blackstoneca

Now over 75 watchers...

No more pencils, no more books, no more teachers' dirty looks!

MBA finished with GPA of 3.5.   That is a a full point above my undergrad GPA.  It is also opening doors with two interview requests.  Wish me luck!

As a veteran I do admit to regarding Memorial Day with some mixed feelings.   On the one hand it is with deep respect, as I personally knew a causality of combat, Captain Eric Daas, USAF.  We once served together in the 3rd Air Expeditionary Wing.  On the other side is the base commercialism which the holiday has become.  To most in the United States it is a three (or 4 day if businesses give the Friday before off as well) weekend, a mini vacation, a chance to sell everything from hamburgers and hotdogs to new cars at discounted rates.  I might be in the minority here, but I would love if near all businesses shut down, to stop everything, and to take the day, or even an hour, to pay profound respect and perhaps a bit of grief, to the few who gave so much to so many, like Captain Daas did.

"You may have noticed the small table set for one that is off on its own - it is reserved to honor our fallen comrades in arms. This symbolizes that they are with us, here in spirit. We should never forget the brave men and women who answered our nation's call [to serve] and served the cause of freedom in a special way. We are ever mindful that the sweetness of enduring peace has always been tainted by the bitterness of personal sacrifice. We are compelled to never forget that while we enjoy our daily pleasures, there are others who have endured the agonies of pain, deprivation and death.

I would like to explain the meaning of the items on this special table.

• The table is round - to show our everlasting concern for our fallen comrades.
• The tablecloth is white - symbolizing the purity of their motives when answering the call to duty.
• The single red rose, displayed in a vase, reminds us of the life of each of our fallen comrades, and the loved ones and friends of these comrades who keep the faith.
• The vase is tied with a red ribbon, symbol of our continued determination to remember our fallen comrades.
• A slice of lemon on the bread plate is to remind us of the bitter fate of those who will never return.
• A pinch of salt symbolizes the tears endured by the families of those who have sacrificed all.
• The Holy Book represents the strength gained through faith to sustain those lost from our country.
• The glass is inverted, they cannot toast with us at this time.
• The chair is empty because they are no longer with us.

Let us remember - and never forget their sacrifice.

May they and their families ever be watched over and protected."

*Raises a glass of water*

"To our departed comrades."

*takes a sip of water, and places the glass down*

A grateful nation and comrade thanks you, and long may you be remembered.

While it is not much for many accounts on here of DA, for me whose work is primarily literature, it is a big deal indeed.

The deviation in question is this:  My Daredevil character in the Avenger's Next project on my page.   The model and artwork is done by the very skilled and talented www.deviantart.com/tiangtam who graciously allowed me to use the image to pair with the backstory for my Avenger's Next Project.   Please check out their stunning work and for my watchers and fans out there, I thank you.

As to like update,I am going to say I am in a resistant diabetic and while I know about the disease and what it can do to me, really dislike it takes away one of the few joys in life which for me is food.   However after the third trip to the hospital since the start of the new year, and the scare this last time where there was an infection in me going after my kidneys, changes have to be made, even if it is to get all of the preachy, know it it all snobbery medical professionals get.   I do not think they know how condescending they are when doing so, and so does not endear me to them, or to be willing to go to them.  It was the wife who pushed me a week before last which put me in the hospital, I sure as hell did not want to go.   My approach from here on out is to cut them off at the knees when they start to get preaching and condescending, and tell them to skip to the part of where we go from here.