Ramblings of a 20-something Ohioan

If salty language offends you, I apologize. Somedays I'm classy, and some days I'm crassy.

28 February 2011

Project Womanhood: Cooking for Grandpa




So my mom has these really cool Cutco knives







Honoring our veterans

I saw a really cool article in the local news, it is kind of a downer in that it's an obit.  But, this is about a man who was one of Doolittle's Raiders.  Here's what the hivemind of wikipedia has to say: Doolittle's Raid on Wikipedia .

He was actually the last survivor of the epic badassery that Doolittle pulled off.  Doolittle's Raid was the first official U.S. counterattack on Japan after the attack on Pearl Harbor.  I first saw this raid dramatized in the feature film, "Pearl Harbor" back when everyone loved Josh Hartnett and we all had American flag bedspreads.  I was in high school.  It was a beautiful time.  Mom paid for everything, the biggest worry in my life was making good grades.  Here's the youtube tribute: Doolittle's Raid - Pearl Harbor (2001)

I love veterans.  We have an abundance of them in my family.  What can I say, we love our country, our guns, our dogs - we just love America.  Here's the line up: Grandpappy., Granddaddy, Dad, Aunt Data, PCII, Great Grandpa Hendrix, Great Uncle Glenn, Great Uncle Tommy...and the family goes way back in the US, so I'm sure we have some revolutionaries in there somewhere.

My grandmother always claimed that her mother was descended from a sister of Martha Washington.  But, the Daughter's of the American Revolution don't consider matrilineal ancestry towards their membership requirements, which I find humorous.

Oh well, here's Grandpappy's story:


25th base post office in Wurzburg, Bavaria, Germany - handled all mail for the soldiers in europe, shipped by railroad - grandpa was a dispatcher for the incoming trains, and sorted cargo. Train from Bermerhaben to Wurzberg.  Basic training in Fort McClellan, AL - infantry training center.  August 1945 still in basic.  VJ day happened. Machine guns, M1 rifles, carbines, 30 caliber machine gun, and 30 caliber M1 rifles. Guard duty M1 rifle.  Classified as Corporal, went to Staff Sgt. 2 times - messed around, demoted...arrested by mp's 1 time for drinking and getting caught with women. Forced women to be tested for diseases.  Let grandpa go, extra guard duty - KP, you got to choose. Took KP so he could eat extra.  Had to peel potatoes.  Everyone had to do Kitchen Police, everyone had to take a turn.

could peel potatoes or be a table waiter. Made a lot of friends -Sgt of the guard, NC vacay impromptu run in...funny story.

transferred to base...guard duty, called the german's krauts..they tried to steal the mail, had to guard.  Arrested theives.  Sgt. of the guard and captain, got locked up.  "Everyone was hard up"  give them a lecture, then turn them loose.  Caught some civilian workers in the re-wrap section...you had to watch them there.  War beaten, homes bombed. 92% laid to the ground RAF, every where big piles of rubble.
Most of the surrounding area was bombed out. Occupational troop.  Drafted.  Infantry basic Camp Adabary,  Indiana reception center to determine their best qualified.

bar
brewery
free beer
occupational forces
lots of chics
smoking cigarettes
no dope smoking
nazi daughters worked in the post office, they were forgiven

favorite part of working in the post office: good people on the team, good supervisors
Worst part: having to pull KP - kp was harder in basic "they worked the shit out of 'ya 5a-10p shift
1700 troops in basic

Post office - 100+ GI's, POWs worked their too
PW tracer?  Tank and picked up prisoners to work in the post office.  Manual labor - lifting, cleaning, loading coal, unloading.  Grandpa's first job was to transport prisoners to and from the post office.  3 or 4  guard per 65 POWs.  POWs were treated well and liked the post office, they got to eat well while there.  Railroad cars...big trucks APO's scattered...Frankfurt was close...APO pick ups, Grandpa would sometimes drive the truck. "Outfits"  Change of addresses were a pain in the ass.  Packages would sometimes come back 3 times, but they worked hard to keep up with soldiers frequent transfers.  Ended the war as a supervisor.  Grandpa was a relief troop.  Scheme section upstairs, registered mail section


Friends - Earl G. West in Dayton Ohio (passed away a few years ago), best buddy - drinking and fighting together. Not on the record.  Rowdy bunch, like young people are...went to clubs, allowed to take the german girlfriends.


What about hogan's heroes? - Reminded him of his post office shenanigans.  18 weeks of basic training. did well on his marksmanship with the M1, also the carbine..hit the bullseye.  Grandpa got an "expert" badge.

grandpa was named after a military friend of his sister Gladys who died in WWI.
Did you want to work in the P.O. when you came back from the war.

Grandpa's advice for current soldiers: keep from getting court martialed.  Don't do anything bad enough to get a record.  Go to bars, drink booze, have girlfriends, we was all buddies. Friends are important.  Don't let fights amount to much.  Rank is important.  Achieved Sgt. once, for 3 days and lost it.  Drinking and fighting and girls.

Corp. Technician 5th Grade

You're doing it right: NKOTB

So the New Kids on the Block were the shit when I was little.  I had the bedspread, the Jordan doll who made a nice pimp for my barbie hookers that I dressed like the ladies of the evening who dared to dream in Pretty Woman.

Kids these days like my bestie Miss Canada and her son Buzz watch Cars over and over the same way that my grandmammy and I watched Pretty Woman, Dirty Dancing, and Marked for Death. And if grandma really needed her hot and sexy mens fix, we would watch Bloodsport, Robin Hood Prince of Thieves and the Die Hard Trilogy.  And...if grandpappy had anything to say about the evenings viewing, it would be awesome movie - Chuck Norris vs. Bruce Lee, and a cat for the 4Chan ppl, motherfuckin' Caturday up in that shit!!  That clip has everything:-)

DeCON Revisited: The Winking Pirate

So...there was this very attractive looking artsy type who I initially pegged as a hippie tree-hugger, but in reality he was a barefooted pirate with a convincing accent.  In my mind's eye, he was a walking mash-up of Duncan McLeod and Captain Jack Sparrow.  I requested an impression, but Barfleet was a harsh mistress on Friday night...so, he said to hit him up in the Dealer's Room on Saturday.

Well, this man is an artiste, lemme tell you wut!

When I leafed through his portfolio visions of a Macabre Circus bathroom theme danced through my head. Unbeknownst to me, my mum had picked up this little gem:

So, in conclusion:


  • The winking pirate is actually Nigel Sade
  • He was winking at me because he knew mum purchased this for me as a gift.  Yay for mums!
  • I'm certain the hubby will follow his link and pick out a suitable piece to accompany it for my birthday/anniversary/christmas presents (wink, wink)

Ok, and just because, you need to see the awesomeness of the winking pirate for yourself, here's his set up from the dealer's room:


On the left is the merry winking pirate, Nigel Sade 
and on the right is the rock star philosopher who can be found here: Beyond Comprehension


DeCONpression 8 January 2011

Just a note: This is a dynamic review.  Hyperlinking is used as a de facto footnote and/or works cited.  Follow the blue lights links to learn more about what interests you. - Pricklypear27


DeCONpression 8 (DeCON) gets 5 sexy stars (out of 5) from me and here’s why you should go next year:
Ok, on to the long-winded stuff...
I was raised in a fandom family.  Going to Con’s was a regular occurance in my youth, so this review is coming from a lady who has seen it all...but here’s what I’ll admit to:
So, when I say I know fandom, you can trust me to approach the subject with a loving, respectful, and knowledgeble eye.  


Now...on to the dirty (depending on who you ask) stuff....
A lot of people who attend DeCon spend a lot of money (I assume, but maybe they're crafty?) on fabulous leather ensembles and like to spank each other.  They also look really cool. So, there’s that.  There are various other forms of play, but, here is what stuck out in my mind (so if this is your kinda ‘freak’, obviously, you should go to DeCON 9 and make new friends)
This years theme was “worldly explorers” with an accent on the pirates!  YARRRRRGGG!  Lots of fun pirate talk, cute little pieces of eight, pirate themed movies in the movie/game room, etc.
What made this Con my favorite thus far, was not the awesome dealers room, not the cool programming, and not even the fabulous foods of the Con Suite...it was the wonderful people.  This is truely a laid back, come-as-you-are, sexy fun times Con (or RelaxaCON if you will) for people in all ages and all stages of their life.  Whether you’re maiden, mother, or crone...whether you're rich or poor, skinny or bbw, the spanker or the spankee....or even if you have a lot of girlfriends, and so does your wife....then this is the con for you.
Normal Membership rates are $30 till October 1st, $35 till December 31st, $40 thereafter and at door. Saturday only is $35, Sunday Brunch $25 extra, and the return on investment was at least 10-fold for me.  


I got cool swag in the Dealer’s room...great advice on sewing machines, twat-flashing stories of resistance to the Patriarchy from CON Security, hilarious additions to my dirty joke arsenal...and, I even gained a new client for my Marketing/PR biz.  Not many people can say they spent under a hundred bucks in the dealers room and needed an extra bag for swag...and made money on a business deal..all in one CON!
So, my verdict...it’s January, it’s cold as all get out in Cbus (or Columbus for those who don't speak hipster)....find your tribe here at DeCON and you’ll be a ‘lifer.’ 

As a side-note, the show runners of the awesome-hot-mess that is DeCONpression, are the sweetest people you’ll ever meet.  Approachable, fun, and most of all...fandom enthusiasts, just like everyone else!  You’ll be welcomed like family, even if you were a DeCON virgin like me.

DeCon Revisited: Psychic Fandom Friends

ok...so, psychic abilities run on both my mumsy's side and my poppy's side.  Granpappy, who is my matrilineal grandfather has 3 sisters all with stories that can keep you up at night for years...but that's another post..trust, I do not want to scare people away from DeCon because of Aunt Gladys' freaky mini-mountain people-who will tickle your toes if you leave them out of the covers at night and then try to coax you into following them deep into the 'holler either to a treasure (I guess there's pirates in them mountains) or your death.  You just don't know.  You could be rich...or die.  So, moral of the story is don't be greedy I guess.

Oh geez...look what I did.  Well, the beds are so awesome and kinda big at the Con hotel, so no worries on your toesies slipping out and there are no mountains in Central Ohio..at least none with mini-mountain-people-pirates.  So, no worries.  Cool story, right.

She scared the hell out of me as a kid, now I sometimes talk to her.  She liked Minnie Pearl a lot, so I do that weird "Howwwwwwdeeeee!" that was her signature opening at the Grand Ole Opry as a tribute to her weirdness when I go to cons.  And, sometimes I alternate with that imfamous "Heellllllllooooooooh" belly button greeting from that awesome show about nothing.

I'm kind of embarrassing, but that is not the weirdest thing you've ever heard/seen at a con....Plushies...that's all I'm gonna say, Gandalf is cool, but that's not the plushies I meant.  Once you know, you can't un-know...so, use your imagination. But, as a side note, all the plushies I've ever met were incredibly cool, so there ya' go.

Ok...now here's the rest of the story

I've always had a "touch in the mind" as grandpappy called it.  He was used to it from his sisters freaking him out as a kid, so when I told him about my uncanny abilities (somedays I'm like Jubilee, some days I'm Jean Grey) to find money in pockets, talk to dead pets and relatives and just know when I've got the answer right on a math question.  If I ever tried to work out a problem on a multiple choice test, I'd over think it.  But, if I'd blow through a test in like 5 min. just marking the first right answer, then I'd always pass.  So...doing a reading for me feels more like needing to crack my knuckles, you don't know why, but you just do it.  So I blurt out weird things to people.  Sometimes they like what they hear...and sometimes I'm told to stop talking mid-sentence, quite rudely I might add.  Oh well...

Here is the story of Hanzo McGuiness (not named after that Hanzo, whoa look, I guess he was real, I wish that book gets made into a movie;-)...ok...you're probably used to these sidebars by now...click if you like..ignore if you don't.  I talk a lot in real life too...

Hanzo McGuiness is the con name of a member of Barfleet.  Barfleet is awesome, read about their epic nights of folly here.

Well, Hanzo was a friendly chap, but I just wanted desperately to talk about his name.  He kindly explained that is was a play on words...his ladyfriend's Barfleet name was Ging R Ayle...she was a lightweight apparently, or she was the person who kept the drunks upright.  Those people take their drinking seriously...it's like the Olympics of fandom drinking, and they put on the best Hospitality Suites at Con's...so I've been told, by mumsy...who I think has a secret Barfleet name, but she won't tell me.  I'll get it out of her when she's drunk, trust.  Maybe suggest some in the comments.  Mum stalks me online (like any good mother does these days), I'm sure, so you know she'll see them.

So, Hanzo McGuiness is a witty rendition of this classic bit of advertising genius that lives on forever in dorm rooms at Universities across the world.  Everyone loves a fun drunk, and the Irish said it best: Hand's Off My Guiness! Oh noes!  I can't find it...so here is another witty one from the people at Guiness, and if this was part of a National Health Campaign in Ireland...well, then it kinda explains a lot.



So, even after hearing of his witty prowess in the department of Con names....I still had to blurt out...but, but, why do I remember a character in Buckaroo Bonzai named Hanzo.  The only thing in my head I can recall from that movie is that there is a character named Hanzo....I swear it, it's like he's interlaced with that movie...and I did this thing with my hands where I laced my fingers through each other...

Hanzo was almost shaking, and a teeny tiny fandom tear almost fell from his eye, but it didn't it just welled up there and eventually reabsorbed...so, yeah, dudes don't cry I guess...

In a stage whisper he eeked out (I think this was to hold the tear in actually), "Buckaroo Bonzai is my favorite movie of all time."

Wow...we had connected!  I understood this man, and the rest of the con he gave me a cool little nod and smile, because yes, I got him.

We had this great conversation about why people in fandom can sit through a movie a million times, know every word, own said film on VHS, DVD, and BlueRay...and still watch them all (and watch them chopped to shreds on Saturday afternoon basic cable)! My theory is that the characters are so meaningful to that fan that watching said film brings them to their Zen place.  And everyone can use a little Zen, every now and then.

DeCon Revisited: The Dealer's Room




Trekkie Answers to life's greatest questions: Caregiving

I love this crap, fushigi's got nothing on Bowie!



In my mind's eye, these two videos go together for some reason...

Chris Rock is cool

I just finished watching Good Hair, a documentary by Chris Rock about African American women and their hair rituals.  It was great!  I learned a lot of things, it made me laugh, and Maya Angelou  was in it, so you know it had to be amazing.


27 February 2011

Did I mention I love to read?

I'm currently reading Life by Keith Richards.  It's an amazing autobiography.  Out of all his years on this planet he says his only regret was missing the birth of one of his children who later died in infancy.  Sounds like a feminist to me.  

He did a lot of crazy stuffy-stuff with the Rolling Stones, but I know his first priority is his children, which makes anyone a better person.  People with a lot of "Caring Intelligence" put people first, then money and then things.


I've also have quit a bit of reading in my que at home as evidenced here:




The books are kinda taking over at this point, but I think they make great accessories  in home decorating...it screams "I'm not a Philistine" to me.