While I based the other characters of my story on different people I’ve known over the years, I based the character of Freja on a classmates Grandmother. Gary grew up in Hawaii and was of Hawaiian/German/Japanese/African decent. Needless to say, with a genetic background like that, he was a good-looking gent. What had always baffled him, as a kid, was why Grandma was a full-blooded African and just how she had gotten into the family. His parents would always dodge or skirt the question and told him not to worry about it. One day, when Gary was about 15, he and Grandma are the only two at home, so he figured he was finally going to get answers to his questions. When he asks her, he got this answer.

“Your Grandpa bought me in Zanzibar in 1910.”

So here’s the story from Gary’s Grandma about how she became a member of the family.

Grandpa, at 40 years of age, was the First Officer on a schooner out of Honolulu stopping over at Zanzibar. Figuring that he’d never get the chance to see anything like the Slave Market again, he goes for a stroll through the area. Randomly stopping to watch, he happens to look straight into the eyes of a 14 year old young woman, who’s about to go on the block. Grandpa is immediately smitten and approaches the auctioneer. After a bit of haggling on the side, Grandpa makes the sale and leaves with the young woman. The Captain, of course, is none too happy with what Grandpa’s done and refuses to let her on the ship. No problem, says Grandpa, I’ll take another ship home. Well, the Captain relents (not wanting to lose his First Officer) and everybody goes back to Honolulu.

This was embarrassing for Gary’s parents! Grandpa had bought Grandma. I think Grandpa should be commended for getting her out of there.

And before anybody goes…“Oh right, he’s 40 she’s 14 wink wink wink.” Grandma assured Gary that Grandpa was a perfect gentleman. He asked his sister if Grandma could live with her. Sister says sure and Grandma did until she was 18 and then married Grandpa.

To me, that is one of the coolest family history stories I’ve ever heard.

Well, I got tagged by my good friend...[link]

He tells me that I have to follow the rules, which I have conveniently posted below.

1. Post these rules.

2. Each tagged person must post 10 things about themselves on their journal.

3. At the end, you have to choose...???...well, it was garbled and I don't know what I was supposed to do.

4. Go to...???...garbled again so I'll have to wing this one, too.

5. No tag-backs. Is this like a touch back in US Football?

---------------------

So here's my 10 things.

As Roscoe Lee Brown's character, Mr. Jebediah Nightlinger, said in "The Cowboys"...

"And if it isn't true, it should be."


1. My parents were told, by my High School Guidance Department, that I was just two steps infront of being a complete idiot. I would do well ending up as a truck driver. Guess what, I have a PhD! I think I got the last laugh there. What I'm trying to say is, NEVER let somebody else tell you what you are not capable of doing.

2. I've held dying comrades in my arms too many times to want to mention. Why? I didn't want them to die alone.

3. I've been around the world 5 times. Four by air and once by water. Traveling is a blast, don't miss out.

4. I'm 6 foot 5 inch and weigh 30 pounds more than I want to.

5. I've been in combat. It's nothing to look forward to.

6. I'm a foaming at the mouth Capitalist.

7. I got disgusted with Christianity when I was 22 and became a Buddhist. I have no problems with God in whatever form he or she might take. I just can't stand the members of the fan club.

8. For someone who is as well educated and intelligent as I am (well I keep getting told that I am) I still can't spell worth a damn. It gets downright embarrassing.

9. After a lot of careful digging, I found that I am related to somebody famous. I'm a direct decendent of Ogg Thurnog, the Last Neanderthal.

Ok, now I understand that I'm supposed to tag 10 people. Ok, you 10 over there on the right, you're tagged! Get to it.

Oh, I forgot Number 10.

10. I don't Forward e-mails so I'm not going to forward this. Sorry kids, people don't need any extra whohaa in their sites here.


Happy Trails!

Last night, I got a hold of 'Cowboy Bebop, The Movie". Pretty good, all the way around, but the music is the best part. The opening scene is a very short version of this insane little number. Very, very good words to live by.

Do enjoy.

---------------------------------------------

ASK DNA
by: The Seatbelts

Gummed up, brain dead and can't decide
you can't pray enough, you can't hide
You can be cool or you can cry
Do it wrong
Not it all
Or do it right

No one owes you, no one's to blame
Save for bad genes or DNA
Ask your conscience the why and how
Do it then
Do it when
But, do it now

What's up sweet cakes?
Who's hip anyway?
Earthgirls are easy
What you gonna do lil' buckaroo?
(Hey you, you better ask her nice!)
All you gotta do, happy fool, is ask your mom

No we all can't be Superfly, GQ - PhD - FBI
You can pretend or you can try
Move ahead
Lay down dead
Or slip on by

When the truth seems so farway
Buddha loves you and Jesus saves
You need answers for your dismay

Ask yourself
Ask your mom
Ask DNA

What's up sweet cakes?
Who's hip anyway?
Earthgirls are easy
What you gonna do lil' buckaroo?
(Hey you, you better ask her nice!)
All you gotta do, happy fool, is ask your mom

Kamakamakama ask your mama
Super groover Dahli Lama

What's up sweet cakes?
Who's hip anyway?
Earthgirls are easy
What you gonna do lil' buckaroo?
Come on!

What's up sweet cakes?
Who's hip anyway?
Earthgirls are easy
What you gonna do lil' buckaroo?
(Hey you, you better ask her nice!)
All you gotta do, happy fool, is ask your mom

I spotted this one, while cruising the internet, and just had to share it. I have no idea who said it, but it wasn't me. If anyone does know, let me know so I can give credit where credit is due.




Life's Journey is not to arrive safely, at the grave, in a well preserved body. But rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, bloody, battered and covered with scars shouting "HOLY SHIT...WHAT A RIDE!"

I was digging through an old file cabinet of mine, and found a folder that has quotes in it. Some of these have been in my possession for quite some time. Anyway, I thought I'd share some of them with all you good dA-ers. Where I know who said it, I give full credit. If I don't, then I can't. BUT I don't take credit for any of this.

My 3 personal favorites...

"If common sense is just that, why don't more people have it?"
- Mark Twain

"If you don't know where you're going, you're gonna end up there."
- Yogi Berra
(think about that for a minute)

"A woman can run faster with her dress up than a man with his pants down."
- Sally Opzal, a female Martial Arts instructor I know, to break the ice at her woman's self-defense classes.


And now, just stuff...


"If you can't understand it, it's intuitively obvious."
- unknown

"The Optimist says the glass is half full.
The Pessimist says the glass is half empty.
The Engineer says the glass is 200% of design specs."
- unknown

"As a Fighter Pilot only two bad things can happen to you and ONE of them will happen to you:

A - One day you will walk out to the aircraft knowing that it is your last flight in a fighter.

B - One day you will walk out to the aircraft NOT knowing that it is your last flight in a fighter."

- Royal Australian Air Force Flight Instructor Humor


And last but not least, I personally found this scribbled on the wall in a hospital I worked at, in Colorado.

"The only difference between this place and the Titanic is, THEY had a band."


If you have any silliness you'd like to share, let's hear them.