Squared Away

I got a lot to say on Ukraine.

But others say it better.

I’ve been busy as hell this week, and struggled to find something other than a lament to write about. Then I hit this on Knuckleddraggin:

Dude got a video of him guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Very, Very cool.

I grew up in DC, and when anyone we were related to – the Jersey crowd mostly, visited, we did the DC tour. I’ve seen this guard changeover many, many times as I have inadvertently run into funerals at Arlington.

He uses a term that I’ve grown to admire: “Squared Away”.

I had a good friend, who’s wife is a….challenge…, told me I didn’t have this problem because Herself is so squared away. And so she is.

That’s a blessing and a curse. Blessing because I don’t have to deal with a lot of misery and angst because of her personality and what it causes her to do. Bad, because her jaundiced eye is nearly always focusing on me. There’s little I can get away with.

For instance, it’s tax season and Herself is being held up by my numbers from an LLC I have with a friend of mine. I think I’ve lost money every damn year. Hell, I’m sure of it.

And I tell my erstwhile partner that he’s not the one who has to look at those cold blue-green eyes as she sticks her fist up my ass for taxes I haven’t accounted for.

But back to the topic at hand.

This is very cool. Not only because it’s an example of how we still, and should, honor those that fought on our behalf, it’s cool to see a dude look back and reminisce about doing so.

I’ve made no secret about being part of the vast Catholic right wing conspiracy. I’m a Knight of Columbus. As a matter of fact, I’m a 4th degree Knight, the proper term for which is “Sir Knight”. Each degree has it’s unique meaning – Charity, Unity, Fraternity, Patriotism, degrees 1-4 respectively.

The Fourth degree spends quite a bit of time, energy, and talent to support veterans. But one of the things they do is called the “Color Corps”, the dudes in the funny hats. And what they do is honor our fallen brothers. You see them at funerals from time to time.

I thought about doing it, then they changed the uniform to a bland suit jacket and beret. You have to buy the whole damn thing from the mothership for like $500 – for a pair of shitty grey slacks and a blue blazer. Dude on the main site looks like the Colonel from “First Blood”. When I saw one of my friends doooded up in the outfit, I told him “Wow…doesn’t look as gay as it did on the web”.

But it may be time.

The point is to honor our Brothers that have passed.

Maybe it’s time.