One man's trash, is another man's...wait...no...its still trash you idiot.

     I came home to find two repair men cussing up a storm in my kitchen. THEY FINALLY REPLACED MY DISHWASHER. I'm talking BRAND NEW, TOP OF THE LINE UNIT here people!  I've already dropped a load in it, and I can hear it doing its magic. MAGIC!  Once they had left, I realized that I left my phone charger in my car, so I hopped back down to the parking lot to grab it. Once I got out there, I see this lady with her arm in a sling, putting a nasty ass abandoned mattress from the garbage dumpster, to the top of her car.  The only thing that I could think to say to her was "Uh...um...do you need a hand?".  She looks down at her arm in a sling, then back at me.  "Heh..well I guess you could actually use a whole damn arm! Couldn't ya!?".  She didn't laugh...she just let out this frustrated grunt.  I hear somebody else making noise on the other side of the car, so I walk over, and there is this young teenage kid trying to get the box spring for the bed onto the roof as well.  The lady finally says to me "Can you help him lift that? He just moved into a new apartment, and lookie what we found! A perfectly good bed!".  I didn't say anything, but I carefully helped him lift it onto the roof.  "You'd better take a very close look at this mattress before you use it, you could get really sick, or get bed bugs or something.".  The kid says "Why? Do you have bed bugs around here or something?".  I said "Well, i'm not sure..but you DID just pick this thing up from right by the dumpster...ya know?".  They both just stared at me blankly.  "Ok..bye. Good luck moving in.". I ran back to my room.

Soldiers and Heaven

     Today has been incredible.  During a lull at work, I decided to do some random google searches related to my ancestry.  Specifically those that fought during the Civil War.  I stumbled upon a website that had a multitude of information that had been put together by Nancy Machuga (One of our many family historians).  I started to read about Charles Gleasman, who during the summer of 1862, lied about his age, and enlisted in the 117th New York State Volunteers at the tender age of 19.  The following is a letter written by Charles, to his older brother David from Camp Morris, in Washington D.C.  It is the only letter written by "Charlie" to have survived all these years.

Headquarters of the 117th regiment, Camp Morris

Dear Brother David,

        

      I take the liberty to write to you a few lines to inform you that I am yet in good health and feel very well.  I will also let you know that I received your letter last night.  I was very glad to hear from you. You wanted to know how I get along.  I get along very well and most generally have enough to eat. Sometimes we are short for one day or so but not very often.

      

     There is great disease in our regiment.  Most of our regiment have the yellow fever or the jaundice.  They are very sick but I have not had it yet.  We are now in Maryland.  One expects to be called in the battlefield before long. They are preparing for a battle. The hardest battle that ever was since the war commenced. Perhaps it will be the last one.  But it is doubtful.  There are 100,000 on the rebel side and 150,000 on our side.  It is only 20 miles from here where it will take place.  It is in Fredericksburg.  If our folks will take that then we are all sound.  The Five Oneida is there.  They will soon be in the fire.  I hope we will go there soon.  We are not afraid to fight.  Our folks are in a line of battle in Fredericksburg.  They are eight men deep and the line is ten miles long.  So you can judge what a force we have got.  It will probably take place in eight or ten days.

        

     You wanted to know what kind of food we get.  We have bread and meat and coffee and rice and beans.  But we are short sometimes.  The weather here is cool and rainy and very windy.  We see nothing here but heaven and soldiers.  Last Sunday there were 10,000 men of cavalry went by here.  I wish you could see the cannon fired!  We have got to build forts here.  But we don’t work very fast.  We expect to get paid this week or next.  And then I will send some money home.

        

     News, I don’t know very much at this present.  I will write you more news next time.  When you get this letter, read, give it to Godfrey.  I should write to you before but I didn’t have any paper.  I had to beg this sheet and I won’t get a chance to buy any.  I am hoped to hear from you very soon.

                                                         

 My best respects to you,

                                                          

be sure and put the directions on just as it is here.

 Charles Gleasman

c/o Capt. A. R. Stevens

Company H,

117th Regiment 

NYSV

Washington, D. C.

     After researching the 117th regiment a bit more, I discovered he had been wounded in the leg on the 29th of September, 1864.  This was during the battle of New Market Heights, which was just one of a series of battles that took place during the siege of Petersburg. After being wounded, he was moved to a hospital where his leg was amputated.  He survived the surgery, but later died due to a sudden hemorrhage at the site of the amputation on the 19th of October, 1864.  He was then laid to rest at the Hampton National Cemetery, which is only 15 minutes from where I live right now!  After discovering this, I raced to the cemetery after work to find my ancestors gravestone!  With the help of Wayne, the grounds keeper, I managed to find Charles' grave with ease.  I took a few pictures to share with all of you, and I hope you enjoy them.  What a day! To find out that I inadvertently moved to the city where one of my ancestors is buried!  Isn't it strange how these things happen?  At any rate, I'm sure that Charles was glad to get some company after all these years.  Thank you for your service Charles.  Rest in peace.

Charles' name on the graveyard roster.

A nice poem.

Charles' tombstone

Charles, at rest with his many brothers in arms.

Robbery.

Robbed.

My car got broken into while I was at work.  Film at 11.

Pipe and a crepe?

     Yesterday, after work, I enjoyed my first smoke in my new place!  Quite relaxing, if I do say so myself.  After watching countless videos on youtube about packing and smoking a pipe, I have to say that I did quite well.  The pipe stayed lit for the most part, and I only had to re-light once!  I was surprised though, at how long smoking a pipe lasts!  It seemed to go on forever!  Who would want to rush anyways though?  Very pleasureable, and much more enjoyable than smoking a cigarette hurriedly.  The pipe my old man picked out for me was perfect as well.  Nothing flashy, dark in color....MASCULINE.  Way to go Dad! Hopefully we can enjoy a nice smoke and a drink when u come to OLD VUHGINYUH!

YES!!!!!

ITS HERE!

Sunday Cleaning.

     What in the hell could be wrong with this damn dishwasher.  I turned the damn valve under the sink, and ran the dishwasher, 2 times...and there is still no water getting to the dishwasher. WHAT THE HELL!? Does anybody have any ideas?  These are the times where having X-Ray vision would REALLY come in handy.  Looks like all these dishes are going to have to be done by hand.  Wahhhhhhhhhhhhh!! Someone come change my diaper.  Well..the good news is, that I can have the patio door open, and have the heat off.  The weather is decent for a change!  It looks kind of gloomy outside, but I enjoy gloomy looking days.  What do YOU do on gloomy days?

PIPE.

     Sorry it's been so long since my last post.  I was sick with strep throat, and I couldn't get myself motivated to type anything at all.  As you may or may not know, my birthday came and went!  My father bought me my very own pipe as a gift, and i've been SO excited for it to arrive in the mail!  Yet EVERY day after work...the ol' mailbox is empty!  Well TODAY...I received a little pink slip in the mail saying that the mailman had tried to deliver it, when I was at work.  HE DATED it for YESTERDAY.  As I recall...YESTERDAY there was NO pink slip in my mailbox, so this is just the way he's covering his tracks.  I KNEW I should have asked him about my package when I saw him pulling out of the apartment complex, but I had to run inside the leasing office to pay my damn rent. Oh well.  Now I have to wait until MONDAY to pick up my damn package..what a bummer.  At least I know that on Monday night, I can cozy up to a book, and a bowl full of Captain Black tobacco.

     I was really surprised to see how much of a "pipe smoking fraternity" there is on the internet.  If you go to youtube, there are TONS of people who have posted videos about their new hobby.  Makes me feel like less of a geek. Hehe. I always felt like pipe smoking was for old people.....but apparently that isn't the case!  I've seen videos of teenage girls smoking pipes! It's crazy! Most of them were eastern european..but..whatever.  It's still cool, ok?  I wish I could post videos to this blog. Wait....can I?

Karen Carpenter

Karen Carpenter....yes...from the Carpenters...is hot. Because   A: She can play the drums  
and B: She's just...well...hot.

What in the hell is that smell!?

     I went to Sushi Yama for dinner last night.  It's a little sushi restaurant that is within walking distance of my apartment.  Every so often, I like to eat there and have some good conversation with the owners, Mr. and Mrs. Han.  Last night, Mrs. Han made me "Bulgogi" and "Kim Chi". The Bulgogi was amazing, and the Kim Chi was...well..it was Kim Chi. It has QUITE a smell to it, and its spicy as can be, so I had to eat it pretty slowly.  I went down into my kitchen this morning, and I could still smell the Kim Chi that I didn't finish, and that I had boxed up, IN THE REFRIGERATOR! No..I didn't eat the Kim Chi for breakfast. I had pilsbury toaster strudels.

    I'm going to spend most of my day cleaning up, and putting laundry away.  A buddy of mine from New Jersey might be stopping by today, but he isn't sure if he will have the time.  Might wear my GOOD jeans today!

Qualifications.

It's official. Tomorrow, I will be a qualified "Rigger". In order to give commands to a crane operator here in the shipyard, you must be "rigger qualified".  I've been spending most of this week with a woman named Anita.  She is a nuclear re-fueler, the same as myself, but she also doubles as a rigging instructor.  To be honest, it's really not that hard of a program.  The only tricky part, is knowing what deficiencies to look for during normal crane operation.  You are supposed to have your trusty "Crane Riggers Handbook" with you ANY TIME you do a lift. Everything you need to know about rigging a job is in it.  From finding the angle of the lift, to determining area, volume, or weight of the load. We have also been over the different hand signals, and crane protocol used when making a lift. Here is an example of crane protocol in the shipyard

Me: Crane operator! On my command, I need you to hoist up on the load
Crane: I have located the hoist up button, and I will hoist up on your command
Me: Proceed.
Crane: Hoisting up!
Me: *Blows Whistle* HOISTING UP! ALL EYES ON THE LOAD! *Blows Whistle*

For EVERY single movement of the crane..we use this protocol.  It makes for some VERY long days, but it cuts down on alot of accidents. The last thing you want to do, is have an accident involving nuclear fuel. Tomorrow, I will have to demonstrate that I can tie a square knot, a bowline knot, a clove hitch, and a series of half hitches. Too easy. After the knot tying demonstration, I have to give Anita the proper hand signals that she asks me for. Once that is completed, I'll rig to a load, and perform my first lift.  After I complete the lift, I'll receive the coveted "Orange Ball" for the top of my hardhat.  All it is, is a round sticker that you place on the top of your helmet. Woo hoo. The way I look at it is, the more qualifications that you have, the more valuable you are to the employer. I need this job, and I need this money. Keep the schools coming Northrop Grumman.

I'm BLOGGING? PEOPLE STILL DO THAT!?

After I deleted my facebook account, I immediately started to go through "Facebook De-activation Syndrome".  Instead of caving in and going back to Facebook, I've decided to make a blog instead.  Blogs are much more entertaining, in my opinion, and require a little more time to write than a Facebook status.  Wish me luck folks.  I hope you subscribe!