I Am Beyond Impressed

I'm a DWTS fan. I like watching the different dances and imagining that it's something I would be capable of if I just had the right training. I don't always watch every episode of every season... but I'm still a fan.

It helps if there's someone on the show that I either knew of before and liked, or get to know a little bit about during the show and they seem like good/nice people.

This season it's this guy:


J.R. Martinez was wounded while driving a Humvee while serving as a U.S. Army infantryman and the Humvee hit a landmine. Read more about him here.

before and after
via - follow the link and read more about him - plus a video of him

Call me a sucker for a soldier, patriotism, or a tragic hero; but I'm really impressed and grateful that there are men and women willing to serve their country regardless of the risks to themselves.

And as a bonus, he seems like a nice guy (I know, I know, what can you tell from a few hours on TV? Probably not a whole lot...). He also seems to have a great attitude, saying things to his partner like - 'I only have one ear, so I can only hear half of what you're saying.' Anyway, I hope he wins this season.

Check out his most recent dance. Week 2, the Jive:

update: he got a 22 on this dance (same as last week)
even though carrie ann was ticked about the lifts at the beginning and len thought it looked more like a lindy hop than a jive

Off We Go Into the Wild Blue Yonder

Looking on different job websites a month or so ago I stumbled onto a listing for public health officers in the Air Force. Awesome. I filled out the form, and kind of forgot about it. My brother-in-law mentioned contacting them myself (they sent me an email with contact info after filling out the form), suggesting that since it's such a long process, it wouldn't hurt to get things started (he's in the middle of it himself right now).

Skip ahead a couple of weeks...

I got a text and an email from a recruiter yesterday asking me to call if I was still interested.

I called today and talked to Technical Sergeant Jaron Wagner.

After he confirmed that they were indeed looking for public health degrees, he talked me through what needed to be done and then said he'd call me back when his computer was working and he could access the questions he needs to ask me to get things started. (maybe questions like 'are you a terrorist?' - no / 'are you a true American?' - i didn't vote for obama, so yes, / 'what are your favorite colors?' - red, white and blue of course)

Who knows what'll happen. Maybe it won't go anywhere. But it could be fun while it lasts.

Amazing Men

The fourth is way past now, but I never really mentioned it on here.

I love this country and I love the men who sacrificed so much for its birth.

Here's an email I got from my brother around the 4th:

A good history lesson. It seems that we should do all we can to preserve this great document that these wonderful men fought and died for.

4th of July

Have you ever wondered what happened to the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence?

Five signers were captured by the British as traitors, and tortured before they died.

Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned.

Two lost their sons serving in the Revolutionary Army; another had two sons captured.

Nine of the 56 fought and died from wounds or hardships of the Revolutionary War.

They signed and they pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor.

What kind of men were they?

Twenty-four were lawyers and jurists.

Eleven were merchants, nine were farmers and large plantation owners; men of means, well educated, but they signed the Declaration of Independence knowing full well that the penalty would be death if they were captured.

Carter Braxton of Virginia, a wealthy planter and trader, saw his ships swept from the seas by the British Navy. He sold his home and properties to pay his debts, and died in rags.

Thomas McKeam was so hounded by the British that he was forced to move his family almost constantly. He served in the Congress without pay, and his family was kept in hiding. His possessions were taken from him, and poverty was his reward.

Vandals or soldiers looted the properties of Dillery, Hall, Clymer, Walton, Gwinnett, Heyward, Ruttledge, and Middleton.

At the battle of Yorktown, Thomas Nelson, Jr., noted that the British General Cornwallis had taken over the Nelson home for his headquarters. He quietly urged General George Washington to open fire. The home was destroyed, and Nelson died bankrupt.

Francis Lewis had his home and properties destroyed. The enemy jailed his wife, and she died within a few months.

John Hart was driven from his wife's bedside as she was dying. Their 13 children fled for their lives. His fields and his gristmill were laid to waste. For more than a year he lived in forests and caves, returning home to find his wife dead and his children vanished.

So, take a few minutes while enjoying your 4th of July holiday and silently thank these patriots. It's not much to ask for the price they paid.

Remember: freedom is never free!

I loved reading 1776 and John Adams by David McCullough. I think every American should be required to read 1776. There is no denying that this country was created under the watchful eye of a generous God.

I hope everyone had a great 4th!

update: go here for more accurate information. while some of this information is true, some of it is grossly exaggerated. (thank you Matthew!)

I Just Saw Something That Reminded Me of This...

I thought I'd share.

I knew there was a reason I loved old movies!

In contrast to the ideals, opinions and feelings of today's "Hollywonk" the real actors of yesteryear loved the United States.

They had both class and integrity. With the advent of World War many of our actors went to fight rather than stand and rant against this country we all love.

They gave up their wealth, position and fame to become service men & women, many as simple "enlisted men".

This page lists but a few, but from this group of only 18 men came over 70 medals in honor of their valor, spanning from Bronze Stars, Silver Stars, Distinguish Service Cross', Purple Hearts and one Congressional Medal of Honor.

Real Hollywood Heroes

Alec Guinness (Star Wars) operated a British Royal Navy landing craft on D-Day.

James Doohan ("Scotty" on Star Trek) landed in Normandy with the U. S. Army on D-Day.

Donald Pleasance (The Great Escape) really was an R. A. F. pilot who was shot down, held prisoner and tortured by the Germans.

David Niven was a Sandhurst graduate and Lt. Colonel of the British Commandos in Normandy.

James Stewart Entered the Army Air Force as a private and worked his way to the rank of Colonel.

During World War II, Stewart served as a bomber pilot, his service record crediting him with leading more than 20 missions over Germany, and taking part in hundreds of air strikes during his tour of duty.

Stewart earned the Air Medal, the Distinguished Flying Cross, France's Croix de Guerre, and 7 Battle Stars during World War II.

In peace time, Stewart continued to be an active member of the Air Force as a reservist, reaching the rank of Brigadier General before retiring in the late 1950s.

Clark Gable (Mega-Movie Star when war broke out) Although he was beyond the draft age at the time the U.S. entered WW II,

Clark Gable enlisted as a private in the AAF on Aug. 12, 1942 at Los Angeles.

He attended the Officers' CandidateSchool at Miami Beach, Fla. and graduated as a second lieutenant on Oct. 28, 1942.

He then attended aerial gunnery school and in Feb. 1943 he was assigned to the 351st Bomb Group at Polebrook where flew operational missions over Europe in B-17s.

Capt. Gable returned to the U.S. in Oct. 1943 and was relieved from active duty as a major on Jun. 12, 1944 at his own request, since he was over-age for combat.

Charlton Heston was an Army Air Corps Sergeant in Kodiak.

Earnest Borgnine was a U. S. Navy Gunners Mate 1935-1945.

Charles Durning was a U. S. Army Ranger at Normandy earning a Silver Star and awarded the Purple Heart.

Charles Bronson was a tail gunner in the Army Air Corps, more specifically on B-29s in the 20th Air Force out of Guam, Tinian, and Saipan

George C. Scott was a decorated U. S. Marine.

Eddie Albert (Green Acres TV) was awarded a Bronze Star for his heroic action as a U. S. Naval officer aiding Marines at the horrific battle on the island of Tarawa in the Pacific Nov. 1943.

Brian Keith served as a U.S. Marine rear gunner in several actions against the Japanese on Rabal in the Pacific.

Lee Marvin was a U.S. Marine on Saipan during the Marianas campaign when he was wounded earning the Purple Heart.

John Russell: In 1942, he enlisted in the Marine Corps where he received a battlefield commission and was wounded and highly decorated for valor at Guadalcanal.

Robert Ryan was a U. S. Marine who served with the O. S. S. in Yugoslavia.

Tyrone Power (an established movie star when Pearl Harbor was bombed) joined the U.S. Marines, was a pilot flying supplies into, and wounded Marines out of, Iwo Jima and Okinawa.

Audie Murphy, little 5'5" tall 110 pound guy from Texas who played cowboy parts?

Most Decorated serviceman of W.W.II and earned: Medal of Honor, Distinguished Service Cross, 2 Silver Star Medals, Legion of Merit, 2 Bronze Star Medals with "V", 2 Purple Hearts, U.S. Army Outstanding Civilian Service Medal, Good Conduct Medal, 2 Distinguished Unit Emblems, American Campaign Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with One Silver Star, Four Bronze Service Stars (representing nine campaigns) and one Bronze Arrowhead (representing assault landing at Sicily and Southern France) World War II Victory Medal Army of Occupation Medal with Germany Clasp, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, Combat Infantry Badge, Marksman Badge with Rifle Bar, Expert Badge with Bayonet Bar, French Fourragere in Colors of the Croix de Guerre, French Legion of Honor, Grade of Chevalier, French Croix de Guerre With Silver Star, French Croix de Guerre with Palm, Medal of

Liberated France, Belgian Croix de Guerre 1940 Palm.

So how do you feel the real heroes of the silver screen acted when compared to the hollywonks today who spray out anti-American drivel as they bite the hand that feeds them? Can you imagine these stars of yesteryear saying they hate our flag, making antiwar speeches, marching in anti-American parades and saying they hate our president?

I thought not.