Moving Day Recovery

As soon as we got out of bed yesterday the long and hectic day started. We had a lot of appointments scheduled and, needless to say, a lot of work ahead of us. Yesterday was moving day and that was not the only task that needed to be accomplished… we also had an ADT consultation in the morning, Raymour & Flanigan delivering furniture by noon, and the cable company coming out to the house to get our phone, internet, and cable up and running by the end of the day. While I was taking care of those tasks, my wife was at work, our son was at daycare, and my parents were supervising the sluggish movers.

With all of these things set to a certain schedule, my wife and I got up a little earlier than usual, got our son ready for ‘school’ and were about to head out the door when my parents arrived. Actually, while my wife was changing, feeding, and generally getting our son ready, I was busy finishing up the remaining packing around the house and making sure that every box we purchased was being used. By the time I stopped to take a breath we must have had over 100 boxes stacked in the various rooms all labeled with their new locations at our home.

By the time I finished putting things aside, closing off all the rooms that the movers didn’t need to address, and coordinating the day with my parents I was already behind schedule and ADT was calling just as I was about to get in the car and head over to the house. Fortunately, the woman with whom I was working was very understanding of the situation and had the patience to wait for me until I arrived about 15 minutes after our originally agreed upon appointment time. Just before we completed the walk through of the house for the quote, the furniture arrived and we officially began the transformation from house to home.

ADT left shortly thereafter and, just like it was planned, the cable company arrived and began work immediately. Thankfully, I remembered to bring a television, my laptop, and a phone with me that morning to test. By mid afternoon, all the furniture was in place, the cable, internet, and phone were up and running, and I already had the quote from ADT in hand. All that was left was waiting for the lackadaisical movers to arrive.

Needless to say, we were not happy with how long it took the moving company to get things done. While I did get them to move a bit faster upon arrival it still took them until 8:30 to get things done, close up the truck, and leave all of their trash behind (I will be checking for damage over the next few days). Today was largely spend cleaning up after them and moving many of the clearly labeled boxes into the correct rooms. But, the important thing, regardless of the issues that we encountered, is the fact that we are now home! Let the recovery begin.

Firearms Friday: Blame

Once again, we end the week looking back on another cowardly tragedy committed by a clearly unstable individual. Unfortunately, it was also no surprise that the shooting was politicized before the suspect was even found… the calls for more gun control range out louder than the shots fired early on Wednesday morning. Another heinous act blamed on inanimate objects and those who own them rather than the individual who committed the crime.

It wasn’t long before posts from my liberal friends on Facebook began filling my feed and with quotes posted my conservative friends following this initial deluge. The most commonly used of which was a quote from then Governor Ronald Reagan when he addressed the Republican National Convention in Miami Florida on July 31, 1968 amid a time of tremendous racial turmoil which erupted in riots. The excepted says simply “We must reject the idea that every time a law's broken, society is guilty rather than the lawbreaker. It is time to restore the American precept that each individual is accountable for his actions.” Essentially, violence is an individual act and must be treated as such… the idea of railing against a group of people because of the acts of an individual must be rejected.   

Yesterday, the coverage continued and, of course, the calls for more laws intensified. While there was plenty of political banter, the quote that really crystallized the debate for me was that of Senator Marco Rubio who was quoted by the New York Times at a campaign stop in New Hampshire having said “It’s not the guns, it’s the people who are committing these crimes. What law in the world could have prevented him from killing them?” And that is what this all really comes down to… we must hold individuals accountable for their acts especially those with premeditated plans who would have followed through with this act regardless of means. In the end, this is why there are more knife attacks and beatings in the UK… people find a way to accomplish their goals regardless of whether they are good or evil.

Lastly, the other part of this whole equation that is being overlooked is the fact that even when bills are passed, they are not being enforced and/or the funding is not being spent (i.e. The National Instant Criminal Background Check System). The NICS Improvement Amendment Act was signed into law by President Bush on January 8, 2008 with the explicate mission to improve the background check system in this country. The law, endorsed by the NRA by the way, allocated Congress $1.3 Billion to improve record keeping in states which would allow greater transparency and improve the Federal gun background check system. To date nearly 90 percent of funding has never been spent and the Obama administration will further reduce spending from its peak in 2015 of $78 million down to $55 million in the President’s 2016 budget request.

Why don’t we focus on the real issues at hand instead of the hype and politicization of tragedy? Instead of the hundreds of millions of dollars being spent by gun control groups (keep in mind that I am well aware of the money spend by gun rights advocacy groups in response to various proposals and campaigns calling for the stripping away of our rights), what if we focus and put our money elsewhere that would really have an impact on the issue at hand. What if we committed hundreds of millions of dollars to mental health? What if we actually improved NICS and spent the $1.3 billion? We don’t need more laws and we definitely don’t need to prosecute and entire group of people in this country. We need to improvements in mental health in this country and we need to improve the effectiveness of the background check systems already in place. This is not a debate… this is the solution!

Face Value

While there are some trying personal situations going on lately, I have been doing my best to stay as objective as possible, offer the few tips that I have to make things a touch easier or prepare those a little better, and, in some instances, just stay the heck out of the way. More often than not it all comes down to the “shut up and listen” mentality. However, there have been a few moments when I have attempted to make things a little easier by letting people know of a few things that they need to keep in mind.

Recently I did just that and, just like in previous instances, it was a complete mess. While I will not get into details or divulge any names, let’s just say that the reaction that I saw made me second guess the motives of some individuals. Furthermore, it confirmed that those people don’t trust me whatsoever and believe that I have an ulterior motive with everything that I say. While that perception is not in line with the reality of my words, the fact that things were so heinously skewed makes me question the motives of the person with whom I spoke.

I take great offense when my offer of assistance, however minor it was in this instance, is viewed in such a manner. And frankly, I am done in trying to help certain individuals. There are other caught in this same situation for which I would do anything I possible can but then there are the others. I wasn’t even expecting acknowledgement of this tip so if nothing were to be said I would continue to offer the little I have from my experiences to assist. However, to be confronted in this way… I am done. Thomas Hardy said it best and for those incurables there is little that can be done to change their prognosis.

So while I am finished with those who revel in the conspiracy of their on minds and searching for a different meaning behind advice that does not exist, I will continue to listen, process, and do my best to relay any helpful information to those that will take it in the way that it is intended… a simple offer to ease the process in any minute way that I can. And with all that is going on we can’t say with any certainty about what is going to happen in the future but some things are coming into focus and we are able to plan for the inevitable. Until then most of the time I will simply shut up and listen and help those who take my offer at face value.

Unhealthy Political Practices

Obamacare has a new poster child... Jonathan Gruber!

It seemed appropriate to follow up my post yesterday with this one. One of the big national stories that finally made its way around the media was the comments made by one of the “Obamacare architects” regarding the construction and passage of this useless piece of legislation. Note that the ‘main stream media’ was much later in picking this up than the “conservative” outlets.

On numerous occasions, Jonathan Gruber has spoken at great length to the deception that was built into the ‘Affordable’ Care Act. He also specifically noted that much of the strategy that was required to gain support for the bill required the left to leverage the stupidity of the American people. As was reported in Politico: “In the three videos that surfaced in the last few days, Gruber says parts of the law, including its insurance subsidies and so-called Cadillac tax on expensive plans, wouldn’t have passed back in 2009-10 if voters weren’t “stupid.””

While few have denied that Gruber was an economic consultant on the bill, there has been frequent and repeated efforts to backpedal and characterize Gruber as someone with limited influence on the legislation. However, this ignores the gross misconduct at hand. While we don’t know how much influence he had on the polishing of the turd, he was at the very least in the room and was privy to the construction thereof. He knew of the shell game that was being perpetuated and this is where his comments come into play.

Equally disturbing are the outright lies that have been told to the media this week specifically those from House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi who is quoted as saying “I don’t know who he is… He didn’t help write our bill.” She made this adamant statement despite the fact that she has referred to his work in the past. Of course, what do you expect from someone whose infamous pitch when pushing the bill was “But we have to pass the bill so you can find out what is in it, away from the fog of the controversy.”

In addition to the lies, misrepresentations, and insults that have surfaced lately (although many of us knew that they were there all along) we now find ourselves at a point in time when healthcare premiums have gone through the roof, few new people have been insured, and financial limits have been placed on hourly workers who cannot go over 30 hours per week. We are getting taxes taken out of each paycheck to cover the program, we are required to take on benefits in our plans that we don’t want or need, and the total cost of the legislative cluster is far beyond any of the projections used to pass the law. Now I am ready to say to all those who questioned my opposition to this bill, I told you so!

Someone Needs A Time Out!

In the midst of the Ebola news that was swirling around last week and dominating all the nightly news programs there were countless statements made, ‘experts’ interviewed, and reports made of possible cases. There was also a variety of social media posts both attempting to find any possible, badly timed, humor and also the never fail conspiracies.

It should come as no surprise that one of the most controversial pieces that has been circulating throughout the main stream media comes from, no surprise, Ann Coulter. While I do give her credit for unflinchingly sharing her opinion with the world it really isn’t helping anyone and it is probably doing more harm than good… especially for my party. Frankly, this woman needs to come to terms with the fact that she is the flashpoint for anti-conservatism amongst the liberal media and learn how to shut the heck up.

Contrary to the earlier paragraphs in Coulter’s article, I don’t believe in criticizing those who are using their talents to help people throughout the world. Those people are dedicating their lives to better the world and that is an admirable calling and they should be respected for that. To attempt to lay waste to their life’s work is indeed in poor taste and it makes one wonder, what has Ann Coulter done to better this world? I would argue that she has done nothing but prance like a peacock in the field trying to call attention to herself while providing the Democratic Party with all the ammunition they need to misguide the public. In Fact, she may be the Ebola of the Republican Party.

However, just like the study of such horrendous outbreaks there is always something fascinating that can be found in the chaos. While poorly phrased, there were a few lines that did stand out to me as having some semblance of sanity: “America is the most consequential nation on Earth, and in desperate need of God at the moment. If America falls, it will be a thousand years of darkness for the entire planet. / Not only that, but it's our country. Your country is like your family. We're supposed to take care of our own first.”

While grandiose in language, the underlying idea behind those words make tremendous sense. While world causes need our attention, we can’t lose sight of what is happening here at home and the problems that permeate society. Both may be equally important but if the choice has to be made dedicate your life to making your home just a little better, improve your community in some small way, make the effort to help your neighbor. Set the example at home first. If we work on solving the problems around us now we will be able to better serve each other and the world in the future.

Mourning An Anniversary And Celebrating A Birthday

Fifty years ago today the world stopped as President Kennedy’s motorcade sped through the streets of Dallas in a futile effort to save his life. It is one of those moments that becomes seared into the minds of those who lived through it much like 9/11 will forever haunt my generation. It makes you look at the world a little differently when you see the pattern of tragedy and the regularity of its occurrence in our history.

Whether it is a single life lost or the lives of many, they are all equally tragic and the questions will still stumble from the tips of our tongues about what we could have done differently. There will always be people unwilling to accept the reality of tragedy and there will be ones who go too far in the emotional response to such heinous acts. However, one thing we should keep in mind as we attempt to cope and recover is that we can’t rely on others for answer.

As President Kennedy said, “Conformity is the jailer of freedom and the enemy of growth.”

If you come to the same conclusion as others after searching yourself and finding what makes sense in your own mind that is one thing but simply accepting the suppositions of others without the effort of original thought is what President Kennedy warned us about. Simply going along with the crowd does not make us free, in fact it makes us unable to grow both as individuals and as a nation. Agreement isn’t enough without the ability to offer your own means of drawing that conclusion.

Such has been the case in recent years with the frequent calls for gun control, the same lobbying that occurred in the wake of President Kennedy’s assassination. Why is it that in the past fifty years we have learned about every detail of one man’s life but we refuse to learn about society and the murderous motivations of people? Why are we so willing to glorify one man for his accomplishments but unwilling to condemn one coward for his actions? JFK didn’t make every Irish Catholic a Saint so why does a person who commits a murder with a firearm make every firearm owner a criminal?

I have read the articles leveraging this anniversary of mourning as a call to action for more gun control which is why I have made the statements above. But this is also a day of great contradiction which makes me wonder how well informed some of the antigun people are as today marks the birthday of Eugene Morrison Stoner who was born on this day in 1922 (we will celebrate his birthday tomorrow). For those of you who don’t know, Stoner was the genius behind the AR-15 platform which was designed just eight years before the world went silent.

So, on the same day that we mourn a great loss we also celebrate a tremendous innovation. Well, some of us mark the birthday of Stoner while other, those filled with hate, would rather eliminate this many from the history books. Kennedy and Stoner, one really has nothing to do with the other beyond a simple date… just like the actions of one deranged man has nothing to do with the rest of us.  

Two Sides Of The Sign

This week I finally got around to bringing some decorative items to the office. It’s always nice to personalize your space but not something that I have done for some time as nothing seemed to be permanent over the last couple of years. Up until now I have always used my laptop to add a little touch to my space in the form of the background that I selected.

So finally I brought in a few items. Nothing much, just a few things to put on my desk and a coffee mug which is essential now that we have a coffee maker in the kitchen (plus I am certain that no one is going to take my Remington mug). However, the one thing that I brought in to the office and put on my desk is more of a means of motivation rather than decoration.

President Truman was know to have a saying prominently displayed on his desk for all visitors to see. There was a simple slogan painted across the front saying “The buck stops here!” Yes, it has become clichéd since his time in office but it is still something that we should all remember, especially at work. You can give all the excuses you want but in reality the responsibility, the production, the decisions are up to you.

Even if you are not the boss, I’m certainly not, you still have to make the decisions on many things and you have to decide what you can’t make decisions on whether it is because of position, experience, or not having the authority. There is a decision to be made and you are the one that has to make it. Everything else you have to determine what to do, how to do it, or where to delegate it (if appropriate).

The sing serves as my motivation to do the best I can and push through any obstacle or, more importantly, and times of uncertainty or indecisiveness. But it is a sign that also reminds me of family and of a happy time just a few years ago when I purchased it at the Little White House in Key West, Florida. It was the first family vacation that my wife was included in and it was a time that we all enjoyed being down in the heat together for a sweltering week during the summer.

So, in the end, one simple sign can motivate in many ways. Not just to do the best you can at work but also to motivate to succeed at that job so that you can enjoy the times away from the office with family. There are always two sides to every sign.

Office Questionnaire

At the end of this past week in the office I got an interesting email from one of my fellow new colleagues. It was an email that many have received in the workplace over the years but, until now, I had never gotten one. It was a simple questionnaire to get to know each other a little better.

Here were the email questions along with my answers (some information has been removed but the questions remain the same):

·         Type of car you drive: Chevrolet Malibu [the 2012 is not very exciting but definitely practical]

·         Top five movies you could watch over and over: National Treasure, Gettysburg, Super Troopers / Beerfest [any Broken Lizard movie except Club Dread – that movie suuuucked], Talented Mr. Ripley, The Chosen, RED, Holy Land Hardball, You’ve Got Mail, Fargo, Hitler’s Children (let me know if this is not diverse enough) [I can never think of the movies that I stop and watch but these were the ones that came to mind]

·         Favorite TV show (currently or must watch re-runs): Who Do You Think You Are? (and other genealogy related shows). Close second is anything firearms related (i.e. Sons of Guns, American Guns, etc.). [also of note are Northern Exposure, The West Wing, Deadwood, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Bargain Hunt, Big Bang Theory, NCIS, MacGyver, and many others]

·         Drink of choice (alcohol or non-alcohol): Coffee is my friend (and, by extension, yours too). [Dark beer is good too; the darker the better. And Scotch is right there with it].

·         Favorite superhero: Punisher or Batman (no super powers need apply).

·         Dream vacation destination: Always enjoy going to Jerusalem. Would also like to go to Ireland and Germany to explore my heritage. [of course I am up for traveling just about anywhere as you may have surmised by my numerous posts about my travels in the Commonwealth]

·         Music preference – genre or artist(s): I like a mix of most genres. However, I am finding that my ears don’t agree with much of the sounds produced today. [Metallica to 10,000 Maniacs; Verdi to Clint Black; Buddy Holly to Eminem; you get the idea]

·         Favorite app on your smartphone/tablet: Blogger (essential when you post every day). Close second is Ancestry.com. [too many apps makes me long for a green screen app].

·         Target or Wal-Mart: Wal-Mart (have you been to the Target on City Avenue? That will make you switch). [ironically, you can’t get ammo at Target. But if I had to pick between the two I would go with Amazon.com]

·         Must have snack: beef jerky. [mmmmm, jerky]

I would add:

·         What was your first car: 1998 Ford Mustang

·         Hobbies: Writing, Genealogy, Rotary, Masons, Firearms, Travel

·         Major in College: English/Creative Writing

·         First Job: Shipping books for an antiquarian book store in Wayne.

So, that was the simple questionnaire that I received on Friday. What would your answers be to those questions? Is there anything you would like me to write more about in a future post? Let me know and I will do my best to accommodate. In the meantime, have a great night and a wonderful week!

“Family Comes First.”

It’s a very simple phrase and one that seems to be bandied about more than its really put into practice. We’ve all been in those kinds of situations when the phone rings and we find ourselves caught between the responsibilities of family and our responsibilities at the office. This is the situation I found myself in on Friday.

Having been in the office since eight in the morning, I got a call at about three in the afternoon from my wife. After going back and forth a few times between multiple people and phone numbers, it came down to the wire when I was needed at home at the same time I had a conference call starting in about five minutes. With other family members holding down the fort (so shoot me I used a cliché), I decided to get through the call and leave immediately afterward.

When the situation was touched upon that I would be leaving after the call, my colleague would have none of it. “Go! Don’t worry about the call. Family comes first.” I think that is the first time that I have ever heard those words uttered in the workplace, at least not with the same seriousness and meaning behind them as I heard that day.

There are moments such as this one when you know that you have made the right decision to join a company. There are moments when you come to fully trust the people you work with, when you feel they have your best interests in mind. Hearing those words put my mind at ease and allowed me to focus on what is truly important to me… my family.

Sometimes, and I am certainly guilty of this, we get caught up in doing the absolute best we can every day, putting forth every effort, and trying to do the best job we possibly can. Sometimes we lose sight of the world beyond the confines of work. Many times, that is the curse of doing what you love to do. This is when we need people around us to remind us of what exists beyond the office walls.

Thankfully, everything seems to be calming down at home and I’m glad I got there as early as I did. So, at this point, I would like to thank my colleague for giving me that gentle kick in the rear that I needed to get out the door. I am sure it is not going to be the last time that is needed.