Voice For The Past

Yesterday I got to talk to some 6th and 7th graders about the War Between the States. I went in full Confederate uniform with a .58 cal Enfield with bayonette, a Colt .44 army, and personal accoutrements. I started out by asking if they knew what I was dressed as, and went from there. I was pleasently surprised by their participation and interest. I did much less lecturing than answering questions. I got inquiries ranging from "would you use a knife like that to kill someone quietly?" to "Why did Texas join the South instead of the north?"

I let the kids see some replica stuff like currency and of course the uniform. I also showed them some real artifacts such as a hook knife and eating utensils. I showed them pictures of re-enactments I've done, and managed to keep from saying anything bad about Abe's administration. We talked about different types of soldiers (Infantry, Artillery and Cavalry), who carried what type of weapons, sizes and ranges of cannon and the like.

Some of them are also reading "The Red Badge of Courage" So I talked about punishments for different crimes from bucking and gaging for theft to being shot for desertion. I was a little nervous talking about shooting your own men, but the teacher was nodding and the kids seemed to take it in stride. Mrs. Peterson took some pictures, and if and when I get my hands on them I'll post a few.

Sky Dog

My oldest brother has his pilot's license and a little single prop plane.

While we were at Ma's for T-giving he took me up for a whirl around our home turf.

Cleared for takeoff.

The family farm. This is the house my grandparents are in front of in the sidebar picture.

St. John's Church I attended as a kid.

Ma's house is in the clump of trees in the middle of the picture by the wing support on the other side of the road.

Shameless Self Promotion

Lawrence Simon of... Well... Lots of sites full of crap has a 100 word story contest. Each week I post a story here, and link to there. I screwed up the link this time and feel I may have disenfranchised myself and (maybe) some of the other writers there (Not eveyone will necessarily want to vote for me) So, here is the link to this week's contest. Go. Read. Listen. Enjoy. Vote.

Oh, and if someone has the capability and the desire to record and score my stories for me since I do this from work, feel free to volunteer and I will send you the scripts each week. I think The freakin' midget has it in for me. Or not. Who knows?

Back In Black

First day back at work after vacation. Can't complain... Probably will anyway. Awesome trip home. Ma seems to be doing well at a spry 82 years young. All the brothers and sisters and nephews (along with assorted spouses and significant others) were in one place at one time. That almost never happens. Ma made my siblings and myself all sit for a single photograph. Here I am 2.75 years shy of 40 and it's the first picture of all five of us together... Ever.

Lot of sniping going on in the production of that picture. Only a few of us ever lived in the same house together for any length of time because we were so spread out, and snarky is a family trait.

We also had two of the holy trinity this week: Alcohol and Firearms. (Seperated by time of day, of course) Here's one of the two. Someone fell down on the job though. There is supposed to be a seperate video of the target dancing as the .357 and .45 rounds tore through it, but what're you gonna do?

Then of course was the food and Ma's coconut pies. 'Nuff said.

I think that may be enough for now, but I have more pics and more stuff to tell later. I hope everyone had as good a holliday as I did.

It was good to go home, but it's good to be home.

Knowhatimean?

Backyard Brawl

Game Day!

ECU @ NC State

We need to win this one.

Screw Navy, Screw Tulsa, Screw Rice.

This is the home state rivalry.

The Wolfpack needs to go down.

7:00 eastern at Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh

Where it will be a...

First Down... PIRATES!

I wish I had tix since I happen to be here in NC,

but Ma would probably be mad if I left the family

To go to a football game.

Sorry, No picture due to dialup.

21-16 PIRATES!

WOO-HOOOOOOO!

Paint this one purple boyos!

Didn't State beat Appalachian? I guess that settles that.

It was a pain getting the score on this one because my Ma has dial up, so I couldn't watch it on the computer, and it was on ESPN-U so it wasn't on a TV station I could get here, so I had to rely on the crawler on the bottom of the screen durring the MD/Wake game. Worth it though... Did I mention WOOO-HOOOOooooooooo!!

UPDATE!

Holy crap! We got a bowl bid. Woo-f'n-Hooooo! The Papa John's Bowl! The Papa John's... What? Papa John's? OK. Screw it, a bowl is a bowl. We were the first team ever picked for the Papa John's bowl. I wonder who we play? Some big east team. I'll keep you updated, I guess.

Deep Down, A 100 Word Story

“Speak to me damn it! I said speak up! I need a damage report!”

The lights on the con of the new experimental submarine were flickering. Communication with the other decks was nonexistent.

Commander Squallier paced bulkhead to bulkhead chewing his lower lip, glaring at the microphone he had just thrown down and kicking at the rising puddles of water.

A very clinical and far away voice, from one of the control ships on the surface came across.

Squallier answered, much calmer than before. “Mission failure… We won’t be coming back this time.”

“Repeat message Commander, You’re breaking up”

“Horbgorble…”

Once again this is an entry here. Go, read, listen, enjoy... Vote.

Turkey Day

Happy Thanksgiving!

Get off the computer and go be thankful for something.

Ha!

Be safe, have fun and enjoy yourself everybody.

Eats

I havn't even been here 24 hours yet and I've had eastern Carolina pork BBQ (with slaw), country ham, homemade pimento cheese (satisfied sigh), homemade apple muffins, and beef stew and cabbage. It ain't even Thanksgiving yet and I'm the only sibling here aside from the oldest sister who lives in town anyway. I may need to get a second seat on the plane for the way back... Woo-hooooo!

Rebel With A Cause

On the 29th, I have been asked to give a living history for a small local school's 6th and 7th grades. They are studying the War Between the States, and since I was a re-enactor I am going to go in full uniform, with all my gear and weaponry (Special permission, no powder or ammo) and tell the kids about the life of a confederate soldier. I am pumped. I also have some replica money, books with pictures of guns, flags and battles to carry. I'll try not to warp any fragile minds if I can help it.

Owl Be Seeing You

Game Day.

The Pirates travel to Who-ston

East Carolina @ Rice

3:00 eastern (2:00 our time)

Where it will be a

First Down... PIRATES!

10-7 ECU @ the Half... So far, so good.

18-17 Rice. Damn, damn, damn.

Happy homecoming Owls. Damn.

And the Pirate win streak ends at 4...

Along with any bowl game hopes.

Reel Lines (5)

Matthias: Definition of a scientist - a man who understands nothing until there was nothing left to understand.

Neville: So, there is a little light in the forest after all.

Thinking of you Eric. Ha!

The Coldest Cut, A 100 Word Story

Detective Murray stared in disbelief at the murder weapon in his hands. This was, no doubt, the most bizarre homicide he had ever investigated.

The table was laden with cold cuts and appetizers for the 40th wedding anniversary of the deceased and of the killer. Even with witnesses aplenty, motive and the implement of destruction in his hands he knew this would be a tough one to prosecute.

Domestic violence was always a bad scene.

As the detective once again looked down at the huge block of Swiss cheese covered with blood, he knew his case was full of holes.

This is an entry into a little challenge here. I'll probably be doing a 100 word story every week or so now. It's kinda cool to see what different writers do with the same subject when faced with a word count restriction. Go check it out, there's some neat stuff to read and vote for your favorite... Even if it's not me.

Veterans

I couldn't quite make up my mind what to write on today. I wrote about my father last year.

I thought about my Uncle Denny, a happy little man (and now an ordained minister) who looks like one of Santa's helpers. Uncle Denny was one of just two Americans stationed in a Vietnamese village by themselves, and the village was their unit. Tough stuff. Apparently this happy friendly man I've known all my life was a bad-ass.

I thought about my ex-father-in-law. Two tours in 'Nam, the second after seeing his entire crew wiped out in a mortar attack at the end of the first tour. Career man who retired with emphazima and massive hearing loss due to his military experiences.

My buddy Doc's dad spent a frightening evening in a bunker in Da Nang Tet '68. (I think I got that right... Doc?)

My pal Sean's dad was was on a ship in the south China Sea. Not really sure what he did, and I think he likes it that way.

My good friend Tom was a Jarhead in the first gulf conflict, as well as Panama and maybe Grenada. (I think)

Both my brothers were Air Force.

I thought about going further back in time. My great grandfather was 4th NC Cavalry in the war between the states.

I think about what the average American thinks about the members of our military. How they get their information from movies and TV. I could expound on John Kerry's recent faux pas, but I won't. I could bring up Murtha, and others who claim to be unimpeachable sources becaused they served, but I won't. I have watched my father's eyes early in the morning as he drank his coffee. The thousand yard stare they call it. A stare held by men who have been "In the shit". I've seen Uncle Denny trail off at the end of a story, with a slightly lost look. I've seen Tom turn red and angry at people who "Just don't know".

We, as average Americans really "Just don't know". I hope most of us never do. After the recent elections, I'm not so sure though. I hope we, as average Americans will continue to support the troops, the ones who serve for us, regardless of how we feel about the current administration. I hope the fighting spirit of The United States of America will carry us through the recent and ongoing dark times like it has in the past.

Unfortunately, like most average americans, I just don't know.

Howdy, Marshall

Game day.

Marshall @ East Carolina

1:00 eastern @ Dowdy-Ficklin Stadium

Where it will be a

First Down... PIRATES!

Four in a row?

Yeah, baby!

Final: 33-20 Pirates

Paint this conference game Purple!

Letter From Home

"Hi K, It's your Ma. I hope you don't mind what I just did but even if you do, it's too late to change it . I sent the blog that you wrote last year on Veterans Day to the News-Herald and it was just comfirmed that it would be in the paper on Saturday. I printed it out and then cut off all the information about you--your blog name etc. I mailed it along with a letter from me. My name is the only one that will be printed although I did tell the editor, Cal Bryant, that it was written by my son but that I just thought that all veterans should be honored. He said that it was written beautifully. I don't think that anybody will recognize your dad in a picture that was taken in 1935 and that's the way I want it. I hope you agree. I'm looking forward to your visit---it has been so long. I love you, Ma"

No, Ma, I don't mind, in fact- thank you. You didn't have to leave my name and the blog off, but I appreciate the consideration... Sometimes it's better that way. I love you too, and can't wait to stand among the tall pines again, if only for a while. -K

No pressure to follow that up, huh?

She Likes Anole

My oldest brother has a new hobby. He has (to the shame of our southron family) become a pornographer. I'd say it's always the quiet ones, but our family has a distinct lack of quiet ones. I dispair for his soul, but I suppose I should support him in his new endeavor. Don't say you weren't warned, this image may not be work safe. The shame... Oh, the disgrace...

Click, click.

Carolina In My Mind

It's official. I'm going home to see my family for Thanksgiving. I have a Southwest Airlines e-ticket in my pocket right now. I have my snazzy new digital camera so I'll post lots of pics when I get home. Leaving ATX Nov 21, back on the 27th. I haven't been home for a holliday in 5 years, so I'm looking forward to some butterbeans, corn that doesn't resemble what we used to feed the hogs, and real pork bbq... Not to mention the ham, turkey, and coconut pies. Damn, I'm hungry now...

Dark and silent

late last night

I think I might've

heard the highway callin'...

Geese in flight

and dogs that bite.

Signs that be omens

say I'm goin'...

I'm goin'.

Gone to Carolina in my mind.

-James Taylor

Oh, Say Can UCF

Game Day.

ECU @ UCF

4pm eastern in Orlando

Where it will be a...

First Down... PIRATES!

Let's see if the boys can crawl past the 500 mark.

13-7 Pirates at the half.

Touchdown and 2 field goals. I can live with that.

23-10 final.

Interception TD return with 50 secs left, and then intercepted

it again in the endzone to keep UCF from scoring again.

Paint this one purple.

Wooo-hooooo!

Iguana Zen

Grizwold says, "Don't forget to stop and eat the flowers."

Click, click.

Second Skin

The weather turned a little nippy this week here in the Republic of Texas, so I pulled out my old standby... My horsehide biker jacket. Fifteen years I have worn that same coat. Fifteen years. As soon as I slip it over my shoulders, there is no question about the fact we belong together. I got it before I started dating my ex-wife. I wore it to the courthouse to get married. I carried it to the Carribean with me when we lived down there. Everyone thought that was pretty funny... Until we had to come back to the States in October and I was the only one with a coat. I wore it on the way out of DC when I left my ex-wife, and I wore it the first time I flew into Austin almost six years ago.

A wave of emotion crashes over me the first time I put it on each year. Endless hours biking around the east coast, trash talking in a bar... Taking it out to the parking lot... This story.
A waitress commented on it the other day, she has known me all summer, saw me walk into the bar wearing it and said, "That is so... YOU." You know what? It is me. It's tough on the outside, a little worn on the inside, able to protect but mostly just show nowadays. And it's seen a lot of miles. A LOT of miles.

Red Hot

Inspiration is everything.