ARE YOU PATRIOTIC

I am not trying to put anyone on the spot here it is more a rhetorical question, but it occurred to me last Friday prior to the Memorial Day Weekend. I am sure this weekend means different things to different people.
As with any military installation, colors are played each morning at 8:00 AM during flag raising and if there are ships in port as is always the case, each vessel has it's own color guard raising the respective flags. On base this means everyone comes to a stop whether walking or driving and faces the shipyard flag pole. Some place their hands over their hearts, some salute (military), some respectfully stand. And then there are others that as soon as they hear the "call to colors" a bugle playing five minutes before colors, hurriedly head for their destination or find a building to scamper into so they don't get caught having to show respect to the flag.
Yep, that is me. And as I heard the call to colors last Friday I remembered times past I did my share of scampering. Along with that came the thought this is the beginning of Memorial Day weekend and how far we seem to have come from when, I remember standing next to Mom at six years old watching the color guard pass in review during a parade, and seeing her crying. The sight of the flag or hearing the Star Spangled Banner always had my Mother tearing up with emotional patriotism.
As children my mother tried to instill the same patriotism in us. In those days it was easy people were more inclined to be proud of the USA and the Flag and the National Anthem. We seldom questioned our national leaders and our role in the world stage. Today it is different, not wrong as some would suggest, but different. We have learned to question our national feader's values and learned to question our role in the world. People have faced disillusion, some even heartbreak after not questioning for so many years, and we found ourselves torn by our own values and the desire to still believe in and be proud of the United States of America.
Will I ever have that six year old feeling again, probably not, am I a patriotic, yes, in a different way I no longer believe we are infallible, I no longer believe our leaders are flawless and unquestionableand I don't believe we have a right to assert our standards on the rest of the world. I may not always stand for Colors and tear up when I see the flag pass in review but you know something, the other day I was looking up at the flag and I felt this something stick in my throat.

I HATE INSURANCE COMPANIES

Like Lawyers, Insurance companies are a sometimes evil neccessity, and I hate them just the same. A little over a year and a half ago I signed up for the Federal Gov't supplemental Dental coverage through GEHA believing they would cover at least a part of my upcoming high dental bills, over $5000.
Well after 18 months and $5000 plus more to come I received this business like rejection notice. I don't take rejection well, particularly when it comes to corporate America. "Your Implants and related dental work is not covered!" Wait a dang minute, when I signed up with your stupid coverage it states right on the front page covered, IMPLANTS. What part of this did I fail to understand?? (this deserved a double question mark). Oh but you further drove the knife between my ribs stating "Your Doctor is not an authorized preferred practioner". Well now let me see that brochure again where in the fine print did you bury this condition?? (another warranted double question mark)
So I did some quick math I have paid almost $800 in premiums for something I will never get to use and it makes me totally understand the health industry corporate picture, "WE ARE IN THE BUSINESS TO MAKE MONEY." Oh you don't have to give me a magnifying glass to read this I think it finally sunk in and you know what, I have now sent you a notice; "based on your lack of coverage and my dis-satisfaction with your company I cancel my policy effective immediately before you bleed me any more for my money". Plus it saves me from buying a more powerful magnifying glass to read your fine fine print. I figure from the money I save paying you I will pay my own bill and come out ahead.

MAN AND NATURE

There are many things that man is able to share with nature, hiking, skiing, motorcycle riding, hunting, fishing, etc. But there is only one thing that man and nature have a confortable relationship with that women do not, peeing outdoors.
Yep, man can relieve himself virtually anywhere, with some discretion advised.
The other night, after a lengthy day of fun and activities in Seattle I came home to the solitude of the trees, the out buildings, and bushes and few neighbors nearby. Well okay it wasn't my home and there was an unoccupied bathroom no more than 50 feet away.
It was the waning hours of dusk and stars were beginning to peek through the changing dark sky. An isolated backyard and visual blocking storage shed in the sweetness of the surrounding trees beckoned to me.
It was there in my seclusion and to the chagrin of my companions I bonded with nature. It was refreshing and relaxing. This moment with nature re-invigorates the male senses re-establishes our man-hood and re-affirms our dominence in a female world that there are still some things that belong to man alone.

HAVEN'T SEEN EVERYTHING YET

I know at my young age I have not seen everyting yet but I am constantly amazed by the new things I encounter.
Now each of us that drive or ride in a vehicle at one time or the other have experienced the horrifying site of Bambi or Rocky The Squirrel splattered against the pavement on some rural or interstate highway.
Traumatic as that in itself is now we have a gentleman from Prescott, Wis that whishes to assault our senses with a web site devoted to "RoadKill".
The last thing I want is a graphic picture and a daily reminder of Bambi, Thumper, or Rocky pressed together with Michelin 7.85 x 15 tire tread design.

Morning Wonders

I am by nature NOT a morning person, but because I have chosen to go to work early 5:30 I am privy to the wonders of the morning.
How many of you have experienced the peace and quiet of a morning drive while the sun is still sleeping or as it is barely cresting the horizon.
In suburbia America there are few commuters up this early and it makes for a pleasant experience.
In my community I drive around a body of water called Sinclair Inlet. As I round the curve if the sun hasn't come up yet, I can almost make out the dark, shadowy, silhouettes of the Navy vessels tagged as the mothball fleet. in the spring as a slight pink color tints the horizon you can start making out the masts and massive steel hulks, it is quiet, they make no noises, these heroes of long gone wars. It is an eerie stillness as the ghosts of these vessels reside within their empty hulls. It is quiet and peaceful.
Once I have passed the shipyard I enter the community of Bremerton a landscape of lawns and trees and fences encircling houses with curtained windows most of them darkened. Not all there a few with a light in the window and I wonder what is going on in this household. Are they just waking up, are they getting ready for work or some other adventure, are they happy, are they sad. Is it a family, a couple, a single person, what are they thinking this early in the morning.
I watch the woman walking to the ferry six blocks away as she does every morning and it is peaceful and it is quiet. It makes it all worth getting up this early.