From Backstage

Monday's Missives

The Food Shark truck in Marfa. Where my next road trip may end after getting a tasty Fat Ho Burger in Waco. I hear it's tumultuous.

• ABC Brian Ross Investigates has done a story on the US Soldiers accused of murdering Afghan civilians. I'll watch it, but really not too enthused about it. It's heartbreaking for both sides, but the thing that stands out to me is how did they take something (their war) that would have defined them in such a positive way for the rest of their lives and turn it into life sentences and dishonorable discharges?




• One of the aspects of this case that has stood out to a lot of people is their reported drug abuse. This answer is easy- they're human in an environment that vacillates between terror and tedium. I never did it while I was downrange, but plenty of guys did. I can still recall the first time I realised guys from another platoon were hungover from alcohol their families sent them. It was kind of a shock as I personally could not comprehend voluntarily doing something that could so dramatically contribute to my getting killed- much less increase my suck factor. I mean really, a hangover in 130 degree heat while carrying 60 plus pounds of armor, gear and weapons?



• Thanks, but no thanks.




• Last night Zachary and I tagged along with a friend bow fishing. We did not see a single fish. This morning I went to the same place and the water was thick with them. You didn't need a bow or a rod and reel- all you'd need were waders and a pitchfork.




• That's how the carp laughs at you.



• Weird: a couple of weeks ago during the last cold spell a sandstorm moved through here about 5:00 in the morning. The sound of it pinging against the windows woke me up and made me think a sleet storm was the cause. Sand is still piled up in corners of the building.


• Norah Jones sings I Don't Know Y on Sesame Street.

Raising Zachary

One day while bathing Zachary I had him stand up so I could wash his back. Afterwards I handed him the plastic sponge thing and instructed to wash the rest of his body,"Especially you're private parts and bottom." I instructed. He dutifully washed his private parts then extended his hand toward me with the loofa-esqe wash thing and said,"You wash my bottom." "No, you can do that." I replied. He then turned his back to me, stuck his rear end out and said,"You wash my hiney! You wash my dirty, stinky butt!" and then he cracked up laughing like it was the funniest thing he'd ever heard- much less said.

A Hospice Story

I'm going to visit a former patients grave tomorrow- something I've never done before. There are multiple reasons, but oddly the first one that comes to mind is the family sort of included me in his choice of coffin by asking my opinion about the two he had picked before he became comatose. Also, they told me,"He would have loved you and you would have loved him." after I'd already sensed both were true, although during our first meeting he only smiled and said,"I'm OK." and never said another word to anybody. But, maybe more importantly, during an early interaction I sensed that not only were they holding something back, but also I could help them with the same issue if they would just open up.

That's when I said something to the effect, Look I'm just trying to figure things out like you. My feeling is, I'm a big ole fat mess and so are you- we all are, but if you don't tell me what's going on- I can't help you. We are going to spin our wheels, I'm not going to do my job, we are going to part ways and you ladies are not going to start putting your lives together for a long time instead of starting now like you should. Talk to me.

Maybe I got more that I bargained for when 3 middle aged and one elderly lady on cue started bawling and blurting everything out they needed someone to hear, but I guess it was a start...

Wednesday's Digressions

If you don't like The Adventures Of Buckaroo Banzai Across The 8th Dimension I'm afraid you can't be my special friend anymore.

• What I'm listening to: Stone Sour Made Of Scars.


• An old friend died yesterday at three o'clock in the morning. I wish I'd known him better- we knew each other through mutual acquaintances. Oddly, I've had him on my mind a lot lately. A recent patient collected Dr. Pepper memorabilia and so did he. Also he was real big on all things Irish so he crossed my mind on St. Patrick's day. He was HIV positive for years and sick with AIDS for a while and so I knew he could be in bad shape and really meant to get in touch to see if I could help...


• Good intentions.


• Sadly, people where he worked shunned him and some were openly cruel. He was a good guy- smart, funny, caring and interesting. They didn't know what they were missing by being so ugly. Not that I cared, but people looked down on me for interacting with him when I'd be in his office building conducting business.


• I try not to use any kind of bad language and especially here where it's public and permanent, but the greatest last words ever for a condemned prisoner? "Kiss my ass."- John Wayne Gacy.


• Epic.

I Crack Myself Up Sometimes

If I had a talk show, instead of putting guests on the Hot Seat I'd put them on the Warm Stool. Ha ha.

Monday's Missives

It's funny, this guy is in my living room right now talking to my baby son and playing with him.

• When I hear fire for effect I still feel all warm inside and know things are right with the world (or soon may be).



• Yesterday Zac for some reason carried a washcloth from the car to the store. On the way out he pushed it to my mouth- spitting and sputtering I angrily said,"Why did you do that?!" His reply,"Because I did not want to hear you talk, I don't want you to say any bad words."



• I have garlic growing around my house that's from plants my mom used to cook with when I was a boy.



• Dandelions and cannas- were they rare and harder to grow they'd be expensive and everybody would want one.



• Topdocumentaryfilms.com has hundreds of documentaries and no commercials.



• In that vein: David Attenborough rawks!


• A friend has a nephew named Stetson she spends a lot of time with, of course I would never ever when asking about him call him Resistol, Bowler, Sombrero or Derby


• Or Sir Topem Hat.

Good Night World

Just finished Shallow Hal. What a sweet, funny movie that they'll be watching 50 years from now. It reminded me of my favorite Neil Young song After The Gold Rush and my favorite line from same: "I was thinking about what a friend had said, I was hoping it was a lie."

Good night world. I love you in spite of yourself.

The Sunday Situation Report

A search for "alligator pic" yielded one of my type of woman and one of a dude that's waaaay too ecstatic over catching an alligator gar





• A old friend of mine had legs- not exceptionally long maybe, but very tan. One day she was in the passenger seat of my car with her shoes off and feet up on the dash. As I was driving I noticed a delivery van that was passing suddenly slow and keep pace with my vehicle. I glanced over and there was some creepy lookin' dude staring down at her legs. He looked up at me long enough to get a surprised look on his face then go right back to staring at her lower extremities like he couldn't take his eyes off them. I don't know how he did it without crashing- I had to go back to driving and quit worrying about him.
• Nothing to it I guess, but it was creepy. He was honestly even creepy looking.
• I say dude a lot.
• A woman came into the tire store recently with three English Bulldogs on leashes. One was named Rockefeller, another Bentley and the other for the life of me I can't remember.
• I'm sorry doggy number three.
• If you have the means when your tires are anywhere near needing to be replaced buy an entire set of four and rotate them every 6 to 8 thousand miles then replace those four when it's time. It's a lot safer, they'll last longer and by looking for a sale as they are nearing the end of their life span it will come out cheaper than buying singles in emergencies. I cannot remember the last time I had a flat except for a bad road hazard a few years ago.
• I do this every time I buy a used car.
• Your unsolicited vehicular tip for the day.
• A Marine who had been stationed in California told me tonight their firing ranges would have to shut down for bison that had wandered onto the range.
• Would never have guessed.
• Weirdest thing I've ever seen on a military range? A shootout between game wardens in a pickup and thieves/poachers on motorcycles.
• Honestly.
• Good guys and bad that night didn't know they came closer to dying by our tanks than shooting it out with each other. A tank crew in my company identified the wardens truck as a truck target and had called out,"Gunner! 50 cal truck 600 meters!" and they were just about to fire when a cease fire was called over the radio.
• Took Zac and Chloe fishing yesterday. Chloe caught her first two fish. I had Zac help with the bait by picking worms so I could focus on getting her some fish.
• He was very understanding and even philosophical about it- he said,"I'm the worm and she's the fisher."

What I'm Listening To

Type O Negative: Christian Woman

Type O Negative: Cinnamon Girl

Avril: When You're Gone

Thursday's Thoughts

Begging for a caption (or better- an explanation), but I like this pic for some reason.



• An acquaintance who hugs me every time she sees me wrapped her arms around me this morning and said,"How are you my love?" Now, I finally know how a 5 ft tall 29 year old girl can scare the bejeebers out of me.



• If I have any bejeebers that is.


• Spellcheck hi lite bejeebers- how odd.



• Among other allegations by supporters of Bradley Manning (the kid who leaked the material from SIPRNET to Wikileaks while serving the US Army) is that the blankets issued to him in the brig are "heavy" and give him "carpet burns". I hate to be simplistic and hate even more so to sound like my dad, but maybe just maybe he should have thought about that before he tapped SEND...
• Yes, I know he smuggled the material out on CDs.
  
• The Schiff book on Cleopatra is great- so good I leave it alone when tired because I don't want to miss anything.



• A great video for one of my favorite songs- watch it: Seether Fine Again.

Mondays Missives

• I find it a little annoying when people go on about "An exciting new wine" they have just tried and use words like "Tart" "fruity" "airy" and "bold" to describe its taste while also reporting on any aftertaste and/or lack thereof while being reluctant to mention its buzz properties.





• If it did not alter your consciousness you could not give that stuff away.





• Had already been formulating ideas for my teenage sons vehicle when I read about a Decatur TX high school student dying in a wreck on her way to school.





• Now, either he drives a Tahoe sized vehicle with a 6 point roll cage until he has some experience or he doesn't drive.





• Hold me to this- I'm not kidding.





• Can't play tennis or softball anymore and that bums me like nothing else I've lost in my whole life.




• I was a stud at both.

A Favorite Knife

My son gave me this knife for fathers day so that would qualify it for favorite status regardless but, I like it because it's light, has the serrated blade and the clip holds it real tight on my pocket. It also has a very positive lock and feels good in my hand. I posted on Britains national knife violence laws recently. I understand cultural differences and all but, wouldn't the average law abiding Brit. need a knife just as much as anyone else? I use mine at least once a day and could not see living without one.

PM Brown told The Sun, "You cannot be casual or cool about knives. Society cannot cope with people carrying guns and knives and threatening to use them." A recent spate of fatal stabbings prompted Brown to focus his attention on knife-related crimes.

I guess the truism, bad situations make for bad laws applies everywhere. In the UK gun ownership is severely restricted and from what I can determine the masses seem good with that. From comments sections of news articles and blogs, interviews with Brits and newspaper articles, firearms seem to be demonized very effectively. It's interesting how their PM went from talking about knives (something he wants them to fear) to lumping them with something they already fear- very telling.

I'd ask if people really fall for that horrible logic but, sadly I know the answer.

Friday's Dispatch

• Neneh Cherry- Buffalo Stance. A song that always puts me in a good mood.



• An aquaintence who had been jobless for a while found one she really likes recently and looks 10 years younger. That's what stress can do for you.


• Watched Chris Elliot's new show Thunderheart finally- not as awesome as hoped, but OK.


• I've never owned any color of jeans other than blue.


• OK is the most widely recognized expression in the world.
• Watched most of Highlander this morning- still really pretty OK- if arguably so bad it's good. The sequels were all awful. I mean really- watch any one of them and your life will be richer for it- nothing worse can happen to you.
• A weird thing I noticed about The Highlander that you would probably not: in the alley scene where Kurgen skewers the survivalist guy and then runs out to granny and grandads car and chops the top off- in the alley the car is a 4 door Chevrolet Malibu, when it comes sliding out of the alley it's a 2 door Dodge Dart (maybe a Plymouth Duster).
• Recently my patient died while I was reporting off to the nurse relieving me- the second time that's happened.

Just Because

Friday's Dispatch

• Zac made me a card recently that involved a lot of glitter- glitter that was not especially glued down well. It got on everything- my car looks like I've been carrying around The North Texas Stripping Team.



• I had a patient who was put on 24 hour crisis nursing for suicide precautions. Yes, continuous care nursing was activated for a hospice patient to keep him from killing himself. He was lonely, detached and off a couple of meds that separately are no good for a depressive person to stop suddenly- but are very, very troubling to stop together. My nursing buddy caught that and persuaded him to resume them. I was proud of her and with that and a little TLC he was good to go. He had no one in this world, but she and I.



• Cleopatra A Life by Stacy Schiff: what I'm reading. An interesting, well researched book on a person who has been one of my favorite historic persons since I was a pre teen reader. I'll talk more about her later, but I promise you- without some effort to learn the truth, I assure you everything you think you know about her is wrong.
  
• I am proud of my kids and will give them full credit for their successes and accept that a lot of what they are and will become good is in spite of me.



• Zac has started soccer and I'm the unofficial assistant coach- for 7 under four year old boys. It's like trying to herd cats.
• Saliva Always.

A Next Blog Button Blog 'Junaid And Drawings'

In the following bio you'll learn more about Junaid Rahim than you thought you ever would. You are welcome. Above are his parents the father you'll note is shaheed (martyr).

MY LIFE

junaid rahim
Rawalpindi, punjab, Pakistan
Date of birth: 9 July 1987; Father name: Captain Abdur Rahim (shaheed) Occupation: Student Institution: NUST Job: Telecom engineering*(leaving) Courses done: C language, C++ language, Survey, map reading Ms Office, Spoken English language course, Figure drawing…. Experienced: computer hacking Like: figure drawings and building drawing future planing: to become an architect. and will leave engineering ADDRESS capt rahim .. hno 49M-10 lane 6h, sherzaman colony tulsa rd lalazar ,rawalpindi.. pakistan my contact number = 923435012927 email address= rambo_jr008@live.com