Resolutions + Retirement Plans + 0 Political Content

special THU edition of whimsical Wednesday

New Year's Resolutions

I stopped making New Year's resolutions awhile back for the same reason I stopped giving things up for Lent . . . it seemed a fruitless endeavor. I was making resolutions--or resolving to give things up--that I knew in my heart I was unlikely to succeed at keeping. Or I was making resolutions--or resolving to give things up--that I knew were a slam dunk. Examples:  Resolving to work for world peace. Resolving to stop shaving. Resolving to give up broccoli.
     Re:  2017, I had seriously contemplated reducing my # of weekly blog entries. Well, after a mental health MON, followed by a whimsical WED, here's a special THU edition of whimsical WED . . . & an epiphany devotion is right around the corner. Glad I didn't make THAT a New Year's Resolution.
     And I had seriously contemplated fewer politically-charged entries . . . but people keep provoking me! I'd be willing to declare a truce if others--you know who you are--would be willing to declare a truce--but it doesn't seem likely. For now we'll see if I can at least get through today's entry w/o a politically-themed riposte. *
* Oops. There's an example of a world-class vocabulary . . . & another contemplated resolution bites the dust. Oh, well. It's still my blog, & I still blog for self therapy. So, here goes.

Not sure where my next post will be coming from

I'm in Lincoln today, renewing my weekly commitment to provide limo service for my daughter & grand-daughters while by son-in-law serves his country in Bagdad. * So at 7:30a, I was outside, brushing snow off my car, when I heard some talking behind me. I turned around & saw two little girls standing on the sidewalk, watching me. I said, "Go ahead & get in the car. It should be warmed up by now." They just stood there.
    I repeated, a little bit more loudly, possibly tinged w/a little bit of annoyance, "Get in the car! I'm almost done." One of them said, "We're supposed to walk to school." It was then that I noticed through my fogged-up glasses that these two little girls were NOT my grand-daughters. I mumbled an apology & they hurried off.
      It's now 1:38p, & the police have yet to show up, so I am optimistic that my next post will not be coming from the Lancaster County jail.
* He's on our side in case there was any doubt.

Bracing for (Racing toward?) Retirement

If things proceed as planned [and, no, I don't take that for granted], I'm looking at 3/1/17, as an "early retirement" date. My lifestyle is unlikely to change. I will continue to serve as volunteer correspondent for Orphan Grain Train while continuing to seek other opportunities to volunteer . . . 
     . . . but I also may need some supplemental income. Imagine my excitement when I saw the following excerpt from the Norfolk Daily News (12/9/16):  "Ugly fish wanted. A $1,000 reward has been posted for catching an ugly fish out of Fontanelle Reservoir in western WY. The fish are called burbot & they're not native to the upper Green River drainage. Burbot compete w/native game species including trout. 
     "Burbot are eel-like but said to be good eating despite their appearance. Getting more people to fish for burbot is one way to reduce their numbers, so Game & Fish & Trout Unlimited are sponsoring a burbot raffle. Game & Fish has caught 25 burbot & tagged them w/raffle tags. The Rock Springs Rocket-Miner said anyone who catches a tagged burbot from Fontanelle may enter a raffle w/a $1,000 grand prize.
     "The drawing will take place at a burbot fishing rally at Fontanelle Jan. 7-8."

PROs:

1. I love fishing.
2. I love Wyoming.
3. I love road trips.

CONs:

1. Today is 1/5/17. I didn't give myself a lot of advance time to make arrangements.
2. For example, I'm not sure I have the right fishing gear.
3. I have no experience "burbot-ting."
4. I also don't have a boat.
5. How do I know that I won't drive all the way to Fontanelle Reservoir, only to find out that it's turned into an ICE-fishing derby? [See previous concern re: fishing gear.]
6. By the time I cover expenses, $1,000 won't go very far, even assuming that I win.
7. As a member of the Nebraska Gamblers' Assistance Commission, participation in a raffle--even held in another state--could be construed as a conflict of interest.

CONclusion:  It ain't happening.

License Plate Update

I think I've explained before how Lois & I keep track of license plates throughout the calendar year. In 2014, we accounted for every license plate, although it came down to "tagging" Louisiana on 12/30/14, in the parking lot of a shopping mall in OKC. Alas, in 2015, we tagged every state except NH.
     What about 2017? We missed Hawaii, Vermont & New Hampshire, which left us somewhat disconsolate. We drove past that same mall on our way to Texas for the holidays but didn't detour through the parking lot. Lois' sister Anita could have offered to drive us onto the AF base, located just north of Wichita Falls, TX; she did not. [In her defense, she did laugh at my jokes.] 
     Bottom line? We failed for the 2nd year in the row. In fact, we seem to be regressing. We will be making a road trip to the Twin Cities in a couple of weeks, thanks to a birthday party for our 1-year-old grand-son. Maybe a trip to M.O.A. can be fit in, although not a lot of out-of-state cars would be expected this time of year. I'll be attending the State L.L.L. Convention in York in March. Although York is located just off I-80, not sure how many snowbirds from New England states will be out & about. Yes, if the tone of this entry seems a little depressed, draw your own conclusion.

There Is No Place Like . . . Wisconsin!

From Omaha World Herald (12/26):  "Cop ties up student speeding to class, but it's a good thing. A Wisconsin police officer who stopped a speeding college student who was late for a presentation ended up tying his necktie for him. WBAY-TV reported the Menomonie PD posted dash cam video of the 11/30 traffic stop exchange on its FB page last week.
     "The video shows Officer Martin Folczyk pulling up behind the UWS student in a parking lot. The student explained he was speeding because he was late to give a presentation & was trying to find a friend who could tie his necktie. Folczyk asked for the tie & made a knot for the student. He even adjusted it after the student put it on.
     "The officer sent the student on his way w/a warning."  [Earlier today I was provoked--I admit, it didn't take much--into responding to a FB link which suggested that too many American cops "SITP" * when making traffic stops. I submit this as evidence that many DO NOT.]
* I try to do my level best to keep this blog family-friendly.

Food for Thought

From OWH (1/3/17):  "Humble dish offers taste of home for Mosul's displaced. "Long before it became famous as a battlefield in the fight against the Islamic State, the Iraqi city of Mosul was know for its ancient cuisine, enriched by Syrian, Turkish & Persian recipes. Mosul chefs make savory meat pies known as kubbeh * & spicy flatbread smeared w/ground beef that can be found in Middle Eastern restaurants the world over.
     "But among Iraqis the city is known for pache--animal heads, intestines & other parts boiled in giant vats . . . " [I can hardly wait to find out if my son-in-law has time to sample the local cuisine.]
* Commonly referred to by American G.I.'s as the Syrian Runza.

The Legacy of our POTUS

From Lincoln Journal Star (12/15):  "Wind-turbine rule permits eagle deaths. The Obama administration on WED finalized a rule that lets wind-energy companies operate high-speed turbines for up to 10 years--even if it means killing or injuring thousands of federally projected bald &  golden eagles. Under the new rule, wind companies & other power providers will not face a penalty if they kill up to 4,200 bald eagles, nearly 4X the current limit . . . " [My comments:]

• Notice how I avoided a politically-charged entry through the clever use of a heading?
• ELDM! *

* Eagle Lives DON'T Matter.