Oh Father, My Father... My Hero

 




   Ah Father's Day. A day to remember and celebrate those men who are examples for us. Whether a shining example of how and what we should be or an example of that which we should not aspire to.

Luckily for me, I have the former.

   My dad is amazing. He was constantly there for myself and my siblings. Even when at work he would call to check on the family. Mostly, I think, to assure himself that we were safe and to talk to his sweetheart (my also very loving and amazing mother).
 
However, for me, as a young boy growing up, it was a knowledge that he cared for me. I knew my dad was a phone call away if I ever needed to discuss things with him. Any problem. Any time. It's the reason that a few years ago I got him a sign to hang over his desk that reads: "Dad's Office: Open 24 hours."
  Even now that he's retired, he still checks up on me. I can be at work at 4 in the morning and when he gets up to check and make sure the house is safe, I'll get a text asking how my day is.
 

   My dad's wonderful example is something I truly wish to aspire to. To put it succinctly, one day I'm going to grow up and be the same as my dad. I will be a better man thanks to him. He taught me for years and continues to do so. He teaches by example. Showing me daily how I should act in private or public to how I should treat the fairer sex (for the record he treats my mother like a queen. To this day I have only ever seen them argue once. Seriously, once. I have never before seen them argue, fight or demean each other in any form or way nor have I seen any of these since that minor disagreement. They don't always agree, but they never argue.). He shows me how to protect my family, willing to kill and be killed for our safety.

   From a small child, sitting in the shade of the house on a cold Saturday morning helping my dad work on cars by getting him various tools to helping build an add on to our house to now having him hand me the tools as I work on the cars, my dad has always been there. For that I am lucky. and extremely grateful. I would not, could not, be the man I am today without the loving example and teacher that I am privileged and proud to call Dad.

   Dad, thank you so much for everything you have done and everything you do. for being encouraging as I grew. helping me nurture my talents. I wouldn't be such an avid reader or have a love of writing if it weren't for you. I took them up mostly because you did these things. And I grew to love them. My music may not be the same through and through, but I still have the roots. The classics in my eyes will never die. They will always remind me of various things, like The Moody Blues represents road trips. I believe that very few men on earth have been as great as you. To me you are the embodiment of what a man, a father should be. You are my hero and you always will be. Thank you so much. I love you.

Guns Guns Guns...

 This is an AR-15. A semi-automatic rifle currently set for hunting or long distance plinking.

      So I figured with the furor over guns still going on I might as well stop avoiding the inevitable and inflict my opinion on the world. Or at least the seven of you who happen to come across this whilst seeking far better entertainment.

        So. Guns. I should mention before we begin that I will hereafter refer to "high-capacity magazines" as magazines that hold more than a standard amount. (Standard amount being the amount that the manufacturer uses. For example, a standard mag for a Colt 1911 is 8. Meanwhile, a standard mag for an Heckler & Koch USP .45 is 12. And a Glock 17 in 9mm is 17 rounds.) Also, "Assault weapons" or "Assault rifles" will be called "Assault-style rifle/weapon." Or Carbine. Or rifle. Cause I mean, come on, there's not much you can do besides leave this page if you disagree.

       My stance on guns, is the standard Weaver stance. ... Oops, sorry. I mean. I'm against the restriction of firearms. (Oh, I forgot to mention that one too. They'll also be called firearms.) It is true that violence begets violence. That being said, in the case of guns, most of the time it ends the violence as well. If violence does happen, it can stop it in it's tracks. Another point on the side of guns, is that it can prevent violence altogether. There have been times where a person merely reaching for a firearm has stopped a would be criminal in their tracks.

      The government has no right to try to take or limit my ability to protect myself, my family, or any others in harms way. I know that they claim that they're not trying to take our guns, but limiting magazine sizes restrict my safety. Who are you to say how many chances I get to try to defend myself? Recently in New York they placed a restriction on the magazine capacity of AR-15's to seven. So what happens if a junkie looking for money for a fix kicks in the door to my apartment. There have been cases where police officers have emptied one magazine and most of another into someone like this in order to stop them. Most officer carry around 50 rounds on their person. In a case like this they just expunged over half of that. Seven is not enough.

        Now that does not mean that every gun needs 30 rounds. The Beretta Model 92 has 16 rounds standard, but you can purchase a high-capacity magazine containing 30 rounds. Now is that even practical for personal carry? No. But how about home defense? Sure. You leave that mag at home in your safe. If and when the baddies come a knockin' you can answer with 30 good reasons for them to stay away.

My Heckler and Koch USP .40

                                                     

       My H&K carries 13 rounds per mag. So I carry 2 mags. Carrying plain FMJ rounds this still might not be enough. For you see, FMJ (Full Metal Jacket) is designed as a target load. Being encased in a metal shell, the round would pass through someone doing less damage. Now for you people who say this is more "humane" I'll answer with one word. Wrong. Yep, you read that right. W-R-O-N-G, Wrong. Yes it does less damage, but it passes clean through. (Let's talk physics. Physics physics physics physics physics.) With out stopping (unless you hit bone or are far enough away for it to lose enough velocity) the transfer of energy is often not powerful enough to stop someone. Especially not if they're high or their adrenaline is coursing through them.
        Since this is the case I carry Federal Hydra-Shok. These are rounds that are designed to mushroom (expand) causing the bullet to transfer it's energy into the person. (They're also the rounds some law enforcement agencies carry for that exact reason.) Yes it does more damage, but it is more likely to stop a would be assailant in his tracks. These rounds are also designed to stop more, and kill less, which is of use to me. It's my guiding star.

It should be obvious, but to those bugwits out there, the two with the brass casing are Full Metal Jacket. The other two are Hydra-Shok.

        Now if I were limited to 8 rounds, my ability to defend myself would be greatly lessened. There's a reason I wouldn't carry a 1911 as a sidearm. Owning one is a different matter.



       Now to address those who say "Why do you need a... (insert gun, AR-15, "Assault rifle," whatever.) First, who says need has anything to do with it? Who says we need something to be able to own it? Do you need a car? There's public transportation. There are cabs. How about an mp3 player? You don't need it. You can live without one. So we'll throw the word need out the window. Defenestrate that word! How about the "Besides hunting..." argument that Piers Morgan likes to use? Now you're putting limits on my reasons. Besides transportation, why do you need a car? Whatever my reason, don't try to limit my responses by excluding one of the main points.

Those Warm Fuzzies

     "Warm fuzzies?" You ask. "What are they?"
Well, they are what you feel when you have that "just helped someone" glow in your chest and you can't help smiling. Letting the world see how gloriously happy you are... for helping someone else in need.

  When in The Book of Matthew chapter 5 verse 16 Jesus says: "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." This is what I think it means. Mostly cause you can't stop smiling and if someone asked you why usually you won't be able to answer exactly why. But if you stop to think it's cause of the service. I mean come on, you just did something for someone for free and, unless I'm mistaken, the saying goes something like "time is money." That being said, you just paid someone to let you help them. Interesting concept huh?


    You wanted to help this person or these people so much that you paid them with your precious time to help them in some way. How very generous. However that doesn't mean you need to go brag. Jesus did also say: "Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men.  Verily I say unto you, They have their reward." (Matt. 6:2) Alms/almsgiving = giving money to poor. Since money = time (or vice versa), Alms = time. And, in case you're bad at the maths, service = time.

     So, let's review. You see someone in need. You wish to help. In fact, you wish to help SO much that you are willing to give your time (which as you should recall is equal to money) to assist them. After the assisting has been completed, you feel happy. (Follow me so far?) This happy feeling can be described as "warm" correct? And it can, and usually does feel kinda like a nice fleecy, or FUZZY, blanket in winter. (Cozy, but not overly warm or stifling.)

       So, now you know what a warm fuzzy is. Glad I could help. (See what I did there?)

The Good Guy is a Good Buy

       The Good Guy by Dean Koontz.

Ever read it? If you haven't, you really should. If you have, then you have my applause. *Clap. Clap.* And if you aren't interested in this type of book, then go away. We didn't want to be classified in the same genre pool as you anyway. Snob.

     This book has everything an avid book reader will enjoy. Suspense, murder, a damsel in distress, a sufficiently creepy bad guy (and when I say creepy, I mean in it in the vilest, most disturbing, will keep you up at night type of creepy.), and, as previously stated, a good guy.

          The premise of the story is interesting from the get go. The main character, Timothy Carrier, frequents a bar owned by an old buddy of his. Quiet and unassuming, Tim enjoys baiting eccentric customers into odd conversations. This time, however, it gets weird. Well, weirder than normal. Tim is given a photo of a pretty woman and ten thousand dollars cash and tells him he'll get the rest when she's gone. Before he can register what has occurred, the man is gone. Within minutes he is replaced by the actual killer. Tim pays him the cash, calls off the hit and sends him on his way.

                Tim then tries to find the woman, who has no clue as to why she is wanted dead. They have no time to ponder upon this thought as the killer somehow figures out what went wrong. And thus the chase is on. Tim and the woman, Linda Paquette, flee. From friends' homes to a motel to a park, this unlikely pair flee death incarnate.

     This story will grip your attention (especially if you don't have A.D.D.) very quickly and, like Hooch, will not let go. At least until you finish the book. Twists that will keep you scared of strangers and an obsession that will make you hesitant to stand before your mirrors in the buff.

            Not many authors can compel this easily, but Dean seems to do it without trying. He keeps his main characters shrouded in mystery for as long as possible. (In this case until very near the end.) For those looking for their next thriller to keep them up at night, this is it.