few trout in it. I'm not sure if it'll last through the summer, but it feeds a small waterfall, so maybe the trout can get out that way.


Me, fishing at Lake Ellory. The book is "The Virtues of War" by Stephen Pressfield, a novel about Alexander the Great. Pretty interesting so far. That can is indeed Pabst Blue Ribbon - hey, the prices of beer up in the mountains are a little crazy, OK? Pabst ain't so bad anyway. When you're thirsty. And broke.




Me and the kids tackling that white blob on Gardisky Lake seen above. Pretty big, is it not?



Number One Son pulling in a monster at Saddlebag Lake. Check out the view in the background. Awesome.





Monday, July 09, 2007

Old Fort MacArthur Days

Want to see what I got up to this weekend?

Well, I decided to join the 9th Legion, a group of re-enactors that gear up as 1st Century Roman soldiers, and in my spare time I've been making my kit...

So far I have made my pileus (Phrygian cap - yes it looks like a smurf hat) and my cingulum (military belt). My wife and her friend Julie made my tunica (tunic), fascia ventralis (10ft long sash-like "underbelt") and my focale (neckerchief - important - protects the neck when you wear the armor).

These guys make everything themselves, except for the helmets and the gladii (swords). Yup, everything else, so I have a long way to go...

So, anyway, this past weekend was my first "event", Old Fort Macarthur Days. It's a fundraiser for the military museum at Fort Macarthur in San Pedro, and they have re-enactors representing military units throughout history, from Roman times up to Vietnam. First such event I'd ever been to, and I have to say I think I'm hooked. I dig history, especially military history, and just being at an event like this means you soak up so much information. Love it.

OK, on to the pictures:


This is our encampment around 7:30am Saturday, when I rolled in. That embroidered standard up front is a real work of art and took over a hundred hours to make. The picture doesn't do it justice. In the background is my decanus (squad leader) Scipio. He's the guy who's been helping me make my gear. Note the smurf hat. Mine's just like it...


Civil War Confederate encampment just across the way from us. Lot of guys in this group, looked like they were having a good old time.

This guy was representing a German noble from the High Middle Ages I guess. Beautiful full plate armor. He must have been cooking - it was a hot day.


German unit, WWI. These guys had their stuff together...



A group of Norsemen out of Northern California (well, their gear at least). Had I not hooked up with the Legion, I might have wound up with these guys. Still might, if I ever get around to making a mail shirt...



WWII Us GI unit. Sorry, but I didn't find out which one. Look like airborne to me, maybe FHB can help me out here...



WWII Japanese unit practicing Kendo while some American Revolutionaries look on...



Obligatory random Gatling gun shot...

And last, but not least, a shot of your humble narrator in his gear. Not a very flattering one, but what the hell. I do intend to drop some pounds before I make my Lorica segmentata (segmented armor)...


The chain shirt - called Lorica hamata - weighs in at around 35-40lbs. The scutum (shield) is another 18-20. Helmet and gladius - another 6-10lbs or so. I wore/ carried this stuff pretty much constantly from around 9 am to 4pm, when I got out of it all to get ready to leave. My shoulders still hurt.
I had a great time. It was the first time I had met most of these Legion folks, and they made me feel very welcome. The food they laid on was great.
Throughout the day I got to interact with the public, letting them get a feel for the gear we were wearing, answering their questions (when I could - still pretty new at this), and most importantly, listening to the more experienced members hold forth and learning from them. A most excellent way to receive a history lesson. Can't wait for the next event.

Friday, July 06, 2007

Tioga Pass


...In the Sierras, is where me and mine have been these last few days, camping at Saddlebag Lake, around 10,000 feet. The picture above is me looking over the pass from Gardisky Lake, a beautiful little lake nestled among some high peaks. A bone-grinder of a hike, but well worth it. Great fishing, and an even better view.


This is the view from our campsite of Saddlebag Lake. Plenty of trout in there too. We never went a day without catching something. Best fishing I've done in quite a while...

Here's a pic of the camp. Note the big brown box in front of my truck. That's a bear-proof box - you have to put your food in there overnight if you want something to eat the next day. We didn't have any problems with bears though.
Here's My Little Princess holding her catch, up at Gardisky Lake - one of two she nailed up there on her mighty Barbie fishing pole...



Here is a shot of Bennettville, an old abandoned silver mining settlement. You can go in those shacks and check them out. Pretty cool. That murkiness around the trees isn't the camera; it's huge clouds of pollen being lifted upon the breeze.


I don't know if you guys can tell from the pictures, but this is some of the most beautiful country I've ever seen. This was my first trip up into the Tioga Pass, and it is without a doubt one of the best camping experiences I have ever had. We will be going back, that's for sure. There's so much to explore that we didn't even touch on - high mountain lakes, great hikes, beautiful vistas. This is God's own country, let me tell you.


I hope everyone else had a great fourth of July. We didn't see any fireworks this time around, but no-one missed them.