There have been times when this blog has gone dormant for a stretch and that's mostly been due to my own inability to organize my thoughts in a way coherent enough to present to the rest of the world. This is different. My Kid The Mid will engage in what the Navy terms an Operational … Continue reading Calling an Operational Pause

Our now-Ensign just stopped by for a night on his way to Groton, CT for the next phase of his submarine training and we spent some of our time talking about scheduling, you know, the holidays, the final phase of training, and so on. As I looked at the calendar, it hit me that we've … Continue reading Never get tired of talking N*avy

I suppose it's the same with any profession. Singers tire of playing certain songs, chefs don't want to make the same dish night after night. And as a writer, there are certain topics you no longer want to address, but must. This year's I Day presented one of those. Not that I'm a fan of … Continue reading How do we get past the saddest I Day?

Once my son set upon the path to a USNA appointment, everything was seen through that lens. Leading up to his appointment, we were laser-focused on paperwork and procedure, whether it was the admissions portal or congressional nominations. Once he accepted his appointment, USNA dominated our schedule and every conversation. We were no longer Karl, … Continue reading From Mid Sib to Cadet – join me on a new adventure

A solemn reminder. Memorial Day used to be about a three-day weekend. Cookouts. The unofficial start of summer. Beaches. Vacation. Then my son got an appointment to the Naval Academy. Now it's different. There is no "Happy Memorial Day." There is no "thank you for your service" to those in uniform. I remind others (and … Continue reading Memorial Day: Not about the cookout or the beach