You had *ONE* job...

I rarely delve into politics here, but this is one of those times.

And, without taking sides or promoting my own thoughts. Just an observation.

After the 2016 campaign revelations regarding how the Democratic Party treated Bernie Sanders and engineered the Clinton nomination, you would *think* that the one goal they would have foremost in 2020 would be to make everything aboveboard and as transparent as possible. Or at least to appear as such.

Instead, I swear these days I feel like I'm watching some cheesy kid's cartoon where the villain doesn't realize they didn't even close the curtain. And they would have gotten away with it too, if it wasn't for those meddling kids.

I need to buy popcorn at this rate and just sit back for a few months...

Nothing quality to share...

Had a long (but good) week of work travel last week, and still mentally recovering. So right now the idea bank is overdrawn, even for short commentary.

I'll try to fix that in the next day or so.

Conspiracy or ????

Not sure what to chalk it up to - but in the space of ten minutes I had the same lady almost hit me *twice* in the grocery store parking lot...

What happened to blocking senders?

Is it just me, or have our email, message and other communications routes in general removed the option to actually *block* a particular sender or contact?

Sure, it can filter to spam. It can flag certain things.

But, at least for my accounts, it seems that the ability to totally block and never deal with these annoyances is gone.

Enough With the Reboots

So, little humorous bits of Interwebs chatter and statements, and someone up at Fox made a statement to the effect of "Well, we'd be open to a Firefly reboot if we could make it fitting for today's audience."

Which, of course, generated kerfuffle amongst fandom.

Here's my 1/2 cent opinion, and it'll be brief:

#1 - "Fitting for today's audience." - um, dude, watch your own show. The whole reasons certain series and movies gain their huge fan base is because they have a certain timeless appeal. Casablanca resonates now just like it did in 1941. Friends is huge with the current generation, even though most of the music and other references are far out of date. We all have plenty of examples.

#2 - Stop. Just stop. I don't want to see you "remake" Firefly (or a lot of other shows and movies) with different actors and their take on iconic roles. I don't want you changing some canon we've all grown to love, just to make sure the "messaging is right."

You want to tribute a show and please the fans, without driving them nuts? Look at how The Mandalorian is done. Take your familiar setting and tell a new story in a different spot. Keep just enough links and references to tie things in, but go in a new direction.

Of course, I'm not holding my breath...

Welcome to 2020

Honestly?

Never figured I'd make it this far.

Or, that life would be pretty much the same in a lot of ways as it was in the 80's, 90's etc...

Anyway.

I feel I need to start writing more. And - based on the example of those more prolific - apparently the best way to do that is, well, *write*.

So - my first goal? I'll get back to posting something, at least once a week.

Maybe just a sentence. Maybe more. But, it will build the habit.

Why we have tools.

Like many of my peers, I frequently have a number of items either in my pockets or close at hand.

And, it is not unusual for someone else to have a task which needs accomplished, requiring one of these tools. Be it cutting open a package, having a light for a dim location, or picking a lock.

Yet, inevitably, I get some variation of the question "But, *why* would you carry that?" and an expression of curiosity or wonder when I have the item needed...

Um, just because of situations like the one you asked for my help with!

A fragment....

“Sunflower. Sunflower. Sunflower. Network compromised. Consider all comms hostile. No further official traffic will follow. Activate Tsunami protocol."

There are few things as lonely as hearing your support network collapse. 

I'd gone through it twice - each time leaving me physically and mentally adrift, hoping to survive another 24 hours, much less make it further. But those had been single-shot missions, losing the resources and plans to keep an op running in Istanbul the first time, and Stockholm the next. It had been rough, but at least I’d known out “there” somewhere was safety, if only I made it across the right border. When your control tells you that there *isn’t* a home to go back to, that made it worse. 

Especially when you're a deniable asset, when you don't even exist. Tsunami was the code word implying *everything* was blown - that not only was our identity compromised, but that the whole system was now against us and we were on our own. That, no matter what happened, we would never be able to go back to who we used to be, and we had to find a way to quickly erase who we currently were. We'd used it a few times as a drill for "disappearing" from the grid and society, trying to evade to a friendly network and escape a hostile country at the same time. The fact it was announced out of the blue brought a new realism, an understanding that in a few seconds the rug was yanked out from under you. Imagine going into work and finding out not only had you been fired, but your boss was now actively seeking to arrest, if not kill you, just to keep things clean. That’s what Tsunami meant.

The next transmission made it more real, a rare glimpse at a human presence behind the omniscient machine-speech of the mastoid com-plant. A quiet female voice breaking protocol, a final note to those of us in the field. "Good luck and God speed."

What else could I do? I grabbed the backpack from my chair, and tucked my pistol under my shirt, walking out the door knowing I could never come back. 

So you wonder why I was suspicious 8 years later when they showed up to recruit me again? 

Milestones

Celebrated one of those decade birthdays last week. A small gathering of local friends and a few family members. Good food. Conversation. No stress or drama. It was rather pleasant.

Of course, one of the joking comments is the fact I've beat the odds by making it this far. Point is, that's a true fact - between the career path I've followed, and various moments of dumb choices along the way, I very easily might not be here.

More importantly, I was able to take a moment to realize how fortunate I've been through all of this. To still be alive. To have visited amazing places, all around the world. To have done things that a lot of people only dream of. To have met, and even become friends with, some truly incredible people who populate this world. To have a family that cares, even in the hard times.

I can't say what the next bit of this ride will bring. But I've enjoyed the heck out of it so far.

Memorial Day 2019

As part of my daily drive home I pass by the Pentagon memorial for the 9/11 attack victims.

This is always a point of reflection for me - the three arcs rising into the sky in tribute just outside our nation's capital.

While the memorial rightfully commemorates those who died that September day eighteen years ago, I also remember those I have known through the years before and after who died in service. Peacetime and war, in combat, through accidents, and unfortunately even some suicides.

And, I ask myself a question every time I drive by. "Did I earn my place today? Did my actions at work honor their sacrifices and make them proud?"

Usually I can tell myself yes, that I've done what I can to help make my country, her citizens, and the world as a whole a safer place. Some days I fall short - losing focus on the things that are important, or simply taking the easy path and being lazy at times.

But, on the whole, I use that daily ritual to remind myself of them, and to try to do them justice.

For 243 years men and women have given their lives in service to the United States of America.

All had their own reasons for service. All had their own hopes and dreams. All left someone behind who felt the void of their passing.

We can debate various bits of politics, history, or where we stand in the world today.

But, let us not debate their sacrifice. Let us all take a moment today and reflect, and strive to be worthy of the legacy they left behind.

Rest in peace, my brothers and sisters.