They really do love each other…

How many of you parents get tired of hearing your kids bickering with each other? I know I do. Sometimes it seems that bickering is the only way they can communicate. And sometimes, even when they are trying to help each other it comes across as being mean-spirited, like when Noah yells at Hannah not to eat something. Read more

An open letter to all who serve(d)…

I was asked by a colleague to write a short note to some individuals who were retiring from the Navy, kind of like a ‘thanks from a grateful nation’ thing. I was pleased with how it came out and was thinking it was appropriate for more people than originally intended, so I decided to post it here. Read more

Triple crossing…

On my website’s About page, I have the following;

“I have crossed beneath the Atlantic Ocean in a submarine, crossed over its surface on a ship and flew over it in an airplane. I have never met anyone else who has done all three.”

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I’m going to be the Devil’s (2) Best Man….

It’s true, but not exactly what you think. I have two friends I met through the Navy that I have known for years. The three of us, me, Mike G, and Dave, are more commonly referred to as ‘The Devil’, ‘Splash’, and ‘The Devil(2)’.

semper

Me, Mike, and Dave at LobsterFest in 2005.

Splash nicknamed himself. Being the only black man that puts up with our antics and still hangs out with us anyway, he dubbed himself our ‘Splash of color’ and it stuck. Dave nicknamed me the Devil because whenever we hang out and he gets into any trouble, he says I caused him to do it. I realized the same goes for him and I, he being the root cause of the evil I get into to, so he has been labeled the Devil2. Not any real trouble mind you, more like childish college pranks like the time Mike and I drank shot after shot of water as we fed Dave shots of tequila, you know, stuff like that :).

Well after years of abuse about his bachelorhood, Dave has actually met a woman willing to marry him. I have joked many times throughout the years that if he ever managed to do that, I might consider being his best man knowing all along that he wouldn’t choose me. He has brothers and other friends that live right there near him (he lives near Pittsburgh and I am out here near Dayton) who would be more obvious choices for that illustrious position, he had even said so in the past.

Well last night Dave popped the question… not to the woman, she had already said yes, but to me about being his best man. I was floored, literally, and if I could be serious for a moment (I know many of you wonder that too), his asking actually brought a tear to my eye. I of course said yes… I am truly honored that he chose me.

I wonder what mischief the Devil can bring to a Bachelor Party.