2004

Happy (early) New Year! Tomorrow I'll be driving home to St. Louis for a late Christmas and on-time New Year's. However, this will really be a family visit, but I plan on taking leave and coming home again for a week in February. I would love to see then, my friends.

Saturday, December 25, 2004

Merry Christmas, everyone! This is my second Christmas away from home, and I must say I'm not too wild about it. Still, I have enjoyed my time with friends out here, though I must say, I really miss you, my friends.

Saturday, December 18, 2004

I won a case yesterday prosecuting an airman for multiple marijuana use and a false official statement. Woohoo for me. Also, I'm having issues with my ISP and am temporarily unable to send email - only receive. I hope to be able to reply to friends soon.

Sunday, December 12, 2004

Friends, I am sorry I have neglected my page for so long. A lot's been going on. However, I have news: I am being transferred to Lakenheath, a base in England. My report no later than date is 28 Feb 05.

Wednesday, November 3, 2004

Well, tomorrow the Air Force is sending me to Barksdale AFB, LA, for a few days for a course. Could be interesting. Will likely lead to more work though...

I really enjoyed watching the returns last night (and this morning). You know, whether my candidates win or lose, I really enjoy the process.

Thursday, October 21, 2004

The Cardinals win the pennant! The Cardinals win the pennant! The Cardinals win the pennant! The Cardinals win the pennant!

Although the above entry could stand alone... The Alabama Shakespeare Festival came to Peterson AFB and performed Macbeth! I love that play! I was in that play! I had forgotten nearly all the lines from that play! Good times.

Thursday, October 14, 2004

I'm quite tired. We're in the middle of a grueling inspection that lasts from 1 Oct -22 Oct. It's the largest and most important of all the Air Force inspections. So far, we're doing well, but I'm getting really tired on working 12 hour days and weekends. Oh well.

Here are pictures from my Pike's Peak adventure! Actually, as it turns out, I'm out of space, so pictures will have to wait until I figure out what to do.

Saturday, October 2, 2004

I climbed up and down Pike's Peak! It was a 26.5 mile round trip that took me 10.5 hours. It was a beautiful hike; I'm glad I did it; and I'm never doing it again. On Wednesday, I sprained my knee, primarily because I went jogging before fully recovering from running down the Peak. (Yes, I ran most of the way down - I had to get down before darkness and thunderstorms - as it was, the last half hour was in the dark.) Anyway, I'm wearing a knee brace, taking medication, and icing my knee regularly for the next two weeks, but it's already starting to feel better. But more importantly, Jeanine is back for a couple weeks, and we're having fun before she returns to Maryland to open her law practice.

Saturday, September 25, 2004

Well, tomorrow I'm going to try hiking up Pike's Peak; it's over a 26 mile round trip and should take all day and then some. I'll be careful.

Saturday, September 18, 2004

I finally figured out something that's bothered me for years: why do we treat narcotics differently than we treat alcohol? Adults usually drink alcohol for two reasons: for relaxation or for the taste, often both. However, the primary reason people do drugs is to get high. One can drink alcohol and achieve the desired effect (taste, loosening up) without being impaired by it, but one cannot get high without also being impaired.

Sunday, September 12, 2004

Two interesting bits:
A study conducted by the Virginia DMV and Virginia Commonwealth University concluded that cell phones aren't even one of the top 5 causes of driving accidents. Rubbernecking and driver fatigue are the top two causes.

Also, a forensics expert in the Air Force I met a couple weeks ago said, "Porn's at every crime scene." While that's an exaggeration, I think he's noticed a connection between porn and crime that does not surprise me.

Thursday, September 9, 2004

Well, Jeanine flew back to Maryland Tuesday for three weeks to set up her law office in preparation for moving back to Maryland in mid-October to open her own law firm. Big step since a year ago she wanted to leave the law and never look back. Here's hoping it goes like gangbusters.

Friday, September 3, 2004

Well, it's been a much busier week than expected. I was involved in a field exercise that began with an all day training session on Friday, all day meetings and briefings on Saturday and Sunday, and finally getting into it Monday - Wednesday (with an agonizingly early 0215 show time Tuesday morning (only 0515 on Wednesday)). I think it went well, and I should get a report from the inspectors on my performance next week. I must say, though, crouching under a table for an hour and a half while wearing a full chemical protection suit, gas mask, hood, rubber boot covers, and rubber gloves, with the furnace-like early afternoon sun beating down on you making stinging sweat drip in your eyes and pool in your gas mask, and a hair stuck to your lip that you can't remove because of said gas mask, hood, and cinch really wasn't very fun.

Friday, August 27, 2004

Oh hey, friends - as it turns out, I'm no longer deploying this fall. CENTAF (we'll just call them headquarters) wanted someone with more military justice experience, so they went with someone who has three years on me. Oh well. Still, my office really supported me as a candidate to deploy, and my higher headquarters also supported me, so I felt good about that. (Yes, Mom is elated that I'm not deploying.)

Tuesday, August 17, 2004

Terribly sorry about the lack of entries. I was swamped when I first returned from Greenland, and then a lightning storm claimed my modem. (Yes, I have a surge protector, but it did not have phone jacks - now it does.) However, before I rushed out and bought a new modem I performed rigorous testing, which included reformatting my hard drive and reinstalling everything. Only then did I determine that it was, in fact, the modem. (Of course I performed diagnostics on the modem first - what kind of dolt do you take me for?) So that happened last week, and then I was swamped again at work (which is finally beginning to calm down a tiny bit - today I was home by 6:30pm (11 hours down from 12-14hrs). But also, I'm taking a few days off (which contributed to my business at work) because my family is visiting! So I've been rather tide up with that, too. They'll be here from last Sunday to this Sunday. Oh, also the trip to Greenland was fantastic, and I'll be posting pictures soon (as in, after my family leaves).

Sunday, July 18, 2004

Wednesday I fly to Thule Air Base in northern Greenland, well inside the Arctic Circle. I'll be there for 9 days giving annually required briefings, providing legal assistance, reviewing various files, and that kind of stuff. Should be an interesting trip.

Also, I didn't get to do fireworks this year, so here's a cute link and short clip.

Friday, July 9, 2004

Well, I didn't do anything too dangerous at the Grand Canyon (which remains spectacular, by the way), and I didn't lose my shirt at Vegas. Also, the drive through southern Utah is incredible.

There was an indescribable hail storm three hours ago, and there is still an actual hail drift against my door that was over two inches thick (now down to about an inch). I actually wished I had a digital camera to get some pictures because I really can't convey the impressiveness of this storm. But I don't have one. Oh well. Use your imagination.

Thursday, July 1, 2004

Hey, Jeanine and I are off to the Grand Canyon and Las Vegas! Yes, it will be a lot of driving for four days, but it should also be a lot of fun. And yes, I'll be careful at the Grand Canyon. Happy Independence Day, and I'll be back late Monday night.

Tuesday, June 29, 2004

Obesity and smoking are the two worst things you can do to your health. Both promote a wide variety of diseases, including diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. Both lead to low energy and metabolism, depressed immune system and sex drive, infertility, and joint problems - other problems, too, but those are some of the attention getters. I'm not directing this at anyone - just a public service announcement, though I suspect this is fairly common knowledge at this point. (Does this post really mean nothing of note happened recently? Yes.)

Thursday, June 24, 2004

Well, I turned a corner on the vaccines: the swelling, pain, redness, and puss has almost entirely disappeared from the smallpox site, and the lump and pain at the anthrax site has also greatly decreased.

"Instilling a sense of discipline is essential because it allows human beings to endure and survive in unforgiving environments where others give up and die." - Gen Hal Hornburg, Commander, Air Combat Command

Saturday, June 19, 2004

Sorry about the long delay between posts. Work has been busier than usual (staying until 8pm most nights), and life has been at times difficult with, well, an actual festering boil on my arm. (I never thought I would have the opportunity to use the phrase "festering boil" on my site - especially in reference to myself.) My lymph nodes are swollen and painful, and the boil itself is growing at an alarming rate, while going through a kaleidoscope of hues (but mainly yellow, green, and purple, with red swelling 3 inches in diameter around the boil). Painful to the touch, yes, but mostly it itches like crazy! And no scratching allowed!

In other news, Jeanine and I went to Renaissance Festival last Saturday, and it was fantastic - all renaissancey and medievally and all - once again, resisted enormous temptation to purchase weapons and tights.

Friday, June 11, 2004

I saw the latter half of President Reagan's funeral, and it was very moving. He made us feel good about ourselves and America, and I am sorry he's gone.

In other news, yesterday, in preparation for deploying, I got three shots for smallpox and shot 2 of 6 rather painful injections to protect from Anthrax, a chemical weapon that has only ever been used against the US domestically. The smallpox vaccination is actually an injection of cowpox, which will result in a highly contagious, puss-filled boil on my arm, that will eventually burst and scab over, finally falling off, to heal up to a lovely new scar on my upper arm, so I am required to wear bandages and long sleeves for at least the next 21 days. The anthrax vaccine is actually anthrax bacteria, though they are dead, and it causes painful swelling and bruising for several days every time I get that shot.

Sunday, June 6, 2004

Well, friends, you're probably already sitting down so I'll just get right to it. This fall I'm deploying to an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia for an indefinite period of time (but probably 4 months). I'll be leaving around 1 September.

Saturday, May 29, 2004

No human culture is or has ever been completely nude - there's always at least something covering the genital region. Nudist organizations are different in that individuals come together for the sole purpose of being nude.

Tomorrow I'm hosting a small dinner party, which should be fun. Also, you may recall that I opined about nine months ago that running could be good, that I could like it. Well, running still stinks.

Monday, May 24, 2004

Congratulations, Dave and Renee - may God richly bless your new life together. I must say, Ft Belvoir (wedding location) was a surprise - it was as nice as an Air Force facility (rare in the Army), and it's Officers' Club (reception location) was the best I've seen. It was a beautiful colonial mansion overlooking the Potomac.

In other news, fat loss is about 70% diet - exercise is an important component, but one's diet is the primary consideration.

Thursday, May 20, 2004

Jeanine and I are flying to DC for a wedding. Two JAG friends of ours are getting married, and I get to be part of the saber cordon - do you know what this means? I get to hold a sword! I haven't been allowed to handle a sword in a ceremony since Scott's "eye incident" at Todd and Paulette's reception. I have been strictly warned that the other participants are not "combatants" or even friendly fencing partners. Anywho, we'll be back late Sunday night.

Sunday, May 16, 2004

Wow - that was one intense course. The first week was normal - mostly lectures from 8-5 with a couple homework assignments. The second week in the field was busy: I got an average of 3.5 hours sleep each night because the entire rest of the time we were working. I haven't put in 20 hour days regularly in quite a while. Also, I did not enjoy going without showers for several days (only one water spigot in the camp; we used porta-potties). Oh yeah, I got sick, too. The first week of class, I sat near a few people who had colds, so the second week, I had one, too. They thought about taking me out of the field, but I insisted on staying - and, strangely, things improved despite a lack of sleep and poor hygiene. That said, this was a great course, and I learned a ton. I can't imagine deploying without it. (Yes, the purpose of the course is to prepare JAGs and paralegals for deployment, but I haven't been tasked to deploy... yet.)

Saturday, May 1, 2004

Happy Law Day! Tomorrow I fly to Montgomery, AL (Maxwell AFB), for JAG FLAG, a very intense two-week deployment readiness course/field training exercise (a mix of difficult classroom work and assignments and camping out in sparse conditions). Should be interesting.
It snowed Friday, but today was in the 70s - I love it! Oh yeah - I went skiing last weekend, too.
People should spend more time watching cartoons and less time watching the news.
I'll post again in about two weeks.

I had an unusual settlement conference in Denver on Tuesday for one of my employment discrimination cases. We were required to submit written offers of settlement beforehand, and at the conference the other side actually opened with a figure higher than what was submitted. So I said, "Well, if he's going higher, then I'm going lower." The negotiations went downhill from there.
Last night I caught snowflakes on my tongue, and today we got an early release from work because of the weather. I find the juxtaposition of blossoms and snow to be pleasing - the world turned all pink, green, and snowy.

Joe, Karen, and John (three months) came to visit for a couple of days! I had a really great seeing them. We went to Garden of the Gods, Glen Eyrie Castle (inspiring), the Air Force Academy, the Flying W Ranch, and various and sundry tasty restaurants around town. Visiting with old friends is one of life's great joys, and I certainly enjoyed every minute.

Happy Easter!!! This is one of the greatest days in all Christendom, for on this day nearly 2,000 years ago, Christ was raised from the dead, in fulfillment of prophecy, to give us the great hope of our salvation. Also, The Passion is not about what terrible things were done to Jesus but rather what incredible love Jesus had for us that He would knowingly endure such agony.

Work has been more than a little busy. But I've learned something: never tell a military doctor about every little thing. Sometimes I get dizzy when I stand up too quickly. I happened to mention this at my recent physical. "That's normal; very common," he said. "But let's have you wear a 24 hour blood pressure monitor and week-long heart monitor just to be sure." So now my chest is itching where they shaved it to affix the heart sensors, but I can't scratch it because my arm goes numb every 20 minutes from the automatic blood pressure device. With which, by the way, I have to sleep. I strongly suspect the doctor is playing a little joke on me since I've had him as a client for a few things. Or it could be that whole doctors vs. lawyers blood feud.

Saturday, March 27, 2004
Well, it's been a while - my apologies. The Gaylord Opryland Hotel is incredible! They have three huge "botanical garden" areas in the hotel with restaurants, shops, lounges - there's even an island with shops and cafes and a quarter mile river that runs around it. Next, chronologically speaking, Jeanine moved out here and into her own apartment. We're having a good time. What else - I had an Article 32 hearing earlier this week (It's like a grand jury hearing.), and I learned something very important: ALWAYS use the rest room before any court proceeding...

Sorry about the lack of entries lately - my computer got hit with a virus, but I have since reformatted and reinstalled - it's like having a new computer but with more work. Anyway, tomorrow I'm off to Nashville for an Environmental Symposium. I'll be back next Sunday.

Well, I'm off to Charlottesville, and at the end of this week, Jeanine and I will be driving back to Colorado together (and stopping in St. Louis)! (So I won't be back here until probably 13 Feb.)

The hearing in Denver went very well, though we were all late because it was snowing (an hour and a half trip took almost three hours), but the judge was very understanding. The judge will render his ruling on Friday.

Long week; lots of work. You know, we will probably seem as ancient and old-fashioned to people in 2104 as people in 1904 seem to us. Or maybe that only seems strange to me. Perhaps instead we should ponder the mysteries of jello salad - not quite the ambrosia they would have us believe, is it?

Happy New Year! I've been a bit under the weather these past few days. Also, I did not send out Christmas cards this year, so please don't feel I was snubbing you. Here's hoping 2004 is better than the previous year.