A FUBARed Rhino If I casually mention that a situation is FUBAR, all of my military friends nod solemnly, like monks acknowledging an ancient truth. My civilian friends, however, stare at me the way a golden retriever looks at algebra and silently wonder, what exactly is Roger talking about? BLUF: this got me thinking about … Continue reading F.U.B.A.R.
Fragilay
In the classic Holiday movie, A Christmas Story, the cantankerous Dad was exuberant that he won a “major” award and couldn’t contain himself when the cherished award was delivered to his house. As he examined the crate, he read the words stamped on the outside and said “Fragilay, it must be Italian,” badly mispronouncing the … Continue reading Fragilay
What the World Needs Now
(Is a little Yacht Rock music) I recently attended the Bourbon and Beyond Music Festival in Louisville, (pronounced Bourbon-ville) Kentucky that is advertised as the biggest bourbon and music festival in the world. Combining bourbon and music is like the greatest idea ever. At the festival 50,000+ of my best friends and I saw some … Continue reading What the World Needs Now
Into the Abyss
In the science fiction movie The Abyss, a deep-sea drilling platform crew and U.S. Navy personnel are drawn into a mysterious underwater encounter. The film follows their mission to recover a sunken nuclear submarine, during which they discover strange, unexplained phenomena in the ocean depths. As tensions rise, the crew comes into contact with a … Continue reading Into the Abyss
Deep State…is People!
The classic dystopian sci-fi movie Soylent Green depicts an overpopulated, polluted, and resource-depleted world (is it fiction?) where food is scarce and the government distributes a mysterious food product called Soylent Green, supposedly made from high-protein plankton. The lead character, played by Charlton Heston, is shocked to find out that Soylent Green is made from … Continue reading Deep State…is People!
Olly Olly Oligarchy Free (a short lesson in “ocracies”)
During President Biden’s last speech--you know, the one where he identified all of the problems he didn’t fix because he was busy wandering around the Amazon rain forest—he said (rightly so) that America was turning into an oligarchy. Not surprisingly, according to ABC News, searches for the word oligarchy rose sharply after the speech and … Continue reading Olly Olly Oligarchy Free (a short lesson in “ocracies”)
I’m Tired Boss
In the classic movie The Green Mile, the lead character, John Coffey is a giant but gentle man wrongly convicted of a horrible crime, who is awaiting his execution on death row. As the movie progresses we learn that he has mystical powers to cure other people’s ills, but he also feels the pain of … Continue reading I’m Tired Boss
Comfort Chickens (and Dahlias)
I recently read an article that quoted Virginia Satir, a world-renowned family therapist, who said “We need 4 hugs a day for survival. We need 8 hugs a day for maintenance. We need 12 hugs a day for growth.” At that point I realized that I was significantly underachieving as a husband and needed to step up my … Continue reading Comfort Chickens (and Dahlias)
Dread of Flying
I don’t possess a fear of flying, that does indeed grip some people, but I do dread flying, like a visit to the dentist or a bout with the flu or diarrhea, it’s something I could live without. I harken back to the pre-covid or even pre 9/11 days when there were no security lines, … Continue reading Dread of Flying
Donuts (and coffee) for strangers
This is not a political post unless empathy and kindness are political constructs. And its not a post about religion, I respect anyone rights to believe in whatever they want, as long as it does not bring harm others. To quote Henry David Thoreau*, “Everyone has to believe in something, I believe I’ll go canoeing.” … Continue reading Donuts (and coffee) for strangers
Bourbon Tales 