Notes From The War Room

Blown by Every Wind

This is a page for my small observations, thoughts, likes, dislikes, recommendations, blinding flashes of the obvious, and full-on shots across the bow which I can't help but share.  

My direction for this page comes from what Hemingway told Fitzgerald - Go on and write, and write truly, no matter what.  It will probably be filled with my tongue-in-cheek nonsense, unsupportable opinions, incorrect conclusions, and frivolous observations.

I hope this will be more of a Blog than the old Journal Page I've had since 2001.  I still keep my journal going but it is unposted.


NASA Graphic

Hello!  It's great to hear from you!

After months of nothing (gibberish, actially), Voyager-1 began responding with solid scientific data.  NASA engineers sent a fix.

Those NASA cats are Smart!

I think I may need to send something like this to a few of my friends.

"Hey!  I know you're out there doing your thing, but a quick word from you would be nice.  No, facebook posts are not the same."


They are probably thinking the same thing.

Wednesday, 24 April 2024

for Sylvia Lynne, James Carey, & Patti Jean

Dirge without Music by Edna St. Vincent Millay

I am not resigned to the shutting away of loving hearts in the hard ground.

So it is, and so it will be, for so it has been, time out of mind:

Into the darkness they go, the wise and the lovely.

Crowned with lilies and with laurel they go;

But I am not resigned.


Lovers and thinkers, into the earth with you. Be one with the dull, the indiscriminate dust.

A fragment of what you felt, of what you knew, A formula, a phrase remains, but the best is lost.

The answers quick and keen, the honest look, the laughter, the love, They are gone.

They are gone to feed the roses.

Elegant and curled Is the blossom. Fragrant is the blossom.

I know. But I do not approve.


More precious was the light in your eyes than all the roses in the world.

Down, down, down into the darkness of the grave

Gently they go, the beautiful, the tender, the kind;

Quietly they go, the intelligent, the witty, the brave.

I know.


But I do not approve.

Tuesday, 23 April 2024

What I'm Watching - Suggestions Update

Sunday, 21 April 2023

Circadian Rhythm

At the suggestion of my niece Heather, the purveyor of all health information for many of us, I listened to my first episode of Huberman Lab this morning.  I chose his March 2023 episode on Intermittent Fasting.

I was impressed.  I learned about time-restrictive eating, solidifying my belief that this is good for me.

Based on this podcast, I've made a few changes to my plan, adjusting it to circadian rhythm.

I'm looking forward to learning more from this guy.  His Sleep series with DR. Matt Walker is fantastic as well.



Saturday, 13 April 2024

Fish Tacos

I'm a Fish Taco fan.  There is a Mexican restaurant in Lexington, Virginia, that creates what I call Gourmet Mexican.  Muchacho Alegre is not your basic Speedy Gonzales place; everything Chef/Owner Marco makes is amazing.

My three favorite dishes are the California Burrito, The Steak and Baked Potato, and the Fish Tacos.

Marco's Fish Tacos have spoiled me.  I have looked all over Virginia for something comparable.  I'm disappointed every time.  I have stopped ordering them anywhere other than Muchachos.

If you are in Lex Vegas or on I-81.  This place is worth a visit for the best steak in town, the biggest burrito I've ever seen, and the Fish Tacos.

Seriously, get the Fish Tacos and dip them liberally in the sauce.

Friday, 12 April 2024

Here Comes The Moon, da-da-da-da, and I say, It's Alright

This morning, I saw a graphic of how the eclipse will look here in Virginia.  The background instrumental was of an old song, Here Comes The Sun, by some bubble-gum group in the '60s.  Maybe it was the 1910 Fruitgum Company. Could have been the Archies.

What a stupid song choice.

The Sun will be up there, doing what it does.  As the Earth spins, it will cross the sky.  The MOON will be moving between the Earth and the Sun.

The MOON is ECLIPSING the Sun!

Today is a big day for Luna; don't spoil it for her by being ignorant.

Based on weather forecasts, Kady, SS, and I stayed home instead of driving to Indiana.  Well, as it turned out, Indiana was clear most of the day and during the event.

I'm not bummed about it.

We watched the show in our backyard and on NASA TV and then walked back into the house - no driving, no traffic, no hotel bills, and no crowds.

Kady made Burritos.

Then, I took a nap.

Today took me back to the time Dad took my brother Don and me to Perry, Florida, to see the 7 March 1970 total eclipse.

About The 1970 Eclipse

Besides the name of the town, there are only a few things I remember about this trip - the day was completely overcast, the sky getting dark and the birds going to roost, and driving part of the way home while Dad slept.

Doing a little homework, I found that the eclipse was to begin at about 1340 EST.  Back then, the drive would have taken six hours, losing an hour when we left Alabama.  We probably left the house around 0400 that Saturday morning.

Though the eclipse was disappointing, the day was quality time with Dad.  He gave all three of his sons a love for the cosmos and was our finest teacher.

In my brother Jim's words, " I grew up in a household informed by my father's insatiable hunger for knowledge.  One of those that Tom Brokaw referred to as The Greatest Generation, veterans of the Second World War, he went to college on the GI Bill and his own enterprise.  After earning a degree in Physics he became a high school teacher.   . . . he left teaching when industry offered to double (his salary). but he continued to teach his sons . . .  Many nights were spent outside in the yard gazing through our telescope at the heavens, speculating about what lay beyond the earth.  We watched every televised NASA mission.  (We) loaded the car to drive to more advantageous sites to observe a solar eclipse or bundled up against the winter cold on the top of a mountain to gaze at every interloping comet that passed by. "

Monday, 8 April 2024

Cookie, a few Years Later.  What a loss.

Angry American Music

Sometimes I glimpse how small my bubble is now that I'm retired.  Yesterday, I saw a news article about people trying to cancel singer, Aaron Rogers.  Of course, I looked him up and listened to his music.

This cat is saying all the things I have been thinking.  He's been out there a while but I am just discovering him.

You have to love a guy who calls out flag burners, Springsteen, monument removal, and pseudo-Americans who don't like America . . . in one song.

Friday, 5 April 2024

Bill The Cat for President

Let Me Get Political for a Moment

Seriously, America!  Is this the best we can do?  

Once again, we're left choosing between two evils - between two old men depriving their villages of good idiots.   These two ass-clowns have no business running a McDonald's much less a country.

However it goes this November, it is going to be a shit show.  We can expect four more rough years, from which we may never recover.

We need some real men and women of integrity to stand up, young people of principle and intelligence.  Statesmen.  Selfless Servants.  Where are our men like Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt, and Reagan?

We need term limits.

If there was ever a time when we needed a third party, now is the time.

I friggin hate politics and politicians.

Wednesday, 3 April 2024

Can you spot the horses?

OK, So.  About all those Horses at Corolla

I am a Diane Lane fan. I watched Nights in Rodanthe.  Since then, I have wanted to see and photograph the wild horses on the Outer Banks of North Carolina.  So, We planned a trip.

News Flash: THERE ARE NO HORSES AT COROLLA.

They are thirteen miles up the coast, around Carova Beach. You must take a tour or have a 4x4 vehicle. They are NOT in walking distance.

They feed in the swamps and dunes.  You can't go there.  They mostly come down to the beach in warm weather as a respite from the insects.  They hang around the houses.  This is where the horse tour people find them.  Tours piss off the local homeowners who formed a "committee" to enforce the Horse Rules and No Trespassing areas.  Horse Tours Suck signs abound in these areas.

U. S. Fish and Wildlife considers the horses an invasive species. The locals love them as a tourist attraction.

The wild horse issue is a big ole mess. Go to Corolla for the beach, the birds, the bars, the food, and the OBX vibe.

Friday, 29 March 2024

Photo From the Web @ Fox54 News Huntsville

Auburn Wins The NCAA Basketball SEC Championship

After destroying South Carolina by thirty-one points and beating Mississippi State by seven, Auburn beat Florida by nineteen points, clenching the SEC men's title.  It was fun to watch, except for the injury of Micah Handlogten; poor kid.  Good Luck to him.

So - 4-seed Auburn will play 13-seed Yale this Friday.

Later:  We lost to Yale.  Great Season.

Sunday, 17 March 2024

Put This on Your Phone

Here is another app that I find handy -

LightMeter by David Quiles works with your phone's amazing internal light meter to give you spot and area readings, helping you choose settings to expose that first camera photograph, first time, every time.

It is available on the Google Play Store and The Apple App Store.  Thank me later.

Friday, 15 March 2024

Get You a Bunch of These

Ferro makes these little nuggets for the gods, but you can get them from Amazon.  Don't sweat the price, they are worth every penny.

I discovered these when we stayed at Hotel Peter and Paul in NOLA.

They are little bits of heaven made of milk chocolate and bittersweet dark chocolate, with a super sweet liquid espresso center, and sprinkled with fairy dust.

Thursday, 14 March 2024

Taking My Shit and Going Home

I'm taking a break from Facebook.  I've deleted X.

I've taken down my content and deactivated my account.  I'll keep using Instagram (That's where my Turk Friends are), but I've purged a few people from it.

Nuff Said.

Wednesday, 13 March 2024

If a tree falls in the forest, and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?

Is anyone reading my site?  I could go to my site's Reports to see how many Clicks it is getting, but that would be like worrying about how many Likes I get on a Facebook post.

Every day, I am reminded that this site is great for ME.  It lets me write, burn off steam, and record my days so that I can look back.  It is a place to hang my photos and document my family research.

That it is posted and Out There, is enough.  Like a cat in an internet box, it waits to be opened. 

Saturday, 9 March 2024

Simona Wins, Again!

Finally, the Court of Arbitration in Sports has cleared Simona Halep for Immediate Return to Play and awarded her 20,000 Swiss Francs from the ITIA, idiots that they are, for her legal fees.

My boycott of Professional Tennis can end.

Her Instagram Post - Here

Her first Match was in Miami against Badosa.  Paula won, but my Simona played well.  This may take a while.

Wednesday, 6 March 2024

Updated Wednesday, 20 March 2024

Dune 2

I highly recommend this great movie.  This second installment of the movie was thrilling.  It must be seen on the big screen.  Don't wait.  Long Live The Fighters!

" . . . take the most special care that you locate Muad'Dib in his place . . . Arrakis, the planet known as Dune, is forever his place." ~ Princess Irulan

Sunday, 3 March 2024

Cheating Death

Radiolab is in decline.  

In their 9 February episode, producer Maria Paz Gutiérrez explores ways to cheat death, putting together a team of experts to tell us why she can't.  The episode repeatedly asks the question - Why do we have to die?

Let me save us all some time here - We will die.  There is no getting around that fact. it.  All things die - plants, animals, people, stars . . . even the Universe.  It is the circle of life.

Why not name the episode You're All Gonna Die and This is Why?

Dear Radiolab.

Stop trying to be clever.  Listen to Argentine Invasion to remind yourself of what you once were.  Come Back To Me!

P.S. I rate Ingmar Bergman's Seventh Seal right up there with Planet Nine From Outer Space and Dudley Moore's 1979 The Hound of the Baskervilles as The Worst Movies Ever.

Friday, 1 March 2024

With my new Canon AE-1 Program, Izmir, 1985

Photographer

Taking a big step, I am calling myself a "Photographer."

My attitude toward the term changed while out West.  A "professional photographer," while viewing my stuff, was very, maybe politely, complimentary of my work.  Looking at her site, I loved her work, though I believe my photos are . . . uh . . . better.


Webster defines a photographer as "one who practices photography, especially one who makes a business of selling photos."


I have dodged the term for years, calling myself a Photo Hobbyist, which certainly is true - Photography is my hobby.  I chose that term because photography is not my job.  Looking at the work of people who call themselves photographers, I no longer need to diminish my photos with a lesser term.


Let those who make a living with their camera call themselves Professional Photographers.


I am a Photographer.


What's next?  Will I call myself a Writer?  Astronomer?  Historian?  Probably not.

Tuesday, 27 February

Photo by my niece, Heather - @heatherhoskin

Sky-gazing at Seventy-One

MY sister-in-law asked me for my help with two things while we were in Peoria, AZ - Fix her telescope and show her how to work her new camera. 

The camera, a Canon EOS R, was easy.  All I had to do was charge it and then show her where the controls were in the menu.  To facilitate her first shoot in Jerome the next day, I set the ISO for 100, the White Ballance for sunlight, and set the mode to Program.  She's a fine, school-trained photographer, so I knew camera settings would come naturally to her as she went along.

The Telescope was a different matter.  Her great-grandchildren had knocked it over and parts were everywhere.  Once I had it repaired and reassembled, I aimed it at Jupiter and then the moon, showing everyone in the family.  Both were straight up, so I spent time on the ground, aiming.

The old bones are NOT made for refractor telescopes unless I can get them on a table or something high.  This is why I use a Reflector Scope.

This scope is pretty amazing.  It can mount a cell phone on its side for objective finding and it comes with a mount to take photos with a phone camera.

I took this daylight moon shot with it - adjusted with PS Elements 2024.

Sunday, 16 February 2024

A Chance Burger

I had my first In-nd-Out Burger in Texas when I took the Trap and Skeet Team to College Station for a Shoot.  That year, we had a young lady, Chance, from Washington and Lee University on the team.  She was from California.

After I picked up the team at the DFW, she insisted on stopping at In-and-Out for dinner.

Winner!  Everyone loved it.

Since then, I go there every time I'm out West.  I crave them.  Since the demise of Milo Burgers, these are my favorite chain burgers.

I wrote to Chance, @chancemillie, to say Thank You.  She wrote right back, envious.  She lives in Tampa.

Wednesday, 14 February 2024

On the set of Giant, 1955/6 with her Rolleiflex

Elizabeth Taylor, Photographer

The Hotel Paisano in Marfa, Texas, has hung Movie Stills and candid photos from the making of the 1963 movie Giant throughout the halls.  This one caught my eye.

Rock and Liz are sitting on the hood of a car.  She is holding a Twin Lens Reflex (TLR).  Googling, I found other photos of her with a Rolleiflex.  Good Choice, Ms. Taylor.

I want to find examples of her photography work.

A cursory look on Google brought up some interesting information about photographers who had worked with her, but, nothing of hers.

Thursday, 8 February 2024

Photos from the Web of Elizabeth Taylor with Camera

IFTTT

While discussing with Kady the issues that divide us as Americans, I had a thought.

What if we treated each issue like a computer problem?

That will only work if we look at each issue logically and remove religion, emotion, and prejudices from the equation.  First, we set our default position.  Next, we apply conditions (If This, Then That) for inevitable circumstances.

I need to think each out and frame them as Decision Matrixes, something like this -

Tuesday, 30 January 2024

I could keep going, I think you get my drift.

Updated: Tuesday, 9 April 2024

Let the Planning Begin

 We've just decided on Louisville for our trip to view the 8 April 2024 Total Solar Eclipse,  Kady has already rented a little bungalow.  Me?  I'm looking forward to tasting bourbon, buying a personalized Louisville Slugger, and photographing the event and city.  See you there 7-9 April.

Monday, 29 January 2024

Later:  We've canceled our plan due to the weather.  The entire path of Totality looks like it will be cloudy.  We have decided that staying home for the low possibility of 85% is a better call than driving to Indiana for what looks like clouds.  Bummer.  It was an exciting plan.  Sorry, Louisville.

Updated Tuesday, 2 April 2024

Watch Jesse Stone

I consider the Jessie Stone movies Tom Sellick's best work.

Based on the novels by the late Robert B. Parker, the shows tell the story of the police chief in the fictional Maine coastal town of Paradise.  Chief Stone is a tough-as-nails cop, unbound by strict adherence to the law, who struggles with his alcoholism and his destructive relationship with his ex-wife.

Jesse is a good detective, a crack shot with his 1911, loves younger women, hates bullies, and has a soft spot in his heart for little kids and dogs.  The Music of Jeff Beal sets the tone for this series.  You'll see what I mean.

Amazon Prime offers the entire series.

Begin with Night Passage.  Next are Stone Cold, Death in Paradise, Sea Change, Thin Ice, No Remorse, Innocents Lost, Benefit of the Doubt, and Lost in Paradise.  Then, you can wait with the rest of us for Episode Ten, which Hallmark has been promising since 2015.  Last I read, Tom says he's "working on it."

Sunday, 28 January 2024


Let me not to the marriage of true minds

Admit impediments; love is not love

Which alters when it alteration finds,

Or bends with the remover to remove.

O no, it is an ever-fixèd mark

That looks on tempests and is never shaken;

It is the star to every wand'ring bark

Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken.

Love's not time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks

Within his bending sickle's compass come.

Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,

But bears it out even to the edge of doom:

If this be error and upon me proved,

I never writ, nor no man ever loved.


~ W. Shakespeare, Sonnet 116


Wednesday, 24 January 2024

Türk Kahve by Can Baba

For years, I have been trying to perfect my Turkish coffee.  I've had the taste down for a while, but I have had no success with the foam on top.

I fixed that this morning.

I had Kady order a can of Kurkahve Mehmet Efendi Turkish Kahve from Amazon. Opening the can let me know I had made a wise choice; it filled the whole kitchen with a rich coffee smell.  It took me back to my favorite coffee shop, Matisse, across from my apartment.

I added two heaping tablespoons of Turkish ground coffee, one sugar cube, and two Demitasse cups of cool water in my Cezve.  I added slow heat and got the most beautiful foam.

I spooned the foam into my little cup, reheated the mix, and poured the coffee slowly.

Success.  Holy Cow!  I should open a shop.  I'm super proud of myself.

Oh.  I didn't make a mess, which should keep Kady happy.  She warned me.

Note: Can Baba means Father John, the nickname my younger Turk friends gave me in 2001.

Tuesday, 23 February 2024

Sublimating

Since the demise of David Beaird's Fox TV show, Key West, I have been looking for anything similar to watch.  I loved the show, not just because it was in the Keys, but for the weird cast of characters.

I still watch it.  I have never found anything like it.

Yesterday, I read an article comparing Key West to Northern Exposure, the CBS series running from 1990 - 1995.  This show began when I was in England and was two seasons old when I returned to the States from Turkiye.  I never watched it.

I found the whole series on Prime last night and watched the first two episodes.

Thirty-four years after the fact, I'm hooked.

It doesn't make me want to go live in Alaska, though.

Sunday, 21 January 2024

Native has the fragrance that everyone wants - Girl Scout Thin Mint Cookies!


Goodbye, Chanel, Dior, and Gucci.  Farewell, Yves Saint Laurent and Dolce & Gabbana.  It sucks to be YOU, Versace, and Louis Vuitton.


My wife pointed this product out in Target.  Holy Cow, what a brilliant idea!  Kady doesn't get it and calls it stupid. 


But Why?  Who wouldn't want to smell like COOKIES?  Especially Thin Mint Cookies?  I told her she might as well get on board with the idea because she was getting Native Thin Mint body products for her birthday.  I want HER to smell like cookies.


I shouldn't use these products; I'm too attractive, already.  Imagine if I smelled like cookies.

Friday, 19 January 2024

Harb's Turkey Sandwich

When we first moved to Lexington, there was a small sandwich shop on Washington Street called Harb's.  It became a family favorite.  After trying other things on their menu, I fell for their Turkey Sandwich.  When Harb's closed, I began making their sandwich.  It is pretty simple.

Enjoy.

Thursday, 18 January 2024

Death by Sugar

My daughter suggested we get a cake from Milk Bar in New York for my birthday.

Don't do that.  Ever.

The Cake looked amazing, though it either suffered from its trip or was assembled by Milk Bar's least talented employee.  Those tater-tot-looking things, we found out, are sugary dough tots.  Well, that's what we called them.

The instructions said 1/15th of the cake was a portion and a little over 100 calories.  OK.  How do you cut a round cake into 15ths?  Higher Math!  We opted for four diagonal cuts, dividing the cake into 8ths.

The first few bites were good.  Everyone agreed.  Then the comments turned.  "This is too rich."  "OMG, I can't eat all of this."  "My Teeth Hurt."

I'm no quitter.  I ate all of mine.  By the time I was finished, the massive amounts of sugar in this thing hit me.  I was shaking all over.  My brain felt like it was about to erupt.  I began pounding water, brushed my teeth, and took a Ranitidine.  My headache subsided after about an hour but I was wide awake until Midnight.

The next morning, Kady sent me this - ✅ Marked Safe after Milk Bar Birthday Cake

I gave her instructions for future birthdays - Make me a Lemon Jello Cake or buy a small white-on-white birthday cake from Harris-Teeter.

Monday, 5 January 2024

Vignette by ratatoskr.co.uk

If you're an Android user, there is a photo effects application that I recommend - Vignette.  Though it has a number of fun filters, I use it to take Black and White photos with my phone.  It does a fantastic job, giving my shots an Ilford feel.

Ilford has always been my favorite monochromatic film.

The shot at the right is unadjusted.  Admittedly, the lighting was perfect - early afternoon in January, cloudless sky, and the sunny side of the street.

You can find this app in the Google Store.  Sorry, iPhone people, this is not for you.  My local iPhone person says she has filters for B&W.

Monday, 8 January 2024

Fargo

I'm almost ten years behind the power curve with this post, but I just finished Season 1 of Fargo on Hulu.  My son and daughter-in-law have been telling me to watch it forever.  They know how much I loved the movie.

During our coffee date this past Wednesday, KS sold me by telling me Billy Bob Thornton starred as the bad guy.  I went straight home and binged it.

Just Finished.

It was amazing.  If you've watched it, you know what I'm on about.  If you haven't, you should watch it now.  Don't wait ten years.

I'm going to begin Season 2 tomorrow.  It could be a while before another post.

Thursday, 4 January 2024

I finished seasons two, three, and four over ten days.  Two and Three were great.  Season four was not.  It was uninteresting.  I found someone each season I could cheer for, like Nikki.  Not season four.  I struggled to finish it, wanting more Juno Temple in season five.

Sunday, 14 January 2024

Beginning the New Year RIGHT!

I went to bed at about 10 pm last night, slept in, and wished The Girl Happy New Year this morning.  

I had eggs, grits, and bacon for breakfast, just like Baw Paw Lee taught me to eat them when I was a little boy.  I went for a walk in the cold.

I will spend the rest of my New Year's Day with Kady, in front of our fireplace, and watching football from my reading chair.  What could be better?

Happy 2024

Monday, 1 January 2024

Auburn, We Have a Problem

We have a problem on The Plains.  We have a team with the talent to play with Georgia and Alabama but get destroyed by LSU and New Mexico State.

Maryland is Good!  They lost to OSU and Penn State but played Michigan close at the end of the season.  They beat Nebraska, Rutgers, Indiana, and Michigan State.  Tonight should have been no surprise, but it was to the team, the coaches, and many Auburn fans.

Given everything I have seen this year, the problem is a lack of Pride.  We in the service call it Esprit de Corps.  A First Sergeant once told me that he could destroy my confidence, motivation, and enthusiasm but that he could never take away my Unit Pride.

Coach Freeze must teach and instill pride in his players - The Pride of an Auburn Tiger.  In this mercenary NIL/Portal environment, teaching school pride will be a tough challenge.

War damn Eagle! All In!  Dye Hard!  I believe in Auburn and Love It.

After The Game, Saturday, 30 December 2023

Free Simona

Since 2014, Simona Halep has been my tennis player.

I don't usually watch tennis; that's Kady's thing.  I began looking for someone to follow so I could share the long months of back-to-back tennis tournaments with her.  In a photo from the WTA Singapore Open was an adorable little girl in a blue floral dress.

Great Legs!

I asked Kady, "Who is THIS cute little number?"

John, Seriously? That's Simona Halep, the World #2.

I have watched her since that day.  She helped me become a tennis fan.

The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) has suspended her for four years for doping.  She says she didn't.  I believe her.

She has an appeal with the Court of Arbitration in Sports set for 7-9 February.  I hope they fix this errant and abhorrent punishment, which will end the career of one of the best athletes and most beloved people on the planet.

I'm boycotting all tennis until they sort this out.

Saturday, 30 December 2023

Math?

I don't do math.  I wish I did.  Now that I'm older, more focused, and more practical, I want to know more about it.  My interests have changed.  Where I once spent hours studying the bible, I now invest time in science.  I easily understand concepts and applications but don't have the training to read the proof.  I sometimes wonder what I would be doing if I had studied harder in school.

What to do?

I thought about starting over.  I would have to buy flash cards because I never learned basic math.  I can do it, but I do it the John Way.  I'd have to retrain my brain.  I could buy books on Algebra, Geometry, and Calculus, but learning that would be a huge investment in time that I don't have.  But, is dwindling time a good excuse?  My dad taught himself to read, speak, and write German before he died.

I'll wonder at the beauty of the Universe, enjoy it for what I understand, and marvel at the discoveries being made.  I'll work harder on my other hobbies.  I still need to write my novel.  I could work on my Spanish.

The Fates Have Set My Course

Friday, 29 January 2023

Double Spacing!

I didn't take Typing in school.  Mistake!  I wrote my papers in longhand at the Sergeants Major Academy, and Kady typed them.  The internet has forced me to type - texting, emails, and my website are typing intensive.  I type with two fingers, but I'm pretty fast.  Not long ago, someone pointed out that nowadays, the standard is one space at the end of a period.

What nonsense!  Why?  Is someone trying to save trees one space at a time?  I looked it up.  Sure enough, it has been a Standard since 1950.  I don't know where I got the double-spacing rule.  I'm guessing at the Academy, but I'm not alone.  Google it.

Double space makes reading a lot easier and, at seventy, it has proved an impossible habit to break.  I've tried and failed.  Grammarly hates it, costing me time editing out each extra space.  They will accept either, but if just one is wrong, you get a brown line between all sentences.  It drives me crazy!  Storyworth fixes it for me.  Sadly, I've given up, so you'll likely see a mixture across my site.

Now you know.

Wednesday, 27 December 2023

 These are Grits

Photo from bakeitwithlove.com

A Case for Shrimp and GRITS

Once again, I tried Shrimp and Grits made by a chef who either had forgotten or never knew how grits are supposed to taste.

Perhaps Maryland is too far above the Mason-Dixon Line.

Grits are ground Corn, boiled with a little salt, and, when served, should look like oatmeal.  Some folks (not me) like them with a little butter.  Grits should be white or slightly yellow.

Shrimp-and-Grits is a Thing because the two foods go together, like Ham and Eggs,  Peanut Butter and Jelly.  Cook your shrimp how you want, do your Chef Thing, but serve them with traditional Grits.

I should have known I was making a mistake.  This restaurant's S&G was called Shrimp and Gouda Grits.  The shrimp were delicious, jumbo, and plentiful.  Their sauce, which our waitress suggested I have on the side, was also tasty.  Their "grits" were a sticky Gouda paste, decent, but not Grits.

Grits!  Leave them alone!  Add Shrimp.  Enjoy.  You're Welcome!

Saturday, 24 December 2023

A Woodlawn Legend Dies

Former Woodlawn High and Jacksonville State head football coach, Bill Burgess, died Wednesday, 13 December at the Age of 82.

He was a fine man.  How was he only 12 years older than me?  When I was 18, he was only 30.  He seemed "really old" back then.

Your Mortality is Calling

Are you brave?  Go Here - waitbutwhy.com.  Fill out one of the charts.  I did the Ninety Years in Weeks.  I made a little spreadsheet to save time. 


Prepare to get in touch with your mortality.


I discovered this by listening to Radiolab, one of my favorite podcasts.  In their October 6th Episode, The Secret to a Long Life, a young 30-something experiments with ways to make her days pass more slowly, hoping to make her life seem longer.  She's a mess.


When you fill yours out, I think it may do one of two things - It may scare the hell out of you, making you realize how little time you have left and how much time you've wasted, or it may illustrate what a wonderful life you have had and how much time you have to do MORE fun shit.


I fell in the latter category.  The way I see it, if I live to be 90, I've only lived 77% of my life, leaving me 23% of my life left - 993 Weeks.  That's a lot of living to do.

Thursday, 14 December 2023

A New Swiftie

When Taylor first hit the country stations in 2006, I thought, "This is not Country, but the little girl has talent.  She could make great music when she grows up a little."

Kady and I watched Taylor Swift's Eras Tour today.  She's grown up.  I enjoyed the show and the songs.  For a guy who cut his teeth on the music of the 1960s and 1970s, that is a big statement.

What's funniest about a seventy-year-old man enjoying her show is that I was disappointed she didn't sing "Tim McGraw."

Watch it.  It's less than $20 for a three-hour show.

Wednesday, 13 December 2023

Take your Camera . . . Everywhere . . . Every Time!

I want to begin taking photos of interesting people and send them the images.  I've printed some business cards to give them my website and email address.  If they tell me no, I'll understand.  The world is dangerous.  The business cards are so they can check me out to see that I'm legitimate.  Permission is the key.  I'll shoot adults only and no ladies out alone.

I didn't take my camera or business cards today.  I saw the cutest elderly couple in the whole world sitting on a bench overlooking the lake.  I did take my little Nikon S9100, but without the business cards, I had to photograph them at a distance.

It was a missed opportunity and one I won't make again.

What a Bobo!

Wednesday, 13 December 2023

What I'm Watching

I should become a movie reviewer; I watch enough movies and shows.  Then I think, "Nobody cares what you think, Neely."  Inside the family, though, we recommend shows, music, music, and books.

I watched Leave The World Behind on Netflix today.  It was not great.  It was "pretty good."  It made me want to build a bunker and stock up on food and ammo.

Last night I watched Mob Land on Hulu.  That was a great story, totally worth a watch.

 Sunday, 10 December 2023

Bird York - music you should try


Everyone who knows me knows about my love for the 1993 Fox series Key West, starring Jennifer Tilly, Fisher Stevens, Brian Thompson, Denise Crosby, Leland Crooke, Ivory Ocean, Kim Myers, Jennifer Barlow, Geno Silva, and TC Carson. It was a crazy Comedy/Drama that pushed boundaries with wacky but lovable characters.


Sadly, it only lasted for thirteen episodes but still has a cult following, and you can watch all of it on YouTube.


In the third episode, The Great Unknown, a mysterious young woman, played by Kathleen York, comes to the End of The World. Her character was an instant hit with me. "Let's put it on the table - I hunt, smoke, eat junk food, listen to Andrew Dice Clay, believe in nuclear power, and voted for Ronald Reagan. Still want to take me to bed?"


While on Amazon Music, I heard a song I liked. The artist looked familiar. A quick Google search told me that Bird York is the musical stage name of actress Kathleen York.


Sold! I gave her music a try, and I love it. It reminds me a little of Sarah McLachlan's stuff, though less pop and more soulful. I find myself listening to it all the time.

Friday, 8 December 2023

Coffee

KS and I have a new coffee spot, the First Free Coffee Bar.  It's open, quiet, friendly, and a large is called a . . . "Large."  It's a new place.  We've been there twice and liked it a lot.  The coffee is good, the atmosphere is friendly, and the open space is inviting.

I've had a Cappuccino and a Dark Roast Hot Brew.  Both were yummy.  Sadly, a few people on the web are complaining about the owner's politics.  How about we leave coffee out of the political arena?  Some have also complained that he built too close to The Daily Grind and Starbucks.  I get that and plan to go to the Daily Grind next week, but his business seems to be doing quite well.

We're on a hunt for the best coffee spot in Charlottesville.  Recommendations for our next stop are welcome.

I should print this photo for our next visit.  KS should be their Brand Model.  Then again, I don't want her to become a target for the political loonies.

Wednesday, 6 December 2023

A Note to Florida State

I see you, FSU, you're undefeated in a pretty good conference.  You beat two SEC Teams.

Right now, no one is sure how good you are.  Why was Alabama selected over you?  Strength of Schedule.  You had a chance to come to the SEC years ago, but you chose the ACC.  You made your bed . . .

Here is how you fix it - Beat Georgia.  Yeah.  Beat the hell out of Georgia.  Then you can show everyone what a badass team you are.

Good Luck.

Later Note: Georgia beat FSU 63 - 3.

Sunday, 3 December 2023

Kady's Tree

Each year Kady, my wife, decorates our tree. My job is to set the tree up, put on the lights, and get out of her way. There is magic about to happen and I never want to spoil that.

She collects ornaments, so we get a different-looking tree each year. They are always beautiful. When she did the seven and eight-foot trees, I'm guessing each held over one hundred pounds of breakable things. Her process took about three days.

I had to anchor the tree to the wall each year.

She gets this from her mom who kept a tree up year round. Sylvia had an entirely different style but decorated a beautiful tree.  Now, Kady's daughters are decorating beautiful trees in their styles.

This year, she offered up a lot of her ornaments to her daughters and gave away many to charity. We went through them piece by piece keeping only those to which we are emotionally tied. We switched to a small tree last year which made us happy. I had fewer lights to wrestle but still got a lovely tree. She didn't have to work as hard.

There have been years when we didn't put up a tree and those Christmases weren't the same. Our Tree is my signal to putter around the house singing or listening to holiday music and to begin watching the movies.

Kady's tree is up. I'm ready. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, Y'all.

The Enemy

La Guillotine

505 Advice on Dealing with Mice

If you have mice, don't try to trap them to release in the wild; the little bastards are too smart. Don't use sticky traps; those are cruel beyond measure.  Don't be taken in by their adorable appearance; they are just small rats out to take over your home so they can eat your leftover Halloween candy. 

Get your mind straight - This is War!  It is time to get Mad Dog Mean

Don't listen to your friends who tell you you should deal with them humanely; these little Hannibal Lecter creatures will crawl over the body of their dead friend to eat the chocolate. True Story. They don't care! Kill them quickly and be done with it.

Suggestion - You need to watch the series Station Eleven on MAX, a post-apocalyptic tale with Shakespeare's Hamlet woven loosely through the story.  Smart, emotional, heroic, and uplifting.  You can thank me later.

War Eagle

Yeah, I'm an Auburn Fan.  I have been since I was a little guy, choosing Auburn over that other team, probably to piss off the other members of my family.  Middle Kid.

I call it, "Doing the hard right thing rather than the easy wrong."  Cheering for a team that always wins is easy.  It is always HARD to be an Auburn Fan but the last few years have been particularly tough.

We never know what team we'll get on Saturday - a team that plays Georgia and Alabama tough or one that loses a $1.8 million "get-right game," and embarrasses us all.

Auburn's athletic program is a big mess - only about 50% of the team are Alabamians.  What are the other half?  I'm going with Paid Mercenaries.  This is what NIL and the Transfer Portal have brought to NCAA Sports.

I'm not sure about this Freeze guy, either.   I'm still giving him the benefit of the doubt because he inherited a shit show.   I see some brilliance from the coaching staff but we often get junk like the last play of the 2023 Alabama game.  What The Everloving FUCK was THAT?!?!

Would you like me to design a defense for that situation, Coach Freeze?  I can!

I still Believe in Auburn and Love It. All-In! War damn Eagle!

Thursday, 23 November 2023

Happy Thanksgiving

Most of my family closed in on Maryland yesterday. This morning, we began the day with a family Thanksgiving Day Parade made of my grandaughter's tricycle and other wheeled vehicles. I wanted to take it on the road around the neighborhood, but everyone looked at me as if I had lost my mind. 

After breakfast, my daughter and I were the only ones up for a walk, which was fine with me.    Time alone with her is rare these days. We did a quick three miles.

Now we're watching Macy's Thanksgiving Day unending Parade while the cooks in the family prepare the food. The house smells spectacular. After seeing Snoopy, I retired to the dining room to type.

I'm sure we'll have all the traditional things, but I want the Spiral-cut, Double-glazed, Brown Sugar Ham. We may get to take what is left home. I see future ham sandwiches, ham in my salads, and ham in my omelets. I need to discourage others from eating it while we're here.

Oh, hang on, my son-in-law just put an Apple Pie on the table. I want that, too.  Peanut butter chocolate bars?  Candied Picans?

I wish you a day filled with all your loved ones, as joyous as mine.

Playing Cards

Yeah, I know.  I suck at Cards.  

I've never been a card player, but I get caught up in games since my daughter married a Yankee.  I assume card games are all they have to do up North.

Every night, we play Wizards.  I "get" this game, but it's so fucking frustrating.  Some nights, I'll play brilliantly, but mostly I lose.  I hate losing at anything.

My problem is that I don't know what I'm doing differently between the nights when I blow everyone away and those when I am last.  There is a lot of chance in the game.  You can drive the game where you want if you have the right cards.  You must keep track of what cards have been played.  Your bidding is all about probabilities.

It is easier to bid zero and dump your cards, but you can't win the game that way.

When my plan is working, one of the others will trump a Trick or drop a Wizard.  This happens more often to me because everyone loves to pick on me.

That's IT!  Everyone is picking on me!

Or . . . I suck at cards.

Tuesday, 21 November 2023: Thanksgiving Week Coffee

I'm in Maryland and I decided to leave my Travel Keurig at home.  Big Mistake.

My daughter and son-in-law have a Nespresso.  I've tried Stormio, Odacio, and, this morning, Melozio - fancy Italian names for not-very-good coffee.  Yawn.

My son has pointed out that I am not a Coffee Snob.  Maybe Not.  However, I know what I like.  I prefer the ease of the Keurig and the taste of Lavazza but make French Press, Cuban, and a perfect Turkish Kahve.

I am a Coffee Aficionado.

I never drank coffee as a young soldier but while visiting a family in Istanbul, I drank my first cup of Turk Kahve.  It was wonderful.  It began my love affair with coffee.

Many of my favorite memories are built around coffee but not here.  Not here.

Coffee on the Bosphorus

Burcin at Matisse

Sule Reading my Coffee

My Kahve with Lokum

Saturday, 18 August 2023: A Plea to Auburn

Please, Auburn, let's not go to a bowl game this year. It will be too embarrassing to bear.

Tonight was pure torture for the faithful.  What is wrong on the plains?

Please.  Just Don't!

Monday, 13 November 2023: Site Work

I've been doing a lot of work on the site.  Today, I worked on my Family Tree Page.  It is about 50% there.  Needs work.  The research pages are next.

Saturday, 11 November 2023:  Join Us

Think about this - If you are not willing to serve your nation, who can you depend upon to protect our country and our way of life?

If you live in the United States of America, you are responsible for defending it. All of you.

We Neels have done our part.  It is your turn.

There are many ways to serve, but your first step should be joining the military. Sure, it is tough and sometimes dangerous, but each generation has had to fight and the day is coming, soon, for you.  After your military service, you will be highly recruited for all manner of jobs.

Military service is a great way of life. There, you will meet the most honorable people. It prepares you for life, teaching strong work ethics, leadership, and followership. You will become a member of a team with shared goals and values. You will gain skill sets you can get nowhere else.

If you are going to go, set your sights on being the best. Go Infantry, attend Airborne and Ranger School, and serve in the best units. Special Forces.  Be a Marine or a Navy Seal.

Don't take the easy way out.  Right now, you can get a $20K signing bonus if you sign for six years, another $10K if you're willing to ship immediately, and another $10K if you go into one of the toughest fields. Put that dough in the bank and let it grow.  Don't blow it.

Join us. Become a veteran.  Be one of the 6% of Americans who have stood up and done the right thing.

Thursday, 9 November 2023: The Neel505 Weight Loss Plan

In May, I weighed 245 pounds.  Holy SHIT!  I needed and wanted to do something about that, so I talked to my wife.  My wife is smart.  I knew it all came down to diet and exercise, but how, I asked, should I modify my diet?  She told me to count calories.

I learned that there is a formula for this: Take your target weight multiplied by 12 for your Maximum Daily Caloric Intake.  Choosing a target weight of 200 pounds, I'm allowed 2400 Calories a day.  I tried that for a few days but it seemed like a lot, so I cut it to 1500.  

I built a spreadsheet, of course.

I was religious about logging in my calories, staying in my zone, and going out for my walks.

Boom.  My weight began dropping. I've been sleeping better, my hips stopped aching on my walks, and my acid reflux is gone.

I'm down to 230, but I've hit a plateau.  I've been here for three weeks.  Why?  Because I've been cheating.

Beginning today, I'm back on it.

Wednesday, 8 November 2023: Good Luck

It has come to my attention that you young people want a different America than I do.  That's Cool.  My time here is growing short, so I don't have to worry about that.  As a "Boomer," my worldview is like my music - stuck in the 1970s and 1980s.  No amount of nudging from my people will move me past the Reagan Years.

We tried our best.  We did our worst.  Let's see what you got.

I will just shut my mouth and let you build the society you wish to live in.  Cut those apron strings.  Leave the nest.  Go out there and figure it out on your own.

Good Luck to you and your children.

Tuesday, 7 November 2023: Voting Day Chips

Yes, I voted.  I hope you did, too.  Kady and I walked down to our polling place, just before noon.  You might think that that is what I would write about today.  No.

Today, I would like to tell you about the best chips on the shelf - Late July.  If you haven't tried them, you must.  Let me highly suggest their Mexican Street Corn and Jalapeno & Lime chips.  Holy Cow, they are good!  And, only 140 calories for 12 chips.  Yes Please!  I'm going to try them all.  We get them at Kroger, Harris-Teeter, and Thrive Market.  Normally, I'm a big Doritos fan, but Late July kicks their ass.

Monday, 6 November 2023: 

My old site has been down for over a week due to operator headspace and timing issues.  Frustrated, I gave up, built this little site, published it, and, poof, it came right up.  My wife, Kady, said, "Maybe the Universe is trying to tell you something."  Give up? 

"No . . . Build Something New."

But, Where to Begin?

This is going to take a lot of Time (which I have), Work (not scared of work), and Imagination (uh oh).  Yeah, it'll probably look a lot like the old one; I Have No Imagination.