Doing My Part

Seeing how I've been referenced a couple times over the past week here at the Chant, and our esteemed Chant CEO seems to be a bit worn out, I figured I would take a stab. 

First we had Juvat talking about how I am not quite elderly, although I really feel like it some days.  I wouldn't quite call myself an old soul, but I think I take on more than I should sometimes both in my family life and what I do with the Knights of Columbus.  There always seems to be something going on with the KofC or our parish, and either as a requirement of my position, or out of a sense of obligation, I often say yes and participate.  Fortunately my wife is all supportive, and it's not like I have kids at home that I would be taking time away from family, but it does seem to be a lot.  I only wish that more of our many many members would step up and take a bit off of my plate. 

For instance, we just held a youth activity at the parish school, a soccer challenge where students kick penalty shots into the corners of the goal for different scores. The 6th 7th and 8th graders participated and it took almost the entire afternoon.  I put it out to our membership, yet not a single man showed up. The PE teacher and principal were quite grateful, and the kids loved it, which is the reason we do it, but I get tired of the "we" being only "me."

It's not just the KofC, but at home I have a heavy load of the chores, seeing how my wife doesn't like to cook.  She also tends to get lost and overwhelmed in the grocery store so she hates shopping for food, which is my job, along with all the bills.  But, I also can't risk another expensive silk Tommy Bahama shirt going through the wash so I tend to do more of the laundry.  This gets to me sometimes, but it's not worth an argument so I put up with it.*

56, going on 66.

  Somebody here told me to bring back the 'stache so here you go.

I realize I'm airing a bit of dirty laundry there, but those tiny stressors do build up and you can see it on my face, which looks maybe 10 years older than it really is. Since getting a CPAP machine though I'm getting far better sleep than I was for many years. And that has reduced the sagginess under my eyes.  While I should have got that device years ago, I am definitely grateful for my Tricare and VA healthcare, probably the best benefit coming from being retired. I don't know how people afford their huge premiums and massive deductibles, barely able to afford their insurance, yet can't afford to use it either.

Speaking a bit of those struggling, let us pray for those victims of hurricane Helene, which is shaping up to be Katrina's bigger meaner younger sister. Not to get too political here but I have seen a few videos with people lamenting the amount of aid going to Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan, and others, while red blooded Americans there are getting $750.  I know it's far more complex than that, but when we have wiped out (or used any of ) our FEMA accounts to pay for all those illegal aliens that have been brought here or shown an open door, there's definitely something wrong.

Kadena AFB Burger King!   Source

Sarge referenced Okinawa a couple times recently, which is one of the things we have in common. While I wasn't stationed in that part of Japan, we operated in that region several times a year and Okinawa was always a favored divert.  Why you ask? Because it had a Burger King and a chicken place I can't remember, Popeyes maybe?  We didn't have that up in Atsugi, only a weird McDonald's that served some strange Japanese variants of U.S. fare.  I also spent some time in Okinawa at the Navy hospital, where my son and wife were after he was born premature.  Then at the end of my career, my Admiral was at White Beach on the southern end so I went there a couple times. 

Source

While I wouldn't trade my Naval Aviation career for anything, I do get a tad jealous of the Air Force guys, not just for their fast food, but the daily pleasures that they probably took for granted.  It's been many many years since the US Navy allowed drinking on board, so it wasn't like when we got off work we could throw one back.  But those beer days are fondly remembered, Steel Beach picnics after being at sea for 45 days straight without a port visit, three total in my career.  On that day the Chiefs would barbecue something, and each sailor and officer would get two beers each.  However, it never was just two beers each!  They really didn't want to keep leftovers down below at the end of the day, so that end of the day, if you stuck around, was quite a happy one.  Six I think was my total on one of those days. Fortunately, I had no duty or flights until the next day.  Ahh, to be young again!

I may have already written about this in the past, but if I had to do it over again I probably wouldn't have requested to go to Japan. I had just married my 23-year-old wife 6 months before, and she was quite close to her family. Taking her to Japan she had no one, save the other wives, so it was a bit tough on her.  This may have been a factor in my son being born so early.  During that time, my mother-in-law actually got a nice little letter and certificate from AT&T acknowledging her being in the top 5% of all residential customers!  This is because of the astronomic phone bills she racked up during that 3 years. 

Sarge also mentioned a video link I had shared regarding Honest Abe.  While it made for a good discussion on his post, that wasn't necessarily the type of attention I would normally want brought to myself on here.  The link was quite critical of President Lincoln and in hindsight I was rather embarrassed for sharing it.  Two lessons learned from that-  don't try to out-history a historian, and I need to not get sucked into some of these stupid videos on Tube-U.

Well, that's enough storytelling for today. Our big Mustangs By the Bay car show** is this weekend (today as you read this) and as the club president, yes I know I take on too much, I have some duties to attend to before during and after.  The opening photo is my favorite Mustang and I may have the opportunity to buy one just like it next year.  A friend of mine in Vegas is selling his, and is giving me first dibs.  We'll see if I can afford what will surely be a discounted price as he's promised, but I'm excited about the opportunity.  I thought against it at first, seeing how it's not really practical- no extra garage space, no mechanical know-how, and I already have a Mustang, but my wife said that at this point in our lives, we don't need to be practical.  Isn't she great?  Maybe I should change my tune on those household chores!

*In her defense, she does all the cleaning, some of the cooking, running errands, she's a fabulous baker (which she loves), and I have learned to keep my special shirts far away from her when it's laundry day.

** Did you notice the little easter egg in the sky on that poster?  One of the perks of being President, and having an F-4 / F-14 driver running the show.