Welcome to 2023

We didn't make it to Petoskey for Christmas.

What a coincidence!  I didn't make it to my sister's place because of some Covid nonsense.  My niece went to London with some of her pals and one of them tested positive on her return.  My niece is fine but my sister was spooked because her hubby has health issues, some Covid related, and she didn't want to take any chances.  Fine with me and I'm glad she has her priorities straight.  We were still able to exchange gifts, etc., and hang out a bit but not as a big group.  Sister felt bad about it but I told her about some of my favorite Christmas Eves, sitting in a bar in Miami or hanging out with my fellow goofballs overseas.  No shopping, no presents to speak of, and no gatherings of extended family to argue with.  This Christmas was like a return to those stress-free days of yesteryear.  Maybe it can be a new tradition.

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The Army must have fiddled with the rank insignia after Mr. Beagles did his ETS.  When I was in, Private E2s had a single stripe (chevron) and PFCs had a chevron with a rocker.  Otherwise it was the same, with E4 Specialists having the bird and the E5s having the bird with the umbrella (to keep the shit from falling on you).  Specialist ranks used to go all the way up to E7 or 8, I think, but the highest I saw was a Spec6.  And I read recently that the highest Specialist rank is now E4; my former rank of Spec5 is extinct  but so is my former MOS, 83D20 (Process Photographer).  A lot of job titles got wiped out once that Asian war cooled off.  No doubt the new wars have new job titles to go with the new toys they are playing with.

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That's where I learned the fine art of malingering...

Ain't that the truth, and it is a skill that has served me well.  When in doubt, grab a broom (or mop or shovel or tool or box or anything, really) and walk purposefully somewhere else.  Looking busy has the same effect as being busy.  In retrospect, there are a lot of good life skills that I picked up in the Army but I was too bone-headed to realize it at the time.  Maybe in my next life I'll re-enlist.