If you still find a sense of fulfillment in your job and you have the wits and energy to do it...good for you. I think I could have lasted a few more years but my wife said that she was done.
If you still find a sense of fulfillment in your job and you have the wits and energy to do it...good for you. I think I could have lasted a few more years but my wife said that she was done.
Well bonne chance until then. As far as being voluntold, DB got me a t-shirt that says, "Retired - Under New Management: See Spouse for Details." It's gotten laughs from CA to GA when I've worn it.
Also, I've gotten a great sense of reward when I started coaching Special Olympians and teaching all and sundry (which really isn't very many) the fine art or rearranging primary bone structures, AKA Jujitsu. Although the pandademic put the kibosh on both, it looks like Pritzker is getting ready to take his fat knee off the our necks and I can resume soon.
3/24/2021 Wednesday
Bench 45x5 115x5 155x5x3
Squat 45x3 135x1 180x5x3
Squat felt normal.
Carson: I have received similar guidance.
Mark: I'll be finding one of those shirts.
Also I think you're right to find a way to contribute. I have opportunities to be a mentor. Oddly, strength training gives me traction I might not deserve.
I find that this new generation has no appreciation for struggle and character building... not that we did. LOL.
Mmmm, not some of us. The Old Man survived three amphibious landings in the Pacific. He had definite ideas how he wanted his first, eldest, and only son to turn out. I got raised at Firebase Hurling with 17 years of basic training that didn't relent until I left home for college. It wasn't really a matter of appreciation.
You've got me beat by one, 12 years Catholic schools and 4 dog years of Service Academy.
Flying for the Air Force was a breeze after that. LOL.
The odds of surviving 3 amphibious landing in the Pacific were not good.
Army or Marine?
One of Uncle Sam's Misguided Children, he was in Carlson's Raiders and made his first landing from a submarine in the Makin Island raid. I only found that out when I got handed his folded flag at his graveside. I have a query in to DOD for the rest of his service records.
Last edited by Mark E. Hurling; 03-25-2021 at 10:38 AM.
3/26/2021 Friday
Deadlift 135x3 225x1 255x3
Mr Hurling: The 9 captured Marines from that battle were beheaded on Kwajalein.
Carlson's Raiders is a very storied outfit. I spent 10 days on Kwajalein with a broken airplane. I snorkeled every day. There was a Japanese cable layer down in 20' or so of water, and a zero a couple hundred yards out. I've always wanted to dive nearby Truk Lagoon, with about 200 shipwrecks, virtually all Japanese, mostly transports.
Carlson's Raiders are famous for their "Long Patrol" on Guadalcanal. And of course that's where the phrase "gung ho" comes from, which oddly means "work together".
A lot of innovative stuff in Carlson's tactics and leadership style.
As Patton put it, "When your grandkids ask you what did you do in the great World War 2, you won't have to say 'I shoveled shit in Louisiana.'"
Yup to all of that. The Old Man never intentionally talked about anything. I only heard of the landings from my mother who provided no other details. He was likely on the Long Patrol given a recurring case of jungle rot that afflicted him every few years. Any other information only came from him when things would slip out after too many Schlitz's. Hence, I'm trying to get some confirmation from DOD on just where he was.
3/29/2021 Monday
Press with arc 42x5 92x5 103x5x3
Squat 45x3 135x3 165x3x3
Mark: Good luck with that DOD request.
Schlitz & Old Style brings back memories... memories best left un-remembered. LOL.
My grandfather came from Germany, was too young for ww1 (in Germany) and too old for WW2 (in the US). Although his younger brother got drafted (in the US), was a cook called "grandpa".
It seems that hardship is virtually unknown in my own generation, let alone this current "woke" generation.
Being in the military is one thing, being in the military in a world war is quite another.
FWIW, in the last 5 years, WW2 history has improved with Victor Davis Hanson, and some dude called TIK on youtube. And by improved I mean less BS. Just my opinion, having long read everything I could get my hands on.
The "Greatest Generation" was made of sterner stuff than us.
Last edited by Cheesepuff; 03-30-2021 at 08:52 AM. Reason: press weight wrong