See Do Think and Feel

I'm rather eclectic (to a fault) with my hobbies. It's a blessing and a curse ... really. I'm easily distracted by the "next thing" that happens to grab hold of my interest ... at the time. Last month it was playing the didgeridoo, last week it was lock picking, today it's paracord fob (lanyard) weaving.  I've gone through this phase of paracord weaving before. Back then it was paracord bracelets. You know, the kind of "survival / tactical" looking bracelet that you can unravel for a length of paracord just in case, for "emergencies". At that time I bought plastic buckles and paracord to make those bracelets. But after making about a dozen bracelets, my phase ran its course and I was done with paracord ... for the moment. Jump to a few months ago and I was once again bitten by the paracord weaving bug.  Out of necessity and practicality, none of my hobbies can be very expensive. I doubt I'll ever get into Bass fishing, Off-roading o...

  I posted about my "Every Day Carry" (EDC) pack with the minimal items I  always have with me. If you look at the 2nd photo in that post, you'll see that most things are contained in the little belt pack. One item, not in the pack, is one of the most useful urban tools that I carry.  I've found the Victorinox - Swiss Army Knife (SAK): Explorer to be best balance of size and functionality. A bit thicker than I'd prefer (it has 4 layers), I'll often use the scissors , knife and screwdrivers (2). I'll sometimes use the toothpick, tweezers and magnifying glass. I haven't found a model with 3 layers or less that suits my needs. The exception is the model called the Compact . But at $60, it lacks the magnifying glass, real can opener and proper Philips screwdriver. I carry the Explorer in my left pocket as a most convenient go-to tool. It's quick and nimble: I don't have to dig through my backpack and it's always at the ready. I have anot...

  This weekend, I had the honor and privilege of attending a Celebration of Life for my dear friend, Karl Laundy: aka PartyMan. This is a DEEP cut to so many of us - Karl's family, friends and a unique rag-tag bunch of us who came together as a special family: Fraternity Brothers. The USC Brotherhood of Tau Epsilon Phi has a very special place, forever in my heart. Not knowing any better, I pledged, lived in the house as an Active, and now relish countless memories as an alum. "The House" was my home for much of my formative years of that era. It was an evolutionary time of learning and growth. Many of my experiences contributed to form who I am today.  So many cherished memories are etched into my psyche. This was one of the first places that I learned the value of loyalty and brotherhood. Bonds of eternal friendship that endure time.  Karl meant a lot to SO MANY people, but this is my blog so I get to write about my memories and connections. Even so, I'm doomed to s...

I had some thoughts running through my mind, probably because I’m heading up for a “Celebration of Life'' for a fraternity brother of mine who has passed away. He was about the same age as me.   I don't think anyone would deny that you are a different person from when you were 5 years old to 25 years old: 20 years. But I wonder if most people contemplate the growth they have experienced from 15 to 25 or 35 to 55.  The difference between a 5, 10 and 15 year old is profound, yet I think that most of us feel that we’re more or less same person that we were 10, 15 or 20 years ago. Why is that? Even if we acknowledge that our bodies don’t change as much during the 10 years from a 5 year old to a 15 year old teenager, we still learn, evolve our beliefs and grow, don’t we?  We move out, get “real” jobs, get married, have kids, pay for cars and homes. Those are bound to change and grow you, aren’t they?  What makes you think you are done growing now, that you’ll be the ...