7 posts from November 2007

I was the victim of a hit-and-run accident last week.  I was driving home from base after conducting some training with a couple of my troops.  A pickup truck pulled out in front of me from the parking lot of a Denny's restaurant.  There was no way I was going to be able to stop in time.  I t-boned the truck.  I think the only reason I remember that it was white is because of the paint transfer on the front of my car.  The female driver of the pickup fled the scene.  Two Good Samaritans that witnessed the accident pursued the fleeing driver and police were able to catch up with her.  I do not know why she fled the scene.  I do not much care at the moment, either.  I would not have minded the lack of insurance or driver's license.  The fact she fled the scene, though, is very upsetting and has left me somewhat traumatized from the accident, even though I suffered no injuries and there is a good chance they will be able to repair my car.

I do not know how the front bumper stayed on the car.  The passenger side front hazard light was disconnected, yet somehow stayed with the car.  I do not know how that worked.  The hood buckled slightly from the impact to the front bumper.  I am not sure if they will have it.  Something in the general area of the radiator is leaking.  I am not sure if it is the radiator itself or if it was something near the radiator.  Both airbags deployed.  The force of the passenger airbag deploying spider webbed the passenger side of the windshield.  I am thankful that I wear my seatbelt when driving my POV.

For now, I am in a rental car.  Rob has a friend who has an extra car that he is willing to let me borrow should I feel the need to.  The insurance agency and body shop have not given an estimate of the damage on my car yet.  They said I might have the estimate by tonight.  I also need to get the police report.  I would like to see if there is information on there as to why the driver fled the scene.  I also would like to see if that person has insurance.

And in the midst of all this, I have two troops trying to walk all over me and one more that has been relieved of duty for something beyond stupid.  I think that troop is just trying to take what they view as an easy way out.  I think he will face some interesting charges if they find the troop's claim to be false.  As for the other two, they failed their evaluations earlier this month, so they are not in a good position to be pissing people off, and I know I am not the only one that is irritated.  I told two sergeants yesterday that if their behavior did not drastically improve, they would find themselves redoing the entire evaluation, not just parts they failed.  I have to turn in the paperwork, and I am not turning it in if I do not feel they are ready.  If they fail again, it could come back on me.  I will NOT let that happen.  I think I will be having a "Come to Jesus" meeting with both of them.  I am not really looking forward to it.

It has been a while since I last posted my thoughts on things I find interesting in the news.

I was wandering through CNN.com when I found an article about 'Roe vs. Wade for Men' being rejected by a federal appeals court.  Apparently, a man in Michigan argued that if a woman could chose among abortion, adoption, or raising a child, then a man involved in an unintended pregnancy should be able to decline the financial responsibilities of fatherhood.  The man also argued that paternity laws in Michigan violates the U.S. Constitution equal protection clause because it does not extend reproductive rights to men.  Okay.  First, if people do not use some form of protection while sharing intimacies, then they should not be surprised at the possibility of a pregnancy.  Granted, according to the article, the woman involved told this man she could not get pregnant due to a medical problem.  I will not assume she lied to the man, but the man should have taken precautions just in case.  Second, if the woman decides to keep and raise the baby, and she is responsible and capable of properly caring for the baby, then I believe the baby's father should provide some support for the child.  This support should be within the man's financial means, of course.  I believe both parents should be held responsible for the child.  This means that the father should be involved in the child's life, whether he planned to have a child or not.  Of course, this would mean that the parents need to have a somewhat decent relationship, if for nothing else but the sake of the child.  It takes two to have a child.  It should take two to raise the child.

Another interesting article I found was about a grave robber in New Hampshire.  The body of a woman who died in 1821 was stolen from her grave on Halloween.  Investigators are investigating all angles of the grave robbery, including that of witchcraft.  They say it appeared too neat for a grave robber interested in looting the grave of any valuables (jewelry).  The article even added a tidbit about some people believe that if a skull is taken on Halloween, it will grant powers to the one who holds it.  I found it interesting because I do not see articles about grave robbers or witchcraft too often.  I wonder if the article hold any truth.

I have three cats.  They are Colby, Cheddar, and Chantico.

Colby is a orange cat with white on his chest, tummy, and paws.  Cheddar is all orange.  Colby and Cheddar are litter mates, thus I dubbed them 'The Cheese Brothers' shortly after I adopted them from the nearby animal shelter.  I decided to keep the names the shelter had already given them.

The shelter preferred that more than one pet was adopted, so they offered a pretty good price for the two litter mates.  I was looking for two cats.  This was because I work long hours, so I figured it would be better to have two cats so they did not get lonely.

I had long wanted to enjoy the company of felines again, especially since I grew up with a house full of cats.  The base dorms do not allow pets.  While some people may disobey this rule, I did not.  Thus, I was quite ecstatic when I finally moved off base and was able to adopt cats.

Chantico is a chocolate point Siamese.  She is named after a very rich chocolate drink that Starbucks used to offer.  Rob likened this drink to drinking a brownie.  I bought Chantico from a breeder.  She is the second Siamese that I have had.  I was impressed with how quickly Colby and Cheddar adapted to her presence.  They had not been so kind to her predecessor.  It was quite entertaining to see two big orange cats being chased around by a little white cotton ball of a kitten.

My first Siamese was named Chaos.  I realized after tracing Chantico's lineage that Chaos was an uncle of hers.  Chaos was the runt of his litter.  I thought it would be best to have another male, and he was the only one left, so I chose him.  It turned out that he has some serious health problems.  He died a month after I bought him.  He had a knot or fold in his digestive tract that prevented him from digesting food properly.

Anyhow, I bought a couple of new pieces of cat furniture to replace the scratching posts they have effectively shredded.  They have been enjoying them quite a bit, so far.  I bought them some fuzzy mice, too, but they seemed more interested in eating those.  I do not want them eating those.  They tend to be bad for the digestive tract.  Colby ate two before they came back up.  Cheddar attempted to eat two more, but I managed to stop him.  I will think of some better toys to get them, I guess.

If it is not one troop I am having issues with, it is another.  I am hoping the one I am referring to today made his appointment.  If he did not, he will be facing paperwork, and it might be coming from higher authority than me.  He had better show up at the Training building today, too, otherwise, he will be facing paperwork for failing to obey a direct order.  I am getting tired of him not listening, so maybe paperwork will give him the hint he needs.

On another note about another troop, I had another supervisor offer to take my other trouble troop off my hands.  On one hand, I have seven troops, and I am acting supervisor for at least three more, and I am beginning to feel the burden of supervising so many at a time.  However, I think handing off my troublemaker is a bad way to get rid of a problem.  It makes me feel somewhat incompetent, and I do not want to burden the other supervisor.  If they give me the paperwork to sign him over, I will have a chat with my supervisor about it.  I do not see a problem handing off a couple troops, but I do not want to burden another supervisor with a troublemaker, especially when said supervisor is lower ranking.

I have three troops doing their initial job knowledge evaluations tomorrow evening.  I am hoping they show up on time.  The three that I am acting supervisor for are also being evaluated.  It is enough to make me more than a bit anxious, but I will get over it.

Anyhow, I am off to base to get a Tuition Assistance form filled out so I can start the next round of classes next week.  I am looking forward to them.  ^_^

Film & TV writers are on strike, which means everything except reality TV could halt production.  Do you support the strike?  Are any of your favorite shows in jeopardy?

I feel that if the writers are not getting the money they deserve for their work, then yes, they are right to be on strike.  From what I have read so far, certain areas of technology and media are not covered in their contracts, including downloads and the internet.  And production companies have not acknowledged their writers' opinions or complaints on that issue, so this should be a good way to get their attention.

As for my favorite shows being affected, I am not sure.  I think they will be if this strike is prolonged, but I think they are safe in the short term.  I am definitely hoping this does not last long, because I do not watch reality TV.

Show us a book that scared you as a child.

I remember reading these books as a kid and being rather terrified of the dark for a little while afterwards.  Good times.  I wish stories like these scared me so easily, still.  The things we lose as we grow up...

Today begins Día de los Muertos.  What are your rituals or occasions when you remember loved ones you have lost?

There are two days of the year where I remember the loved ones I have lost.  The first is October 11th.  A friend of mine drowned while scuba diving in 1997.  The second day is November 2nd.  My grandfather died on this day after several months of suffering and pain.  I reflect on how they affected my life and remember the good times I shared with them on these sad anniversaries, as well as throughout the year when something reminds me of them.  I do not really have any rituals to remember them by.  I feel just remembering the times I shared with them is good enough.