Gramp's Toolshed

Dad's Birthday!!

2017-05-29T20:27:00.001-07:00

Today was Dad's Birthday.

I ended up calling him and talking to him for a long time about his trip to Virginia and his upcoming trip up here.

It was good to talk to him and he is still sick from his last trip but it doesn't sound too bad, and he sounds excited to come up and visit.

Drill Weekend 19-21

2017-05-29T20:25:00.002-07:00

Crappy week.

I was sick on the Tuesday before drill - May 16th,

I did get my Continuing Education completed and got re-certified for both Network Plus and Security Plus though, so that worked out pretty well.

Drill sucked. It was a MUTA 6 so all of Friday Saturday, and Sunday.

It was pretty cool that Division was up training with us so I got to see lots of old buddies like Noon, Garcia, Hubred, Danielzuk, Perrin, Marko, and Sergeant Major Bartkey.

Braaten got pinned his E-7 so that was pretty cool. I am worried that it is going to just increase his problems with anxiety and leadership, but he does have a lot of support. With any luck things will smooth out enough that he gets comfortable with it, and then I think he will do pretty well. I do still hope he goes Warrant though.

I took the next Monday off, and used that time to collect paperwork and schedule my annulment hearing. I got all my witnesses lined up and agreed to a date for them to all come up to St. Cloud. I still don't know how I feel about this. It really sucks to have to participate in, plan, and execute your own betrayal.

AWJ

2017-05-18T20:23:00.001-07:00

Josh's wife tried to flame me yesterday.

It was on a video that was explaining that taxation is theft.

At first Kevin Reynolds countered her quite a bit. Then I got involved.

Then Steve Browne and Josh Anderson started arguing with her.

The last I saw was Jum trying to say that theft and rape shouldn't ever be compared and Josh Anderson of course said that - - well since they often both lead to death, it kind of makes sense.

At that point I had to take off because of cardio and then CL.

By the time I got home, she had deleted the entire thread.

I don't know if it kept going after I left or not.

I feel really bad for her and how she humiliated herself like that. She really should have known better, but I suppose sometimes pride gets the best of people.

The funny thing is that it was just two days before drill. Now I have all weekend hanging out with Josh.

Probably going to be a little weird, but oh well.

Mother's Day 2017

2017-05-14T18:23:00.000-07:00

Today was actually a pretty crappy day. It is a Sunday and I have drill next weekend so I had a ton of things that I need to get done and I planned on getting them done this weekend.

Of course none of that happened. I didn't even do cardio or go to the range.

Really being a lazy piece of crap this weekend.

I did get to confession on Saturday, and Mass today, and saw Dan there. So not completely wasted.

What I did do is watch Shadowlands. I have had that movie in the DVD drive of my laptop for months planning to watch it but I never did.

When I finally did watch it, it really sucked. The C.S. Lewis character reminded me of myself in so many different ways, and even in his flawed, late in life, half assed, broken sort of way of trying to reach out and truly connect to someone else - it made me realize that I share so many of the characteristics with that character, and yet I probably couldn't even do what he did. The relationship that he did have was to a dying woman after her terminal diagnosis and it was late in his life, when he was in his 50's or 60's.

It was pretty crappy. He obviously had achieved more then I ever will in life (Oxford professor and famous author) and still it all ended like.......................

Basically without answer. To love is to suffer, and that is better then to never really love at all.

Assault, Kidnapping, and Robbery

2017-05-13T12:30:00.001-07:00

Two convicted of Felonies for bringing Cigs to MN

This story points out that MN taxes tobacco products at 95% of the value.

These two guys were bringing about $78,000 worth of smokes, and $74,000 of that was the taxes.

Any surprise there is going to be a black market???

And how does people selling cigarettes justify beating them up, kidnapping them and taking all of their money?

Confederate Monuments

2017-05-12T19:27:00.002-07:00

I can't help but wonder..........is it out of a sense of guilt? Everyone knows that the democrats were the confederates and instead of owning up to it and truly taking responsibility for It, they just supported Jim Crow and the Klan for a hundred years and when that didn't work anymore they found it easier to buy votes with government largesse and pretend that some magical southern strategy changed all the chairs and then promptly claimed that they were the good guys all along. I think we all really know the truth about that, most especially them. It almost seems like their guilty consciences are forcing them to physically tear down evidence that reminds them of their past.

The Libertarian Hypocrite

2017-05-10T17:33:00.002-07:00

Idea..................

One of the most common slings cast against libertarians and among themselves is the idea that they are a hypocrite if they participate in civil society.

This is the tool by which their opponents and themselves ten to marginalize them out of the very spots where they could have some influence to change the leftward tide.

I need to write a book where I argue against that charge. Where I point out that libertarians have the rightful place in society and that the leftists are the impostors.

I need to point out that as soon as libs buy into the hypocrisy charge, that it is a nonstop slope straight into irrelevancy.

Basic Outline -

Intro

History

Dilemma

Examples

Wrap-up

Alexander Defense

2017-05-04T15:55:00.003-07:00

Made my first transfer with Alexander Defense today.

It was pretty cool.

The guy's name is James and he seems like a nice dude.

I felt like a bit of a dumbass though because I drove almost all of the way home before I realized that I had totally forgotten to pay him the transfer fee!!!

I drove back and gave the money to his daughter because she said he wasn't home, that he had gone to pick up pizza.

I did get a hold of him on facebook though to make sure that he knew I hadn't totally forgotten.

Mother Theresa

2017-04-30T13:29:00.000-07:00

I heard a story that I want to write down so I remember.

I might not be getting this right, but the gist of the story is that Mother Theresa was walking with a reporter who was trying to interview her.

She saw a poor homeless man covered in disease and dying in the gutter.

She jumped down into the sewage filled gutter and started wiping the puss from his wounds and comforting him as he died.

The reporter was trying as hard as he could to not vomit and said "I wouldn't do that for a million dollars".

Without missing a beat, Mother Theresa said "Neither would I. Neither would I."

UBA Logbook entry 234121

2017-04-30T13:24:00.001-07:00

Continued the Against the Giants modules last night,

It had been months since we had played last so it took us a bit to get up to speed.

Chad had pulled a hilarious joke on me!!

He had listed the start time in the event plan as 5 PM, I ended up running late and getting there around 6:20 PM and was really worried that I was holding the game up. But when I showed up, there was no one there and I couldn't figure it out.

Then Chad told me that he had told everyone else to be there by 7 PM and let me think that game started at 5 so that even though I would be late, we could all still start at the right time!!!

And you might think that this would end up being the one time that I would pull off being on time, or even early, but not so!!!! True to form I was almost an hour and a half late!!

Hahahahahahaha!!!! I am still laughing about that now!!! Genius!!

Fun game!!! I will post Chad's Dungeon Master Notes later!!

CHAD's RUGER!!! 23 APR 2017

2017-04-30T13:19:00.002-07:00

Went shooting with Chad today.

It was his first time out with his brand new Ruger 9E.

He was so excited and had been looking forward to it for months.

I brought a pile of other guns, but Chad was having none of it. He just wanted to spend quality time with his baby!!

I can't blame him there.

The day ended up being a mixed bag.

Chad had a lot of trouble with limp wristing, and kept on getting failure to feeds as a result.

He was super happy and had a great time though so I hope we end up making this into a regular thing.

Afterwards we went to Perkins and ate giant plates of breakfast food.

We talked about Sara, and our situations in life, and the future.

A good time altogether!!

EASTER!!!!

2017-04-27T04:23:00.001-07:00

Easter was pretty good this year.

This was on Saturday, 15APR17.

I drove down to Rochester and the Jeep made it all the way down and back.

Mike and Kim were there, as well as the entire Devine clan.

We did some goofy games like tossing eggs and marshmallows and building a box to drop an egg off the deck.

Dawn talked about setting up occasions where Mike and I spend a day alone a piece with Jonah.

The Devines had a new puppy that was a boy named Gaelic to go with the puppy they got last year that was a girl named Ireland.

All in all a pretty good time!!!

Easter 2017 pics

2017-04-17T18:45:00.001-07:00

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5zA5abtOMlI

Revolver Fun

2017-04-13T20:57:00.001-07:00

I got a new kydex holster for my Ruger SP101 3 inch 357 mag.

It fits snug and has great retention. I left the weapon in there for a few days so that it could subtly adjust to it's shape and now it fits great all the time.

I also got a new set of Pachymar grips. It came with the Hogue grips on it and normally I absolutely LOVE hogue grips, but this particular set was the nylon ones and not the rubber ones. So even though the grip was incredibly ergonomic, it was too slippery, and I wasn't comfortable carrying the gun.

The new Pachymar grips are just about perfect. They are shorter, so easier to conceal, wider so easier to get a full grip on them, and rubbery, so they have that texture and grippiness that I like so much and seems to help my shooting so much.

I just installed the grips tonight, and I am so happy with the gun right now.

I am seriously considering working it into my conceal carry rotation.

I am also shopping online to get it a night sight.

Genres

2017-04-12T17:55:00.000-07:00

Old West

Modern Day

Cyberpunk Future

Modern Day Supernatural

Star Trek Future

Firefly Future

Weapons Corner

2017-04-07T09:19:00.000-07:00

Lately I have been looking at Smith and Wesson a lot more.

I am turning into a bit of a Glock and S&W guy.

I do have one Springfield Armory, and I have my eyes set on buying two more of them (the XD-S 9mm 4 inch barrel, and the XD Mod 2 9mm 5 inch barrel).

I also have one Ruger, and would like to start buying Americans and at least one SR-22.

I like Walther, and I definitely plan on getting one of their Creeds.

H&K's are nice, but they are just too expensive at this point to seriously consider them.

FN's are pretty much in the same boat, but I do occasionally see a good deal float by, and if I can, I will try to snatch a few up.

Colts are practically nonexistent these days, and the only really new thing that they have come up with anytime lately is the Cobra. I would like one of those, but they aren't hitting the market and it doesn't look like they are going to be around for long. Even when they show up, they are way too expensive and sell out immediately.

I do still have a few Taurus's and one Kel Tec. I am not quite sure what to do about those. I keep on thinking that I should sell them so that I could use that money to buy a couple of really good weapons. Then, the more I think about it, the more I kind of think that I should never sell and keep everything out of desire to love guns, sentimentalism for my original purchases,

I like CZ, and I would really like to someday get a CZ85 and possibly even a P-07. They are pretty affordable, but just not quite high enough on my list yet.

SIG Sauer's are awesome, but the decocking lever on most of them don't work with left handers like me. I do want to get one of the 320's though since I love the modular concept, and it was selected as the Army's new sidearm.

Speaking of which, the Beretta's are pretty interesting. I do want to get an M9 since that was the pistol for the duration of my military career. The Storm's are cool pistols with the rotating barrel and the pistol caliber carbines look like they would be perfect for home defense.

First Aid

2017-04-06T13:56:00.002-07:00

I had my first aid class with Tara, Jenny, and Amy today. It was pretty cool. The instructor was hilarious and kept us all entertained and interested.

We had lunch at the BBQ placed called Lillies that Sara used to love because it was right next to her work. The class was at the St. Cloud Work Force Center.

Jenny told me that when Michele was young she went to a Christian summer camp and was playing baseball, and a dude pushed her off the base, so she turned around and jacked him in the jaw, and knocked out one of his teeth!!!!

I am going to give her so much grief about this!!!

Turkies and Cops

2017-04-06T13:52:00.002-07:00

Yesterday I saw two things that kind of surprised me.

I saw three squad cars and an ambulance staging themselves to conduct and assault on one of my neighbors. Not too surprising, but it is kind of unusual for my neighborhood to get this scrappy this soon after the snow melts. It was just yesterday on 05APR17. The snow only melted about two weeks ago. Well, who knows. The neighborhood is changing. It seems like it is getting better with the fancy law firm moving in where the bowling alley used to be, and Microbiologics expanding and buying up half their block. On the other hand, my new neighbors are loud, drunk, and loud, and we did have those problems with the sex slavery and the shooting last year, so I suppose it is still up in the air.

The other thing that I saw that really surprised me was a wild turkey!!!

I can't believe it!!! I was out smoking on the deck and it was in my back yard. As I tried to pull my phone out to get a picture, it ran across the street into Linda's yard and went behind her house.

Not sure what that turkey was doing right in the middle if a town with a population of almost 70,000 right now. She must have been really really lost!!!!

20 Year Anniversary

2017-04-04T04:08:00.002-07:00

Twenty years ago on 04APR1997.

Good old Meghan.

Weird that I remember these sorts of things.

First CL Facebook friend

2017-04-04T04:07:00.001-07:00

Ben Murphy friended me last night.

Been about over a year now that I have been going to CL and finally friended one.

Not sure if this is a good thing or a bad thing.

I suppose only time will tell.

First Ant in the house

2017-04-04T04:05:00.001-07:00

Last night, 03apr17 i found the first ant in the house.

Seems like it shouldn't be for another few months.

Can't be a good sign.

AWM #1

2017-04-02T16:42:00.001-07:00

Last Friday, 31MAR17, I posted a link to an event that Julie Borowski is having here in Minnesota.

Mount Purgatory - Toni Aceto

2017-04-02T08:06:00.001-07:00

Climbing "Mount Purgatory" during Lent
"By the time Dante exits the Inferno, he is shaken, not only with regard to the sins of others, but by the effects of sin on his own soul. With the fear of the Inferno in mind, he enters Purgatory.
It is here that he begins to encounter sinners who are on their way to heaven, and it is here that Dante cannot look away from his own sinfulness. An angel with a sword approaches Dante and marks his forehead with seven P’s (peccatum - sins) for each of the seven deadly sins - Lust, Gluttony, Avarice, Sloth, Wrath, Envy, Pride. By acknowledging this in his poem, Dante is declaring that he is guilty of all seven types of sin. He isn’t just pointing the finger at others as one might suggest by reading the Inferno, he is pointing the finger directly at himself. He is telling the world of his own time and for the last 700 years, that he is guilty of all the same sins as those he witnessed in hell. It can be likened to standing up in an AA meeting and acknowledging your addiction. Upon this declaration, Dante must climb a shocking set of stairs that carry him through the experience of penance. The first step is gleaming white and reflective - this step has a mirror-like quality of reflecting one’s soul, not body. Dante sees everything he has ever done. He experiences true regret and remorse for the ways in which he has hurt others. This sorrowfulness is part of his ascent to the next step - it is a rough, crumbling, broken step which symbolizes the soul’s contrition. Dante feels the full force of his sorrow for his sins. On the third step, the blood-red step, Dante is reminded of Christ’s suffering for our salvation. Though Jesus died on the cross for our sins, it is our response to this redemptive suffering that turns our hearts to God and toward heaven. As Dante atones for each of his sins, the angel removes one of the P’s from his forehead. At the end of his penitential journey, Dante must pass through a wall of fire to be purged from the effects of sins; he then passes through the waters symbolizing the cleansing waters of Baptism so that he may enter Paradise on Easter morning - the day of the Resurrection. He is finally prepared to present himself before the Divine.
The Lenten season is much like Dante’s journey through Purgatory. If we enter into this penitential season with the goal of the resurrection in mind, we can follow in Dante’s carefully detailed footsteps. We know that our sins have wounded us or others. If we are honest with ourselves we can see our sinfulness in the shiny mirror that reflects our soul by taking a careful look at the areas where our behavior has caused us or others pain and suffering. In our deepest desire to make amends we scale the crumbling step of remorse and regret for our actions. In Dante’s case, he broke down and cried bitterly. And finally, on the last blood-red step we accept Christ’s passion and death as our final step to salvation. We follow Christ to the cross, we receive his absolution through the sacrament of Reconciliation, and we make a resolution to avoid these sins in the future. Earth, temptation, and life being what it is, this process is not necessarily a one-shot deal - we experience it time and again. That is the beauty of Lent and the wonderful opportunities the sacraments afford us each time we turn away from sin and turn toward God.
Dante’s journey through Purgatory is a mindful lesson in humility, virtue, and love. It’s not about fire and damnation - it’s about the grace that leads us to eternal life. Reading Dante’s Purgatorio during Lent can be an eye-opening experience. Dante’s tangible atonement for sins transcended our human experience. It went beyond abstinence and fasting for two of the forty days. The requirement of penitential Purgatorio is a powerful reminder of our journey toward heaven. On Earth, there is much to distract us from our heavenly goal, but in purgatory there are no distractions - the souls are completely focused on becoming saints. Dante’s Purgatorio is a profound lesson in saint-building. It is worth reading during Lent, but even moreso, it is worth the experience" : from "Catholic 365", link follows:

The Annunciation

2017-03-29T15:25:00.001-07:00

Last week was the celebration of the Annunciation. It kind of caught me by surprise.

I don't know much of anything about the liturgical calendar other than Christmas and vaguely where Easter is supposed to be.

The funny thing is that I had been having a premonition about it all the way on the lead up to it.

I kept on thinking about it, before I even knew that it was coming up.

I had never really thought about it before, and I am not sure where this thought entered my mind. But I couldn't help myself.

The more I thought about it, the more I started to really understand the implications of the fact that Mary was fully human and completely within her will and agency to have said "No".

I had always taken it for granted that she said "Yes". I know how the story goes, since before I can remember. So much so that it normally just bores the heck out of me to even think about it.

But as I started thinking about it a few weeks ago, I couldn't help but focus on that so much.

All we really know is the story in the New Testament, so everything else that I was thinking about was just conjecture.

But I kept thinking about what that meant. If she could say "No", then there was no absolute assurance that she would say "Yes".

So I imagined all the angels and saints in Heaven waiting with bated breath in eager anticipation for her answer.

And when she finally said "Behold, I am the Handmaid of the Lord, let it be done unto me according to thy Word" I imagined all of Heaven exploding with jubilation!!!!!!!

The kind of joy and happiness that only the Creator of joy and happiness can host!!!

This thought hijacked my mind so much leading up to the Annunciation that I was daydreaming at work, and so full of joyful happiness that I was practically crying at my desk!!!

Hahahahahaha!!!! I bet my coworkers thought I was a freak!!!

Wrap up 25MAR17

2017-03-25T11:33:00.000-07:00

Last weekend was the Signal Symposium. 18-19MAR17

Pretty fun, and the have started up the North Star Chapter of the Signal Regiment Association.

I am thinking of getting a lifetime membership but it costs $225. I should probably do it soon though because I think the price will only go up.

Kim is dating a guy named Kevin now, and I hope they do really well.

I met with Lisa and she is really pushing me towards the collar.

I read at CL and they really liked it and said that I would be the designated reader from now on.