Driver, Hold up right here.

I went back to look at how much I've changed in the last dozen years or so since I started doing this. One of My first posts was "Load Sabot, Driver Move Out."  I'll save you the click, because I'm going to repost it in its entirety, and highlight some changes I've made over the years.  Because I enjoy color blindness, (and my code monkey is on a self-imposed hiatus--I really am sorry, and wish you'd come get some bananas) all of my up-to-date commentary will be highlighted thusly:

This is my first attempt at blogging. (Technically still my first attempt, as I've made no other attempts.)

I start by saying that because I have been lurking around many blogs for a while, and posting to comments on articles that I wanted to weigh in on. I finally came to the realization that I needed a place to post my own opinions, a place where friends could stop by when they wanted to and see what I was thinking about certain topics. 

Hell, it's better than screaming at the news. It makes the people in the chow hall think I'm kinda crazy. I sometimes tend not to agree with established institutions, but I am in a position where I am a cog in that same machine.  I'm not a cog in any machine anymore!  The gloves are off!

But that isn't the only reason I write. My beleaguered wife certainly doesn't need to listen to me ranting from 12,000 miles away. It tends to make for big phone bills, and I'd rather not spend the money to vent on someone who a) doesn't deserve it b) usually agrees, and c) has enough of her own troubles raising the kids and getting her masters degree (almost done and still carrying a 4.0--she's smarter than me, but doesn't believe it) without me dumping on her. She kept the 4.0, and is a MSW now!

So what will you see here? A person is usually judged by the company he keeps. Me, I read Kim Du Toit (no longer up) daily, and when I have time, I read longer submissions from Eject!Eject!Eject! (no longer up) and for a little Brit Humor, Chase Me Ladies, I'm in the Cavalry. (Still funny) Most of the folks they link to are pretty good reading. 

Things I'll generally rant on: 
The US Constitution. (My interpretation, also known as In My World) 
Main Stream Media.
Things that piss me off not included in #1 and #2 
Other topics of discussion are basically anything I see fit to waste electrons on. 

Ground rules. (Mostly no change.  comments should still work, I can do formatting and editing of text, I still misspell from time to time.) 
I will open up comments as soon as I figure out how. I built my first computer before al whore gore invented "teh intraweb", and was out of school before anyone figured out how HTML was supposed to work, so HTML isn't a skill set I have. I can sometimes read it, especially when looking for something specific. Like how to do strikethroughs. (I just read your source code Kim, Thanks!)

When I am pissed, I type fast. When I am busy, I don't edit. I seldom polish writing to make it better, much to the chagrin of English professors at every institution I've attended. Bottom line, I don't care if misspelled words are your cause celibre. I don't care if I spelled that wrong or missed an accent here or there. (Hell it's French anyway, so who gives a rat’s ass?)

I curse.Like a drunken sailor with a horrid case of touretts. My mom is okay with that, but I never use the "F" word around her, and I just don't use the "C" word (not clinton. The other one.) If cursing bothers you, get over it or go away.  (no change) 

I hate most of the people I know, and for some reason I tend to attract weirdo’s. I'm talking about the people you see in wal-mart that you keep in the corner of your eye like a circus freak or a car accident. These people come up to me and strike up conversations. I am polite and talk to them, while my head screams "GO AWAY! Why are you talking to me! I don't know you!" If this particular attribute carries over into the ether, then I am sure that comments will get interesting. (no change) 

Finally, for those of you who are curious, a bit about me that I haven't covered.
Family: 
1 each: Wife, Son, and Daughter. She's my love, He's my pride, and my baby girl is my heart. I you ever say anything bad about them I will hunt you down and kill you. (I will ridicule you and otherwise dedicate my copious free time to creatively causing you trouble)  If you ever hurt them, I will hunt you down and make a career out of seeing you languish in pain. Take heed, all you aforementioned weirdo’s.  (no change) 
Job: 
 (Retired) Army Officer. Company Commander. Deployed to Iraq. Been doing this for 15 years.   (did it for 22 years) Unashamedly Patriotic American.
Core Values:
Service to the Nation is second to service to God. The family comes first in my heart, but the Nation comes first because it says it does. (Corrollary: The Army is for Thirty, the family is forever.

States rights vs. Federal Rights:
Usually, Federal Authority. Except for the death penalty (Yay Texas) and Queer Marriages (Boo New England).  (I honestly don't care about gay marriage.  I just hope people who find love can be happy and have access to the same rights as any other American.) If left to their own devices, schools in Kansas would still be segregated, and hicks southerners would still own slaves.

Homosexuality: 
Is a sin. Period. (It's my dogma, my religion, my belief. Don't try to change my mind.) It doesn't mean that I think less of gay people or wouldn't associate with them, I just don't agree with their lifestyle choice/genetic code.) I don't care what you do in your bedroom. As long as you keep it in your bedroom.   (See above.  Believe it or not, what changed my mind was having kids.  If one of them came to me and said they were gay, I wouldn't love them any less.  I would still want them to be happy and successfull.  I wouldn't stand for anyone treating them differently because of their sexual preferences.  I've never met a heterosexual who could tell me exactly when they chose to love the opposite gender, I certainly can't remember when I did, I just did.  There are so many important things to work on in this country that sexuality doesn't even register anymore.

That being said, there are two genders.  (It's all in the chromosome pairs, baby!) I don't care if you identify as LBGTQWERTY, or as a whatever-kin.  Be happy, I applaud your lifestyle as long as it doesn't negatively affect anyone else's.

Abortion: A woman's body is hers, and she can do with it as she pleases. As long as I don't have to pay for it. Once born, it’s a baby. If you believe otherwise, then you have to accept that every fertilized egg that doesn’t attach to a uterus is a baby, and you have to start buying tinier and tinier caskets.   (no change) 

Social Programs: 
As long as I don't have to pay for it. (no change) 

Extended Family: 
Dad was a vet, served as long as he could until cancer caused by Agent Orange took him when I was 24. He gave me his (sometimes morbid, sometimes gallows, but always funny) sense of humor. It is the greatest gift he had, and the thing I use every day to cope. Dad fought for 15 years after he retired from the Army (and for 10 years while still in) with cancer, and he never gave up. I miss him every day.  (no change) 

Mom: 

The Family Prankster. If Dad gave me his sense of Humor, mom taught me everything else (except how to swear, I learned that from Dad, working in the shop.) Mom taught me that there is little else in this world funnier than a practical joke well played, especially when the victim(s) blame someone else. She taught me how to cook, how to sew, how to treat ladies (BTW, not all women are ladies, but you should treat them all that way until they prove otherwise.) And most importantly, like Shaddrack, Meeshack, an Abendigo, to "Do and Remember what you learned at Home."  (no change) 
My Sister: 
 (Was) Is in the USAF but I won't hold that against her (honestly, it proves she's smarter than I am. She's never had to sleep with her head in the mud.) Actually, I really love my sister, I just don't get to see her very often and we argue over who gets to keep Wondermom (TM). Sis has 3 kids (2 nephews and a niece for me!) and one  (Abusive, piece of shit Ex-) Husband, which, I suppose, makes a total of four kids. Between Her, Her Hubby, and me, Wondermom is a triple-blue-star-mom.

Other relatives: My Uncle Bob is my surrogate Dad, of sorts. He's at the Army Sergeants Major Academy. (I'm the first officer in my family, my wife is the second, but she's no longer in). (Retired) 
My Father in law: 
I call him Dad and seek his advice on many things. He asks for my spin on many world events, and he gets, as you will, my opinion. We may not agree, but we don't argue, either. (no change) 
My Mother in Law: 
I actually get along great with the Mom-in-Law. She doesn't always get my sense of humor, but she puts up with my antics anyway. (no change) 

Enough about the Famn Damily.

When I am not doing the green suiter (well, currently brown suiter) thing, I raise kids, brew and keg my own beer, and do yard work. The boy is getting to the age where the fishing and shooting are going to become his hobbies, as soon as the Mrs. will let me get him to the range.   (Lots of change.  The boy and I hunt--deer, rabbit, turkey, armadillo, and eventually hogs; the daughter hunts too, but not as much.  I still do tons of yardwork, but it's on land I OWN, not in Army Housing.  I will get back to brewing someday, but these days I shoot, hunt, reload, build, play with dogs, and otherwise get creative with my time.) 

That’s about all I have to say for now. I figure I should set up the rest of this blog before I write too much more.