A New Year's Eve French Dinner

When we were stationed in Karlsruhe, Germany with the 18th Engineer Brigade in the late 1980s, it was decided that several of us on the brigade and other local command staffs would go (vehicle convoy) to France to begin our New Year's Eve celebration with a seven-course, country inn, special French dinner. (This is not the place we went, but as I recall it was similar)
Thanks to the S-3 (Terry Rice) and HHC company commander (Lee Gazzano) who both were fluent in the French language, we were treated to some of the best food and drink I have even had. Bottle after bottle of excellent wine was delivered to our large table of celebrants. Not to worry, our wives drank little if any, so they drove us all home afterwards. Full we were, and quite "joyful". But not so full and not so joyful that we could not continue the celebration when we got back home to Karlsruhe. Our quarters (being the largest of the group) was selected as the "party place" for the remainder of the night, and party we did.
I will never forget that New Year's Eve...nor the people we were so fortunate to serve alongside that year (and others). By the way, Terry Rice retired as an engineer colonel and Lee Gazzano as a Lieutenant Colonel. I'm not sure whether or not being able to speak French so well had any effect on their rise through the engineer ranks, but it sure as heck made our trip to France that night "real special".

New Year's at Midnight

If the celebration New Year's Eve isn't enough to make your head spin, try this short video out. Or, maybe it would be better to wait till the next morning...whatever, it's a "dizzy" experience.

Happy 2011!

Online Stores

Like millions of us I have, over the years, substantially increased the amount of online shopping I do...especially around the holidays. In fact, given the reduction in the number of small, speciality stores such as those selling electronics and photographic items, as well as location of the buyer, online shopping is often a necessity. Given this situation, what separates one seller from others?

Customer service, free shipping, and simple return policies rate at the top as far as I am concerned. One seller I purchased from this month even went so far as to include a personalized note in the package, thanking me by name for my first purchase, and the giving me a 5% discount code for my next purchase over $25.00. My second order from them had a similar personalized note, but this time saying "thanks" for my second purchase. I liked that touch. You can bet this seller will be one to which I go to more often in the future.

Snowy Christmas Night

I took this around 8:30 PM Christmas night, off our back porch in southern Virginia. When the snowfall was over, in the morning the next day, we had around five inches on the ground...lots of which I shoveled off the 100-foot long driveway to the street. I used a 15-second exposure to get make this photo, with flash to highlight the falling snowflakes. Definitely made for a nice White Christmas.

Merry Christmas

Small town headline news

In our local paper this morning, Martinsville Bulletin, there was a headline photo with story about a woman who was struck by a five locomotive, 100-car empty Norfolk Southern RR coal hopper train, slowly passing through town. She was not seriously injured, fortunately, and why she decided to walk down the track in the first place is thus far a mystery.

Now, you may ask why is this news important during these days of hectic and highly charged congressional debate in Wash DC to pass this or that before Christmas. Well, to us "southsiders" it is indeed "news"... and even though the possibility of serious injury or even death could have resulted, it's a far cry better headline than the sort of stuff seen daily in the Washington Post.

Having a paper such as the Martinsville Bulletin on my table with hot cup of Green Mountain Nantucket Blend coffee each day (except Saturday...remember, this is a small town newspaper) is one reason why I love living where we do. When it's time for you to decide where to finally settle down after your full time professional life, I recommend you go to a location such as Martinsville ... there are thousands of them all over the United States. Take my word, you won't be sorry.

Associate Editor Hired

I'd like to announce here on my blog...TA DAAAA...that AEA has hired Beth O'Hara as the Associate Editor of Army Engineer magazine. She will begin the "learning process" as far as magazine workflow is concerned, but she's already an accomplished digital and print media specialist. Beth is no stranger to the Corps of Engineers, as her spouse is now the commander of the St. Louis Engineer District.

I'm excited to have someone like her to help me bring a new look to the magazine over the next year. If all goes as planned, she will eventually take over as editor when I decide it's time to spend 100% of my time with a camera in hand. One of her first projects in the spring/early summer of 2011 will be to redesign AEA's website. Working with her is going to be lots of fun...and strange at the same time, because up until now I've been a one-person production department. Welcome Beth!

Just listening to the radio

No big deal...listening to the radio while I work on putting out another issue of Army Engineer magazine. But, with today's technology, it's way different from what it used to be. For example, I have my iPod Touch plugged in to a very nice sounding Logitech speaker dock, and using a 99 cent iPod app called TuneIn Radio, I'm listening live to a jazz music station in London, England...commercials and all. With that app, I can listen to radio stations from all over the world. It's available for Droid phone users too.

When we were asigned in Germany (twice) I used to tune in to European radio stations at night, because nightime radio wave propagation made it possible to get numerous AM, and some FM stations from some distance away. I loved music from the UK, and those times I traveled there, I had the radion on both in the car and in our hotel room all the time. Now, I can have this enjoyment here in SW Virginia. Technology is wonderful...if you use it.

Oh, it's 6 degrees Celcius in London right now (11AM EST...4PM in the UK), and some more snow is predicted. Rough winter over there this year.

Being a professional

In a recent post at my photo blog jmichaelphotos.com I wrote about why I, even though I am not a professional photographer, treat what I do in that regard as if I were. I suppose this trait of mine was cemented into my personality by having been "in the Army" for as long as I was... three years high school ROTC, 4 years college ROTC and then 28 years on active duty. True, my ROTC time was not technically "in the Army" but I was exposed to many basic leadership and positive character traits which I suppose better prepared me for later life.

It's frustrating to me today when I observe so many young people who seem to have no interest in anything "professional", unless such involves attaining the highest possible level in some role playing video game. Many have no idea where they are headed, don't care, and shrug off advice from others who have "been there" themselves. Not having pride in what you do, not caring about what others think, not wanting to spend any time in face to face interaction (text messages rule), and seemingly not thinking about anything that may cause personal discomfort.

Much of this in my view has been caused by the manner in which our education system has deteriorated over the years, and by a loss of family unity...given that so many young people live in single parent homes. Also, technology has played its part too...offering instant access to an incredible amount of information online...much of it being worthless, or if anything only a way to waste valuable time.

My advice to all is to treat everything you do, no matter what it is, as if you're a professional in that area, and that your future depends on how well you perform. If you do this, there's little doubt you will succeed in life.

Shop Vac Song?

If you have just a bit over 3 minutes of time to waste, check out this video and its catchy song...all about "being in the workshop with the shop vac on." It's here...nice graphics, and the music isn't that bad either.

I'm just sayin...

The AKO (Army Knowledge Online) saga continues. See Army Times online article for details. Condensed version is that it's going to be closed to all but CAC card holders (that leaves us retirees out) and the "bone" tossed our way will be some password protected site called "GTSY" whatever in the heck that stands for...it's being called gutsy...and in my view coming up with that name took lots of guts on the part of some official in the dark recesses of the Pentagon.

"Gutsy" will, according to officials, provide us non-CAC card holders a place to socialize and to share non-FOUO information. Whoopee, just what I wanted, another social network and email portal. In the meantime, AKO for CAC card holders is going to be transformed and made speedier and more useful than it now is...good luck with that. I'm just sayin...

White Christmas minus three weeks

This was taken during a relatively small amount two-inch snowfall yesterday in SW Virginia, off our back porch. It would have been nicer if it happened on Christmas eve, but whatever it's still pretty. The best part was that there was nothing to shovel on paved surfaces. Cold blustery winds are here today out of the northwest...expected to remain all week. Time for another cup of hot, fresh brewed coffee, made with a new purchase...Kuerig single cup maker. Neat machine...highly recommended for all coffee drinkers.

Changing the Culture

Fried eggs over easy, biscuits and gravy, strips of bacon, buttered toast, and grits have always been center to a typical Army mess hall breakfast...always in garrison but not necessarily in the field. Point being is that such a menu is not all that healthy. But then there was a time when what one consumed or ingested (cigarette smoke for example) in the Army was not considered that bad for one's general health. "Smoke um if ya got um" for example. A culture change is needed.

I applaud TRADOC's efforts to begin changing this culture not only involving meal menus, but physical training as well. Army Times online has a well written article that describes recent efforts in this regard at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. Those undergoing initial entry training there are now encouraged to eat healthier meals, by having food item choices pointed out to them by Drill Sergeants, considering that a large percentage of recruits have never had such choices back home. If these efforts bear fruit (no pun intended), the Army will have a much better fit force, and in the long run those who spend time in the Army will have a much longer and better life after they leave service.