I confess, I believe in God. I am not a good christian boy as I suppose I should be, but nonetheless I still believe. Call it years of reading stories in the bible and hearing stories told by my grandparents as well as the occasional priest. Regardless of what denomination the basic principle is the same. There is an all powerful God who created the world in one manner or another and gave us a body and soul.

I had a conversation some time back with a college student and he told me that I should quit believing in fairy tales. The idea of an all powerful God was ridiculous. Science has the answers I was told. So I pressed a bit to find out what these answers were that I had not been made aware of until I found out that I had indeed been given these answers.....Big Bang Theory... Well Duh...The universe was a big sort of primordial soup and depending on what book you read it began a rapid expansion some 13 billion years ago. So I'm thinking this sounds pretty cool, and now I want to know more. I find out that with the expansion this big soup began to gather clusters of materials together and galaxies and all the other cool stuff was formed (those were not the exact words used, but I'm not smart enough to remember all that scientific talk). Suffice to say that the denser areas of matter attracted yet more matter and there ya go the beginning of the universe.

I told my college student friend that I still believed in God. Why couldn't God have done these things that he was talking about? After all nobody was around 13 billion years ago to see it happen, so we don't really know what started all of this. He told me NO! All things required for the universe were already in place just in a different state than we now recognize them as. The dark matter makes up the majority of matter in the universe. So I asked what dark matter was and he became sort of quiet. He told me that it was hard to explain and it was basically unseen matter. It couldn't be measured or detected except by seeing the reaction of other things in the universe and it was responsible for about 80% of the matter in the universe. I told him that didn't sound very scientific to use something that can't be seen or touched. Cant be measured or described and we want to use it to explain the other 80% of the matter in the universe. I was told that is how theories work. OK fair enough.

I told him that my theory involved one being that was responsible for 100% of the matter in the universe. This being couldn't be seen or touched, measured or described either. I could only measure and detect my unseen matter by it's effect on things around me also. Why is his theory good science and mine is a fairytale. Well he got a little ticked and called me something like "redneck" or "hillbilly" and stormed off. So I'm gonna wait for him to give me an answer. Stay tuned for part 2 if he gets back to me anytime soon.

We are just some superstitious folks. Clinging to our guns and our God. Oh well....

"What is the meaning of life?" is a line from Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey. For those of you that haven't seen the movie and have an extra 90 minutes or so of your life to burn I highly recommend it. It's mental vacation if ever a movie was. Bill and Ted get killed by evil robot versions of themselves sent back in time to kill them take over their lives and change the course of history. Well they die and defeat The Grim Reaper himself and earn a chance to come back to life and avenge their wrongful deaths. First they take a short visit to heaven and meet God but before they can enter the Pearly Gates they are asked the question, "What is the meaning of life?" The answer was obvious and they stole a line from a ballad by Poison. "Every rose has it's thorn, just like every night has it's dawn just like every cowboy sings a sad, sad song." Funny how silly things can put so much perspective in your life.

I mentioned that I've attempted Nanowrimo again this year. For those that aren't aware of it that is the month of November when anybody and everybody who wants to writes a 50,000 word "story". I use the word story loosely because it's really an outline. After you are done and the month has ended then you should go back and make your corrections and all the other things you wanted to do. It's basically an outline in a 50,000 word format. So I jumped into it with a passion. Managed up to around 18,000 words and fell flat on my face.

I realize now that I did it to myself. I made excuses why I couldn't write this day or that. I had to take my kids to sports. I had too much work to finish that night, or I had to get up too early the next morning to stay up writing. I find that I do my most creative writing in the dead of night (not necessarily my best writing) and I prefer the early morning hours as in 2 or 3 a.m. to write. There have been a lot of things going on in my life and while I won't bore you with the details I will say that it has been more bad than good lately. So there I sat feeling sorry for myself. Boo hoo hoo poor pitiful me yet again. Then I watched Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey.

It's amazing how those simple words from that song made me think about music. Then that made me go to YouTube and while I didn't stay at Poison for more than the one song I found my self listening to all sorts of music that I had recently just shut off. Canon in D, to Train's Drops of Jupiter. Then I came to my little blog list and the first name I saw was Coach your Mind. Amazing what an inspirational story can do for you. Check them out he has some really amazing stories going on right now.

Every rose does have it's thorn. You want to write then shut up and write. Don't make excuses why you can't or shouldn't. Who cares if anybody else likes it or not. Writing should be for you first and everybody else second. I forgot that if I want the rose I had to deal with the damn thorn on the stem. So I'm going to finish that story now. I only have a week left to write 32,000 words and I don't even feel pressure about it. I KNOW that it's entirely attainable. The other part of that equation would be that all this negative crap I let myself lay under has been holding me back in a variety of ways. Not just writing so that's gotta go. Time for some positive approaches to a whole lot of things. 1% is the goal and if you don't know what that means I really really suggest you check out Coach your Mind.

Stupid movie? Maybe..... Sometimes you don't need a whole lot of nudging to get back on track. In my case it just took Bill S. Preston Esquire and Ted Theodore Logan and together they are Wyld Stallyns.

November 10, 1775 is an exceptional day in history. Not everybody is aware that it is one of the most signicant days in American History. The ultimate fighting force in the world was formed on that day in Tun Tavern Pennsylvania. The United States Marine Corps.

Two meager battalions were made to form a naval infantry. Now the Marine Corps is the ultimate amphibious fighting force in the world. We are a small group but very proud of what we are and more importantly what we have done. If you ever served in the Marine Corps you were taught the rich history and sometimes unbelievable sacrifice many a marine has made on foreign as well as domestic soil.

From the Revolutionary War through Afghanistan. The Marine Corps has been there in any capacity required. "Adapt and overcome" is a cornerstone of the Corps and it is evident when you see a Marine in action that they take that philosophy very serious. First to fight, we never back down from a good scrap.

Many people don't agree with military action. Many people don't agree with U.S. involvement in a lot of places. That sometimes means that many people disagree with the military. Just remember a Marine does this most dangerous of jobs without a big paycheck or any noteriety. They do it, because they believe they are helping to make the world a safer place. They do it, because everybody needs somebody fighting in their corner sometime. If you haven't yet, go hug a Marine today and thank them for wanting to protect you. It's fitting that today is Veteran's Day and while I am thankful for all Veterans and what they did to preserve my way of life, I am most thankful for the United States Marine Corps. I have been out of the service since 1994, but anytime I see a Marine I see a brother or sister. I know that just like it was when I served they are still there willing to make the sacrifice to protect me and my family.

Happy Birthday USMC, and to all you Veterans out there. THANK YOU!!!!

In my day this was our creed as a Non-Commissioned officer...

"I am the backbone of the United States Marine Corps, I am a Marine Non-Commissioned Officer. I serve as part of the vital link between my commander (and all officers) and enlisted Marines. I will never forget who I am or what I represent. I will challenge myself to the limit and be ever attentive to duty. I am now, more than ever, committed to excellence in all that I do, so that I can set the proper example for other Marines. I will demand of myself all the energy, knowledge and skills I possess, so that I can instill confidence in those I teach. I will constantly strive to perfect my own skills and to become a good leader. Above all I will be truthful in all I say or do. My integrity shall be impeccable as my appearance. I will be honest with myself, with those under my charge and with my superiors. I pledge to do my best to incorporate all the leadership traits into my character. For such is the heritage I have received from that long, illustrious line of professionals who have worn the bloodstripe so proudly before me. I must give the very best I have for my Marines, my Corps and my Country for though today I instruct and supervise in peace, tomorrow, I may lead in war."

I for one was happy to serve and I know that my brothers and sisters in the service are happy to serve as well...


Semper Fidelis