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| Wednesday, November 11th, 2009 |
nounsandverbs
|
9:04p |
Vegetarians May Want to Skip This.
Tonight I made the tenderloin my MIL got us for our anniversary. I'd never made a whole tenderloin before, so I looked up some recipes. Some said marinade it for 8 hours. Some said high heat. Some said low heat. In the end I chose to just rub the whole thing with salt, pepper and garlic powder -- tons of it. (Tenderloin is tender but nearly flavorless.) Then I grilled half of it on low heat for a long time for those who like it more well-done, and the other half I seared on high heat for a shorter time for those of us who follow the path of rareness. Then Kt and I went to an SCA meeting, so I didn't get to taste the resulting filet mignon until now. DAMN, is it good. K made bacon mashed potatoes with it. My arteries are crying, "Oh, God, why?" But who needs arteries when you have food like this? We had no red wine to go with it, so Jameson's it is. Now I feel incredibly full and decadent. So worth it. |
lj_maintenance
[ dwell ]
|
2:00p |
Network Maintenance: Saturday, November 14, 2009 at 04:00-06:00 UTC/GMT
On Saturday the 14th at 4AM UTC/GMT we will be upgrading the operating system of our network load balancers to a newer version, one that will allow us to use both CPUs! Nifty, because multiprocessing is nice. Since we have 2 load balancers, the plan is to upgrade 1 at a time, and there really should be very little impact to our website. Hopefully you won't notice a thing and I'll get to go back to the hotel and watch some wonderful late night infomercials. We've got a lot of exciting projects coming up for 2010 and we're hoping that we'll be able to deliver them all to you, that you will find it useful/cool/lovely and then you will use the site even more. Behind-the-scenes work like this will give us the capacity to handle the anticipated traffic, so expect a few more maintenance windows especially in the beginning of next year as we've got some neat ideas to improve performance around here! We had the recent 30-45 minute outage yesterday due to one of our logging databases filling up disk space -- not so great design coupled with my human error in handling the initial problem -- and it looks like we're going to finally have some resources to eliminate stuff like that. I can't wait! As usual, I will be updating status.livejournal.org before and after, just in case you are not able to reach our main website during the work. |
nounsandverbs
|
3:45p |
Writer's Block: Play it again, Sam
Are you kidding me? I gotta agree with ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) divalion on this one: I'd choose seppuku. The closest thing I have to an answer is to list some CDs I've already listened to enough to know every note on them. "Abbey Road," of course. XTC's "Skylarking." A few others. But if I could only listen to one CD for the rest of my life, I'd grab a guitar and a microphone and make some new ones. |
purpura
|
12:32p |
Poppies for young boys, death's bitter trade
In Flanders Fields By: Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD (1872-1918) Canadian Army In Flanders Fields the poppies blow Between the crosses row on row, That mark our place; and in the sky The larks, still bravely singing, fly Scarce heard amid the guns below. We are the Dead. Short days ago We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, Loved and were loved, and now we lie In Flanders fields. Take up our quarrel with the foe: To you from failing hands we throw The torch; be yours to hold it high. If ye break faith with us who die We shall not sleep, though poppies grow In Flanders fields. Current Mood:  solemnCurrent Music: Chaotic Cochophany of Humanity |
warriorsavant
|
11:23a |
|
stevemorris
|
4:01p |
Knockout, Part Two
Different hammers for different jobsIn the second link on the hammer look at the section on the physics of hammering and take note of the scientific explanation of why the hammer is capable of producing such great force over a very short working distance on impact. Within the same article, note why different hammers are used for performing different types of work. Once you understand their design and the physics of why hammers and other types of tool are able to produce the forces they do (particularly against hard objects) you can then try to apply those same physical principles to your punches when hitting an opponent to the body or head. I sometimes use an analogy of the claw hammer to create an image of ripping or tearing through the target with your fists. This way of striking can be a useful tool in a fight, because you spend very little time on the target. And I’ve found in a streetfight that it’s particularly useful because it saves your hands whilst allowing you to deliver a damaging shot. Because the movement is cyclonic, the fist quickly returns to be able to go again, and even if you miss the specific target, you’re going to catch something in the path of the clawing action. This also ‘clears’ for you, getting his arms out the way for another shot. So imagine using the other end of the hammer when punching and you’ll get the idea. Another type of hammer that caught my interest in the past was the nail gun (spring-loaded type) . Because I am interested in short range power, I was naturally interested in the principle of rapidly and repeatedly loading and unloading a spring so as to generate a force in a fraction of a second and of a magnitude sufficient to launch and fully embed a nail in a piece of wood. It also struck me that the principle of the loading and unloading of a spring wasn’t that dissimilar to what I knew about plyometrics at the time And so, with the view of being able to generate a force of high magnitude within a very short space and split second of time (and, like a nail gun, with no obvious development), I set about applying certain principles I was aware of through my research into plyometrics and isometrics. In particular I drew on my understanding from plyometrics of how to preset the reactive sensitivity of the muscle spindle so that even the slightest stretch or no stretch at all would elicit a myotatic reflex response. Through my work with isometrics I also knew how to train the CNS to become more effective at recruiting high threshold motor units(fast and super fast) by increasing neural efficiency and drive, as well as training the CNS to overcome the inhibitory effect of the Golgi tendon reflex. After a few years of practicing with these objectives in mind, I was eventually able to fire off damaging shots from very short ranges with the slightest of eccentric loading, or from a totally static position. There is a sea creature, the mantis shrimp, that uses a spring load principle not that dissimilar to the chambered-type punch of karate. The shrimp can produce hammer-like blows capable of velocities similar to low calibre bullet Tempting as it might be for the karate aficionado to get excited right about now, what you have to remember is that the mantis shrimp uses this weapon, along with very nimble footwork, against prey that is no real threat, or against other mantis shrimps that are armed in the same way. In other words, cocking your fist in a karate-like manner, though it works well when the guy you’re fighting has a limited game or when you’re fighting a stylistically similar type, is pretty limited when the guy you’re fighting knows your game, has a completely dissimilar style and (of course) knows how to fight. In more recent years, the dead blow hammer effect has aroused my curiosity, particularly with regards to how one might go about increasing the mechanics of impact to the target by transferring more kinetic energy to the target whilst at the same time reducing the energy lost in the rebound or recoil effect following the initial impact. What I’m interested in here applies to working within a reduced space and time against a more resilient target (say, bone). The dead blow hammer gives us a clue about how to produce an accelerated follow-through so that the target fractures or the blow in some other way permanently distorts the body’s internal structures, because you don’t give it the time to absorb the impact . In the Seventies, Eighties and early Nineties, I used to rapidly and repeatedly shake iron rings on my forearms using my entire body from the feet to the hands in both vertical and horizontal planes. I also used bars with very light weights that made a noise when I shook the bar exactly like this at 2mins 40secs, and I used light dumbbells in a similar way through various planes of movement. I not only did this so as to produce an explosive delivery of my limb or fist to the target by way of rapid eccentric/concentric loading and firing, but also to gain a sense of the explosive follow-through that was needed to immediately follow the initial impact. With the rings, for example, I discovered ways of generating the types of forces that would cause the rings to continue to accelerate forward after what would have been the initial contact point. The sound made by the rings against each other as they accelerated forward on my forearm was an indicator of the intensity and duration of the force I was transferring to my hands, and subsequently to the target. And I could adjust my body mechanics accordingly until I got it right. It was then just a simple case of taking the mechanics of moving the rings and transferring them to my hands or wrists for an actual strike. In principle this method is not unlike the free-flowing lead shot that is used within a dead blow hammer so as to increase the transfer of kinetic energy to the target. Indeed, it was by training in this way that I was able to break a fair number of people’s arms with my strikes. I didn’t intentionally break their arms; the break was just the consequence of years of training to instinctively strike in this way, combined with a sense of timing that enabled me to break the arm while it was moving during an exchange. This kind of delivery of a massive force within a brief impact time is one that I’ve found to be effective for breaking bones and dropping a guy with a body shot by causing deep intense visceral pain. This effect is not unlike kinetic weapons such as the bean bag. For more on this However, as valuable as this type of shot may be, it’s not an ideal knockout shot. Rotational KnockoutI have knocked a couple of guys clean out with the jolting shot I describe above, but I suspect that the jolt in these cases was so intense that it resulted in disruption of the reticular activating system, which controls consciousness. If the jolt occurs in such a way that the head is very rapidly and suddenly rotated—even if the rotation is small—then the knockout will occur. This is because the jolt of the blow magnifies an effect that is common to all knockouts: disruption of the reticular activating system, which controls consciousness. The disruption of the reticular activating system occurs through the violent rotation of the brain on the brainstem (see links at end of article). In most cases, this rotation is very obvious, whether it occurs through twisting, moving side to side or through the head being violently snapped back. With fists gloved or not, the highest percentage way of knocking a guy out is to be able to violently rotate the head from different ranges, angles and through different planes. Important to this is being able to sustain an accelerated follow-through for a longer period of time than when breaking bone or when delivering a more jolting shot to the head. Rather than striking the way the mantis shrimp does, the fighter looking for a knockout needs to hit more like the ways these professionals in this clip hit. In this clip, like many other knockout highlights I have observed, the majority of knockouts come from causing an obvious violent rotation of the head. And take note of how the entire body is used to accelerate the shoulder, elbow and fist through the head to a point often beyond the head’s natural point of rotation, often to such a degree that the head rebounds back following the initial impact. Also note how the hip on the leading side contributes to this explosive follow-through, and don’t forget to look at what the other side of the body is doing so as to complement the follow-through rather than getting in the way of it. So, shots that violently turn the head cause more knockouts than those that only jolt the head. But that’s not to say that the snapped or more recoil/jolting shots don’t work. They do, and they most definitely have their place in fighting. Look what happens at 40 secs, 1 min 52 sec, and 2 min 48 secs on this Teofilo Stevenson clip. Teofilo Stevenson was an expert at this type of punch, though he didn’t use it exclusively. Stevenson is well worth looking at. He often had a tremendous reach advantage over his opponents, and so the way he chambered his right hand suited his height, evasive style and his unbelievable sense of opportunity distance and timing. Also, his opponents often stood before him like sitting ducks. Having said that, in 1980 Istvan Levi and Pietr Zaer with their raised guards had him figured out and managed to go the distance with him, whilst Francesco Damiani of Italy with his forward bullish spoiling style managed to beat him in 1982. Igor Wysotsky claims to have defeated Stevenson in Cuba in 1973 on points and knocked him out in Minsk in 1976. Nevertheless, given the slightest opportunity, Stevenson was a great knockout/TKO specialist and one who should be closely studied by those who favour this way of fighting. And take note of how he uses his entire body to deliver and retract his piston-like right hand. Even if you don’t favour this approach, study him anyway in case you run up against a similar type. Back to the rotational knockout. What’s important to remember when going for a rotational RAS knockout is that the movement of your opponent’s head can dampen the effect of the blow. He may move his head and try to ride the shot, and thereby neutralize some of the shot’s effectiveness. You must anticipate this possible dampening effect and have already compensated for it. You need to remain in accelerated contact with the head for a relatively longer period of time than, say, when breaking bone, so as to have a disrupting effect upon the nuclei of the brainstem and therefore upon consciousness. Equally, whilst by way of leverage clipping the chin might produce a greater rotational effect on the brainstem for less effort, it’s a more difficult shot to pull off in a fight, where your opponent’s head is continually moving. Rather than targeting the head in a very specific way (e.g., the point of the chin) the better alternative is to aim more towards the hinge of the jaw. So if the head does move, you will still stand a chance of hitting the head somewhere and causing a rotational RAS effect of some kind, or disrupting the labyrinthine/vestibular system and subsequently your opponent’s balance and orientation to his surroundings. And of course you have to be able to do all this within a fight where your opponent is trying to knock you out. Many of your shots will miss or have no effect. Importantly, punching with follow-through not only increases your chance of a knockout but also allows you to close the distance, move to the clinch, or use the punching hand at the end of its delivery to check or control the opponent in some way, including transitioning to the takedown. Emelianenko is a great example of this last form of follow-through as a tactical tool. Shavers and the role of the bodyErnie Shavers was an expert at all this and more, and his fight record speaks for itself with 68 knockouts out of 74 wins. Just watch the amount of explosive body movement that Shavers transfers to his arm, and subsequently on contact, to his opponent’s head or to his body. As the accelerating mass of Shavers’ body decreases from his legs, hips and trunk to his scapula and arms, the velocity of his fist increases, simply by the conservation of momentum. Look at the way he uses his legs, hips, waist and upper torso and head to launch the arm from the scapula to the fist. Everything he’s got is going into trying to put his opponent away, irrespective of the range, angle, or where his hands are in relation to the target. And he is able, if given half a chance, to repeat the process over and over again, or switch from attack to defence and vice versa. Shavers was no Teofilo Stevenson--he wasn’t looking for the clean knockout and in fact he often battered his opponents into unconsciousness--but his record speaks for itself and like all the other great knockout specialists he should be closely studied. Also take note of the diagonal planes in which Shavers works, rather than vertical. Not only is he incorporating the serape/derape effect by doing this, but he’s also increasing the moment arm from the axis of the hip/spine to the fist. He’s also reducing the chances of himself being hit. Not only does hitting in a diagonal plane potentially produce more power in a safer line, but these natural body power lines correspond to the angles at which the opponent’s head and body targets are most vulnerable. Something else to note about Shavers is the size of his hands, which when bandaged and gloved would have been hanging like weights at the end of his arms. You have just got to put a very light bar in your hands to feel the increase in the centrifugal effect of throwing punches and to realise how having something to grip on also significantly increases impact. Training TipsThis brings me to some details about the role of the hand in the knockout. Having a gloved hand allows you to hit without fear of breaking your hands and provides more contact area with which to rotate or rebound the head. Having said that, there are ways by which you can use the un-gloved hand to produce similar advantages. Of course, any form of hand development, including hitting the heavy bag, will allow you to hit with more confidence and more effectively, but there are other ways, too. One way to develop a sense of having a heavier hand is by rapidly whirling your arm at your side so that the centrifugal force causes blood to rapidly pool into your hand. It will turn red and feel full and heavy. Now, immediately switch to the heavy bag and hit it with this heavy ‘full hand’ feeling. This pooling of blood also helps to protect the hands as a result of the fluid within the hands being brought to the surface. This works much in the same way that hand ball players soak their hands in hot water so as to protect them. By regularly engaging in this kind of practice, you can eventually learn to develop a ‘heavy hand’ feeling without the whirling, and the practice also can improve upon the dynamics of the scapula and shoulder when striking. Another important point when going for the knockout with bare fists is to try to hit the jaw with the entire surface area of the fist so as to cause maximum rotation of the head. Remember, you’re not going for a penetrative effect, say with a single knuckle or to break the jaw, even though that might happen anyway. You are going for the violent rotation of the head. Remember, the knockout is the quickest solution to ending the fight, particularly against somebody armed with a knife. But in order to cause a violent rotation of the head, the entire arm from the scapula to the fist, with the dynamic support of the whole body, needs to accelerate through the head. This effect is more like a bat hitting through a ball and less like throwing the fist at the head as if throwing a ball, or cracking the arm like a whip by using the entire body so as to produce a high terminal velocity of the fist within a brief impact time. This bat-hitting-ball effect is more an application of the impulse momentum change theorem to the generation and application of force to the target where mass plays an important role rather than an application of kinetic energy where achieving a high velocity is the key ingredient. But either way, if you’re going to emphasize the head as a major target, it would be a good idea, rather than just hitting the head and hoping for the best, to hit it in ways that have been shown to be effective in the professional rings of boxing and Muay Thai. If you want a catalogue of the various ways of delivering a knockout shot, take a look at Thomas Hearns, who against welterweights up to heavyweights had every shot in the book. Whichever way you end up trying to hit the head in a fight, it’s worth a mention that like a hammer head and its shaft, your fists, arms, shoulders and scapula have to be capable of not only delivering tremendous impact forces from any position and at any angle but also of sustaining them. The best way I know by which to produce and sustain such forces is to spend a lot of time on the heavy bag, and I do mean heavy—just like Marciano did. And irrespective of whether you are working on hand conditioning, aerobic/anaerobic conditioning, power generation, or tactics (separately, in combination or all together), it’s crucial to always do so with an opponent, real or imagined, in mind. Sure, the heavy bag (like slip/maize bags, ground to ceiling balls, speed balls, wall bags, uppercut bags, etc.) is never going to exactly replicate the man you are going to fight, particularly when you first start using them. But provided you are working your bag alongside your drilling, conditional fighting, and fighting, you will find that gradually as your fight experience and knowledge grows you can start to work the equipment much as you would a man in a fight. This is about you, not about the bag. It’s about being able to transfer the impression of your opponent in the fight to the bag, and that takes place on an internal level. It relies on your experience and can’t be contrived. The bag might not have arms, but in your mind it can. The bag doesn’t hit you back, but in your mind you’re fighting the man. Indeed, being able to see the bag as a man speaks volumes of the quality of the fighting experiences that have been imprinted as engrams on the sensory and motor areas of your brain. Just as when you are shadow-fighting, when there appears to be nothing there at all, when you are working on the bag you must call up the fight in your mind’s eye. Understand what you are seeingI would suggest that quality impressions from your own fight experience (in the gym or elsewhere) as well as quality impressions from observing the knockout specialists in action are the key to this whole thing. Look at the clips, so that when you’re next working in the gym on a head shot, within your mind’s eye you will have a clear impression of what you are trying to do to your opponent’s head. This will enable you to start to work on the dynamics and tactical application of the shot. I’ve talked to you about the mechanics behind the knockout, but at the end of the day the best advice I can offer you is to watch the clips and really study them. Shavers, like Marciano, Tyson, and of course the mantis shrimp, was one of the biggest hitters of all time. He was also one of the toughest fighters to ever step into the ring. Just look at how he comes back from being decked by Roy Williams to then knock him out. Just because these knockout specialists are referred to as boxers, they were first and foremost fighters, and anybody who can’t see that either has to be blind or seriously locked into their own beliefs. You would not want to test your chosen combative skills against them, unless of course you yourself were an accomplished fighter or you intended to use a gun, because you most certainly would need it. In my book it’s far more productive to watch someone of the calibre of Shavers, Marciano, Tyson or other knockout specialist like Hearns in action, than to spend your time and energy listening to any ‘expert’ expounding on the dynamics of hitting the head when most ‘experts’ fail to emphasize the importance of causing a violent rotary or jolting effect upon the head. The dynamics of a skill are determined by the effect you need to cause--just like the design and dynamics of a tool are determined by the task at hand. If you’re just hitting the head without understanding the effect on the head you need to produce so as to cause a knock out, then your chances of getting the knockout are reduced. And if you can’t put your shots together like Hearns (for example), then if you come up against somebody who can, you’re going to be in big trouble. Look at the fighters and learn all you can. No matter how impressive, informed, or eloquent someone might appear to be on the subject of fighting, no amount of talk can substitute for the observation of the real animal in action. References:http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC155412/http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=2oh18I2TRIUC&pg=PA315&lpg=PA315&dq=impulsive+loading+boxing&source=bl&ots=Ka4A6a0TfB&sig=6TeEyL6ZpeKbczYxahQRy5Fxeuk&hl=en&ei=OqWTSrnjL9KrjAeNsfT5DQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1#v=onepage&q=impulsive%20loading%20boxing&f=falsehttp://books.google.co.uk/books?id=z1oj5YSq9S0C&pg=PA106&lpg=PA106&dq=boxing+knockout+brain+stem&source=bl&ots=IRB4uF7oI3&sig=3fKgC3R-lqZfBT5lMEuCStE8cYc&hl=en&ei=QYmSSszNMtWMjAfMw8DnDQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2#v=onepage&q=boxing%20knockout%20brain%20stem&f=falsehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knockouthttp://www.sherdog.net/forums/f2/pointed-chin-knockout-773513/index2.html see remarks by spid3yo--more on target than the rest of the discussion. |
seorgia
|
1:26a |
I hate therefore I am
I hate People. I hate Animals. I hate fucking fae. I hate freaking werewolves. I hate small children. I hate large children. I hate being hopeless. I hate being a failure. I hate brown cows. I hate talking. I hate not talking. I hate losing. I hate being scared of winning. I hate Californian condors (fuck you birds). I hate being alive. I hate being sad. I hate cats (I'm looking at all of you bastards). I hate zucchini (I'm lying yum!) I hate catharsis. I hate bras. I hate livejournal. I hate facebook. I hate fucking tweets and tweeting. I hate that I'm lying about only half of these things. I hate hate. But maybe I hate me the most. (this might have been one of the most fun to write journal entries I've ever written) Current Mood:  hateful |
| Tuesday, November 10th, 2009 |
warriorsavant
|
8:39p |
Writer's Block: Instant attraction
Romance is non-existant. There is infatuation. There is lust. There is illusion. Love and sex are both bait in the trap of reproduction laid for us by evolution. |
warriorsavant
|
8:14p |
PSALM 91: "The Soldiers' Psalm"
1 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.
3 Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.
4 He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.
5 Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;
6 Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.
7 A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.
8 Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.
9 Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;
10 There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.
11 For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.
12 They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.
13 Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.
14 Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.
15 He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.
16 With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.
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nounsandverbs
|
1:26p |
Fished In
Reading this post by theferrett hit fairly close to home. I'm quite the fan of New Relationship Energy myself, in the broadest possible sense of the word "relationship" -- I like getting to know people. So, to a large extent, this journal (you have been warned) is a baited hook I leave in the water at all times, waiting to see who I attract -- not in a creepy way, in a genuinely-interested way, but there you have it. Still -- how could I do otherwise? This LJ has brought me a lot of the good things in my life -- my current family structure, for one. It's brought me unforgettable people and relationships -- and yes, pain too, but that's all part of it, and I wouldn't trade any of it. Not a thing. If wishes were fishes, I'm the Gorton's factory. How could I not keep that line cast? |
nounsandverbs
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12:40p |
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nounsandverbs
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10:46a |
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| Monday, November 9th, 2009 |
nounsandverbs
|
1:30p |
My car has two new tires and zero rumbling noises. The guys at my tire place love me now: I've bought six new tires from them in the last 2 weeks. Today, however, they were introduced to my little Honda and its ULTRA-SENSITIVE CAR ALARM OF DEATH. The guys at my tire place hate me now. My eye doctor called today to remind me the appointment I made a year ago is on Wednesday. New glasses, I'm comin' for you. I am the only person I know who gets the sudden urge to listen to the New Pornographers' "Electric Version" -- and then Sondheim's "A Little Night Music" two hours later. (I've been on a musicals kick in general lately. I'm working my way through all of Sondheim's stuff from the early 1970s, as well as William Finn's "Falsettos," another big favorite.) |
warriorsavant
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4:52p |
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warriorsavant
|
8:24a |
They're back
Last night we welcomed home one of my units. It was a small unit which had spent a hard year in Iraq. We formed what was basically a receiving line at the base of the stairs leading off the airplane at Mcguire AFB: my boss (aMajor General), me, 2 other Colonels, 2 Sergeants-Major, a chaplain, and a couple of other officers. Most of the people getting off the plane were from other units, but we were there for all of them: applauded as they came down the stairs, shook their hands, and welcomed them home. I'm sure the older ones, especially ones who'd deployed before, didn't really care; but some of the younger ones were clearly touched. Likely, many of them had never even seen that much brass up close, much less shook their hands. They had had a hard year, and you could see they appreciated the welcoming.
I'm pretty jaded about such things, but I do remember demobilizing from my first deployment (Desert Shield/Desert Storm in '90). There wasn't much to it - a day or two of basic paperwork, a brief mass ceremony, and everyone filed out. As we left the auditorium, the admin officers were giving us some routine award (I think National Defense, which is for any active service during wartime). I took it and automatically said "thank you." The Major looked at me, shook my hand, and said, "No. Thank you." I was touched. It was silly, since it was really kind of pro forma, but I appreciated that someone shook my hand and said thank you.
Later, we had a small ceremony just for our Soldiers. Kept it short (no one wants to sit through something long-winded) but heart-felt. The CG and I and the unit Commander made some short speeches. We presented each of them with a flag, and had some refreshments. They still have to finish the demob process (3-7 days of paperwork and physical exams and turning in gear), but their families were there, and they are back on US soil. And their families and their whole chain of command were there to let them know how much they were appreciated.
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| Sunday, November 8th, 2009 |
nounsandverbs
|
10:36p |
Fun With Normal Children
OK, today the kids were beastly. So I think it best to remind myself -- and you -- of why they're awesome. 1) I I introduced them to the classics recently. They watched Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Lest you be horrified that they're too young, let me hasten to add that the sexual innuendo went right over their heads. But they're quoting the Knights of Ni and the killer rabbit -- all the funny bits. Fills me with pleasure and pride. 2) So Kt and I were discussing that meme answer I gave, about people asking if the kids know who their real parents are. So on the total spur of the moment, I turn to Jack and say: "You know who your real parents are, right?" Without missing a beat, he says: "Sure. Kt and Jeff." :) |
sharon_masters
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7:26p |
Poor folks eating at home.
MACARONI AND GIN 1 (8 oz.) box Kraft Macaroni and Cheese Mix
1 Fifth Beefeater's Gin (or equivalent)
1 bag of pretzels Empty macaroni mix into medium saucepan. Heat over low flame. Pour 8 ounces gin into a large Mason jar; drink. Stir macaroni. Turn on tv. Refill Mason jar with gin; add ice (optional). Have someone else stir macaroni. Open pretzel bag; eat contents. Discard macaroni. Turn stove off next morning upon awakening. Note: Tequila may be substitute per preference (for the macaroni). |
purpura
|
9:56p |
365:09
11/08 Pin the odd item on the baby. My friends have cool baby showers!  Current Mood:  tiredCurrent Music: 5th Element |
nounsandverbs
|
7:16p |
Get Mike Myers on the Phone.
Your result for The Useful Relationship Skills Test... Love Guru91% Knowledgeable! 
Wow, um, OK, sheesh... you sure know your relationship onions. And, speaking of onions, you're aware that people are very complex, with many layers and hidden motivations: an outburst is generally a cry for help, speaking of a universal need to be loved. Your partner fussing over you is not a sign of your incapability, but their care. An action may have more nuance and meaning for both parties... you know better than to be taken in by mere surfaces. I'm guessing you're the type of person who can see beyond the superficial, and have a depth of understanding for how people work. Play your winners: develop this awareness... don't stop at this online quiz. At the end of the day, it's one thing to ace a test & "get the answers right" in some abstract forum, and quite another to put into practice, by word and deed, those actions and attitudes which show another human being how much we understand and care about them. Our capacity for loving-kindness, intimacy, and change is infinite. Being well-developed in the art of human relations will hold our partners close to us, fulfilling our lives and filling our days with good memories. Our health & happiness depend on it.
Take The Useful Relationship Skills Test at OkCupid |
warriorsavant
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8:33a |
Traveling in uniform
I usually don't travel in uniform, even on Army business. Official guidance has gone from: "don't travel in uniform domestically," to "do travel in uniform domestically," to "do what seems best." Since I come/go from outside the US, I usually don't travel in uniform. Saves a lot of discussion, although the few times I've come back into Canada in uniform, hasn't been a problem. ("Purpose of your trip to Canada, sir?" "Advanced guard of invading force." "Okay. Welcome to Canada, have a nice stay.") With the recent events at Ft. Hood,* I felt it was better if I did wear my uniform on the flight. People needed to see it. Had some very amusing (to me) discussion with airport security in Montreal ("I don't understand, you are in the US Army but you live in Montreal?" "Sir, if you think it is confusing to talk to me, you should try being me.") There were no problems. As usual, a few people in the US shook my hand and thanked me for my service. It's always a little embarrassing but a little touching at the same time. In my mind, I'm not doing anything special - I'm just me, a guy doing his job. Still, I appreciate the small courtesies and gestures of appreciation, and as I said, after the event at Hood, people needed to see us out there. * For some further discussion of the events, see: http://warriorsavant.livejournal.com/188161.html?view=253953#t253953 |
nounsandverbs
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3:49a |
So besides utterly failing to do memes ( fireglideflht, I'll get you some questions today, I swear) and openly propositioning the entire Internet with that Writer's Block answer, I've been doing more mundane things as well. Work is relatively straightforward this weekend. How could it not be, with election night and the World Series in the past? (Note to everyone in America: I'm still not discussing health care. I agree we should have some. I'm not sure this bill will give it to us. I'm not sure what other bill would. The only thing I'm sure of is, there ain't no such thing as a free lunch, so whatever we get, we'll be paying for somewhere. That's fine, if we decide it's worth it. And that is the extent of my political discussion for today.) When not at work, I've spent much of my time thinking about my car. That's no surprise. My body spends three hours a day in the car, so why should my brain not spend at least that? That noise I thought was a wheel bearing, appears to actually be one of the back tires going. Which is a great excuse to get a new pair of Nokians for the front and put the new-ish front tires on the back. I'll be doing that tomorrow, thereby getting my car ready for the snow. While waiting for my car, I'll be spending my time as I've spent much of my free time the past few days: plugged into the iTouch. Since we all seem to name our computers around here, I've named this one: the Sacred Dagger of Ajanti. (Because I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I want the kniiiiiiiiiiiiiife.) This little machine has taught me something about myself. It's taught me that 8 gigs are not enough to store the albums I consider absolutely essential. Seriously, once I'd put the complete works of the Beatles, New Pornographers, Big Star, Tegan & Sara, XTC, Aimee Mann, The Replacements, and Steely Dan on it, there wasn't much room for anything else. I couldn't even fit all of XTC -- to get "Skylarking" on there, I had to trade off another album. I even had to cut into my beloved Beatles. (Because, let's face it, I'm never going to suddenly get the urge to listen to the "Yellow Submarine" album while on the road.) And I'm still waffling on whether it was worth it to put the Firesign Theater albums on it, but leave off Shelley Berman and Bill Hicks. Or perhaps I should lose some Firesign in order to gain a little Sondheim. These are the things that occupy my mind, driving out the thoughts that are actually valuable. (And of course it's all a moot point, because I can tweak Ajanti's contents to my heart's content.) I think this piece of technology will not go the way of others I've bought, such as that PalmPilot I got years ago and barely used -- because Ajanti does the things I would normally be doing anyway. I still find that double-thumbed typing exceedingly annoying, but I'm sure I'll get used to it. And -- and this is the important thing -- I wrote the next scene of the book on it while I was at Celia's orthodontist appointment last Thursday. Awesome. Not that I spend ALL my time on technowankery. I don't. I work, come home, hang out with the kids, have dinner with the family -- in last night's case, chicken and apple curry -- and go to sleep. Tonight, I think, will be a grill night. My esteemed mother-in-law gave us a great present for the anniversary we forgot: a whole beef tenderloin. She figured -- correctly -- that what K and I most enjoy is not going out by ourselves, but being ourselves within our bizarre family. So we'll carve up the tenderloin into filet mignon, and I'll grill it up tonight, and we'll sit there and let it melt in our mouths. Remind me to pick up some HP sauce on the way home. |
| Saturday, November 7th, 2009 |
sharon_masters
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11:43p |
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purpura
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8:48p |
365:09
11/06 Letting Charlie play with the camera and he gets a good shot!  11/07 All the kids and a Backhoe.  Current Mood: chipperCurrent Music: Iron Man |
nounsandverbs
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6:00p |
Writer's Block: Opposites attract (sometimes)
I think all you need for a successful relationship is two people who have basically the same ideas about relationships in general. If one person thinks, "Any difficulty can be overcome with time and perseverance," and the other thinks, "If you're not happy, get out quick," that doesn't bode well for the long-term strength of the relationship. But interests change in the course of a relationship. When I met K, my main interests were coasting through college, smoking pot, playing in bands, and getting laid. And I achieved all four, but obviously I haven't made a lifetime career out of all of them. :) K's interests have similarly changed as she's grown up and grown into herself. As I've mentioned in the past, my wife and I have very few of the usual things in common. We do, however, speak a language all our own, comprised of quotes from movies and standup comedians no one else has ever heard of -- and trust me, even that is enough to keep a relationship alive during times of crisis. I don't need to be with someone of similar political or religious beliefs. Look at my household: we celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Samhain, Yule, Lunar New Year, St. Patrick's Day, trees, flowers, and Isadora Duncan. (Wait, the last three were a quote from "Bull Durham." Sorry about that. Anyway, the kids love all those holidays, while also feeling solidly grounded in their own Jewish heritage.) As for political beliefs -- mine consist of "most politicians suck." So no matter what your beliefs are, I'm bound to disagree with you on some point or other. Not a good thing to base a relationship on, for me at least. I am, however, interested in the full range of humanity. All my life I've been drawn to unusual people -- weirdos, dorks, nerds, freaks, motorheads, geeks, sluts, bloods, wastoids, dweebies, dickheads ... I'm quoting again. Anyway, don't ask me why I'm drawn to that. My own upbringing was as normal as it gets. But considering who I hang out with these days, it takes a lot to even light the dials on my Weird-Shit-o-Meter. Even when new and different people have scared or threatened me -- and at times they have -- I've found that knowledge helps. I like to know people. I'd like to know you, if you let me get close enough. And one day, you too can wind up in my novel. Don't worry, I'll blur out your face and change your name. |
sharon_masters
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2:01a |
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