Suicide Prevention

I've had a few days to sit and think about how I was going to present this post. I usually post about me, what I'm doing, the things that I see in the world that are just unfathomable. This weekend, Sunday to be exact, I found out about a young man I had met at Roberto-Venn who had passed on. The toxicology report isn't back yet, but it looks like he overdosed.

And now I sit here, in front of my keyboard, stunned by actually typing it out. Reading the words makes it hit me even more. I can only imagine the weight I feel and how much that same type of weight his parents feel. (if they ever read this I hope they know there are many out here in internet land that will miss that crazy kid)

Austin "Sparks" Kortum, was 18 and loved metal and spiky guitars. Long curly hair, I'm pretty sure he had dyed it red and tons of other colors. You could see the extreme enjoyment he had for music. Megadeth shirts were a daily clothing choice for him, I'm not sure I saw him in anything else. Always throwing up "Devil Horns" \m/ and laughing. I'm pretty sure everyone liked talking to him, who wouldn't. He was flipping his hair around talking METAL! BLS, DIMEBAG, SLAYER....I'll stop there, but it goes on and on. 

He had an accident years before that had left one hand mangled up. He still rocked it though like it was nothing. Thinking back on it now, it seems like I only talked shop with him. What we were doing in class, and what we would do when we finished up. Guitars we wanted to build, bands we wanted to see, things we were going to work on "one of these days".

Sunday though, Sunday was the day it hit me that sometimes, some people are going to be gone way before they should be.

Artwork by Matthew Ward 

I spent almost 7 years in the Army. I never fired my gun, never took up against enemy troops. I fixed helicopters. I questioned my reason for being in Iraq numerous times. It was for the guys and girls on the ground. The Apache helicopters I fixed, repaired, launched, and washed were flying coverage missions to watch over the guys and girls on the ground. They were walking, driving, and standing in harm's way, and I was able to support them by repairing my helicopters, for my pilots, to protect them.

When you join the Army they tear you down to build you up. Or so they told me. You learn how to march, shoot weapons, fix all sorts of things, and how to take care of yourself and others. You learn basic combat lifesaving techniques, how to read a map, and what to look for when a fellow soldier is in need. You look for signs that they need help. Suicide prevention was always taught. 2011 was my last year as a Regular Army soldier, that year suicide's decreased slightly. But in 2008, CNN reported that they could top the whole country, they could surpass the national suicide rate. You learn through slides what to look for, and hopefully how to prevent it.

I'm not saying Sparks overdosed, I don't know. I can't speak for what happened. He had told me once that he had "trouble" once before, and that was pretty much the extent of that conversation. We then talked about Dave Mustaine doing karate or some weird thing like that. His guitars can be seen at Roberto-Venn's website. Check it out, that school does some really great stuff. You may wanna try it yourself.


Sometimes it's harder to see the signs when you are around a person constantly. You may just shrug it off as mood swings or some other personal trait they have. It is extremely hard to see the signs when you are hundreds of miles away and you know you should keep in touch, but you figure you can do it tomorrow, next week, or maybe next month. I use to tell myself, "if they are going to do, there is no stopping them." That was my mentality, I was separating the part of your brain that should be caring. Suicide is a selfish act, done in a moment of what some may say is desperation. The person takes themselves away from everyone who knows them, cares for them, and loves them. Who knows what the trigger was that lit the match to the charges inside them. You can't ask them, they have removed themselves from the conversation.

Everyone knows there are numbers to call, websites to go to, churches, groups, and hospitals to walk to. I'm almost certain that most of the people who are contemplating suicide will actually take that step, that call, or type in that Google search. I'd like to say that things like this are very preventable and curable. But, I'm just not so sure anymore.

In Iraq, we heard a story about a soldier who was on a webcam with his wife who took his life with his service weapon. We heard stories, and actually had soldiers, who were on suicide watch. I think some just wanted to get away from the situation that we were in, being in Iraq and all. Some probably wanted too, and someone maybe had actually seen the signs.

Signs to look for: talking about suicide, seeking out lethal means, putting affairs in order, no hope for the future,self-destructive behavior, saying goodbye, focusing on death, and a sudden sense of calm. I got these all from http://www.helpguide.org/mental/suicide_prevention.htm. It explains them in more detail. You can check out, http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/ as well. There are tons of sights like these on the web.

I can't say I have ever helped anybody with suicidal thoughts, or that I stopped them from completing the task. But if you are reading this, and you have helped someone, make sure to check up on them. If you have a friend who is usually depressed for some strange reason, call them. You have 5 minutes to spare. If it is you that needs someone to talk to, you have the internet, probably facebook, a phone, twitter.... you have a way to talk to someone out there. Call anyone you haven't in a few days or weeks, chat with them, you'd be surprised by the way they greet you. There is someone out there who is thinking of you, missing you, worried about you, and probably people who love you.

https://www.save.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.viewPage&page_id=7049F2F1-C9C4-C392-588484F7906539D6&r=1

http://www.sprc.org/

I did less fact checking on this blog. I went mostly off of what I've seen, learned over the years. I don't know how to let the family and friends of Austin know that what little time I had spent with him, it did leave a lasting impression on me. I am sorry for this traumatic and unneeded loss. A bunch of the RV fall class of 2011-2012 will miss and remember him.

Take care of yourselves.

Tattoo Temple

City ink keeps tattoo shops out of Temple

Temple Texas Tattoo Advocacy Facebook Page

GO! 

Its another wonderful day in Texas, and I have decided to wait on another blog post I have been working on to bring up something. Tattoo shops in the town I grew up around are prohibited. Why? The city of Temple says its for the health of the citizens. The City Attorney says there is no health problem with illegal and home based tattoo shops. I'm a pretty boring kind of guy, I had a tattoo done in someones trailer house years ago. I think there might be a small problem and they are turning a blind eye to it.

The guy I met, Christopher, is working to change the ordinance and rules. He wants to open a shop in Temple, allow his art to be seen, express himself in his hometown, and be a small business owner in a community that is growing daily.

Here it goes.

I was meeting a friend for a drink or two. About 20 minutes later I met Christopher, or "Per". I overheard him talking about opening a shop here in Temple and the amount of trouble he was having with the ordinance and city officials here. He had a petition going around and he was looking for signatures. Granted, he was in a bar, but he was only giving information, and he wasn't actively going around asking people to sign papers and "join the cause." He was just talking to Dave. (Dave being the manager at the bar that I have worked at, and been a patron of for the better part of 12 years.) Chris was hoping to change the ordinance to allow him to open a shop, the first shop in Temple, he was discussing all the small details with Dave. I was "overhearing" the conversation.

So, as my friend was talking to some other dude, I spoke up to Chris and was able to get his attention. Tattoo artists, at least the few I have met, will talk about tattoo's with you. Do they enjoy answering questions and talking tattoo's? I'm not sure, but to me it's  like asking if you really wanna get into it about your job and have people begging for freebies all the time. I usually try and move the conversation to another subject and discuss pizza toppings. Chris asked about my sleeve, and then we just talked about what he was doing. He is passionate about what he does, and view's the tattoo as an art form. One that he enjoys and loves to learn more about everyday. So we only really talked about tattoo's, some music, and other art forms  briefly.

The main focus of our conversation was what he wanted to do. The perception that this small town, and I say small very loosely, has about tattoo's. We talked about him wanting to open a shop, what he was doing actively to get that to happen, and what he felt needed to be done. I gave some suggestions and was really hoping I could help him in any way I could. Hence this blog. I'm sure I could go and knock on doors, speak with other people, write city officials, state officials, etc. This will be my start, I have already posted the website to the advocacy group, Temple Tattoo, on my Facebook page. It links you to the petition, his brother's shop in San Marco, TX, and 2 or 3 other sights that are tattoo based. Check them all out. Sign the petition if you would like, no one is forcing you... yet. Just kidding, my blog is harmless so far.

Everyone has a story to tell

Within the last 20 or so years tattoo's have almost become almost normal. Wal-mart, truck stops, television shows have all embraced tattoo's like a long lost cousin. Years ago, tattoo's were only for criminals and the military. They were a way to rebel against THE MAN, your parents, the establishment, the ninjas that want fresh beautiful skin. But now having a tattoo is just like having a shirt. The main difference is that a tattoo can help start a conversation with a complete stranger, it can tell a story, express an emotion, or remind you of an experience that changed your life. It can also help you remember the ones you've loved, lost, and never want to forget.

Sailors and military members have always had a lust for the ink. I wear mine to show the bands and music that changed me, helped me hear the music, and to show how much I enjoy a good skull drawing. Many other military members will get a remembrance tattoo of a fallen comrade, a unit they were in, or all the units they were in. I have heard of Sailors getting tattoo's for each continent, country, state, province, or city they have visited. With each soldier, sailor and marine you could get numerous answers. Ask a veteran to see his or her tattoo. Then ask why they got it.

Don't get sick

Doing a little research sent me to this page, scroll to the bottom to see the Temple, Texas Ordinance on Tattoo shops. If you don't want to, it just says no one can have a tattoo shop in the city limits, and you can only tattoo if you are a doctor. When you scroll up the page it has sections on rats, rat proofing buildings, spitting on sidewalks, and venereal disease. Yes, tattoo's and rat proofing are very similar and should be treated very much the same. Rats were, for a very long time, considered the cause of the black plague. I'm not sure the tattoo can say the same thing though. Tattoo's when done by non-professionals, in a basement, or kitchen, using whatever equipment, can and will spread disease.

 "Sec. 16-109. Tattooing Prohibited.
 It shall be unlawful for any person within the city limits to operate a tattoo shop or 
engage in the practice or business of tattooing as a tattoo operator."

I do realize this page is the Health and Sanitation (ch.16) of Temple, TX ordinance and laws. Considering that, "Per" has seen, on the Temple Mall, a kiosk that has tattoo supplies for sale. But to whom are they selling these supplies to? The shops in Killeen aren't going to drive to Temple, (20-30 minutes), to buy from a kiosk. I'm sure the shop in Belton won't be doing that either. I don't trust buying anything from a kiosk, unless its one of those remote control helicopters or a calendar, and I definitely wouldn't buy needles from there. Maybe it's just the guns and motors, I will have to see for myself.

Most tattoo shops are very clean, almost to the point of what we think as hospital cleanliness. Minus the sick coughing children, and exorbitant bill that you receive when you leave, shops are almost hospital like. The artist has to have clean clothes, sterilized needles, you have to be clean! The area you will have tattooed will be cleaned and shaved, the artist will wash his or her hands and put on gloves or vice versa. I'm not a tattoo artist and it has been a year or two since I received my last tattoo. Then everything is covered in plastic wrap, or paper. That's right the chair you sit it, the pillow you put your arm or leg on, its all covered in plastic. Just like your grandparent's couch. Luckily for you, those needles they get are sterilized and they might even open them up in front of you. How cool is that?

Let me tell you something....

"Per" is a Central Texas native. His parents opened Big Fish Tattoo in Belton. For years it was always there, off of 190 just waiting for you to turn 18 and come in. His mother did my Van Halen tattoo a few years back. He has been tattooing now for 13 years. Working in San Marcos, San Antonio and Austin after 6 years in Belton, he has come back. He is a down to earth guy looking to become a small business owner in his hometown (or at least close to it).

"Per" has written letters to the City Council and Mayor. He has talked with YNN, which I provided the link for at the beginning. He is going about this in a very professional way. Temple is expanding, much like numerous other cities and towns on I-35. Austin has devoured Round Rock, soon it will be knocking at the doorsteps of Salado and Belton, until it is finally just Dallas to San Antonio all roadside Chili's, IHOP, truck stops, and outlet malls. With the expansion of I-35, it will allow for cities and towns to grow exponentially in a few short years.

What I would like to address to the Temple City Council is why would they open up the liquor sales in a once dry city/county, but not allow for tattoo's. The sales tax on liquor and wine is probably better, but with so many buildings that need a business why not allow a tattoo shop open up? If regulated shops are able to open, the shop could slow the amount of revenue going to Harker Heights and Killeen. No offense to those shops, but keeping it local could introduce new money and art into the community. That is just one small aspect of what I could see.

What about the perception, the looks

I can only speak from my experience, and stories from friends. 

Yes, years ago the only people who had tattoo's were in gangs, were criminals, or ex-military. But now we have grandmother's, grandfathers, and very well-to do individuals getting tattoo's. My sleeve barely gets noticed. 20 years ago, I would be looked at as something completely offensive and evil. No one will come up to me and tell me how they think what I have on my skin is offensive, they come up and ask where I got my work done. Who did it? Did it hurt? 

The city of Temple is much like every other "small" Texas town, lots of churches and plenty of elders. I'm not against the churches or the elders. We do have a small junior college, a VA that serves many Veterans, and plenty of open minded people. Hell, 12 years ago when I was bar-tending only 3 bars were fully stocked. You had to join and pay for a special card to become a member of "the club". It was ridiculous, but it was what it was. 

Minus the missed opportunities in tax revenue, the discrimination of the city, and the lack of forward thinking, I believe with enough people signing the petition and standing behind changing this ordinance. 

Don't you ever ....

Don't get a girlfriend, boyfriend, husband, wife, or special someones name. 

DO

Research what you really want. Talk to the artist and discuss what you want. This is permanent, and they will let you know that if you come in undecided. Enjoy the art, help out the artist, TIP! and watch out for those bedroom, kitchen, and garage ink slingers.

Now go and sign the petition please.

http://templetattoo.info/

Its not that bad.

Another topic that's been hot and heavy lately is Gay Marriage. Some are opposed to the thought of same sex marriage. And some people aren't. We need to consider divorce, abortions, adoptions, and the family unit. And how this will affect the "normal" family. And what, if anything, will happen to your family and your values. 

The divorce rate in America according to www.divorcerate.org/, for 2012 puts America at number 6 at 3.4 per 1,000 people. Or roughly 50% of first marriages fail, and 67% of second marriages fail. Hell, I've been married and divorced twice. I'm afraid of any kind of commitment to anyone now. What if I make another mistake, what if the woman I marry decides she needs to spend all the money we have, or if we have children can we raise them together? Everyone should know that marriage is basically a transaction. It is a business, a bond, a contract between two people understanding that they will be tied together for life,or a number of years to help and stand beside each other. What you do affects the other person, and what they do affects you. I didn't learn this, but I understand it now.

"Divorce rates all across the globe have been rising rapidly owing to certain problems like incompatibility between couples, infidelity issues, lack of trust and understanding, and financial pressures. It is sad to observe that the rising divorce rates across the world and see marriages breaking." (divorcerate.org) 

The two prominent arguments against gay marriage are: a gay family will only have two mommy's or two daddy's and that will be detrimental to a child. Or that marriage is a holy union between a man and a woman in the eyes of the Lord. When you get married in a church it is, "in the eyes of the Lord and congregation." When you marry elsewhere it is in the eyes of the state. It is a ceremony to let people know that you have decided you are done looking, dating, and searching for that someone to spend the rest of your life with. 

The union, or marriage can be done by someone who can officiate you legally. Or, in California you can have someone pay a small fee to be a Deputy commissioner of marriage for one day. The license you pay for is signed and sent to a state department to be put away in a file. You keep you at your house, in your wallet or purse, or you can frame the paper. It is used to let people know that legally you are together. 

Divorcing is a dissolution of the contract of marriage. It's another piece of paper that voids the marriage contract. That's right, another contract to end a contract. It goes pretty easily if the two parties decide on who gets what. Money, children, financial burdens(debt), usually gets in the way of being easy. Money is one thing, you can make more, financial burdens leave one person drowning in debt for months or years, and children get a new look at how they see the parental units. 

My parents divorced when I was one. My mom remarried, they got divorced. She remarried and they have been together for close to 20 years now. I witness first hand what  it was like to be that child. My brother and I looked to her for what we needed. She worked, helped with homework, provided everything we needed, and made time for us. Having to dedicate time to another human being dependent on you is a hard thing. People work, have relationships, need alone time, and sometimes need rest. Some single people can barely make time for family and friends. A single parent without the help of the other parent is pushed to the brink of going insane in a matter of minutes. My brother and I tried with our mom!

What about those children, the ones left behind by one parent, or even both parents. The marriage has dissolved into a bickering, childish display of," look who I am screwing" or "look how well I am doing without you." The child, or children, who at one point had both parents constantly with them, sees this and will think this is normal and when they do have a relationship it falls to pieces as well. But, what if the child grew up with two people who loved them and spent time with them? Had dinners with them, helped with homework, was there for the big moments in life? What if? There are too many scenario's to play out. We have children with horrible parents or living in a shelter who need a loving family.

I'm not saying single parents can't be the only parent, its been going on for years. But having two parents does relieve some of the pressure. I don't have kids, I can only say what I have seen and heard from relatives and family. My upbringing is one thing, I was on the child side. Most single parents are the hardest working people I know. 

Abortions are brought up in just about every argument these days, so I might as well bring this up.  If you haven't read Freakonomics you should, www.freakonomics.com/. The author uses math and statistic to look into problems of the USA. Abortions and crime statistics are one of the area's they looked into. I'm not too concerned about the crime statistics. I am about the abortions." Nearly half of all pregnancies among American women are unintended, and 4 in 10 of these are terminated by abortion. 22% of all pregnancies end in abortion."(www.womenscenter.com). I will not tell a woman what she should do with her body. And I did not look into what the reason for the abortion was. 

22% is a large number, if you consider the female population of America is almost 160 million. That is 35 million women getting an abortion! But what if half of that 35 million didn't go through with it, and gay marriage was legal? The children who are unwanted now have a chance to be adopted and put into a home with a couple who are in love and married. The child would have an advantage of having two people who cared and were honestly worried about them. We would still have a problem with bedtime, teeth brushing, and room cleanliness. 

Should gay and lesbian couples be allowed to marry? I don't have to make that decision. I have plenty of gay and lesbian friends, and would honestly like to see them able to get the "benefits" of being married. The ability to use the better insurance plans, the tax advantages, the ability to make a health decision for the other person. I know they would be good parents. They would have a set of values that they teach their children. And hopefully those values are honest and good values. To treat people with respect, dignity and honesty. 

If I have a family and I don't approve of gays and lesbians and what they do, I need my family to understand why. If it is because of religious views, then by all means I will teach it. But, I have to be mindful, if I teach hate and disgust it will be learned and passed on. It might not stick with them forever, but they will dispense your hate and disgust until they form a view of the world around them and what they will or will not accept. 

Gays and lesbians are not threatening families, they want to have families. They want to be able to have rings and ceremonies. They want to work all day, come home, make dinner and bitch about the neighbors yard and why the grass is so high. They want to be able to call the insurance company and ask to add another person, and then pass out from the price hike. They want to be able to look at the bank statement and fight over who spent too much money on a shopping trip. Everything that goes on in a "normal" marriage.

That's about all I want to write about this. I tried to think of reasons why they should not marry, but other than church and religion. I got nothing. If you feel the need to message me or send me hate mail, thank you. I will read it and hopefully try better next time.

GO!

Watch this Bill Burr video

New House

Hello all! Sorry for the delay in blogging. I've been working, going to school and buying my first house. It seems to take up most of my time doing those three things. I did enjoy the feeling of signing my name numerous times though. Now to get the feeling of bills down. And not just regular bills. I'm talking about the bills that come out of nowhere. Things you have to have. Trash service, lawn care and maintenance, house maintenance, updates and upgrades to my new-old domicile.

So the house thing. I've calculated it up before, how many times I've moved in my life, and it wasn't pretty. About half of those times were when I was younger and my parents took all of the financial burden. But the past few years it was on me. I did live with roommates for a hot minute. And I did live in Iraq for a while. Besides those times, I've moved about a dozen or so times on my own. Moving sucks. A new place is great, it holds new possibilities and new roads to wander down. But when you rent, you are paying another person's mortgage, you throw away cash on down payments, and you can't make it your own. You can paint the walls, but when you leave they need to be back to the original color. You can't extend or expand on the house, the flooring stays the same, and the appliances are usually hideous. You take it as is, for a lack of better wording.

The house I bought is a 3 bedroom, 2 bath, a 2 car garage with a huge yard and bad ass back patio. I have a fireplace in the living room and one on my back porch. What?? Yes on my back porch. I'm close to a lake, I've got places to put things, and finally a place to stay at for years and years without having to worry about when I will have to move or where I will move to.

The downside to this.... I had a termite infestation. The living room had this ugly dark brown, wood paneling around the walls. I decided to take it off, and that's when I found the trails. There was drywall up, but the termites had eaten most of the paper from the drywall. They tunnel through concrete and then the gypsum to get to the wood, paper or whatever they want to eat. My heart sank to the bottom of my gut! I did some research and found it usually cost around 10 grand to have this stuff repaired. That was the average people had paid to remove insulation, drywall and framing. Luckily I found a good contractor who is taking care of all the little bastards destruction for a fraction of the "average". Plus I am doing some work as well. Might as well get my "diy" going. I'm hoping in 30 years this place looks awesome. I'll be 63 by that time and will need a place to just come home, relax, and then complain about the world to my neighbors.

There are other downsides, like the amount of bills I pay, grocery shopping, cleaning....etc. But at the end of the day, its mine and I can do what I want to it. If I want to paint the whole house blue and yellow, I can. But, I worry about resale value. So I am making an effort into what should go in the house, and what I would like in a home. I have to feel comfortable and know that at any time someone can come over and feel comfortable. They don't need to live there, just come by and say, "yes, I can crash on this couch and not have to be drunk to do so." What makes you comfy and what makes me comfy may be totally different, but that is okay.

So far I have decided that my living room will have hardwood flooring, a new ceiling fan, a pass through to the kitchen, and a new fan. Colors...... I haven't decided yet. The kitchen, bathrooms, and closets will all have makeovers. The bedrooms will get some new carpet and paint. That's about it for the inside. I plan on adding a privacy fence, metal roof, some landscaping, and maybe 4 goats. Nah, probably not goats, maybe a dog.

GO!

Being a Veteran....

I usually read the news at work, during my breaks, at lunch or during a lull in my workload. Today I was reading a Yahoo News report on the NRA press conference. I know it was dumb of me to read anything from yahoo, but I like to read the comments. As i finished the article and moved on to the comments I was ready for the idiotic responses by numerous people. Just like the comments from the presidential election, these were less idiotic.

I did come across quite a few people who said there should be an armed guard or two at the schools. And some who were against it. I then read from a commenter that they didn't think a Veteran should be allowed around children because of PTSD and the soldier going crazy. Someone even likened a veteran doing security at a school to having Rambo around children.

It got worse as I read on. There were people who assumed all soldiers are prone to kill because of being deployed. They assumed that because soldiers have had to fight for their lives that they were somehow unstable and mentally incapable of protecting a child.

I'm for gun owners rights, I'm for having an AR-15 if you want. I don't know of anyone who has a "military grade" weapon. But in the past few years I have heard of quite a few people hunting with an AR type of gun. Does that make them crazy? Or does it make them prone to go and shoot up a public place? I don't think so, but that is just my opinion.

But back to my thoughts on being a Veteran. Prejudice towards veterans, the civilian's who swore to an oath to protect the Constitution from all enemy's foreign and domestic; who knew what would happen if sent to Iraq or Afghanistan; who train on a weekly, if not daily basis for numerous types of scenario's, are all prone to going "crazy". I was upset, just disgusted with those Americans who have lumped so many into that stereotype.

Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines.... almost every single member of the Armed forces joined up to better themselves, to make a difference, to challenge themselves. They wore a uniform that only few get to wear. The ones who served many years ago and were drafted in wars they did not believe in, served the USA.

I didn't love every minute I was in the Army, I didn't enjoy doing all of the training. I did love the guys I stood by in formation. I did enjoy working on a helicopter. I still to this day feel like I made a difference in someones life. I may not have been the epitome of the "GI Joe" type of soldier, but I did take the step and served.

To say that veterans can't protect children, or that they shouldn't be allowed around schools....... Maybe then those people who have those thoughts should look around at the neighbor's they have. In almost every community there is a veteran. Someone who has served with honor and dignity. They may have done it for college money, for a chance to do something bigger than themselves, they may have felt they needed to change, they may have done it because it was either the military or jail. Whatever the reason, not every veteran was drenched in blood, reborn in a gunfight or mortar attack, or so traumatized from deploying that they should now be deemed insane.

At any point the military may have up to 5% of the population of the US. The Marines may fight with the Sailors, the soldiers may yell at the Airmen... but we all have each other to care for and take care of in battle. There is more compassion in a Veteran than there is in anyone of these hateful people.

Many of these veteran's that the NRA proposed could volunteer to secure the schools have children and want them to be safe. Don't count them out, don't assume to know anything about the military unless you served.

I am just one veteran, there are many more just like me. I do not have PTSD, I do feel I can give back to my community and would be more than happy to stand guard at a school so the children felt safe and the parents knew someone with better training than the average rent-a-cop, was there to protect them.

We don't have to allow guns inside the halls, or in the classrooms. We don't even have to have them at the schools. But having a Veteran at a school., who has training, and a pride in them to do what is right..... that could deter a person from another tragedy.

Here is the link......... my rant just kind of went on about being a veteran.

http://news.yahoo.com/nra-calls-armed-police-officer-every-school-162851713.html

And a transcript of the NRA press conference. Some of it I agree with, but not all.

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/National_Rifle_Association_press_conference_transcript.html

School, the Government, and some rocks!

Its Hump Day. Apparently some sort of camel, or a hill will be prevalent today. I'm not sure yet. It is Wednesday and I am going on 2 plus weeks of no work to do. So I have plenty of time to blog, read lots of articles on news websites, and my college books.

On Monday I started my 3 set of 8 week courses at Central Texas College. I'm taking physical geology, government 2, and statistics. Statistics start in another week or so, its online so it will all be on my own time. Government seems to be fun, geology alot funner. I'm just hoping I can get into a school to complete a full on bachelors degree.

I am not well versed in politics, as most Americans today are not. We see the candidates on television damning each other. We hear the ads on the radio whispering to us to vote correctly. We hear the CNN's, the FOX news, and the MSNBC's tell us who is right and wrong. The "experts" give us information/opinions on what should and should not be done for the candidates to win the Presidency. We are charged as normal citizens to pick and choose the candidate we feel most likely to represent us. But its the electoral college that does that. We just go in and do a vote just in case. I guess in a way the popular vote counts by telling our congressman and women, and senators who the people like. I'm still unclear as to how the whole process works.

And that is why I am taking government 2! Government 1 was a great class. I learned that no matter how many times I would read something, none of it made any sense at all. People explain things to me, and the next day I completely forget. I have retained some information though. I know to win a congressional seat you need to spend in excess of 1 million dollars. To become a senator you need to spend about 2 million. The spending does not mean you will win, it just means you have a good chance of winning.

Either way, the government should focus on what the people want, working in the confines of the Constitution, and they should realize they are working for the public(not lobbyists).

Geology- By far the most exciting class for me(at least I hope it is). Rocks, minerals, dirt, sand, erosion, human interaction, planetary buildup......... Environmental studies! On paper and most of the book is boring as hell. The pictures in the book look really neat. I need to know and understand the processes of the Earth. I actually enjoy knowing how the Earth works. Not the world, the Earth. The world is a complicated mess or governments, terrorists, idealists, and people who just want to live with limited interaction from crazy people.

The geology class is full of people. I think the teacher said 39?? It is a required class, but damn! The building barely has A/C now, and all those people in one room make it even hotter. Most of them are mouth breathers- this equates to 5 to 10 degrees added to the room temperature over 30 minutes. Add in the Texas heat making people sweat and you have the most horrendous, foul smelling room. I tolerate it by thinking of South Korea or Iraq "honey-suckers". Its a good class though, and the teacher is pretty rad.

In conclusion, government is important. The Earth is cool. And I'm bored at work yet again.

Everyone should look at Ron Paul, or Gary Johnson(not sure if he is still running). I don't agree with all of Ron Paul's ideas or Johnson either. But I do know Obama is not helping America by giving handouts. Romney is unsure of himself. And this Ryan fellow that Romney picked may beat up Romney at some point. At some point the best we can do is pick a President via shortest straw.

Why did I do that? And new ideas to change the worlds mind about .......

As the 5 of you who read my amazing blog know I have started doing Insanity. Yes the infomercial workout sensation that beckons you to lose weight by spending a nice, crisp 100 dollar bill. Why did I choose this one? What am I doing about the loss of 100 dollars? And does it work?

First off I chose this one because the "host" or "trainer" Shaun T. looked and sounded as though he wanted me to choose this one. And my brother and I chose it together. You don't need oodles of gear like P90X. No gym membership. And once you start, the moves are easy to remember.

I don't look at me losing the money. I look at it as losing weight. Having to catch my breath from walking to and from places, just isn't cool. Having to see myself in the mirror each day, huge gut and all, was not appealing to me. And I felt horrible.

Insanity totally works, but you have to put in the effort. Of course anything will work if you put in the effort. I just like Insanity because Shaun T. makes me feel like he is right there with me. Of course I know he isn't.

I'm slowly losing the weight, gaining self confidence, and rethinking my habits. Namely drinking and smoking. I like a cold beer and jager-bombs. I like to smoke. I really like to smoke alot. But neither one of those things actually make me feel better. The drinking does to a point, but the I pass out and wake up with a hangover and I feel like crap. I smell bad, because I start sweating out the barley, hops, and whatever else they decided to put in the beer mixture.

Smoking only causes me to smell even better!(sarcastically said while inhaling on a camel blue) Its a cool look for me... If I was Don Draper. But, I am no Don Draper. I cannot sale ketchup popsicles to a woman with white gloves. And I damn sure can't have a scotch at work. Plus, I look horrible in suits.

I'm really bored at work so I decided to write this.

As I'm looking back on what I have written, its almost as if I am trying to convince myself that I need to stop these things. Will I? One day I am hoping to stop smoking. I think I will keep the beer just in case. Maybe no more jager-bombs for a bit.