A fun 4th planned.

So I decided to go shopping the other day. It's been several years since I have had any fun on the 4th of July. So I picked up a couple of fireworks for this year....

Just a couple...

You will be remembered...

The passing of a friend, a loved one, or even a celebrity that you had respect for... Is never a good thing. Last night I lost an old family friend, and a revered comic. Two seperate people, the same night... You will both be remembered.

John, You were a guiding light as I grew up. You helped teach me the sides of right and wrong, the laughter that can be seen in the world.

George Carlin, I may have never knew you personally, but your words brought smiles to my face and opened my mind to think outside of the box.

It is a hard time to accept when the time of a friend has come, but let us all remember the marks that they left while they were here. Remember the impact they had on your life as you grew...

Rest In Peace George, Your Conviction Will Live On.

*Please note, this video should not be viewed at work or around those sensitive to harsh language.

Fort Montgomery

So today, first official day of summer, seemed like a good day to go for a walk. I drive to west point frequently for shopping trips and the such, and I always pass by the historic site of Fort Montgomery. All those times I meant to stop by and take a look around, today this trip was specifically for the purpose of stopping here.


So hiking I was going... And needless to say, I didn't stay the path.



What you don't see here, is the ledge that sits right behind the tree that I'm leaning on.



After I came out of the woods, the barracks were waiting. Though it might have been hard to lay for a nap in the now run down structures.



Out of the woods did I say? Well there was another path that I just had to take... Which lead down to a footbridge.



Ok.. So I didn't take a picture of the bridge, but I was greeted by this magnificent creature.



Only for a brief visit...



In all, it was a good day. It turned out to be a bit hot, but it was bearable.

Friendship

Over the years I have had people come in and out of my life... Some of these people have been closer than others, friends... Several weeks ago when I was in Germany I made one friend that has become very close to me. This morning, very early, when I got back from camp... There was a present waiting for me.

At first when I saw the package sitting there, I was trying to remember what I had ordered before I left. But then as I opened the box, I noticed that it was from someone else...

It's a Quaich, or as was explained to me by the included paper, a "Cup of Welcome". I love it... Recieving this cup though, has made me think about other friendships I have had over the years. Some of them I still maintain over the years. I wanted to take this moment to say, I appreciate you.. I appreciate all of you. Friends are something we should all hold close to us, something that I have come to value more and more as I realise what exactly a friend is.

So to all of you who have put up with me... I thank you for your patience, your ear, and your friendship. The times we have had in the past are treasured memories, and more memories we shall make in the future.

Accident...

Uneventful.... Or that's how most of camp was. Until of course the convoy home. It was a standard convoy, with a group of people who should never be allowed on the road again. A little over halfway home we came along construction on I-87, right along mile marker 107. I know the location so well because that is where I slowed down for traffic, and the truck behind me didn't.

I figure that I was down to about 10 mph, and the truck behind me? Lets just say he was going about 60. Didn't even bother to slow down. My only saving grace was that we were in military vehicles. Barely any damage to the vehicles themselves, but the people inside of mine (the smaller vehicle) were thrown hard. It hurt...

So the people in the vehicle, including myself, didn't feel like sitting in a hospital up north for the night, and continued our drive home. Upon finally arriving at home, we took a trip to the hospital... And stayed there for most of the night. At about 1 a.m. we were released... I got home, and passed out. The drugs may just have helped.

Compelled...

Anyone who isn't willing to accept me for who I am or what I believe in, should stop reading here.



It was a dark and stormy night.. Alone I sat in my room..

More to the point, alone I was in my room watching a movie. I had just started it, and I do have to say it looked like it might be interesting. The name of the movie? It is of no importance to this story... This story continues about what happened while I was laying to watch the movie....

Alone I lay in my room, a movie on the screen. My attention quickly drifted from my monitor to the window as I saw the brief flash of lighting on my surroundings. I saw it. At that moment the feelings inside of me had taken control. It was raining... My first instinct is to avoid the rain and stay dry. But this time something was different. I don't know how to explain it, but I was pulled outside. Before I left the door I pulled a smudge stick out of my box and slid it along with a box of matches into my robe pocket. Somehow I just knew I would be needing it, but still to this moment I was unsure of why.

I briefly surveyed what I had to put on my feet. This is a strange place I'm in, and I wouldn't trust my feet to this ground. I saw my pair of sandals, and slipped those on. I walked out of my room and to the door. Standing at the door I looked outside. Rain, accented by the flashes of lightning and the crackling sound of thunder... Outside... Me... Why would I want to walk out into the rain where I knew that I would proceed to get soaked without hesitation from the skies that were opening up. Even though I'm the type of person that usually darts from building to building to keep dry, this time I stepped out into the night... I felt it immediately. The rain washing over my robe, over my body... I knew tonight was different. I looked to my hand to realise that I had also grabbed a hematite from my box, and was still holding it. The almost metallic rock was cool against my hand.

I haven't walked around the camp area much at all, but I knew we were surrounded by buildings and roads. Unsure of where my destination was I started walking out. Shortly I came to a field that I hadn't noticed before. Not a big field mind you, just a small one.. Maybe 50 meters square, littered with several large trees. I stopped almost dead center, turned a circle, and felt the rain wash over me.... I knew this was where I was drawn to. I started to get the feeling of why...

Over the past several weeks, probably longer I know that I have been harboring negative emotions. Not specifically towards any one person, but I know they have been inside of me. This was starting to take its own toll on my body. I was sore, strained, and stressed. Tonight suddenly I knew that would end. That's why I was here.

After brief meditation I reached into my pocket where I had secured the sage. I lit the smudge stick from the cover of the rain, which had lightened just enough for me to do so. With the smoking sage in one hand, and my hematite in the other, I let the smoke wash over me. Combined with the rain, my mindset, and the energies of all that surrounded me... I let go. Like a mass exodus from my body, I felt the stress and tension drain. My neck, which had been constantly bothering me, started to loosen. My mind which had been in a constant scramble unsure of which way was up... Regained it's direction... I was becoming me again. The sage had been burning now for a while, and was smoking to it's almost end. Held in my hand I knew it would get very uncomfortable soon. I pushed the last string that bound it together off and spread the remainder of it back to the earth. My time here tonight was coming to an end, just like the rain was.

I had a slow walk back, after taking a minute to orientate myself of where I had come from. Wet from head to toe I returned back to my room. My robe I loosed and hung from the bed, my sandals I left by the side of the carpet that I had place along my bed. Tonight I knew I would sleep well... I would sleep at peace. I lied down again, this time turning off the power to the movie first. I knew that I wouldn't be needing to listen to anything but myself as I slept tonight.

My eyes closed...

My thoughts returned to the field I was in not that long ago...

The day was over, the night had taken me...