world flotsam

The hat holds the attention of the world. It inspires, or amuses us, and sometimes even makes us hang our heads and sigh.

So this is my plea: let’s put the emphasis back on the individual. Let’s stop trying to ban everything. Let’s stop describing a tax cut as a “cost” to the government or – even worse – as morally identical to public spending. Let’s stop assuming adults should no longer have the right to eat fast food, or smoke, or drink, or paint their walls bright green, or build a conservatory in their back garden, or whatever it is they wish to do with their own bodies and with their own private property. Let’s once again speak up for the rights of consenting adults to choose how to live their own lives, even if we disapprove. Let’s allow people to hold, discuss or display their beliefs freely, especially if we disagree.

Sippican Cottage: Happy Naomh Padraig's Day

Her uncles found her alone, a little girl sitting quietly in her family home in the county of Mayo. For the Irish, the famine was just the last straw; ………….(read on)

letsgottoafghanistan: It’s been a while. I’d like to say that all is going well and that life is perfect, but when is that ever the case? And when is that ever reality? That’s not to say everything is all bad. Everything is just..everything.  Lauren and I are great, but then again…she’s my constant. We are always great. I’m still unemployed, but that’s likely to change. It’s hard coming to the realization that 10 years in the military matters little to anyone but those who serve. It seems companies are more concerned with hearing about my 3 week law firm internship than they are my 10 years, 2 deployments, and numerous combat related decorations. Weird. I did have a company fly me from Austin to Dallas and back in the same day last week for an interview. I should know at the end of next week if I got that job. Another company is flying me to California in the next couple of weeks for the same.  Both of these jobs are high paying, high responsibility positions in Fortune 500 countries. Color me unimpressed. If I’m not holding a M-4 in 115* heat on the side of a mountain calling in mortar rounds, it really doesn’t matter what I do with my civilian career. It won’t make me happy like that did. Which is why despite the fact that everything in my life seems to be going really well, I’ll never be 100% content with anything, because I can never go back to that place.

letsgottoafghanistan:

It’s been a while.

I’d like to say that all is going well and that life is perfect, but when is that ever the case? And when is that ever reality?

That’s not to say everything is all bad. Everything is just..everything. 

Lauren and I are great, but then again…she’s my constant. We are always great.

I’m still unemployed, but that’s likely to change.

It’s hard coming to the realization that 10 years in the military matters little to anyone but those who serve. It seems companies are more concerned with hearing about my 3 week law firm internship than they are my 10 years, 2 deployments, and numerous combat related decorations.

Weird.

I did have a company fly me from Austin to Dallas and back in the same day last week for an interview. I should know at the end of next week if I got that job. Another company is flying me to California in the next couple of weeks for the same. 

Both of these jobs are high paying, high responsibility positions in Fortune 500 countries.

Color me unimpressed.

If I’m not holding a M-4 in 115* heat on the side of a mountain calling in mortar rounds, it really doesn’t matter what I do with my civilian career. It won’t make me happy like that did.

Which is why despite the fact that everything in my life seems to be going really well, I’ll never be 100% content with anything, because I can never go back to that place.

(via kaching)