What's happened to my country since 9/11??

What an incredibly different world we live in today versus sixteen years ago!

Decline in Personal Freedom's.

Our reaction to the hijackers was to suddenly invent a complete new Government Department. Which I think try's their best, but just seems like a boon-doggle. 

I've had my 83 year old, Korean war vet grandfather pulled out of line because he set off the metal detector. He tried to tell the Transportation Security Agency (TSA) agent that it was, and I quote, "God damn communist shrapnel." This didn't get him off the hook. so when they searched him, they found his pipe knife and confiscated it. Really, a 83 year old man that can hardly bend over and take off his shoes is going to hijack a plane with a 2" blade. There you go, good old common sense escapes them. 

Meanwhile I was on another trip, and I was at the gate waiting for my flight, and the lady across from me proceeding to pull two 8" long metal knitting needles from her hair and started knitting away. They either missed them, or since meta knitting needles are not on the contraband list they let her keep them. Again, common sense seems to not be present.

 Never Ending War

For the life of me I cannot understand why we cannot extricate ourselves from Afghanistan. We invaded in October 2001, which means we are quickly approaching the 16th Anniversary. We have disrupted the Taliban. We have used it as a base to locate and kill Osama Bin Laden. We have tried to bring them out of the stone age, which I really don't think they want. So why are still there?

We tried to leave but the government that we helped install doesn't seem to be able to support itself or maintain democracy. We have not won their hearts and minds, so lets get our young men and women out of there, or just annex it and make it another US Territory and eradicate the vermin. I prefer removing all of folks and letting the whole thing implode.

There seems to be no establish goal that is being work towards. Which is how any issue is resolved. You decide what the solution/outcome is to be and work towards that end.

So I ask my government officials to just decide what they are truly trying to achieve in Afghanistan. They enact a plan to achieve that goal with no reservation, just 100% of the determination of the American military.

Unfortunately this won't happen because there are now too many special interest groups and businesses making a killing. So common sense will not prevail and we will probably still be in Afghanistan when the next president takes office.

We have a new Cold War.

How lucky can we be? 

The giant evil that hung over us while I was a child and then when I went in the Air Force has suddenly returned? How did that happen? Russia has an extremely rich dictator, who enjoys making our politicians look incredibly stupid..

If you can explain that to me in 50 words or less, please do! 

China is a new Economic Competitor.

Wow. They decided to become Capitalistic Communists... Who say that coming? They have 20% of the worlds population. They have been buying US government debt for who knows how long. Now they using all they oil and polluting the shit out of the environment. Luckily they are still buying our coal. God forbid we use it.

I guess I should start taking some Mandarin lessons.

So actually nothing really changed.

So looking at everything that has occurred, I would have to say that really nothing has changed that much. The names have been changed to protect the innocent, but history is just repeating itself.

I just hope we can figure all of this out without totally destroying our country and the world.

Empty Nest Update: Making good decisions.. is hard sometimes..

I really thought that I would miss my girl terribly while she is off at school. Rather than seeing her everyday, we now are seeing her once a month or so. It isn't too bad. Its not great, but it is manageable.

One of the main reasons I can say that is that she seems to be settling in and continuing to make good decisions. She and her room mate get along, and she is definitely spreading her wings in her new environment.

We raised her to be respectful and to make good decisions. She has learned these lessons well and seems to know right from wrong. The knowledge that she is mature and capable of making the right decisions, even if they are hard, puts my mind at ease.

With my mind at ease regarding her behavior and habits, I can go about my daily routine and not have to worry about what she is doing. I know she is doing whats right for her, and that it will not cause a lot of angst for her mother and I.

I look back to myself at the age. I was already in the Air Force. I was on my own, and I wasn't necessarily always making the correct or wise decisions. I seem to remember getting a half keg with Mark Brumbaugh and about four of us drinking the whole thing. Definitely not mature decision making. Which I think is why I was a little worried. I had my own misbehavior to look back on and luckily she landed away from the old apple tree and then rolled a little further.

So the excitement and joy of this new chapter in her life as well as ours continues, and it seems to be going well.

Taking our baby to college.

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I think the next few days will be slightly rough for my wife and me. We get to participate in the act of our daughter growing up and leaving the nest. She is headed off to college, and as an only child, this will leave a large hole in the fabric of the nest. We get the pleasure of loading all her earthly belongings up, driving for hours, and then trying to squeeze it all into a dorm room.

Everyone keeps telling me that once we become comfortable with the change we will thoroughly enjoy our empty nest. Though this may be true, I really do not see that occurring anytime soon. Not only will our daughter not be there to interact with us on a daily basis, but neither will her friends.

This will be a big change as well, since the kids have been part of our life for the past 10 years. I wish them all the best, and I am rooting for them to do great in school and in life, I just know we will miss them.

We have been extremely fortunate to have a daughter that has always been a pleasure to be around. Her intelligence and maturity has meant that no matter where we go or what we’re doing she fits perfectly into most all situations.

Based on this maturity she has always made some good decisions and been trusting enough of us that decisions she is not comfortable with, she discusses with either my wife or I. Although she will now be “on her own”, I truly hope that this personality trait continues. She will use this emotional intelligence to hopefully make many new friends that will last her a lifetime, while not forgetting the friends the she has now that have helped make her whom she is.

The range of emotions this activity is producing is incredibly wide. We are sad that our baby is going out on her own. Meanwhile, I can only imagine the incredible excitement, and curiosity that my daughter feels about getting to make a run at being “independent”.  She will be facing her own adjustments that while she doesn’t know it will be as big as or bigger than ours. I wish her luck, and want her to know that we are always here for her or any of her friends.

As all of these young adults head out into the world to make their mark, let’s say a prayer for them and their parents as everyone adjusts to this part of the circle of life. There will be success and failure, but that is life and that is what they are about to learn. Hopefully we have prepared all of them to be successful in their coming endeavors

Hard work pays.....

Lately, with Alysse going to college there have been conversations regarding what all college is about. Is it worth it? How to approach it? How to get the most out of it?

I realize its a beautiful taste of freedom. It's the ability to do what you want when you want to. To interact with other students with different backgrounds and beliefs. To spread your wings and your world view.

That is what I have encouraged my daughter to do. Enjoy her new found freedom. Embrace all of the new experiences you get with college, the dorm life, the insanely large classes, the girls in your hall, and the friends from home that have spread out to all four corners of the world.

I hope she is having a great time, and that she is enjoying life to the fullest....

With that said, I have preached to her from a young age, make good decisions. So we will get to see how well my wife and I have done at raising a very independent, intelligent, mature young woman. To date she is passing with flying colors. So girl grab life by the horns and hang on.

The other side of the conversation has been, you are there for an education that will last you the rest of your life. This will be the pivotal item that will most likely shape your work life and earning power. Realize that by doing well you will have the ultimate power of continuing to be an independent young woman with choices and the ability to sustain yourself.

I'm not saying that a degree is required, you can learn a trade, or join the military, so many other paths to success. But all of those paths to success require one thing, HARD WORK. I have said this many times to my young lady, and Ash and I have exhibited this trait to her every single day for her entire life. Get up, pull your boots up and go to work. We have been examples to her of what hard work and perseverance can allow you to achieve.

We have asked her to address her studies as if they are her full time job. Work at studying so that your boss won't fire you. Work as hard as possible to get promoted. Work as hard as possible so that your boss recognizes you for your hard work. If you do these thing you will continue to be successful.

I have no doubt that my daughter will continue to be successful, as long as she remembers that you have to work hard to be successful.