Maine Forest Cafe

#15. “Sometimes, I realize that I don’t have fleeting thoughts. They are really fleeing thoughts”. RMSmithJr 20090620

#16. “Patience may be a virtue, but prolonged patience is a weakness.” RMSmithJr 20090619

Stephen T. Johns was assassinated in the line of duty on Wednesday, June 10, 2009.

I know, the word assassinated is usually reserved for public figures killed by bad & mad men because of ideological differences. Stephen was a black man working as a security guard for the national holocaust museum. His killer, a mad man & a bad man, was filled with hatred for all things racist. There is no greater ideological difference.

As of right now, there are 9,258 google news articles related to this tragedy. Three memorial funds are being set up in Stephen’s honor.

Stephen’s singular act of dedication and courage also deserves additional, albeit sadly, posthumous acolades.

1. The Presidential Medal of Freedom, “It is designed to recognize individuals who have made “an especially meritorious contribution to the security or national interests of the United States, world peace, cultural or other significant public or private endeavors.” “

2. The Congressional Gold Medal, “awarded to an individual who performs an outstanding deed or act of service to the security, prosperity, and national interest of the United States.”

3. The Purple Heart. This one may be more difficult to justify since the core eligibility is restricted to military personnel. However, its purpose is to “Being wounded or killed in any action against an enemy of the United States or as a result of an act of any such enemy or opposing armed forces” James W. Von Brunn was an enemy of the United States.

Mr. Johns, you are a hero that we never knew, or would have known if this travesty against humanity had not occured. Your selfless act is deserves the accolades of this grateful nation.

I will be forwarding this message to the White House and all members of Maine’s Congressional Delegation for their consideration.

Investing. Look at the stocks listed in the Dow Jones Industrial Average.

Look back 10 years for best performance.

By up to $250 shares of the best performing stock. The $250 amount is my quarterly budgeted amount for personal investing.

This practical exercise will also be useful to learn my way around my eTrade account.

Repeat quarterly to round out personal portfolio.

Came home from vacation to find the master bath room shower leaking at the wall. Troubleshot it last night. Figured out the shower arm was busted at the brass fitting. Was going to fix it this weekend. After all, how much water was leaking.

Way more than I thought.

Paint bubbles started appearing this afternoon in the living room ceiling. Deja vu – this has happened before with the condensation on a hot summer day coupled with more than at least several loads of cold water wash/rinse. (Who had the bright idea to place the master bathroom and laundry room above the living room anyways?)

So I got home, removed the faulty six inch shower arm and headed off to the land of orange aprons. The selection of shower heads was monumental in scope, size and diversity. At least six dozen variants. Keep it simple, all I need is to get wet, get soapy, get rinsed, get out. Tropical breezes are way too optional.

So I get home, again. #1 son capably and very competently assists under my pretend tutelage. No more leaks.

Have dinner with appropriate attitude adjustment beverages.

The paint bubbles of water remain dangling, tantalizing. It is now their time. I pop several of them with scissors and capture the minimal water. One has a persistent drip, drop and dribble. Get the battery operated drill with a 5/8″ spade bit. Drill a hole to relieve the unknown pressure.

It was like turning on a faucet in the ceiling. A steady stream of water poured out into our panic. #1 son gets a plastic mixing bowl. I then run and grab an empty plastic coffee bucket, with a handle. We alternate standing under the torrent with the water tossed out into the rain on the deck. Finally, it slows enough so we can catch our breath and get our cameras to further capture the photographic evidence.

Son and I are laughing, chuckling, guffawing and audibly disturbing the global IT conference call going on in dear wife’s/mother’s work-from-home office. Soorrrryyyyy.

Do I dare drill another hole for further pressure release?

I’m still away, but will be returning towards reality promptly.

The subtitle of my vacation could be, Three Boats with other stuff in between. Given the historical context of where I am visiting, boat riding is an appropriate theme.

I am spending this week in time in Williamsburg, Virginia. Like the tri-cornered hat, this area has three points of interest; Jamestown-the first permanent settlement. Yorktown – the beginning of the end of the Revolutionary War. And Jamestown in between – where many ideas developed as men of the minds coalesced.

The first boat was the ferry from Cape May, New Jersey to Lewes, Maryland. Sure, we could have droven around and down through the Philadelphia, Baltimore & DC corridor, but where is the fun in that? (self-answering question).

The second boat was on the schooner Serenity for a sunset cruise out of Yorktown.

The third boat was on the Ms Hampton II for a harbor tour from Hampton to the Norfolk Navy Base. Gray ships of steel that project America’s might across the globe. There is no other naval force even remotely equivalently that these ships can’t squash like a bug.

We The People came over to this great land on boats. It is only appropriate that boat rides should be included in this experience of history. There will be pictures posted soon on my flickr site.

Until then, Be Free.