Further Up and Further In!

I spent a long time (10 years) in a toxic workplace, and tho I left a few years ago, I still carry the scars very close to the surface. I’m trying to get over it and most days I’m successful, but sometimes I’m not. The constant need to watch my back, to be on the defensive, was every bit as damaging as ANY toxic relationship would be. The “relationship” being my workplace didn’t make it less painful.

Anyway, long story short, tonight I left a Facebook group that was important to me because a situation arose that triggered those feelings, that opened those wounds. I feel kind of lost, but my mental health HAS to be more important than the community I was a part of. So…. RIP my fellows. Further up and further in!

It’s VEGAS, Baby!

Images from my recent “girls weekend” in VEGAS, BABY! I know….what happens in Vegas is supposed to stay there, but I guess I ruined that taking pictures. I hope you enjoy them!

Hoover Dam and the Mike O’Callaghan-Pat Tillman Bridge

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Red Rock Canyon, Nevada

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The Strip and the Fountains at the Bellagio

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Wandering the Back Roads

So….it’s been a YEAR, y’all. Wow, life happens, doesn’t it?

I drove up to Hillsboro yesterday and since I had some time to kill I took the scenic route. Here’s some of what I saw!

White Hall, TX and between Valley Mills and Crawford, TX

I know, I know…..

Here we go again, right?  BUT….in a major paradigm shift, Dumbo Rourke finally admits what law-abiding gun owning conservatives have known All. Along.

Dems DO Want to Take Our Guns

WHY, I want to know?  So they can USE them against the citizens the government is supposed to PROTECT?  Or is it so that they can implement any form of governmental abusive oversight they want without fear of reprisals?  One small step at a time.  That’s all it takes.

In The News…

So, I see I’m not the only one who thinks this.  (I knew I wasn’t, but this article states my thoughts on Walmart’s new ammo policy much more succinctly than I could have):

Walmart Hates Its Customers

In another story (I love this site, y’all….consider subscribing!), a Grey’s Anatomy star, whom I know by name only because I never watched Grey’s Anatomy, has this to say about his shift from supporting the Democratic Party to supporting Republicans and President Trump:

What’s Really Going On?

Ok, last but not least….I’m ALL FOR putting the previous administration behind us and moving forward.  But….what WAS this all about?  What IS this all about?

Riddle Me This!

Army Doctor …

Written By Capt. Steven R. Ellison, M.D., US Army

I am a doctor specializing in the Emergency Departments of the only two military Level One-Trauma Centers, both in San Antonio, TX. We care for civilian emergencies as well as military personnel. San Antonio has the largest military retiree population in the world living here. As a military doctor, I work long hours and the pay is less than glamorous. One tends to become jaded by the long hours, lack of sleep, food, family contact and the endless parade of human suffering passing before you. The arrival of another ambulance does not mean more pay, only more work. Most often, it is a victim from a motor vehicle crash. Often it is a person of dubious character who has been shot or stabbed. With our large military retiree population, it is often a nursing home patient. Even with my enlisted service and minimal combat experience in Panama, I have caught myself groaning when the ambulance brings in yet another sick, elderly person from one of the local retirement centers that cater to military retirees. I had not stopped to think of what the citizens of this age group represented. I saw ‘Saving Private Ryan.’ I was touched deeply. Not so much by the carnage, but by the sacrifices of so many. I was touched most by the scene of the elderly survivor at the graveside, asking his wife if he’d been a good man. I realized that I had seen these same men and women coming through my Emergency Dept. and had not realized what magnificent sacrifices they had made. The things they did for me and everyone else that has lived on this planet since the end of that conflict are priceless. Situation permitting, I now try to ask my patients about their experiences.They would never bring up the subject without my inquiry. I have been privileged to hear an amazing array of experiences, recounted in the brief minutes allowed in an Emergency Dept. encounter. These experiences have revealed the incredible individuals I have had the honor of serving in a medical capacity, many on their last admission to the hospital. There was a frail, elderly woman who reassured my young enlisted medic,trying to start an IV line in her arm. She remained calm and poised, despite her illness and the multiple needle-sticks into her fragile veins. She was what we call a ‘hard stick.’ As the medic made another attempt, I noticed a number tattooed across her forearm. I touched it with one finger and looked into her eyes. She simply said, ‘ Auschwitz ..’ Many of later generations would have loudly and openly berated the young medic in his many attempts. How different was the response from this person who’d seen unspeakable suffering. Also, there was this long retired Colonel, who as a young officer had parachuted from his burning plane over a Pacific Island held by the Japanese. Now an octogenarian, he had a minor cut on his head from a fall at his home where he lived alone. His CT scan and suturing had been delayed until after midnight by the usual parade of high priority ambulance patients. Still spry for his age, he asked to use the phone to call a taxi, to take him home, then he realized his ambulance had brought him without his wallet. He asked if he could use the phone to make a long distance call to his daughter who lived 7 miles away. With great pride we told him that he could not, as he’d done enough for his country and the least we could do was get him a taxi home, even if we had to pay for it ourselves. My only regret was that my shift wouldn’t end for several hours, and I couldn’t drive him myself. I was there the night M/Sgt Roy Benavidez came through the Emergency Dept. for the last time. He was very sick. I was not the doctor taking care of him, but I walked to his bedside and took his hand. I said nothing. He was so sick, he didn’t know I was there. I’d read his Congressional Medal of Honor citation and wanted to shake his hand. He died a few days later. The gentleman who served with Merrill’s Marauders, the survivor of the Bataan Death March, the survivor of Omaha Beach, the 101 year old World War I veteran, the former POW held in frozen North Korea, the former Special Forces medic – now with non-operable liver cancer, the former Viet Nam Corps Commander. I may still groan when yet another ambulance comes in, but now I am much more aware of what an honor it is to serve these particular men and women. I have seen a Congress who would turn their back on these individuals who’ve sacrificed so much to protect our liberty. I see later generations that seem to be totally engrossed in abusing these same liberties, won with such sacrifice. It has become my personal endeavor to make the nurses and young enlisted medics aware of these amazing individuals when I encounter them in our Emergency Dept. Their response to these particular citizens has made me think that perhaps all is not lost in the next generation. My experiences have solidified my belief that we are losing an incredible generation, and this nation knows not what it is losing. Our uncaring government and ungrateful civilian populace should all take note. We should all remember that we must   ‘earn this.’ If it weren’t for the United States Military, there’d be   NO   United States of America!

 

Recently Photo’ed

We took a short road trip yesterday and today, here are some pictures to prove it!  Belton and San Saba, TX:

All Roads Lead to Texas…..

And especially Houston, apparently!  Here are a couple of articles I recently read on Texas Monthly’s site:

Houston’s Very Own “Bean”  and Houston High Schooler Accepted to TWENTY Top Schools.  (How cool is that guy?  Amazing!!  I bet his parents are proud!)

 

And hey, when in Texas, do as the Texans do:  Top 50 Texas BBQ Joints (according to Texas Monthly, anyway.)  ENJOY!

Interesting Sociology Experiment

And more about why I hate people!

Sad Days

I don’t know why people do this.  And, of course, this isn’t the ONLY tragic event in recent race relations….far from it.  I just lighted on this one because it’s so close to home, I live about 60 miles from Austin.

This, and other similar events; school shootings, bombings all over the world, cars driven into crowds…..they make me wonder why we’re even still here?  What’s the point?

I Hate People