Random Thought Thread

goddamn it's smokey af today. Fires all over the place, really makes me feel for folks who have to bundle up their families and hit the road- unsure if they'll have a home to return to and with winter on its way. Feeling pretty fortunate that all I have to do is stay indoors. Took Mako out for a 1/2 hour walk this morning and my eyes are stinging. Wanted to get out for a ride today, but it looks like I'll be working on knives instead
 
dericdesmond said:
Sure wish I was your carrier w/ a chance to win your business back,,would go above and beyond in every way imaginable. Our local district is #7 in regards to overall performance in the Country (#1 not long ago) so reading this hurts my soul 😔
Click to expand...
I've lived in three locations in the past two years. USPS was/is great for the first and the third (luckily current). Downtown DC was meyhem, I don't even want to get into all the issues.
 
Thanks for all the smoke guys. Little update this morning, fire still has no containment BUT the wind is dying down. Its grown from 20 acres to estimated 8000 now. It’s coming through index right now though unfortunately, and we’re next. They are starting to try to break fire lines after index, but still going to be up to Mother Nature and god. Depending on if it grows much today, we are thinking about leaving the truck and trailer and valuables up here at the in-laws and might try to go back home, until, knock on wood, hopefully it doesn’t come to a GTFO out scenario. Will be monitoring the scanner and need updates today. If the winds pick back up though, man I don’t know. It’s not going to be good.

www.google.com

Bolt Creek Fire at 9,440 acres; evacuation levels reduced

As of Thursday night, Sept. 15, an estimated 9,440 acres had burned, and the fire was 5% contained.
www.google.com www.google.com
 
Last edited:
Murphjd25 said:
Thanks for all the smoke guys. Little update this morning, fire still has no containment BUT the wind is dying down. Its grown from 20 acres to estimated 8000 now. It’s coming through index right now though unfortunately, and we’re next. They are starting to try to break fire lines after index, but still going to be up to Mother Nature and god. Depending on if it grows much today, we are thinking about leaving the truck and trailer and valuables up here at the in-laws and might try to go back home, until, knock on wood, hopefully it doesn’t come to a GTFO out scenario. Will be monitoring the scanner and need updates today. If the winds pick back up though, man I don’t know. It’s not going to be good.

www.google.com

Bolt Creek Fire at 9,440 acres; evacuation levels reduced

As of Thursday night, Sept. 15, an estimated 9,440 acres had burned, and the fire was 5% contained.
www.google.com www.google.com
Click to expand...

I fought fire for a living in Montana when I was young. That one looks pretty terrifying. Prayers sent again for the responders and for you and yours Murph
 
sickpuppy1 said:
Never been around royalty, but I’ll never forget one woman…. Maybe 15 years ago, was doing a spring AC check up for a regular customer who just happened to have her mother move in with her.
Talked with her a bit, pretty strong accent, seemed like a nice old lady. Went about my business, going in and out, checking air flow and such. I walked by the mom at one point and noticed her sleeve was up a bit and saw this string of 6 numbers tattooed on her forearm. Thought to myself holy shit! She’s a holocaust survivor!!!!!
It really hit me hard and I think I just froze and was standing there staring at it. I started choking up a little and I hear her say “ it’s ok now” kinda soft. Snapped me out of it and I looked at her, smiling a little, and all I could think to say is I’m sorry….

I walked back to doing what I was doing, and as I was leaving, the lady says to me, mom says you’re a good man. Were you two talking?
Just a few words is all.
Never forgot that old lady….
Click to expand...

Richard338 said:
Back in elementary school, we had a substitute teacher who survived the Holocaust. She skipped the lesson plan and told us all about it. I still remember it well.
Click to expand...

Blues said:
As a youngster growing up in NYC during the 50's and 60's, it wasn't all that uncommon to come across survivors...and it was always something that clutched at your soul.

My former public school mate, and later roommate's, mother was a Polish survivor of Bergen-Belsen. His father was a British soldier who was among those who liberated the camp. They were a study in contrasts. He was always a happy-go-lucky sort, quick with a joke and that typical working class British humor. She was always somewhat dour and stand-offish. It was rare to ever hear her refer to her experience.

When I was in Paris in 1999, my cousin, an attorney there, told me the story of his father who was taken by the Germans in 1942 some months after he was born. He was taken to Drancy and later transported to Auschwitz where he was murdered. Their story is an amazing one, but a bit longish to recount here.
Click to expand...

bluemax_1 said:
Along those lines, my brother did a class paper/assignment, and chose to write his paper on the holocaust. He managed to dig up a whole lot of material, including photos of prisoners at Auschwitz, Dachau and other camps.

I recall looking at those photos, seeing the emaciated, scared and thoroughly disheartened, broken looks of people who knew the fate that awaited them. 😔
Click to expand...

Blues said:
My cousin, referenced above, was, shortly after the war, adopted by an American serviceman who married his widowed mother. He moved the family to Germany where he was stationed, and my cousin, who was raised Catholic in his mother's faith, in an ironic twist of fate was confirmed and had his first communion at Dachau.

You can't make this stuff up.

(His now late brother followed the adoptive father into lifelong service in the U.S. Army.)
Click to expand...
When I was working as a physical therapist assistant in the early 90’s in a luxury assisted living facility owned by Israelis in a Miami suburb, I met a Jewish man I was rehabbing after a stroke. He told me he was in an Army unit during WWII that was called the Razors, and they use to slash Nazi throats with a Razor. He told he preferred to face them when he was slashing their throat, he didn’t care if they spurted blood on him. I really got along with this gentleman, he was pleasure to work with. He also told me he later became Meyer Lansky’s personal driver after meeting him in Miami Beach. So much for honorable service. 😆
 
Murphjd25 said:
Thanks for all the smoke guys. Little update this morning, fire still has no containment BUT the wind is dying down. Its grown from 20 acres to estimated 8000 now. It’s coming through index right now though unfortunately, and we’re next. They are starting to try to break fire lines after index, but still going to be up to Mother Nature and god. Depending on if it grows much today, we are thinking about leaving the truck and trailer and valuables up here at the in-laws and might try to go back home, until, knock on wood, hopefully it doesn’t come to a GTFO out scenario. Will be monitoring the scanner and need updates today. If the winds pick back up though, man I don’t know. It’s not going to be good.

www.google.com

Bolt Creek Fire at 9,440 acres; evacuation levels reduced

As of Thursday night, Sept. 15, an estimated 9,440 acres had burned, and the fire was 5% contained.
www.google.com www.google.com
Click to expand...
Hope you and your family stay safe Josh. Smoke and prayers sent.
 
Murphjd25 said:
Thanks for all the smoke guys. Little update this morning, fire still has no containment BUT the wind is dying down. Its grown from 20 acres to estimated 8000 now. It’s coming through index right now though unfortunately, and we’re next. They are starting to try to break fire lines after index, but still going to be up to Mother Nature and god. Depending on if it grows much today, we are thinking about leaving the truck and trailer and valuables up here at the in-laws and might try to go back home, until, knock on wood, hopefully it doesn’t come to a GTFO out scenario. Will be monitoring the scanner and need updates today. If the winds pick back up though, man I don’t know. It’s not going to be good.

www.google.com

Bolt Creek Fire at 9,440 acres; evacuation levels reduced

As of Thursday night, Sept. 15, an estimated 9,440 acres had burned, and the fire was 5% contained.
www.google.com www.google.com
Click to expand...
So sorry to hear this Josh. You guys stay safe.
 
ferider said:
My wife sometimes jokes about my love of peanut butter.

You guys may not realize, it's a luxury good in Germany. My mom couldn't afford it, so we were stuck with (generic) Nutella instead :)
Click to expand...
Yeah, it's funny for Americans to realize that peanut butter isn't quite so ubiquitous outside the USA.

OTOH, Nutella is the stuff that wasn't quite as common, here. It was a 'treat' when we were kids. Parents would buy it every once in a while, but refused to keep a supply of it in the house (which was a good thing, in retrospect, cuz I LOVED that stuff, and still do although I rarely ever eat it nowadays).

A coworker discovered Nutella in his 40s. "How did I not ever know about this stuff when I was a kid? OMG, it's SOOO good! I've been buying jars of the stuff, and making sandwiches for breakfast. Nutella sandwiches for snacks...".

I think he finally stopped/reigned it in when he realized he'd put on 10lbs in just a few weeks. 😅

P.S.

I think it was like me, discovering FAO Schwarz when I was in college. "How on earth did I not know about these stores when I was a kid?!!! LOOK! They have giant pkush animals, including a lifesized plush lion!!!".

Looks at $7XX - $1,XXX price tags. "Ohhh... I think I know why my parents never brought us anywhere near one of these". 😂

They had a really cool all metal lightsaber handle replica too, that was also $7xx IIRC.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top