Category: FWIW

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Ancient Memories

It’s been over half a century since I tacked up and rode a horse – yeh, I know: a crime – but the memories linger. Watched a video demonstrating how to tack up (western tack) a horse. Nothing new at all to me, apart from new saddle pad tech, until the bridle was added. The person tacking up the horse rides bitless, which I’ve done with a hackamore, but not using one of the bitless bridles that have become more recently popular. Nope, just a thin rawhide “string” on top, which looks like it’d act sort of like a hackamore.

Intriguing. It’d be interesting to train a horse to respond well to that. I do like the looks of the cross-reined bitless bridles I’ve seen, though I’ve not used one, of course.

Hmmm. . . I probably need to get with a local stable that rents out for riding (well-known) trails through one of the conservation areas. Every step along the video, I could almost feel following along, but the aromas and textures, and other kinesthetic feedback were (naturally) missing, and I realized that I do miss that.

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Not User Friendly

Not User Friendl

Users can just hit the door (and better do so running). All others welcome. . . until they exhibit User tendencies.

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Fairness?

Bicycles that are used on public thoroughfares should be licensed and taxed just like other vehicles are.

(And unlicensed walkers who use sidewalks OR streets/roads should be ticketed and fined.)

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ADC

Hmmm, wondering whether I need to expand or cut back on my “ADC” (All Day – “pocket/belt” – Carry). It’s now at a little over six pounds. (Of course, I’ve cut my weight pack – almost all day “exercise” to increase my load-bearing capacity – back to thirty-five pounds, so. . . ). If I can locate the right multitool, one that replicates the tools in both a mini-multitool and my Swiss Army Knife, I might be able to at least cut the bulk a little. Looser-fitting pants have meant easier access to pockets and room for an ITWB bellyband, but the *cough* items *cough* carried there add only a little over a pound, more or less.

It’s a work in progress, and part of that progress is having different belt-carried “keychains” with configurations for different days’ expected needs, along with just general EPrep. As soon as a new pouch comes in, I’ll have a small of the back carried (using Velcro™ attachments) IFAK, slanted toward a Stop the Bleed IFAK (CAT, blood clotting agents, bandages, etc.). My mini-trauma kits are here in the house and with my EDC Car Kit. (Already used the FAK in the car kit for a person who fell in a parking lot.)

Well, lefthand front pocket “ADC keyfob/chain” hanging from belt hook now has

  • micro flashlight
  • Swiss Army Knife
  • Mini-multitool
  • Lansky Pocket Medic (blade sharpening tool)

Added 16-pocket vest. Is handy when I get hungry, too. Was out and about around Noon the other day and appreciated having a loaded “Sandwich Pocket.” Yum. (The Backup Sandwich Pocket wasn’t loaded, but that was OK, since the loaded Sandwich Pocket was sufficient.) Also, small IFAK loads nicely in inside upper righthand pocket, so waistband carry is unnecessary.

Lansky Pocket Medic moved to its own “keyring/fob” flipped to D-ring on vest and zipped into pocket. Taking its place in left pants pocket is Zippo lighter fluid canister (neat lil thingy). Other vest contents:

Cell phone (inside upper left pocket)
Kershaw assisted opening pocket knife, “tanto” blade (lower inside left pocket)
3×5 notebook and 2 pens (outside upper left pocket)
Snack food (3rd pocket down, outside left)
Lansky Pocket Medic (4th pocket down, outside left)
Cash/ID, etc. (bottom pocket, outside left)

Pocket NT and pack of gum (upper right pocket)
“Keychain,” Mini-flashlight (second pocket down, outside right)
Small IFAK (in repurposed “backup sandwich” pocket)
Small “tactical” LED flashlight (4th pocket down, outside right)
Day’s purchase receipts (bottom right outside pocket)

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How to Survive the Coming Zombie Apocalypse

Note that when I use the term “zombie” I am referring to auto-lobotomized “mass-man,” the kind of person for whom the DummieBowl, celebrity shenanigans, and “news” from the Mass MEdia Podpeople Hivemind are MUCH more important than. . . reality.

So, how to survive?

Embrace the “prepper” lifestyle.
Condition Yellow: constant.
OODA Loop your daily life, and aim to stay inside “the enemy’s” OODA Loop.
And most importantly, learn how to really pray. (The catch is committing to being on GOD’S side, not trying to manipulate Him into being on your side.)

The way things are going, it’s the way to bet.

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It Ain’t Fair, I Tell Ya!

N.B. It is fair to note that I have actually viewed very little of the entire “Friends” opus. I have only caught bits and pieces before changing channels to avoid vomiting. Yes, every single bit I have seen is just that disgustingly stupid.

I have sometimes dumped disapprobation (OK, that’s far too mild, but just go with it) on the Joey character from “Friends,” as being a prime influencer of the degradation of English usage in our society. While I think it’s fair to say that the popularity of “Friends” has had a huge negative impact on the generation that – largely – grew up sucking down its stupidity, lumping all the blame on Joey isn’t exactly fair, though he makes a good emblem for the show’s stupidity.

A generation raised on the language, ideas (such as they are), and thematic elements of “Friends” has emulated its stupidities well. Heck, they have become the dumbed down version of Ortega’s “mass-man,” and that’s damning.

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Too Much?

Maaaaayybe. . .

Had to remove the backpack and weight vest, cos between them and the 10# ankle weights, it was starting to feel like work. *heh*

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Ah! The Burdens We Bear. . .

Are most often those we choose.

Speaking of which, 60 extra pounds (weight vest, backpack, and ankle weights) makes doing chores around the house more. . . profitable as exercise. And as an added benefit, the backpack actually seems to lessen a persistent (60-year) lower back pain, strangely enough. Pressure in juuuuust the right place, it seems. Sweet!

The burdens we choose to bear are often life’s little pleasures, in the end.

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Layers and Layers of the Onion

Putting a tall fence around one’s house gives potential intruders a way to hide from third party observers, but it also gives you a way to hide your “capsaicin claymores” from potential intruders, so. . . Command or sensor detonation is the obvious decision tree. Switchable by remote?

Also working on a way to make a capsaicin fogger from my fog machine, and way to sensor trigger it (including safing it for yard use, & other controls). BTW, “capsaicin claymores”? #3 food can, CO2 cartridge, tripwire, Ghost Pepper powder, etc. When combined with things like Osage Orange as an ornamental face for a fence/wall, blinding strobes, etc., yeh, can have a tall fence/wall and be relatively safe from home intruders. Relatively. (A moat with gators would be nice, though.)

OTOH, Can live in a hardened bunker and not be safe from militarized law enFARCEment thugs.

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Book Blurb Sadness

It’s a bit. . . weird, or weirdly sad (or sadly weird?) I suppose is the word, when a book blub has to include “Note: This book does not contain any coarse language, harem elements or sexual situations.” *smh*

Of the three, at least two serve no useful purpose, unless, I suppose, prurience is the end sought. OTOH, “coarse language” does have legitimate, though limited, uses, but it’s almost never _necessary_ to further a plot or “enrich” a characterization – more effective, IMO, to “coarsen” a character via action. But. . . yeh, verbiage is easier. *shrugs*

Of course, the definition of “coarse language” varies from the merely (usefully and appropriately!) vulgar, which is primarily objectionable to subliterate Neo-Victorian Bowlderiizing “Karens,” to the obscene and even actually profane. So, “coarse language” is a particularly squishy term, and not really useful at all, at all. It’s just a way of saying, “I avoid words that offend some people,” and that road leads to blank pages.