Doc's Blog

Weekend Fun

2011-11-01T12:54:00.001-05:00

Joy had a choice of going to a wine tasting or 4 wheeling. She chose 4 wheeling.

We had a great ride, went down an ATV trail with a Jeep (don't try this at home), got a flat tire - and earned her respect and admiration. Overall, a good weekend.

Post PSA

2011-10-02T11:46:00.001-05:00

Well, it's been two days and I still don't understand the *why* of why she is filing nor is she telling me.

19 years is a long time to be married and then find yourself divorced.

2011-09-20T09:32:00.001-05:00

This is happening to me right now... ;|
# 1#2#3

2011-09-13T13:59:00.002-05:00

Counting down the days until the Separation/Divorce Settlement conference on the 28th.

I've been encouraged to do this because it would make Cindy feel 'safe'.

I think that's BS but I'll do it. ; \

AAR for 24 June 2011

2011-06-26T15:37:00.002-05:00

Met with her pastor and all I he said was 'You need to surrender your rights'

My response was 'She's got the house, the kids, and half my paycheck so WTF else am I supposed to surrender??"

He then told me in response to my question about marriage counseling and reconciliaiton that 'No, this is NOT Christian marriage counseling' because 'she doesn't feel like she's ready'

How do you reconcile with someone who won't see you? Again, WTF and why am I here, again?

Of course, he didn't have any real answers because he's full of platitudes and worships Oprah

One more discussion with my pastor is due on this

I am just ready to leave the fracking church altogether at this point.

Okay...maybe not?

2011-06-21T06:23:00.002-05:00

Cindy now says she's NOT seeking divorce.

Of course, it took her getting her hand caught in the cookie jar with a PSA that made it a de facto divorce through provisions that said 1) we had 'irreconcilable differences' and 2) that she could live her life 'as if unmarried'.

Her Pastor called her to the carpet on it and she is meeting with him this morning.

I agreed to counseling with her Pastor and now she has to decide if that is going to happen or not.

We've been here before.

It's Offcial - She's Not Seeking Reconciliation

2011-06-10T14:15:00.001-05:00

The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers
- Dick the butcher in Henry VI Part 2 Act 4, scene 4 71-78

At 1446 hrs, according to her Attorney, Ray Pring, Cindy is no longer seeking reconciliation and will be filing for divorce.

A SWAT Team - for a delinquent school loan??

2011-06-08T10:32:00.004-05:00

http://www.news10.net/news/article/141072/2/Dept-of-Education-breaks-down-Stockton-mans-door

Rape by any other name sucks as badly

2011-06-08T09:26:00.000-05:00

I'd given up, told Cindy that I was done, that reconciliation was over and that I wanted to get a Preliminary Separation Agreement (PSA) going. I spent $300 online for a draft and she took it to her lawyer (that's she's had since October 2010) where they reworked it into a draft of her own, and they just came back with the largest pile of steaming bullshit that I have ever read.

I took it to my lawyer, he looked at it, and agreed it was an utter abortion.

Then he slapped me with a price tag of a $10K retainer before he could go any further.

Now I have a couple of choices:

1. Try to reconcile with Cindy and/or maintain the status quo

Reconciliation didn't work for 9 months - she fought it tooth and nail
I can't see her, see two of the kids, can't go home, and she doesn't want me to.
All indications are that she just wants the paycheck and for me to fuck off
I can't keep living like a monk.

2. Divorce

Punitive doesn't even begin to describe the conditions I will face
She wants support for 8 years, control over the kids, and a whole host of obnoxious demands
If I divorce her, I get subjected to church discipline (excommunicated) and can't remarry.

3. I don't have the funds to fight her

Because of her bullshit for the last 18 years, my credit is blown.
My parents have told me that between my divorce and their world cruise, it's 'bon voyage' and 'best luck with that custody battle!' [Thanks, Mom.]
I can try to borrow from friends but I don't have friends who are independently wealthy.

So, I am facing one or more of the following:

Loss of custody of my kids
Having to pay for her indefinitely
Being alone for the rest of my life
Excommunication
Terminal poverty

The Gauntlet Has Been Thrown

2011-05-05T13:29:00.000-05:00

She's given me her lawyers name and phone number. Now it's my turn.

I never thought I'd be here.

In a way, I'm glad I am.

Status quo ante bellum - sort of.

2011-04-06T15:33:00.002-05:00

The smoke has cleared

...and not a damned thing has changed.

She still gets to be a welfare mom, I'm barred from the property, I get all the debt, all the expenses, and now I have to pay for court-mandated marriage counseling.

- or I lose my clearance, my job, and my kids.

Can we fast-forward to 2017 yet?

Thanks for the Bullshit PO, Cindy! ;[]

2011-04-03T11:33:00.002-05:00

Virginia Law

Are there other Restrictions?

Yes. In addition to any other terms set in the
protective order, Virginia law prohibits you
from purchasing or transporting a firearm
while the protective order is in effect. You must
surrender your concealed weapons permit to
the court that entered the protective order. A
violation of this law is a Class 1 misdemeanor,
which is punishable by up to one year in jail and
a $2,500 fine. Va. Code § 18.2-308.1:4.

A violation of any of the terms of a protective order
is a Class 1 misdemeanor and is punishible by up to
one year in jail and a $2,500 fine. Va. Code § 16.1-
253.2. A third or subsequent violation of a protective
order is a felony. In addition, it is a felony to injure
someone as a result of a protective order violation or
to violate a protective order by sneaking into the home
of a person protected by the protective order. If you
violate the protective order, you also may be charged
with other crimes, such as trespassing, breaking and
entering, and stalking. Finally, if you are convicted of
violating a protective order, the court will enter another
protective order against you that can last up to two
years. You will receive this penalty in addition to any
other penalty that is allowed under the law.

Federal Law

In addition, federal law prohibits you from
possessing any firearm or ammunition while
you are subject to a qualifying protective order.
Local offices of the Bureau of Alcohol,
Tobacco and Firearms can be contacted to
determine whether you can lawfully possess
a firearm. A violation of this federal law is
punishable by up to ten years in prison. 18
U.S.C. 922(g)(8).

2011-03-30T18:38:00.001-05:00

http://www.halcyon.com/jmashmun/npd/traits.html

Sent from my iPhone
703-626-3500

Preliminary WTF??

2011-03-28T05:56:00.000-05:00

Was given a Preliminary Protective Order - for no honest reason. She *lied* to the intake officer and the judge.

Needless to say, I'm getting an attorney to represent me and to challenge it.

Court Date is 06 April.

WTF??

Blocking Access to My Kids

2011-03-27T03:22:00.000-05:00

She forbade the kids to come over on a weekend that was 'my' time.

Since we aren't divorced, there's little I can do about it.

Going to see a Lawyer

2011-03-24T15:28:00.002-05:00

Got an appointment to see a lawyer on 05 April @ 1400.

Wife *staged* a 911 call.

Fuck that.

Police

2011-03-20T17:56:00.003-05:00

Cynthia Orne Morgan Watson,

I came to visit you tonight and respectfully yelled “coming in!” to inform you of that in order to speak with you.

You chose to call the police.

That was an irrational, irresponsible, and shameful thing to do to your husband.

Please set a time for us to meet tomorrow and to discuss what the near future looks like.

At that time, I will give you the household expense check – if you haven’t had me arrested.

I need to remind you that I have a legal right to the property and have not ever threatened you, harmed you, or given you cause for such an action.

Keep in mind, due to my financial state, that I have no room for bail, court costs, etc. and that would have to come out of household expenses.

Most of our discussion will revolve around finances.

Paul - Movie

2011-03-20T07:17:00.000-05:00

Tin hat post warning!

I think the focus on 'friendly' aliens is an effort at desensitization.

Japan

2011-03-18T13:00:00.000-05:00

This is about to be the world's first live study of a post-nuclear winter scenario.

The tin hat propellers are spinning!

; )

Work Insanity

2011-03-17T08:37:00.002-05:00

I'm at work on a $4.5 Billion project and got into a knife-fight over 6 pieces of equipment that could be managed at $14k/month.

The cost for splitting this equipment off for separate management could cost millions of dollars in fees.

It's a shame that the decisions being made about a network aren't being made by network architects and engineers but by so-called business folks and government employees who've no clue on how a network is designed, configured, integrated and run.

The English Longbow and Gun Control

2011-02-15T10:19:00.001-05:00

The importance of the longbow in English culture can be seen both in the legends of Robin Hood, where he was increasingly depicted as a master archer, and also in the "Song of the Bow", a poem from The White Company by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.^[41]
During the reign of Henry III the Assize of Arms of 1252 required that all "citizens, burgesses, free tenants, villeins and others from 15 to 60 years of age" should be armed.^[42] The poorest of them were expected to have a halberd and a knife, and a bow if they owned land worth more than £2.^[43] This made it easier for the King to raise an army, but also meant that the bow was a commonly used weapon by rebels during the Peasants' Revolt. From the time that the yeoman^[44]^[45] class of England became proficient with the longbow, the nobility in England had to be careful not to push them into open rebellion. This was a check on the power of the nobility of England which did not exist on the European continent.

Today's modern equivalent of the Second Amendment!

An armed populace has the ability to overthrow a tyrannical government.

Life sucks when...

2011-02-14T18:33:00.000-05:00

you can identify with the life of Hank Moody, the main character on the show Californication.

2011-02-10T10:06:00.000-05:00

Technology is getting faster and faster every day, so I beleive that the next steps in human 'evolution' will be the pairing of technology with physical and neurological interfaces. ('wetware')

What we need to make sure of is that in the pairing of technology, we don't lose the pairing of the essential part of what makes us 'human' - our soul.

Technology interfaces without a soul makes us a hive-mind like the Borg.

Broken

2011-01-30T10:54:00.001-05:00

I am just broken over this relationship.

We aren't married but we are.

Sent from my iPhone
703-626-3500

Total Geekness!!

2010-10-29T00:16:00.000-05:00

The great iPhone serial port hack By Chris Pollock

In Picture: How to hack a serial port into the iPhone dock connector

While the majority of the iPhone's easter eggs and secrets have over time been discovered, pulled apart and analysed to the umpteenth degree, the smartphone continues to have one, little-known trick up its sleeve: A hidden serial port. The inherent possibilities are endless: Network engineers have talked of even bringing their phone into server rooms, rather than having to use a laptop or remote terminal.

According to Chris Pollock at io Networks: "the real benefit in all of this is that there are so many console packages for iPhone in Cydia now that you can have a fully functional computer, as useful as a linux box, but without carrying around a laptop".

One company has already tried to jump on that boat but even though its purpose-built accessories were announced in February, they are yet to hit store shelves. The solution: Build it yourself.

Pollock compiled a step-by-step guide to do exactly that, thanks to his own handiwork and the diagrams at pinouts.ru. We reproduced it here with his permission.

Seriously??

2010-10-27T04:46:00.000-05:00

I don't know but I'd be pretty sure when a nuke went off above ground. Seriously, is it THAT hard to tell?

2010-10-17T01:51:00.000-05:00

Divorce has the moral weight of committing premeditated murder; it is the deliberate destruction by free will of what God designed for His creation, that is the joining of two people in order to become a family and further His kingdom.

- Chris Watson, My Stand on Divorce, Calvary Chapel, Manassas, Va. 17 Oct 2010

#@$!!! Car

2010-10-08T00:39:00.001-05:00

Lesson Learned: Buy 'Gap' Insurance

After the auto accident, it seems that I will still owe $3k on the car - including ~~$800.00~~ $900 - that didn't get paid while I was in the Stan.

I also just got an apartment where I can't get there from here and there is no way that xxxxx is about to help me even get to the slug stop in the AM.

I am trying not to freak out and stay calm.

Two Days Later

2010-10-01T06:03:00.002-05:00

Back hurts, ankle hurts. Nothing much to do at work today so I'll be working on 'The Exemplary Husband'. A couple of my more Pagan/Agnostic/Atheist friends don't 'get it' but I would challenge them to pick up the book and give the principles in it a hard try.

Car Accident

2010-09-30T01:20:00.002-05:00

Took my eye off the road for a second to find that all of the traffic ahead had just stopped. Since the car has been hit twice this severely in 8 months, they are going to total it.

The REAL Face of Hillary Clinton

2010-09-28T20:41:00.000-05:00

"GIVE USSSSSS YOUR CHILDRENNNNSSSSS!!!"

The Separation Blues

2010-09-03T07:46:00.001-05:00

I've decided to start a new blog to document my thoughts, rants, raves, concerns, and such about the separation process I'm going through at theseparationblues.blogspot.com.

I'm going to go back to using this blog as a forum for everything else that I just feel like writing about.

2010-09-02T14:01:00.000-05:00

I love Cindy Watson. I've loved her since we were 14 years old. Her kiss changed my life. The first time we made love changed my life. She bore my chidren and changed my life. Her touch, her words, her presence have molded and shaped me in ways that I can't adequately communicate except as a groaning of the spirit.

Unfortunately and sadly, the absence of something can change a life, too.

The truth - the total truth - is that I just wanted my wife and our marriage to be the way it used to. I wanted her speak my love language and to fill my 'bucket' like she used to. I wanted to have the passion and romance that we used to. I wanted her to love me, show me affection, and care for me the way she used to.

I was living in the same house and I was missing her as badly as I had on any tour I did in Haiti, Iraq, or Afghanistan - and she was only 3 feet away.

I made a mistake; empty and sore and wanting something and anything and anyone to fill that 'bucket', I had an affair. I then compounded the problem by stopping it, asking for a divorce, and then picking it up again only to find that the person I thought I wanted to be with was the wrong person at the wrong place, at the wrong time. I turned myself around and went home but the damage had been done and I moved out the following week.

One thing about seeking reconciliation is that I'm in a weird position; Is she participating to come along side me, be my wife and helpmate, and work this out or is she going to be an implacable adversary? I would give my life for my wife but would just as soon walk away from an adversary and call it a day.

So Saturday looms and I really hope and pray that my wife shows up because I've missed her terribly.

Geek Manor Goes 'Kid Friendly'!

2010-09-01T06:42:00.008-05:00

Due to phone calls, emails, and a rumored 'Save the Geeklets!' telethon, the security posture at Geek Manor has been returned to Defcon 4 and much has been done to return it to a more or less 'kid friendly' state; the Big Screen is up, HDTV is now live, and wireless and Blue Ray are inbound this Friday for the first 'Kid's Friday Night with Dad'.

Duncan's stay at the house last night was uneventful and he slept pretty well. I am looking forward to spending more time with all of my kids.

Knight of the Broken Heart

2010-08-31T02:00:00.010-05:00

For 29 Years I have served Her as Her Protector and Her Champion, opponent after opponent fell against me by the Grace of our Lord and I fought for Her - even against myself - a duty I faithfully performed.

Until I fell from Her favor and, then ashamedly, Her grace.

Now my armor lies broken in the hall, my sword shattered and returned to the flames, my family crest and insignia crushed by the blows of a blacksmiths hammer, and my horse turned to the plow.

I am turned out in dishonor.

Stripped of my Knighthood and without Her, I have no other purpose so I stand in pauper's clothes in the square... banished... broken...

Cindy asked for the keys to the house back last night, saying she was afraid of me.

Update: A few hours later and some perspective makes my head understand the 'why' but my heart still hurts from it. The role of Protector has/was/is integral to the relationship she and I have and to have it taken away suddenly shocked me to my marrow. We remain separated and are working on our 'stuff' together and individually and are trying to see what outcome will be best for both of us and our kids.

Bible Study at Geek Manor

2010-08-29T18:12:00.004-05:00

At Geek Manor, it's God, Guns, and Grace and Mercy every AM! Applications for morning group study and/or range time will sent out soon! ;)

First Night Jitters

2010-08-29T17:20:00.017-05:00

Okay, my first night alone for the first time - ever - at age 43 was...rough... Until this point in my life, it's been a barracks, a dorm, living with someone, or being married. Now that I'm separated, I am in a whole new territory.

Add the whole potential stalker thing and I started practicing building clearing right before I went to sleep just to calm my nerves and to make sure I really *was* by myself. I got about 4 hours of sleep total so I'm just glad it was on a weekend night.

Of course, the first thing I did when I woke up was to clear the house room-by-room; the last text message from her I received ended with something like 'u belong 2 me 4ever' and scared me so badly I nearly gave up AT&T and my iPhone entirely. Room clearing is a perishable skill and, in my case, despite assurances to the contrary I am deeply concerned it may turn out to be a survival skill.

To my credit I made it to Ikea and - after a brief exchange for a part of my eternal soul - I brought home a stand for the HDTV and a coffee table that will wind up as my all-purpose dining room/desk/footrest. I like tactile puzzles best so Ikea really hit a major spot for me; It's been quite a while since I used my hands in that way.

My wife - I'm still trying to figure out the correct terminology for my situation; Virginia doesn't have a formal legal separation and technically we are still married for a full year after we part - gave me the mattress saying she didn't want it. I've no complaints as I can sprawl as much as I want to now and stop sleeping on the edge.

Tonight I am hoping for a full night of non-terrified sleep; I've got that whole Haiti/Iraq/Afghanistan fatalism creeping back b/c of the 'other woman' that I turned away and that is really not a good place for me to be.

Praying...

Doc Watson's Rules of Marriage and Dating (2010 Edition)

2010-08-29T16:48:00.008-05:00

Marriage

Rule #1

Marry the LEAST craziest one. This is imperative as all women vary from crazy-annoying to crazy-stalk-you-until-you-give-up-and-say-yes-or-I'll-try-to-kill-you. With one notable exception, I seem to have attracted the latter like geese to a pond.

Rule #2

After you get married, remember that the ones you didn't marry are still crazy and, in fact, their level of crazy seems to grow exponentially with age. This is entirely independent of your situation and if you find yourself single and middle-age, you're pretty much asking to be Ground Zero for the فتاة مجنونة بك (Boiled Bunnies Martyrs Brigade).

Dating

Rule #1

If a woman is so hot and bothered that she wants be with me, there is an exponential inverse degree of probability that she's entirely too crazy for me to actually be with.

Note: Marriage Rule #2 is a major modifier upwards on the Crazy Index (CI). As a result of recent events, I am considering a major revision of the CI; it's 20 years of date and technology has, if anything, made it easier for the crazy to get out of hand.

Rule #2
As a result of Rule #1, The most successful relationship will be someone who will be mildly disinterested in getting with me. (Wait! Isn't that one of the major reasons I'm in the situation I'm in??)

Lead, Follow, or Get Out of the Way - on second thought, just follow or get out of my way!

2010-08-24T14:30:00.002-05:00

I posted my DISC profile a few months ago and with all of what's going on, I've had a lot of time to reflect on how it fits into my Walk with the Lord

As a strong 'D' (and how He wove me together in the womb) I have a drive to take the lead and when given the big picture, a clear deadline, and the freedom to achieve results I feel accepted, wanted and valuable. As a Christian husband, I have all three; the big picture of Christ's death and resurrection, the deadline of eternity, and the freedom of Salvation.

Men in a Christian marriage are supposed to lead - they have the responsibility to provide physical and spiritual comfort, care, protection, and instruction to their wives and families.

Leadership only works when those being led allow that leadership to happen; we've all seen times where there's someone in the group who says 'I know more so I can do it better'. This leads to subversion if it's not nipped in the bud. More so, when the leader makes mistakes or slips or doesn't meet their criteria for what a leader - in their opinion - should be. This subversion is absolutely disastrous for a Christian marriage since it undermines His order; God is the head of Christ; Christ is the head of man; and man is the head of woman.

In Genesis 16, God tells woman:

"Yet your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you."

I think my own experience is that while I wasn't as well 'tooled' in the details as my spouse, my faith was no weaker than hers and was just very different form what she had known for 12 years. The problem arose when I wasn't showing it in a way that she could understand and then I started being told I was the weaker spiritual partner, etc. and then we began to see subversion and resistance and the seeds of where we are today.

As I go through this fire and I and listen to 'Be at peace' in my heart and experience it firsthand, I am feeling the renewing love of Christ and I am hearing his promise that He will use me - his glacier - in some profound ways.

Be At Peace, Be At Peace, He Loves You

“Daddy, Why are You Divorcing Mommy?”

2010-08-21T07:23:00.003-05:00

To have to explain to your 4 teen kids the ‘why’ behind my divorce after 18 years has forced me to take an honest an objective look at the ‘why ‘ and I think I’ve narrowed it down to two reasons;

Failure Point #1: Lack of Communication and Misunderstanding

I am and always will be, at my roots, a very odd duck spiritually; I was saved through the Episcopal Church revival movement of the early 80’s and there’s a good reason that the were are called the ‘God’s Frozen Chosen’. I describe my faith as glacial – deep, big, slow and, like glaciers, full of the potential to change entire continents if that is what He wants me to do. It is also very, very quiet and private.

My wife was saved through a local community church that had, in many ways, it’s roots in legalism; Men do these things, women dress like this, don’t raise your hands in the service, etc. Not to say that her faith wasn’t real – it is very real and profound and I am often awed by it - it has it’s roots in a series of expected behaviors that defined you and your faith.

The problem is that sometime after we were married and started having kids, God was growing my faith in me in some very deep and profound ways and Cindy wasn’t seeing the things in her ‘Husband, Father, and Spouse Checklist’. I’d tell her that God was working and she’d say that I wasn’t meeting this set of criteria. She was, from her perspective, legitimately concerned for my welfare and wanted me to grow.

While it wasn’t intended to be a bad thing nor was there any malicious intent, there were unintended consequences.

As a young husband, I wanted to desperately please my wife so I began to believe that I was, in fact, failing. Over time, this sense of failure grew and my walk stopped. I began to believe that I was a failure as a father, husband, and spouse and – to my own detriment - as a man. This led to feelings of hurt and resentment on my part because while I was hearing the Holy Spirit say “Be at peace, be at peace, I love you” I was still hearing that I was failing.

13 years out of 18 to hear that you are worthless is a hard thing to reconcile and the sense of failure grew to the point where my anger, resentment, and my temper became quite frightening – even to myself.

I think this is one area where my wife and I could have reconciled and worked out a better understanding of where the other is spiritually.

Failure Point#2: Coping Mechanisms

I once was asked for a polygraph examination – after 6 hours of answering questions, hungry, tired and being strapped to a chair - “Do you have a temper?”

I replied, “I am ¾ Scottish and ¼ Northern Italian with red hair and blue eyes. What the heck do you think, buddy?”

Needless to say, I didn’t get the job.

My family has a coping mechanism that can best described as ‘open’, ‘volatile’, ‘loud’ and ‘demonstrative’; In other words, prone to a lot of yelling, screaming, and hand waving. It can also lead to – at least among the male members (and few female as well) – fist fights and a few thrown dishes.

The upside is that once it’s over, it’s over and all everyone understands where they stand.

Now my wife’s family consists of old-school New England Yankees and Upper Crust Philadelphia Society with coping mechanisms that can best described as ‘Polite’ and ‘Easy goes’; in other words, quiet, subtle, genteel, and made to ease the relationships between business partners and families stuck in 18’ snow drifts for months at a time.

Imagine it’s 1810 in rural New England and you’re stuck in a house with 14 other people and someone does something that upsets everyone and threatens the welfare and well being of everyone there. The choices are:

1) Throw the offender into the snow to freeze to death
2) Start a fight that runs the risk of ending up like the Donner Party
3) Agree to a polite fiction that everyone can agree to and move on.

Now the issue for me is that the two coping mechanisms aren’t compatible: one sees reality as it is and the other one creates or edits a reality that everyone absolutely needs to agree to and, more importantly, believe in for group survival.

Much to my own shame, I spent the first six years of my marriage calling my wife crazy; from my perspective she was crazy but it deeply hurt her that I wasn’t agreeing to her coping mechanism. In fact, I often used to hear her say with approbation ‘You don’t believe me!’ (Well, I didn’t.)

Knowing her pain and hurt, I agreed to stop calling her crazy. The issue now was that while I was agreeing to the polite fictions, I didn’t actually believe them; I just couldn’t and after a while I began to experience cognitive dissonance because while it may have been figuratively raining and my wife was telling me it’s sunny, I understood at some level that I was still getting soaked.

That sense of unreality began to seriously threaten my sanity. Combined with a deep and profound sense of worth as a man, husband, and father I tried to commit passive suicide.

Passive suicide can be done hundreds of ways; overeating and not exercising so that you have a heart-attack, driving 125 miles an hour down a road notorious for IEDs and insurgent attacks, and hanging outside while mortar rounds land in the compound were a few of my personal favorites.

I spent many sleepless nights getting up at 1, 2, or 3 AM and crying bitterly over a situation that I felt I had no escape from and that because of my vows, I had no other choice but to be married or die.

Needless to say, not a healthy place to be physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.

Final Decision Point

In the last month, I came to a deep and profound understanding that while God hates divorce, he also hates murder and self-murder. I firmly believe that given the choice among the three, I had no other way but to ask for a divorce.

I need to heal in some profound ways; I need to find and to be loved in a way that doesn’t threaten my sense of well being and sanity and I need to renew and grow my faith in Christ and be accepted for how He will use me.

Maslow

2010-08-17T10:39:00.002-05:00

Maslow wrote about his hierarchy of needs and I seem to have reached a point in my life where I am able to look back and regret my mistakes as well as evaluating my needs and have them in line with where I am going in my life.

I need reality - not the one that is carefully and subtly crafted by someone who says 'no, that's not how it went, it went like this....".
I need to know that I am okay and accepted by my Lord and when he says "Rest in me and be at peace" and "I love you" that I won't face criticism for being how He made me.
I need to be the best me I can - I am broken and need to heal in some very signifcant ways and I need counseling and time to have the healing process work for me.
I need to feel loved and truly accepted for who I am and how my Lord made me.

Archeology Challenge

2010-06-06T08:44:00.005-05:00

Here's a challenge to the Archeology Professors and fellow Homeschoolers and their parents out there:

How would you prove that *we* existed in 5,000, 15,000, or 50,000 years?

50 years ago, the Internet, personal computers, and the concept of a 'paperless' society would have been anathema. We've seen the TV shows that show what happens without people - or at least people without the skills to keep it all going.

So go ahead and write back with your ideas of how someone could prove our paperless, wired and wireless society could have ever existed 5,000, 15,000, or 50,000 years from now?

DISC Profile Testing for a New Job

2010-04-21T04:20:00.010-05:00

I had an interesting experience with a potential new employer and it involved the use of a personality profile to see if I would fit into their schema of what they wanted. It was called the DISC Assessment and was amazingly quite accurate.

The company has said thay they are looking for 'High D's', that is Dominant personalities who are driven and self-directed. I see them as forming the core of a company around a 'wolf pack' with the Aplha Male being the owner and the Alpha Female being the 'Human Capital Director'.

About that need to relax, well... guilty as charged.

Alas, I do need to work on some things...

I think my wife and most of my friends would agree on all of these. It's not flattering to have flaws but to know that I can use them to my advantage and to the benefit of others is pretty cool.

The Case FOR Homeschooling

2009-06-01T07:16:00.002-05:00

I was passed along a blog written by a purported English teacher in a public school and have to say that I was mildly appalled by his narrow mindedness and his own elitist attitude. (Takes one to know one, perhaps?)

Mr. Scaccia,

To your points, I categorically disagree with each of them and will deconstruct them in order:

10) I would argue that 'geekiness' is a condition that occurs as a result of personality rather than environment; to whit, my wife and I were both 'nerds' in high school in the 80's and were pretty much doomed to bear geeky/nerdy kids as a result. A fact, I must say, that I am quite proud of! :)

9) Education occurs where ever there is an opportunity to learn; that is Life itself! Restricting learning to a classroom is foolish. What we as homeschooling parents want to communicate is that very idea that learning is a lifelong thing and should be embraced everywhere at every opportunity. At the kitchen table eating breakfast and doing math or feeding people at the homeless shelter, our children see and do things in the real world.

I didn't finish college, am self educated in my profession (network design, architecture, and engineering), and I am quite sure that I make at least 30% more than you in salary. I am not better than you - I just got bored with college and went and did it on my own and am better for the experience. I am living proof that education, experience, and success are all tied to learning wherever you are and that a formal education is merely a formality.

8) I agree with you; Homeschooling IS selfish! It is a human prerogative to seek the best for our offspring wherever we can and the six sigma of homeschooling parents want to give the best of themselves and what they can for their children. In that regard, I am a totally unrepentant and utterly selfish bastard and would fight you tooth and nail to remove my choice to homeschool my children.

7)God is pretty clear that we as parents should raise our children according to our principles lest they forget the instruction of their fathers and wander away. I know Pagan, Agnostics, Atheists, Jews and Muslims who homeschool their kids and at their core they want to make sure that their kids are well grounded in their beliefs. It's not just us Right Wing, Gun-Toting, Bible Thumping, Pick Up Truck Driving, Upper Middle Class, Homeless Feeding, College Educated types either!

6) Yeah, well arrogance comes with proof of past performance so you'll have to excuse the homeschooling parent who crows about their kids successes on a standardized test or how well they are doing over all.

My wife, a BSN, teaches Biology and Science and I, a Journalism School refugee, teach English and writing (I've been professionally published, have you?). When we need to utilize outside resources, we go to community colleges, co-ops, lectures, and colleges and get the resources we need. In fact, we do as much prep as you do - if not more - for our kids and also have a 5:1 Student to Teacher ratio.

I don't think that today's teachers, for the most part, can claim that same degree of success for their students that homeschooling parents claim despite the silly amount of money we spend in this country on public education. There are bigger issues with the NEA and Union parasites in public schools that block success. At our homeschool, we are union-free and proud of it!

5) Being pissed off about something without fully quantifying or qualifying the why and how could indicate defensiveness or ignorance or both. Are you threatened by 'The People' taking the welfare of thier children into thier own hands? Are you a Statist? A Communist? or just a good old-fashoined control freak?

4) Well, it 'could breed intolerance' but so does public school. Intolerance for anything not Politically Correct, White, Male, Christian or otherwise affiliated. Intolerance is in the mind of the parent who passes along thier beliefs wherever that parent is with the child. Living in the South, we've met our share of public schooled bigots and mysoginists - and those are just the adults.

3) Well, socialization is actually about how well someone integrates into society; social mores, skills, and attitudes. I'm sure you have collegues who aren't very 'social' and most likely have been that way thier whole lives. The six sigma of the homeschooled students I know tend to have more social exposure than homeschoolers, are more polite, and tend to speak better than thier public school peers.

Daniel Pink, in his book, Free Agent Nation points out that nowhere in real life are people squestered with people thier own age, background, or scholastic success and my question is 'why do so in education?' We don't and most homeschooling parents do not and that is where they get a better grip on the real world across racial, cultural, religious, and ethnic backgrounds.

2) Am I arrogant? Hell yes, I am! I've worked very hard to get where I am as a man, as a husband, as a provider, and as a father and I'm proud of it. I chose something better for my kids than I ever had - including being in the 'gifted and talented' class once a day. I chose to put my kids in a the same 5:1 ratio all day and to give them the advantages of an education unfettered by teacher egos and teacher arrogance - like yours.

1) Yes, I have, all the time and I'd say that overall thier geekiness is a badge of honor. If it is a pejorative term, then let it be a scorn borne with pride! Not all of us can - or should be - failed high school jocks who teach English.

Where have all the weapons and ammunition gone?

2009-05-12T03:58:00.006-05:00

Most of us take the offered answer that "It's the war" at face value to explain the absence of 9mm and .45 (military sidearms), 5.56 (M4's and M16's), 7.62 (M240's), and .50 Cal.

The problem with that answer is that it presupposes that all of the ammunition that is currently being bought by the government is being used and replaced.

We're not in major combat operations - that is we're not in a classical combat operations fighting pitched battles with hordes of the enemy as we did in WWII or even the First Gulf War - it is combat and there is an expenditure of ammunition but we just can't be expending the millions of tons that would justify the absence of such ammo in the civilian market.

Okay but why can't I buy a military grade rifle, either?

This issue also goes to the production of military rifles as well - try buying a military rifle of choice and you'll find that they are months behind in stock and delivery with some manufacturers saying years.

Again, we're not in WWII and putting a rifle into the hands of millions of American soldiers every day and shipping them off to fight. The number of rifles produced far outstrips the number of American service men and women that actually carry and use these rifles and even with wear and tear it doesn't make sense that there aren't any on the civilian market.

The right question should be "Are we using all that the USG is buying?"
I suspect the answer is 'no' and perhaps we should all look closer and call our respective representatives and ask them to look at exactly where our weapons and ammunition are actually going because the Tin Foil Hat Crew may have it right that we have a government that is subtly disarming the populace - through purchasing ammunition and weapons and exclusivity contracts via 'the needs of the government'.

We won Heller and had the Second Amendment affirmed but if we don't have the military grade weapons or, worse, the ammunition to use with what weapons we have right now and in our hands then we have no means to fight the Tyrant as our Founding Fathers intended.

Call your Congressional and Senate Rep today and contact the news services. Someone needs to find out before it's too late.

2009-03-15T13:25:00.002-05:00

"Germany was having trouble
What a sad, sad story
Needed a new leader to restore
Its former glory
Where, oh, where was he?
Where could that man be?
We looked around and then we found
The man for you and me

And now it's...
Springtime for Hitler and Germany
Deutschland is happy and gay!"

Substitute 'Obama' for Hitler and 'America' for Germany and we can all laugh - and mostly cry - at how close this farce is to the truth....

News From The Future....

2009-03-10T11:58:00.003-05:00

Washington, DC

Privacy advocates decried the Obama Administration's announcement to VeriChip everyone who has elected to participate in the Administration's All-Access Universal Health Services Plan (Nicknamed the 'All-UHS' Plan). HHS Secretary, Charles E. Johnson, said "The use of the Veri Chip will allow First Responders and Hospital and Primary Care providers instant access to the necessary medical and nearest contact information to enable the best of care in a fraction of the time it would normally take. We believe that this is the next step in enabling the use of biomedical technology to provide better Universal Health Care"

The use of the technology is not new to this Administration as it mandated the implantation of the chip in new recruits to the military and gave government employees and current military personnel 2 years to get 'chipped' or face disciplinary action. Last year's episode with the 'Quantico 6' - a group of senior Marine Corps officers who publicly resigned over the practice - hasn't slowed the Administrations efforts to implement the new technology.

Privacy advocates have stated that the technology isn't mature or secure enough and that there are concerns that personal data can be accessed by anyone with a reader. VeriChip officials at the last HackerCon showed that the devices were able to stand up to 99.9999% of the current attacks on the market today.

The Bigger Picture

2009-03-10T08:11:00.003-05:00

Hold onto your Tin Hats boys and gerbils, because this is where I really go off:

Let's dumb our schools down and pass a law that 'teaches to the test' but doesn't teach the child.
Let's encourage the use of electronic media and condition children for a 30 second attention span.
Let's put the brightest and bored kids on drugs.
Let's make homeschooling difficult if we can't make it illegal.
Let's fight gun ownership everywhere we can, however we can - and if we lose, let's make bullets illegal.
Let's encourage domestic surveillance on all forms of communication.
Let's force the use of digital television.
Let's force radio stations to use the 'Fairness Doctrine' knowing that there is nothing 'fair' about it.
Let's use coercion and public shame to force workers to join collectives and let's remove a foundation of Democracy -the secret ballot.
Let's chip our soldiers and children for 'safety and identification reasons'

I think it's a matter of eating the American Mammoth and it's being done a bite at a time. This is bigger than Obama and he doesn't seem to be able to fight them any better than any other President.

The Politics of Failure

2009-03-10T07:54:00.003-05:00

Rush Limbaugh, the eminent Conservative commentator has said that he hopes Mr Obama fails. I need to say that I am a Conservative - fiscally and socially - and that I also hope that Mr. Obama fails, too.

(Note: I use Mr. Obama as I am still not quite sure he is actually legally fit to be the President but that is another discussion for another day. 51%+ of America got what it thought it wanted and now they have to live with it)

I hope he fails to make the US a shadow state of itself. We don't need national socialism, either. Oh the sheer unadulterated irony of a black man advocating a form of national socialism! We need to do the right thing here - have the economy take a licking and come out of it and we need to do it now rather than put that on our kids and grandchildren. TARP is a disaster and we keep digging the hole deeper with more money down the drain. We aren't on a gold standard so everything is 'faith and credit' but what happens when everyone declares that the US money is worthless where it's debts are concerned. Can you say 'Zimbabwe'?

Perhaps Mr. Obama has dreams of his own African-style dictatorship where the economy is in a shambles and he and his cronies can amass a personal fortune while the country starves. If he keeps going the way he is, he may very well get his wish.

Like I said, I hope he fails.

"It's Springtime for Obama and Amer-ric-a-a-a..."

2009-02-18T08:26:00.003-05:00

Well, we're close to the first 100 days and the hope of the Far Left have been dashed [nationalization of most - if not all - of the major US oil companies, criminal trials for the entire Bush administration, wholesale elimination of any form of state secrets privilege, the freeing of all of the 'secret prison' prisoners, and the burning of the American Flag in favor of a modified hammer and sickle design] and the fears of the Far Right may yet be realized [radical gun control with a permanent Assault Weapons ban by people who can't explain what an 'assault weapon' is, the nationalization of the banks, the reinstatement of the Fair Use Doctrine, and the Union 'card check']

The Left is correct in its criticism; The Obama administration has pretty much kept folks who were in the periphery of the Bush calling circle and has realized that most of the status quo for Gitmo needs to remain in place. They haven't advocated radical Socialism/Communism as much as the folks who saw him as 'the light-bringer' had fervently hoped.

Frankly, we're more likely to see a version of Totalitarianism and National Socialism. The so-called 'stimulus' package is a disaster and the US is very close to the center of an economic see-saw. If we're pushed over, we can reasonably

What year is it again?

2008-11-03T06:10:00.001-05:00

Isn't it 1938? National Socialism, Liberal Fascism, denunciation of those who speak out against the 'messiah', lawns burned, campaign signs ripped and destroyed, a VP candidate hung in effigy in Hollywood, and a demagogic candidate who is promising change to the economic woes of a country. We're only missing the Brown Shirts, jackboots, and paint.

There's a segment of this country that is going to run like a rabid dog after a 2 year old toddler if the 'messiah' gets elected and they are going to swing the pendulum so far to the Left that it may very well break the country. This guy isn't Jack Kennedy or even Bill Clinton and I think that we don't know anything near what we should about who he really is and what he really wants. His record gives us no indication as to his acumen as a US Senator and his spin doctored books don't help us either. His collection of family, friends, and close associates provides the fodder for innuendo and speculation about his loyalties to this country and his real reasons for
being President.

Obama's color has nothing to do with it; his politics and lack of direct answers along with his rabid following make me think of 1938 and a country so swayed by the charisma of a leader who promised change and an improvement to a bad economy that an entire country gave itself up to National Socialism.

I just wonder who gets selected for the ovens this time. It could be us.

Ketchikan, Alasaka

2008-09-28T08:40:00.005-05:00

After 4 interviews, a paper test, and much discussion I was forced to give up my quest for Alaskan employment. It seems that the City of Ketchikan hasn't hired anyone outside of the town in quite a while - I'm guessing 1974 or so - since they seem to think that a family of 6 people, six cats, a ferret and a hamster can just relocate on $5,000.00 from the Northern Virginia/DC Metro area.

Were we asking for too much? Not at all. We asked for $20,000.00 to move, which is about as cheap as you can get for moving 3,349 miles - about $6 a mile. On top of that, we were prepared to take a $30,000.00 salary cut, join a union, pack a 40' ocean container, and drive our car across country by ourselves. The money would have helped us secure a house, pay for the 6-day drive (including the day-and-a-half ferry from Bellingham, Wa. to Ketchikan) and plane tickets for my wife and 4 kids. Truthfully, in 2002, the cost of moving 65 miles from Bucks County, PA to York, PA was $17,000.00. The City got a cheap moving quote and with us doing all the work.

I've got 15 years of building progressively larger networks up to 30,000 users and project management for $22 million dollars of equipment and labor. They had an opportunity to get a very serious, high-end, Sr. Network Architect - and I'd still go if they'd pay the relo - but it looks like they weren't really prepared to recruit outside of the SE region.

If you know of anyone on the Ketchikan Town Council, The Mayor, or the City Manager tell them to look hard at their relocation policy as it discourages very experienced folks from coming to the town.

Political Graph

2008-09-28T08:36:00.003-05:00

Here's where I am on the Political Compass Graph:

Nothing really surprising except that I thought I'd be a bit more to the Right. Try taking the test yourself!

My Theory On Cats

2008-04-17T17:18:00.002-05:00

Cats are a Third Dimensional projection of a Fourth Dimensional creature. That is the only way that I could possibly explain their behavior.

DC vs Heller - Correspondance with Alan Gura

2008-03-21T04:38:00.005-05:00

I had a short correspondence with Alan Gura and despite our initial volley (below), I found him articulate and overall a nice guy.

My email:

Quote:

From: xxx223@comcast.net
Sent: Wednesday, March 19, 2008 9:00 PM
To: alan@gurapossessky.com
Subject: Contact from Website
Name: Chris Watson
Email: xxx223@comcast.net
Phone: xxx-xxx-xxxx

Comments: Counselor, Overall I am happy with what looks like a positive outcome for individual rights. I think this is a 'win' for your client However, I also think you just shafted the Class 3 crowd with a rusty jackhammer in our anal cavity. Today, machine guns **ARE** legal to own in the United States by private civilians; the issue at hand is the current ban on importation and civilian use (Police and military can buy whatever they like). It was obvious that you were unaware of the status of machine gun ownership and the way that ban was accomplished in 1986. You had an opportunity to take a pro-gun, pro-right, pro-militia and pro-individual stance all at one and you fumbled. Machine gun ownership satisfies three separate and interconnected issues: 1) The ability of the populace to own weapons in common use by the Army ('militia'); 2) The right of the individual to keep and bear such an arm; and 3) the ability to of the populace to overthrow a tyrannical government requires the populace to have some minimal degree of parity with standing forces. Your argument in favor of 'reasonable restrictions' was the worst gaffe I think Iv'e ever seen; you may have very well opened the path to restriction by legislation! I can’t believe that you screwed up - and screwed gun owners - so badly.

Alan's Reply:

Quote:

From: alan@gurapossessky.com
Sent: Wednesday, March 19, 2008 9:00 PM
To: xxx223@comcast.net
Subject: Contact from Website

If I said any of that, I'd have lost 12-0. they'd quickly confirm 3 additional justices just to vote against us. You don't know what you are talking about. Get this -- everyone except for hard core gunnies HATES machine guns anll not accept a Second Amendment that protects them. And there is no such thing as an absolute right in our constitution. First Amendment? Look at McCain-Feingold. Abortion? Undue burden. And those rights are a little more established right now in this court. But no, Mr. Extremist take no prisoners fantasy-land armchair constitutionalist, YOU think with the right to arms, of all places, right now, they'll suddenly declare there's an absolute right AND it includes MACHINE GUNS. Insane. Even though there is BARELY agreement that it's even an individual right in the first place! My job is to make arguments within the realm of REALITY. You know, the USA that exists on Earth in 2008, not some science fiction alternate reality that exists in your fantasy world. Maybe it's an imperfect legal landscape. I'm not responsible for the last 219 years of constitutional law, of which you are utterly ignorant. You don't deserve having me defend your constitutional rights, be very happy it was me up there and not some wacky nut with absolutely no sense of how the law works. Ingrate lunatic.

Alan turned out to be a very nice guy in our subsequent email exchange and he's had to answer MANY emails from the Class 3 community for effectively 'throwing them under the bus' during the trial.

I think that once the Heller decision is made and the individual position is affirmed as a right, then someone needs to step forward and begin the process of applying to make a machine gun with the ATF in order to challenge the Hughes Amendment.

18 USC Sec. 922(o)1 is just bad law and a prime example of the underhanded chicanery that some members of Congress are willing to go through in order to kill the Second Amendment. While I understand Alan's position, I disagree that it was 'make or break' as the audio seemed to concede that machine guns *are* a de facto part of the militia and that 'common use' applies to the militia and not just civilians.

My position is this:

1) Under a 'militia basis' the manufacture, possession, transfer, and ownership of machine guns are protected because they are arms in 'common use' by the military. Dellinger conceded that point in his opening remarks and Justice Ginsberg brought it up as well. If we are using the contemporaneous examples as well as the descendant argument for militia weapons, then machine guns and - more radical peers of mine - artillery are the *prime* examples of what modern people should have in their homes and communities since early colonial settlers such as Pennsylvania banded together to purchase cannon and drilled with the Pennsylvania Rifle (itself the bleeding edge of technology for it’s time), so from a purely ‘militia’ view, an MG is just fine.

2) Under the 'individual rights' basis, the manufacture, possession, transfer, and ownership of machine guns are protected since the right to keep and bear arms is an individual right. The ability of the individual to be familiar and proficient with military arms is dependent on his or her individual ability to keep and bear them for use.

3) The purpose of the RKBA and the militia at their core is to ensure Liberty; the Second Amendment is the 'last resort' for a populace who no longer has a means for redress either in the Courts or in the Congress. It is the means of the populace overthrow a Tyrant or a Tyrannical government and restore the Constitution to the original framer's intent. This is a contentious and frightening point of view for many 'Antis' as they simply don't agree with the Constitution except in a form that goes with the sign of the times and popular thought.

They should: It means that Constitutional Rights are immutable and that attempts to remove them could result in violence and another revolution if they can't be resolved by any other means.

Alaskan Ultra-Max Prison

2007-11-13T14:02:00.000-05:00

I write sci-fi for a hobby and had a vision the other night for a story;

A 'Ultra-Max' prison in Alaska - smack in the middle of nowhere, underground and only accessible and resupplied by air - with a staff of 25 and about 100 prisoners. Supplies are brought into a landing zone and ferried out to the site. Refueling allows for only enough fuel to and from the site or to crash in the forest, that way escapees find themselves crashed or landing back into the hands of the government. This facility is for only the most dangerous or politically-sensitive prisoners. It's black and the only way it could be discovered would be via a forensic accountant (not likely in a 'black environment') or a psychic.

The why: Alaska is as half as big as the US, is pretty much barren of human life, and who needs Gitmo when you can put folks in a spot so remote that an escapee would find themselves hundreds of miles from anywhere and up against the weather and wildlife.

The reality: I have no clue if such a prison exists but I plan on writing a story on it soon!

Americas Top Chef is..... WTF?!?

2007-10-05T05:14:00.000-05:00

Anyone who knows me, knows I am a 'foodie' - a fan of good food. Not necessarily an epicure by any means because my palate is fairly narrow and, like the Chief Justice's definition of pornography, 'I know what good food is and what isn't'. I just like seeing good food prepared and served well and enjoyed by myself and others.

I've watched all the seasons of ATC and have to say that the contestants this season got it all four ways from Sunday. The fact that Hung-he-isn't is this season's ATC just makes me crazy. Technically competent but an utter asshole as a person. I wouldn't want to work for the bastard and I feel sorry for any competent expediter having to put out his steaming pile of shit plate after plate. Unfortunately, he has entire community of refugees who will work for him because they either don't know any better or can't find better work.

Hung-is-not should never have gotten it because the measure of a great chef is to inspire others to cook, to work like dogs, and to thrive under the challenges of a kitchen under pressure. Not one of the other competitors would have worked for him and, IMNSO, that tells me more about him than anything else.

Half right and very wrong

2007-05-10T09:50:00.001-05:00

This is a copy of an email I sent in response to the article in the New Yorker by Adam Gopnik about the VA tech Shootings:

Adam,

You had it half right - a loner. a psycho. a nut case.

The other half is bull.

Britain may have taken away the *legal* rights to own guns but criminals still use them and now the average Joe in the UK uses knives, bats, fists, feet, and bricks instead of bullets. Deaths and severe injury - especially head trauma - from the UK gun ban has actually *increased* since it's inception. Violence isn't an issue limited to guns and to offer that up as a panacea for it is intellectually dishonest.

Removing legal ownership doesn't solve the problems that you think that taking away a person's rights will solve. It make it worse because when you make legal owners criminals overnight, you make criminals stronger by removing the ability of citizens to protect themselves. Facts are facts and where legal gun ownership flourishes, crime goes down.

My nephew was on campus and walked by the shooter minutes before he went into the engineering building. He believes that had students been able to carry on campus legally, they might have been able to stop the carnage or, at least, mitigate the degree of it. A similar episode with a crazed shooter happened before in Virginia - who was stopped cold by an armed student - but I am sure that the New Yorker didn't carry the story.

The issue is - and will always be - a matter of acceptable self-defense; when you don't have a gun and someone else does they *win*. Wiser men than myself have pointedly argued that to be defenseless against an oppressor is foolish and often terminal for the victim. I've worked in the City and on the Street and can say that the advice of surrender to a mugger encourages people to think of themselves as potential victims. I vowed never to surrender to a mugger and when I was in Iraq, I swore to never be taken prisoner. As I see it, you can be a victim or you can fight for your life.

With the upcoming challenge by DC to the Supreme Court, we can readily expect the right of gun ownership to be finally ruled a matter of individual rights and reaffirmed as ensconced in the Second Amendment as such. As a result, many of NYC and NY State laws against individual gun ownership will be overturned.

I want to leave you with an open invitation to come down and go shooting with me and several other folks who are members of the VCDL (www.vcdl.org).

I honestly don't know if he'll respond but I wouldn't mind having him come down and see how America outside of NYC lives.

Life in 2017

2007-05-07T09:15:00.000-05:00

Things have really changed in the last 10 years; Today you walk into a clothing store and a sales person walks up and asks if they can help you. You say "Yes, I am looking for a new suit" and they direct you to the aisle where the model suits are. You select the item, select a swatch of cloth that matches your preference and are handed a cup of coffee while the suit you want is made to your specifications. You also select a few items like cuff-links, shoes, a tie, and kerchief that all match the suit. 20 minutes later, a woman comes out from the rear of the store and hands you all the items and you thanks the sales person and you leave. Real-time tailoring.

At no time do you see or engage a cashier or see the exchange of money. Your cash reserves and credit (if you wanted to apply for a line of credit for that company's store, there would have been a pro-forma online application via fingerprint or retinal scan) were all reviewed when you entered. Once you began the process for purchasing, you were added to their database and are sent an initial email asking if you'd like to be included in their email updates on their upcoming sales. If you had come in and browsed, you would have received the same invitation email and an electronic yes or no 'coupon' for a discount on your first purchase.

Food shopping has become incredibly simple as well. You go and select the items you want/need and walk out with them. If you go to another store to buy an item, chances are that the store you do a majority of your shopping will try to stock it for you in order to get the rest of your business. The demand for services has finally become a matter of catering to the customer!

Thieves don't stand a chance - theft has crashed to almost zero and only the truly idiotic or desperate even try - because RFID tagging and IPv6 addressing has removed the ability of the thief to remove the item from the store and not pay for it or be tracked to their location. Most things can't 'fall off a truck' anymore because they are too easy to find.

Assembly for large parts and items has become a breeze; IPv6 and RFID have allowed for all items for a specific customer to be listed as they are put together for assembly, QC/QA, and sales tracking. Insurance companies and manufacturers have the ability to identify parts failure all the way back to the manufacturer, the assembly line, and even the employee who did the work.

IPv6 allowed for 2^54 IP address per person, so everything that a person owns can be cataloged, followed, and identified. RFID allows for seamless commerce. My paycheck is automatically deposited and credited to my account and purchases automatically adjusted via the RFID chip in my REALID Card.

If you had been in the military after 2010, you were used to 'the wave' - swinging your hand over a reader to verify your identity. You stopped writing checks because there wasn't a need to on base. The chip had all your medical info on it and the medics could just scan your hand or your temple and get the info they needed. Of course, if they were scanning your head, you'd lost your hand or they were ID'ing your corpse and you were in deep crap either way. Heck, the NCO club got to be a PITA sometimes because the 3 beer rule automatically flagged you but there were ways around that - the civvies you dated were still using real cash or their own IDs so they bought without restrictions.

On the home front, we have had to suffer through the ubiquitous 'Chippie' on the Homeland Security ads and Saturday AM cartoons; "Chippie says "Security starts at Home, so get your ID Chip today!". [I'd say what an annoying bastard the little thing is but I don't want to get flagged when I use the Metro to work everyday; I see the poor sods who are 'randomly' pulled aside *every* morning on their way in and out of the station.]

The NAHB Construction codes came into compliance with DHS Directives a few years ago and now that construction can integrate with your Chip, the SmartHome is a reality. Houses turn their heat and AC on and off per room as their occupants come and go, sound and light preferences are recorded and adjusted per occupant, email and IM traffic is routed to everyone's computer and privacy is assured for each recipient. (There are still parental overrides, of course, but you have to be careful when and how you use them or face questioning by the local DYFS office for invasion of privacy - particularly with teenagers!)

Work changed for me as well; My login is all a matter of using my card in the reader and authenticating via retinal scanner to match the information in the card and I don't sign in anymore because my time is tracked from when I enter the building to when I leave.

Life has gotten simpler and easier and, for the most part, more secure, too. I've gotten used to every cop dressed up like SWAT heavies and carrying P90's and being nearly everywhere. I briefly worked on the Hill and nearly every cop was dressed like that after the 2009 attacks; I guess seeing PWC cops dressed like that wasn't such a shock after a while. It also doesn't hurt having my brother as a Unit Commander for my Section, either. He and his Team are always over for beers and BBQ anyway, so I don't worry a whole lot about protection. I have to say that having him sign for my gun permits - as antiques and for research purposes only, of course! - was convenient, but I still wish for how it was before the start of the last Clinton Administration when I could own anything I wanted. Cindy doesn't understand why the neighbors don't talk to us anymore and it's hard for me to explain to her that folks get nervous around cops today.

I read recently that Phil Van Cleave from the old VCDL (before it was labeled reactionary and possibly a terrorist organization) was killed in a shoot out; I thought he was a nice old guy but my brother tells me that he had an arsenal and refused to surrender it to the team who was sent to retrieve it - telling them it was illegal for them to seize private property without a warrant - so they really didn't have a choice. He was a good and honest man and I will mis him. (though I don't mention it to anyone, especially my brother.)

The expiration on my card is coming up. I will either have to get chipped or drop off the grid and go to Alaska or somewhere and I'm not sure what Cindy thinks of that. If we drop of the grid, then I'll lose my pension and we'll have to start all over. Rumor has it the next Congress will have to vote on legislation to make passing good and services to 'illegals' a major felony. Today, being off the grid makes you an illegal - sort of - and the point is that you have really have no legal way of getting money and goods and services like medical care without your number. OTOH, if you can prove who you are, you're not illegal without a chip - yet.

More than a few folks I know who are believing Christians who work for the government or who are military retirees are taking the chip because they don't have a much of a choice and that has caused a huge stir in the congregation.

Is this Revelation 13:17 come to pass?

If not, it's awful close.

On the Hill...

2007-04-24T14:40:00.000-05:00

I resigned from Federal Service at CRS after 8 weeks because I didn't understand the complex level of politics and personal loyalties involved. I removed 'The Guide to Federal Service for 1099/ Independent Contractors' because not all rules applied to all agencies and it would be cruel to assume that everywhere in the government is this insanely dysfunctional. (Feel free to email me if you can tell me differently)

The gamut of 'he-said that she said that you said' [see the definition of Hearsay] to getting yelled at for opening a TAC case without permission - despite the switch being locked up at 100% utilization and the network brought to a grinding halt - made me just throw in the towel.

I've taken it to be similar to something like my Infantry OSUT - it was a good, harsh experience to build upon and now I have the tools and familiarity of what not to do to make a future endeavor a success.

I would love to work for Federal Service again but just not at CRS.

Looking back on 2006

2006-12-29T08:05:00.000-05:00

It's been a very long time since I updated the Blog and much has happened in that time - I came back from Iraq, worked on repairing a very shaky marriage, learned to be a better dad and a better husband, and gained all the weight I lost overseas back plus some.

I spent most of 2006 trying to find a 'permanent' job (whatever that is in this economy) and passed up an opportunity for work with .gov to go for the money. In retrospect, that was a poor decision as working in DC without a clearance is like trying to swim without arms, legs, and a life preserver and the private sector here is pretty bad.

The year and my last contract for the year closes this weekend and I am looking forward to another shot at .gov employment. I am just a bit burned out on the contracting scene. I've had a good run as a racing thoroughbred but need to become a draft horse for the next 20 years or so.

This year I got to work with some good folks and got to do some cool tech. I also figured out where I wouldn't bank my money at - ever - and what Mental Health HMO I would use for my own company if I had a choice.

I also started playing World of Warcraft with my kids and my oldest will reach level 60 this weekend just in time for the Burning Crusade expansion in 2 weeks.

Overall, it's been a good year with lots of good and bad lessons.

Losing JackAngus

2005-05-05T03:30:00.000-05:00

One of my earliest and most surprised memories was to see my father cry. I was about 10 or 11 when our Scottish Terrier, Dudie, died of old age. It was also only of of the three times in my life I ever saw him cry. He's a giant of a man from the Old 'Strong and Silent' School. To see him cry was like watching a mountain shake in grief.

Now I understand why.

My 12 year old child died on May 3rd, 2005.

Losing Jack from my life was losing my first child. Not like losing a child - it was losing a child.

Not too long after we were married, I found a picture of Bull Terriers in a dog breed book and instantly fell in love. They say owners and their dogs are often alike in temperament and looks. In my case, it was definitely temperament. Jack would never back down from a fight (even if he should have), he didn't tolerate fools (or small, foolish dogs) gladly, he looked at life as a means to play and have fun, and he loved learning new things (particularly new smells!).

Owning a Bully is a wonderful ,exasperating, exciting, frustrating, and fulfilling experience. They are constant 5 year olds who think they should be the top of any pack they run into. They like to chew and explore and are sociable to a fault. They jump on people, nibble on your ears as a greeting, and will gladly chew Kongs until they are mere shards of their former existence.

Jack liked to play catch with his Kongs and with a 2260 PSI bite, he usually went through about 1 a year. He loved the woods and once ran off after a deer for over a hour (causing much worry as we couldn't find him) and came home happy and exhausted and covered in deer poop. I never knew if he caught the deer but he seemed utterly overjoyed about the smell.

The last couple of years, Jack had started to slow down considerably as arthritis and old age began to take their toll. He still loved hanging out under my chair and taking naps with me (much to Cindy's chagrin, since he assumed that he was the Alpha male and deserved to sleep in our bed when I wasn't in it!). I was hoping that he would have made it to our new home and I would get to say good bye to him. The hardest part is that I didn't get a chance to do that.

We will be holding a small service at the new house when I return in July for R&R to bury his ashes in the yard.

I miss him greatly.

In Memoriam

2005-05-04T05:02:00.000-05:00

Jack Angus Buchanan Watson,
originally uploaded by vaciscoengineer.

Jack Angus Buchanan Watson

12 Years of Loving, Wonderful Life.

My first child whom I loved.

Born 19 Sept 1993
Died 03 May 2005

He is missed greatly...

Archived Posts from Iraq

2005-05-04T00:08:00.000-05:00

posted by Chris Watson @ 5/2/2005 09:14:00 AM
Saturday, April 30, 2005

Concert Review
Last Night we were treated to the Christian Band, Hollowell.They played some contemporary Christian tunes, followed by three songs from their demo, and then a few covers from U2 and others.The band's influences were obviously grounded in Jars of Clay, but that is a positive rather than a negative.A good time was had by all, with a meet and greet at the gym afterwards.

All Hail The IP Telephony god!!!
[Scene 1, Act 1: C-130 Lands on the tarmac at Baghdad International and stops in front of a red carpet. The tail of the aircraft lowers down and a team of security personnel from Blackwater and The Steel Foundation exit from the aircraft to form a protective phalanx around their principle.The man, short with brown hair and glasses, steps off the plane and suddenly the cry goes out:"Welcome, Oh Mighty IP Telephony God!!!!"Large crowd bows and scrapes on the ground; Airborne Signals Captains cry out loud and shake with shame at their own technical inadequacies, and the Padawan smiles knowing that the Master has finally arrived…]
At least that's how HE sees it! ;)

Tim Medley, from http://www.medleylabs.com/, who is also my best friend and ‘brother from a different mother’, lands on Saturday into Kuwait International Airport.
I decided that I wanted to show some degree of mercy on his poor soul and am trying to limit his exposure to the Doha Experience.

Anyone who has come to Iraq knows Doha and the living conditions for the transient quarters and I’m not the only contractor who’s documented that uniquely ITO encounter. It is truly something that we will use as a shared experience in the years to come. It was actually *that bad*.

I’m trying to get Tim on a British military flight since they actually are able to schedule flights and departures and don’t understand all the fuss about Space ‘A’ that the Americans have. Being British and Civilized, they just do it properly.

We face some big challenges here; a network with questionable documentation run previously by an organization that had a primary goal to hand it off as quickly as possible, a set of overlying phone systems that have dependencies on that same commitment-shy organization, and a huge chain of command change over the next 60-90 days.

Our initial set of goals is to evaluate and understand what we have, plan for improving the existing architecture, and then plan to receive the other architectures that are on the horizon. We have our work cut out for us.

Spring Cleaning
This blog has gotten way off topic, so some of the posts have been moved to my 'rants and raves' blog. Also, commenting has been turned off since only 'Johnny and the Politburo' have been the commenters, albeit in various disguises.So, from now on, email your comments directly to me via docwatson22@yahoo.com and, if they have merit, I will post them and reply to them.

Doc's Blog

Weekend Fun

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AAR for 24 June 2011

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It's Offcial - She's Not Seeking Reconciliation

A SWAT Team - for a delinquent school loan??

Rape by any other name sucks as badly

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Thanks for the Bullshit PO, Cindy! ;[]

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Paul - Movie

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The English Longbow and Gun Control

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#@$!!! Car

Two Days Later

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The REAL Face of Hillary Clinton

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Knight of the Broken Heart

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Doc Watson's Rules of Marriage and Dating (2010 Edition)

Lead, Follow, or Get Out of the Way - on second thought, just follow or get out of my way!

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Maslow

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Ketchikan, Alasaka

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Americas Top Chef is..... WTF?!?

Half right and very wrong

Life in 2017

On the Hill...

Looking back on 2006

Losing JackAngus

In Memoriam

Archived Posts from Iraq

The Case FOR Homeschooling