There is something very special about the smile she gives you when you approach her from behind to hug her. It seems to last long after the promise is fulfilled.

Love a parade. Most cities around me will have one today to celebrate Veterans Day. But rain has started and I won't miss walking around in wet shoes.
But the thought behind the parades is great.
I hope the spirit driving it lasts a long time.

But I do remember the warnings we got years ago that the country we left fifteen long months ago or so, may not be as nice and receptive to uniforms as the one we were returning to.
Sometimes unsaid was a suggestion that civilian clothing when leaving base might be a good idea. The brass would overlook it.

WTF? All we had done was go fight to protect our country.

We did not, -as we were told so often by the major:
"Make the rules."
He often said that when we were sent in what was, obvious to everyone, a senseless, dangerous mission.
Our job was to neutralize the son-of-a-bitches before they killed us.

Nah, I don't want a free burger.
Give it to the guy living on the street who can't understand that he's part of only 1% of families in this country that had someone eating sand or looking for trip wires, or shuffled papers while in uniform.

It all counted.

No need to thank him...or her, for their service, that may embarrass them. Just smile and acknowledge that he or she did serve.
But be careful, they may be hard to pick out. They may be camouflaged in civilian clothes now.

Totally agree with LulusBakery concerning Playboy's announcement:
"I can look at a nude and find it beautiful without smutty thoughts entering my mind".

To be honest, I outgrew Playboy in High School. Too posed, too airbrushed. Guess "photoshopped" is the new term. But the jokes and cartoons were good. The only issue I bought after HS was the Jimmy Carter one; only to find out I had bought the previous month's issue and no J Carter article. But I think the centerfold on it was the lady that later married Jimmy Conners, tennis pro.
She, I remember.

I had turned the TV on this morning to see if my favorite weather girl was on. She was. Then I turned it off after a perfunctory coverage of "news" as they call it in that channel.

But it didn't really register until I saw during my first errand, the first flags at half-mast.

I remember I had been enjoying the newly-retired perk of sleeping in and was making my coffee and decided to turn on the idiot box for a change. They were mentioning that a 'small' airplane had hit a tower in New York, a previous home-city of mine.
The picture was showing otherwise. No way a small airplane could make such a mess.
"Dumbshit!" I said, there is no reason to get lost in that area.

Then I heard the screams, the screech, looked over and heard the thud and saw the horror. It was not a replay.

You know how the day(s) unfolded after that.

Americans and other nationalities were hurt and killed that day.

Now I turn the TV on in the mornings, not just to see a nice pair of legs. Maybe it's my talisman against bad guys and assholes. Maybe it's my way to remember the fallen.

I'm glad that guy is dead: Bin whatever. Not enough of his cohorts are.
Thank you, Heroes. Thank you, President Obama for not giving up the hunt.

Today I will turn my anger (yes, still), my sadness and energies to more constructive directions.
But I will not forget. Hell no, I will not forgive or forget.

No. There is really no "good" reason to ruin someone's day because you woke up feeling:
Bad, sensitive, unhappy, blah, pissed off, slightly angry, tired, unfulfilled, useless, your dream did not end the way you liked, etc.

Either return to your bed, or wear your "pissed off meter" hat and avoid people or other animals.

I don't mind lending you my smile, but don't return it upside down. It ruins my erection. Grrr.
Grin...

Reading By-the Sea's blog, I am wondering: Was it really that long ago that the "internet" and being "online" were new terms?
Remember picking up the phone and an obviously frustrated someone asking "Who were you talking to for so long" in a manner that you wanted to say "None of your business" but really knew you shouldn't, or couldn't?
Or calling someone and finally realizing they probably really were not avoiding you, but were probably exploring this new world?
Yep, Most of us saw no need for a second phone line just for a computer. After all, a second line was expensive, and usually used for businesses for those damn new "fax" machines.
No need to add a second phone line for something you looked at twice a day. If that.
Yep, that computer was for getting your stuff done...

Right...

It snowed again last night. But nothing like it has up North. Just five inches here, compared to the five feet some folks are trying to clear out. The same effect on the roads though. Pretty snow, but with a thick layer of black ice under it.
When I had a pick up, I would weigh the back end. Apparently Bubba Andretti hasn't gotten the word.
It looks beautiful, but I am not getting out in it. Got bread, eggs, wine, beer and other goodies, including corned beef. So we're set.

Thank goodness I don't have to be out in it. Be careful out there.

My attention was brought to the calendar.
In a week, Daylight Savings Time starts in the US. WTF???
It is Winter here. 31 degrees F in the Southwest, some 7 degrees F in the North.
Springs does not start until the 20th of March.
That's three weeks away.
How fucked up are we?

No, no, Santa, I didn't say I wanted to BE "a bigger Dick" for Christmas.

Hope everyone is enjoying one of the few four-day holidays of the year. Even if yours is a small family or group of friends or even co-workers.
Yes, used to have to work most holidays, but tried to make make the best of it, even if the food was mediocre or on occasion, excellent. Though my lasagna was just a bit dry this year. (I'm not that crazy about turkey or turkeys.)
But it's really about people and friendships, isn't it?
However, this year I am getting ahead with a resolution for next year. After getting ambushed by family, I will be more emphatic with my mantra:
"Be reasonable, DO IT MY WAY!"