Charlie Mike

I waited to after Mothers Day to post this blog, I really didn’t feel right posting it since it (Mothers Day) is supposed to be focused on celebrating our mothers.
This day also has another meaning from me. On Mothers Day 2006 I lost one of my best friends and I wanted to take sometime to remember him. He was a great guy and a catalyst for change in my life. What many of you know is that I had quit high school at the end of my sophomore year, but what is not well know is that I went back and why.I had met Steven through another friend and instantly we were at odds we each other. We competed over everything, girls, girls, sports, and everything in between. There was however a pivotal moment in our relationship and that was on a warm summer day while we were all hanging out at a mutual friends home. Somehow we got into a heated testosterone filled debate about who was the faster sprinter. At the time Steven and I didn’t know each other real well and probably were both equally cocky SOB’s.
We decided to meet over at Fuller Track in Newburyport two weeks later and settle our little difference with a wager of fifty dollars. We both went into our own intense training cycles. I went to Salisbury Beach conducting sand sprints three times a day and a plethora of other drills used by professional athletes during this two week period. If there was one thing we were serious about it was training. At the end of the two weeks we met on a Saturday morning just after sun up. Our mutual friend Chris would signal the start of this 100m race and with that history was made…
Oh ‘ I guess you need to know who won, well that was me of course.
So how did this change my life? It was what Steven said to me after the race. He said “Dude, you have all this ability why are you wasting it”. He pointed out that after spending a few months with me  he could not figure out why I was letting life get the best of me. He said “If I were you I’d swallow my pride go and back to school.” This coming from a parent or even an aunt or uncle would have not have had even a fraction of an impact as it did coming from a friend who I respected and who I had just met on the field of battle so to speak. So because of what Steven said that day throwing that "pebble into the water" metaphorically speaking and the discussions on the topic we had for several weeks after I went back to school the following year.
I completed my junior and senior year together taking double math and english and to my mothers amazement made the honor roll as well. I entered the US Army just a few weeks after graduation and the rest is history. (or a subject for another blog)
I’m thankful that before Steven left us that I did get a chance during one of our Mt. Washington climbs to tell him how much he affected my life. I will always miss my friend, he was truly a fellow warrior in many of life’s battles.
During his memorial service I presented his mom with a picture of him standing at the base of Tuckerman’s Ravine. I knelt down next to her and said “This is a picture from one of the last times I spent with Steven.” I told her he touched a lot of lives including mine and that I loved him too. That would be the last time I mourned for Steven, yes I still get choked up when I think about him, and that’s because I loved my friend and miss those great times we had. His brother a US Army Major at the time gave a very touching eulogy and during it he explained why he placed a copy of the novel “Charlie Mike” in his casket with him. Even though his brother explained why he did this I’m sure many there could not relate to why he did this, but I could because I not only had read the book, but had also been a soldier.
Let me try to share this with you since you took the time to read this far. To sum it up "Charlie Mike" is a novel by Leonard B. Scott that speaks to the camaraderie of brothers-in-arms. For many of us (soldiers) past and present sometimes it comes down to fighting for the guy to your left and right. We know in combat and in life sometimes we lose the ones to our left and right, but we have to pick up and "Charlie Mike" (continue the mission) because the rest depend on us. One of my past commanders LTC Lloyd Mills who himself was shot and killed during a live fire exercise used to say let the dying go and we will honor them, but we will focus on the living that is what is important and that is what the fallen would want us to do.
Some of us hear God speak and I believe in my heart that God was speaking to me through Steven.
For those of you who have your faith shaken by what life throws at you I say "Charlie Mike" and pray that the Almighty keep that devil off your back.

**Shiver**

This morning I tossed back and forth as I tried to sleep, but something was keeping me from feeling warm and safe under my covers. So what was keeping me from sleeping soundly? It was the lack of warmth! We have already put away or flannel sheets for the season, I mean heck its already May 28^th and how can the outside temperature be forty degrees. Karen woke up and put and extra blanket on me knowing that I must be cold. Thinking back, it’s funny when I first met Karen she called me the heater, I could sleep outside with just the clothes on my back in fifty degree temps which is something I would do often in the army. Now years later and short a thyroid fifty degrees might as well be ten. So with that... it looks like I’ll be working on some projects around the house today and taking care of a little girl with a stiff neck who is home from school. Neither one of us are really excited about being outside today so we’ll hang tight here at the ranch while mom and Logan go on his field trip. I posted some portrait pictures of Lea that she posed for so I could work on lighting in my new little basement studio. She was such a good sport, these shots are the first in a series of shoots that Karen and Kim are helping me with. Anyone else interested in modeling can just send me a message and we can set up a time.

Skiff

I thought this weather was out of here, but with todays mild temps and cool breeze it seems I'll never put my sweat shirts away for the season. I do have to admit it Plum Island has become a much greener place in the last eleven days. I had a good morning to myself and was able to just relax a little after some serious driving this past week back and fourth to work.

Memorial Day 2009

Memorial Day,
Although I enjoy a good BBQ and will entertain just about any reason to have one and to get together with friends and relatives, I still take the time and remember the reason why General John Logan officially proclaimed Decoration Day aka Memorial Day on May 30th 1868.
His order designated this day for the purpose of strewing flowers or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in the defense of their country. You can read the full order here GENERAL ORDER 11 Some of you even give to the VFW to show your support for Memorial Day and depending on where you donate are given a Red Poppy to wear in return for your donation, but do you know why? The short version is that it’s a tradition that was inspired by a poem by Moina Michael in 1918 called We Shall Keep the Faith. In that poem is a familiar line you may have heard which is "That blood of heroes never dies". Lord I hope that it never does.

Many of us nowadays have forgotten the meaning and traditions of Memorial Day. Memorial Day was originally on May 30th, but Congress made the day into a three-day weekend in with the National Holiday Act of 1971 this made it all the easier for people to be distracted from the spirit and meaning of the day. As the VFW stated in its 2002 Memorial Day address: "Changing the date merely to create three-day weekends has undermined the very meaning of the day. No doubt, this has contributed greatly to the general public nonchalant observance of Memorial Day." At many cemeteries, the graves of the fallen are increasingly ignored, and neglected.

This past Friday I was invited by my daughter to attend a Memorial Day ceremony at her elementary school. Of course after working a 12 hr shift and having to be back for another 12hrs in just a few short hours after this gathering I was less than overjoyed. Mind you it was another shift of over 15yrs that I have spent serving my country.

It was, just as last year; the entire school body made their way outside marching in single file to form a half moon circle around Old Glory in front of the school. They sang patriotic songs and then called out the names of the invited guests and presented them with a little certificate thanking us for our service. I thought to myself is this Memorial Day or Veterans Day? Are we confusing our youth with what I consider an important tradition? General Order 11 clearly specifies what this day is for… its for remembering our war DEAD. Folks, I for one am far from dead. Now, while I’m on my soap box back on May 2 2000 President Clinton issued a memo that called for a return to a more traditional Memorial Day remembering our war dead. This would become The National Moment of Remembrance. Just as the memo says it is a day of national awareness and reverence, honoring those Americans who died while defending our Nation and its values. Some will debate that this should be a day to also honor our local hero's like police officers and firefighters. Well, I agree we should honor their service and in fact we do at least in the case of police officers. As a police officer myself I can tell you we have our own "week" called "National Police Week" which was May 10-19...a whole week! Let Memorial Day be for what its was intended to be......It is about reconciliation; it is about coming together to honor those who gave their all for a country I love with all my heart.

I for one have no problem letting my children know that life is more than unicorns pooping out rainbows. We'll be over at the veterans cemetery where my father is buried doing a little landscaping and at 1500 listening to TAPS through my MP3 player.

I hope all of you had a great weekend and find the time on your extra day off to remember the fallen...

Still here...

No, I didn't stop blogging, but have been busy with my real job over the last seven days.

I also have a few blogs in the works and trying to get some prints ready for showing should the next opportunity present its self.  I think I'm going to go with printing and matting one of my gull pictures and my winter Numble Light picture.  

Anyway, Karen and Logan came running into the house this morning telling me to grab my camera because there was a Turkey Vulture down at Lea's bus stop so I grabbed my body and trusty 200mm and trotted down the street with them.. Enjoy.....

Training Day

I was lucky enough to get some photo subjects while checking out the local wildlife at a conservation area about 2 miles from the ranch. I was about to call it quits for the morning when a plethora of hunting dogs showed up to do some training. I thought I'd post a few here and obviously I played around with some of them using CS3. I think I shot around 120 images so I'm still sorting and editing.

First Time At Bat

What a great week for our little girl! Her first softball game was Friday afternoon and boy what a way to start. After several weeks of practice it finally came down to that pivotal life changing event, the first time up at bat. It seemed like forever as she anxiously waded through the batting line up, checked the proper fit of her helmet several times in the batter’s box, and then finally stepped up to the plate. At that point I don’t know whose heart was pounding more hers or mine. I think all of us want to see our children succeed especially if it’s at something that’s new to them. Well, I wouldn’t have to wait long, after the second strike flew by her I watched her body language intently, she showed steadfastness about her and an intensity I only see in her when this little wonder of 8yrs is determined. Her head was lowered, teeth biting the lower lip, and feet firmly planted on the ground with her eyes fixated on the pitcher.
Her team was now chanting “Let’s go Lea, Let’s go” and the energy flowed through the field as though I was at a Red Sox game. A cool spring breeze comes over the field as the pitcher let’s loose the ball and it happens, she connects and drives the ball straight down the first base line and out of the infield. A base hit! Did this just happen? I thought to myself. As I continued to look through the view finder of my camera and release the shutter as fast as it would allow me I felt the biggest warmth of joy come over me and I can’t imagine the feeling of self accomplishment she must have been feeling. She continued to maintain composer, focus, and most of all team sprit throughout the rest of the game.
As a parent I was proud of her simply for having the courage to get up at bat, try something new, and show that she could continue to have a humble heart after such a successful event. I would have been equally just of proud of her if she had struck out. However, I should point out that she provided the team with three (3) more base hits during the game and scored one run. Although her team did win the game at this level the focus is on having fun and learning about the sport. Not bad for a “First Time Up At Bat”…
Oh’ although I couldn’t be there today for "Game 2" her mother reported that the day provided similar results with Lea’s team winning and her nailing 4 more base hits, so it looks like we will have to wait a little longer before the inevitable strike out….“Let’s go Lea. Let’s go!”

So what do you do out there?

So what do you do out there? You know when you go into the wilderness to take pictures.

I guess the best way to answer that is to say I talk to God. When I find myself overstressed, overextended $$ by modern day life and frustration reaches its peak, I turn to God. Of course if you know me, I have to spend a better part of that time asking him to forgive me for my sins. It’s important to remember we all fall down and to take a line from one of my favorite movies “its how we get back up that defines us.” Those words are so true and if you take them to heart they can be a powerful inspiration for change in your life.God always seems to find ways to remind me that what we do in this world and how we walk through it affects everything. It’s kind of like dropping a pebble in a pond; the ripples extend far beyond the impact.

WOW, what’s all this you’re saying McCrillis? Have you gone all Christian crazy on us?
No, but I do realize for me there is more to life than just being a secular human being.
Don’t get me wrong I do respect the fact that everyone has the right to their beliefs or put even better there inalienable rights (natural rights). I just chose to believe in a kind living God.

I pray that those of us who do believe learn to pray first and realize our time is not the same as His and maybe then and only then we could finally understand that faith is all we need. I’m not here to shove God down anyone’s throat all I can do is share my experiences and thoughts; shake the sand out of my shoes and move on.

~ Gods love for us is the same on our best day and our worst.