Icewind's Ramblings

Rule # 5 You Don't Waste Good Some of you may know what I am talking about and some may have to look it up but one thing is certain, like Gibbs I live by the cup, all day long. I have an auto start on my coffee maker and I can always be found with a cup of coffee.  I like my coffee not just as a pick me up but I love the smell and taste of really good coffee.  I credit this to my mother as she gave us "Good to the last Drop" Maxwell House Master Blend growing up and I have always gone to great lengths to find it all of my life. For many of us we try to learn from our mistakes and life our lives a certain way and in many ways we may or may not have them written down anywhere.  For one of my favorite antagonist there is a set of rules written down and over the years many have been revealed to the followers and fans.  One of my favorites is Rule # 5 . . . You Don't Waste Good! Now this can be taken in so many contexts and is open for interpretation ...

(This was written for my blog Icewind’s Ramblings on 9/11/2006 on the fifth anniversary of that terrible day in our country)   I re-read it again this morning and thought I would re-post it again with a couple of minor changes. In my generation, which was a generation ago, the question was repeatedly asked, "Where were you when President Kennedy was shot?" For my generation, there are too many questions with fewer answers. The United States changed directions and suddenly we were in a war called Viet Nam and the loss of this country’s young men’s innocence.   Tragedies and calamities abounded in our collective memories.   But as with the saying “time heals all wounds” and we proceeded for many years along a course with unclear direction.   Within this generation the final innocence was taken on September 11, 2001, but seems to have been somewhat faded now as the one question that will be asked again and again is, "Where were you on 9/11?" At this time ...

I have not been writing much lately for several different reasons.   With the extreme cold this winter I could say it has been “brain freeze” but that would only be a small part of it.   Things have been quite busy for me in a non-busy way if that makes any sense.   I have been traveling a bit around the state so it has been very cold and isolated going out to the villages preparing for new projects this season or checking on ongoing projects from last.   At work it has been busy with so many things going on with new work and dealing with the logistics of such remote places to get people, equipment and materials to the jobsite.   Around town it has been a time for reflection and throttling back a bit from going a hundred miles an hour.   In that sense I guess I have become a semi-recluse.   What is a recluse, really?   Well, it's someone who chooses to live a life of solitude.   This kind of lifestyle isn't for everyone, obviously.  ...

This morning I was watching Today Show and they did a really good piece looking back at this past year.   It covered almost any topic you can think of from world events, economy, sports, celebrities, deaths, and it was beautifully done.   I came away with several thoughts about the video and also about my own year in review. The most striking thing that jumped out at me was how much chaos and trouble there is all over the world.   The many conflicts going on in so many different regions and how they never seem to be resolved and continue year after year. The natural disasters that happened this past year seem almost unprecedented with the numerous earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, and droughts to affect so many countries and people.   One could almost think the ‘end of times’ was marching quickly and everyone needs to take a look at their lives and how they are living it.   It is an interesting ‘what if’ thought process when you look at what the Bible says...

Its cold too early in the season for these temperatures so it seems somewhat strange that everyone has pretty much shut themselves inside the home hunkered down to stay warm.   Blankets are about and coffee or hot drinks available. It’s still in November and we have had several days with below zero temperatures and for the last several days’ extreme high winds which lower the wind chill factor and also create many problems with flying debris downing power lines.   There have been many communities without power from the winds. People seem to be staying indoors and not heading out to the normal activities usually seen on a weekend.   The area downtown is mostly barren of the throngs of people who hit the several restaurants and bars close to Town Park.   There are still the few protesters who have a small wind break tent to take turns warming up between carrying signs along 6 th Avenue. Internet activity is quiet tonight as I think many people are just happy for...

It’s that time again for the Fall classic of America’s pastime, the World Series. Many people from young boys to men collect baseball memorabilia from cards to baseballs and programs from the games.   With some people it may be an obsession in all of the collectables gathered over the years.   There are businesses that swap and trade items and even gatherings for autographs of your favorite players. Some people never outgrow that childhood obsession but I must say . . . If you need to shave and you still collect baseball cards, you're probably a loser.   If you're a kid, the cards are keepsakes of your idols.     If you're a grown man . . . they're pictures of men.   Enjoy the games but be careful of how you display your treasures! Ice

It has been over a week now that the events in Japan has cause so much heartache and change to so many people.   Where do they go from here to move forward with their lives?   How many will never find family or loved ones swept out to sea or buried within tons of rubble or mud in the communities heavily effected by the earthquake and the following tsunami?   I’ve said many times that music is a common thread for many people and as I have sat and watched the news footage and listened to the commentary of the aftermath in dealing with so many problems and obstacles I turn to music to help ease my mind and search for understanding which may never come. One song over the years seems to say so much for each of us as we may sometimes be full of ourselves or have an incident to shake us and wake up and adjust our attitude to the ‘real world’ around us.   It is “Part of the Plan” by the late great Dan Fogelberg.   His music over the years has affected so many peop...

Our world of global communication and almost instant access to anything you could imagine shows us once again how much has changes in the last 56 years since the earthquake in Alaska in 1964. The news captured almost everything except an undersea camera of the earthquake itself.   Within seconds there were videos of the shaking in many areas in Japan and shortly thereafter the incredible videos of the tsunami wave coming on shore and devouring everything in its path.   The push of the wave with the debris swirling carrying vehicles, boats, buildings, and anything else in its path inland.   One report said the wave went over six miles across the mainland before retreating back out into the ocean. There were sixty to 80 foot ships being pushed on their side and hitting a bridge along with twenty or thirty vehicles which looked like a Hollywood disaster movie.   This was real and the shot of all the houses and cars swept away with the water on fire from the natural...

It is hard to believe that it has been 20 years since the start of Desert Storm in the Gulf War to rid Saddam Hussein's invasion of Kuwait, Iraq still owes its smaller neighbor billions in reparations and more than 1,000 people are still missing. Saddam is long gone . . . many of us only remember his statute falling at one of his palaces and the excellent “war” coverage by CNN. It was in August 1990 that Iraq invaded, declaring that Kuwait was its 19th province.  The United States led a counteroffensive starting January 16, 1991. War came to television in real time with the CNN broadcast by Peter Arnett, Bernard Shaw, and John Holliman who gave us continuous coverage from Baghdad for the first 16 intense hours from their room in the Al-Rashid Hotel.  January 17, 1991 the world’s new organizations and everyone on the planet was captivated by what was happening. Wolf Blitzer and Nic Robertson (the sound man during that broadcast) look back at the start of the war and it is i...

The New Year starts with words that we can all live by . . . oddly it came from the television series NCIS. Anyone can achieve their fullest potential, who we are might be predetermined, but the path we follow is always of our own choosing. We should never allow our fears, or the expectations of others to set the frontiers of our destiny.   Your destiny can't be changed but, it can be challenged.   Every man is born as many men & dies as a single one. Agent McGee spoke in voice over at end of episode. Ice

I have written in the past about my travels to the rural (bush) villages for my work which is building water and sewer treatment plants for these native communities.  We provide what most of us take for granted in always having fresh drinking water or clean water for bathing, laundry, and brushing our teeth.  That is not always the case in many places off the road system here in Alaska and we are slowly bringing these necessary health changes to many places. We are changing people’s lives in the process of dealing with new technology or having ‘outsiders’ coming into the village to work on these projects.  Most villages welcome us once they understand what we are providing.  Change is hard to the elders whose existence in the harsh conditions is a way of life.  Hunting, fishing, and gathering food is a traditional way of life here and one that is important to the mindset of the tribes.  One of the things that my company does is hire local labor to hel...

It is sad to see so many child stars fall by the wayside. Over the years tragedy or misfortune has struck many of our favorite television child actors.  Oddly often times many if not all cast members find themselves in trouble or have abuse issues whether it is with alcohol or drugs.  Dana Plato died in 1999 and Gary Coleman died last week.  Of the three children on that show Todd Bridges is still around having his own troubles with cocaine addiction and altercations with his former dealer and a tenant which lead to legal troubles. One Day at a Time, Family Affair, Eight is Enough, and Family Ties all had kids who either died before maturity or old age or ran afoul and spent time behind bars . . . sadly not what their bright futures seemed as we watched week after week on the boob tube. Then we have the pathetic case of Lindsey Lohan who in the re-make of The Parent Trap looked so promising as an actress with a star on the rise . . . only to sink into depths of who ...

When we were younger there used to be a distinction between the movies & television .  The movies at the theater were called the Big Screen while television seen at home was the Small Screen .  Today, it would be a misnomer to say that.  From the big screen analog to the flat screen High Definition TV’s of today, the television of today is also the Big Screen. I would probably like to say . . . my name is Icewind and I'm a TV addict.  I've only recently admitted this, and I probably would still be in denial except for the fact that we just brought into the house a fourth HDTV cable box (digital video recorders).  Mind you they are not all for my watching as I travel somewhat but when I am home like to see my favorite programs.  We've got the big (42”) flat screen TV in the living room, and there is an older television in the bedroom (20”) for my wife to get away from all of the chaos from the grandkids.  She will fall asleep with that one on...