November 2005

This evening I met some old friends from my days working as an EMT at St. Francis Hospital. We met at Old Chicago, a sports bar and restaurant, one of the places we frequented quite often. Mainly because “OC” has 110 different kinds of beer with 25 on tap!

It was great seeing their familiar faces and we were soon talking and laughing together like we did in the “old” days. Although we’ve kept in touch over the years, it just isn’t the same as sitting at a table, enjoying a meal and beer.

I’m saddened because I don’t know when I’ll see them again. It may be another 10 years.

I finished my document review this morning and spent the day sight-seeing.

First, I had lunch at one of my favorite Mexican restaurants: “El Taco Rey.” Sounds pretty cheesy, I know, but they make the best tamales I’ve ever tasted. I’ll be ordering a dozen to take home when I depart on Friday. My wife will love ‘em and they’re great to just take out of the freezer and throw in the microwave. I sat at a table with a “local” and we discussed our observations of the changes over the past 10 years. This fella was born and raised in Woodland Park which is 45-minutes to an hour outside Colorado Springs (toward Pike’s Peak).

After lunch I went to “The Book Broker,” formerly “Four Corners Book Shop,” a used book store downtown. This is one of the best used book stores I’ve ever visited and was disappointed that I only found one book on my wishlist. It was very nice browsing the bookshelves, listening to the fire crackle in the fireplace in the “reading area.”

From there, I visited another favorite used book store: “Hooked On Books.” This store is smaller than “The Book Broker,” but they have more paperback books. I’m told it’s still owned and operated by the same pleasant woman I knew 10 years ago. I found several of my wishlist books here! I’ll have plenty of good reading in Korea!

I spent several hours in these two stores. I just love the smell of old books. There’s something timeless and magical in these tomes. Whose eyes have read these words? Whose hands of turned these dog-eared pages? How many smiles have these books created? How many tears? To think about the amount of knowledge amassed through the words upon these shelves is simply earth-shattering!

From “Hooked On Books” I visited my old neighborhood, St. Francis Hospital (I used to work there) and spent the remainder of the afternoon and early evening driving the old streets.

Tomorrow, I begin my interviews at Peterson and that evening will meet some old friends for dinner.

Today I’m in Colorado Springs, CO. I drove up from the high desert to do some consultant work at Peterson AFB. It’s frickin’ cold up here!!

The drive was pleasant and as the scenery passed me, I enjoyed Beethoven’s 6th Symphony. Now I’m back to my old stomping grounds and am amazed at how much “the Springs” has changed in the last 10 years. I can’t believe how big it is now and OMG…the traffic! I’m looking forward to getting out-and-about. Visiting some of my old haunts, getting together with old friends and drinking some good microbrew.

This evening my colleagues and I had dinner at “Phantom Canyon,” a microbrewery and restaurant in downtown Colorado Springs. The ale was as good as I remembers it: dark, redish-brown and full-flavored with just the right amount of “hoppiness.” This was my favorite restaurant when I lived here. A refurbished warehouse that helped revitalize this section of downtown. I remember when it opened it’s doors. My farewell dinner was here.

Now I’m back in my room–a nice two room suite with a full kitchen. I’m going to relax a bit and get into some of the document review for this visit. Tomorrow morning I’ll wrap-up the preliminary review and will spend the rest of the day driving around town.

With the exception of some turbulence close to home, our plane ride was uneventful. My wife and I arrived late last night after a hectic Thanksgiving week. I was able to upgrade to first class. Ordinarily, I would have been able to obtain a companion upgrade, but we didn’t buy the right ticket (go figure). Anyway, I gave the first class seat to my wife. Chivalry is not dead! After all, I fly first class quite often these days and she doesn’t get the opportunity. At least one of us got to ride comfortably, and with free drinks. I read and watched an old Steve McQueen movie (”The Hunter”) on my laptop

Today, we’re packing up my step-daughter and granddaughters stuff for the move back to Alabama. It’s been wonderful having them stay with us these past few months and I’m going to miss them terribly. Especially my little granddaughter. She’s a single mom who was trying to better herself by attending an esthetician course. She’s being forced to move back to Alabama because the baby’s father has convinced the court that her intent was never to return. Forget the fact that she owns a house in Alabama. What a fiasco the court hearing was! All she wanted to do was extend the current visitation agreement for two more months, so she could complete the course. The judge ruled that she could return, but the baby would have to stay with the father. Of course, she said, “no” and is resigning from the course.

Hopefully, she can transfer her hours to a similar course in Birmingham, Alabama. It’ll take longer to complete (hence, the reason for coming here), but she’ll obtain the same result: a national certification. My wife will probably stay with her while I’m in Korea to watch the baby.

Sitting in the hotel the day after Thanksgiving. All-in-all, it was a nice holiday. I spent a lot of time with the kids this week. Yesterday we got together and had a holiday meal at Cracker Barrel. I was surprised the meal was a good as it was. A fine substitute for home-cooking. After dinner we came back to the hotel and played Rook. My wife and I and the kids have always enjoyed playing cards together and there aren’t too many who actually know how to play Rook.

Today, my wife and stepdaughter when shopping and me and the boys hung out. My youngest had to work tonight at his part-time job and my oldest is out on a date with his girlfriend. My wife and stepdaughter is still out and I’m sitting in the hotel watching A&E’s “24″ marathon.

Tomorrow we fly home to the “high desert.”

Senator Edward Kennedy, D-MA, is among those crucifying Wal-Mart for failing in it’s corporate citizenship responsibilities. Wal-Mart is the equivalent of the antichrist because it does business more efficiently than it’s competitors? So what, if Wal-Mart forces out older mom-n-pop stores because of it’s ability to undercut them. If these mom-n-pop stores can’t make up the difference in consumer loyalty through service or uniqueness, maybe it was time for mom-n-pop to retire. That is the nature of business.

One of the big issues for Kennedy and the rest are the “low” wages Wal-Mart pays. Are we forgetting that Wal-Mart pays, just as every other company in America, at least the minimum wage? Most of Wal-Marts employees are part-time and perform menial labor. I believe Wal-Mart pays a fair wage for the work performed. Wal-Mart certainly doesn’t seem to be hurting for employees or customers.

Maybe the problem is with the minimum wage…

In early March, the U.S. Senate defeated competing proposals to increase the federal minimum wage. A Democratic proposal to increase the minimum wage to $7.25 per hour over the next three years failed 46-49. A Republican proposal to increase the minimum wage to $6.25 over two years also failed 38-61. These amendments were proposed as additions to legislation sought by the nation’s credit card companies that would make it harder for consumers to erase their debts by declaring bankruptcy.

“When you raise the minimum wage , you price workers out of the market,” said Sen. John Sununu, R-N.H. “It is an economic fact.” While, Sen. Kennedy said he refused to “accept the argument that this is going to mean the loss of jobs.”

According to the Wall Street Journal, Kennedy noted that the last two times the minimum wage was increased, the economy continued to add jobs. Now, I don’t know where Senator Kennedy learned his economics, but the only thing a minimum wage increases is unemployment.

Here’s the trouble with a minimum wage: Basic supply and demand dictates that as the supply of an item increases, the demand for that item decreases, and vice versa. Eventually, supply and demand will reach an equilibrium where supply equals demand. A minimum wage set below the equilibrium wage has no effect, but when set above the equilibrium creates unemployment.

Consider my highly technical and completely arbitrary graph…

Let’s assume the equilibrium wage is $4 per hour and the government sets a minimum wage of $5 per hour. The minimum wage is represented by the horizontal line labeled “minimum wage” and any wage below that line is “illegal.” Notice that at the minimum wage rate, 20 million hours of labor are demanded (point A) and 22 million hours of labor are supplied (point B), so 2 million hours of available labor are unemployed (the space between points A and B).

What this means is that with only 20 million hours demanded, some workers are willing to supply that 20 millionth hour for only $3. Frustrated unemployed workers spend time and other resources searching for hard-to-find jobs. Someone who manages to find a job earns $5 per hour ($2 more than the lowest wage rate at which someone is willing to work). So, it pays unemployed people to spend time and effort looking for work (the inefficiency of wasted labor).

Many assume that an increase in the minimum wage will help low-income families make ends meet, but when we consider the economic effects of this increase, it may actually hurt more than it helps. Although a politician will probably improve his or her approval rating with the passing of a minimum wage hike, it certainly won’t do the labor market any favors.

So, Sen. Kennedy, you want to help the working class? Stop demonizing Wal-Mart and cut taxes!

I think civility in our culture has had its day. Civility is nothing more than simple “courtesy” or “politeness” and to practice civility is to actually be courteous or polite. Today, civility has been replaced with a boorish behavior rivaled only by the monkeys one visits in a zoo and who fling their shit at the ogling crowd. And in a zoo is just where the assholes I encounter throughout my day belong.

For example, I can’t think of anything more aggravating than to pull up to a stop light only to be pelted with the obnoxious baseline from some fucking rap band. Not only do I passionately despise rap music, but I usually have an extreme dislike for the individual who actually listens to and enjoys this shit. So, it should be quite simple to understand why I have a problem when forced to listen to the incessant BOOM-BOOM-BOOM that actually rattles the windows of my car. And this inconsiderate moke doesn’t have the faintest idea how his (or her) antisocial behavior affects others. A request to turn down the offensive racket generally brings the one finger salute and increased volume.

So what? Deal with it, right? WRONG! I’ve had it up to here (my hand at the top of my head) with this bullshit! I’m going to outfit (that’s “trick-out,” to you rap listeners out there) my Jeep with the biggest, most obnoxious sterio speaker system I can find. In fact, the entire bed of my Jeep will be speaker! I’ll install a switch to allow me to convert power and sound to these speakers as well. And the next time I’m bombarded with the BUMP-de-BUMP-BUMP-BUMP from some jackass’ Jensen’s, I’ll flip the switch and blow his windshield out with the 2nd movement of Beethoven’s 9th Symphony!

“I’m so sorry…was that too loud?”

Today I’m having a small crack in my windshield repaired. I have a 2000 Jeep Wrangler and since the purchase, I have repaired the windshield 8 times and replaced it once. Of course, the windshield is just shy of perpendicular to the ground, making the Jeep about as aerodynamic as a brick. The equivalent of a “rock magnet.” I swear I’ve seen a rock change course in mid-air to slam into my windshield. At any rate, the damage is not too bad and is smaller than a dime. Fortunately, my deductible is waived for windshield repairs. I’m just worried the tiny star will nova and flash across the entire windshield. No waived deductible there!

I just wanted to thank a couple of people who pissed me off this morning…

To the old woman driving the Oldsmobuick 10 miles under the speed limit in bumper-to-bumper traffic: I enjoyed being stuck behind you for almost 5 miles while driving to work. I understand that your reaction time isn’t what it used to be and your eyesight is probably failing, too. Maybe you should consider resting at home for another hour in the morning before venturing out into the world. Rush-hour traffic doesn’t need you flying down the road at turtle speed! So, please do those of us who have no choice in the matter a favor…enjoy another cup of tea, rub on some BenGay and finish watching “Good Morning America” before you consider leaving the house to do whatever it is that you have to do!

To the guy in the dirty rustbucket van who almost ran me into the ditch because he didn’t have the foresight to get into the correct turn lane: Thanks for keeping me on my toes. I relished the opportunity to put my defensive driving skills to the test this morning. If it weren’t for fucking idiots like you who can hold no thought in their pee-sized heads that doesn’t pertain to the total satisfaction of their needs at this very instant, I would have to settle for driving along in the peaceful flow of traffic. Thank heavens for your obliviousness!

Have a nice day!

I’m sitting at my desk in my cubicle at work. The clock is ticking and time is moving slowly. The office is practically empty and it’s very quiet. I’ve caught up on all my work and would go home if it weren’t for an appointment this afternoon. I’m scheduled with the travel management office to work out the details of the shipping of my household goods and a vehicle to Korea.

This upcoming assignment will be a challenge to say the least. The location is very remote and the operations tempo is very high. Most people don’t realize that technically, North and South Korea are still at war. There has never been a formal agreement declaring an end to hostilities. Currently, they’re functioning under a ceasefire agreement that has lasted more than 40 years. The United States is there to protect it’s interests and help maintain the peace.

This won’t be my first time to visit Korea. I’ve been to both Air Force bases and have visited the Army base as well. I have a friend in Soeul and am looking forward to visiting him and his family. It’ll be nice to have a vehicle there. It’ll give me some freedom and will give me a chance to visit parts of the country I haven’t seen before.

While I’m there I plan to visit the demilitarized zone and pick up some barbed wire (a historical artifact) for my kids. Hopefully, my wife will be able to visit sometime during my tour. I’d love for her to experience the culture. The people are friendy, the food is great and the local beer is very tasty. The Korean’s are very entrepreneurial and can make absolutely anything! My wife would certainly love the shopping opportunity.

Still sick and feeling worse today. I left work early and crashed on the couch for a couple of hours. When I got up, I fixed a cup of tea (PG Tips with a splash of milk). I’ll be going to bed early tonight after another dose of Nyquil.

Presently, I’m sitting here thinking about a poster I saw the other day with a list of life lessons learned from a dog. I suppose there are things I can learn from my pet dog, or from a cow, or from The Simpsons, but truth be told, I probably learned more about life and leadership from the movie “The Godfather” than from anywhere else. Such as:

• A man who doesn’t spend time with his family can never be a real man.
• Businessmen understand offers they can’t refuse.
• Never let anyone outside the family know what you are thinking.
• Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.
• Never hate your enemies, it affects your judgment.
• If history has taught us anything, it’s that you can kill anybody.
• Every once in a while you have to settle all family business.
• Leave the gun, take the canoli.
• Luca Brasi sleeps with the fishes.
• If you spoil your children, they’ll talk when they should listen.
• Don’t ever take sides, with anyone, against the family…ever.
• It was Barzini all along.
• There’s no better consiglieri than your father.

A lot of insight in these snippets of wisdom, don’tcha think? Certainly more profound than anything a dog can teach you!

Now just how do I get rid of this cold? I feel like Luca Brasi…

Feeling better today. A little stuffy, but the Flonaise helped. My cough is about gone, as is the tickle in my throat. My head, heavy and cloudy the last couple of days, is beginning to clear up.

I’m sitting in my living room. It’s Veteran’s Day and a holiday for me. My wife is taking a nap after getting up early with our granddaughter (who is also taking a nap). It’s a beautiful, sunny day here on the “high desert.” The air is cool, but the sky is clear. The leaves are transitioning from the color change stages and are falling from the trees. The leaves form a carpet at the base of the trees; a small golden shag rug. The grass is still green and looks very lush and inviting in the sunshine.

I’m drinking a piping hot cup of Tcihbo Exclusive coffee. A very smooth, rich-tasting coffee produced in Hamburg, Germany. I enjoy European coffees. They’re typically bolder and more satisfying than coffee blends produced in the United States. I take my coffee black, but will sometimes add a bit of cream to soften a bitter taste (most notably when served “old” coffee in a restaurant).

As I write, I’m watching “Hell is for Heros,” an old war movie released in 1962. The movie stars Steve McQueen, Fess Parker and Bobby Darin. There’s also a very young Bob Newhart as a clerk typist who offers some comic relief. The action takes place in France in 1944. Private John Reese (Steve McQueen) is an experienced soldier assigned to a platoon close to the front. Although a very good soldier, he’s a rebel (a typical character for Steve McQueen) and has been busted for insubordination. As the company pulls back, Reese and five other men are left behind to hold a position against a very large German force. They used their ingenuity to trick the Germans into thinking there’s a much larger American force in front of them. My favorite “trick” is the tinkering with a jeep to make it sound like several different military vehicles, including a tank! Naturally the movie ends with a full-scale attack against the German position by a reinforced American force. Steve McQueen meets his demise during the attack and dies heroically after detonating an explosive charge inside a pillbox that had fallen short of it’s target.

Hollywood doesn’t make movies like that anymore!

I’ve been hacking and coughing for two days now and I’m so tired. Of course the vaccinations didn’t help. I’d been coming down with something anyway and had to get some shots for an upcoming assignment to Korea. Anthrax, typhoid and a flu shot did a number on my immune system in the short run and has me feeling a little down in the dumps.

I took some Nyquil last night and was able to get some rest, but it often leaves me dragging the next day. This time was no exception. Hopefelly this spell has just about run its course and I’ll be my old self again.

The evening approaches. The sun is setting and the watermelon mountain is glowing pink against a sparkling azure desert sky. The air is cool and getting cooler day by day. Soon the snow will come and feed the thirsty dust. The dust that blew–swirling, stinging, diving, dipping–fiercely powered by tremendous Santa Ana winds.

I sip a glass of Glengoyne scotch whiskey. The gleaming golden liquid, aged 17 years, rolls smoothly past my tongue and warms my throat, stomach. A hot and peaty after-taste floats within my nostrils and quietly clouds my mind.

Relaxed. The “Nuns’ Chorus” from Strauss’ Casanova melts into my ears. I close my eyes as the soulful sound of the chorus rises to crescendo and quietly comes to rest. A peaceful afternoon is coming to a close and with a last sip of scotch I witness the stars break through the day’s sky to smile and twinkle upon the world at night.