Murder by the Slice

So my friend Rob Cline has penned a novel called Murder by the Slice.  Bottom line - It's a fun read!

Murder by the Slice, as the name implies, is a murder mystery set in the modern day with an unlikely hero in the form of an underemployed pizza delivery driver / philosophy major, Paul.  As with all good hero stories, our hero gets tangled up accidentally (or by fate, destiny, the gods, whatever vehicle you choose) when he stumbles into the scene of a murder. What happens next in the 314 page ride is a series of twists and turns as Paul tries to extricate himself from the whole mess.  But, as often happens to reluctant heroes, the only way out is through figuring out whodunit without getting hurt or killed.

The supporting characters in the book are well written, and far enough from the usual stereotypes to be believable, which makes the book easy to get caught up in.  Even the unlikely attraction between a hot young reporter and our hapless, sorta ordinary hero comes across as genuine and sweet. The story arc is well written and easy to follow.  I read the whole book in the course of one day, since I had the time and it held my interest, always wondering what the next mini adventure would be.

One criticism, [SPOILER ALERT] would be the highly unlikely odds of finding a key to a safe in a file in a file cabinet full of files, in a room full of file cabinets, while under duress, then have the safe appear by chance as well.  It stretched the odds of probability a little too much for my mind. I hope that won't give too much away.  But that was the only point in the book that shook my willing suspension of disbelief enough to be distracting. [END SPOILER ALERT]

Another "criticism" I have is that, well, I know the author.  Let me explain.  I knew him well in high school and was Rob's college flat mate for awhile, so the old adage "write what you know" was filled almost to perfection.  In the movie in my mind, it was Rob playing the part of Paul.  Which was great fun.  I recognized traits of people in our circle of friends in the characters, I could easily picture the car, some of the scenarios, etc. based on a common history. I wondered if the main baddie was named for our drama director (last name), or me for that matter (first name). The criticism is, (I state with a grain of salt) that throughout the book I was waiting with anticipation for a reference to the philosophy of Star Trek to make an appearance.  I remember with great fondness coming back to our apartment after classes and having Star Trek on TV in one of its many forms.  Being a mild trekkie myself, I didn't mind a bit.  So I fully expected some mention of it in this tome. Maybe next time.

What impressed me was that I was able to believe that the events that took place could happen (even though my having experience at crime scenes and knowing that the odds of someone discovering a body having to go through all that Paul did are less than slim to none.) As I read, I could easily imagine the movie version of the book.  I liked the characters, good guys and bad guys.  The plot was fun and kept moving and kept me entertained, which is more than lots of murder mysteries are able to do! It avoids getting "dark" or "gritty", which is a relief from the majority of murder mysteries out there.  There is a good amount of humor, both in spoken words and situations, and reminded me of a good "Moonlighting" episode instead of "CSI:SVU".  All in all, a delightful book!

So, yeah.  If you want a fun murder mystery read, I would highly recommend this book, either in its physical form, or on your e-reader.  Oh, and Rob - when they make the movie, can I play the part of the dead body? :)

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Resolute

There are more goals for the new year floating around in my head.  Bows to build, glass to create, knives to fabricate. There are things I want to write about.  Places I want to see. Skills to learn.  So I'll make my lists and set my goals, and spend time daydreaming about them.

It is easy to make resolutions.  Harder though is being resolute.

Everyone makes plans of some sort.  Most people even make the traditional New Year Resolutions.  But too often, those plans fall through for one reason or the next.  Gyms and health clubs are packed this time of year, but by February the numbers will go down again.

So, how does one become resolute? If I had the answer to that, I'd be able to retire.  But I think what it comes down to is good, old fashioned, hard work.  Taking small steps towards that goal, and taking each day as it comes.  Having a plan to follow, but not getting discouraged when the plan falls through and must be changed.

Lots of little things add up to success.

So - Here is to being Resolute in the New Year!  May you take the many little steps that lead to success in whatever you chose to do!

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Ahhh... The New Year Once More!

Hello 2013! Nice to meet you.  I'm looking forward to the adventures you will bring, and also to the chasing of the goals I've set for your twelve months.  But before we get to those, a reflection of 2012...

There were a ton of highlights, and to try and cover them all would take much of this new year.  So - just to touch on a few...

Bluefeather expanded into my full time job! Scary and exciting at the same time.  Orders filled and lots of cool things built. I am so very excited to see what I can do in this next year.

Kiddos growing like weeds. An 8 year old with an inquisitive mind and great insights. Reading at a Jr. High level, it is hard to find books that challenge him and are somewhat age appropriate.  A 4 year old who has discovered her inner teen.  Smart as a whip, and fearless to boot.  After the snow fell she perfected "penguining" - sledding with no sled, on her belly, arms out to the side and flying down the hill!  I love watching these kids grow, learn and develop!

Odonata Extravaganza.  This was our first full season of recording odes in our area, and what a season it was!  I added 19 records to 5 county lists (in 3 states!), and the Boyo added 2 more. both of the kids and I had a great time every time we went hunting, and we are looking forward to the spring when we can get out in the field again.

I went out to the Lakota rez in Pine Ridge a few times, and started some really great friendships with some really wonderful people. I got to experience a couple of sweat lodges and was honored to be invited to the Sun Dance.  Incredible experiences. Incredible.  I can't wait to get back out there and see my friends again.

So many other great things happened in 2012. Lots of laughter with friends and family. A beautiful, loving and extremely supportive wife. A roof over our heads and food in the cupboards.  We are really quite blessed.

We also had some not so great things happen. But one thing I have learned is that even when those bad things happen, there are silver linings. 

My mom and the Wife's dad both were in and out of the hospital with various health problems, though we are still very blessed to have all four parents in our lives.  We will continue to enjoy every day we have with them as best as we can.

I thought an injury would keep me out of the triathlons for a bit, but it turned out to be an arthritic hip, and the rehab and training will take lots longer than I had hoped.  Silver lining - I am going to focus more on the swimming and do some distance swims in place of lots of Tri's. And I am more determined than ever to get into better shape to slow the hip issues.

I lost some friends this year. Some to death, and some because of their closed minds. I miss most of them terribly.  But on the bright side, I'll see most of them again one day. Here, there or in the air, as we used to say at OLBC. Although initially painful, I can look back at all of the good memories with them, and focus on the love I have for them.

Which brings me nicely to the 2013 goals! 

The first and foremost is Forgiveness.

For those that know me, I am highly opinionated about some things. I don't form my opinions lightly or without reasons, and I stand by my beliefs unapologetically.  I have a great many friends who disagree with me on some issues.  Most of those friends are willing to agree that we disagree on some things, and we can still be friends.  I love this about my friends and family.  I love that we can even have heated arguments and at the end of it all, still respect each other. Unfortunately I have also lost a very few friends and a few family members because in their view, my disagreement with their opinion makes me a traitor or a monster, and they have cut me from their lives. 

My first reaction to this was anger.  Anger at their narrow minded views.  Their self righteous attitudes. Their arrogance at thinking that their beliefs in religion, government, society in general, is the only truth, and anyone disagreeing is an enemy. Most of all, anger with their desire to no longer be friends due to conflicting viewpoints. 

Then came sadness at no longer being involved in their lives. And sadness at their lack of interest in my family or my life.  But as the year came to a close, the anger and sadness went away and was replaced by forgiveness. I forgave them for their hurtful words and actions. I forgave myself for feeling the anger towards them.  And in forgiving came a freedom from worrying about what they think anymore.  Freedom from their hatred.  Freedom to love them for who they are and what they believe.  It was really quite liberating!  So one of my goals for 2013 is to forgive those who wrong me and let it go. And forgive myself as well.

Next up is a resolution to be more bold.  It may sound strange to those who know me.  But I am often fraught with paralyzing self doubt and second guessing about things.  I didn't have this problem performing my duties as a medic, as I was trained for the job and very confident in my abilities.  From this year forward, my job is creating art.  ART!  I have little to no formal training in what I do.  I taught myself to make knives.  I taught myself to work with glass and steel. I have no degrees or certifications as an artist.  I felt the same way putting my music on CD's and putting those out there.  What would people think?  What if they didn't like it?  What if they did?

In this new iteration as an artist, I have played it pretty safe.  I honed my glass skills, my knifemaking skills, etc. Stay close to simple and proven methods. I stick pretty close to what I know.  But, you know what?  I'm pretty dang good at what I do! I make some really cool stuff! Really cool ART! So... This year I am going to be BOLD.  I'm going to explore new techniques, new designs, new materials. I'm going to try mixing the media I work with. I'm going to cultivate confidence in my art, and start showing it at festivals, shows, anyplace I can find where I can maybe sell some and make a solid living doing what I love.  I absolutely LOVE creating. This year I will embrace the moniker of ARTIST and charge full force into it.

All of my other resolutions are pretty standard.  Get in better shape, lose some weight, make better use of my time. That sort of thing. (Or as the Boyo would say, "All that jazz.")  I do want to do a couple of distance swims this year. A minimum of 5K would be nice.  Maybe start training for a marathon distance swim. 

So, be bold with what I love. Forgive others and myself. And stick to the old USMC (Delta Dog) motto - Semper Gumby, Baby... Always flexible.

Welcome 2013.  I'm looking forward to you!

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Thoughts and Rants About Sandy Hook and the Aftermath

Like most other people, I was deeply affected by the tragedy in Newtown, CT last week.  I am reading the obits of the kids and teachers, listening as day by day they are buried.  I have at once been angry and scared and grief filled and stunned.  Being the father of a 4 and 8 year old, this event breaks my heart. I cannot imagine what those families are going through. Though I know that my greatest fear is the loss of my kids.

I have gone back and forth over writing about my feelings here, as I have been scolded by others in the past for my thoughts. But then I thought, 'Hell Wallace, it's my blog.  I can write whatever I want in here.'  So here goes. Thoughts are in blue, Rant is in red, in case you'd like to skip one or the other.

The shooting has touched a nerve in me.  At night, my former Marine psyche and my former medic psyche combine, and I dream of being in the middle of the woods with a group of kids.  I am carrying a Bushmaster, the same weapon the shooter used.  The kids are from my medic days. In real life, none of them are alive, but in my dreams they are gathered near.  I tell them to stay behind me, because I know a threat is out in those woods somewhere.  My weapon is at the ready, and I am anxious.  I move through the woods with my little group, looking for safety and ready for an ambush. We walk for what seems like hours.  I am on edge, but the kids follow quietly along, well mannered, but not looking concerned at all.
 
Dreams like that make for long nights.
 
I can see, in my waking hours, what these dreams mean.  Anxious about unknown threats to my own kids. Thinking of the 20 kids killed brings back memories of the kids I worked on and couldn't save. etc.  So I listen to the stories of the tragedy as they play on NPR.  I limit what I read, or I could easily get sucked in to just doing that all day.  And I wait, because time will pass, and so will the raw nerve this event has poked.

I am hoping, too, that the rhetoric will fade quickly.  The fallout of ridiculous things people say, either attempting to cope with the event, or in the case of some "politicians", for the attention. 
 
"We need more gun control!" "We have to arm the teachers so they can fight back!" "This happened because we took God out of the schools!"
 
These are the three biggies that I've seen lately, and frankly, they are annoying me.  People who spew stuff like this are not thinking through the event, nor are they able to see the big picture right outside their little worldview. So I'd like to share my thoughts on these three topics.
 
1. Needing more gun control. 
While I agree that there are many weapons that should be banned from civilian ownership and use - semi auto rifles come to mind - Gun control regulations alone will not prevent another shooting.  Someone wanting to kill and create chaos will still have access to pistols, hunting rifles and shotguns.  Nobody will be able to ban those. The Internet will still have instructions for bomb making and chaos creating.  When I was a Marine, we had a whole class on expedient weapons... How to kill people using everyday items.  Those who want to kill will find a way.  Why is that?  If you look at the shooters in these mass killings, they have some traits in common.  Anti-social behavior, prior violent behavior, mental illness. Are you starting to see a common thread? Bottom line is, gun control alone won't solve the problem.  We need to be looking at our national mental health system and making some serious reforms and improvements.  I see that gun control is in the spotlight right now, and I am hoping (and letter writing to my government officials) that mental health issues are brought into the spotlight as well.
 
2. Arming teachers for deterrence.   
 The principal at Sandy Hook had many good security measures in place. Locking doors, lockdown procedures, etc.  Yet still it happened.  Well, a locked door made of glass is not really much of a deterrent. Solid core steel, perhaps. Or a multi-paned door reinforced between the windows so getting past the door would be impossible. Bullet resistant windows that open enough for air, but not enough for getting in, perhaps with a release inside to pop the window for emergency exit.  Classroom doors that lock from the inside would also help. 
 
Putting guns into the hands of the teachers though - not so much.  Why? They are teachers.  With the exception of a handful of prior service folks, most of them have never handled weapons. Even if you teach them to shoot, will they be able to shoot another human being? It isn't as easy as target practice. Besides, they should not be expected to be anti-terrorist commandos on top of their teaching duties anyway. 

Perhaps a room near the main entrance could be used as a security room. Camera's showing every entrance to the school, doors and windows, and set up to show anyone approaching.  A trained security guard monitoring them all, with perimeter alarms to notify him or her when someone is approaching or trying to get through an outside door or window.  The guard could see an armed assailant coming and lock everything down and notify the authorities.  Perhaps this guard could also be armed, so they could be prepared as a last resort should a shooter actually gain entry. The job of the teacher would be to lock their rooms, barricade the doors, and wait for the good guys.
 
Of course, overhaul would be costly.  But I wouldn't mind paying a bit more in taxes to secure the building where my children go to school. What is it worth to do everything possible to prevent Sandy Hook from happening in your kids school?
 
3. God is forbidden in schools.
This is the one that really ruffles my feathers.  People making this argument apparently have little respect for the US Constitution and a remarkable lack of faith in their God. The first amendment was written to protect religion from the state, and the state from religion.  People who think that their personal religion is the only "correct" one bug me anyway, but to think that God is not in schools is ridiculous.  My son has a faith in the Christian God that is remarkable for a boy his age. I love that about him.  I know that every day he walks into that school, God and Jesus and his faith go with him.  Our government denying a single religion to proselytize in public places like schools does NOTHING to detract from his faith.  Nothing. Any single religion griping about not being "allowed in schools" is just arguing to circumvent the Constitution that I have sworn to protect and defend against all enemies, foreign or domestic. 
 
If you are reading this and are one of those people who feel the need to argue to let your God back into schools, consider this.  How would you feel if there were Muslim religious teachings enshrined on the school walls? Lessons from the Torah on the blackboard for your child to study? What about meditation rooms where the children are taken for a class to learn how to be a better Buddhist? Dress codes inspired by the Sikh religion?  Christian parents would flip out.  Yet you would argue for putting the Ten Commandments up, or starting the day with prayer.  "If only God were still allowed in school!!! This never would have happened!" Skittlefarts.  It would still happen. There is a difference between private religion and public religion.  A good book to read on the subject is Jon Meacham's American Gospel. He does a great job of explaining the why's and how's of it all.
 
Also, do you seriously think God is powerless to go into public places simply because your teachings aren't followed in that place? That makes your god a pretty wimpy deity. The God I follow is bigger than any Government.  God is in the schools.  In the hearts of those who believe.  Teach your religion in your homes and in your churches where they should be taught. Let God worry about the public places.

This event stirred up a lot of emotions in me. I will grieve for the families of those who were killed, and pray for them in my own way.  I will be pressing my Government to look more into mental health issues, in the hopes that people who need help can get it before they resort to this. I will remember that everyone has their right to say whatever they want about their beliefs, even when I think they are misguided and wrong, and try not to get too upset about it.
 
Mostly though, I will hug my kids tighter, treat them with as much love and gentleness as I can muster, and cherish this life that I am living. Events like these can help bring into focus what is really important in life. I am fortunate in a way to have had some really horrific calls as a medic. For years now I have been been able to focus more on the blessings in my life.  My wife.  My kids. My family and friends. My job as an artist. It makes a huge difference.

Bad things will still happen to good people.  But the sun will rise again, and in the end, all we can do is love our family and friends, and show love to others. Stand with each other as we make our way through life.  Do the best we can with what we have, and enjoy the time we've been given as much as we can.  May God keep and protect us all.
 
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Bow Build Weekend!

Not only was this weekend the birthday of my beloved Marine Corps AND Veterans Day, but I spent the weekend leading a bow building weekend down at the Shaffer Hotel Workshop! The class size fell from six to two, but that was OK, as the build went pretty well! Introducing future bowyers Chad and David!

 

Day One 

 It started with wood selection and choosing the silk ties that would become the backing for the bows.  Mere silk and sticks now, soon to be bows!

 Layout was first, measure twice and cut once the rule. Unfortunately one of the staves became the first casualty on cutout when the blade drifted over the well measured line.  No big deal though, plenty of supplies on hand. 

 After the cut out, the sanding began.  Sanding, sanding and more sanding!  After plenty of hard work, the backs of the bows were shaped and sanded and ready for the glue up.

 Silk ties cut apart, handle materials chosen and lots of sloppy glue work. 

 Day one complete!  Bows backed, risers glued up, everything looked great!  Good work guys!

Day Two

 Day two began with trimming silk, then back to the sanders.  Sanding and shaping and shaping and sanding.

 Tips were added to the bows for aesthetics and strength.  We went to lunch while these cured up.

 Bellies cut next. then it was Tiller Time!  Sanding and shaping, then to the tiller trees.

 More shaping, more tillering, more shaping, more tillering. The guys worked hard.  The second casualty of the build was Davids bow, which was tillering beautifully and was nearly at his weight and draw length when it developed a nasty stress crack right near the riser.  No way to predict it, it just happens sometimes.  Ah well.  Fortunately I had been building a bow along side them as a demo bow, and David took over the tillering on that, once again doing exceptional work and tillering out a beautiful bow.

 Handles were shaped and arrow windows cut in.  And then the best part of any bow build - Shooting the first arrows!

 Chad's first shot!  Nice tiller, really well made bow. 30# at 27".  Good work Chad!

 David's first shot! He essentially tillered two bows that day, and did a splendid job on both!  Fortunately the back up bow turned out awesome as well - no stress cracks!  40# at 30".  Excellent bow!

 Two newly minted bowyers and their bows.   Job well done, gentlemen! And you have a fine bow that you built yourself!

The obligatory full draw shot.  Nice tillering guys!

It was a fun weekend of bow building!  If you are interested in setting up a bow build weekend for your group, feel free to contact me for details!  john@bluefeathergardens.com

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Food for Kidz

Today we did something awesome.  Our Church hosted a "Food for Kidz" event and we went to help out for a couple of hours.

The Wife and the Boyo went last year to package food, and even their telling of it didn't convey the awesome of it.

Check out their web site for more info on them.

There were 16 or so stations set up in our fellowship hall, and ten people at each table.  In assembly line fashion, we put in protein, some kind of powder, dried veggies and rice, then passed the little bag off to a weigh station to get the package to @400 grams, then to a heat sealing station to seal it, an then down the table to the packing station. 

It didn't take too long before our group of ten was cruising right along, packaging meals.  Each little bag contained 6 meals worth of food, and we did about 15 - 20 boxes during our shift.

With everyone working, we had packaged about 35,000 meals during our two hour shift.  The goal of the day was to package 100,000 meals, and I have no doubt that the goal was reached.

It was awesome. Sweet Pea loved helping out where she could, and the Boyo found his niche in packaging, which included putting two bags on each of 18 rectangles on a packaging board, then packing those 36 bags into a box.  Lots of movement and energy required, which is right up his alley!

He also left with a greater appreciation of what we were doing it for, and we talked about what it would be like to go to bed without supper, or to go days and weeks without regular meals.

And at the end of the day, we were even more aware and thankful for the lives we have been dropped into.  The kiddos both cleaned their plates at dinner tonight, not wanting to waste the food that we have been blessed with.

It was a great day.

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Kasey Kinnzensox - part two

Yesterday was her first full day as a part of our pack. As expected she spent most of the day wandering around the house looking a bit dazed.  We all tried to stay quiet and calm, and make her welcome.

She gets along well with Holly, with the playing and stuff.  But as night approached, I was worried about more whining and crying and other puppy type things.

But after we went out for the last tie, I put them both on the landing, which serves as a large kennel, and turned out most of the lights to see what would happen.

Holly plopped down on her bed, and Kasey looked at her for a second, sniffed the blanket we had down for her (one of Shoba's) turned around three times and settled in!

And that was the last I heard from her all night!

This morning we heard a small whine, so soft and short that we had to listen for it to see if it was coming from the dogs.  After a bit it came again.  Still small and short. It wasn't Holly.  When she gets started, she'll sing a song.

So I got up and went to look.  There were the two dogs, sitting patiently, waiting to go out! 

When we came back inside from a successful outing, I noted with some pleasure that Kasey was actually wagging her tail, greeting the family as we came out of bedrooms, and seemed all together 100% happier than she had the day before.  She is still looking a little dazed from time to time.  But I have even better vibes about her this morning that she will settle into our family well.

I also noticed that she is sort of a mix of the "Big Three", Shoba, Ben and Rascal.  Her face looks like Shoba especially the way she uses her ears, and she is mellow like her. Likewise her temperament is similar to Rascal in that she is sweet and LOVES the kiddos.  And when her tail pops up and curls around to wag, it is very reminiscent of the way Ben's tail looked.

These similarities are not enough to make me sad for the loss of the other three, but to remember them fondly and see that this dog should do well here.

We were also thinking about the name Tanner for her.  Because she is TANNER than ANY OTHER DOG WE HAVE EVER HAD!  It is a little strange to see her padding about, as having all or mostly  black dogs has been the norm since 1997.  But she is cute and sweet.

In short.  We like her.

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