Will I have an issue with 'MAY Issue'?

I decided to finally go forth with trying to obtain a Concealed Deadly Weapon permit. My beef, and has been for many others beore me, is even if you are a clean-cut law-abiding citizen who has nothing in the past to prevent getting the proper papers the AG can STILL turn you down, and give no reason as to why. If I spell my name differently than the AG's cousin, I could be denied. If the AG is in a bad mood, I could be denied. If the AG DOESN'T GET ANY, I could be denied.

Now do not get me wrong. If the AG has a hunch or gut-feeling that someone should be denied, good. Rather err or the side of caution. Not everyone should have access to a CDW.

As it stands, my advertisement in the newspaper stating me intentions will be early next week, and I have my appointment to get fingerprinted shortly after. I take all my info and mail it off and it could take anywhere from a couple weeks to a couple months to find out if I did everything for nothing or not. No matter what one feels about gun ownership, you have to admit 'may issue' is wrong, and allows for favortism, racism, feminism and whatever other '-isms' one could conjur up.

Delaware politics are shady.. real shady.

I am not getting riled up- yet.

Yes, it's been a long time

Not exactly sure why, but I just hadn't found time to blog. Just like I don't play the online games I used to play and whatever other things I used to spend time doing. Someone mentioned that maybe real-life was just demanding more time and while I certainly wish that were the case, it isn't totally the answer. Anyways, I have a LOT to say, but will limit this post to just ONE and try not to rant much, then catch up soon.

We got the fence out back and Ripper Vaughn, now almost 25 pounds, absolutely loves his freedom. But anyone who has been to my house knows about the big Holly tree. It's about 30' tall and covered the entire ground area, and the entire area it covered became a hiding spot for many, many leaves. The ivy along the rear fence was no better. Through years of neglect, it became bad. I've only been here 3 years, and that was never a big priority. Well, since the other projects around the house have been caught up, this BECAME a priority- especially since the tree and ivy also are catch basins for all sorts of trash. And now that Ripper Vaughn is family, getting trash off thr ground is important.

Now mind your manners.. I kept it at least asthetically ok, and with my back and then the events of last Spring, heavy yard work ain't easy.

So I decied to take some branches off the Holly- from the ground up about maybe 3-3.5 feet. Not only for looks, but to maintain the mess easier. Well, after chopping off the branches I started bagging the leaves and trash. As I cleared the majority I noticed a couple pieces of plastic sticking though the dirt. Some came right out and some broke apart in my hands, with enough being in the ground to guilt me into cleaning it right, in case we decided to plant something, somewhere..

As I broke ground, it wasn't just the cigarette and candy bar wrapper I found. Nope, more than that. Thankfully it was just trash.. but my gosh.. I literally pulled two 33 gallon trash bags worth of trash from under the ground. 66 GALLONS OF TRASH. Those two bags, along with the 5 bags of leaves and 6 bags of ivy is a lot and I ain't even done maybe 4-5 more bags to go. Let's just say that Lysa and I will certainly be having a few BBQs and/or BIKE-B-QUEs so I can show off our freshly updated digs in the back.

Oh, and Ripper tried to help. First by moving the Ivy vines from where I was working to all over the yard, and then by digging holes. Yep, he's gonna be a burrower.

2007 -Wow!

In the family Christmas Letters we sent this year, I wrote about my grandfather passing his view on time. "The older you get, the faster it goes." And as I type my year-in-review in the early AM of New Years Eve 07-08, I can do nothing but confirm pop-pop's hunch.

2007 started right, after having my first Holiday Season as a married man with my beloved wife Lysa and step-daughter Kayla. We had been living together over a year to that point and had dated Lysa for several years prior so it wasn't our first Christmas together, but Christmas 06 was extra-special. As Lysa said to me- and often- "Our first Christmas as Mr. and Mrs. Kaminski!". Little did we know it was also nearly our last.

February 12, 2007. Nearly. Close. Almost. The love and prayers from family and friends were the only thing that kept me alive. I thank God and thank all of you. Great teamwork!

Lysa says to me last night that for Valentine's Day this year she would like to do something EXTRA special, since the last one we spent in the hospital. I didn't let her see, but it made me cry. (She was so strong about all of that mess, and still is. She is gonna get a big head if I keep telling people about her.) But I agree- Valentine's Day this year is going to be very special.

Well, I got out of the hospital and on to rehab at home with drainage bags hanging from my ribs. I don't think I told many people, but all the pain and nightmares I experienced were worse than I ever let on. I just wanted to move on.

But after I got well enough, I tried to return to work. I missed all those guys! Well, shit happened between the manager and I and he pushed too far. I will never forgive him for some of the things he said. Ouch- I shudder to think when Karma catches up. Long story short, I had a doctor appointment and didn't go back. Not the wisest thing I could have done- especially as a reaction. But I never had words hurt like that.

So, my return to work lasted a whole month and was finished by the end of August. But a couple weeks later, I ended up being offered 2 jobs within days of each other. Ugh.. turns out the one I chose laid me off two moths later, just weeks before Christmas. Man, can I pick 'em or what?

But Christmas was just awesome regardless of all the assholes who were in any way detrimental to the lives of me and my family. AWESOME!

Ok.. let's wrap this up. IT'S NEW YEAR'S EVE, and dammit, I am gonna have me the GREATEST YEAR EVER. They gonna need to give me a TV show on VH1. You watch. Somehow. Someway.

I learned a lot this year. A lot about people, life, and bullshit. As much as I want to say I ain't ever gonna let the BS get to me I know it will, it's in my nature. But I am gonna work hard to just say "Eh, so what?" when I can get away with it. I am gonna make more time for family, friends and FUN. I've got to stop and enjoy life more than I used to. Yeah, responsibilities need to be taken care of.. and they will be.

But life is too damned short!

I've already made plans for next year, have a few hopes and dreamed up a few schemes. Some home repairs, bike upgrades, and weekend get-away rides with Lysa are on the books. But last-minute spontaneous events need to become more frequent.

Make sure you take time to enjoy life as well, hell, enjoy it with me if ya have to, but do it! Make sure you tell those you love that you do love them.. don't assume or take it for granted! Don't be too proud or stubborn, because you never know what the next intersection holds.

Ok, I know this is long and I let my brain wander.. and got busy after I started it this morning and ended up finishing it over 12 hours later.. so I end this now.

Happy New Year, and all my love to everyone!