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OK so it's Saturday and not Sunday my normal posting day.
Wait, do I even have one of those anymore?
Wow!
Nothing since May … and now its October … I am really starting to suck at this!
I mean this will make only my third blog this year!
I guess I should at least shoot for a quarterly thing and try and make them meaningful?
Or, I guess I could get back to actually writing again and sharing all of my thoughts?
Well, that might happen again, for a little while anyway, because I, like so many others, am currently out of work.
Now before all of you start up with that ‘O great now he’s going to vent and wine about not working and slowly cause a rift in my feelings about him making me hate him’, I should say that I did not get fired and/or laid off.
I am also not on vacation, well in a way I am but that’s only because while in the middle of all of this I am going to be taking a vacation.
Wait, this is starting to sound convoluted, let me start back at the beginning …
Once upon a time (Approximately 8 &1/2 years ago), in a village not so much unlike your own (Orlando, FL), a young man (Mid 20’s) was working at a place where all of the bad people (Well men anyway) go after the local Lord of the Lands (Magistrate/Judge) says they have misbehaved. Now because these people had difficulties with the other villagers (They liked to pillage the woman and rape the lands, these truly are evil men!) other, more normal’ish people had to watch over them and keep them from doing unto others as they did outside in there old communities. To do this large fences and towers where placed around these smaller communities as so no one could bother and/or harasses them, and vise a versa. At one such village they even felt so strongly about protecting these poor misunderstood people from the outside that they put up giant towers as so they could keep watch over there small village, and to protect there villagers from other evil people who wished them harm. (Such as victims or family members of said victims, or even sometimes ‘Baby Momma’s’.) So one night, because our young hero was of the bravest of all the others and worked the dreaded late night to early morning shift, (Because he didn’t have seniority and that’s what you need to get off of Midnights) our young hero was forced to climb the dreaded watch tower because he was so skilled with the tools of the trade and was always found alert when he was needed. (Also known as I could shoot damn well and the never caught me, I mean I never fell asleep) This young lad of ours was climbing the dreaded stairs to his roost when one of them gave way (I would like to say it was because of a lack of grip tape on a stair, but in fact it was more the stare was loose, I was … fluffy … AND then also there was no grip tape) and the young man fell! He fell in such a way that he twisted his knee in an unusual way, and he was forced to leave work for a time as so he could get better. Do to the love that his supervisors had for him (Fearing a lawsuit), he was rushed to the local medicine man who told him that his skills where not grand enough to help him (General Practitioner), and the young man was sent on again to a specialist Shaman who said he could help him. This Shaman, well, he lied! (Please note that Shaman is used here as a derogatory remark in this reference to the Doctor who took care of me. It is just being used as a generic term of a specialized pre-modern medical professional title and is not in anyway, shape or form a negative outlook on the healing practices given by other medical and/or spiritual leaders who hold the title of Shaman. I know that these are normally the most respected members of their tribes and people, I also realize that at this point it would have just been easer to use a different word, but I seem to be on a roll …) Our young man had to take some time away from all of his friends (Approximately 2 months) and then was told that he was OK to go back to work. (Mind you without any Physical Therapy) Over the next few years though (Again approximately 8 & ½) the pain never seemed to go away, and in fact only got worse. So after saying that he would like a new Shaman to look into his case because the old one seemed to be a quack, the young man was placed back into the relaxing sleep, and awoke a new. (By anew I mean with new pain I didn’t have before). The new Shaman informed him that there was more damage then he was expecting and that the other Shaman must have ‘accidentally’ missed it, but in just three short moons (3 months’ish) the not as young man should be able to go back to work once again. So now our reluctant friend is stuck at home with nothing to do until as such time as the nice Shaman says he can go back to his little village and keep the bad people from bothering the misunderstood people behind the wall. The End!
So long story short, I fell at work, saw a bad Dr, saw a newer gooder Dr and am now out of work for some amount of time like 1 month to 3 months.
Yes I am going to go crazy!
It’s only been a week, and I’m ready to snap!
It’s 6am in the morning, and look what my mind is already doing to me.
I have no clue what I just wrote … but it made me smile and that’s what is important right now.
You had better read all of this too!
It will make me happy and that will help me heal quicker, right?
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Memorial Day 2011
Let me start with I know I haven’t been Blogging much at all lately.
That being said, there are a few things that every once and awhile I feel I do need to comment on.
As in the past, Memorial Day is always a BIG ONE!
Now some people give Good Old President Lyndon Johnson most of the credit for starting up this somber day of remembrance as he made it officially a holiday.
While others say it started almost a hundred years (98 to be more exact) before him when General John Logan wanted to pay his respects to all of the fallen soldiers who gave there lives for both there government and the future of our peoples best interests.
He didn’t care if the soldiers where Union soldiers or Confederate soldiers.
He understood that each side was doing what they though was best for America, and that’s what they where being remembered for.
He understood and grasped that although there was still ill will and bad blood amongst our people from the effects of the war that only ended a few years earlier, that the soldiers who died from it should not be segregated for there actions of trying to do the right.
Either way, the fact still remains that because of the actions and sacrifices of a few the rest of us can do as we please.
That doesn’t sound quite right now does it.
Let me put it to you this way …
Stop and look around at how many people you know.
Think about how many people you work with, go to church with, see is school or just in the mall.
Now think about how many of them have families and friends.
Then try and figure out how many people that is.
Then think about how your best friend and or co-workers runs in entirely different circles and how the two of you only have a few mutual people in your numbers.
So now you realize you have a lot of people in your little world, and that’s just your immediate circle.
Now if everyone were to do that, we would end up with a number something more like 311,430,000 or so in America alone.
Now think again about those numbers and see if you can count how many of them are and/or where soldiers?
That number isn’t nearly as large now is it?
Next lets look at how many active soldiers we have about 2,476,000.
This last number does include reservists and paramilitary units assigned to the military, but that’s roughly how many soldiers are out there offering their lives to keep us safe.
That’s a rough difference of 286,670,000.
Another way to give you an ideal of the difference between those numbers, take the number of soldiers and multiply it by 125 (2,476,000 x 125) and you end up with roughly the current American population.
So that’s what I mean by the actions and sacrifices of a few.
These numbers don’t cover the solders that have died though.
Those numbers I don’t think we can even track?
We can keep track of how many soldiers have died in battles and conflicts, but what about the once who died after the fact when they came home from who knows what?
Alcohol, drugs, mental and physical conditions?
So, as always I as you to take a moment and remember all of the things that these people have given up for us.
As you take the hand of your loved one this day, please take a second to think about how others can’t do that.
As you injoy that hamburger cooked on the grill and you day off of work, remember the stomachs that went hungry in foreign countries for you while they worked for months on end, 24 hours a day.
Remember as you look down into your childes eyes that there is another family who do not get that luxury.
So please, please, please, please, take the day and injoy what you have, but remember how you have it, who helped you get it, and what they had to do to do that.
As always, thank you to all who have served, are serving and will serve!
Never forget that without you doing what we cannot, or will not, that we cannot and will not be who and what we are!
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It’s actually been 4 months.
O it was so relaxing not having to worry about keeping up with this Blog and also Bar’s & Stripes and everything else.
I know, it is my choice, but it was still nice to kind of take a little vacation.
So, what’s new you might be asking.
Honestly I am not sure anyone will even notice that I am doing this again, but I will tell you roughly what is new anyway.
Work is still, well work.
La Wife and I are still together.
Wonder Dog is still alive and kicking … mostly me in my sleep as she tries to get more room on the bed.
The car is almost paid off.
The roof on the new house has a leak.
La Wife found out she will most likely loose her job in a few months do to privatization.
Kermit got a job as a full time student while still in the military.
Yeppers, that’s about everything.
So now you know, everything going on in the world and that’s everything that happened to me in a 4 month time frame.
Yes there was world news events and stuff that I could have commented on and brought up, but I am sure that you all have a rough ideal of how I feel and/or don’t care anyway.
The only new thing of any interest that I can think of is that I set a new years resolution this year.
Yes, we all set them, try them, fail at them and then discard the fact that an effort and/or ideal of ever doing it ever even happened.
But somehow, this one I stuck with.
I would also like to point out that in having it stick as it has, my life now sucks!
I had the brilliant ideal of running a 5K race.
I know, what the ____?!?
So lets cut this down to be as quick a story as I can tell.
I downloaded a program on my phone called ‘Couch 2 5K’.
(Insert copyright and trademark stuff here … wait never mind, I just don’t care that much!)
This program is supposed to take you from the couch, to running a 5K in 9 weeks.
Now the name makes a little more since doesn’t it?
Well, let me start by saying it actually takes 9 and ¾ weeks, but that’s the only negative about the program.
Well I could say some more, but that’s just because I am picky and have issues.
Other then that, the darn program worked!
Now mind you I have not made it in the time that they wanted, but I can now run a 5K!
(AKA 3.1 Miles)
Please remember that this program is/was not meant for someone of my size to be trying it I am sure.
So, now let me tell you about the things that I have learned in addition to now being able to run a 5K from this wonderful little program.
1) Bicycles are jerks and think that they are better then any/every other person out there!
2) Compression shorts are a fat mans friend (Don’t ask or think to hard on that one!)
3) Thin runners are nice to fat runners. Not because they are trying to be supportive, but because they like feeling better about themselves and as so they get a little glimmer of how the bikers must feel all of the time.
4) Running sucks and is not fun in any way shape or form!
5) Florida is to darn hot to try running in!
6) Nipples are more sensitive then one might think … (See below Sub Section #1)
7, 8, 9 and 10 are all simple – See #4!
Sub Subsection #1
Nipples are more sensitive then you might think …
Yea, so you might not think too much about this normally, but you should!
As a person who has just started running, I think it would have been nice for other people to inform me about this little problem that every one other then me seemed to know about.
That of course being that when you run, you shirt bounces up and down and scrapes across your chest.
Well, on your chest you have two little friends that stick out farther then the rest of you.
AKA nipple #1 and nipple #2.
At first it isn’t so bad, I didn’t even notice until I hit the 1 and ½ mile mark, but then it hits you.
The rubbing effect of your t-shirt bouncing up and down repeatedly against good old #1 and #2.
You don’t think so much about it, it doesn’t really hurt it’s just kind of an annoying.
Then you get home and look in the mirror as we all do so we can pretend that we are already showing signs of self improvement and you notice that your whole chest is a little red.
The next day though, when you go to take that morning shower you start to feel the real pain.
You know that feeling like you have a sunburn and now have hot water running over it.
Yea, that pain, all of us in Florida know it well!
(But not as bad as the tourists HAHA!)
Then you put your shirt on, and you know what’s wrong.
That’s right your poor nipples are rubbed raw!
Now I don’t care what line of work you are in.
The day that your nipples are raw is the day that every 5 seconds for some unknown reason you must turn to the side and/or bend over causing your shirt to rub said raw nipples.
Your day sucks!
So that night you sit around trying to figure out how to get rid of this horrible nipple pain, and with no avail finally figure out that you just have to deal with it and decide to walk around shirtless for as long as it takes to get back to normal.
That works for some, and for a while, but what about the next time you have to go running?
Well my lovely murder of readers let me explain that one to you too!
You wait 2 days thinking that you are all better and healed up, and then you go for another run.
I have bad news for you, you where wrong!
Again at about the ½ way mark the rubbing hits and as you are a mile and ½ away from your car, well it just sucks to be you!
You have 3 options the first being to run through it, the second being to take off your shirt and the third being to hold your shirt out away from you, as you are ashamed of your belly but also determined to keep running.
I will let you all decide as to what option I might have taken … I will say that my arms got a strange extra work out that day …
So then you get home again and this time you decide to look up ways to prevent this from ever happening again.
Because you just have to trust me, you don’t ever want this to happen!
One way you find it to put Vaseline on your nipples to reduce the friction.
Another way is to put bandages over your nipples as to prevent rubbing this way as well.
(Quick side note, chest hair turns pit to be a big negative in both situations!)
But I will tell you they way that I have found … I mean have heard of …
Use both Vaseline and bandages!
Yea, go ahead and smile and laugh out loud, I don’t care … much …
I give you my word though, once it has happened to you, well you will be thanking me for sharing this little enlightenment with you!
So, there you have it.
My life for the past 4 months all rolled up into one little Blog.
Also a great life lesson on proper nipple care and protection!
I know you all missed me!!!
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So this week we celebrated Thanksgiving once again.
Althouh the Holiday is a nice one, I always dread it!
Yes the food and company are always a welcome break in the monotony of my regular life but there is just so much driving!
But, I do need to say I am thankful for all the different people who make it so that it is still doable.
On my side of the family they try and make it earlier as so it doesn’t inconvenience my wife’s side of the family.
On the other side they just seem to understand that my wife hates me enough making me see 2 let alone 3 groups in one day, and they don’t even bother pushing the issue, but still always invite me.
As my wife’s side of the family makes things latter in the day for the same so we can see my family.
This year, as in years past, we had fried turkey at my side of the families, and baked at La Wife’s.
It is kind of strange seeing how two sets of family do things so close and so different from each other.
So, as I am loosing my draw to write anymore I am going to leave this one short.
Also, I need to go work off all of this new found weight I picked up from so much eating in one day!
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La Wife and I awoke to yes a wonderful feeling of joy as we where still in Ireland, but also a great sorrow weighed us down because we knew that this was going to be our last day there.
Today’s basic itinerary was to make it back to Dublin so we could catch our flight out early the next morning.
On the way though we would of course injoy more site seeing!
La Wife and her sister once saw a movie called Circle of Friends.
It was filmed in Ireland and she had informed me that it was one of the musts of all musts that we go to the little town that it was filmed in.
So, off we go to a small town called Inistioge.
Once we arrive La Wife informs me that she wishes to send a post card to her sister form here.
OK, no big deal right?
Well, the post is closed, because it is on a Sunday, and none of the other local stores sell stamps.
So, I go on a hunt!
I go to one location and the owner of the store says that she might have one in her purse and after a few moments of digging around, and a big smile a pone her face, she hands me a stamp and refuses payment for it.
Woot what a great start!
I mean yes I need a second one, but the first location has one the odds are looking good in my favor!
Yea, as I walked to every other store in the whole city.
Yes, that is not an overstatement either, but in the cities defense it was only 2 streets.
I found no other places that had stamps.
I started making the long hard walk back to La Wife to inform her that I have failed in my quest when I hear someone calling out.
I turn to find a woman standing there asking if I Was the gentleman who was looking for a stamp.
After informing her that I was, she handed me not one but two stamps and a priority stamp endorsement as well.
When asked how much, all she would saw was she was just glad to help.
I love these people!
So, La Wife got to mail her post card, pictures where taken and smiles where made!
It seems like we did a few other small things that day, but my mind is already forgetting a lot of the things that we did do.
Gotta love the memory loss … O Alzheimer’s how I dread you slow approach!
But as I can’t remember any of it, I will move on to our last night in a B&B.
We arrive at our last little home away from home and head into town for our last night on the town!
It was a nice little town called Swords.
It had though one of the other things that La Wife wanted to do.
It had a movie theater.
It also had a movie we could agree on!
So La Wife and I go and buy our tickets and the sales man asks where we would like to sit?
Um, in the theater please and in a chair if at all possible?
He then asks upper, middle or lower.
We say middle and then walk into the theater.
Low and behold, the theater seats have number son them as so you have assigned seating!
That’s one way to stop movie crashers!
So, long story short, the last day of our trip was a blast as well!
We left out the next morning, and can only hope that we get to go back soon!
I must also say, thank you for everyone who helped us make it happen!
It turned out to be just truly wonderful!
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I am sorry to interrupt your regularly scheduled story of Ireland, but as this is a Holiday we all know that I must write something about it.
Also being that it is in my opinion an important holiday, I most assuredly must write something about it.
As always through, I am going to try and go a little bit of a different direction …
You ever think about the Vets in jail and prison?
These guys who went and did things that no one should ever have to do, and then to come home to a country that doesn’t understand them.
You ever wonder how is that so many of them end up in prison?
Well, the answer is kind of simple.
Modern medicine and the nations people just hadn’t caught up to the needs of our own.
So many Vets came back and where mentally disturbed by the things they had done and scene.
Others came back with horrible pains and disfigurements that medications couldn’t help with.
So, a lot of them turned to drugs and alcohol as a way to numb this.
Well, once you have that monkey attached to you, well you can see how things ran down hill ever so quickly for them.
I’m not saying that all of the Vets in the system had this issue, but way more then a few.
For so long nobody cared.
For so long the Government didn’t want to think about it.
For so long no one understood.
Now though, things have changed a little.
The problem is it still seems to be that other Vets are the only ones trying to and helping to make changes happen.
The VFW and Foreign Legion are two of the big groups to push through and help.
They come to visit the guys, bring them food, bring them faith and hope, and most of all they bring them friendship.
They even put money into there accounts so they can not be so dependent on there families.
This still is only a start.
One of the other problem is, that these organizations are dwindling.
People aren’t joining them anymore, and the current members are getting older.
So there ability to Lobby for better treatment is getting weaker and weaker.
I’ll give that the VA has changed a little and is finally stepping up to the plate, but even they say that they aren’t sure what they can do to fix everything they put a blind eye to for so long.
We hang a flag proudly for some of them saying ‘POW*MIA YOU ARE NOT FORGOTTEN’
How strange that we think as a people that by hanging a flag that we must still care?
The sad fact is though, we have forgotten!
Not only about the POW’s & MIA‘s, but also the ones who came home.
So the long story short of this is.
We as a people have abandoned the people who needed, and still need our help, who did not abandon us when we needed there’s …
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Back to our not so dynamic duo …
When last we left them the Joker was trying to figure out how to kill our heroes with sharks, but was having a problem because they would not smile.
Unfortunately his faithful sidekick Harley Quinn informed him that if he was to hang our heroes upside down it would appear that sharks mouths now face the other way around, and they would be smiling!
So now we find our heroes hanging from there feet being dropped down into a large pool of shark infested water!
Wait, no, now that I think about it I am pretty sure that all of that was in Batman the animated series … but I so could have rocked those grey tights!
OK so back to Killarney real quick.
http://www.vacationkillarney.com/ http://www.ringofkerrytourism.com/
Again this little town was just so well located and had everything you could want.
I forgot to tell you that we also ran into a small ice cream place and got some local ice cream.
Um, lets just all agree that Irish Cream and Irish Milk used to make ice cream = YUMMY!
Also, we attempted yet again to see a movie … and failed yet again,
So one of the things that we wanted to do was to hit the Ring of Kerry.
Well, we did not have enough time to go and see all of it so we decided that we would just go and do a small portion of it.
We started right outside of Killarney and came immediately onto a beautiful lake that was in fact one of the national parks.
We took some pictures and then moved on.
Well, within just a few miles, if that, we came across another pretty little trail and decided to take it for a few just to say we looked around a little.
Low and behold, we end up just a few hundred yards from Torc Waterfall.
http://theringofkerry.com/torc-waterfall.html
I know, we have some great luck don’t we!
We decided that we had had enough good luck and needed to move on to our next destination.
BLARNEY CASTLE!!!
www.blarneycastle.ie/
Now , all of us should know of Blarney Castle.
It is somewhat legendary after all.
What you might not know is that we actually had some people tell us that this wasn’t worth the time to go to it.
All I have to say to them is, what the heck are you talking about?
It has acres and acres of beautiful grounds, a real castle to clime around in, a cave to go exploring, a gorgeous back section where witches and druids used to live, a set of wishing stairs to climb and more!
Then they also have this stone that they say if you kiss it you will be blesses with the gift of Gab/Eloquence and /or the skill of Flattery.
And yes, La Wife and I both kissed it!
We even have pictures and video to prove it!
FEAR ME AND MY NEWFOUND POWERS!!!
Ok, you don’t have to fear me but always know that for this one moment in time you own a small piece of my heart!
OK so my skills of Flattery still need work but someday FEAR ME!!!
Needless to say, Blarney is a must!
Also needless to say, if you wish to kiss the stone … well it is SO not wheelchair friendly!
Quick side note!
On the was into Blarney I might have hit a curb and then I might have gotten a flat tire because of it.
Yea, luckily, again with the good luck, we made it all the way into Blarney’s parking lot before we even really noticed and I got to change it there instead of on the side of the road.
I’m telling you, the Luck of the Irish traveled with us!
So we make our way north to a place called Cashel.
This is the home of the Rock of Cashel.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_of_Cashel
This is just a really old castle where many many kings resided and is known as a major landmark of power.
We walked around and took lots of pictures and visited the graves.
It was really cool.
It’s a great vantage point and had a spring for fresh water underneath it.
So they could defend it very well and for a long time if needed.
The rock formation is not like any other in the area so the story goes that when good old St. Peter was traveling and converting so many people the Devil spit a tooth at him, missing him luckily, and that’s why this rock is there.
Or something very close to that.
So now we go onto our B&B.
It is in a place called Tipperary.
http://www.heritagetowns.com/tipperary.shtml
This is where La Wife and I found out that we have a favorite Hurling team!
Simply because we sat through a game and we don’t already have a favorite sport so we picked up what the locals liked and decided to call it our own.
What?
You don’t know what hurling is?
I mean come on, it is Ireland’s national game!
Don’t feel bad we didn’t know what it was either.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurling
All we do know is that we are driving into this small town and low and behold cars are all over the place!
I mean parked everywhere you can think of and we have no clue as to why.
After some time we finally found our way to our B&B and found out that the national championships are being held in town and that’s why so many people have come from all over to come watch the finals.
Well … ok then!
We, having no real interest in any of this make our way into town and find a little bar like place to eat at.
We had the pleasure of sitting next to another traveler, who just happened to be from Northern Ireland.
All I can say is all of the rumors about how Collin Ferrell speaking … well the F bomb seems to be normal.
But in no way was it offensively used.
I know that doesn’t make since but it is the truth none the less.
He, as of not being a local, was of course routing for the other team.
Mind you we are in the home town of the one team and he is yelling out just for fun for the other team.
It was kind of fun.
O another side note, we had sat down and waited a while when a local came over and explained that he heard our American accents and figured that we might not know how to order food in this location, so he politely told us how and then walked back to his table after wishing us an injoyable time.
I love the Irish people!
So that’s about it for that day.
We headed back to our B&B and called it a night.
Trying to get a good nights sleep before our last full day in Ireland.
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When last we left off …
La Wife and I awaken to yet another beautiful day.
This day though our worldly travelers had a very full plate filled with things everyone wishes to do in Ireland.
We wonder down the stairs and sit down for breakfast and are joined by the hosts husband and a friend of his.
We ask them a few important questions like what is the best Irish whisky to buy for people back home, and the best directions to get to the stuff we wanted to do that day.
So, after we find out all that we needed we say our goodbye and make our way out into this foreign land once again.
We started on a little side trip to go to a place called The Burren.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Burren
We traveled down yet another side road and although we saw the Burren’s we again got lost.
So lost in fact that we had to stop for directions … twice …
The second time we came up on a guy who was parked on the side of the road and we asked him for directions.
He started giving them, and then said it was only about 15 miles out of his way and how we should just follow him.
What?
It’s 15 miles out of his way and he will take us?
Wow these people are great!
So we follow him.
He of course knows the side roads better then us so he gets ahead of us so much so that we loose sight of him for about 10 min or so.
So we get to the next intersection and low and behold the guy is waiting there for us and gives us the directions that we needed … and again they where good directions!
We decided that we saw enough of The Burrens and moved on to our next stop.
The Cliffs of Moher!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cliffs_of_Moher
This is a place of beauty to say the least.
I of course called my mother just to rub it in her face that I was there and she was not.
We walked around to both sides, and saw the part where a very famous movie had a scene shot at that you might have heard of.
That’s right, The Princess Bride’s the ‘Cliffs of Despair‘ / ‘The Cliffs of Insanity’!
(The name changes depending on where you might look it up)
We walked climbed the little tower.
Then also walked to the end of the path to the portion where they had all of the signs that say do not go any further … and of course went a little further!
La Wife and I where standing for a photo and the out of the corner of La Wife’s eye saw a man slip and nearly go off the cliff.
Please take note of the evil smirk on her face as she thinks she is about to see someone die.
I keep telling you all she is evil!!!
Fun was had by all!
So, as we where leaving we decided to grab a quick lunch from the little deli.
And that’s when it happened.
I got the bestestest ham and cheese sandwich ever made!
I can’t tell you why it was so good, but it surely was!
The weird part is, it was a pre packaged sandwich!!!
Every time we saw them again we bought them, but never to be repeated … so sad each time …
So as we ended up not having enough time yet again to do everything that we wanted to do, we headed to our B&B to avoid driving at night.
This little place was in the place that La Wife and I have decided we wish to move to.
Killarney!!!
http://www.vacationkillarney.com/
This place was just right!
Big enough to have a main street and a movie theater, but small enough that you can still walk to everywhere inside it.
Just outside of it is a Beautiful National Park, and it buts up next to the Ring of Kerry.
All joking aside, this is a place we really want to go back to, but for about a week to injoy it all!
Then while we are there we might just look for property so we can stay there!
This is the place where we had our first attempt at trying to see a movie in a foreign country.
I strongly encourage anyone who is going around Ireland to stop over in this small town for at least 2 days.
I give you my word, you will not be disappointed!
I’ll tell you all a little more about it next week though.
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Let me start with Happy Birthday to La Wife.
I know that so many people say that through God all things are possible.
And on the big scheme of life that is true, but in my little world La Wife is the one that makes all things possible, and worth the effort to do them in.
Thanks La Wife!
And now back to our story …
LA Wife and I follow the directions from the little place we are staying, and we turn left after the blue bridge, then turn down the third road and find we are lost … yet again.
So we start backtracking and see a couple walking there little girl (because everyone seems to walk and exercise over there).
We of course pull over and say that we are dumb Americans and lost and they smile and tell us exactly where to go.
And unlike in New York, it did not include profanity and was the correct directions!
Have I told you how wonderful this place is yet?
So we pull in and this place is nice!
They are butted up right on a stream that if you open the windows inside you can hear it running past … and we did of course!
It had a tennis court, hot tub and billiards table.
This place was as I have already said, sweat, and we where going to be there for 2 nights!
Long story short we ask about dinner and they send us into town across a small walking bridge from there place that took you over the steam and within 5 min you walk into there little town.
We eat, come back and hit the hot tub and then like every other night so far, crash into bed!
When we awake we go and ask about the tour busses to the Aran Islands and the lady says that there is a tour company in town that we should go and talk to about it.
So we did.
O yea, had breakfast and it was good.
Irish bacon is yummy!
We get to the tour guide place and the lady tells us we should just drive it ourselves and save the money but to take this back road right outside of town.
(It wasn’t on ANY of our maps!)
So, we be of the adventurous type decided to forge forward and take said side road.
Lucky for us, no one else did … because it was narrow!
It was worth every min though!!!
We hopped out on the side of the road at one point and hiked up a little hill and got some great shots!
We did also get to find out what the Bog was … it looked dry and stable … but it wasn’t!
We will leave it off with La Wife needed new socks …
This side road was so cool though!
There where goats, sheep, cows and horses just walking all over the place!
La Wife got out and took a bunch of pictures … and some of the animals came over to say hello!
Insert a little fast forward and …
We make it to the port and hop on the boat and go to the Aran Island!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aran_Islands
Once we get there, there is a cold drizzle but we didn’t care.
Yes that is an important fact.
So, we get approached by a guy who offers to take us in his horse drawn buggy.
He tells us the rain will stop in a few and that he has blankets but no cover.
We haggled about the price and then we hop in.
It was small … way to small …
It didn’t have a cover and it didn’t stop raining …
We froze the whole way around our trip!
We go along though and we saw some seals in the water and some beautiful sceneries.
We finally make it up to our destination the Dun Aengus.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dun_Aengus
Long story short it was an ancient fort (Ruins) built on the top of this very high hill using the local stones … that had to be carried all the way up said very high hill!
We get and La Wife’s ears and head are cold form the rain so we get her a hand knitted Aran skull cap … because we couldn’t afford the real sweater …
Then start the hike … yes the approx 30 min hike up to the old fort.
So this fort is way high. It bunts up to a cliff face for defense and is jus so darn cool!
We have no clue how the people built it because getting these rocks up there would have been such a challenge.
Then again, we aren’t sure about a lot of this stuff?
The Irish are some hard working folk!
So the long story short is we make it, see cool stuff, look over the cliffs and then make our trip back down!
If you want more information about it, see the links :P
We get back down and find our driver and start the long haul back to the boat.
Catch said boat and then drive back to our B&B.
Again we walk into town for dinner, come back to the hot tub to try and warm up, and of course like every other night we pass out into the bed.
Yea, I know this wasn’t the best day of stories.
It was even a little disappointing day to usas well.
But, at least I can tell another story about Ireland, and in the end the day was so worth it!
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When we last left our worldly travelers …
La Wife had told me that one of the only things that she wanted to do on this whole vacation was to stay in a real castle for at least one night.
So, after many letdowns from our tour company assistance, and many hours calling over to Ireland at odd ball hours of the night and morning … and a $75 phone bill for said phone calls … I got a castle for her!
Now most of the castles over there that you can stay in are actually castle hotels.
What that means is the front is the castle but you can’t actually stay in it.
You stay in the newer built on additions in the back.
Still nice we are sure, but not what she wanted.
So back to our story … we saw the sign pointing us toward the castle …
We turn down a nice little side road and immediately onto a beautiful golf course.
We drive along the property getting waved at by the local golfers as we passed until we came up and saw the front of the castle.
Let me say, it was a sight to behold!
I give unto you, Cabra Castle!
http://www.cabracastle.com/index.php
We walk up to the front doors and walk into a small foyer and then pass through that into the main lobby.
One of the first things we notice was the sitting area to our left with a roaring fire …
We check in and of course then go exploring on our way to our room.
This place is just breathtaking and I can’t say enough about it!
Giant stairway that splits off into 2 directions, and cool but creepy pictures everywhere …
Just all around amazing location that honestly made you feel like you where stepping back in time.
We slowly made it up to our room … after about 20 min of playing I might add and got ready to open the door.
Now I think I need to tell you all that I had called probably 30 different castles trying to find one that we could stay in and then trying to find one that had a room in the actual castle portion.
When I finally got hold of Cabra Castle they informed me that all of there rooms where in the Castle and that it would not be a problem.
I informed them how happy I was to find this out and while talking to the girl at the desk she dragged out of me why it was so important to me to get this room for La Wife.
That being that this was our 5 year anniversary and also our honeymoon.
Well, she was a doll and took good care of us.
La Wife opened the door and we where expecting to have just a little cubby hole closet room with if we where lucky a window overlooking the kitchens dumpsters.
We honestly would have been happy with that just so we could say we stayed in a castle.
That is not so much what we got!
We opened the door and both of our jaws dropped open.
Not only did we get a nice room, we got one of the show rooms that they use in the brochures.
So, yea we got hooked up!
Well, after running around the castle a little more like fools we finally make it down to dinner
What I didn’t tell you earlier was that when we where checking in the front desk representative asked us if we would like to eat in the castle in there dinning room.
My father hooked La Wife and up with money to go to one nice dinner, so why not make this it?
So we say yes and then find out that the castle guests get a nice discount that was actually cheaper then going out to eat in town.
So we walk into a formal dinning room and take our seats.
We find out that we are going to have a lovely 4 course meal … and not a cheap dinner thing we are actually having steaks!
Dinner was wonderful to say the least but about ½ way through we notice something strange.
There is a gentleman sitting at a table all by himself and people keep walking up to him and asking ‘would you mind?’ and he would then say no and the people would take a picture through the window?
So after about the 5th person he finally smiles politely stands up and walks away.
Of course La Wife and I run over to the window to see what the big deal is/was and we see it.
The fog/mist rolling over the trees and coming into the property.
All I can say is wow!
La Wife tried to take pictures, as did everyone else, but none of them would come out do to the flash off the windows.
So now that we have finish up dinner we decided it is just to nice to stay inside and we decide then to go exploring around the property!
We walked around the whole castle and through the whole back area.
So after another long day, we fall into bed and pass out awakening only for breakfast and departure.
Another thing I didn’t tell you about was the puppy!
They had, and have had for generations, an Irish Wolfhound.
He just walked around with free reign of the grounds, and his own sofa in the foyer.
He was a big old doggy for sure!
Unfortunately we did have to leave.
This was a big day too!
This was the day we literally drove across the country to the west side of Ireland.
It took most of the day, and when we found ourselves on the other side of the country we found out that we didn’t have enough time to do some of the things we wanted to, and in fact only had enough to fit in one thing.
So, we went to the Aillwee Caves!
http://www.aillweecave.ie/
What to say about this …
Well, on the way up the road they have these things called pull asides for oncoming traffic.
So, if you have one you would pull into it so the oncoming traffic could pass because the roads are so narrow.
Well, some lovely guy decided not to use his and ran us off the road into a small wall.
Not a lot of damage, but still a little shaking!
After that though we made it up into Aillwee Cave!
It was a beautiful view, and an interesting story and location.
It was also a little disappointing!
I am used to real caves … this was by definition a cave … but I am used to how we do things in America.
Bigger and better!
Long story short, don’t go out of your way for it.
So, we left there and made our way to our B&B.
It was nice, really nice actually.
Nice enough that I should go into better detail about it … next week!
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So we wake up …
We begrudgingly awoke early the second day of our trip.
We knew that we had to be up and going because we had another fun filled day of adventure.
So, we stumble down to breakfast and injoy a wonderful spread of food.
La Wife had a traditional Irish Breakfast and I a fruit bowl with yogurt.
The fruit bowl was just down right good with all fresh fruits and even some picked from the owners sisters yard.
La Wife’s was good to and we had our first experience with blood pudding … not so great.
We talk to our hostess a little and get directions and decide to head on out.
Our goal was to go to Tara and New Grange.
So, we head up the highway towards them and find New Grange first.
We get there and it’s just a lovely day.
You honestly couldn’t ask for much better … until it rained a little latter but it is still all good.
We go through the little tour, hop on a bus and drive on over to a big wall.
We then walk around the wall and low and behold we see these giant mounds!
We actually went to Knowth first.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knowth
It was pretty darn cool!
Mounds everywhere and just an all around breathtaking vistas all around it.
Now what we where actually looking at where burial mounds.
They are not so sure about a lot of what else they where because they are still so new … well really darn old but new to the world but I will get into that in a moment.
Well, I guess I Will get into it now because I am kind of out of things to say about it.
Firstly, the reason most people don’t know anything about these is because they where just discovered back in the 40’s.
It was basically a giant mound that the locals treated with respect because they thought that that was where the fairies lived.
In fact though, there was a lot of history buried there!
Although it was now just a giant mound of a hill.
Over the years all of the dirt that was on top of it had slid down over the outer walls and made it look like a giant hill, but in fact once the digging began all kinds of things where found out about it.
1) It was used as a farming location and chapel for local Monks over the years
2) It was a strong hold for the Norman invasions
3) During the Iron Age it was used as a Christian stronghold and a small village grew up around it and on top of it too.
4) It was before that used by the local Celts as a burial mound
5) Also we have some proof that way way back in the day we have some good old Bronze Age we have some activity there as well.
Just for those of you keeping track, other then large stints through history of not being used, this location had not only been built but used for over 5000 (That’s right five thousand) years!
What does that mean?
Well, firstly that means that these locations are about 500 years older then pyramids in Egypt.
Second, well, let me say this first.
The large rocks (Keystones) around the base all way a few tons each.
There where 127 of them originally.
They all came from the other side of Ireland.
Yea, Yea, Yea so they moved a bunch of big rocks 300 plus miles across a heavily forested landscape.
Well, the hard part to believe is … all of this was done before the invention of the wheel!
So, long story short lots of history, and lots of photos form here!
Next we move onto New Grange itself!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newgrange
This is the one that gets the most attention.
It is big, beautiful and you can go into it!!!
The outside has been completely reconstructed form the stones from the area.
It needed to be reconstructed because it also had all of it’s walls fall down over the years.
I’m not going to go to far into the history because it mirrors Knowth a great deal.
But I will go into a little bit on it’s design.
First, they believe it is a tribute to celebrate the Winter Solstice.
They don’t know per say why, but every Winter Solstice for about a week the light comes up in such a way that it lights up the whole inside of the structure.
That’s nifty because we went in it and it climes up at strange angles and up an incline so they had to put some thinking and math into making this path work in just the right way.
Way smarter then me that’s for sure!
Next, they used a stacking of stones as to put larger stones as a base and then slightly smaller ones on them forming a peaked roof inside.
Well, they did it so well that in the 5000 years it has been standing not a single drop of water has leaked into it!
Um, Holy Cow now that’s saying something!
I mean think about it.
Look around you house do you think that in 100 years you can be sitting around in it without maintaining it at all and look down a hole that would then fill your whole house up with light?
I don’t think so!
Again though, this location has giant keystones all around it and rocks from all over the country that are not local.
For what ever reason these people did all of this, it meant a lot to them to do it right!
So, we finished there, hopped in the car and decided that we had had enough excitement for one day, and that Tara would have to be another day.
We then decided it was getting late and drove on up the road and saw the signs for the castle we would be staying in.
Come on back next week to find out more about that!
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Our 2 lonely heroes have found themselves in a far away, and very strange, land.
Being of the slightly sleep depraved mind set they decided that exploring said new world would be a good ideal.
That being said of course as any and every good adventuring party knows you should never start an adventure of this caliber without first being properly rested and well prepared.
But, as every adventuring party also knows, the GM always gives better XP to the people who just forge on and figure out a way of making it work with the little they have.
Our two heroes where of course looking for the most XP!
On a completely different side note, WTKS FL Orlando’s Real Radio 104.1 has canceled my favorite show Sunday Morning Coming Down.
This makes me very sad and leaves me with nothing to listen to now while writing my Blog.
So, things might get strange as now there is no focal point in the background to keep me on track … sorry in advance you can blame WTKS FM Orlando’s Real Radio 104.1 for again canceling the BEST music show they had on there station Sunday Morning Coming Down.
Not just on that station, but also in all of central Florida.
It was the only show of it’s kind, and I honestly can’t find anything else like it.
I have personally, as well as many other decided that writing the station manager is a good ideal.
Also, I refuse to listen to the station now on the weekends in protest of the new format change.
Never think that I don’t support my local entertainers and there clients!
Back to the story though …
So La wife and I get directions to the bus stop, mind you it was less then a block away and then hop on it.
We take a nice little ride into the heart of Dublin and get dropped off right in front of the tour bus rout.
(Side note, first don’t try and drive in Dublin, second, there is no parking for you if you do so don’t take a car there!)
So, we of course go and hop on that too!
It runs all day and stops at like 10 places of major interest and you can get on and off as you please so traveling around Dublin is much easer.
Driving through Dublin we got to see all kinds of old buildings and it was just a really cool experience.
I will not bore you with most of it, but it was not like driving down any American road I have ever scene.
Our first stop, I think LA Wife might correct me latter about a lot of this, was Trinity College.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trinity_College,_Dublin)
It is a beautiful school !
We had gone here to go to see the Book of Kells.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Kells)
This is a very old Bible with a lot of history drawings and designs within it’s pages.
We also went into a Library like no other we had ever scene.
It was two story and just a long hallway with a bunch of little cubby hole like things on either side filled and I mean filled with books!
The nifty part about this is that this library is still and use and is filled mostly with nothing but books that are hundreds of years old.
We left there and headed off to Christ Church Cathedral.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christ_Church_Cathedral,_Dublin)
This has a lot of historic value as it is known as the oldest building in Dublin.
I will not bore you with many details about it other then it actually has the churches treasure on display in the crypt, where you can buy coffee and souvenir, underneath it!
We have SO many pictures from here though that I will be posting!
Next we moved onto my church!
St. Patrick’s Cathedral!
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Patrick's_Cathedral,_Dublin)
OMG!
Stained glass everywhere!
A Beautiful field around it.
A lovely little grave yard next to it and just … just wow!
Again, more pictures to come … LOTS!!!
Next we ended up at the Gunness Storehouse.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guinness_Storehouse)
Yea, neither La Wife nor I drink, but this was a kind of cool place!
We didn’t get their in time to take the tour but we did end up in there little shopping area and bought all kinds of stuff for her brother who clams to love this nasty beer.
So now that we have all of the site seeing done, we decided it was time for dinner!
Where should we go in this far away land filled with mystery and intrigue you might ask?
Well, how about the oldest pub in Ireland?
The Brazen Head!
(http://www.brazenhead.com/)
Now you might ask how old the oldest pub in Ireland is?
It was established in 1198, that’s about 812 years ago.
It has changed locations over the years, but still has the original name.
Mind you, not the original owner …
We sat down next to some other Americans, because it is just that kind of place.
By that kind of place I mean, well there was room at there table for two more so that’s where we got to sit.
It was nice getting to sit next to some Americans though and ask how there day was and get some pointers from there mistakes, and them from us I guess.
They told us about not taking cabs because they where just so expensive, and a few other things to boot.
We had heard this before mind you, but now it is just getting reiterated by another group of people.
I can’t remember what La Wife had, but I had what we might call corned beef and cabbage.
It was so darn good!
It also wasn’t corned beef at all.
It was a type of bacon.
Mind you, there bacon is nothing like American bacon … so much better!
That isn’t me just saying that because I was on an endorphin run from being in another country, it was just better!
So we left there with our feet ready to die, our belly’s full of yummy yummies and in desperate need of sleep.
So, like any good Americans we decided to not listen to anyone else, and take a cab!
We throw our arm up and low and behold our golden chariot of salvation pulls up to our rescue.
I ask the driver about how much it would cost to get to our destination and the driver says about 10Euro.
Well, as tired as we where, that sounded like a good deal and about 20 min latter after a lovely discussion with our driver who just happened to have lived in Daytona for a few years dropped us off at our humble a bold.
We somehow made it up the stairs, and I honest don’t remember anything after that because I think I fell asleep leaning on the door trying to unlock it.
Come back next week for more details about our not so exciting to read about adventure about of our not so dynamic pair of worldly travels!
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So some people seem to be asking a lot about our trip to Ireland.
In short, it was wonderful!
But, I guess I need to break it down a little further for some of you.
Day #1 (Flight over included for your pleasure)
We first flew up to Philly and had a layover there before flying over to Dublin.
On the way over there though we had the pleasure of sitting next to a young man who was going to France to join the French Foreign Legion.
Kind of cool, strange for sure, but still cool.
Moving right along though, and more then a few hours and a lot of jetlag latter, we land in Dublin!!!
It was a lovely overcast day with a cold mild rain.
Truly beautiful … until we had to walk out in it because the gangplank into the station form the plain was broken.
OK, all is good, that just meant we got to put our feet actually on Ireland even sooner … it was still some cold darn rain though!
We make it through all of the security check points and get our passports stamped and smile real big because we can now officially start our fun in a far away land.
Well, first we had to go get our luggage and rental car.
So, we go to get our luggage, and on the way I see a money exchanger.
When we where in America we had money exchangers as well, but they where hidden behind a giant Lexsand glass window in a small secure room.
In Ireland though, they where just sitting behind a counter and had a pull out drawer to trade the money out of.
It was also a lot cheaper to exchange it over there just so everyone now knows.
That’s right, don’t do it in America because as soon as you land you can do it there and save about %15.
So, I am kind of taken back as this was just odd to me that so much money was just sitting around and there where no guards or officers in site.
Honestly, there was just money sitting on the counter.
The guy asked me how much money I was going to exchange and he handed me my money before I handed him his.
Moving on though, we go and get our rental car
La Wife decides that she wants to drive first, also because I knew that my ADD and Dyslexia would just be kicking while I would be trying to drive backwards in a foreign country.
She hops into the free upgraded vehicle … another side note, get the smallest vehicle you can and learn to deal with it … you will understand as soon as you hit a back road!
So we start driving through town … the roads got smaller … the traffic got thicker … it got scarier!
My phones Mapquest didn’t work over there, we didn’t have a reference point as to find ourselves on the map, and traffic was still getting worse.
Again, while the roads got smaller!
Did I mention that they drive backwards over there yet?
La wife and I start getting a little frustrated as we drive past our B&B 3 times not knowing how to get to it.
Yes, we drove right past it.
It was on a corner of an intersection and ever road was a one way road that ran past it.
We tried going around in the typical 3 lefts should get us there approach and found ourselves even more lost.
I take over because La Wife is just getting a little to overwhelmed.
I drive for about 15 min and pull into a subdivision.
For no other reason then I needed a break because jumping straight into driving over there was just WAY to stressful
We asked othe people from around the counrty and they told us that it is the worst palce in the world to drive, and that they will not do it.
That’s saying something!
I honestly am going to compare it to New York City, Cars everywhere and they don’t have stop lights over there, only roundabouts!
Mind you, once you get used to them, roundabouts do work very well and are just fun!
Somehow, we made another turn down a road by mistake and low and behold, we pulled into the parking lot of our B&B.
No, honestly we made a wrong turn and it just dropped us off where we needed to be.
We had a lot of that … it’s good to take trips with La Wife because someone always seems to be looking after her!
As I was saying though, we pulled into our B&B and it was truly lovely!
The owner asked if we where going to go straight to bed because of the jetlag, but La Wife and I being troopers decided that we would force ourselves forward!
We are hard core after all!
OK, she is and I just follow because I don’t want to seem less manly then I already appear.
The owner told us the bus routes and gave us the address so when … I mean if we got lost we could find our way home.
She wished us luck and waved us farewell …
Long story short, we hop on the city bus and go into Dublin proper.
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Well, actually what I should start with is my vacation.
Not today though.
All you need to know is that we had a wonderful time, and are now planning on moving!
What I am going to talk about is some of the stuff going on in the Muslim world.
Yea, not what I was expecting now either.
Is the Middle East, as we all know, the crime rate is low do to the harshness of the crimes committed.
As an example we have all heard about how a thief might loose his hand, or some variation of things of that nature.
We also all know that to maintain such a low level of crime rates that they must in fact stick to and execute the laws of the land.
Now, we might not agree that the punishment is fitting, but hat is there way and as we all know they are not America … or Ireland for that matter … O sweet, sweet Ireland …
My first point on this topic is this.
Yea, yea we all know you don’t care but I need to start back at this to rebuild my readership so all of you regulars have to sit through it so just shut up already I’ll get to the vacation next week … ish …
The woman who committed adultery, which by the way is in fact against the law in the US as well but in most cases is only a minor misdemeanor, is being sentenced to death by stoning.
I know some of you might think that this doesn’t sound so bad, but I am not talking about a drug OD.
I am talking about actually having stones thrown at her until she’s killed.
Now, this does seem a little harsh because lets look at what the man involved is getting.
Yes, the man who not only committed the same crime (as per he might not have been married but did in fact sleep with a married woman), but also committed the murder of said woman’s husband.
What horrific punishment is he facing?
Well, he was given 10 years in prison … but it got dropped down to only 3.
Wait, WHAT?!?
Well, if the punishment is supposed to fit the crime, shouldn’t he also have a certain thingy cut off, and then he himself be stoned as well?
Wow, the Middle East seems to still be just a little off center of that whole equal right thing now don’t they?
But, it’s all good because he is a man, and she is just a lowly woman.
I’m not saying that they are wrong mind you …. because I don’t wish to have an extremist show up at my front door … but can’t we as least take it up to a little bit of a more like into the modern times?
Can we at least jump forward to weighing her against a goose?
Throwing her off a cliff and if she survives she’s innocent?
As for the punishment, how about upgrading it to something more like hanging her on a cross, or burning her at the stake?
This is happening though in a country that wishes to have a nuclear facility within it’s borders.
I am having a hard time grasping how you think your people aren’t smart enough to use bullets, but they can run a nuclear power plant?
People, I was there, it wasn’t that long ago … ok 15 years ago is kind of along time ago … wow I am getting old … not as old as the guy who sat next to us on the plane ride back from vacation though … but again, that’s another story.
15 years ago and they where still using fire to cook there food.
We need to take baby steps.
Lets think about this, what would happen if we gave this power supply to a caveman?
O, is it such a big jump?
Still cooking by fire and no working sewer systems through out most of there countries?
OK, that was a little rude I guess … still not deleting it though you can’t make me … unless you are an extremist …
OK, so my point is this … We might not agree, but they have the right.
I mean, we are still judging the who group of people on the grounds of a small sect of radicals.
Now mind you that the radicals will now have access to a new form of radicals to use toward warfare … does anyone get that reference I’m a little sleepy and not sure if it worded or not?
But, on the same note, we have American’s radicals and extremists who can do the same things here.
Anyone ever think about how many times our nuclear facilities have been protested and attacked by extremist groups who don’t want them here?
Does that mean that we need to shut them down because of a small group of people?
No, I’m pretty sure I don’t think so.
They have a government who will protect it because of the greater need of the people.
They have people who are well educated who will be running it.
They also already have weapons of mass destruction over there … wait, I think that last part might have been proven wrong … well we still have troops over there so proven yes, convinced everyone … I guess not just yet …
So get over it already.
Yes, most of them still live in the stone age, but as the Prime Directive has taught us all over the years, we sometimes should not interfere in the evolution of a group.
As for the stoning, well, it is an extreme and I personally believe unfair punishment.
But that is there law.
If we are going to keep stepping in and forcing countries to run the way that we want them to, well, first off we need to go ahead and take them over completely and run everything.
But we can’t because then we are taking away there freedoms of choice.
It’s a double edged sword.
They have lived by these laws for, well ever.
If I go and kill someone I know that when I go to court there is a good chance that I will give up my own life as a consequence.
She knew the consequences, she made her bed and slept in it anyway.
Both figuratively and literally … O come on you know you smiled a little!
Come on America, get off the high horse already and worry more about ourselves for a change and help fix us instead of sticking our noses into a punishment that was a persons choice to make.
This isn’t/wasn’t an entrapment issue.
This was a crime, and now this is the punishment!
Second topic!
This will be shorter I promise!
Get over burning the Holy Books and items!
Why is it Ok for you to burn our Bibles and flags, but turn about isn’t fare play?
Yea, just get over it already.
If you can, we can … and you started it so shush already!
I’m sorry it is a great disrespect, but we feel the same way when you do it to us.
We though, will not threaten to destroy our homes like you have to us, or to turn all of your homes into a giant glass parking lot … like we have the power to do …
Thirdly …
Enough with the Muslim Mosque in New York already!
Do we or do we not have freedom of religion in the USA?
Grow up and get over it already people!
As long as this topic is still active and being pushed around, well, none of the people involved have any right to talk about discrimination.
This is straight up religious discrimination and all around wrong.
Just shut up and move on!
I told you I would be short on the other two topics.
It seems to me that they are self explanatory, but I guess I have to say something because so many people out there just don’t seem to be getting it.
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eye r on vacation
eyes will b back soon though
eyes will then post stuffs
like pictures and stuffs
u will like
b back soon
o
know update next week either
buy buy
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In the words of Locutus “Resistance is futile!”
For all of my none geek readers, well, I shouldn’t have to tell anyone who Lucutus is!
I know I am breaking away from this Blog.
I honestly feel bad about it.
I just don’t have enough time to get everything done anymore.
Wow, being a grown up sucks!
And to think I would like to go back to school … but how and when?
I am starting to understand that paying good old Peter with Paul money can only last for so long.
That fraise seems to work with both money and time
There are things I want, and parts of me think I need, but luckily the adult small part of me is starting to say that can I actually do it all?
Yes, in so many says I can, but at what cost?
I want BarsnStripes.Net to do well.
But it takes hours a week that I am already pushed at finding.
Yes, this site only takes about 2 hours a week to work on, but somehow that two hours is just getting harder and harder to find?
It’s hard to justify as well, I mean I only have about 150 people coming to this site.
The worst part of that is that most of them are staying for less then 30 seconds so I know that they are finding it by mistake.
Yes, I just looked at the data print out and it was kind of sad.
So, the question is, do I just move everything over to BarsnStraipes.Net and run everything off of that?
Well, the problem there is that none of my viewers over there will care about my vacation photos.
I know that most of you all will not either, but I like to think and pretend that you all do.
O’well, on to something more perky!
I got a cool new jacket last night?
Yea, that is honest to God the only new thing going on in my life right now.
That’s right people, the big news is I got a cool jacket for $25 in Florida in the Summer!
And who says I am not a bargain shopper?
That is just how boring my life is in fact!
Speaking of cool over garments …
I have my old Duster.
I think anyone that knows me knows this beast of an overcoat.
Something strange about it though.
When I got it, I was in the Army just out of Basic and AIT so arguably the best shape, and thinnest, of my life.
When I got it, I got it one size bigger so that I could have a denim jacket underneath it.
Yea, yea, yea it was the style I liked and still do so shush!
Well, as I got … more grown up and a little larger per say, the darn thing still fit and I could still where a jacket under it.
I had to get bigger jackets, but never my good old duster.
So, now that I have lost some weight, once again I have had to get new jackets.
But my good old duster still fits just fine?
What I am getting at is, I think it has some of that old world magic in it.
It doesn’t make any since, I should have grown out of it.
Then if it kept growing with me, I should have gotten to small to wear it.
But no, my good old duster still rides along on my shoulders like the champ it is!
Yes, I did just make a large section of today’s Blog all about my duster.
It deserves it just as much as any other topic.
And in my mind, it is even cooler then good old Locutus!
Thanks old friend for keeping me warm and safe for so long.
Might we have at least another 15+ years together!
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Lets talk about the future Guber.
The two following definitions are brought to you by UrbanDictionary.Com
I am not saying that I agree with them, just that these are 2 examples of the word Guber.
#1 “A stage in a man's life when he acts in a way which other's would usually find embarrassing. This can include such acts as answering the mailman in your underwear or long boring inquiries into common sense tasks that lead to long meaningless stories.”
“IE: I dropped by Frank's house to get my textbook and while he ran to get it, saw his dad frying sausage and eggs wearing nothing but his underwear. What a guber!”
#1 “A combination of gay and uber; used to describe something that is ultimately or epically stupid.”
Now that we know the basic definitions, lets move onto to the candidates shall we?
Republicans …
Lets start with Bill McCollum.
He is a natural Floridian, that one for the plus category.
He has served 20 years in Congress, so he knows all of the snakes and lobbyists.
He seams to hate Medicare, and only wants old people, and I mean OLD people to be able to use it.
He has worked as the Florida Attorney General for some time, so we know he is a snake.
We do know that he is so against Federal Healthcare that he and a dozen other buddies, all of them being other State Attorney Generals, filled a federal lawsuit trying to block and ban it.
I might not agree with him but he did stand up against some big guys doing that.
We now can’t forget to mention how he was the faithful trusty over the Florida State Board of Administration where somehow over 60 Billion, yes Billion with a B, ended up missing?
Then of course lastly, and by no means lastly, we have his hatred of children.
Well, not really that, but how he thinks that over crowded foster homes are better then gay couples adopting said foster children.
Rick Scott
He is not a Floridian
Navy boy …
Back in 1997 he was associated with a major healthcare scandal involving 1.7 Billion dollars in fines and civil suites Medicaid and Medicare
This was done not necessarily by him and or his word, but the company did seem to like to say they did things when they didn’t.
He does though like to bowl and or just likes to charge other people to do it as he is a partial owner in a bowling alley franchise.
That’s fun, right?
Close ties to the Bush family … darn Rangers!
He does though seem to like health care insurance companies just a little to much …
Democrats
Adelaide ‘Alex’ Sink
She was a Former High ranking name with Bank of America.
That’s saying something in that world of chauvinists.
She is the Chief Financial Officer for the State of Florida.
Also the treasurer for the board of trusties.
So, we know right out the gate that she is bad with money!
Another person who is not a Floridian.
She does though like plants and animals
Brian Moore
Lets start with wasn’t he the former presidential nominee for the Socialist Party in 2008?
Most of the time he seems to be an independent?
In 1994 he was a republican though …
He is though all about the working man, and not the capitalists.
He seems to say what’s on his mind.
He does though want to cut %50 of the Military’s funding.
That’s probably because he was in the Peace Corps
Again though, another person with strong health care insurance ties.
He does though believes like me that free trade sucks.
No affiliations!
Michael E. Arth
He is an Artist and an Author.
He likes to help the homeless.
He understands that some of the homeless need more then just a place to stay and some food.
That they might have mental and medical needs as well.
Now although he is all about the environment, he does seem to like the ideal of self driving cars a little to much for my taste.
I mean K.I.T.T is cool and all, but never forget his evil older brother C.A.R.R
He says that he left the Democratic part because change is needed and that it needs to come from the outside at this point.
One of the nice things about him is, if you have questions for him, you will be able to find him bicycling across the state on a strange but personal meet and greet.
Lawton ‘Bud’ Chiles … son of former Governor Lawton Chiles.
Enough said?
Also, he will not be like his father, and/or Michael Arth, and traveling across the state trying to meet the people.
I hope that this helps you all remember that voting is a very important thing and that you all need to learn a little more about all of the candidates before you vote.
That being said, I am going to express my option to note vote once again.
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Working on BarsnStripes.Net.
They ran an update and now for some reason it will not recognize any of my stripes.
Yea, this is turning into a job!
At least I am getting paid for it now, right?
Also, trying to figure out a few last miner problems with our vacation.
I’m starting to feel like this site is falling away to the waist side.
That really does, honestly, make me sad.
I need to work on that … a LOT!
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I know it sucks to hear about other people going on vacation and how wonderful a time they had on it and all that stuff.
I also know that as annoying as it is, all of you will still listen and look at all of the photos when we get back.
To try and ease the hostility though, I figured I would tell you a little about the problems we have had in doing all of this.
We first had to decide if driving a manual transmission on the wrong side of the car, that is going down the wrong side of the road was in fact a good ideal … and then had to a lot for the GIANT cost increase after deciding it was not a good ideal.
Second we wanted to stay at a castle.
OK, so we get with a company and they say that they can make it work.
WOOT!
So we get a letter of confirmation and have our card charged and then get a phone call.
The Castle is booked up.
OK, we are still cool about it and say just fid us another one.
Well, they can only find us a Manor House, or a room in a Castle Hotel where you sleep off property and not in the Castle itself.
La Wife doesn’t like this option so we fight with the guy about how we already paid for it and had a confirmation.
That didn’t go well …
Wait, what’s this … our bank account is now over drafted?
They overcharged us for something we aren’t going to get to do?!?
Yea, so now we don’t have a castle stay, and are negative money?
Eye R Knot Happy!
So, long story short I call and it gets ugly but I keep my legendary cool and try to figure out the right questions to ask and finally do.
We can get a full refund on the Castle night if we want … and the overcharge back too … OK … for now …
So I start looking for other Castle to make La Wife happy because this is one of the only things she really wants to do over there.
I think I am going to have a phone bill close to 100Euro because of all of the calls but it is all good.
I find a couple of places and try and book them, my card is declined because I didn’t get prior authorization from the credit card company for international purchases.
Yea, they think a foreigner is going to steal my identity, HAHA!!!
No one wants to be me, and they can only help my credit score!
OK, so I call the bank the next morning and then back and of course the rooms are now booked.
Yea, that’s my luck.
So, I take a day off of work, wake up at 4am and start working on this project.
At 7:45ish it was finished.
Mind you, La Wife has worked just as hard as I have and is even making more sacrifices then I am … but this is my story so I have to make it sound like I am doing everything :P
So, we have a car.
We have authorization to start booking our bed and breakfasts.
We have a Castle, tickets and insurance all around for the trip.
So lets hope this last part is going to work out.
International travel is not as easy as I thought it was going to be.
Cruises are cheaper, and SO MUCH simpler!
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OK, so for the last few months I have been a little side tracked with my other website and I have neglected this one.
I feel bad too.
I really do!
It happened a pone to me that this site, the site that has forced me to open up to the world must feel like the young child after the family brings in a new baby.
So, I decided to take some time and post about stuff.
… Yea so once again I got nothing …
Dear God I have a boring life!
This is why my readership is down.
I thought it was because I was neglecting my Murderers out there, but in fact it’s because I am boring and not worth there time!
So, let me say a few words on a topic to help not only you, but more poor neglected website.
Dinner last night …
I was asked a few days ago if I wanted to go and hang out with a coworker.
Mind you in all of my years I have prided myself on not hanging out with my coworkers when not at work.
Yes, I know I have MAJOR issues!
So, we go to a sports bar and have dinner.
It was pleasant enough.
We talked about all kinds of things but every other topic was all about work and the problems with it.
I know it is strange, but I don’t want to think about work when I leave work.
La Wife and I talk about it for about ½ hour, every day and that is more then enough for me.
I don’t want to be one of these people who 5 years after I retire I die because I let myself be bothered and stresses out over a job for the last who knows how many years.
We all know that work sucks, that’s why it’s called work.
But, when everyone knows that I try and walk away form the gossip and rumor mongering, what would make you think that I want to talk about it for 4 hours at dinner?
I don’t want to think about people doing all of the wrong that they are being accused of.
I don’t want to think that these people are not just breaking the rules, but the laws.
I don’t want to think about how in 6 months I might be seeing my coworkers working form the other side of the fence.
Is rumor mongering really needed to be that big of a deal in a work place?
Do we really need to live vicariously (Wow, I spelled that right on the first try!) through the negativity of our coworkers lives?
Do I really want to think about people sneaking in things, sneaking around with, breaking this rule and/or anything else like that?
The answer is this, and simple … Yes I do!
I try and stay away from it, I honestly do.
I don’t want to do it, but once someone starts talking about the negativity about someone else’s life you kind of feel better about your own.
Then you have to tell what you know on the subject so it quickly snowballs down hill.
So now I know everything going on where I work.
It bothers me.
I don’t want to think about some of the things I now know.
Then again, I have to try and remember that it is in fact just rumors.
We all know how the telephone game works, and that’s all that this was.
So, there.
I posted something.
The point I am trying to make is this though …
Don’t, and I mean DON’T, think that they are not doing the same thing about you when you are not around.
If they will talk about everyone else, they WILL talk about you as well.
I know that this was not very controversial, but now that I have a little more free time, expect better.
OK, you might want to expect better, but it might be better if you expected about the same and then where just pleasantly surprised when better popped up on the screen!
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