Displaced Sooner

M1 Garand

2010-01-15T09:36:00.000-08:00

The man in the Big Brown Truck just made my day. I placed the order with AIM on Tuesday and the rifle was delivered this morning. I'll try to let the photos do the talking.

The rifle arrived in the usual brown box, but I was surprised to find out that AIM had included a Plano Gun Guard case:

I opened the case and the first thing that hit me besides the look of the rifle was the smell of oil from the stock. My nose can't tell the difference between BLO and Tung Oil but it was a pleasant smell nonetheless. All the metal has been freshly parkerized, the barrel, gas cylinder, and stacking swivel has a nice deep blueing. This thing looks brand new. Note that the stock appears slightly more red than reality in the photos due to the incandescent lighting in my kitchen.

I was also surprised to find two like new En Bloc clips as the sales rep had indicated that the didn't ship with accessories. Also included in the case was an M1 Manual from the CMP and a warranty from James River Armory. I guess we now know who is assembling these rifles for AIM.

I've obscured the last few digits of the S/N but its a Springfield Armory receiver with a S/N of 2,139,xxx indicates that the receiver was likely manufactured in early Nov 1943.

I'll try to go shoot it on MLK day and come back with a range report. Based on what I've seen so far, I would highly recommend the AIM Garands

Reloading for the M1 Garand

2010-01-14T18:42:00.000-08:00

I recently ordered an M1 Garand from Aim Surplus. The man in the Brown truck should be dropping it off tomorrow. The M1 is chambered in .30-06, however, the M1 cannot be used with modern, commercial .30-06 ammunition because of excess pressure will cause the operating rod to recoil to harshly which will eventually damage the rifle. There are three workarounds:

1. Use surplus ammo. (CMP is currently out of stock)
2. Use an adjustable gas plug and shoot commercial .30-06
3. Reload your own ammo using load data that closely matches the GI M2 Ball Round pressure characteristics.

It should come as no surprise that I opted to reload.

I ordered up the following from MidwayUSA:

* Lee .30-06 Dies
* Remington Brass

The rest I picked up at Gander Mountain:

* 165 Gr Sierra Spitzer bullets
* CCI BR-2 Primers
* IMR 4064

Using data from the CMP Forums, I loaded 48 Grains of IMR 4064 and seated the bullets to 3.325" OAL.

Standby for the gun review and range report...

Reloading for the Mosin Nagant 91/30

2010-01-14T17:55:00.001-08:00

I decided since the 91/30 was fun to shoot that I would reload for it. Using the empty Winchester brass from the range trip, I needed to acquire bullets, dies, powder, and large rifle primers.

The bores in the Mosin Nagants are nominally .308, however, the Russians tended to make them oversized. Many folks recommend reloading 7.62x54R using a .311 Diameter bullet (303 British or 7.7 Arisika). I ordered up the following from MidwayUSA:

* Lee 7.62x54R Dies
* Sierra 180 Gr SP .311 Diameter bullets

The Lee 7.62x54 recapping die comes with a .308 diameter expander, so I ordered a .311 diameter expander from a .303 British die from Lee's website for less than $5. Since I don't like paying $20 for hazardous shipping fees, I picked up the powder and primers from Gander Mountain.

* IMR 4320
* CCI BR-2 Primers (These are basically match grade Large Rifle primers)

The Lee dies were easy to set up and worked fairly well. Range test soon...stay posted.

Range Report: Mosin Nagant

2010-01-14T17:44:00.000-08:00

With one day remaining on my vacation, I decided to brave the freezing cold and drive to the range and test out the Mosin Nagant.

Weather:
* 24F
* 5-10mph gusts directly up-range

Ammunition Fired:
* 40 rounds of Winchester 180gr FMJ @ 2580 FPS (~$20 box)
* 20 rounds of Silver Bear 185gr FMJ @ 2495 FPS (~$15 box)

Notes:
* No issues with chambering or ejecting either brand, though the Brown Bear chambered slightly easier.
* No gouges or nicks found on either brands spent brass.
* Slightly more recoil with the Silver Bear. Red coating from Silver Bear primers was found all over the bolt face.
* Target was set at ~50yds and ~75yds.
* Windage on the rifle was on. Marks on the front sight make me believe that a previous owner/arsenal adjusted it at some point.
* As expected the rifle was shooting high for both 50 and 75yds.
* Sights leave a little something to be desired for smalls bulls-eyes past 50yds need to use a target with a fairly large bulls-eye.
* Cleaned rifle after range session. Bore cleaned fairly quickly, both ammo brands seem fairly clean.
* Rifle was easy to shoot and operate while wearing gloves

Project Mosin

2009-12-26T16:39:00.000-08:00

I recently acquired a Mosin Nagant 91/30 from Gander Mountain for $149. The original Mosin Nagant was developed in 1891 and updated in 1930 hence the designation 91/30. During WWII over 17 million copies of the 91/30 were produced. Numerous variations of the Mosin exist and were manufactured in many different countries including the United States. The rifle below isn't my rifle but is an example

The Mosin Nagant fires the 7.62x54R cartridge. Performance wise, the round is very similar to a .308 Winchester or a 7.62 NATO

I found a 91/30 at Gander Mountain that was in really good shape. I took the rifle home and disassembled it using the instructions on SurplusRifle.com There wasn't a whole lot of cosmoline on the rifle but I managed to remove a fair amount from the metal parts using a toothbrush and a tub of Lacquer Thinner.

Once the cosmoline was removed from the action, I focused my efforts on the stock. I began by using 0000 Steel Wool and Denatured Alcohol. After scrubbing for a bit I managed to removed the old finish. I lightly sanded the stock with 220 grit sandpaper. After the stock was sanded down I rubbed on two coats of Boiled Linseed Oil.

Next I stained the stock using oil based mahogany colored stain. Two coats of stain and one more coat of Boiled Linseed Oil later later I achieved this look.

The original Mosin finish used Shellac so I applied a three coats of amber shellac and I think I managed to get the look I wanted.

Russian steel cased ammo (Brown Bear) cost $16 for a box of 20, Winchester ran $21 for a box of 20. I haven't had a chance to shoot the rifle yet, but if all goes well I'll buy the appropriate reloading supplies and dies for the round.

Reloading Components

2009-10-19T17:40:00.000-07:00

To reload ammo you need the following components:

* Brass
* Bullets
* Primers
* Powder

Of the components, the Brass and the Bullets are the cost drivers.

BRASS

The brass can be reused until it splits, dents, dimples, etc. Occasionally check it for length after resizing to make sure its within factory spec's. If its not, you can use a Lee Case trimmer to trim it to length. You can also buy range brass from a number of sellers on GunBroker.com I believe I paid just under $40 for 500 rounds of .38 special. Alternatively, you can scrounge decent brass from your local outdoor shooting spot or friends who don't reload.

BULLETS

I typically buy bullets in quantities of 500 each. MidwayUSA.com and the other online sellers typically have better deals that locally, assuming you buy enough to offset the shipping costs vs local sales tax and markup. If you really want to shoot cheap you can use lead ammo, personally, I only shoot jacketed ammo since lead and the lead lubricant is a PITA to clean out of my firearms. I usually buy the cheapest jacketed bullets that MidwayUSA has in stock.

POWDER & PRIMERS

Try to acquire the powder and primers locally so you don't incur a $20 hazmat shipping fee from the man in the brown truck. Also be sure to store the powder and primers in a cool dry place. I keep mine in the gun safe so if something goes BOOM its somewhat contained. 1 lb of powder is 7000 grains and should be good for 1000 rounds or more.

Typically the reloading manuals will quote a specific primer i.e. Winchester Small Pistol Primer, CCI 500, etc. As far as I'm concerned the primers are interchangeable as long as you use small pistol primers where it calls for small pistol, and large rife where it calls for large rifle, etc you should be fine. Also pay attention to the magnum primer designation as well. .357 Magnum takes a small pistol magnum primer where a .38 Special takes a small pistol primer. If you can get the primers locally I would buy 2000 or so if they have that much in stock. I've had luck getting Primers from Cabelas.com

Reloading

2009-10-18T18:23:00.000-07:00

Recently ammo prices have gone up and I've always wanted to try reloading. Now that I have my own garage again, I figured it was time.

I bought the Lee Challenger kit from MidwayUSA.com which came with most of what I needed to reload. I started by attaching the handle and bolting the press to the workbench with 1/4" lag bolts after reinforcing the bottom of the workbench with a scrap piece of 2x4. Next attach the plastic spent primer tube and plate to the left side of the press. Finish by mounting the primer assembly to the top of the press.

I'll cover the various other accessories and tools as they are used. We'll start with case prep. Typically I reload handgun ammo in batches of 50 or 100.

Now its time to clean the cases. Fill the tumbler 2/3rds with crushed walnut, add a few tablespoons of polish. Let it run for about 10 minutes to mix in the polish. Don't add the polish and the brass at the same time or it will goop up inside the cases. Next add the cases to the tumbler and let it run for about and hour. After an hour dump the brass through a strainer and sift out the walnut. The walnut can be reused many many times until its dirty and doesn't clean well. Cut up a dryer sheet into four pieces and add it to the walnut and brass when you run it and it helps keep the dust down and trap a lot of the dirt.

Begin by running the lock ring way up on the decapping die and installing a quick change bushing. Install a shellholder in the press and run the ram all the way up. Screw the decapping die down until it touches the shellholder. Run the lockring down tight against the quick release bushing. (Yes that's surface rust on the top of the decapping die. Be sure to wipe down your dies with some gun oil or silicone spray when you are done)

Attach the primer arm assembly or the spent primers will fly out of the right of the ram instead of falling into the tube where they belong.

Run all of the brass through the decapping die. The brass should now be resized and the primers removed. You'll notice that the primer pockets are dirty. Use the pocket cleaning tool to remove the fouling. Once the pockets are clean, its time to prime.

Typically I prime and bell the cases in a single step. Install the flaring die and adjust it the same way as the decapping die.

Use the Lee Primer to reprime the cases. Add 100 primers to the tray and gently shake back and forth to get the primers upright. You should be seeing the inside of the primer. Close the case and attach to the press. The white one is for large primers, the black one for small primers.

Run the brass into the flaring die and click a primer onto the primer arm. Lower the ram all the way to the bottom until the primer seats. Repeat until all the brass is reprimed and flared. The cases should be flared just enough so a new bullet can sit in the mouth. If its not, turn down the adjustment on top until it sits. Once the cases are primed the primer assembly and primer arm can be removed from the press.

Now its time to seat the bullets. Consult your load book for the appropriate cartridge length. Of the die adjustments, this one is the hardest. Insert a case (without powder or primer) into the shell holder and run the ram up. Screw in the bullet seating die until the die touches the case mouth. Lock down the die with the lock ring. Back the bullet seating adjustment way out. Now place a bullet on the case and run it back up the die. Screw down the adjustment until you feel the bullet start to seat. Using small increments screw down the adjustment and check the cartridge length until the bullet is the correct length. Once its set you wont have to mess with it again, unless you change bullets.

Next, add powder to the cases. Consult your manual for the appropriate loading data. I'm loading .45 ACP 230 gr. FMJ to 1.254" with 7.0 gr of Powder Pistol. Begin by zeroing the scale then setting the scale to the appropriate measurement. Mount the powder measure to the table and add the appropriate powder. Turn the black adjustment until the measure dispenses the correct amount. For handguns, start at 0.5cc on the dispenser and adjust it as needed until it throws the appropriate charge. Note that the Lee Reloading manual will tell you the appropriate volume. For 7.0gr of Power Pistol its around 0.6cc. Make sure to run the level on the powder measure all the way up and all the way down. Once its set, I check every 10 or so rounds.

Add powder to the case, insert a bullet in the case and run the cartridge into the seating die. Repeat until all cases are done. Now the cases need to be crimped. You can either add powder to all the cases, then seat the bullets or you can add powder and then add bullets one at a time. I prefer to do it one at a time. Once powder goes in the case it doesn't leave my hand until I insert it in the shell holder and place a bullet on top. This should keep me from double charging or squibbing a round.

Insert the crimp die. Adjust the crimp die by running it down until it touches the shell plate. Lower the ram and screw in the die 1/4 to 1/2 turn. Back the adjustment on top off. Insert a bullet and run up into the die. Screw down the adjustment until you can feel the top of the bullet. For semi-auto rounds you don't need much crimp, just enough to close the gap. Too much crimp and the round won't properly head space in the chamber and you'll run into feeding issues. Check to ensure the round feeds into the magazine and check to ensure the round feeds into the gun.

Additionally, Lee Precision has many instructional videos that help out and are easier to understand than the instructions.

In search of the perfect shave

2009-05-30T17:57:00.000-07:00

This Christmas my wife gave me a sampler pack from the Art of Shaving. The pack came with a Badger Brush, Pre-Shave Oil, Shaving Cream, and After Shave. I tried out the sampler pack with my Gillette Fusion and managed to get a decent shave out it. After using the rest of the sample I noticed my skin felt better and I wasn't getting as many ingrown hairs. The sampler pack recommended that you lather, shave with the grain, lather again and shave against the grain. I couldn't shave against the grain because it would cause my skin to break out. I thought about shaving with a straight razor and did some research on the internet. I found out that there is a lot of work involved with using a straight razor (honing, stropping, etc...) After more research I decided on a Double Edge "Safety" Razor. Anyhow...here's where I'm at now.

My current set up:
* Razor: Merkur 38M HD Long Handle Barber Pole Safety Razor

You can tell this is German made. This razor is nice and heavy, well constructed and holds the blade perfectly, should last for decades.

* Blades: Feather (Japan), Merkur (Germany). Feather razor blades are beyond sharp, in fact Feather also makes surgical scalpels. Think Hatori Hanzo blades from Kill Bill. Merkurs are a good blade to start with until you have the technique down. The best part about shaving with a safety razor is the cost of the blades. Feathers run about a $1.15 each, Merkurs run about $0.47/each. Compare that with the cost of Gillette Fusions at about $3.00/each.

* Brush: Art of Shaving Pure Badger Brush

Yes, these brushes are made from Badgers. When you first starting using the badger brush it will smell kind of like a wet dog. The smell goes away after a while and you can help it along by washing it with some shampoo. The higher quality brushes will hold more water and make a better lather.

* Pre-Shave Oil: Sweet Almond Oil (Yes, the same stuff in the Grocery Store next to the Olive Oil)

* Shaving Cream: C.O. Bigelow Premium Shave Cream with Eucalyptus Oil (This is actually made by Proraso)

This stuff smells great and is a good wakeup in the morning. Much better than that crap in the can.

* After Shave: C.O. Bigelow Elixir Blue

* Mug and Warmer from Bed Bath and Beyond

Seems like a lot but here's my method:

1. Place the empty mug on the mug warmer and turn it on. Let the mug warm up while you shower.

2. After you shower and dry, rub a nickel sized amount of sweet almond oil onto your face. Rub it against the grain. The oil helps the blade to glide over the skin easier and softens the hair.

3. Run the hot water as hot as it will go. Squeeze out about 2" worth of shaving cream into the mug and soak the shaving brush in the hot water. Swirl the shaving cream onto the brush.

4. Rub the shaving cream onto your face with a circular motion. Move at the same speed as if you were whisking up an egg. The brush and whisking motion helps to soften the hair and exfoliate your skin.

5. Place the brush back into the mug. The warmer will keep the later nice and hot while you shave the first pass.

6. Use the safety razor to shave with the grain. This is straight down on the sides of the face and neck. When using a safety razor you dont push at all. This is probably the hardest part to get used to after using the swivel head multi-bladed vibrating razor.

7. After first pass, lather up again and shave across the grain on the face. This will be from ear to mouth. On the neck, shave upwards.

8. If you are really daring, you can lather again and shave a 3rd pass on the cheeks and chin against the grain to get an uber-smooth shave.

9. Rinse with cold water and use an styptic pencil to stop any nicks from bleeding.

10. Apply some aftershave and enjoy your baby-butt-smooth face.

* Razor and razor blades I got from westcoastshaving.com
* Shaving cream and aftershave I got from Bath and Body Works
* Brush from Art of Shaving Store
* Mug warmer from Bed Bath and Beyond
* Sweet Almond Oil from the Grocery Store

So, is all this madness worth it? I think so. Since I've started shaving "old-school", I almost never get ingrown hairs or breakouts and I've never had a shave this close.

2005 Chevy Cobalt Fog Lights - How to Replace

2009-04-12T11:48:00.000-07:00

I just got done changing the driver's side fog light on my 2005 Chevy Cobalt LS and thought I would document the procedure so others could figure it out quicker.

Tools / Supplies required:
1. 10mm Socket
2. Flat tip screwdriver
3. H11 Lamp

1. Pop the hood and remove the fuse panel cover and pull the 15A Fuse for the Fog Lamps

2. Remove the 6 plastic panel pins (indicated by yellow "X" above) by prying up the center of the pin and pulling the pin out. This will allow you to move the grill out of the way to pull the headlamp.

3. Use a 10mm socket to remove the two headlamp bolts (indicated by blue "X" above).

4. Remove the headlamp assembly (You'll need to jiggle it around and pull back the plastic grill).

5. Disconnect the headlamp plug and set the assembly aside.

6. Use a 10mm socket to remove the four headlamp bracket bolts (indicated by purple "X" above). Two will be located on the lower left portion of the bracket behind the headlamp assembly.

7. Remove the headlamp bracket and set aside.

8. The fog lamp assembly is now accessible. Reach into the fender well and rotate the fog lamp and remove from behind.

9. Disconnect the fog lamp from the plug and replace.

US Botanic Gardens and US Capitol Tour

2008-08-30T16:10:00.000-07:00

On Friday we were greeted with Rain which meant we had to do indoor activities. Ryan elected to go do Operation Spy at the International Spy Museum. Most things to do in DC are free, however the Spy Museum is a private enterprise. That being said, it was worth the price of admission for the museum and Operation Spy.

Saturdays agenda included the US Capitol tour. They hand out tickets for the tour outside the Capitol starting at 9AM. We arrived at the Capitol at 9:30AM and got tickets for 12:20 PM. Show up early! After we picked up the tickets we had time to kill so we visited the US Botanic Garden and then headed over to the National Museum of the American Indian and ate lunch. Just a few examples of what you can see in the Garden:

The Indian Museum had some neat artifacts:

After lunch we headed back to the Capitol for the tour. Only the Rotunda, Statuary Hall (Old Hall of the House), the Crypt, and the Old Supreme Court Chambers were open. Since it was a weekend, and we didn't have a pass from our Representatives, we weren't able to see the House and Senate Galleries. They now hand out head sets which are on the same frequency as the Tour Guide's microphone so you can listen into what they are saying.

Washington at Night

2008-08-28T15:58:00.000-07:00

Ryan and Brooke flew out to DC over Labor Day weekend to see the sights. They arrived on Thursday and after it got dark we headed down to see the monuments. First we stopped at Five Guys near the Gallery Place Metro Stop. Next we hiked over a few blocks to see the White House at night.

After that we headed down the street to see the Washington Monument and the WWII Memorial.

We then walked down the West side of the Reflecting pool and over the to the Vietnam Memorial.

Next up in the tour was the Lincoln Memorial and taking photos of the Mall looking down the Reflecting Pool.

Hint: To take photos at night, disable the flash, set the camera on night mode, use the timer and a tripod. This will ensure the proper exposure and minimize camera motion and blur.

Springfield Armory Loaded 1911-A1

2008-05-06T17:07:00.000-07:00

I made the mistake a few weeks ago of renting a .45 Kimber 1911 at the Gun Range a few weeks ago. I absolutely tore the center of the target clean out. Big mistake...big mistake.... Up to the this point I currently owned a 9 mm Kahr P9 Covert which is nice and small but not all the accurate due to my big hands. The full sized .45 just seems to mold to my hand and put the rounds exactly where I want them.

After a fair amount of research I decided to use part of my "economic stimulus check" to give a new Springfield Armory Loaded 1911-A1 a new home. I haven't shot it yet but I'm confident its up to the task.

Backpacking

2008-04-25T15:05:00.000-07:00

Now that the leg has been fixed, we've started getting back out in the woods and doing some hiking. This weekend we went backpacking near Front Royal, VA in the George Washington National Forest. This was Kelli's first time backpacking since the notorious Robber's Cave trip of 2003, so we decided to try something easy. We picked Veach Gap which turned out to be a great hike. Once we got up on top of the ridge we could look out and see the Shenandoah River snaking its way around. The breeze coming up from the valley below felt wonderful! We managed to find a natural spring coming out of the mountain near the top which made a great place to use the filter to fill up the water bottles. After the sun went down I was looking out over the valley and Kelli was sitting by the fire she all of sudden squealed and ran over saying "There's something in the woods!" Fearing a black bear had found our stash of food 100yds down the trail I reached for the SureFire 6P LED and lit up the trail like it was noon. I saw the refection of two eyes about 12" off the ground hop across the trail and froze. I walked closer only to find it was a harmless bunny rabbit.

Over the last year or so we've picked up some new gear, all of which has performed really great. "Buy quality once or crap three times..."

Kelli's Gear
Backpack: Osprey Aura 65 (S)
Sleeping Bag: The North Face Snowshoe (0 Deg)
Trekking Poles: Black Diamond Trail w/ Flicklocks. (I've you've never used trekking poles they are great when hiking over loose rocks and steep trails)
Hydration: CamelBack 70oz, Nalgene 16oz

Casey's Gear
Backpack: Gregory Palisade (L)
Sleeping Bag: Eddie Bauer Mummy Bag (Nice and warm, but bulky)
CamelBack 100oz, Nalgene 32oz (Yes, I'll need all that water and more)
Asolo Fugitive Hiking Boots
"Bear Repellent Device": Springfield Armory 1911 Loaded Model .45ACP w/ 15 Rounds of 230 Grain Federal HydraShocks
Pocketknife: Gerber Mulitool
GPS: Garmin 60
Flashlight: SureFire 6PL (This thing is SUPER bright!, I highly recommend this over a AA Maglite, its worth the ~$70)

Common Gear
Tent: REI Hoodoo3
Water Filter: MSR SweetWater (See, I told you I need more water)
Stove: Snow Peak Giga Power w/ Ti Cook Set

Wishlist:
* Gerber Hatchet
* ThermaRest Sleeping Pads
* Garmin GPS 60Csx

Cherry Blossom Festival

2008-03-30T04:56:00.000-07:00

During the last week of March and first week of April the 3000 Japanese Cherry trees around the National Mall begin to blossom. I met Kelli at work and took her down to the National Mall to see what all the fuss was about. The pictures pretty much tell the story:

Photos of the Capitol

2008-02-03T07:54:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was the first nice, clear day we've had in a while, so we decided to take the Metro into Washington D.C. to take some photos that we had promised to mom a few months back. At first we tried to take photos with the Washington Monument but the sun was behind us and it didn't work.

Quick solution to that problem, turn around 180 and take portraits with the Capitol in the background instead. We walked closer to the capitol and tried a couple photos sitting in front of the pond at the bottom of Capitol Hill. A couple of the pictures turned out quite nice I think.

This is the one we decided to print and send out to the various parents and grandparents.

We had to setup the tripod and use the timer feature to take the photos. I was taking a few test shots and the timer was about to go off when a couple of overly energized French children ran right in front of the camera. If the older sister had been 1 second slower it would have made for an interesting photo. After packing up the tripod we decided to walk up close to the Capitol. I got a few really good shots.

I almost missed a great shot until Kelli said "Turn around." Congress definitely snagged the best piece of land in the district.

Once we got done taking pictures we headed South past the House office buildings and Library of Congress to get to the Capitol South Metro station.

**** Start Rant ****

For the most part the DC Metro system, and the Federal area of DC is clean. This is due in part to a lot of laws and a lot of cops. You won't see people panhandling on every other corner like you do in Boston and San Francisco. The panhandlers in DC hang around near Metro stations until the Metro cops tell them to take a walk.

Anyhow, I must have looked like a naive tourist when I came down the escalator to the platform with my camera bag on my back and tripod because, as soon as I set foot off the escalator onto the platform I was approached by an old scam artist holding a Metro map looking really confused. I thought "maybe this guy just wants directions." He spoke really slowly and really quietly and from his story this guy had the worst luck on the planet. He claimed that the following things had happened to him:

He was 68 years old
He was trying to travel to his daughters house in Richmond and he was only given $30 to get their from Baltimore
He was out of money
He had recently had a stroke

At this point I kept waiting for him to either ask me for directions since he kept pointing to this Metro map. Nope, sure enough the next thing he said was that

He had worked for Safeway for 38 years
He was well off but all his money and cards were at home
He would mail me $100 later if I would give him $20 now

Uh huh, ya, right....I said "I can't help you" and walked off. I might have felt an ounce of sympathy for the guy if he didn't reek of cheap liquor. If you're gonna try to panhandle for booze at least be honest about it like the other guy I saw in Downtown DC a few months back with a sign that said "I won't lie I just want Beer." If I had been driving I would have given the guy a buck just for sheer honesty.

His sob story was almost identical to the scammer in the Target parking lot back in Norman that I told to get lost one day. He claimed that he and his wife who was 8 1/2 mo. pregnant in the car over there had just ran out of gas, the were recently evicted and trying to get to their cancer ridden mother-in-laws house out in Amarillo and he just needed a few bucks for gas. I'll be damned if his car didn't start right up after I told him to get lost before I called Norman PD.

The funny is that 2 months later I saw the guy approach one of our customers in the parking lot. I stopped the customer on her way in and asked if he had just tried to panhandle her. She repeated the same story he told me. I said "wow...his wife must be about 10 1/2 mo. pregnant now" and headed out to get his Tag # and call the cops on this meth tweaker. He must have seen me walk out because he practically ran to his car and took off.

From now when I get approached by nasty looking people at Metro stations its "No sprecken zie english."

****End Rant****

Surgery

2007-12-25T08:19:00.000-08:00

They were able to get me scheduled for surgery on the 24th for 9:45 AM at Invoa Fairfax Hospital. We showed up at 7:00 AM to check in. After the various forms were signed, co-pays tendered and miscellaneous bracelets applied we waited until 8:30 AM to be taken back to pre-op. I was in a fair amount of pain while we were in the waiting area. I tried to find a comfortable way to sit but it wasn't happening so I just plopped down on the floor.

Once I was brought back to pre-op I was weighed in (249 lbs 12 oz, guess I've lost some weight despite laying on my back side for 4 months). Next I was taken into a pre-op room and had to shed my clothes and don a hospital gown. A few minutes later a nurse showed up to start my IV in my left hand (that hurt like hell).

A few minutes later I started feeling really cold which was probably a combination of nerves and the IV saline. The surgeon showed up and talked with us for a few minutes, explained what he was going to do. Which was to place a tube in my back and operate through the tube using an overhead microscope.

(You can watch a computer animation of the procedure here or a video recording of someone else's procedure here).

He estimated it would take 30 minutes. He then told me what I needed to do after surgery in order for him to release me to go home that night (get up walk, pee, and no nausea). After he left to go scrub in the Anesthesiologist and his nurse showed up.

The Anesthesiologist said that he was going to do the following to me:

The nurse was going to give me something to "relax me"
I would be put to sleep
I would have a tube placed in my throat
I would have goop smeared in my eyes which would then be taped shut
I would be placed flat down on the table with my arms out and legs bent (I feel sorry for the folks that had to lift my 250lb frame onto the table)

The nurse injected the relaxation medication into my IV and minutes later I was feeling pretty loopy. I gave Kelli my glasses and they wheeled me off to the OR. I vaguely remember being wheeled into the OR at about 9:45 AM and the next thing I remember is walking up in recovery at about noon with NO LEG PAIN!!! The surgeon told Kelli that the procedure took about 90 minutes since the herniation was worse than what he had predicted.

Shortly after I woke up I was taken off the oxygen mask and wheeled up to my room. Kelli met me in the room where slept off the medication, and had an uneventfully recovery. I was able to leave the hospital at around 7:00PM. I woke up this morning and the leg pain is still gone! My back hurts like hell but I can live with it.

I'm up and about today, I can walk around but I just have to be slow and careful about picking up things and bending over. I just plan on taking it easy for the next few days.

Ding dong, the pain is gone!

All I want for Christmas is a Lumbar Microdiscetomy

2007-12-18T15:05:00.000-08:00

I finally got into see the spine surgeon today and sure enough, surgery it is. I'm so ready to finally get this thing cut out and get some relief. The surgeon seems like a pretty nice guy and pressed to get me in for surgery as soon as possible.

Lumbar microdisectomy. Apparently the condition is genetic. He said the surgery only lasts for 30 minutes and is one of the quickest and easiest surgeries he does. According to what I've read on the internet 98 - 99% of patients get relief from pain. You are able to walk out of the hospital the day of the surgery and recovery is fairly quick. I'm waiting on the call from the surgeon's office to see when they can get me in. They said either the 24th of Dec or 2nd of Jan.

I'm hoping for the 24th so I can have the surgery and take off work until after New Year's.

The Leg...Part Deux.

2007-11-23T11:13:00.001-08:00

First lets start with the leg. Ever had a Charlie horse? Ever had a Charlie horse that wouldn't go away? Ever had one that lasted most of 2007??

So back in September I went to see an Orthopedist since I had a hunch that the leg pain wasn't a pulled muscle. He checked out my leg, range of motion, etc... and said that I had the poster symptoms of bulged lumbar disc. Essentially the bulged lumbar disc presses against the sciatic nerve root and irritates the hell out of it and trick your brain into thinking your leg hurts or causes it to clench up. He referred me to get an MRI to confirm his diagnosis.

A week later I went to get an MRI. Talk about a weird experience. I don't consider myself claustrophobic but after a few minutes of being inside the MRI machine I started feeling that way. I now know how it feels to be inside a torpedo tube. Not to mention those machines are horribly loud. After 20 minutes the MRI was done and I was handed the films to take back to the Ortho.

I'm no M.D. but I could see the bulging disc as plain as day. 1 hour later we were back in the Ortho's office and he confirmed it. Bulged lumbar disc between the L5 vertebrae and the top of the Sacrum. I was referred to his partner the anesthesiologist for a series of three Epidural Steroid Injections. The injections were basically a shot right into the top of my *ahem* crack. The last shot was weird since I could feel pressure all the way down my leg all of a sudden.

The idea is that the anesthesiologist will inject steroids around the area of the inflammation which will reduce the pain in the leg. It worked, for a while.

The last few weeks the pain is back stronger than ever. I think I made things worse by traveling quite a bit back and forth to Alabama and Massachusetts. Here's a hint to travelers: never ever fly window seat on a CRJ unless you are under 5'6".

So I was taking Alieve by the handfuls trying to reduce the pain. On Wednesday I went back to the Dr. and got a prescription for oral steroids which has taken the pain from a 8-9 to a 6-7. On Monday I have to make an appointment to go see a Spine Surgeon to have the disc trimmed or removed. All I want for xmas is my leg back.....

National Air & Space Museum

2007-10-13T10:25:00.000-07:00

There are actually two National Air & Space Museums. One is located on the National Mall and has a lot of items from the early Space race such as Apollo, Mercury, and Gemini capsules. The one on the mall in downtown D.C. tends to be very crowded.

The other is located just south of Dulles Airport in a huge T-Shaped hangar with tons of planes. I managed to snap quite a few great photos. Since its out of the way and not really accessible from metro transportation it isn't as crowded. We had a good time walking through it. You can go up in a mock up control tower and watch the jets pass by on final approach to Dulles.

Anyhow...onto the photos. Bonus points for the first reply correctly identifying all the aircraft (some photos are of the same aircraft from multiple angles).

The Battle of Manassas

2007-09-15T10:15:00.000-07:00

We headed South to checkout the Battlefield of Manassas. It was surprisingly windy and cold that day. I can't even begin to imagine what it would be like to fight that kind of a war. The statue in the photo below is Confederate General Stonewall Jackson. The statue was a gift of a Confederate Veterans Group. They made the General and his horse look like Superman with rippling muscles and tight tunic and cape.

East Mall

2007-09-02T10:01:00.000-07:00

The day after the zoo, we headed to the East part of the National Mall to do some Virtual Geocaching and do some sightseeing.

National Zoo

2007-09-01T09:29:00.000-07:00

We went to the Zoo on Aug 1st and managed to get a great set of pictures. It was horribly hot that day but the best part is that its free to go to the National Zoo since its part of the Smithsonian.

Here's the top pick of the photos:

Updates....

2007-07-24T12:38:00.000-07:00

So everything is a 'Go' for the move to VA!

So here's what we've been up to:

Last day of work was last Friday, both offices were sad to see us go
The house is covered in boxes and various shrink-wrapped pieces of furniture.
Kelli's birthday is on Saturday
Movers are coming next Monday to load up, and we'll scrub the house real quick like and head down to VA on Tuesday
Hopefully the movers drop off our stuff on Wednesday
Kelli's Mom and Sis are meeting us in VA next Thursday
Drivers Licenses and Vehicle registrations will have to be done some time in that mess too!
The new job starts on the 6th

So ya, things have been busy!

The Leg...

2007-06-01T14:47:00.001-07:00

Well, I finished the prescribed physical therapy and it still hurts like hell. I've got an appointment with an Orthopedist on Wed. Hopefully its something simple a shot or a couple pills will cure. My bet is that its a pulled piriformis muscle and hopefully not a herniated disc.

Still waiting on word from the new job. Should be very soon *fingers crossed.*

Here. Pee in this cup.

2007-05-29T14:29:00.000-07:00

So as part of the pre-employment for the new job, I had to take a drug test. Not that I have anything to hide but I'm getting sick of drug testing. I still have yet to figure out why I had to be drug tested to work at Target or Sears.

At least this time I didn't have some random Sgt. staring at my junk while I was "draining the lizard." Back when I was in the AF you were subjected to "random drug tests." You knew your number was up when you got a phone call from the Commander's Staff at 8AM on Monday morning asking you to stop by to "sign something". My favorite was when we were awakened at 5AM the Monday after Christmas break to "report to the Base Theater ASAP." I couldn't help but think of the Folger's song: "The best part of waking up, is peeing in a cup."

In the civilian world when you take a drug test usually you're given a wide cup to fill up which you take outside and a technician will carefully fill two sample bottles. Not so in the AF, you're given a tiny sample bottle which you have to very carefully tinkle into, meanwhile trying not to overflow and piss all over yourself and the bottle. Oh and you have a buddy watching you the whole time. Once you're done then you have to close the bottle and get this: carry it out to the collection table holding it above shoulder level the entire time. Better be sure you closed it tight!

Anyhow, this whole thing got me thinking of ways I could have made AF drug testing more fun, at least for me.

1. Run to the commissary on the way to the testing facility and starting gnawing down on a stalk of asparagus. Keep eating it until your number is called.

2. Whistle a catchy tune while you pee. "It always feels like somebody's watching me...."

3. Do like Austin Powers and keep starting and stopping.

4. Set the bottle on the floor and back up 5 feet. Bet the observer a $20 you can fill it up from there.

5. Fart, a lot.

6. Ask if they would like a stool sample as well.

7. When you unzip, drop you pants and drawers all the way to the floor and pull your tshirt under your arm pits like a 3 year old.

8. Moan the whole time...."Ahhhhhhhhhh............."

9. Do the drunken tinkle where you use your head to hold the wall up. Then see #8.

10. On the way back out to the collection table keep saying in a very proud yet special ed voice: "I made tinkle! I made tinkle"

Fads

2007-05-28T14:24:00.000-07:00

I'd like to know where exactly (and why) dead fads are resurrected. Somewhere in a corporate boardroom I swear they are bringing back these fads as a huge practical joke on the gullible public.

I don't know how things are in the rest of the country but every third person I see out and about is sporting the popped collar look. Hate to break it to ya folks but ya look stupid.

Here's a list of fads that I'd like to see brought back just for s&g's

1. Slap braclets
2. Parachute Pants
3. MC Hammer Pants
4. Three racing stripes shaved above the ear
5. Swatch watches

The Movies & Things You Don't See Every Day

2007-05-26T20:59:00.000-07:00

Friday night we headed down to the local theater again to catch the latest installment of Pirates of the Caribbean. It was worth the $9.50/seat ticket. Let me just say that Keira Knightley is absolutely gorgeous, but is it just me or does it seem like she talks like she just has a cotton ball stuffed in each cheek?? I highly recommend watching POTC II before you go to see the movie so you refresh your memory on the various plot twists. (As an added bonus, see if you can spot Keith Richards....)

Something must have been in the air that night because every third person through the door was an obese middle aged woman. Only lady in particular had to have been at least 400lbs and sporting a makeup job that only Tammy Fae Baker would be proud of. You know someone is big when my tenderhearted wife leans over to me and says "How is she going to fit in the seat? The armrests at this theater don't flip up." "Beats me, but its gonna be a long two hours and forty-five minutes for her, and her ass."

Now onto "Things You Don't See Everyday."

Today we decided to take the "T" into Boston and walk along the Freedom Trail. We left State St. station and made our to Fanuiel Hall. There standing on a duct taped covered box was a completely silver colored mime. The last time I saw something like that was in Union Square in San Fransisco and it was a pair of guys decked out in gold and silver.

Later that evening as we were returning to our car after eating in Lexington center, I saw what can only be described as a woman with a severe case of age denial.

Let me paint the picture...she had to be in her sixties. She was wearing a set of wedge sandals and a bright orange skin tight strapless, very short dress. Her skin looked like it was baked a long time ago, but her hair looked like it had been freshly bleached blond. She looked like the oldest hooker in the great state of MA. What made matters even funnier was look and laughs that the four passengers in the car gave to themselves as the that drove by. God I hope I never have to see something like that again.

IKEA

2007-05-20T15:57:00.000-07:00

Kelli decided today that we were going to IKEA in Stoughton. It took about 30 minutes to drive down to Stoughton from Lexington. You would not believe the sheer size of this place! My only reoccurring thought was "HOLY SHIT"! Its like Home Depot, Target, Bed Bath and Beyond all got together and had a massive Swedish love child.

Just so you can get the picture: this place has its own parking structure complete with security flagging you where to park. Once you get inside, its got its own cafe and supervised kid's playland. Two floors the size of a Lowe's or Home Depot all full of furniture, home organization, you name it, they've got it. We managed to escape for under $150 with a comforter and a closet organizer.

I'm sure we'll be making subsequent trips

The Movies

2007-05-20T08:28:00.000-07:00

Personally, I think the automated ticket machines are one of the greatest inventions ever. I can walk right up and get the movie tickets while the people who afraid of touch screen wait in line for five minutes so they can buy 2 adult tickets and 5 children's tickets to 8 Mile.

Yes, I actually saw this happen a few years ago in Norman. A bunch of us from school were bored and went to go see it. While we were watching the previews a couple laser pointer dots start dancing across the screen. WTF?? A quick scan of the theater revealed two white trash mom's and their five ghetto spawn (none of which were older than 10). One of the baby momma's told her spawn to knock it off. I turned to the rest of the group we were with and pointed out the little hoodlums and said "You guys ever seen kids this young in a R-rated flick? This won't end well."

Sure enough, half way through the movie Eminem gets graphically busy with Brittany Murphy's character during lunch break. I had to see what was going on with the little hoodlums. Naturally the little 9 year olds were riveted to the screen. Seconds later I hear "COVER YOUR EYES" while the two baby momma's tried in vain to cover ten eyes with four hands. I couldn't help but chuckle to myself. What did you think R-Rated meant you dumb heifers?

So, we went to see Shrek 3 last night which was decent, not as good as 1 or 2, but still worth it. I doubt they'll be able to pull off a 4th. On a side note, people, seriously, is it that hard to throw away your empty coke cup and bag of popcorn when you leave the theater? Show some common courtesy and clean up after yourself folks.

The Mall

2007-05-18T18:19:00.000-07:00

I promised myself that this blog wouldn't be just rants but I've got something I've got to get off my chest.

WTF is with the teenagers at the mall? Every time we go to the mall there are dozens of groups of loud and annoying teenagers and they all seem to be emo's and goth kiddies. I seriously have to fight the urge to walk up to them and either smack them in the back of the head or toss them over the rail and do society a favor.

I can seriously understand why several malls have banned unaccompanied minors on Thu - Sun after 3 pm. They don't buy anything, not even food. The annoying little shits at the mall tonight just walked around the food court grazing from the sample trays at Chick Fil'a and Quizno's. The funny part is how much they were trying to walk and act like a bunch of little bad asses. I'm willing to bet that when their mommies pulled up later in their Range Rover's that they pulled up their pants and turned their nasty Red Sox hat back around.

Furthermore, they are a bunch of little thieves. Last year, Kelli and I were browsing around in Spencer's and I hear the distinctive crackle and pop of a rigid plastic package being opened. I turn my head and not 3 feet to my left is a sixteen year old girl ever so discreetly swiping a 7" vibrator. I shot Kelli a look like "did I just see what I thought I saw?" I should have said something but when I saw her boyfriend around the corner, I figured she needed it more than Spencer's Gifts.

Maybe its because I grew up in a town without a mall, but I just don't see the fascination with roaming the mall and acting like a total jackass. I had better shit to do like actually earning my money or doing homework.

First Post

2007-05-17T17:50:00.001-07:00

So I guess I'm a little behind the power curve on the whole blog thing. I guess that's due in part to the fact that I'm not entirely certain that anyone things I have anything interesting to say. But who knows, let's kick this off with a rant.

What is it with Human Resources? Am I missing something, because from where I sit it doesn't seem like its that hard of a job. Why is it that everything takes so freaking long anytime HR is involved?

So here's whats going on, I applied for a job with the Federal Gov't, I interviewed and was selected for the position. So it took about 1 week for them to get me the salary & benefits offer (which was really good). I accepted, and it took about another 2 weeks for them to send me two forms which took all of about five minutes for me to fill out. I submitted them right back and I'm still waiting to hear from them on a start date. I'm thinking a phone call might be in order tomorrow.

I would just love to know so we can start this whole letter of resignation, move out notice, apartment hunt, boxing, moving, etc....

By the way, I've got this whole moving thing down to fine art.

Oh, and does know how to perform a leg amputation? I'm sick of this pulled hamstring.