Older Folks and Vaping Back Porch - Part Four

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MikeE3

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A morning chuckle.

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oops! Didn't realize the pic was going to be so big
 

oldbroad

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I was roller skating, hit a tiny piece of well-chewed gum, went down, broke a wrist....left the rink, went pool playing for a few hours.. noticed after a few hours that my wrist was swollen all around my watch...took off my watch...cuz I was winnin'....
 

DancingHeretik

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Wonderful (sometimes) that you can take things so many ways.

'I had a good poop today.'

If true, congrats. If not, sorry.

But, shared? Funny to talk potty talk, funny to talk randomly, funny commentary on growing old? Or, maybe just enthusiasm from relief. o_O
 

DancingHeretik

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Why do they keep moving the 'Watched Threads' link? Bad enough that it's not always in the same place depending on which type of page that you're on. But, for the last day, they moved it into the last position on my menu, the very bottom selection when you hover over the '...' at the end of the inline menu. Then, just now it moved back into second place. It used to always be first until a few days or so ago.

Just pick a spot, and leave it there, ECF!!!
 

Uncle Willie

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"I, do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God."

Although the memory bank is not what it used to be, I'm still fairly certain that since Thread One, I have posted some sort of commentary/thoughts/ramble on Veterans Day .. and today, since we have new folks since last year and maybe one or two that have found their way back, this may be new to them .. you long timers have likely seen this in one form or another in the past, so my apology for re-visiting ... and, although I talk about myself, it's really not about me .. my story mirrors many ..

I went thru Basic Training at Ft Polk, Louisiana during a hot and humid August and September (years later, I came to know that's the norm that time of year) .. I was a volunteer, having come from a background of three previous generations that served .. my Drill Sergeant was a thin, wiry man, composed of stale beef jerky and twice as tough .. his job was to teach us to survive, work together and maintain discipline and honor .. no matter how much PT we did, beginning before the crack of dawn, no matter how hot and humid it was, I don't think I ever saw him break a sweat as he called cadence (jody call) and worked out right along beside us ..

Being a volunteer allowed a bit more flexibility than being a draftee, and I had hoped to be a Combat Medic, and, my hope came true, next spending my AIT at Ft Sam Houston, back to my old stomping grounds ..

With great luck, I then won an all expense paid one year sojourne in South Vietnam, 4th Infantry Division, Pleiku Province, Central Highlands, Camp Holloway .. and, to paraphrase Shakespeare "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times" .. when I enlisted, this "free trip" was an inevitability, and I knew it, going in with eyes wide open ..

When I rotated back to "The World", those that had served were the targets of much anger over the War .. and, in retrospect, I suppose, justifiable in a way .. the soldier provided a concrete, human form with which to vilify .. not like a nebulous, unseen politician or bureaucrat .. those that ostracized us in those long ago years, I have come to grips with and let go, long ago ..

For a time, after I returned Stateside, it was a very dark period for me .. I felt outside of the flow of society and probably suffered from an acute case of PTSD, ending up self medicating through the heavy use of alcohol and drugs .. there was not much in the way of support for us back then and I just wanted the mental pain to go away, no matter if just for a short time and no matter what it took ..

The bonds that I formed with my Brothers in my Platoon lasted thru my lifetime .. I, sadly, saw some pass before returning Home, leaving their blood in the dirt in this far away land .. others that have commited suicide along the way, gone homeless, lost relationships, died at a relatively young age to the exposure we had to various things .. it's not an uncommon story and is still with many of the soldiers of today .. the soldier shares a commonality with other soldiers, no matter the time, no matter the place .. last year, as I have done before, I took advantage of Applebee's generous offer for a free dinner, not really because it was free, but to be among a large group of Patriots that range in age from at least the Korean War up thru Iraq and Afganistan .. and we talk, and we share, and we have a brief, temporary Community .. a Mess Hall, if you will .. (of course, I leave a generous tip)

When I visited "The Wall" in DC .. I knelt down and silent tears streamed from my eyes .. looking at the names and the flowers and mementos visitors had left .. an old Vet walked over and put his hand on my shoulder, not saying a word .. I suppose that pilgramage gave me some degree of closure in knowing that we were honored, eventually, and that the Nation wanted to thank us .. even though I was not really looking for thanks, I think respect was what I had yearned for in those days long gone .. in fact, likely feeling almost ashamed to have served ..

At any rate, the purpose of this post is to say, I am proud, glad and gratified to see that now, our Men and Women that serve get the respect they have earned thru their service these days .. we, as a Nation, although divided in so many ways, can agree on this .. because it is the sacrifice, the giving of the ultimate price, the willingness to take that oath and mean it, that allows us to continue to have the ability to speak freely, live freely and work to improve our own destiny .. for all the back and forth that goes on between one thing and the next, in many cases minor trivialities that divide us .. and as cornball as it sounds, I am proud of my Country and I am proud of my Service and I always will be .. although "A More Perfect Union" may not have yet been fully realized, I hold fast to the belief that we keep trying ..

I'm going to throw up a few musical selections, not necessarily of a Patriotic theme this year, but more based on how my heart leans this Veterans Day, 2015 .. and, in closing, I would very much like to encourage my Fellow Brothers in Arms here today, to post a remembrance / story from the days you served as well as your affiliation / unit / etc .. and, most importantly of all, Thank You for Your Service ..

Salute ..


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Uncle Willie

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Too much sharing ... some things are better left unsaid ... maybe after all some topics are 'off topic' for the back porch. :rolleyes:

At least no one posted pictures. :D

I find the revelation that Dennis had a satisfactory bowel movement yesterday to be as interesting a factoid as "poop walks" and deserves just as much attention and respect .. :p .. after all, have we not had lengthy discussions on the benefits of a high fiber diet, etc .. ?? ;)
 

MikeE3

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Why do they keep moving the 'Watched Threads' link? Bad enough that it's not always in the same place depending on which type of page that you're on. But, for the last day, they moved it into the last position on my menu, the very bottom selection when you hover over the '...' at the end of the inline menu. Then, just now it moved back into second place. It used to always be first until a few days or so ago.

Just pick a spot, and leave it there, ECF!!!

Mine's been rock solid where its always been.

That said ... have you been changing the size of your browser window. If not 'stretched' to show all the links at the top of the page. It will/may be in different positions.
 
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