Life

Looking back, looking ahead

/ hsoi / 2 Comments

So how did 2010 do for me?

All in all, not bad.

There are goals I met, goals I didn’t meet. There are things that came up along the way that I never figured on… like getting a dog. 🙂

But all in all, life is good. I’m fortunate in my life and while I may whine from time to time, while things may not always go the way I want, I know the general trend is better than most so truly I have no place to complain. I count my blessings and do my best to remember them.

How do I want 2011 to shape up for me?

Funny I should use the word shape. While my weight-loss was good and I am down 15#, I’ve plateaued at that level for some weeks now. It’s a combination of slacking on the “up-day-down-day” diet, stress, holiday/vacation time and wanting to enjoy some fruits of the season. I will get back on this because I want to drop another 25#… that should put me around 190# and I’ll see from there where to go. My “muffin top” is certainly shrinking and I figure around 190# it should be gone or close to it.

I also want to get back into regular empty-hand martial arts training.

I want more balance in my life with all the things I do… not spending every weekend doing some gun thing, be it at KR Training helping or taking classes, or wanting to go shoot a match, or hunt, or whatever. But yes, I would like to get to a match or two this year, as well as some training classes and helping @ KR Training. So nothing will go away, just pulling back and having more balance.

I have software I need to finish and release. More about that later. I need to grow my business.

I want to tour local wineries with Wife. We’ve done it casually, but I’d like us to do it a little more seriously. Keep notes instead of vague recollections on what we did or didn’t like. But really, it’s not about the wine, it’s about time with Wife.

I want to get the kids to the gun range more often to pick up their skills. I’d love for them to be the primary on a hunt, not just tagging along with me. I’d also like to do more computer work with them, be it working in Stagecast or other creative software.

Most of all, I want balance and sanity. I want peace. I want to keep myself reigned in, perhaps finding more things in my world to shed… I can’t pile any more on, so I need to get rid of some things. My motorcycle, for instance, is just collecting dust in the garage. Needs to get sold (because I’m not sure the guy that wanted to buy it is going to at this rate).

I wish you Peace for the new year.

Time is almost up!

/ hsoi

Folks…

The comment period on the muscovy duck regulation is almost up (ends Dec. 30, 2010).

If you’re not sure what to say, here’s some brief points:

Tell the FWS: NO control order! DO NOT limit Muscovy duck ownership in the US to only exhibition birds and birds raised for meat and eggs! NO banding or marking! NO outlawing of Muscovies as pets! No outlawing of backyard flocks for pesticide-free insect control!

Here’s the document. That should allow you to read, and then click to make a comment.

I know you haven’t commented because the comments are public and I don’t see your name listed.

Please please please. Take a few minutes RIGHT NOW and comment. You can’t do it later, you can’t come back to it some other time… because there is no more time.

Thank you.

The Art of the Dynamic Nerf Blaster

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(title props to Magpul)

Oldest got a Nerf N-Strike Stampede Blaster ECS-50 from Santa.

It’s fully-automatic, battery operated. Runs on 18-round “clips” (I hate that they call them “clips”… they’re magazines). I LOVE that it has a vertical fore-grip with integrated bi-pod; the design is a 100% nod to the Grip Pod. It fires at a fairly good rate, functions well (no malfs yet, and I love the nod to the AR with the selector switch), and is pretty accurate for what it is… tho with that “blast shield” you can’t really get down to do precision aiming. Still, for what it is, it’s good.

And of course… you burn a “clip” of darts and as TXGunGeek would say, it just tips your giggle box. 🙂

Even better? I have a couple of the 35-round drum “dart clips”. We slapped those bad-boys in and it’s nearly-endless full-auto fun!!

On top of that, oldest also got one of the N-Strike Tactical Vests, which holds loads of spare ammo. As well, it has a sheath on the back of the vest to hold a Nerf Sword. Yup, we’ve got a couple of those. We like Nerf around here. 🙂

Where did I really geek out? There’s a spot on the back of hte ECS-50 that looks like it could allow attachment of a single-point clip sling. Oldest also has some “handgun” Nerf blasters. I start talking to him about how he just needs a sling, he can run the full-auto, reload, reload, reload, then when he’s out of ammo just let go of the ECS-50 and transition to his hand-blaster. Of course while I’m describing this I’m showing the kids the movements… and they’re all just looking at me like I’m taking it way too seriously. But hey, tactics is tactics. 🙂

So look out neighborhood kids. Oldest is armed to the teeth! You shall not survive the Nerf onslaught!

Question from Daughter

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“Dad, why do dogs and cats get black eye boogers and we get tan ones?”

This is what Daughter asked me this morning as I wiped the black eye boogers out of the eyes of one of the cats.

So of course, I Googled it. Apparently dog and cat tears contain a pigment called porphyrin, which makes them dark.

Scout Vesper

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I was digging around my office and found a Boy Scout Songbook.

Publishing date is 1963. I remember finding this book as a kid… must have been my Dad’s, but the publishing date was after my Dad was 18 so… not sure how it would have fit into his Scouting involvement (Dad is an Eagle Scout). Nevertheless, I always dug the book and could never part with it. It has a lot of good songs, and harkens back to a day when men were men not hampered and pussified by the political correctness of today.

Under the chapter “Closing Songs”, the first song listed is “Scout Vesper”. Sure it’s a Scout song, but I think it’s message is good for anyone to reflect upon.

Scout Vesper

Tune: “Tannenbaum”. Key: G. Time: 3/4

Softly falls the light of day,
While our campfire fades away;
Silently each Scout should ask
“Have I done my daily task?
Have I kept my honor bright?
Can I guiltless sleep tonight?
Have I done and have I dared
Everything to be prepared?”

Customer Service Wins

/ hsoi

This time of year is full of commercial transactions, which inevitably means a high chance for customer service fail.

Most things went smoothly for me this year, and a couple really good ones I wanted to point out.

First was amazon.com. One package was to be delivered some days ago. It went by FedEx SmartPost. The tracking said it should have been here by now, but wasn’t. USPS tracking only said “we’ve received shipment information”. I called Amazon’s customer service because the items were gifts for the kids and I wanted them to be here in time. A very friendly and helpful gentleman named Pat handled my call. He listened to everything, looked things up, and when the tracking numbers all were a bust he said he’d call me back. When he did he said he tracked as much as he could to try to find things but no luck and no one has any idea where the package is. So since it was vital for Christmas, he sent out another shipment UPS 2nd Day Air. I thought that was cool. I didn’t have to ask, there was no prompting, he realized the greater problem: making kids happy on Christmas morning, and worked to solve it. That’s a big win, and one reason why so far I continue to enjoy shopping with Amazon.

Second is Bonny Doon Vineyard. I ordered some wine to be shipped as a gift. Due to the fact it’s wine it really should be shipped quickly, at least 2-day air. Well, one of the shipments is going to a location not too far from the Vineyard, so within a few hours of placing my order I was contacted by someone at the vineyard saying they could change my order to standard Ground shipping, it’d still be there in time, and cost me less. Hey that’s cool! Looking out for your customers like that is really nice.

We’re all quick to point out when things suck. We should also be so quick to point out when things do right and well.

A good day, a good night

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Spent the day at the in-laws. Annual Christmas gathering. Good people. Good food. Good time.

Took Sasha up with us. That was… mixed. New place, new people, new dogs… she was very stressed and defensive at first. She mellowed out some as the day went on, but overall she didn’t do as well as I hoped (but kinda what I expected *sigh*). She needs this, and I think with more exposure to the people, the place, the dogs, she’ll get better; she’s better today than she was 2 months ago. But still, in this regard it was a stressful day for us and everyone. *sigh*   Wife found a Kuvasz-specific trainer somewhere in the area (to our luck). I don’t think we’ll go back to Triple Crown, not anything against them, just I think if this lady can truly give deeper insight into this breed, that may help.

Found out my brother-in-law is home. He’s a Commander in the US Navy, this last tour had him as the Air Boss on the USS Peleliu. They just docked today in San Diego. Joyous because he’s home safe. Joyous because he gets to spend Christmas with his family. Joyous because he’s soon to retire… and then we can go hunting together!

Got myself a bio. Gosh… it makes me look official and qualified. 😉

Got me a good Wife. I spent the drive home just rambling on to her about what was on my mind, be it the tedium of my plans for reloading .308 Winchester… or my continued indecision about my martial arts direction… or just that we need to go out on more dates. YES WIFE! I KNOW YOU READ THIS! I CAN’T WAIT FOR OUR NEXT DATE!! 🙂

Truly, life is good. It’s not perfect, but it’s good.

Good night.

Random duck thoughts… because it doesn’t make sense.

/ hsoi / 2 Comments

After taking Sasha for a walk, I pull out the garden hose to clean off the front step and flower bed. All the duck poop….

And I start to think….

Austin likes being a “weird” city. Why aren’t they allowing us to be weird? Why can’t I keep a weird pet like a duck?

Austin is all about “going green” and being natural. All this duck poop makes for fantastic fertilizer… my flower bed is quite happy. But if FWS CFR 21.54 is allowed to stand, no such benefit. Wouldn’t the city want to encourage this?

They’re doing this round-up intentionally during the week, during the day. They specifically scheduled it so it wouldn’t happen during the school Winter break because they did not want children to see it. Why not? If this is such a good thing to do, let the kids see it. Have the guts to stand up and explain it to a 6-year-old with tears in her eyes. I mean, I do understand the legit need for this, but if it’s such a legitimate need, why not explain it to the children? Why not allow them to understand? My children got to see the last round-up, and I certainly have explained it to them. They understand, and I think they’re better off in general for knowing. What are you afraid of?

Maybe that just means your chosen technique is a poor one. You know, egg collection has the same effect but is far less traumatizing to the ducks and to the children. Heck, I betcha the kids would love to get in there and help out. Use it as a teaching moment, to help them understand the greater impacts. Don’t just choose a poor violent method and play dumb when the children ask where all the ducks went.

What’s going to happen to the rounded-up ducks? Destruction most likely. But gosh… duck meat may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but with the homeless and hungry in this city, I betcha they’d be happy for a warm meal. Or if you don’t want to go that route, I’m sure there are lots of yuppies in this town that would pay through the nose for fresh duck meat for their dogs. The “prescription” pet foods tend to be made of duck or venison or rabbit and cost a small fortune for a 1 lbs. bag.  But of course, massive regulation prevents using some natural, available, and abundant resources to feed the hungry… or make a profit.

I wouldn’t have such a problem with all of this if it made sense. If there was valid research, sound logic. But on all levels, from the HOA to the city to the Feds… there’s so much here that just makes no damn sense.

Goodbye, Sneeze; you’ve gone to a better place

/ hsoi / 15 Comments

The Truck

“Honey… I want to let you know something.”

Oh crap. What did I do this time….

“I’ve been seeing this gray pickup truck driving very slowly through the neighborhood…”

Ah phew… not me. 🙂  We certainly keep our eyes open for things. Seeing vehicles driving slowly, the driver or passengers looking around at things in the neighborhood always perks our interest, but being Christmastime you can’t help but be extra cautious. “OK, just keep your eyes open in case it comes back.”

A little while later, Sasha goes off. She’s a Kuvasz, it’s in her DNA to be a guard dog. And guarding she was.

“Honey… there was this man standing at the edge of our property, out in the road. He was feeding bread to the ducks, but then Sasha went off, he looked up and saw her and took off… he got into that same gray truck and drove off.”

You see, those neighborhood muscovy ducks love to come to our yard. We care for them. Oh sure, I’m tired of all the duck poop, I’m tired of my flowerbeds getting trampled and the plants nibbled down to stumps. But ducks just don’t understand landscaping and property rights like we do. Besides, after all these years we’ve become rather attached to them. Muscovy ducks have a depth of personality. When you get to observe them and interact with them as much as we have over the years, you come to learn a lot about them. Sure, when they first arrived at the neighborhood pond some years ago we had no idea what the heck this odd duck with the red face was… and they perched too. But once we came to know what they were and how they were, gosh… we became rather fond of them.

It’s all Sneeze’s fault. Continue reading →

A sniper’s world

/ hsoi

Vanity Fair has an article about “Russ Crane”, a sniper in the Texas Army National Guard. (h/t TFB)

It’s an interesting read into the life and mind of a military sniper.

An excerpt:

He told me he believes that the overwhelming majority of people in the world are good, but that they are as vulnerable as sheep to the wolves who prey upon them. His role, he said, is that of a sheepdog with the training and temperament to intervene. We were sitting at his kitchen table. There was a plaque on the wall reading, the future is as bright as the promises of god. Crane said, “There is good and evil in the world. It gets so you yearn for a righteous fight. Personally I believe there are bad people, and God put people here to shoot those people, to let other people live peaceful lives. David was a shepherd boy who became king. The Philistines had their giant, Goliath. The Lord said to David, ‘I’m on your side. Go out and fight.’ David did. And you know, David killed Goliath as dead as Elvis Presley. He was a shepherd, a king, a follower of the Lord. But first and foremost he was a warrior. God understands that we have to have soldiers. Soldiers are part of God’s plan.”

I said, “Do you mean that literally?”

He said, “I know that God has been with me actively in battle.”

“You’ve been fighting Muslims who believe the same thing.”

He said, “It’s a conundrum. But Jesus was resurrected after three days, and you can visit Muhammad’s grave.”

Sheep, sheepdog, and wolves. He’s not justifying the war as righteous, as a Christian vs. Muslim battle. Merely, seeking to find peace in his own mind for why he was put on this Earth to do what he does.

There’s a lot in this article. Crane’s own history and journey, discussions of how the military evolved, support, betrayal, and what life is really like… the indelible mark left upon your life. It’s a long article, but worth the read.