Range Therapy on Friday

It's been one of "those" weeks and by Thursday night I knew I needed to visit the range.  Also that fact that I had not been to a range since my Cornered Cat training meant I was sore need of some practice.

It was a much needed break from every thing and I got to put about 200 rounds through my gun.  I would go back and forth between the modified weaver stance and the isosceles stance.  I am truly torn between them. Sometimes I do better with one and then another time I do better with the other. LOL  What's a girl to do!

I don't get to the range often during the week, so it was interesting to be the only female on the line.  The guy next to me started asking about what I was shooting and why I had so many magazines (I only have four).  I told him that different training classes request that you have a certain number of round loaded and ready to go, so I needed more than the two magazines that came with my gun.  He then went on to ask me about my training.  I think I surprised him with what all I told him. LOL

edited

I needed to edit my previous post.  I am "now" allowed to lock my gun in my car on the property.  I had made a typo that said "not."

People can be paranoid.....

If you have been reading my blog for awhile, you have probably deducted from them that I work in the public school system.  Which until July 1st of this year extremely hindered my ability to carry for a large portion of my day.

Since July 1st, I can now secure my handgun in my car while it is parked on school property.  Before that date I was not allowed to do that and could have gotten into ALOT of trouble if I had done so, so I didn't.  Which meant that from the time I left in the morning to until I came home I was unarmed.  I had to decide whether I wanted to run errands defenseless before going home or go home first.  Since I am the type that wants to STAY home once I get there, I usually went defenseless for longer periods of time.

That is NO longer an issue and I am very happy about that! :-)

Now for the real intention of this post tonight. :-D

One of my duties at school is the morning drop off area.  Another teacher and myself stand out there and make sure the kids get out of their cars safely and "remind" parents of the proper way to conduct themselves during drop off time.  Most of our morning drop offs are regulars and know the drill by this point in the school year.

Well today we had a "newbie," a dad that had never dropped his daughter off before, so not only did he not stop in the right place (not a biggie), but he had her on the opposite side of his truck than the side we are on. Not a big deal really, he just got out of the front seat and helped her out to make sure she was safe and the other teacher walked around to help her the rest of the way.  Other than a worried dad that she would make it to class, nothing unusual.

At least until the next car came up and I let that child out.  The mother in the car says "is that guy a cop?"  I said excuse me, since I had no idea what she was talking about.  She then goes on to tell me that the guy in front of her "had a gun on his hip" and wanted to know if he was a cop.  I told her that I did not know, since it was the first time I had seen him.  She started going on about him "having a gun" and it was school property.  I patiently explained to her that it was completely legal in our state to carry your gun on school property as long as you were dropping off a child and NOT going into the building.  He would only be in violation is he parked his vehicle and attempted to walk into the school building, otherwise what he did was legal in our state.  She was not too happy with my "revelation" to her but thankfully went on her way since the line was growing behind her. LOL

When the teacher later asked me what all that was about, her only response was "she would have a cow if she knew what was in your car everyday."  And yes, she is the only teacher there that knows that I carry and exercise my right to secure it in my vehicle while I am at work. :-)

I am still shaking my head over that woman's reaction!

"Write what you know about..."

One of the classes I am taking this semester is on writing.  Specifically using the APA style of writing.  Not exactly the most exciting sounding class, but it is a required course for my degree.

Anyways....the purpose of the above and the title of this post is concerning an article that I had to read for this class.  The article is entitled, "Be a better writer, be a better teacher," and it is a very insightful article.

I have always had visions of being a writer.  I loved writing in school, well, I liked being able to write stories in school.  That is one reason I have had some type of blog for over seven years now.  They have evolved over the years depending on what my life was like at the time.  Which is why THIS one is about my journey into shooting and conceal carrying.

I might not post often, but when I do I hope they are of value.

I have a few "posts" swirling around in my head and I hope to have time to put them to paper soon.

Love you all.......

Updating my blog list on the side

I was informed this evening by my sweetie that some of the links on my blog list were no longer good.  So, I am in the process of updating blogs that have moved and adding new ones.

Be patient please, it is a work in progress. :-)

Trying this one on for size...

This is a picture that my sweetie took during the Cornered Cat training.  I would like something that is "mine" so that I don't have to worry about copyrights or anything like that.  Plus it would mean more if it is of me or someone close to me like my little avatar picture.

So... is this one good or should I keep trying to come up with something?

Looking for a "look"

I am trying to come up with a picture for have as my title image.

I like what I have as my avatar to the side.  It is my daughter just doing her thing with spent casings, but that is not what my blog is about.  I am trying to find a picture of a lady with a gun, but not a "hoochie" momma or someone half naked with guns hanging off her.

I will keep on looking.....

Virginia's Hunter Safety Course

I must say that I was very impressed with the course that was offered.  Many moons ago I took a hunter's course that was no where near as thorough as this one.  It was the bare minimum that was required for the state to say that I had taken a class.  This one was a two day 10-11 hour course that covered ALOT!

The course covered the following (in no particular order since I don't remember exactly):

Handling and safety
tree stand safety
archery
muzzleloading
modern firearms
ammunition
marksmanship
care and cleaning
trapping
turkey hunting
game care
survival
first aid
map and compass
water safety and waterfowl hunting
wildlife conservation and management
wildlife identification
ethics

The instructors were very well versed in their subject areas and what was even more impressive to me was that fact that they are all VOLUNTEERS.  None of them are paid for their time, yet they give their weekends to ensure that those that want to hunt have the best education to do so safely.

Sunday was a fun time.  We had the tree stand safety lesson that day so we got to go outside and see the different types of stands that are out there today.  Again, the instructor for that portion brought his own personal stands to show us!

Then we got to go to the range and shoot some 22 rifles.  I must say that it was the first time I have ever shot in the prone position.  Not the best position for someone whose back was already giving them problems, but I survived. LOL

Edgar Allen Poe

It was on this date in 1849 that Edgar Allen Poe is said to have died.  There is still a lot of mystery surrounding his last days and there seems to be no record of his death or even a death certificate, but we will go with this date, since it is what the consensus has decided.

I have always had a fondness for Poe's writing.  Yeah, I can be a tad macarbe that way.  I remember in 7th grade getting to go on a field trip to the University of Virginia and being in awe at seeing the dorm room that Poe used during his brief stay there:

I was a lit geek then.  What can I say, not many 7th graders were well versed in Shakespeare, Poe, and Bronte to name a few. LOL

Most people think of "The Raven" or "The Fall of the House of Usher" when they think of Poe's works, but my favorite has always been "The Tell-Tale Heart."  Yeah, I am weird that way!

For your pleasure:

The Tell-Tale Heart

By Edgar Allen Poe

TRUE! nervous, very, very dreadfully nervous I had been and am; but why WILL you say that I am mad? The disease had sharpened my senses, not destroyed, not dulled them. Above all was the sense of hearing acute. I heard all things in the heaven and in the earth. I heard many things in hell. How then am I mad? Hearken! and observe how healthily, how calmly, I can tell you the whole story.

It is impossible to say how first the idea entered my brain, but, once conceived, it haunted me day and night. Object there was none. Passion there was none. I loved the old man. He had never wronged me. He had never given me insult. For his gold I had no desire. I think it was his eye! Yes, it was this! One of his eyes resembled that of a vulture -- a pale blue eye with a film over it. Whenever it fell upon me my blood ran cold, and so by degrees, very gradually, I made up my mind to take the life of the old man, and thus rid myself of the eye for ever.

Now this is the point. You fancy me mad. Madmen know nothing. But you should have seen me. You should have seen how wisely I proceeded -- with what caution -- with what foresight, with what dissimulation, I went to work! I was never kinder to the old man than during the whole week before I killed him. And every night about midnight I turned the latch of his door and opened it oh, so gently! And then, when I had made an opening sufficient for my head, I put in a dark lantern all closed, closed so that no light shone out, and then I thrust in my head. Oh, you would have laughed to see how cunningly I thrust it in! I moved it slowly, very, very slowly, so that I might not disturb the old man's sleep. It took me an hour to place my whole head within the opening so far that I could see him as he lay upon his bed. Ha! would a madman have been so wise as this? And then when my head was well in the room I undid the lantern cautiously -- oh, so cautiously -- cautiously (for the hinges creaked), I undid it just so much that a single thin ray fell upon the vulture eye. And this I did for seven long nights, every night just at midnight, but I found the eye always closed, and so it was impossible to do the work, for it was not the old man who vexed me but his Evil Eye. And every morning, when the day broke, I went boldly into the chamber and spoke courageously to him, calling him by name in a hearty tone, and inquiring how he had passed the night. So you see he would have been a very profound old man, indeed , to suspect that every night, just at twelve, I looked in upon him while he slept.

Upon the eighth night I was more than usually cautious in opening the door. A watch's minute hand moves more quickly than did mine. Never before that night had I felt the extent of my own powers, of my sagacity. I could scarcely contain my feelings of triumph. To think that there I was opening the door little by little, and he not even to dream of my secret deeds or thoughts. I fairly chuckled at the idea, and perhaps he heard me, for he moved on the bed suddenly as if startled. Now you may think that I drew back -- but no. His room was as black as pitch with the thick darkness (for the shutters were close fastened through fear of robbers), and so I knew that he could not see the opening of the door, and I kept pushing it on steadily, steadily.

I had my head in, and was about to open the lantern, when my thumb slipped upon the tin fastening , and the old man sprang up in the bed, crying out, "Who's there?"

I kept quite still and said nothing. For a whole hour I did not move a muscle, and in the meantime I did not hear him lie down. He was still sitting up in the bed, listening; just as I have done night after night hearkening to the death watches in the wall.

Presently, I heard a slight groan, and I knew it was the groan of mortal terror. It was not a groan of pain or of grief -- oh, no! It was the low stifled sound that arises from the bottom of the soul when overcharged with awe. I knew the sound well. Many a night, just at midnight, when all the world slept, it has welled up from my own bosom, deepening, with its dreadful echo, the terrors that distracted me. I say I knew it well. I knew what the old man felt, and pitied him although I chuckled at heart. I knew that he had been lying awake ever since the first slight noise when he had turned in the bed. His fears had been ever since growing upon him. He had been trying to fancy them causeless, but could not. He had been saying to himself, "It is nothing but the wind in the chimney, it is only a mouse crossing the floor," or, "It is merely a cricket which has made a single chirp." Yes he has been trying to comfort himself with these suppositions ; but he had found all in vain. ALL IN VAIN, because Death in approaching him had stalked with his black shadow before him and enveloped the victim. And it was the mournful influence of the unperceived shadow that caused him to feel, although he neither saw nor heard, to feel the presence of my head within the room.

When I had waited a long time very patiently without hearing him lie down, I resolved to open a little -- a very, very little crevice in the lantern. So I opened it -- you cannot imagine how stealthily, stealthily -- until at length a single dim ray like the thread of the spider shot out from the crevice and fell upon the vulture eye.

It was open, wide, wide open, and I grew furious as I gazed upon it. I saw it with perfect distinctness -- all a dull blue with a hideous veil over it that chilled the very marrow in my bones, but I could see nothing else of the old man's face or person, for I had directed the ray as if by instinct precisely upon the damned spot.

And now have I not told you that what you mistake for madness is but over-acuteness of the senses? now, I say, there came to my ears a low, dull, quick sound, such as a watch makes when enveloped in cotton. I knew that sound well too. It was the beating of the old man's heart. It increased my fury as the beating of a drum stimulates the soldier into courage.

But even yet I refrained and kept still. I scarcely breathed. I held the lantern motionless. I tried how steadily I could maintain the ray upon the eye. Meantime the hellish tattoo of the heart increased. It grew quicker and quicker, and louder and louder, every instant. The old man's terror must have been extreme! It grew louder, I say, louder every moment! -- do you mark me well? I have told you that I am nervous: so I am. And now at the dead hour of the night, amid the dreadful silence of that old house, so strange a noise as this excited me to uncontrollable terror. Yet, for some minutes longer I refrained and stood still. But the beating grew louder, louder! I thought the heart must burst. And now a new anxiety seized me -- the sound would be heard by a neighbour! 

The old man's hour had come! With a loud yell, I threw open the lantern and leaped into the room. He shrieked once -- once only. In an instant I dragged him to the floor, and pulled the heavy bed over him. I then smiled gaily, to find the deed so far done. But for many minutes the heart beat on with a muffled sound. This, however, did not vex me; it would not be heard through the wall. At length it ceased. The old man was dead. I removed the bed and examined the corpse. Yes, he was stone, stone dead. I placed my hand upon the heart and held it there many minutes. There was no pulsation. He was stone dead. His eye would trouble me no more.

If still you think me mad, you will think so no longer when I describe the wise precautions I took for the concealment of the body. The night waned, and I worked hastily, but in silence.

I took up three planks from the flooring of the chamber, and deposited all between the scantlings. I then replaced the boards so cleverly so cunningly, that no human eye -- not even his -- could have detected anything wrong. There was nothing to wash out -- no stain of any kind -- no blood-spot whatever. I had been too wary for that.

When I had made an end of these labours, it was four o'clock -- still dark as midnight. As the bell sounded the hour, there came a knocking at the street door. I went down to open it with a light heart, -- for what had I now to fear? There entered three men, who introduced themselves, with perfect suavity, as officers of the police. A shriek had been heard by a neighbour during the night; suspicion of foul play had been aroused; information had been lodged at the police office, and they (the officers) had been deputed to search the premises.

I smiled, -- for what had I to fear? I bade the gentlemen welcome. The shriek, I said, was my own in a dream. The old man, I mentioned, was absent in the country. I took my visitors all over the house. I bade them search -- search well. I led them, at length, to his chamber. I showed them his treasures, secure, undisturbed. In the enthusiasm of my confidence, I brought chairs into the room, and desired them here to rest from their fatigues, while I myself, in the wild audacity of my perfect triumph, placed my own seat upon the very spot beneath which reposed the corpse of the victim.

The officers were satisfied. My MANNER had convinced them. I was singularly at ease. They sat and while I answered cheerily, they chatted of familiar things. But, ere long, I felt myself getting pale and wished them gone. My head ached, and I fancied a ringing in my ears; but still they sat, and still chatted. The ringing became more distinct : I talked more freely to get rid of the feeling: but it continued and gained definitiveness -- until, at length, I found that the noise was NOT within my ears.

No doubt I now grew VERY pale; but I talked more fluently, and with a heightened voice. Yet the sound increased -- and what could I do? It was A LOW, DULL, QUICK SOUND -- MUCH SUCH A SOUND AS A WATCH MAKES WHEN ENVELOPED IN COTTON. I gasped for breath, and yet the officers heard it not. I talked more quickly, more vehemently but the noise steadily increased. I arose and argued about trifles, in a high key and with violent gesticulations; but the noise steadily increased. 

Why WOULD they not be gone? I paced the floor to and fro with heavy strides, as if excited to fury by the observations of the men, but the noise steadily increased. O God! what COULD I do? I foamed -- I raved -- I swore! I swung the chair upon which I had been sitting, and grated it upon the boards, but the noise arose over all and continually increased. It grew louder -- louder -- louder! And still the men chatted pleasantly , and smiled. Was it possible they heard not? Almighty God! -- no, no? They heard! -- they suspected! -- they KNEW! -- they were making a mockery of my horror! -- this I thought, and this I think. But anything was better than this agony! Anything was more tolerable than this derision! I could bear those hypocritical smiles no longer! I felt that I must scream or die! -- and now -- again -- hark! louder! louder! louder! LOUDER! --

"Villains!" I shrieked, "dissemble no more! I admit the deed! -- tear up the planks! -- here, here! -- it is the beating of his hideous heart!"

DH's humor

This was sent to me from my wonderful DH.

Tolerance - A Lesson in Positive Thinking

I am truly perplexed that so many people are against a mosque being built at Ground Zero.

I think it should be the goal of every American to be tolerant.

Thus the Mosque should be allowed, in an effort to promote tolerance.

That is why I also propose that two nightclubs be opened next door to the mosque, thereby promoting tolerance from within the mosque.

We could call one of the clubs, "The  Turban Cowboy", which would be gay, and the other a topless bar called "You Mecca Me Hot."

Next door should be a butcher shop that specializes in pork, and adjacent to that an open-pit barbecue pork restaurant, called "Iraq o' Ribs."

Across the street there could be a lingerie store called " Victoria Keeps Nothing Secret" with sexy mannequins with short burkas in the window modeling the goods.

Next door to the lingerie shop, a liquor store called "Morehammered."  

All of this would encourage the Muslims to demonstrate the  tolerance they demand of us, so the mosque problem would be solved.

To Quote Mr. Einstein

"The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits."

This is so true.  I am always amazed at how stupid people can be and how there never seems to be an end to it.

Today in History

On this day in 1955 Captain Kangaroo aired for the first time.  It continued until December 8, 1984.

Thank you Captain Kangaroo and Mr. Green Jeans, you made television fun AND educational.

Today in History

Today in 1950 the first Peanuts strip was published.

Thank you Charles Shultz

Issues with posting comments

Is anyone else having issues posting comments?  Not sure why, but I changed the setting to allow anyone to post, even anonymous posters.  Maybe that will help with the issue.

I wanted to post what my Dear Hubby WANTED to post about my post on the outlawing of bombing civilians, but Blogger would not let him for whatever reason.  He posts under the name "Comfortably Numb" for anyone that wonders. :-)

Comfortably Numb wrote:  (and yes, is his a bit of an expert on all thing war related, even if he does not think so!)

While the reasons for "outlawing" something of this magnitude are obvious - unfortunately it proved to be meaningless (as do most sanctions put forth by the current “United Nations”).  Germany, Japan, Great Britain, Russia and the United States (and other nations) all participated in the unrestricted bombing of civilian populations during WW2. 

                            

Nations like Great Britain and Japan were founding members of the League of Nations.  Germany & Russia joined and like Japan eventually left the organization.  The United States was never a member. 

The tit-for-tat escalation of civilian bombing missions during WW2 was used to rationalize the bombings of Dresden & Tokyo (plus many other cities) and the eventual use of the Atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.  Looking back with the hind-sight of 60+ years and the reading of Archives from all participating Nations (not available to the planners and decision makers of the time) shows that the indiscriminate bombing of civilian populations does not lead to weakening the morale of the remaining civilian population or the population rising up and overthrowing the leadership.  Quite the opposite - it often strengthens the resolve of the population and leadership to fight harder against the offending country.  

The idea of a mostly civilian population rising up against the leadership of a modern nation (and overthrowing said leadership) is not feasible for too many reasons to be completely covered in this comment.  Suffice it to say that the weapons available to a modern civilian population pale in comparison to those available to a modern military force.  Such grass-roots style civilian uprisings are doomed to failure because the leadership has just too much power to bring down on this type of uprising.

Even members of the military rising against the leadership in a Coup attempt will often fail for reasons as minor as a strong wooden leg on a conference table.  Who’s to say what would have happened if the leaders of the Coup had succeeded in their attempt to kill Hitler in July of 1944.  Could they have maintained control and stopped the remaining members of Hitler’s leadership – including the much feared SS and Gestapo?  It doesn’t mean the war would have immediately ended.  Other leaders in Hitler’s regime may have overcome the Coup attempt and continued the war to its eventual conclusion.  Without Hitler running the war in its final year, the true German military leaders may have been able to overcome key Allied victories and fought to a different conclusion.

Even the WW2 bombings of specific military targets (including the factories, refineries and infrastructure used to supply the military machine) included mostly civilian areas and large loss of life.  Where do you put a factory – near or in a city.  What grows up around a railroad yard – a city.  What circles a refinery – the civilian population of a city.  Civilians must live near these targets in order to work them.  Automobiles were not as plentiful during WW2 and people normally walked to work.  As good as the Norden bombsight was – it was not as accurate in war time operation as planned.  That’s why there were 1000 plane raids in the final years of the war.  This type of carpet bombing was used against cities to take out the military targets and also the civilian populations.  If it helped the planners and bombers sleep better by saying they were only bombing the military targets - good for them (and I am not disparaging the bomber crews – they fought an incredible battle against German and Japan forces with US Army Air Force losses of well over 50,000 deaths).  The top decision makers knew that civilians were also part of the target list.

The bombing of military targets or civilian populations during WW2 with the resulting firestorms in Tokyo, Kobe, Hamburg, Dresden and many other cities lead to civilian deaths in the 10’s of thousands - in EACH city.  The Atomic bomb attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki lead to civilian deaths estimated to be near 100,000 – in EACH city.  Stalin supposedly said that “The death of one man is a tragedy; the death of millions is a statistic”.  It is almost impossible for most people to wrap their minds around this many deaths.  How tragic in your mind were the attacks of 911?  How close did those deaths hit to home?  There were only a few children killed on 911.  There were thousands of children killed in these cities.  There were many cities that lost 10’s of thousands.  Can anyone really grasp what those numbers mean? 

Take a moment to think about 10’s of thousands - men, women and children – dead in a few days or a few seconds – in each city……

ChongQing – 10,000 plus

Dresden – 25,000 plus

Tokyo – 88,000 to 100,000 plus

Kobe – 8,800 plus

Hamburg – 42,000 plus

Hiroshima – 100,000 plus (plus long term deaths)

Nagasaki – 40,000 to 75,000 (plus long term deaths)

Etc….

Can anyone really understand what those numbers mean or are they just a statistic?

Unfortunately, the next major War will most likely involve Nuclear weapons (hopefully in a limited fashion – if there is such a thing) and even if not directly targeted - the civilian population will be directly impacted – with deaths estimated in the millions for each city hit.

The United Nations, your Church leaders or the local Rotary can unanimously "outlaw" whatever they want – and it will be just as effective as what the League of Nations did in 1938.  It is the leaders we put in place or the leaders of opposing nations that will make the final decision on when to push the button.  And we will have absolutely no say in the matter.