C&O Canal National Park

My daughters and I went out to the C&O Canal National Park this morning and did the Billy Goat Section A hike. It was a beautiful day and a great hike. They advertise it as strenuous. Sometimes the NPS overstates this in an effort to dissuade those that are not in shape or prepared from trying hikes that are too much for them. They did not overstate this one. It was great fun bouldering and climbing over the rock like a true Mountain Goat.

Highly recommended!

F-22 Raptor

I am finally glad to see the Air Force starting to get over the F-22. The CSAF and SECAF wrote a letter to Congress asking them to not fund more F-22s. They are concerned that if Congress funds the extra F-22s, then something else is going to fall out of the Air Force budget. Do not get me wrong. The F-22 is a fantastic aircraft with capabilities that are unequaled anywhere else in the world and all things being equal I would strongly advocate fore more F-22, but things aren't equal. The world is a strange different place with threats that we would not have imagined in a war that we would not have chosen. There are many other areas that the Air Force needs to start focusing on and getting off of the F-22 is a great first step. Now let's see if the contractors and Air Force pundits can make the shift.

Family and Friends

I know that it has been awhile. I have been on vacation for the last few weeks on and off. It has gotten me thinking and family and friends. Sometimes I find myself being very isolated - I want to do what I want to do with my family and don't really care to be with others. Then there is some reason for us to get together with family and friends and I once again realize how I could not truly live without them. For me it is a constant struggle to balance these two feelings.

I go to go to my Sister-in-laws wedding. It is so great to see them just starting out together. I envy them discovering things together. Having been married over 16 years, my life is so intertwined with my wifes that I can't imagine living without her. They are only starting to be this way. I wish them many happy years together.

High Water Marks

A few years ago when we were moving out the Virginia, my wife and I stopped at the Flight 93 Memorial in Shanksville, PA. Although there was only a temporary memorial, it was still a very moving experience. As an aside, I have been to all three locations that were attacks on 9/11 and can not help but get emotional all over again at each one. It occurred to me at the time that we were just about 100 miles from Gettysburg, PA. When I visited Gettysburg as a kid, I remember standing at eh "High Water Mark" -- the furthest advance that the Confederacy made into the North. it was at that point that the Union began to fight and win against the Confederacy in what was a long and bloody struggle. I hearken Shanksville a "High Water Mark." It is the point where we atarted to fight back against the terrorists and win. it to was the start to a long and bloody struggle with many fits and starts similar to the Civil War. Much like the Civil War it is a struggle worth fighting.

Bat Mitzvah

We are just over 5 months from my oldest daughter's Bat Mitzvah. We are in the heat of the battle between balancing the spiritual with the party. I think that she is actually doing a better job than me. Although she complains whenever I tell her she has to study, she is doing great. As part of her service she has to write three different "speeches." Again she has floored me with the insight and maturity that she has shown in the drafts that she has put together.
I am sure that the anxiety will only ramp up as we get closer. It is nice to know that she is well grounded and hopefully that will help us all.

As an aside, we went to one of her friend's Bar Mitzvah last weekend. He had invited some of his friends that attend a different synagogue. These kids were the rudest kids I have every seen at a religious service. They were talking, playing grab ass, etc. I finally had enough and told them to be quiet twice. The third time, I told the "ring leader" to move over by me. He said "no". I could have killed him. My thoughts were how to subdue him without making a scene or any more noise. It was awful. Of course then I felt even worse because of how mad I got during a service. I could not enjoy it until I forced myself to focus and get something out of it.
It was the old "He made me fell that way," but i chose to feel differently.

Odyssey of the Mind - The Tournament

We finally had our Odyssey of the Mind (OM) Tournament last weekend. It was the culmination of all of the kids hard work. They did a great job, but had a little bit of a let down. They built a great tower. They learned from their prototype and made some improvements. One of their observations of the prototype was that it looked "messy" because some kids used "too much glue" (can you see the foreshadowing yet?).
The kids got all checked in and then had to wait an extra 15 minutes because the previous teams had gone through so quickly. It was good that we waited as some parents barely made it there in time. They got set up and started their skit (Oh yeah there is a creative part of the score, not just how much you tower can hold). They decided to put the big weight on first. So the 45 lb weight went on. Almost as soon as it was set, the tower buckled. The kids kept their composure and finished the performance, but we clearly disappointed. In their quest to be "neat" they did not put enough glue at the intersections and it failed at them rapidly.
Although I was concerned about this, the rule prevented me from telling them. I asked them questions to try and get them to figure it out, but they went with what they had. It is all part of the learning process.
Overall OM was a great experience for me. The parents all told me that they kids enjoyed it and that they appreciated it. Some of them wanted to know if I was coaching next year. Even the friends that I talked into judging enjoyed it.
I highly encourage it for kids of all ages.

Bailout Funds Part II

I don't often read the comic Zippy the Pinhead, but I did today and am glad I did. Here is a link to today's strip. It sums up perfectly my view of the bailout funds.