Seven days folks...this time next week I'll be headed back to VA...fo' shizzle!...and around 4:25 or so driving right accross the bridge in the background of this picture...sweetness...keep a beer cold for me peeps! word...
Monday, May 01, 2006
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Through the grapevine...
So before a game Barry Bonds approached John Olerud, who plays first base and chooses to wear a helmet (as apposed to a regular cap) while playing the field, and said to him something along the lines of – dude, you wear a helmet to play first, I used to play with a guy who wore a helmet at first base - wierd…to wit John responded by saying – yeah, I used to play with a guy named Bonds who had a much smaller head and was skinny and fast, weird huh…
Ok, I made that last part up, but the first part is true – apparently the human growth hormones are a detriment to long term memory…
Anyway – smart money says that Barry will retire sooner than later – I’m talking before this year’s all star break…it’ll be the best for baseball and the best for him…and he’s no doubt under a lot of pressure to shit (hit a bunch of home runs) or get off the pot (retire and disappear until it comes time for the Hall of Fame) from the Baseball Gods…
In other news – me and my major get along fabulously…probably the best working, professional relationship that I’ve ever had – RESPECT – both ways – a beautiful thing…anyway – we shoot the shit randomly throughout the day…from my stories about my young life, my fiascos within fantasy sports, or me giving her nonstop shit about George Mason beating the crap out of UNC in the tournament – we have a good time…
Meanwhile, she has a lot of college stories – she’s a University of North Carolina grad (probably one of the reasons we get along so well) – and she’s pissed me off more than once – whether it be her meeting and watching a game with the DEAN himself, Dean Smith, or the autographed picture of Roger Clemens that she randomly pulled out (he happens to be my baseball Jesus) or the stories of her husband playing pick up ball with Mike (yeah- that one)…anyway – the other afternoon we were in one of our sessions and she started in on a “have I told you this one before” stories…
(A bit of a prelude here – UNC (Dean Smith) has (had) a reputation as not only a school that would recruit and pull some of the best players in the country, but would graduate them as well…I’d say, percentage-wise, UNC (Dean Smith), had more than 90 to 97 percent leave Carolina with a degree…whether it be a regular four-year degree or a player left school to go to the NBA and then returned (in the off-season) and eventually graduated – basically he put degrees in these kids’ hands (taking care of the man and not just raping him for his basketball talent)…which is lovely…)
Now on with the show…
My major attended UNC during Marion Jones’ pre-steroid years, and while Rick Fox (real name Ulrich - seriously, look it up!) was there during his pre-shitlock hairdo days…anyway…so she goes on to tell me about how the Dean was able to ensure to so many degrees (which look GREAT to mothers of potential recruits)…he apparently had a “contract” or at least some sort of gentleman’s agreement between the players that if they left school early then he (“the university”) would get some percentage (something like 10% is what she said) of that player’s yearly contract until they graduated…talk about incentive…but the proof – as they say – is in the pudding…
While in her final year there, one of her friends who dated/knew Rick Fox, happened to see him on the campus during summer semester…what the hell are you doing back here was the obvious question and the nappy head himself spilled the beans and basically said I’ve gotta hurry up and get this degree so coach’ll stop takin’ my money…
Yet another reason why Dean Smith is a shining example of what college athletics should be about…or something like that…ha!
So before a game Barry Bonds approached John Olerud, who plays first base and chooses to wear a helmet (as apposed to a regular cap) while playing the field, and said to him something along the lines of – dude, you wear a helmet to play first, I used to play with a guy who wore a helmet at first base - wierd…to wit John responded by saying – yeah, I used to play with a guy named Bonds who had a much smaller head and was skinny and fast, weird huh…Ok, I made that last part up, but the first part is true – apparently the human growth hormones are a detriment to long term memory…
Anyway – smart money says that Barry will retire sooner than later – I’m talking before this year’s all star break…it’ll be the best for baseball and the best for him…and he’s no doubt under a lot of pressure to shit (hit a bunch of home runs) or get off the pot (retire and disappear until it comes time for the Hall of Fame) from the Baseball Gods…
In other news – me and my major get along fabulously…probably the best working, professional relationship that I’ve ever had – RESPECT – both ways – a beautiful thing…anyway – we shoot the shit randomly throughout the day…from my stories about my young life, my fiascos within fantasy sports, or me giving her nonstop shit about George Mason beating the crap out of UNC in the tournament – we have a good time…
Meanwhile, she has a lot of college stories – she’s a University of North Carolina grad (probably one of the reasons we get along so well) – and she’s pissed me off more than once – whether it be her meeting and watching a game with the DEAN himself, Dean Smith, or the autographed picture of Roger Clemens that she randomly pulled out (he happens to be my baseball Jesus) or the stories of her husband playing pick up ball with Mike (yeah- that one)…anyway – the other afternoon we were in one of our sessions and she started in on a “have I told you this one before” stories…
(A bit of a prelude here – UNC (Dean Smith) has (had) a reputation as not only a school that would recruit and pull some of the best players in the country, but would graduate them as well…I’d say, percentage-wise, UNC (Dean Smith), had more than 90 to 97 percent leave Carolina with a degree…whether it be a regular four-year degree or a player left school to go to the NBA and then returned (in the off-season) and eventually graduated – basically he put degrees in these kids’ hands (taking care of the man and not just raping him for his basketball talent)…which is lovely…)
Now on with the show…
My major attended UNC during Marion Jones’ pre-steroid years, and while Rick Fox (real name Ulrich - seriously, look it up!) was there during his pre-shitlock hairdo days…anyway…so she goes on to tell me about how the Dean was able to ensure to so many degrees (which look GREAT to mothers of potential recruits)…he apparently had a “contract” or at least some sort of gentleman’s agreement between the players that if they left school early then he (“the university”) would get some percentage (something like 10% is what she said) of that player’s yearly contract until they graduated…talk about incentive…but the proof – as they say – is in the pudding…
While in her final year there, one of her friends who dated/knew Rick Fox, happened to see him on the campus during summer semester…what the hell are you doing back here was the obvious question and the nappy head himself spilled the beans and basically said I’ve gotta hurry up and get this degree so coach’ll stop takin’ my money…
Yet another reason why Dean Smith is a shining example of what college athletics should be about…or something like that…ha!
Friday, April 21, 2006
On my way…
Back to the States folks…hooooray! – I bought my tickets this afternoon – two words – Bling Bling! – wholly crap is it expensive to fly back to the EastCoast from here…you’d think I was all the way on the other side of the planet or somethin’! ha!…I can’t say when I’ll be there ‘cause it’s a secret to some – but I will say that I ain’t coming back to Kimchi-land ‘til June – bong!
Anyway – I’m freggin’ exhausted…been a looooong week…just one thing after another – nothing major – just a bunch of little annoyances AND I’ve gotta make sure I knock the magazine out before I fly…here's some of the goings on from the land of the morning calm...
Monday morning I was up around 5a.m. to get ready to go to the range and shoot my M16…good stuff – you’ve got to qualify in order to be “allowed” to take leave so I’ve been trying to get on a range through my unit for a couple months now…never seen such a jacked up situation as how they run the ranges in this unit – simply amazing…anyhow – coordinated with the Special Reaction Team (A group of high-speed military police personnel who are there to shoot to kill and what not at a moments notice) and they let me come out and shoot while they were there – simply put – the BEST and easiest range experience BY FAR that I’ve ever had the pleasure of experiencing since I’ve been in the military… I got there – qualified – and was back before lunch…had I gone to a regular range with my unit – I’d probably STILL be there…good stuff…
So that afternoon I took my new range qualification scorecard up to the unit along with my leave request to turn it in…and they kicked it back…apparently 12 days before I return from my leave my PT test will have passed six months and I would then become “out of tolerance” (while I was still on leave) and this dickhead handed me back my leave form and said I had to take a PT test – fucker…
It wasn’t so much the fact that he told me I had to take one – it’s just the apparent attitude that I couldn’t pass one or that I was somehow trying to jump the system and get over…whatever…
Tuesday morning formation and physical training was cancelled due to the treacherous Yellow Dust…this shit apparently is blown in from the deserts of China and will “fuck you up” – it even made the front page of the paper in D.C. as being one of the worst “Dust seasons in recent memory” - so we were all advised to stay in doors and minimize outside activity…done and done…nonetheless, that night one of my Soldiers goes to the freggin’ hospital because the she apparently developed an allergic reaction to the Yellow Dust causing conjunctivitis – or “eye shits” – and they put her on quarters for 24 hours…amazing…
Wednesday it rained, which was great because it killed all the murderous yellow dust…meanwhile I’m (we’re) in an ongoing pissing contest with a commander from one of our subordinate commands about what I’m going to run in our magazine…he wants his unit’s stuff in the ROK Steady because he freggin’ cancelled the funding for his magazine and now needs pages in ours – to which I respond to my boss with a forceful - yet professional - “fuck that ma’am” ...fair enough…
People all over the Peninsula send me stuff all the time – I read it – look at the photos and give it fair consideration as to whether or not it’ll fit within our pages…the ROK Steady ain’t Rolling Stone or anything, but I do hope to at least maintain the level that we’ve established with our placing in the last Army level competition…that being said – what his unit is submitting is utter crap…like I said “fuck that ma’am”…and she supports my decisions – which is nice…hell, he’s only a one-star general! Ha!
Thursday I made a lot of progress with some layout things in the magazine – I think I like it – not sure – but I think I do…we shall see…it’s training, training and more training – some of the best photos in one magazine that I’ve ever seen and I think it will go over like a champ…anyway – around four o’clock I’ve got an entire office of Soldiers sitting around with their proverbial fingers up their butts (Thursdays are usually a slow afternoon throughout the entire Army)…so I tell them to go home…oooops…
Not six minutes later my major is freakin’ about nobody bein’ in the office…hasn’t needed anything done all day and suddenly at four the sky is falling…so I bring EVERYONE back in – for what basically amounted to them re-inserting their fingers into their respective anus’s…whatever…in turn – the hours of the public affairs office will now be strictly enforced and adhered to…word! In other news – the beatings will apparently continue until morale improves…
Friday I woke up to take a PT test so that I could finally get my leave signed – bastards…I’ve got to do 42 push ups in two minutes and 50 sit ups in two minutes and then run two miles in 16 something minutes…I got down there and knocked out 80 (no shit!) push ups – I did 64 and a half in the first minute (really surprised myself on that - good stuff)…and then slowly pulled off 72 sit-ups…I can’t imagine what would happen if I actually worked out…scary! Ha! – oh, and I passed my run…(shut up)…
So I’m on my way folks – back to the States for a while…should be interesting – especially since it will just be a prelude to when I move back in a couple months…word up! Mahalo…
Back to the States folks…hooooray! – I bought my tickets this afternoon – two words – Bling Bling! – wholly crap is it expensive to fly back to the EastCoast from here…you’d think I was all the way on the other side of the planet or somethin’! ha!…I can’t say when I’ll be there ‘cause it’s a secret to some – but I will say that I ain’t coming back to Kimchi-land ‘til June – bong!
Anyway – I’m freggin’ exhausted…been a looooong week…just one thing after another – nothing major – just a bunch of little annoyances AND I’ve gotta make sure I knock the magazine out before I fly…here's some of the goings on from the land of the morning calm...
Monday morning I was up around 5a.m. to get ready to go to the range and shoot my M16…good stuff – you’ve got to qualify in order to be “allowed” to take leave so I’ve been trying to get on a range through my unit for a couple months now…never seen such a jacked up situation as how they run the ranges in this unit – simply amazing…anyhow – coordinated with the Special Reaction Team (A group of high-speed military police personnel who are there to shoot to kill and what not at a moments notice) and they let me come out and shoot while they were there – simply put – the BEST and easiest range experience BY FAR that I’ve ever had the pleasure of experiencing since I’ve been in the military… I got there – qualified – and was back before lunch…had I gone to a regular range with my unit – I’d probably STILL be there…good stuff…
So that afternoon I took my new range qualification scorecard up to the unit along with my leave request to turn it in…and they kicked it back…apparently 12 days before I return from my leave my PT test will have passed six months and I would then become “out of tolerance” (while I was still on leave) and this dickhead handed me back my leave form and said I had to take a PT test – fucker…
It wasn’t so much the fact that he told me I had to take one – it’s just the apparent attitude that I couldn’t pass one or that I was somehow trying to jump the system and get over…whatever…
Tuesday morning formation and physical training was cancelled due to the treacherous Yellow Dust…this shit apparently is blown in from the deserts of China and will “fuck you up” – it even made the front page of the paper in D.C. as being one of the worst “Dust seasons in recent memory” - so we were all advised to stay in doors and minimize outside activity…done and done…nonetheless, that night one of my Soldiers goes to the freggin’ hospital because the she apparently developed an allergic reaction to the Yellow Dust causing conjunctivitis – or “eye shits” – and they put her on quarters for 24 hours…amazing…
Wednesday it rained, which was great because it killed all the murderous yellow dust…meanwhile I’m (we’re) in an ongoing pissing contest with a commander from one of our subordinate commands about what I’m going to run in our magazine…he wants his unit’s stuff in the ROK Steady because he freggin’ cancelled the funding for his magazine and now needs pages in ours – to which I respond to my boss with a forceful - yet professional - “fuck that ma’am” ...fair enough…
People all over the Peninsula send me stuff all the time – I read it – look at the photos and give it fair consideration as to whether or not it’ll fit within our pages…the ROK Steady ain’t Rolling Stone or anything, but I do hope to at least maintain the level that we’ve established with our placing in the last Army level competition…that being said – what his unit is submitting is utter crap…like I said “fuck that ma’am”…and she supports my decisions – which is nice…hell, he’s only a one-star general! Ha!
Thursday I made a lot of progress with some layout things in the magazine – I think I like it – not sure – but I think I do…we shall see…it’s training, training and more training – some of the best photos in one magazine that I’ve ever seen and I think it will go over like a champ…anyway – around four o’clock I’ve got an entire office of Soldiers sitting around with their proverbial fingers up their butts (Thursdays are usually a slow afternoon throughout the entire Army)…so I tell them to go home…oooops…
Not six minutes later my major is freakin’ about nobody bein’ in the office…hasn’t needed anything done all day and suddenly at four the sky is falling…so I bring EVERYONE back in – for what basically amounted to them re-inserting their fingers into their respective anus’s…whatever…in turn – the hours of the public affairs office will now be strictly enforced and adhered to…word! In other news – the beatings will apparently continue until morale improves…
Friday I woke up to take a PT test so that I could finally get my leave signed – bastards…I’ve got to do 42 push ups in two minutes and 50 sit ups in two minutes and then run two miles in 16 something minutes…I got down there and knocked out 80 (no shit!) push ups – I did 64 and a half in the first minute (really surprised myself on that - good stuff)…and then slowly pulled off 72 sit-ups…I can’t imagine what would happen if I actually worked out…scary! Ha! – oh, and I passed my run…(shut up)…
So I’m on my way folks – back to the States for a while…should be interesting – especially since it will just be a prelude to when I move back in a couple months…word up! Mahalo…
Monday, April 17, 2006
Yummmmmy!
I actually planned on writing a nice post today – but alas, I lost my motivation and said screw it for now…here’s another photo of your’s truly to hold you over – that’s me enjoying some of the tasty goodness that is the South Korean cuisine while out in Seoul with some of the Korean homies - yeah Chop stick kung fu grippa style - take the piece of fresh lettuce - then add the rice - and then the freshley grilled strips of Bagogi (beef) simply marvelous! HA!…anyway, should end up being an informative post – PT Test, Range Qualification, a Letter from the Command Sgt. Major at the War College, and an interesting story about University of North Carolina basketball…oh! AND yellow dust - hooray!...stay tuned!
I actually planned on writing a nice post today – but alas, I lost my motivation and said screw it for now…here’s another photo of your’s truly to hold you over – that’s me enjoying some of the tasty goodness that is the South Korean cuisine while out in Seoul with some of the Korean homies - yeah Chop stick kung fu grippa style - take the piece of fresh lettuce - then add the rice - and then the freshley grilled strips of Bagogi (beef) simply marvelous! HA!…anyway, should end up being an informative post – PT Test, Range Qualification, a Letter from the Command Sgt. Major at the War College, and an interesting story about University of North Carolina basketball…oh! AND yellow dust - hooray!...stay tuned!
Wednesday, April 12, 2006
Thursday, April 06, 2006
HA!
got this email tonight...BONG!
SGT Fincham,
You are on orders for the War College in PA, congratulations. You are also in your reup window and a category that I am really struggling on. By any chance, would you be willing to do a 2 year reup? It would put your ETS date at April 2008. Once you get to your next duty station, you will not be able to reup for anything due to the Time On Station requirements. Please give me a call.
MSG Andrew D. Bevil
Senior Career Counselor
HHC, USATC-K
got this email tonight...BONG!
SGT Fincham,
You are on orders for the War College in PA, congratulations. You are also in your reup window and a category that I am really struggling on. By any chance, would you be willing to do a 2 year reup? It would put your ETS date at April 2008. Once you get to your next duty station, you will not be able to reup for anything due to the Time On Station requirements. Please give me a call.
MSG Andrew D. Bevil
Senior Career Counselor
HHC, USATC-K
Wednesday, April 05, 2006
Finch is off to college…
Well - A - college anyway…
Everyone in my shop that could be put on orders HAS been put on orders in the last week or so…Fort Bragg (Iraq), Fort Sil (Iran – oops – Iraq), an extension here in Korea… so today I went on the Army’s human resources command website and logged in to see if I was on any sort of orders…hehehehehe – and sure enough – I’m on orders to report on the 10th of September…hehehehehe…to where you ask?
To Carlisle Barracks, PA…that’s where…home of the U.S. Army War College…
It boasts being “The premier institution for strategic leadership and for the study of landpower.” – and if that doesn’t describe ME in a nutshell – well – then shit…HA!
And NO, I’ll not be attending the Army War College – jeeeze…that’s for General Officers – basically ANY AND EVERY high ranking leader that will one day very soon lead not only this country’s Army – but the Country itself…
For me though (besides being in a posistion to potentially impress or make good with someone with clout that can hook me up with steps towards my future - of which i have done a bit of already! ha!) I’m thinkin’ – Pirates games, Phillies games, Eagles games, Steelers games, Phlyers games, Soul Games, Sixers games, New York City, Atlantic City, Close to Mom in Richmond, close to friends in B-More, being in Tim and Brietta’s wedding in Kentucky…and ETS in June...Muuuuah! peaces!...please be true…please, please, please, please!
Needless to say (see, I said it again!) I’m very excited…which leads me to this…it HAS to be too good to be true or something…I mean…Finch and “excited” just hasn’t happened in a very long time now…this is a blessing and my honest first reaction (besides smiling until my face hurt) was to just stop for a moment and say thank you to the big homie in the sky…I just pray that this is his handy-work and not some keyboard slip made by someone in Washington who will soon realize the mistake and send me back to the desert…selah…
Very happy, and very excited right now…a wonderful opportunity and a glorious turn of events that the word unexpected cannot begin to adequately describe…so here’s hoping…
OH YEEEAAAH!
Well - A - college anyway…Everyone in my shop that could be put on orders HAS been put on orders in the last week or so…Fort Bragg (Iraq), Fort Sil (Iran – oops – Iraq), an extension here in Korea… so today I went on the Army’s human resources command website and logged in to see if I was on any sort of orders…hehehehehe – and sure enough – I’m on orders to report on the 10th of September…hehehehehe…to where you ask?
To Carlisle Barracks, PA…that’s where…home of the U.S. Army War College…
It boasts being “The premier institution for strategic leadership and for the study of landpower.” – and if that doesn’t describe ME in a nutshell – well – then shit…HA!
And NO, I’ll not be attending the Army War College – jeeeze…that’s for General Officers – basically ANY AND EVERY high ranking leader that will one day very soon lead not only this country’s Army – but the Country itself…
For me though (besides being in a posistion to potentially impress or make good with someone with clout that can hook me up with steps towards my future - of which i have done a bit of already! ha!) I’m thinkin’ – Pirates games, Phillies games, Eagles games, Steelers games, Phlyers games, Soul Games, Sixers games, New York City, Atlantic City, Close to Mom in Richmond, close to friends in B-More, being in Tim and Brietta’s wedding in Kentucky…and ETS in June...Muuuuah! peaces!...please be true…please, please, please, please!
Needless to say (see, I said it again!) I’m very excited…which leads me to this…it HAS to be too good to be true or something…I mean…Finch and “excited” just hasn’t happened in a very long time now…this is a blessing and my honest first reaction (besides smiling until my face hurt) was to just stop for a moment and say thank you to the big homie in the sky…I just pray that this is his handy-work and not some keyboard slip made by someone in Washington who will soon realize the mistake and send me back to the desert…selah…
Very happy, and very excited right now…a wonderful opportunity and a glorious turn of events that the word unexpected cannot begin to adequately describe…so here’s hoping…
OH YEEEAAAH!
Saturday, April 01, 2006
Minister goes into "Dodgeball Rage"
This is wonderful...just classic stuff here...
LIBERTY, Missouri (AP) -- A youth minister was charged with assault for allegedly knocking down a 16-year-old boy and kicking him in the groin after taking a head shot from the teen in a dodgeball game.
David M. Boudreaux, 27, was charged Wednesday with one count of third-degree assault. According to court documents, the incident happened in February at Crescent Lake Christian Academy.
Authorities said the teen missed Boudreaux with one throw but then knocked the youth minister's glasses off with the next.
The boy apologized, authorities said, but Boudreaux pushed him backward, and when the teen got up again Boudreaux kicked him in the groin and left.
The teen suffered whiplash and post-concussion syndrome and had blood in his urine after being kicked, according to court records. Boudreaux later apologized, prosecutors said.
Jeanne D. Hewitt, administrator of Crescent Lake Christian Academy, said Boudreaux had been placed on administrative leave.
This is wonderful...just classic stuff here...
LIBERTY, Missouri (AP) -- A youth minister was charged with assault for allegedly knocking down a 16-year-old boy and kicking him in the groin after taking a head shot from the teen in a dodgeball game.
David M. Boudreaux, 27, was charged Wednesday with one count of third-degree assault. According to court documents, the incident happened in February at Crescent Lake Christian Academy.
Authorities said the teen missed Boudreaux with one throw but then knocked the youth minister's glasses off with the next.
The boy apologized, authorities said, but Boudreaux pushed him backward, and when the teen got up again Boudreaux kicked him in the groin and left.
The teen suffered whiplash and post-concussion syndrome and had blood in his urine after being kicked, according to court records. Boudreaux later apologized, prosecutors said.
Jeanne D. Hewitt, administrator of Crescent Lake Christian Academy, said Boudreaux had been placed on administrative leave.
Thursday, March 30, 2006
Meanwhile, across the
Korean Penninsula this week...
Korean Penninsula this week...
A Blackhawk en route...
Now at the destroyer...
Landing to refuel...
Korean Army Soldiers parking a large tank on a little train...
A beast of a plane - a C-5 Galaxy...
No need to fear - the Strykers are here!...
And the mighty 2nd Armored Cavalry! wahooo!...
Marines take the beach...errrrr!...
2nd Infantry Division blows some stuff up...
And ME - about to jack this lady for her sandwhich at Quiznos! ha!...
Sunday, March 26, 2006
Saturday, March 25, 2006
Arrrrrmy Trrraining Sirrrr!
Some background: The Army is always preparing for events/conflicts that may or may not occur in the future…we call these preparations “exercises”…these “exercises” take place in what we call “the field” which is a place that we “go to” in order to play “war”…Here in Korea we must remain vigilant and prepared to face the mighty forces directly to our north…so without further ado…
I wake up at 6am to be there by 7am for my 12-hour shift which starts at 7:30am…awesome!
Beginning the day/shift by eating breakfast and catching up on a couple news articles after which I reluctantly begin the only mission I have for the day – to ensure that the laptop works and to hook up the external hard drive and ensuring that it works as well…ten minutes later my mission is complete and I’m on break...or whatever…
The computer is “up” and the hard drive is functioning – pheew and it’s barely closing in on 8am…
At some point a major comes up and asks me something I’ve been pondering for two days – “so what exactly are you doing here?” he asks half sarcastically – to which I can merely respond with – whatever my major needs me to do Sir…
The fact of the matter is my lack of a current security clearance has even made that comment a bit of a stretch…
Basically I’m here because I was told to be here…as far as functionality goes though I really don’t exist in this “exercise” they’re attempting to conduct…I can’t go in certain places that they “need” me to go to and can’t see certain things that they “need” me to see…
And for a brief moment myself and this Sir shared the thought and feelings of – then why the hell make you come out here all day…especially on a Saturday…
Alas, it does not matter what common sense suggests – common sense has been overruled – we must all simply “play the game” as it were – and knowing this – the Sir and I grin at one another, nod and continue on about our business…him to his computer and secret squirrel power point slideshows – and me to devouring a book: Rammer Jammer YellowHammer: A Journey into the Heart of Fan Mania…
I guess when the North Koreans get here I’ll just hold up the book as a shield of sorts and let them know – Don’t shoot, I’m a noncombatant!...I really need to figure out how to say that in Hongul…
Here’s the thing – THEY know I’m not doing anything and I KNOW I’m not doin’ nothin’ – I make no qualms about this fact…but the fact remains: they want me here – so here I be! The phrase: an exercise in futility comes to mind…
So today I read, and I read, and I read, and then I took a piss, ate some food and then read some more – I am now on page 188 of my book…hell – at least it’s a good book…gotta look for that silver lining eh!
And so I drag myself back to the crib 12 hours later and get to do it all again tomorrow…word up!
Selah…
Some background: The Army is always preparing for events/conflicts that may or may not occur in the future…we call these preparations “exercises”…these “exercises” take place in what we call “the field” which is a place that we “go to” in order to play “war”…Here in Korea we must remain vigilant and prepared to face the mighty forces directly to our north…so without further ado…
I wake up at 6am to be there by 7am for my 12-hour shift which starts at 7:30am…awesome!
Beginning the day/shift by eating breakfast and catching up on a couple news articles after which I reluctantly begin the only mission I have for the day – to ensure that the laptop works and to hook up the external hard drive and ensuring that it works as well…ten minutes later my mission is complete and I’m on break...or whatever…
The computer is “up” and the hard drive is functioning – pheew and it’s barely closing in on 8am…
At some point a major comes up and asks me something I’ve been pondering for two days – “so what exactly are you doing here?” he asks half sarcastically – to which I can merely respond with – whatever my major needs me to do Sir…
The fact of the matter is my lack of a current security clearance has even made that comment a bit of a stretch…
Basically I’m here because I was told to be here…as far as functionality goes though I really don’t exist in this “exercise” they’re attempting to conduct…I can’t go in certain places that they “need” me to go to and can’t see certain things that they “need” me to see…
And for a brief moment myself and this Sir shared the thought and feelings of – then why the hell make you come out here all day…especially on a Saturday…
Alas, it does not matter what common sense suggests – common sense has been overruled – we must all simply “play the game” as it were – and knowing this – the Sir and I grin at one another, nod and continue on about our business…him to his computer and secret squirrel power point slideshows – and me to devouring a book: Rammer Jammer YellowHammer: A Journey into the Heart of Fan Mania…
I guess when the North Koreans get here I’ll just hold up the book as a shield of sorts and let them know – Don’t shoot, I’m a noncombatant!...I really need to figure out how to say that in Hongul…
Here’s the thing – THEY know I’m not doing anything and I KNOW I’m not doin’ nothin’ – I make no qualms about this fact…but the fact remains: they want me here – so here I be! The phrase: an exercise in futility comes to mind…
So today I read, and I read, and I read, and then I took a piss, ate some food and then read some more – I am now on page 188 of my book…hell – at least it’s a good book…gotta look for that silver lining eh!
And so I drag myself back to the crib 12 hours later and get to do it all again tomorrow…word up!
Selah…
Wednesday, March 15, 2006
For those of you who aren't aware - the Stars and Stripes is the military's main form of a "local" newspaper...one in Germany, I think two out here in the Pacific theater, one in Afghanistan and one in Iraq...ANYWAY...below is what they ran on the bottom half of the front page of today's paper...
Looking closely you will see everyone's favorite skinny white dude (me) hard at work (leaned back in the chair) taking in the whoopin' by South Korea...it was a good time though watching the game with my korean homies...we ordered a bunch of pizzas, and pretty much shut the shop down for a couple hours to watch the game...they had a blast and are proud as hell of their guys...here's the trick though - in South Korea all males must serve at least two years in the military after high school...the majority of the baseball players on this team however, have yet to fulfill that obligation...I found out yesterday - while questioning how a team that any single player on the American team could buy and sell ten times over could possibly beat us - that if the South Korean team makes it to the final bracket of the World Baseball Classic they will not have to join the military...and there you have it...
here is the short story that they put together on the inside of today's Korea edition...the photo is of the gigantic TV that we have in the main part of our office for some reason - which is apparently to watch baseball...I can deal with that...
Monday, March 13, 2006
Some thoughts…
HA! A beautiful day – I was awake around 3:30 this morning for absolutely no reason at all, but couldn’t fall back asleep because my mental has been going into overdrive…so many conflicting emotions and thoughts and images of SO many things – from a horrible person who I once gave my heart to – to… - well someone else who I once gave my heart to…to Duke – to University of Texas – to realizing that it’s now officially the start of March Madness…to the stifling amount of work that I have in front of me this week – right before we go to the field for two weeks…
So around 4 or 4:30 I gave up falling back to sleep and watched the end of the ACC Championship where J.J. was shooting lights out and then on the Texas game that P.J Tucker (Texas’ own guard) shitted on…and then off to formation and off to the office around 6:15… (all the while wondering if a certain so-and-so would pop up on the yahoo messenger before I left)
Needless to say – so I’ll say it (what a horrible phrase huh? “Needless to say” yet it’s always followed up with saying IT – I swear I’ve brought this up before) – I was exhausted by 11am with no end in sight…got So much done today though and just did whatever it is that I do and accomplished about four things at once well ahead of when they were expected to be done AND got to catch the end of the USA baseball team cheat the hell outta Japan (at the hands of an umpire and then SURPRISE SURPRISE – Alex Rodriguez…fun all around) and then I got to see the South Korean team handle the Mexicans – oops – the Mexico team…
Oh, by the way, I’m talking about the “World Baseball Classic” that’s happening right now…the Cubans and Dominicans are pissed due to getting throttled at the hands of a well constructed Puerto Rico team (which apparently is VERY serious in the Hispanic world – the only thing worse would be if all three of the aforementioned were massacred by the Mexicans - oops)…
Anyway – now South Korea and the U.S. team are 1-0 in the second round AND in the same bracket…awesome – EVEN BETTER THOUGH – is that they’ll face off tomorrow – or today if you’re in the States – whatever…
I just found it awesome that the “Classic” has done exactly what it set out to do in initiating a World interest and World competitive spirit with regards to Baseball…I know, I know – nobody back in the States really gives a damn yet – that is until the U.S. almost got knocked out in the first round by the Mounties from Canada…it’s weird how the American culture is so attuned to only getting excited over the possibility of a crushing defeat and massive failing as apposed to supporting THEIR team throughout just because it’s THEIR team…weird…
Anyway it kinda struck me – and now I know that the “Classic” is accomplishing it’s mission…I’m sitting in my office watching the Korea/Mexico game when the Korean pitcher throws a wild pitch which allowed the runner to advance to third…so it’s the top of the 9th with a runner on third and the Mexicans down by 1…strike two…and then a smoothly thrown strike three to end the game – the best part for me though was suddenly hearing a rousing YELLLL from out in my hallway where our big screen was showing the game and a nice sized group of folks had gathered…
It was great - American Soldiers next to Korean Soldiers and civilians whoopin’ it up watching a true World Championship of baseball knowing that our respective teams would play each other the following day for the overall number one seed in the tourney…just good fun folks – at that moment I realized how lucky I am to be able to share this perspective on this experience…unique – no doubt…
Some of my Korean Soldiers who’ve never mentioned any sports related anything around me are suddenly enthralled at the chance that THEIR team could beat the U.S. and possibly win the “Classic.” That’s great – regardless of what happens…and, more so, THAT was the idea behind this mid-march “Classic” – to spark interest and a bit of worldwide camaraderie...so – all that being said – me and my Korean homies are looking forward to tomorrow – we’ll all no doubt set aside regular missions to stare at the TV screen rooting for OUR teams…
It just sucks for them that team USA will thrash mercilessly upon the poor unsuspecting Korean team! – but I digress…Ha!
In other news: the first bracket that I worked ended up with West Virginia, Kansas, UCONN, and Boston College in my Final Four with UCONN winning it all over Kansas...Needless to say (HA!) I'll be working on another "official" Finch-bracket...I'll post before the tourney starts so you can all bask in my glory! rock!
HA! A beautiful day – I was awake around 3:30 this morning for absolutely no reason at all, but couldn’t fall back asleep because my mental has been going into overdrive…so many conflicting emotions and thoughts and images of SO many things – from a horrible person who I once gave my heart to – to… - well someone else who I once gave my heart to…to Duke – to University of Texas – to realizing that it’s now officially the start of March Madness…to the stifling amount of work that I have in front of me this week – right before we go to the field for two weeks…So around 4 or 4:30 I gave up falling back to sleep and watched the end of the ACC Championship where J.J. was shooting lights out and then on the Texas game that P.J Tucker (Texas’ own guard) shitted on…and then off to formation and off to the office around 6:15… (all the while wondering if a certain so-and-so would pop up on the yahoo messenger before I left)
Needless to say – so I’ll say it (what a horrible phrase huh? “Needless to say” yet it’s always followed up with saying IT – I swear I’ve brought this up before) – I was exhausted by 11am with no end in sight…got So much done today though and just did whatever it is that I do and accomplished about four things at once well ahead of when they were expected to be done AND got to catch the end of the USA baseball team cheat the hell outta Japan (at the hands of an umpire and then SURPRISE SURPRISE – Alex Rodriguez…fun all around) and then I got to see the South Korean team handle the Mexicans – oops – the Mexico team…
Oh, by the way, I’m talking about the “World Baseball Classic” that’s happening right now…the Cubans and Dominicans are pissed due to getting throttled at the hands of a well constructed Puerto Rico team (which apparently is VERY serious in the Hispanic world – the only thing worse would be if all three of the aforementioned were massacred by the Mexicans - oops)…
Anyway – now South Korea and the U.S. team are 1-0 in the second round AND in the same bracket…awesome – EVEN BETTER THOUGH – is that they’ll face off tomorrow – or today if you’re in the States – whatever…
I just found it awesome that the “Classic” has done exactly what it set out to do in initiating a World interest and World competitive spirit with regards to Baseball…I know, I know – nobody back in the States really gives a damn yet – that is until the U.S. almost got knocked out in the first round by the Mounties from Canada…it’s weird how the American culture is so attuned to only getting excited over the possibility of a crushing defeat and massive failing as apposed to supporting THEIR team throughout just because it’s THEIR team…weird…
Anyway it kinda struck me – and now I know that the “Classic” is accomplishing it’s mission…I’m sitting in my office watching the Korea/Mexico game when the Korean pitcher throws a wild pitch which allowed the runner to advance to third…so it’s the top of the 9th with a runner on third and the Mexicans down by 1…strike two…and then a smoothly thrown strike three to end the game – the best part for me though was suddenly hearing a rousing YELLLL from out in my hallway where our big screen was showing the game and a nice sized group of folks had gathered…
It was great - American Soldiers next to Korean Soldiers and civilians whoopin’ it up watching a true World Championship of baseball knowing that our respective teams would play each other the following day for the overall number one seed in the tourney…just good fun folks – at that moment I realized how lucky I am to be able to share this perspective on this experience…unique – no doubt…
Some of my Korean Soldiers who’ve never mentioned any sports related anything around me are suddenly enthralled at the chance that THEIR team could beat the U.S. and possibly win the “Classic.” That’s great – regardless of what happens…and, more so, THAT was the idea behind this mid-march “Classic” – to spark interest and a bit of worldwide camaraderie...so – all that being said – me and my Korean homies are looking forward to tomorrow – we’ll all no doubt set aside regular missions to stare at the TV screen rooting for OUR teams…
It just sucks for them that team USA will thrash mercilessly upon the poor unsuspecting Korean team! – but I digress…Ha!
In other news: the first bracket that I worked ended up with West Virginia, Kansas, UCONN, and Boston College in my Final Four with UCONN winning it all over Kansas...Needless to say (HA!) I'll be working on another "official" Finch-bracket...I'll post before the tourney starts so you can all bask in my glory! rock!
Saturday, March 11, 2006
Monday, March 06, 2006
Tooting of the horn...
Well peoples...this is the latest of the ROK Steady Magazine presented by the 8th U.S. Army Public Affairs Office - of which I happen to layout and design - and "edit"...anyway, I'm rather pleased with it overall and can't wait to start getting feedback from all of the dedicated readers of the ROK Steady...ha!
And speaking of feedback - what a segue eh! – the results of this year’s Major General Keith L. Ware Journalism Competition were released late Sunday for you folks stateside which meant first thing this morning for me here in Seoul…the competition is an annual event where the best submissions from various major command areas across the Army (ie: Korea, Europe and a number of regions in the States) are sent to the Department of the Army level competition in Alexandria, Va. There a panel of 22 professionals from the commercial media, academia and Department of Defense Public Affairs community review more than 400 entries in print and broadcast categories.
And – though we didn’t win – I am VERY pleased with myself…er-the magazine-whatever…ahem: in the Magazine Category the ROK Steady pulled in 3rd Place overall out of the entire Army…very pleased indeed…
And not to toot my own horn or anything – fuck it TOOOOOOOOT! – but considering that the mandatory submission that we turned in (you have to turn in one from the date that THEY pick and then one issue that you think is your BEST) considering that it was less than stellar – check it here…I would have to say that a large blame for the strong finish would have to be laid squarely on the pages of the Winter Edition which I tirelessly worked on and was barely able to get printed…So YES…I toot my horn with self-satisfaction…I worked hard and put in a lot of extra hours – even while learning new software on the fly – but it feels good to get a bit of recognition from the almighty “professionals” of our career field…
And hell, the way I figure, if I can help squeak out a third place after only being here for a couple months and on one issue alone – I figure we should definitely be in the running for a 1st Place in next year’s competition if I manage to stay out here ‘til I get out of the Army…just keep plugging away and buildin’ that moneymaking’ résumé…ha! Somethin’ like that anyway…
Previously on the list of Keith L. Ware results for me include a 2nd Place overall at Army-level for when I was the editor of The Monitor newspaper while at Fort Bliss; a 2nd Place in Europe while I was the editor of The Sustainer magazine while out in Germany; and last year I was lucky enough to be on a wonderful staff of the 2nd Place newspaper at Army level – the Turret at Fort Knox…word up!
Maybe I can go out on top this time next year with a 1st Place before I get out of this crazy gig…here’s hopin’! BONG!
(for those of you waiting for the Wnter Edition to arrive in your mailbox you should know that for a while we actually ran out of copies and sent six of our last ten - at the time - to the competition...that being said - you should recieve both the Winter Edition AND the Jan-Feb issue at no extra cost!)
Well peoples...this is the latest of the ROK Steady Magazine presented by the 8th U.S. Army Public Affairs Office - of which I happen to layout and design - and "edit"...anyway, I'm rather pleased with it overall and can't wait to start getting feedback from all of the dedicated readers of the ROK Steady...ha!And speaking of feedback - what a segue eh! – the results of this year’s Major General Keith L. Ware Journalism Competition were released late Sunday for you folks stateside which meant first thing this morning for me here in Seoul…the competition is an annual event where the best submissions from various major command areas across the Army (ie: Korea, Europe and a number of regions in the States) are sent to the Department of the Army level competition in Alexandria, Va. There a panel of 22 professionals from the commercial media, academia and Department of Defense Public Affairs community review more than 400 entries in print and broadcast categories.
And – though we didn’t win – I am VERY pleased with myself…er-the magazine-whatever…ahem: in the Magazine Category the ROK Steady pulled in 3rd Place overall out of the entire Army…very pleased indeed…
And not to toot my own horn or anything – fuck it TOOOOOOOOT! – but considering that the mandatory submission that we turned in (you have to turn in one from the date that THEY pick and then one issue that you think is your BEST) considering that it was less than stellar – check it here…I would have to say that a large blame for the strong finish would have to be laid squarely on the pages of the Winter Edition which I tirelessly worked on and was barely able to get printed…So YES…I toot my horn with self-satisfaction…I worked hard and put in a lot of extra hours – even while learning new software on the fly – but it feels good to get a bit of recognition from the almighty “professionals” of our career field…
And hell, the way I figure, if I can help squeak out a third place after only being here for a couple months and on one issue alone – I figure we should definitely be in the running for a 1st Place in next year’s competition if I manage to stay out here ‘til I get out of the Army…just keep plugging away and buildin’ that moneymaking’ résumé…ha! Somethin’ like that anyway…
Previously on the list of Keith L. Ware results for me include a 2nd Place overall at Army-level for when I was the editor of The Monitor newspaper while at Fort Bliss; a 2nd Place in Europe while I was the editor of The Sustainer magazine while out in Germany; and last year I was lucky enough to be on a wonderful staff of the 2nd Place newspaper at Army level – the Turret at Fort Knox…word up!
Maybe I can go out on top this time next year with a 1st Place before I get out of this crazy gig…here’s hopin’! BONG!
(for those of you waiting for the Wnter Edition to arrive in your mailbox you should know that for a while we actually ran out of copies and sent six of our last ten - at the time - to the competition...that being said - you should recieve both the Winter Edition AND the Jan-Feb issue at no extra cost!)
Friday, March 03, 2006
831 Words...
Well…I guess the first thing that comes to mind is that I – once again – have nothing to specifically to write about…so you all know what that means! – dribble, gibberish and random thoughts/gripes/issues from the Finch…awesome…
First off, iTunes radio is a wonder full thing…I kick it on either at the crib or at work and I can just rock out…anytime…no question…the killer is that if I haven’t heard the song that’s playing I tend to be entranced…and other than that I’m listening to things that I’ve either heard or most likely own and just haven’t dug out in a long time…good stuff…
Which has, of course, led me to get back on track with putting all of my CDs on to my laptop…I’ve been subconsciously putting this off - and putting it off, but have now been forced to travel back through some of the music that has taken me through my time here on earth – more specifically – my time here in the Army…needless to say – so I’ll say it – memories can be great as well as be a bitch…I attempt to deal with both and just reminisce…mmmmmmm
So here’s some quick recommendations – regardless of what you “listen to”: Bahamadia – fo’ shizzle – the only hip hop female voice that will put you in a trance…then of course the Roots, Talib Kweli, Common, High Tek – duh…and then some other stuff…whatever – you’re gonna listen to whatever you listen to anyway – right…
On another topic…a few posts back I voiced my disappointment, or confusion, by my leadership’s decision to tell me to wait on putting the next magazine together…I was on a nice schedule and then told to hold it for a month…well – last week I was told to “go ahead and get it done – NOW!”...BONG!...so suddenly I have half of a 44-page magazine sitting in my lap that is supposed to be “done” all of a sudden…ROCK!...
So late nights and a Sunday spent in the office later – it’s done…very stressed and very worn down by the sudden crunch and toll taken on my mental state and creative section of my brain – I looked forward to a nice respite…alas – it was not to be…
Today – no shit – today, as I put the finishing touches and last “corrections from the command” on the ROK Steady I was informed (by a phone call from my major who called ME via my Staff Sgt. so that he could be there to make sure I didn’t start burning the building down when she told me) that I was now responsible for my soon-to-be-former commanding general’s 50-page “Scrap Book”…oh and that it needs to be done by the 17th…of March…in 14 days…and we haven’t even started yet…HOORAY FOR…well something – but it ain’t anywhere near me folks…
So, after icing my balls for a while, (the kick in the groin stung for a while) I now get to spend my weekend coming up with a “plan” to fill 50 pages with nonsense to make a scrapbook that looks presentable for a three-star general in the U.S. Army…awesome…
Meanwhile, I had decided that I may as well just extend my time here in Korea to match up with my end of term of military service obligation – June 9th, 2007 – rather than go to Fort freggin’ Bragg and deploy back to Haji-land…I’d rather be stressed out by deadlines and request from folks who think that I do good work as apposed to getting shot at by the Haj for merely trying to ensure their safety and the well-being of their country…but hey – that’s just me…but I digress…
The trick here is that in order for me to extend and stay here (which everyone in my leadership – slash – people who my good work makes look good – thinks I should do) I have to go to the shooting range and qualify on my weapon (which I have honestly seen five times and touched maybe three since I’ve been here)…the trick is that I was going to go sometime this coming week – BUT – the general’s scrapbook supersedes all that stuff so Finch ain’t shootin’ nuthin’ for a while…so though they want me to stay and to continue to do the “quality” work that these folks seem to think that I do – the work that they will continue to give me will actually end up preventing me from staying…awesome – and THAT my friends is how the Army works – in a nutshell…enjoy…
In other news: a good friend of mine’s sister very recently died of cancer…WAY to young…I remember almost getting arrested (in my own neighborhood even and subsequently getting grounded ) with her brother on our way to visit her at VCU (Virginia Commonwealth University) for her 19th or 20th birthday…she – and her whole family – is good peoples…(for people back in Richmond that happen to read this I’m referring to HappyAnne – Chances’ sister)
Please keep HappyAnne's family in your thoughts and prayers….Please light a candle to represent the Light, which is HappyAnne…
Well…I guess the first thing that comes to mind is that I – once again – have nothing to specifically to write about…so you all know what that means! – dribble, gibberish and random thoughts/gripes/issues from the Finch…awesome…
First off, iTunes radio is a wonder full thing…I kick it on either at the crib or at work and I can just rock out…anytime…no question…the killer is that if I haven’t heard the song that’s playing I tend to be entranced…and other than that I’m listening to things that I’ve either heard or most likely own and just haven’t dug out in a long time…good stuff…
Which has, of course, led me to get back on track with putting all of my CDs on to my laptop…I’ve been subconsciously putting this off - and putting it off, but have now been forced to travel back through some of the music that has taken me through my time here on earth – more specifically – my time here in the Army…needless to say – so I’ll say it – memories can be great as well as be a bitch…I attempt to deal with both and just reminisce…mmmmmmm
So here’s some quick recommendations – regardless of what you “listen to”: Bahamadia – fo’ shizzle – the only hip hop female voice that will put you in a trance…then of course the Roots, Talib Kweli, Common, High Tek – duh…and then some other stuff…whatever – you’re gonna listen to whatever you listen to anyway – right…
On another topic…a few posts back I voiced my disappointment, or confusion, by my leadership’s decision to tell me to wait on putting the next magazine together…I was on a nice schedule and then told to hold it for a month…well – last week I was told to “go ahead and get it done – NOW!”...BONG!...so suddenly I have half of a 44-page magazine sitting in my lap that is supposed to be “done” all of a sudden…ROCK!...
So late nights and a Sunday spent in the office later – it’s done…very stressed and very worn down by the sudden crunch and toll taken on my mental state and creative section of my brain – I looked forward to a nice respite…alas – it was not to be…
Today – no shit – today, as I put the finishing touches and last “corrections from the command” on the ROK Steady I was informed (by a phone call from my major who called ME via my Staff Sgt. so that he could be there to make sure I didn’t start burning the building down when she told me) that I was now responsible for my soon-to-be-former commanding general’s 50-page “Scrap Book”…oh and that it needs to be done by the 17th…of March…in 14 days…and we haven’t even started yet…HOORAY FOR…well something – but it ain’t anywhere near me folks…
So, after icing my balls for a while, (the kick in the groin stung for a while) I now get to spend my weekend coming up with a “plan” to fill 50 pages with nonsense to make a scrapbook that looks presentable for a three-star general in the U.S. Army…awesome…
Meanwhile, I had decided that I may as well just extend my time here in Korea to match up with my end of term of military service obligation – June 9th, 2007 – rather than go to Fort freggin’ Bragg and deploy back to Haji-land…I’d rather be stressed out by deadlines and request from folks who think that I do good work as apposed to getting shot at by the Haj for merely trying to ensure their safety and the well-being of their country…but hey – that’s just me…but I digress…
The trick here is that in order for me to extend and stay here (which everyone in my leadership – slash – people who my good work makes look good – thinks I should do) I have to go to the shooting range and qualify on my weapon (which I have honestly seen five times and touched maybe three since I’ve been here)…the trick is that I was going to go sometime this coming week – BUT – the general’s scrapbook supersedes all that stuff so Finch ain’t shootin’ nuthin’ for a while…so though they want me to stay and to continue to do the “quality” work that these folks seem to think that I do – the work that they will continue to give me will actually end up preventing me from staying…awesome – and THAT my friends is how the Army works – in a nutshell…enjoy…
In other news: a good friend of mine’s sister very recently died of cancer…WAY to young…I remember almost getting arrested (in my own neighborhood even and subsequently getting grounded ) with her brother on our way to visit her at VCU (Virginia Commonwealth University) for her 19th or 20th birthday…she – and her whole family – is good peoples…(for people back in Richmond that happen to read this I’m referring to HappyAnne – Chances’ sister)
Please keep HappyAnne's family in your thoughts and prayers….Please light a candle to represent the Light, which is HappyAnne…
Wednesday, February 22, 2006
Belated…
I’m such an ass – wrapped up in the nothingness that has become the majority of what I do out here, I didn’t even realize that it’s been a year since the passing of the late great Hunter S. Thompson…oddly enough, I’m reading the collection of his columns that he wrote for ESPN.com’s Page2 (check the right column) which is exactly where I ran in to the good Doctor when I got back to my place after work…they had a little picture of Dr. Gonzo and his wife, Anita, had written a short letter about spending the Super Bowl without Hunter…check it: Anita’s Column …it’s weird cause the book they grabbed to read and reminisce about him is what I’m reading now…and the court case she’s talking about is one thing that has constantly intrigued me since reading it in I think “Songs of the Doomed” and now in “Hey Rube” - felony murder folks - look it up - it's very Bush-esque…anyway gotta respect the man (the Doc that is)…and he always stood for SOMETHING and refused to idly stand by… he lived HIS life the way HE wanted…and, as Anita writes, “as he always said, ‘It’s wrong when it stops being fun.’” Well said Doc…
I’m such an ass – wrapped up in the nothingness that has become the majority of what I do out here, I didn’t even realize that it’s been a year since the passing of the late great Hunter S. Thompson…oddly enough, I’m reading the collection of his columns that he wrote for ESPN.com’s Page2 (check the right column) which is exactly where I ran in to the good Doctor when I got back to my place after work…they had a little picture of Dr. Gonzo and his wife, Anita, had written a short letter about spending the Super Bowl without Hunter…check it: Anita’s Column …it’s weird cause the book they grabbed to read and reminisce about him is what I’m reading now…and the court case she’s talking about is one thing that has constantly intrigued me since reading it in I think “Songs of the Doomed” and now in “Hey Rube” - felony murder folks - look it up - it's very Bush-esque…anyway gotta respect the man (the Doc that is)…and he always stood for SOMETHING and refused to idly stand by… he lived HIS life the way HE wanted…and, as Anita writes, “as he always said, ‘It’s wrong when it stops being fun.’” Well said Doc…
Sunday, February 19, 2006
You tell ME...
"Finally, tonight, the Winter Games. Count me among those who don’t like them and won’t watch them ... Because they’re so trying, maybe over the next three weeks we should all try too. Like, try not to be incredulous when someone attempts to link these games to those of the ancient Greeks who never heard of skating or skiing. So try not to laugh when someone says these are the world’s greatest athletes, despite a paucity of blacks that makes the Winter Games look like a GOP convention. ...for God’s sake, let the games begin."
This from Bryant Gumbel…one of the whitest black dudes you’ll surely EVER see. He’s made no efforts with regards to race relations that I’m aware of and suddenly he’s spouting off about how the Winter Olympic Games are racist due to the lack of black athletes…suddenly he’s “taking a stand.” – Good for him...
Meanwhile a guy from the city of Chicago was busy fulfilling his dream…winning Gold in the 1,000 meters…just a regular guy who worked hard, practiced daily, dreamed nightly and merely smiled and gave a quick wave when he accomplished it all…Shani Davis, after no doubt suffering through years of mental torment and “teasing” because of his choice to try and skate faster than anyone else in the world despite his blackness…Hell, he’s supposed to be playing basketball right? Catching a football or something – right Bryant?...don’t be confused here folks – while he no doubt took a lot of crap from young white kids he most certainly heard the loudest criticisms from what should have been some of his loudest supporters - and friends for that matter - young African Americans…
This racial nonsense just boggles me…a respected young black television personality like Gumbel sits on his rather popular sports show on HBO lamenting the lack of black athletes in the Games rather than taking an opportunity to highlight the Gold Medal potential an athlete of said race…Rather than show the difficulties and struggles Davis went through just to stick to his chosen sport, and rather than highlight the fact that Davis was shooting to become the FIRST African American gold-medalist EVER – he chose to try and steal a couple headlines (which he did) and in my opinion try and label everyone participating in or endorsing the Games as a bunch of racists…I just don’t get it…
About a month or so ago I happened to catch Morgan Freeman sitting down with Ed Bradley on an installment of 60 Minutes…two prominent, well respected Black males…I watched as they touched on many topics and was intrigued by how REAL both of these men were…just regular people while they sat and talked…then, just like sports, or acting or the presidency – race came up…I remember being struck by how poignant and straightforwardly the subject was approached…a line that I’ll most likely remember for a long while came from Freeman… “the best way to deal with race, and racism, is just to stop talking about it.” In essence – the more we talk about it, or throw it around like a weapon of sorts – the more we perpetuate the overriding issue at hand…the more we sit here and use it a reasons or excuses for everything, the more and longer this cloud is going to rest over ALL of our heads…
I guess that’s why all this race stuff just makes me frustrated, confused and PISSED off…frustrated that this crap is still going on - confused that people STILL can't just get passed something so trivial - and pissed that it's just accepted as apart of our daily lives...
And even more so when I watch a young successful black athlete reach his goal while another successful black man is on the other side of the world sitting in his posh home with his white wife trying to suddenly act like he is a voice for the “plight” of the black man when he had an opportunity to highlight the skater’s merits and triumphs…
No doubt though, that as soon as the Games are over Gumbel will bring Shani Davis on his program to wax poetically about what a shining light he is for all the hopeful young black athletes who wish to take part in the Winter Olympics one day…
In other news – a 7-foot-tall white-dude from Germany just won the NBA three-point contest…
"Finally, tonight, the Winter Games. Count me among those who don’t like them and won’t watch them ... Because they’re so trying, maybe over the next three weeks we should all try too. Like, try not to be incredulous when someone attempts to link these games to those of the ancient Greeks who never heard of skating or skiing. So try not to laugh when someone says these are the world’s greatest athletes, despite a paucity of blacks that makes the Winter Games look like a GOP convention. ...for God’s sake, let the games begin."
This from Bryant Gumbel…one of the whitest black dudes you’ll surely EVER see. He’s made no efforts with regards to race relations that I’m aware of and suddenly he’s spouting off about how the Winter Olympic Games are racist due to the lack of black athletes…suddenly he’s “taking a stand.” – Good for him...
Meanwhile a guy from the city of Chicago was busy fulfilling his dream…winning Gold in the 1,000 meters…just a regular guy who worked hard, practiced daily, dreamed nightly and merely smiled and gave a quick wave when he accomplished it all…Shani Davis, after no doubt suffering through years of mental torment and “teasing” because of his choice to try and skate faster than anyone else in the world despite his blackness…Hell, he’s supposed to be playing basketball right? Catching a football or something – right Bryant?...don’t be confused here folks – while he no doubt took a lot of crap from young white kids he most certainly heard the loudest criticisms from what should have been some of his loudest supporters - and friends for that matter - young African Americans…
This racial nonsense just boggles me…a respected young black television personality like Gumbel sits on his rather popular sports show on HBO lamenting the lack of black athletes in the Games rather than taking an opportunity to highlight the Gold Medal potential an athlete of said race…Rather than show the difficulties and struggles Davis went through just to stick to his chosen sport, and rather than highlight the fact that Davis was shooting to become the FIRST African American gold-medalist EVER – he chose to try and steal a couple headlines (which he did) and in my opinion try and label everyone participating in or endorsing the Games as a bunch of racists…I just don’t get it…
About a month or so ago I happened to catch Morgan Freeman sitting down with Ed Bradley on an installment of 60 Minutes…two prominent, well respected Black males…I watched as they touched on many topics and was intrigued by how REAL both of these men were…just regular people while they sat and talked…then, just like sports, or acting or the presidency – race came up…I remember being struck by how poignant and straightforwardly the subject was approached…a line that I’ll most likely remember for a long while came from Freeman… “the best way to deal with race, and racism, is just to stop talking about it.” In essence – the more we talk about it, or throw it around like a weapon of sorts – the more we perpetuate the overriding issue at hand…the more we sit here and use it a reasons or excuses for everything, the more and longer this cloud is going to rest over ALL of our heads…
I guess that’s why all this race stuff just makes me frustrated, confused and PISSED off…frustrated that this crap is still going on - confused that people STILL can't just get passed something so trivial - and pissed that it's just accepted as apart of our daily lives...
And even more so when I watch a young successful black athlete reach his goal while another successful black man is on the other side of the world sitting in his posh home with his white wife trying to suddenly act like he is a voice for the “plight” of the black man when he had an opportunity to highlight the skater’s merits and triumphs…
No doubt though, that as soon as the Games are over Gumbel will bring Shani Davis on his program to wax poetically about what a shining light he is for all the hopeful young black athletes who wish to take part in the Winter Olympics one day…
In other news – a 7-foot-tall white-dude from Germany just won the NBA three-point contest…
Monday, February 13, 2006
Angela…
I found out this afternoon that someone very near and dear to my heart will have to undergo surgery Tuesday…Angela, my beautiful former fiancé, is currently deployed to Kuwait in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (no she wasn't hit by an IED or anything like that)…after a series of doctor visits it has been determined that she will need to undergo surgery to avoid a worse scenario in the future…while it hurt to hear - and know that I’m stuck so far away and can do nothing – I didn’t know what to say…getting off the phone though I realized that I needed to leave the office and go “home”…I became aware as I was leaving that my soul hurts…
It’s a very deep – almost hidden – kinda pain that you know is there, but it slides upon you when you least expect to grab hold…it was all I could do to walk all the way back to my place without crying uncontrollably…kinda like pain that comes along with a bruise…you know it’s there…and when something hits it, it starts throbbing and hurting like crazy…and you try to remember to try harder not to hit it on anything ‘til it’s completely healed…I’m very worried for her, I know this is very hard for her…and it kills me that I am way out here…I owe her much and can do nothing but sit here…but I’m getting away from the point…
Angela is most likely scared, and most certainly going through some pain that my wounded soul cannot compare to right now...you are though, the strongest person I've ever known and I know you'll get through this…I just wish that I could do something for you…I hurt very much right now for not being able to do SOMETHING to make it better Beautiful…
So, for what it’s worth, I ask that all of you (whoever reads this stuff that I write) say an extra prayer for her today, tomorrow – the week for that matter…pray for a successful surgery and a speedy and painless recovery…pray that she overcomes this as admirably as she has with so many other things that she has been forced to cope with throughout her life…
Thank you…
I found out this afternoon that someone very near and dear to my heart will have to undergo surgery Tuesday…Angela, my beautiful former fiancé, is currently deployed to Kuwait in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (no she wasn't hit by an IED or anything like that)…after a series of doctor visits it has been determined that she will need to undergo surgery to avoid a worse scenario in the future…while it hurt to hear - and know that I’m stuck so far away and can do nothing – I didn’t know what to say…getting off the phone though I realized that I needed to leave the office and go “home”…I became aware as I was leaving that my soul hurts…It’s a very deep – almost hidden – kinda pain that you know is there, but it slides upon you when you least expect to grab hold…it was all I could do to walk all the way back to my place without crying uncontrollably…kinda like pain that comes along with a bruise…you know it’s there…and when something hits it, it starts throbbing and hurting like crazy…and you try to remember to try harder not to hit it on anything ‘til it’s completely healed…I’m very worried for her, I know this is very hard for her…and it kills me that I am way out here…I owe her much and can do nothing but sit here…but I’m getting away from the point…
Angela is most likely scared, and most certainly going through some pain that my wounded soul cannot compare to right now...you are though, the strongest person I've ever known and I know you'll get through this…I just wish that I could do something for you…I hurt very much right now for not being able to do SOMETHING to make it better Beautiful…
So, for what it’s worth, I ask that all of you (whoever reads this stuff that I write) say an extra prayer for her today, tomorrow – the week for that matter…pray for a successful surgery and a speedy and painless recovery…pray that she overcomes this as admirably as she has with so many other things that she has been forced to cope with throughout her life…
Thank you…
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
