Firearms Friday: Going Silent

Those of you hoping to read all about silencers are going to be highly disappointed. While they are legal in my state and I do plan on purchasing in the future, this post has nothing to do with those over regulated and wonderfully useful devices. I am actually talking about something completely different and a little beyond the norm for this series of rambling posts. This is an opportunity for me to talk about my first experiences with target shooting and the hope to return to that much simpler time.

While I was first introduced to firearms while in college thanks to my former ex-Navy Seal roommate, the majority of our time spend shooting targets wasn’t at the range… and it wasn’t with firearms. We did climb up the old ski slope every now and again with our 7mm Savage rifle and Beretta M9 but the majority of our time peering down the sights was on that of a few air pellet rifles and BB guns that we picked up at Wal-Mart. We decided to save a few pennies so that we could use those pennies for target practice… literally.

Most of those early moments pulling a trigger were along the rural highways of Vermont with pennies perched atop and embedded in a snow bank. It was hours of relaxing, and sometimes frustrating fun, taking aim, splitting copper, swapping out CO2 cartridges and generally having a good time with some interesting conversations in-between shots. There have been several moments over the years when I would pass a Wal-Mart and hesitate for just a second before continuing down the road.

Now that my wife and I have some space to enjoy the outdoors and we live in an area were people respect the right to so whatever you want on your property so long that its legal, I have been tempted to partake in some of the quieter alternatives to firearms. While there are a few neighbors that, from time to time, will take their rifles into the back yard, I want to at least be considerate should I find this to be a regular routine. It is with this in mind that I have been thinking about picking up an inexpensive air rifle or crossbow.

It would be nice to head out the back door, set up a target, and send a few quiet rounds across the property. After all, I can’t always get to the range despite several options located within 10 minutes of our house so that might be a means to keep my limited skills from becoming completely dull. Not to mention that it would simply be nice to return to a simpler time and enjoy not just being in front of a target again but, at the same time, remembering those first few shots that got me hooked into this hobby.

Firearms Friday: I Am The 90%

It is interesting to think about the changes in my life especially over the past year. This is especially true when considering the places where my wife and I have lived in the past compared to the community in which we live now. Well beyond the considerations of considerably reduced congestion and the open space which we now enjoy, there is a different reality which we are now a part of which I have welcomed opening into our life.

It comes down to simple percentages… for the most part, criminals know that in the suburbs of Philadelphia 90% of the houses will not have a firearm inside. This has been the reality that we lived with for many years. However, for the most part, the opposite is true where we live now. Criminals know that there is about a 90% chance that there will be a firearm in the house. When they reach this realization they tend to head toward the more populated areas around the city. This isn’t to say that we live in rural utopia but it does lend some peace of mind… I feel safer knowing that this is our reality.  

The other difference was concisely surmised a few months ago when I had the pleasure of speaking with many of our new neighbors at a party. When the conversation turned to one of those not in attendance shooting their rifle in the back yard the response was a little different than what I have heard on the main line in the past but one that I completely agree with… well, it is there property and as long as they a shooting in a safe direction I have no problem with it. This is exactly the reaction that we should hear everywhere but, for me, it took loving to a different county before I heard those words coming from someone else.

Bear in mind that these observations are from a county that (tri county area actually) that still has a majority of registered voters aligned with the Democrats while, at the same time, with an active voter base that heavily favors Republicans. Of course, the subject at hand is about individual rights which should be supported by all people regardless of party affiliation. It is rather unfortunate that there are so few pockets of the population where rights still have value and personal responsibility is expected such as where we live now.

In this interesting dichotomy I am both part of the minority and a part of a significant majority. It is this interplay between affiliation and beliefs that will make politics where I live particularly interesting this year and, while I am fairly certain as to what the results will be, I am curious to see how the percentages settle. Something else that I have to get used to… people actually voting based on the candidate rather than party affiliation. Hopefully the 90% come through!

Time To Party: Part II

In an interesting twist this year, I once again attended two holiday parties but, unlike previous years, neither one was a family gathering. Last Saturday, after a draining day at the lodge blood drive, I stopped over at the neighbor’s house for a wonderful gathering. It was a great opportunity to meet most of the people who live around us especially since I haven’t had the time to walk up and down the street to properly introduce myself. It was a great night.

This past Monday was the second party of the season. This time it was the annual work party but, once again, it was a little different than previous years. Our first holiday together, in 2013, we all went bowling at a place around the corner on Street Road. Last year, having previously held a large one year anniversary party a couple of months prior, we toned things down a bit and simply went out to dinner across the street. This year, the bar was clearly raised as we got a balcony box for a Flyers game at the Wells Fargo Center.

I really didn't know what to expect heading into the building as, despite growing up in the area, I had never been to a hockey game. Baseball yes, hockey no. The gathering itself was very nice as the noise in the arena wasn’t too loud so that we could still have conversations without having to yell at one another. We spent a good part of the evening talking about work (of course) but also some of our other interests. It is really nice to get out of the office and continue to get to know one another a little better even though we have the same banter during the work day. Meeting outside of the office is just a different time.

The game on the other hand is not the game I remember watching when I was younger. In addition to the plentiful penalties, the sport is severely slowed by constant ice maintenance every five minutes which, in itself, took five minutes to clear the shavings. This drew out 20 minute periods into 45 minute marathons. This on top of the fact that the hard-nosed sport that I recall from years past is dead. Hockey without fights is like NASCAR without crashes. I am actually surprised that no one tripped on their skirt going up and down the rink.

By the time nine o’clock came around the third period was just beginning and the Flyers scored to tie the game within a minute of the puck being dropped (they ended up defeating the Blues 4-3). For a couple of us with longer drives home, it was the perfect opportunity to call it a night. And with our signed pucks in hand (everyone in the box got one), we made our way through the maze and finally out to the parking lot where there was no traffic to be found. 60 minutes later and I was home for the night, ready for bed, and not looking forward to the early morning alarm.

Mortgage Monday: New Noises

THAT. WOULD. SUUUUCK!

Each place you live has its own set of noises that you have to get used to over time. When my wife and I were in Metuchen it was the sound of our neighbor’s alarm clock that he never turned off in the morning before heading out. In Bala Cynwyd, it was the sound of cars driving through the parking lot on the other side of our ground floor window. In Chester Springs, it was the constant flow of traffic, the heavy feet of the neighbors to the right of us, and the DIY obsessions of the neighbor on the other side.

Now, in our new home, the sounds are much simpler. We are not on a busy street and even when the occasional car or buggy drives by we can’t hear it through the windows are we sit back from and above the road. The neighbors are on the other side of the trees and while we can see the houses between the barren branches, we rarely see our neighbors and have yet to hear any noises. The sounds that we hear late at night are the small things like the boiler turning on or the heat makings its way through the pipes.

When we step outside there is a bit of white noise in the distance from the highways but that was something that only took a couple of days before we didn’t notice it. Now all we hear is the wind rustling the last of the stubborn leaves on the trees, the occasional deer walking through the woods, and recently, the misting rain as it collects on the roof and drips into the gutters. These are the most common sounds that we hear which are relaxing rather than annoying.

However, there are occasions when we hear other noises. While we can’t hear it from inside, there is a rooster a few doors down that really enjoys upholding the cliché associated with mornings. And, being where we are in relation to more densely populated areas, there have been a couple of weekends when we knew that someone had just bought a fresh batch of ammunition the day before. But, again, while bothersome to some, these sounds, especially given their rarity, don’t bother me.

The noises that we dealt with in the past were annoying then and they still bother me now. These new sounds are sometimes relaxing and other times we don’t even notice them. They are a part of our life in our new home and I guess that simple fact, that we either like or are indifferent to them, reinforces the fact that we made the right decision and truly found our home among the houses.

Knowing Your Neighbors

Don't be this guy!

Growing up I knew all the neighbors especially the few other kids on our small street. It was nice being able to go from house to house, yard to yard, and know that I could always be reached if I was needed at home (this was before cell phones). It really was like having a giant front yard where we could play, go sledding, or ride our bikes. Everyone knew everyone.

While I still make a point to introduce myself to our neighbors, I am not as diligent on making sure I meet each one. I guess there is something about the impermanence of renting that just makes it seem like there are better ways I could spend my time. This is rather selfish, I admit, but, oddly enough, it has also allowed me to spend the time getting to know more people. Rather than going out of my way, I let things happen and eventually, I am able to meet everyone and find out a little bit about those who live and work around me.

I just let things happen and when we have a chance to meet I do my best to engage in an interesting conversation. Of course, those of you who know me also know that when you get me talking it is almost always going to be a lengthy discussion regardless of the topic. So, in the end, I guess you could call this passive aggressive networking. So far it has worked for me (at home, work, and lodge) and I have gotten to know some great people this way.

I enjoy working with people on a daily basis and find that this approach allows me to treat others as friends more than just someone who lives or works near me and I have treated these relationships accordingly. And the mutually beneficial aspects have been fantastic. We all have different networks of people and sometimes we can connect others either because of business or common interest. While I have given business to others, a number of people have introduced me to contacts that have, in turn, saved me a heck of a lot of time and money.

What I am trying to say is don’t just learn someone’s name. Get to know those around you. Know what your neighbors do for a living (I will try to do a better job of this when we are in a place that we own). Know what your colleagues’ interests are and those in neighboring businesses. Know the occupations and interests of your fellow brethren (or those members in an applicable club, religious institution, etc). You will almost certainly be surprised to find that you have more in common with the people around you than you realize and there is a tremendous opportunity to help those around you and they will usually return the favor in kind. Plus, it is just nice (and comforting) to know the people around you.  

That Plan Didn’t Work

It is pretty obvious to my coworkers, neighbors, and anyone who reads this blog that I do a lot of ordering from Amazon. The selection is good, prices are reasonable, the shipping is usually fast, and I have never had an issue regarding the occasional return. I have had a solid overall experience with Amazon over the years which is why I was interested in the Subscribe & Save program. Pretty straight forward… select a few items that you would like to receive on a regular basis (i.e. coffee, paper towels, dish soap, baby formula, etc.), set the delivery date, and have them automatically show up at the door on the date you specified. At least that is how it is supposed to work.

A couple of weeks before we left on our Virginia vacation, my wife and I put a list together of the items that we would been upon our return. We could just as easily pick them up from the grocery store the following day but this offered a convenient and cost effective alternative… it is also nice to have all the bulky items on the doorstep rather than my wife having to pick them up while shopping with our son. So I logged into my Amazon account, selected the items, and adjusted the delivery date for the Monday after we got back.

When we pulled into the parking lot and approached the front door, we could see that there was a note left for us. Before we had a chance to open it, our neighbors stopped us and let us know that they moved our packages inside their house so they wouldn’t get wet. I wasn’t sure what packages could have arrived as the deliveries were scheduled for tomorrow, nothing else had been ordered from any other website, and our mail was on hold until the following day. When they emerged with a rather large box in hand I knew that Amazon screwed up at least some part of the order (I double checked later to ensure that it was their mistake and not mine).

When I went to the post office before work the following morning I found the rest of the items that we put on order. Not one thing was delivered on the day specified so now I am wondering if it is worth the aggravation to keep the subscriptions active. While normally it wouldn’t be an issue we almost had a serious problem… imagine if the baby formula were sitting out the in 90+ degree sun for nearly a week? Thankfully, this time, there were no sun baked boxes. I really have to think about this for a while but it just goes to show that sometimes you can be too fast with your shipping. After all, no one likes premature packages.

Note: Amazon customer service is of little help with this issue offering not explanation or honest apology (of course I could only understand about half of what they were saying).  

Voting SNAFU!

I knew that I was going to be arriving late the office this morning. After all, I had to stop by my polling place and cast my vote (even though it wouldn’t make any difference in the area in which we live). I arrived at my designated polling location and it seemed as though I had never left the apartment building.

Of the dozen or so people staffing the location only a couple of them weren’t neighbors. I knew each and every one of them which is why I can confidently say that this was not a politically diverse crowd. Maybe that is why no one would say a word to me as I walked up to the building and through the doors.

There were only a couple people in front of me so it didn’t take me long to get up to the table. The lack of participation is not surprising as, according to recent study by WalletHub, only 42.1% of voters ages 18-24 and 68.9% of senior citizen even bother to show up at the polls. License in hand I gave them my name and watched as the confused look fell upon their face as to why I would have a photo ID out. Thirty seconds later I was in, and out, of the booth and heading back to the car.  

By the end of the long day, with the results beginning to come in, I was both incredibly disappointed by my state and happy about the shift in power that was going to occur in Washington. While the process is necessary for the people to have their voices heard I just can’t get over the fact that we will have to put up with a new Governor that does not represent us. To add to the entire fiasco is the fact that his main body of supporters are completely oblivious to the contrariness of the vote that they just submitted in their naive push of the button.

These people who take pride letting everyone know that they are part of the 99% just voted for someone who is part of the 0.1% to represent them. They claim that they want the government to stay out of their bedrooms and their lives but they support having their rights limited and, in some instances, taken away. They want people to take home more of their hard earned money but they support tax policies that obliterate their paychecks. They say they want people to have greater opportunities in life but they don’t want to encourage them to be self-sufficient, they prefer giving them handouts.

WTF!

This whole day just proves the point that sometimes saying that you voted is like saying everybody poops. We know that its true but it doesn’t mean you should be applauded for crapping on the carpet. Voting for the Republican candidate in my town is like farting in the middle of the room… they know people will notice but they don’t want to admit to it. Well, pull my finger because I’m the one who voted Republican across the board.