The Portland Primate

Geocaching Cat= GeoCat

noreply@blogger.com (Joel T) — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 22:37:00 +0000

Received package of travel bugs, geocoins and geocache containers.
The cat took time inspecting each item, then decided it was time to nap before I went geocaching.

I received 2 of the following geocoin. 1 will travel with me. The other will be released down the road somewhere:

Peter Iredale

noreply@blogger.com (Joel T) — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 18:53:00 +0000

Went out to the coast to play Army for another week.
This is the Peter Iredale. It ran aground almost a century ago. It continually is buried and unburied in sand by the ocean.

Birthday

noreply@blogger.com (Joel T) — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 17:33:00 +0000

I had 2 sisters and a friend from college come out to visit for my birthday.
Saw the Japanese Gardens. One sister tried sushi for the first time.
Saw the popular waterfalls in the Gorge. Ate at Kennedy School, ate Ethiopian, went to a chocolate fest where we got sugar highs and had several shots of sake.

Snowy Coastal Mountains

noreply@blogger.com (Joel T) — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 04:29:00 +0000

I had to drive out to the coast to play army for the week. Below is the picture I took while going across the Coastal Mountains.
It was too cloudy/foggy to see out to Mt St Helens, but apparently on clear days there's an amazing view of the mountain from this spot. The clouds touching the trees made it amazing enough for me. :-)

APOLLO

noreply@blogger.com (Joel T) — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 20:07:00 +0000

Apollo is an epic, multimedia examination of post WWII America which explores the birth of the U.S. space program, its employment of former-Nazi rocket scientists, and their surprising intersection with the Civil Rights Movement. Using the U.S. mission to the moon as a symbol of our country’s greatness, Apollo probes deep into the question: what did we sacrifice to become the America we are today? And was it worth it? Through a kaleidoscopic array of theatrical methods (movement, text, video projection, music), Keystone reveals the costs and ambiguities of human aspiration and progress.

Pacific Coast

noreply@blogger.com (Joel T) — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 06:27:00 +0000

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Originally uploaded by jtcyclones

Went out to the mouth of the Columbia River. This is waves from the Pacific Ocean crashing against a cliff below the lighthouse. I'll have more pics to blog later.

Lone Fir Cemetery

noreply@blogger.com (Joel T) — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 00:27:00 +0000

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Originally uploaded by jtcyclones

This really reminds me of the creepy pictures of ancestors my father has. I've got other pics from the Lone Fir Cemetery that I should post.

Lone Fir Cemetery has 25,000 graves of which around 10,000 do not have grave stones or accurate records.

Mossy wall on a sunny day

noreply@blogger.com (Joel T) — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 00:26:00 +0000

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Originally uploaded by jtcyclones

Back home they're having negative temperatures. I'm enjoying this 50F sunny weather. This is a moss covered wall in Washington Park.

Walking around downtown

noreply@blogger.com (Joel T) — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 00:25:00 +0000

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Firefighter memorial near PGE Park. The fountain and plaza area is covered in fastfood trash.

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Originally uploaded by jtcyclones

Portlandia.
Second largest copper woman in the United States resides on SW 5th Avenue in Portland.

Drill Antics

noreply@blogger.com (Joel T) — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 02:25:00 +0000

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Originally uploaded by jtcyclones

Yes, I'm having a tube shoved up my nose.

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Originally uploaded by jtcyclones

I think this picture speaks for itself.

Drink Beer!

noreply@blogger.com (Joel T) — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 04:24:00 +0000

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Drink Beer!

Widmer brewery in Portland.

Nigh Lights

noreply@blogger.com (Joel T) — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 04:41:00 +0000

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Originally uploaded by jtcyclones

Day 2 of my Project 365.

This is a 10 second exposure of the Hwy26/I-405 interchange looking East towards downtown Portland.

I think I'll be working on using timers and long exposures more often. See what I can come up with.

Happy New Year!

noreply@blogger.com (Joel T) — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 00:39:00 +0000

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Originally uploaded by jtcyclones

Day 1 of my Project 365.

It was rainy outside so we stayed in and played video games.

The cat loves to "disable" arms by sleeping on them.

Happy New Year!

noreply@blogger.com (Joel T) — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 18:49:00 +0000

Happy New Year, everyone!
It's rainy here in Portland, and quiet across the city as far as I can tell.

I've got a few New Years Resolutions, like most people. Since my 101 in 1001 is on hold, my resolutions are based on things I can do both in the US and on deployment.

1. Debt elimination plan. Monday, Jan 5th, is dedicated to putting my financial house in order and developing a plan.
2. Max my IRA and other retirement savings. Also based off of Monday's work.
3. Health goals: I've got monthly and quarterly goals, much easier to meet than some obtuse goal.
4. More photography.

2008 Review

noreply@blogger.com (Joel T) — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 20:51:00 +0000

1. What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before?

Moved across the country.
AT in the field.
Learned Iraqi Arabic.
Whitewater Rafting.
Snowshoeing.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

I had planned to work on a 101 in 1001 list, but after finding out I'd be deployed I postponed the list.
Will make new resolutions, yes.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Yes, I had a sister give birth to a nephew.

4. Did anyone close to you die?

Close to me, no.

5. What countries did you visit?

US.

6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?

More travel.

7. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

May 18th: I arrived in Portland.
June 4th: I met someone.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Moving across the country.

9. What was your biggest failure?

Failed road-trip for Christmas/NewYears.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

Strep throat: twice in 2 months.
Back pain, as usual.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

My GPS.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

My parents for being so civil while they disagreed with me.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed

My MPLS friends for claims they made against another friend.

14. Where did most of your money go?

Moving expenses, fun excursions, and big-boy toys.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

Exploring the Pacific Northwest.

16. What song will always remind you of 2008?

Not sure there is one.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:a) happier or sadder? b) thinner or fatter? c) richer or poorer?

a) Happier.
b) Probably about the same weight.
c) Poorer, but I have a debt reduction plan.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?

Hiking, running.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?

Procrastinating.

20. How did you spend Christmas?

Flew to the midwest and spent with family.

21. Did you fall in love in 2008?

Yes.

22. How many one-night stands?

None.

23. What was your favorite TV program?

House

24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?

A friend.

25. What was the best book you read?

Reading Portland. A book that gives a literary tour of Portland, Oregon's history.

26. What was your greatest musical discovery?

None.

27. What did you want and get?

iPod, GPS, laptop.

28. What did you want and not get?

dream job.

29. What was your favorite film of this year?

The Fall

30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

I went to my usual bar, drank with friends. I turned 25.

31. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

If I had kept a better budget and procrastinated less.

32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?

ACU & casual.

33. What kept you sane?

My cat.

34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

FDR? I'm not sure how to answer that question.

35. What political issue stirred you the most?

DoD allocations?

36. Who did you miss?

My friend Kipp.

37. Who was the best new person you met?

Matt.

38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008.

Curve balls happen.

39. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

On his face is a map of the world.

in memoriam

noreply@blogger.com (Joel T) — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 16:43:00 +0000

"In Iraq, Soldiers die for freedom, for honor, for their country and for their buddies. Here in Philadelphia, they die without honor, without purpose, for no country, for no one ... There is a war at home raging every day, filling our trauma centers with so many wounded children that it sometimes makes Baghdad seem like a quiet city in Iowa."

--Maj. John P. Pryor
Army Reserve combat surgeon
University of Philadelphia trauma surgeon

Maj. Pryor was killed on Christmas by enemy fire in Iraq while serving as a combat surgeon. It was his second tour of duty in Iraq. He leaves behind a wife and three children.

More information: http://www.drjohnpryor.com/

Happy Holidays

noreply@blogger.com (Joel T) — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 19:06:00 +0000

blogging cat
Originally uploaded by jtcyclones

From our blog to you, Happy Holidays.

noreply@blogger.com (Joel T) — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 17:49:00 +0000

About a foot of snow on the ground, and ice mixed in.
I-84 has been closed, open, now closed again.
Most of the highways from here to the coast have closures on them.
Chains required on city streets.
We're flying.
Going snowshoeing today.

Weather Delay

noreply@blogger.com (Joel T) — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 14:44:00 +0000

We've had 2 storm systems move through, and now we have another one coming through.
Right now the hill is too icy for the vehicle to get up, even with chains.
Watching the road more than the weather. Once we can get up the hill, then we'll reevaluate the weather across the route.
If it seems we won't be able to get out for Christmas, then we'll change plans, stay in Portland for Christmas and continue with New Years plans.
I'm grumpy right now. So wanted to be ahead of the storm. Grrr.

Road Trip

noreply@blogger.com (Joel T) — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 06:13:00 +0000

Road Trip for Christmas:
Portland, OR to Omaha, NE & on to Iowa.

Don't Forget To Vote!

noreply@blogger.com (Joel T) — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 07:25:00 +0000

Don't forget to vote!!!

Scariest Places On Earth: Villisca, Iowa (ABC Family Channel)

noreply@blogger.com (Joel T) — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 20:35:00 +0000

This is one of several haunted places in Iowa.
http://www.villiscaiowa.com/

Sometime when I go back to Iowa I'll need to get down there and check it out.

H.R. 6696: Frank Buckles World War I Memorial Act

noreply@blogger.com (Joel T) — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 16:02:00 +0000

It recently was brought to my attention the following two facts:

1. There is only one surviving veteran from World War One.
2. There is no national memorial for World War One.

HR 6696 is a bill to construct a national World War One memorial.
I plan to write several politicians on November 5th, the day after election day, to request co-sponsorship.

Part of me feels that the Congressmen and World War Two veterans that pushed for a memorial and used language such as "they are dying before a memorial is built" are hypocrites. But I'll bite my tongue and give my support towards a World War One memorial.

101 in 1001 update

noreply@blogger.com (Joel T) — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 16:01:00 +0000

A little over a year ago I posted my 101 in 1001 list. Since then I have moved, spent time without a job, and been advised I'm deploying in the spring.

My priorities and circumstances have changed. Some items are no longer relevent and some are shelved for new priority goals (learning arabic instead of relearning Spanish or German).

To date I have completed the following: 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 15, 17, 20, 22, 24, 70, 71, 79, 80, 82, 84, 87, 92.
The following were failures: 16, 51, 53, 58.
The following are on target to be completed before I deploy: 2, 4, 13, 16, 18, 19, 21, 25, 33, 38, 41, 45, 46, 48, 62, 99, 101.

I will be re-evaluating my goals, both completed and uncompleted, and updating my 101 in 1001 list with a completion date to coincide with the end of my deployment.
I'll have some time near the end of deployment to contemplate and create a new 101 in 1001.

Oregon Army National Guard Captain killed in Afghanistan

noreply@blogger.com (Joel T) — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 04:06:00 +0000

Captain Bruno De Solenni was killed in Afghanistan. His father spoke with their hometown newspaper on Sunday. The Department of Defense has not released information at this time.

This is Captain De Solenni's letter printed in today's newspaper.

Letter from Afghanistan

Published: September 22, 2008

Editor's note: This is the unedited version of the letter emailed to Triplicate reporter Adam Madison on Sept. 11 from Afghanistan by Capt. Bruno de Solenni of Crescent City.

Hi Adam, my name is Capt. Bruno de Solenni and I am writing you in regards to your article that I finally was able to read online.

I really wasn't sure what to expect, especially nowadays with some of the crap that you read in the news. I will say that I was surprised and pleased that it wasn't over-sensationalized and you kept a good theme on the topic.

I guess the main reason I am writing you is to thank you for your support and the point of view that you took on the article. I know that sometimes it is difficult to actually print something without being biased and taking just one side. But I will tell you the truth and give you an honest opinion about my life in the National Guard, about the war over here and many of the decisions leading to my third tour in the Middle East.

First off, when I first joined the National Guard, back in 1996, I had no idea that I would be here today. I do remember making the decision on Christmas Day when I was about 20 years old and felt like I was going nowhere with my life and needed to take a new direction. As my father and mother had stated earlier, I was always fascinated with history and the military, and was amazed at some of the hardships my grandfather endured in both WWI and WWII.

So the following Monday on the 26th I called a recruiter, and took the asvab test on the 27th in Eureka. Three days later I was down at the Oakland Meps station getting sworn in as a 62E (heavy equipment operator). When they asked when I wanted to go to Basic, I told them, "how about next week?" and they kind of laughed at me and explained that the soonest they could get me in was 30 days. On the 29th I boarded a plane and my life was forever changed, without me even knowing what lay ahead.

Eventually, a few years after joining, I did decided to go back to college at Southern Oregon University in Ashland, Ore., where there was a GOLD (Guard Officer Leadership Development) program that allowed me to earn a federal commission as an Army officer while I continued to work toward my degree (which the National Guard also paid for).

In a sense, I was doing exactly what the National Guard said I could do if I joined … Finally, on May 11, 2001, I received my commission as a young, immature, 2nd lieutenant full of piss and vinegar still not knowing exactly what I was getting into.

When Sept. 11 happened, it was then that I realized that things were going to be very different for me and the rest of this country. One month later our battalion received the alert order that we would mobilize the following year to fill in on the current MFO (Multi National Force and Observers) mission in Sinai, Egypt. After returning from Egypt, I was home for eight months before volunteering again to go to Iraq for OIF II. It was there I truly (became) an infantry officer and learned a lot about myself and people in general.

Upon my return from Iraq, I was positive about what was going on there but very resentful at the way the media was covering the war over there. In my own view, I personally feel that some of the media deliberately fueled that war based on their own biased political views and I still hold them accountable for their actions.

Something that still upsets me is the fact that they exploited some of the crimes soldiers committed over there as a reflective view to the rest of the world of what our armies stood for. I am not saying that we didn't make mistakes, we did make them and we have painfully corrected them.

After returning from Iraq I took a break and just stuck to the one weekend a month traditional Guard and used my experiences from Iraq to lead a recon/sniper platoon out of the Grants Pass Armory for about 2.5 years. Then I received the opportunity to come to Afghanistan and work as an Embedded Trainer with the Afghanistan Army.

Some of the biggest dilemmas that I think we have faced here are mostly the fact that Afghanistan seems to have been put on the back burner up until a few months ago when the casualties here began to exceed those in Iraq where there are four times as many soldiers. Our true problems here are definitely reflective of the Pakistani border and the lack of troops covering it, which has been an issue for years and is being exploited by the Taliban as they train freely in Pakistan, unopposed by anyone.

In my opinion, Afghanistan does need a troop surge of American soldiers as well, otherwise we will only be able to sustain combat operations with minimal effect of containing Taliban insurgents. As I speak about this, these are only my views and opinions based on my experiences.

Even though I am now recuperating in the rear and doing fine, much of my time along with other teammates has been spent in the Helmand Province working with a handful of British soldiers in small isolated FOBs conducting offensive operations with the Afghan National Army. Our task is to mentor them during combat operations and to provide both air support and indirect fire support, which seems to sometimes be a daily necessity over here.

The good days over here are when we are truly sticking it to the Taliban in a firefight that is in our favor and you just dropped 130 105mm rounds on their position. Or when a ... hot F-15 pilot flies over your head strafing the Taliban with his Vulcan cannons.

The (bad) days are when you are covering up your your sergeant major from being exposed to the dust-out of a Chinook helicopter that is landing to medivac him out. At the same time he cries because he doesn't want to leave his team as he lies there half paralyzed with shrapnel in him, while fluids are coming out of his eyes and ears signifying severe brain trauma, (meaning we cant give him morphine).

The bad days are when you put your buddy in a body bag and you don't even recognize him because his limbs are missing and there holes in him everywhere. The miracles are when his last words are, "tell my wife and kids I love them," before he dies in his best friend's arms after struggling for several agonizing minutes to get the words out because there is a fist-size hole in his head.

And last but not least, the best days are when an Afghan comes up to you thanking you for everything that you have done to help them and for making their (home) a better place now that the Taliban are gone.

If anything, this is probably the biggest reason why I proudly enjoy being over here. I can't explain it to anyone and there is no description of what it feels like, but it was the same feeling I got when I was in Iraq as well. And I am sure it's the same feeling that generations of American soldiers before me have gotten as they fought and sacrificed their lives for the freedoms that we enjoy today.

Perhaps the biggest thing that has made being over here much more bearable, is the amount of public support that we have received from people. Getting a care package or a letter of support when you are out in the middle of nowhere from a complete stranger, thanking you, does make the day seem a little better.

I would especially like to thank my Aunt Jan Martin, and The local Troop Support organization who have provided care packages to soldiers serving overseas and have volunteered endless hours of their time and energy making our lives easier. The British soldiers (who don't get anything) are extremely grateful as well.

Along with this, I would especially like to thank the members of the VFW who donated several hundred dollars of G.I. shirts to the company of Afghans that I have been mentoring. You have all truly made my life and my job easier. Without your support, life would not be as pleasant.

Last but not least I would truly like to thank everyone who has supported the soldiers and the efforts toward supporting these wars even when there wasn't an end in sight. Until about 6 months ago there wasn't a news outlet that was saying that the Iraq war was winnable and that this was another vietnam in the making. Had we let the politicians get ahold of this war it would have been.

Fortunately our president (who is not perfect) has stood his ground against the naysayers who deliberately exploited the death of American soldiers for their own political gain, showing no regard to their families and loved ones who are still mourning them to this day.

I can understand what it was like for Vietnam veterans who returned from the war and were spat upon for wearing their uniform and standing up for what they believed in. Unfortunately this is still all-too-true for many of the British soldiers returning home to their own country. There are even certain ethnic religious neighborhoods where they cannot even wear their uniforms because they will be beat up in their own country.

I pray to God we never come to that and thank the fact that what has changed drastically between Vietnam and now is that even if the public doesn't support the war, they still support troops which makes a huge difference. This is especially comforting if you are one of those soldiers walking through the airport wearing your uniform and coming home on leave or returning from a deployment.

Once again, I cannot thank everyone enough for their support and all that they have done …

Sincerely,

Capt. Bruno de Solenni