Thoughts while wondering why I stayed up last night watching The Godfather III

Ok, I have to admit, The Godfather III has grown on me over time after watching it way more than I should. But really, why in the world did I stay up last night watching it? I was tired... I wanted to go to bed... but just when I thought I was out, it pulled me back in.

While I’m admitting things, Hip-Hop/Rap is a guilty pleasure of mine. Specifically Dr. Dre and others that can be linked to him. I know the language in these songs isn’t good and I realize all of the bad things associated with these types of songs... but I can’t help it. I love them. I won’t listen to them with The Wife or the girls in the car with me... but I do listen to them. What is rumored to be Dr. Dre’s last album (Detox) is said to be coming out this year (around April). I won’t say I’m looking more forward to Detox than I am the birth of my 3rd child (1st boy)... but I will say I’ve been looking forward to Detox longer than I have the birth of my 1st boy (3rd child).

Of course, I was a fan of this type of music before it was so mainstream. Who knew this kind of thing would ever happen? I mean, I turned on the tv one day not too long ago and (on ABC... not even cable) saw Ice Cube and Snoop Dog talking about the Raiders and the impact they had on LA back in the... whenever it was they were in LA (I can’t remember right now). One of the commercials that ran during the show had Dr. Dre in it while another one had Eminem. I changed the channel a came across a show staring Ice-T. Who back in the late ‘80s/early ‘90s would have bet that would ever happen? It blows my mind.

Speaking of things that blow my mind... I still have trouble figuring out this spell Sonny has over our parents. I swear, if you talk to them you would think he can do anything. “Oh, I’ll just ask Sonny... he’ll know what to do,” or “Did you hear what Sonny did? Oh he’s just so great,” or “Poor Sonny, he just does so much”. PPPPPPLLLLLLLLEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSSEEEEEEE. I almost wrecked my truck on the way home from work the other day because Mom and Dad kept going on and on about Sonny. This is what really sealed it for me...

Dad: “Well, I’ll just ask Sonny to help me with it. He’s already shown me about 14 times, but maybe I’ll get it this next time”.

Mind you, this is a man (Dad) who (if even half of what he told us is true... which I admit might be a stretch) had to take about 1,250 credit hours at Clemson College (yes, he was there before it was Clemson University) to graduate with a degree in Electrical Engineering in 4 years (all the while memorizing the Bible in Latin and English). Bottom line... he ain't dumb.  So why, you ask, does Dad think Sonny can help him? Because (and I'm not making this up) Sonny teaches middle school kids stuff about computers. THIS is what is so impressive to The Parents. Am I the only one who seems to realize middle school kids have grown up with computers?! They don’t know life without them! I bet all of those kids can type faster on their phones with just their thumbs than Sonny can on a keyboard using all of his fingers! Listen, I’m not one to make fun of what others do for a living. God knows (though, luckily it would seem the people who employ me don’t know) my job ain’t exactly brain surgery. But here’s the difference between my job and Sonny’s job... I work with people whose job really IS brain surgery. AND I run a highly successful blog.

Oh, the other “impressive” thing is that Sonny can access Dad’s computer over the internet from his house. Where I come from, that’s called hacking.  And it's frowned upon.

Hmm, I guess if our family were NCIS characters Dad would be Gibbs, I’d be DiNozzo, and Sonny would be McGee. Would it be wrong to give my brother’s nickname a nickname?

Speaking of nicknames, it has been brought to my attention that a certain member of my family has decided to boycott I’m just sayin... because (and I quote) “You made fun of me and I don’t like the nickname you gave me”. Of course, my first thought was to go off on this family member... but Mom and Dad going on and on and on and on about Sonny kind of redirected my “anger”. Anyway, to show that I don’t hold a grudge... I will stop calling Doubting Teri, Doubting Teri. So then, what to call her? Connie came to mind, since like me, Michael Corleone had to deal with a sister who kept questioning him. Then I thought maybe I could teach her (and everyone else) a lesson and change her name to Fredo (hmmm, Doubting Teri doesn’t sound so bad now does it?). But for now... I can’t really think of one that I like.

So word on the street is that No Name Teri is coming down for a visit this weekend. I was able to pull some strings and get Mom and Dad to let her stay at their house. I’m sure she’ll never realize all I had to go through to get them to agree to this. Oh well... I don’t do it for the honor and glory, I do it out of love.

I’ve got more on my mind, but I’ve got to get ready for MR and Daddy Campout in the Den Night.

Oh... before I go... check out the videos my friend over at Our Life posted. They’re great.

Winthrop Update: Winthrop beat Liberty last night. Their final regular season home game will be Saturday at home against VMI. It should be a good one. GO EAGLES!

Know Your Medal of Honor Recipients:

Quartermaster Frank Bois (US Navy) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on May 27, 1863 while on board the USS Cincinnati. His citation reads:

Served as quartermaster on board the U.S.S. Cincinnati during the attack on the Vicksburg batteries and at the time of her sinking, 27 May 1863. Engaging the enemy in a fierce battle, the Cincinnati, amidst an incessant fire of shot and shell, continued to fire her guns to the last, though so penetrated by enemy shellfire that her fate was sealed. Conspicuously cool in making signals throughout the battle, Bois, after all the Cincinnati's staffs had been shot away, succeeded in nailing the flag to the stump of the forestaff to enable this proud ship to go down, "with her colors nailed to the mast."

Staff Sergeant Paul L. Bolden (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on December 23, 1944 at Petit-Coo, Belgium. His citation reads:

He voluntarily attacked a formidable enemy strong point in Petit-Coo, Belgium, on 23 December, 1944, when his company was pinned down by extremely heavy automatic and small-arms fire coming from a house 200 yards to the front. Mortar and tank artillery shells pounded the unit, when S/Sgt. Bolden and a comrade, on their own initiative, moved forward into a hail of bullets to eliminate the ever-increasing fire from the German position. Crawling ahead to close with what they knew was a powerfully armed, vastly superior force, the pair reached the house and took up assault positions, S/Sgt. Bolden under a window, his comrade across the street where he could deliver covering fire. In rapid succession, S/Sgt. Bolden hurled a fragmentation grenade and a white phosphorous grenade into the building; and then, fully realizing that he faced tremendous odds, rushed to the door, threw it open and fired into 35 SS troopers who were trying to reorganize themselves after the havoc wrought by the grenades. Twenty Germans died under fire of his submachinegun before he was struck in the shoulder, chest, and stomach by part of a burst which killed his comrade across the street. He withdrew from the house, waiting for the surviving Germans to come out and surrender. When none appeared in the doorway, he summoned his ebbing strength, overcame the extreme pain he suffered and boldly walked back into the house, firing as he went. He had killed the remaining 15 enemy soldiers when his ammunition ran out. S/Sgt. Bolden's heroic advance against great odds, his fearless assault, and his magnificent display of courage in reentering the building where he had been severely wounded cleared the path for his company and insured the success of its mission.

First Lieutenant Cecil H. Bolton (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on November 2, 1944 at Mark River, Holland. His citation reads:

As leader of the weapons platoon of Company E, 413th Infantry, on the night of 2 November 1944, he fought gallantly in a pitched battle which followed the crossing of the Mark River in Holland. When 2 machineguns pinned down his company, he tried to eliminate, with mortar fire, their grazing fire which was inflicting serious casualties and preventing the company's advance from an area rocked by artillery shelling. In the moonlight it was impossible for him to locate accurately the enemy's camouflaged positions; but he continued to direct fire until wounded severely in the legs and rendered unconscious by a German shell. When he recovered consciousness he instructed his unit and then crawled to the forward rifle platoon positions. Taking a two-man bazooka team on his voluntary mission, he advanced chest deep in chilling water along a canal toward 1 enemy machinegun. While the bazooka team covered him, he approached alone to within 15 yards of the hostile emplacement in a house. He charged the remaining distance and killed the 2 gunners with hand grenades. Returning to his men he led them through intense fire over open ground to assault the second German machinegun. An enemy sniper who tried to block the way was dispatched, and the trio pressed on. When discovered by the machinegun crew and subjected to direct fire, 1st Lt. Bolton killed 1 of the 3 gunners with carbine fire, and his 2 comrades shot the others. Continuing to disregard his wounds, he led the bazooka team toward an 88-mm. artillery piece which was having telling effect on the American ranks, and approached once more through icy canal water until he could dimly make out the gun's silhouette. Under his fire direction, the two soldiers knocked out the enemy weapon with rockets. On the way back to his own lines he was again wounded. To prevent his men being longer subjected to deadly fire, he refused aid and ordered them back to safety, painfully crawling after them until he reached his lines, where he collapsed. 1st Lt. Bolton's heroic assaults in the face of vicious fire, his inspiring leadership, and continued aggressiveness even through suffering from serious wounds, contributed in large measure to overcoming strong enemy resistance and made it possible for his battalion to reach its objective.