tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-110561192011-11-08T13:28:12.865-05:00Yup, I renamed the blog yet again . . .J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.comBlogger4061100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-50528869059105482632011-11-08T13:28:00.000-05:002011-11-08T13:28:12.905-05:00

Jasper stepped back from the edge, pulling the faded leather duster from his shoulders and dropping it to the ground. He flexed his shoulder muscles and twisted his neck from side to side, grimacing slightly at the grinding and popping sounds the motion caused. His hands moved with practiced ease to the twin machetes he wore strapped tightly to each thigh and undid the stays that held them tight

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-54016577883839439532011-11-07T13:50:00.000-05:002011-11-07T13:50:12.832-05:00

He’d be lying if he said the thought didn’t appeal to him on some level but in the end he just brushed the hair out of his eyes with one hand and leapt the thirty or so feet across the chasm with ease, landing without a sound on the rust colored shale. Below, the mists thickened and swirled, their thick whiteness taking on an angry orange tint about the edges, as if they sensed and resented his

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-78999593959333596782011-11-04T14:18:00.000-04:002011-11-04T14:18:08.460-04:00

Life is like that, he thought. The overwhelming is buried in the minutiae of the ordinary. When things are too much for the simple human brain to comprehend, it focuses instead on the trivial and the silly. Why worry about the cold of the mist when the bone-snapping, brain-flattening, stop at the end of the fall was where the mind should be focusing? There it was though: the simplicity of the

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-58108606227564046942011-11-02T15:50:00.000-04:002011-11-02T15:50:09.525-04:00

Jasper stood on the edge of a drop so deep that he couldn’t see the bottom. Winds, cold and brittle, pushed at his back, swirling the thick strands of his auburn hair in front of his eyes. He brushed weakly at the strands, squinting as he tried to see the bottom of the chasm before him but its finality was lost in darkness and early morning mist. Was it cold in there, he wondered? If he fell,

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-61772149898464545332011-01-19T13:38:00.000-05:002011-01-19T13:38:21.851-05:00

Ola'! What to type, what to type . . . Well, let's start with being back at night school starting tonight and in a REAL classroom! (ooohh!!) I've being doing a shit-ton of online classes over the last year but this is my first college classroom experience in maaaaaannnnyyyyy years! Chemistry, however, requires a lab and a bit more instruction for my poor old brain than I feel comfortable with

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-12623076972842917892011-01-10T13:32:00.000-05:002011-01-10T13:32:14.477-05:00

Howdy, all! Busybusybusy! Work is keeping me tied up a bit and at home I've been . . . well, just crashing basically. The cold (I HATE the cold!) keeps me from wanting to do anything outdoors. The fact that there's still a shit-ton (how much is that, btw?) of snow leftover from the holiday and more expected on the 'morrow does not help my demeanor either. Winter Blahs, I guess. Also getting

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-31325499119075374452010-12-23T15:57:00.000-05:002010-12-23T15:57:01.686-05:00

Hey folks, I'm out for the holidays (yay!) Just wanted to stop in and wish anyone who wanders by a Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year! Enjoy being with the ones you love . . . remember: they may not be around always so make the most of it this year! I'm out til the New Year!

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-8915026112800061582010-12-20T10:22:00.000-05:002010-12-20T10:22:03.090-05:00

So, the weekend was good . . . went to see TRON on Saturday morning (good, but not great) and to the company holiday party Saturday night. Party was nice but truly, the best part was when we were leaving and The Wife (who was driving cuz I had a few drinks) became very pissed off and yelled at me when I tried to give her directions on how to get home: "I'm driving, not you! I know where I'm going

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-63074321557011180812010-12-16T13:36:00.000-05:002010-12-16T13:36:25.381-05:00

Been doing some work on "First" . . . sort of. I've been experimenting with MS Office's OneNote program. It's basically a large electronic notebook with an unlimited number of tabbed sections in it and an unlimited number of pages in each tab. (Think: five subject notebook X infinity!) You can free-form notes, thoughts, sketches, images, etc. on each page and even insert links to external files/

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-88353125452638999012010-12-13T16:17:00.000-05:002010-12-13T16:17:34.018-05:00

. . . Just not feeling it today. Wanna be home, relaxing, napping . . . the GOOD stuff! :-( Weekend was very nice (hope y'all can say the same!) We did the decorating/trimming of the tree for Christmas and went to see the latest of the Harry Potter films. Movie was good, if a little slow at points (but I expected that, the book was verrryyy slow in the first half.) Overall, I was pleased with

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-90219434805906190492010-12-08T12:57:00.002-05:002010-12-08T12:59:55.855-05:00

And another day rolls along . . . Not too bad a day, I guess. More along the "meh" side than anything. Getting prepped for a rollout of new software at work and already the people who will be receiving it (next week) are bitching that there are problems. Really? This is some serious software if it can fuck up your system before it's even installed! Oy. That's people though, they DO NOT like

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-30448437183228201802010-12-06T13:52:00.000-05:002010-12-06T13:52:59.613-05:00

Hey, folks! How was your weekend? Mine was pretty good, had a one-day drill on Saturday, had a small Holiday Lunch that our FRG (Family Readiness Group) put together for us and it was phenomenal. those ladies do some remarkable work: it's comforting to know we have people like that at our backs. BTW: just want to say thank you to the lady who saw four soldiers sitting at a booth in Chili's this

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-64485337503890827632010-12-03T12:30:00.002-05:002010-12-03T12:32:25.941-05:00

So, like I said yesterday: I reread this entire blog from start to finish (took me three days - holy shit, I 'm long winded!). It was a very interesting experience to see the change from the fat, angry, depressed man who wanted to be a writer that I was to the in-shape, focused, soldier that I became. Reading through the daily progression of my own psyche (such as it is) was . . . therapeutic?

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-65046281055426267752010-12-02T17:10:00.001-05:002010-12-02T17:11:27.761-05:00

Well, Here I am again! Wow, can't believe it's been over a year since I posted here. Can't even begin to tell you where it's gone, or what I've been doing. Just been living life, I guess (shrugs the author, non-commitedly). I stopped by here the other day on a whim and started reading this blog from the beginning . . . amazing how much I've changed (and how much my life has changed!) over the

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-22835707534743225472009-11-18T12:53:00.004-05:002009-11-18T14:27:30.635-05:00

So, what else to say about BCT? It was pretty much what you'd expect from watching the movies . . . long days, short nights, lots of screaming DS's, etc. I will say that I met some really remarkable folks there. I liked most everyone and while they were mostly a good bit younger than my decrepit old ass, I fit in just fine. I have plenty more stories but writing them out like this seems boring,

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-58210927870925093632009-11-04T08:24:00.005-05:002009-11-04T09:16:19.150-05:00

Sorry for the delay in posting, folks. My mom passed away last week so it was a bit crazy hereabouts. She was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer while I was away in BCT. They gave her only a month or two to live but the old broad pushed it out to almost a year. Luckily, she was doing alright, able to move about and live her life until the last few days. She faded quickly, over the course of a

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-36812708110624160212009-10-12T11:36:00.003-04:002009-10-12T13:25:40.108-04:00

So what shall I tell you next about my BCT experience?Shall I tell you about how I got blisters on the back of my heels that got so bad you could actually see the tendons? Shall I tell you about the day we did Victory Tower and DS Comic dubbed me an Oompa-Loompa for the day? OOOHH . . . I know: the day I got my first call as a Medic! (aka: the day from hell!!) Yup, I actually got called in to be

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-11963080486781171742009-10-07T09:50:00.006-04:002009-10-07T11:27:20.686-04:00

Recycled: To put or pass through a cycle again, as for further treatment.It's a simple word. In fact, most folks think of recycling as a positive thing. We recycle to make the world a better place, right?Yeeeeeaaaaa . . . not so much with the Army.Getting "recycled" is the ultimate nightmare for any BCT soldier. It means you've screwed up so badly that you're bounced from your training company

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-31469777250639296952009-10-01T13:15:00.003-04:002009-10-01T14:14:24.772-04:00

So, I left off with my wonderful intro to Reception Battalion at Ft. Jackson, S.C. (Relaxin' Jackson as the uninformed call it. I had a chance to compare my training with folks from other BCT sites later on and trust me: it's the same crap wherever you go. Ain't no "relaxin" involved!) My usual luck held true and I was placed into a Reception platoon run by a female DS from the deep south who

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-79533917256207570202009-09-28T16:22:00.004-04:002009-09-28T17:02:19.668-04:00

Hey, how's everybody doing?Sorry for the long delay in posting. I got back home Aug. 1st and took a month off to chill with the family. Got back to work about 3 weeks ago & it's been a little nuts so no time to drop by. Hope y'all are still hovering about out there & having fun!I had a kick ass (and BIZARRE!) time during my IET into the US Army. It was a great experience and I'm really glad I did

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-59368543885977436522009-06-20T10:45:00.002-04:002009-06-20T10:53:35.174-04:00

hey y'all . . . if there's anyone still out there!writing this on my cell so bear with.I'm out here in San Antonio doing myAIT at ft sam houston. learning to be a medic . . . correct that: i AM a medic now. I am a nationally registered emt-b at this point. now i'm working on the Whiskey (combat medic) side of the house. wild shit! we do stuff an emt would never dream of. many stories to tell when

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-82858305433465522992009-02-16T11:55:00.003-05:002009-02-16T13:23:40.405-05:00

Hello All ~ sorry its been a while ~First, when I mentioned "passed tape" in the last blog, I wanted to clarify what that meant.There are 2 ways the military gages what weight is acceptable to be at; one is by what the scale says and one is what the measuring tape says. Jim has never passed weight by what the scale says as per military standards however when they do the various body measurements

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-69058378367955427592009-01-22T19:26:00.003-05:002009-01-22T19:40:43.310-05:00

Hello ladies and gentlemen, it's The Wife taking charge of Jim's blog until he returns later in the summer. It seems so far away and yet I know in a matter of time, he'll be back and The Boy and I can't wait; we miss him tons already!Anyway, just letting you all know that he passed tape and is in South Carolina now. He was great calling in yesterday as the day went along updating me where he

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-39327113159190228752009-01-18T13:32:00.002-05:002009-01-18T13:53:44.539-05:00

Well folks, I'm off to BCT . . . assuming my fat ass makes weight/tape. I HAVE lost weight since I joined the NG but not enough to make my desired weight. I'll still need to be taped for my body fat %. It SHOULD be lower now but I'm still worried they're going to tell me: Nope. Too fat, come back in a few months." That'll be embarrasing as hell, to have to explain that to all the folks who've

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-62738561327876289852008-12-23T10:30:00.003-05:002008-12-23T10:51:44.376-05:00

Well folks, Christmas is almost here, and I'm down to 28 days & counting before they ship my old ass out to BCT. Nervous? Yup, you bet your tush I am! I'll be fine, I'm sure, but any new endeavor brings with it the fear of the unknown. As I'm sure I've mentioned before, I just don't wanna be "That Guy" . . . the old man dragging everyone else down. I didn't have any problems in RSP but I'm

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-10176110954933691062008-12-03T14:47:00.003-05:002008-12-03T15:17:41.788-05:00

Ok, let's take a quick detour into Jim's brain, shall we?This may prove once and for all that I'm a complete nut job (big shock!) but I noticed a funny thing about myself a while back - right about the time I started pulling myself together and actively working on joining the Guard. It's going to sound very odd, and fairly pointless as well, but it was actually a huge part of how I managed to get

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-79779350039793650952008-11-25T13:25:00.004-05:002008-11-25T13:51:32.862-05:00

This is a short work week, right? Please tell me it is - even if it's not!!! Holy crap, just into day two of a three day week and I'm almost ready to cry. I shit you not folks, it's been misery piled on top of agony, all buried up to its neck in a steaming pile of ca-ca. I SOOO need the holiday!Speaking of which, we had out annual Boy Scout holiday camp/cookout last weekend. Frikkin' awesome! We

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-5865642446935067912008-11-17T08:53:00.003-05:002008-11-17T09:28:34.458-05:00

Well, well, and well . . . another RSP drill weekend down! Only one left to go before I ship out for Basic. Scary, no? Did any of you poor bastards ever dream (in your worst nightmare!) that you'd one day be relying on a chucklehead like me for your national security? :-)Hey - here's a fun fact: the new President and I will both enter active federal service on the same day! Talk about "change",

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-84400927282950832712008-11-03T15:36:00.003-05:002008-11-03T16:17:37.257-05:00

Fair Warning: arrogant lecturing to follow!!!!! (turn back now or you're S.O.L.!)Tomorrow is election day.Whoa - wait a minute! Did I just see you shrug your shoulders? Did I just hear somebody say: "So?" Alright, that's enough of that shit! Don't make me reach out through this computer screen and smack that silly grin right off of your face, damn it! I swear to God, I will TURN THIS BLOG POST

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-45899670703315617862008-10-22T13:20:00.003-04:002008-10-22T14:13:41.447-04:00

There is justice in the world, after all!You remember the little prick I told you about at my last drill . . . the one who was making my life hell when I was PG? Well, guess who the Sergeants picked to fill the slot this go 'round? :-)Oh man, was I loving life!! The little SOB was completely out of his depth. Nobody would listen to a thing he said and he was completely flustered doing the

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-40998990006406123262008-10-15T12:16:00.002-04:002008-10-15T12:35:00.013-04:00

Whew - time be flyin' by!!!Can't believe it's mid-October already. I'm scrambling like mad to get work and home life allsquared away for when I depart in January. I still don't feel like I'm ready for basic . . . well, that's not true. I can handle the physical stuff but the weight is still dragging me down, ya' know? I have another RSP drill coming up this weekend. Should be good: weather's

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-41175353643911319412008-10-01T12:26:00.002-04:002008-10-01T13:29:53.750-04:00

What's up, folks?Life is crazy on this end - not enough hours in the day it seems. Between getting ready for Basic, The Boy's teenage life, work, and life's never-ending little issues that demand copious amounts of my time it always seems like I'm 1/2 step behind where I need to be. Well, at least I'm smart enough to know I'm not the only one. Most eveybody in this day and age has the same

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-20366922537389057352008-09-23T13:24:00.002-04:002008-09-23T14:01:33.133-04:00

Check this out: my sorry-old-ass hiked damn near twenty miles of the Appalachian Trail this weekend and I ain't even sore!!!Now, I'm not talking about leisurely walking along some nice forest trail here. I mean speed hiking with a 30+ lbs. pack, across some 1800 ft. of elevation change, on trails that were nothing more than collections of loose rock perfectly designed for no other purpose than

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-36187769340447949922008-09-16T13:33:00.003-04:002008-09-16T14:04:47.065-04:00

Someone stole my bowl.Do you believe that? A cheap, $5.00 plastic candy bowl, right off my desk. It grew legs and walked away whilst I was on vacation. At first I figured one of the guys here was just messing with me (the IT guys had much fun with my system while I was away!) but no, it has been lost forever in that infinite void where all candy dishes go to their eternal rest. So sad. It was

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-24754999456221449202008-09-09T15:13:00.003-04:002008-09-09T15:42:29.820-04:00

Okay, I shit you not (pun intended!) when I tell you that I have seen some of the most bizarre things imagineable in the men's room at work over the last week. I swear to God, I just don't understand what goes through a guy's head (again: pun intended!) when they're in there. Here's a brief list of what I witnessed:1. Me standing at the urinal, an executive from my firm in the stall, taking care

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-50546524694213044702008-09-03T11:42:00.004-04:002008-09-03T13:17:24.446-04:00

Howdy, all!Miss me? (Nah, I didn't think so.)Last week was a much needed vacation, though it didn't come without cost! For starters, I got a call on Friday afternoon (The day before my vaca started!) from my recruiter, telling me that my drill weekend had been moved up to -you guessed it- the next day! The worst part of this of course is that The Boy's birthday party is that Saturday. Well, as

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-31193141090149052342008-08-20T10:53:00.002-04:002008-08-20T12:12:37.298-04:00

RAW THIGHS (ala Frankie lane's "Rawhide" - click to play the original)Runnin', runnin', runnin' . . .Though my ankle's drummin'Keep that fat ass runnin'You're Wide!Rain and wind and weatherSome day I'll feel betterSafe, and warm, and dry insideAll the things I'm hatin'Sore muscles, bones a gratin'And pain that shoots up through my thighsMovin' on (head is up!)Head is up (movin' on!)Movin' on (

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-10763665860599584892008-08-15T08:59:00.002-04:002008-08-15T09:35:44.857-04:00

I had a visceral reminder this morning of the reason I want to be a Medic. I was on my way over to the cafeteria at work this morning (it was raining this a.m. so I slept in - no breakfast) to get some food. In the lobby, there was a group of about 8 people standing around a very pale and shaking woman seated on one of the chairs. She was obviously having trouble breathing and she wasn't able to

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-72168148080883283592008-08-12T10:00:00.003-04:002008-08-12T10:44:38.443-04:00

OK, so I'm an idiot. (no shocker there for you regular readers, eh?)In the comments of my last post, Hawkeye pointed out that the 10 lbs. I lost HAD to be water loss (Don't you hate it when people prove you wrong with simple math?) and he was absolutely right. (Thanks for the reality check, Hawkeye!) I knew it as soon as I read his comment and if there was any doubt at all, guess what? Four days

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-11662306445137788562008-08-05T16:40:00.002-04:002008-08-05T17:13:21.666-04:00

Hey, y'all! (amazing that I can start a post with those words having been born and raised in The Garden State, no?)Things are cool hereabouts - called out of work sick yesterday: unpleasant digestive issues (polite phrasing, yes?) kept me up all night Sunday and I was whooped come Monday a.m. Of course, it WAS a Monday, which made it that much easier to just stay in bed! Not that such a thought

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-38034484089226374692008-07-30T09:47:00.002-04:002008-07-30T10:14:22.500-04:00

I went back to the Doctor yesterday. I was hoping he'd let me take off this damn brace and get back to running today. No such luck, I'm afraid.He wants me to keep the brace on for two more weeks before he'll let me start running. He wants to give the fracture six full weeks of healing before I start pounding the pavement again. (sigh) He was certain that I'd be 100% to go for next month's drill

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-27032245521076643182008-07-28T11:17:00.004-04:002008-07-28T12:19:58.222-04:00

Well, for starters: I did NOT get hurt this month so that's a major plus! :-)I got to the armory around 0800 on Sat. morning (About 45 minutes early actually, but I'm a bit anal that way.) wearing full ACU's and ready to rock. Thank God I had a cover! The sun was brutal on Saturday. We started off by filling out what cadre calls a "vulcan" report that shows any problems or issues the new soldier

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-53378884385230941232008-07-22T11:51:00.000-04:002008-07-22T11:52:14.141-04:00

Bit of a crazy week, so I’ll keep this post short.Ankle’s doing well – strangely, the only thing that really hurts is on top of the foot (away from the break) when I stretch the foot out to full extension . . . kinda pulling the heel up & toes down, ya’ know? It burns across the top of the foot something fierce. I imagine it’s scar tissue or just a really tight ligament or something. I keep

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-84308046934366823222008-07-17T14:07:00.002-04:002008-07-17T14:33:31.334-04:00

One of the biggest worries I had about joining the NG was how my work was going to react. Oh, I knew all about the USERRA act and all the protections offered to reservists under the law but let's face it: if your employer wants to make grief for you, they certainly can. Now, I've been at the same company for over six years now and I know the folks I work for pretty well, so I was confident they'd

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-61489214173378578442008-07-14T11:15:00.002-04:002008-07-14T11:34:24.899-04:00

Ah, Monday. Ya know, I don't hate them the way I used to. Sure, I'll still take a solid Sunday afternoon over a Monday morning any day but overall . . . they're not nearly as tough to face as they were once upon a time. You think Monday's learning better behavior, or maybe my attitude has gotten better? Me, have a bad attitude?? NAHHH! I'm betting Monday's just trying to get itself better press .

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-88132179908316132312008-07-10T10:33:00.003-04:002008-07-10T11:12:09.095-04:00

So, I saw the doctor and got the results of my X-rays. Turns out the damn foot is fractured after all! It's what they call an avulsion fracture. The ligament that runs from the ankle to the plate on top of my foot got pulled (duh!) when I twisted the ankle and it pulled a chunk of bone out of the foot. Good thing is, there was no real damage to the ligament itself, so all I have to do is keep the

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-32730938795457229362008-07-07T09:54:00.003-04:002008-07-07T10:33:13.147-04:00

Hey, folks!Hope you all had a great holiday weekend. Mine was good: had all the nieces and nephews spend the weekend, so that was cool. The Boy digs his cousins quite a bit and they're all really good kids so I'm always glad when they come by. We did some fireworks, a bit of BBQ, some swimming (Not for me though, ankle was still wrapped up!) played some cards & board games, watched some movies,

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-85309211823181463082008-06-30T12:01:00.002-04:002008-06-30T12:09:43.956-04:00

I had my first RSP (Recruit Sustainment Program) drill this weekend. It’s a sort of mini-boot camp the NG has you attend each month before you ship to Basic. The nice thing about it is that you are getting paid, as well as earning TIG & TIS (time-in-grade/time-in service . . . ya’ know, I’ll have to look at some kind of a sidebar or something to explain all these military acronyms so I don’t have

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-80227148770250291152008-06-25T11:23:00.003-04:002008-06-25T14:09:27.370-04:00

No comments on my last few posts . . . am I that boring or are y'all just busy? :-) Anyway, on with the tale!So, after two months of bureaucratic bungling the NGB approved my waiver. My Recruiter calls and we set up to head for MEPS on a Tuesday. As I said in the last post, I was smart and took the whole day off even though he figured I'd be in and out in a few hours. We get there at

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-84663059749856221632008-06-23T10:18:00.003-04:002008-06-23T11:09:29.416-04:00

Hey, folks!Sorry for the disappearance. I was on the road at work for 1-1/2 weeks (taught 21 seminars in eight days - woo hoo!) then took the family for a vacation down to Baltimore's Inner Harbor and Annapolis. Nice, relaxing, vacation. Slept in every morning, took our time seeing the sites, and had some really good meals. My kind of vaca!So, where was I in my tale? Ah yes, my second visit to

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-7536766610501016912008-06-04T16:32:00.002-04:002008-06-04T16:39:51.312-04:00

So where were we? Oh yes, the ancient gnome of a Dr. was looking at my med history . . .The problem was my left knee. I had a ruptured appendix when I was 13 that caused a secondary infection in my knee that required surgery. The Dr. wanted to see the medical records on the surgery. Despite the fact that the words “No Records Exist” were printed in large letters on the form (I know, I put them

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-69426781669044687092008-06-02T17:06:00.002-04:002008-06-02T17:11:38.260-04:00

MEPS – oh, what a joy!Your day begins at oh-dark-thirty, standing in a line in the freezing morning rain (My first MEPS visit was mid- Feb. Yup, it took me THAT long to sign in!) with another hundred knuckleheads just as dumb as you for actually WANTING to be there! You walk through the door, get screamed at by a civilian DOD employee to move quicker, get your damn jacket off, and get your damn

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-45160662797879592792008-05-30T10:10:00.002-04:002008-05-30T10:23:54.517-04:00

The fun part of my decision to join the Guard came when I had to bring it up with The Wife. (Who read the blog last night, BTW, and asked me to assure you: she STILL thinks I’m an asshole!) I knew that wasn’t going to be an easy conversation. Of course, knowing that didn’t prepare me for her initial response, which went something along the lines of . . . “Are you out of your fucking mind? No way

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-12196958270687445772008-05-27T16:26:00.002-04:002008-05-27T16:29:51.477-04:00

Ok, this will be the last of my “Why” series (cuz it’s starting to get WAY too whiny and preachy!) – and I call it the PRIVATE WHY!Am I the only one who feels the need to DO something with their life? The need to make a serious difference that only I can make? The need to add something to society that is uniquely ME? Maybe not . . . maybe I am (as The Wife tells me) just frikkin’ nuts.The Wife

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-22720855157436963092008-05-23T11:44:00.004-04:002008-05-23T14:01:10.035-04:00

This one we shall call: The Public Why!If you've been around here a bit, y'all know I'm active with my son's Boy Scout troop. It's a great program, with a lot of fantastic kids and adults involved. We are -naturally- pretty focused on civic duty, personal responsibility, and citizenship with the kids. I've spent 4+ years now teaching these young men about what it means to be an American and how

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-39032104186106765032008-05-21T13:29:00.004-04:002008-05-21T15:38:35.388-04:00

The "Why" question deserves some attention. In point of fact, I have a feeling it's going to require more attention than just a single post (Ooooh! I smell a series!!!) So, allow me to break this down into components. We'll start with the first reason, which we shall call:Patriotic Why! (ya' know, cuz it's my blog and I'll call it any damn thing I want, so there!)I'm a fan of this country. No

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-15241106486638474102008-05-19T09:19:00.002-04:002008-05-19T10:19:52.322-04:00

(cue Neil Diamond music, please!)The first thing everyone says about my decision to join is always: "Why?" Now, I guess everyone who joins the military gets that question but I think maybe I get it a bit more. Few of them ever actually say it out loud but I can hear the rest of the question they leave unspoken: "Why, at your age?"It's cool, I don't take offense. From most folks "rational"

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-43552412305579788072008-05-16T14:52:00.002-04:002008-05-16T15:11:04.981-04:00

Well, I promised you a BIG announcement (ya' know: the three of you who still take the time to read this blog!) and here it is:As of 20080513 (March 13, 2008 for you non-military foks!) I enlisted in the NJ Army National Guard as a 68W (pronounced: 68-Whiskey) "Health Care Specialist". Better known to most folks as a Medic.You now see why I have been so intense about the exercise and weight loss

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-37085197905173670982008-04-21T16:26:00.002-04:002008-04-21T17:02:45.427-04:00

Ever watch a kid with an injury?They will hover over that wound for days, as if it were the most horrifying, agonozing, torture ever bestowed on a child in the history of the human race. Of course, when they're not thinking about it they're running about and playing with no problem, but bring that injury back to their attention for even a moment and they're instantly in pain once more, limping

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-72954134968900332622008-04-17T12:09:00.001-04:002008-04-17T12:11:54.436-04:00

Sometimes, you run across something that's so well written you can't even try to add to it. This post by a very courageous Lady is simply brilliant. It says everything I'd want to say on a vital subject and more. Please take a few minutes to read it through. It's worth your time, I promise.Later!

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-8571675564020565602008-04-08T14:20:00.002-04:002008-04-08T15:13:09.922-04:00

I have this overwhelming urge to write something deep and meaningful for you today. Sadly, I got nothin' . . .You'll have to settle for some of my usual inane rambling I'm afraid. So what's been going on in my life? (I'm sure you've been simply DYING to know what Jim's been doing with his time!) Not much going on really, I've been working out every day, and doing the usual middle-aged male things

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-55610195133729329612008-03-18T14:11:00.002-04:002008-03-18T14:14:27.686-04:00

Ok, so I'm a day late for St. Paddy's Day but I saw this today and damn near pissed my pants I was laughing so hard. Do your self a favor and turn the speakers to max. volume for best effect!Enjoy!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCbuRA_D3KU

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-73847778019670701572008-03-12T12:24:00.003-04:002008-03-12T14:14:15.664-04:00

Did I ever mention that I've had a regularly recurring nightmare since I was maybe 10, or so?The dream always occurs in the attic of my "dream" home. This home appears in almost all my dreams. It's an amalgem of every place I've ever lived and every door to the outside opens to a different place that I've lived in my life. The damn house is so static that I can draw a floor plan of it, even

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-86842923237391926172008-02-05T10:27:00.000-05:002008-02-05T10:38:12.036-05:00

Stretch a little . . . flex the shoulders . . . down on the floor, palms flat, up on toes. Is the back straight? Check! Head up, look straight ahead . . . let’s rock the exercise!Arms: Um, excuse me.Me: Yes?Arms: Just WTF do you think you’re doing?Me: Uh . . . pushups?Arms: Pushups? You mean, like the real kind with effort, and sweat, and such?Me: Well, yea. That’s the general idea.Arms: Oh, is

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-19883491873748986672008-01-18T11:38:00.000-05:002008-01-18T11:54:24.469-05:00

Comments that entertain me (mainly because I’ve heard them a zillion times since I was a kid. My old man was a big one for “sayings”):There’s no such thing as “early”. Just “late” and “on-time”.And its counterpart . . .The sad part about being on time is: there’s never anyone around to appreciate your punctuality.Opinions are like assholes . . . everybody’s got one, and they all stink.There are

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-21337577853077686622007-12-21T11:40:00.000-05:002007-12-21T11:54:04.036-05:00

In true David Letterman style, the Top Ten Reasons why Jim likes Christmas . . .10. The one time of year where being bald, fat, and jolly is "in"!9. Alcohol in the office is actually acceptable. (for once!)8. Even people who hate me have to pretend to be nice.7. I get to piss off all the PC morons by yelling "Merry Christmas!" every time I see them.6. VACATION!!!! (woop-woop!)5. People actually

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-79894479697894825312007-12-07T15:52:00.000-05:002007-12-07T16:20:33.798-05:00

Have I mentioned I'm taking an intro. Pysch course? (Final exam tomorrow . . .yuk!) Funny how life works sometimes. I took the course because it's a degree requirement and it happened along at a time in my life where I really needed some vocabulary and understanding to express what I've been doing inside my own little brain.Seems I stumbled across the right combination of humanistic and cognitive

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-11186740662346357742007-11-12T13:23:00.000-05:002007-11-12T13:27:24.209-05:00

Y'all know I have a very large soft spot for those who serve in uniform. I got this video e-mailed to me today and it damn near left me in tears. I figured I'd share it with everyone. Please watch it, it is REALLY worthwhile. The girl who made the video is only 15, but she's a very wise young lady . . .http://www.youtube.com/v/ervaMPt4Ha0&autoplay=1 Thank you to everyone out there who has ever

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-45753642740478342732007-11-05T13:01:00.000-05:002007-11-05T14:56:58.689-05:00

Men and women think differently. (I know, you're saying: "Well . . . DUH!")I know we think differently in general terms but I'm referrring to a specific mind set here. One of the biggest areas we differ in, is what we see as our "role" in this life. Women seem to be content with their position in life and often (not alway, I know, but I'm generalizing here, people!) have no desire to move beyond

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-9793130879378067512007-10-16T14:18:00.000-04:002007-10-16T15:03:59.976-04:00

I'm not remotely the person who started this blog anymore, did you know that?Somehow, the simple act of willing a change in myself has actually had the effect that I was after. Don't know why . . . I've "willed" my ass off for fourty years with no appreciable change in my levels of stupidity and general moroseness but this time it seemed to stick. Maybe it's the actuality of my age? The simple

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-8707196779293831352007-10-08T12:47:00.000-04:002007-10-08T12:54:32.704-04:00

Where have I been you ask?Well, running about like a chicken without a head is where! I've had Scout events each of the last three weekends, plus another coming up. Running The Boy to school events, carrying a full-time college course load this semester, moving to a new office at work, travelling for work, and dealing with family health issues has left me no time for much of anything. This is

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-67156343311784631282007-09-20T10:44:00.000-04:002007-09-20T11:07:06.816-04:00

So, The Boy is growing up.He went to school today in his NROTC uniorm for the first time and he actually looked great in it. The Wife was good, she didn't cry (though she did go back to bed and pull the covers over her head after he left, so I have my suspicions!) but she ain't happy her baby is growing up. Folks have been noticing lately that he's quieter and more thoughtful when he speaks and

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-65122453413530365732007-09-11T13:32:00.000-04:002007-09-11T14:15:07.166-04:00

It's September 11th once more. Please take a moment to remember all those who passed on that terrible day. . . .Thanks.September 11th . . . (Note, that it is spelled out and NOT referred to as "9-11". Please don't call it that, the events of that day were too important to ever be "nicknamed" It strikes me as damn disrespectful to the folks who went through it.) September 11th was an important day

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-18899820564934569432007-09-06T16:35:00.000-04:002007-09-06T16:40:32.767-04:00

I am shamelessly lifting these from Mr. Pissed, because they made me laugh . . .Number 10 - Life is sexually transmitted.Number 9 - Good health is merely the slowest possible rate at which One can die.Number 8 - Men have two emotions: Hungry and Horny. If you see him Without an erection, make him a sandwich.Number 7 - Give a person a fish and you feed them for a day; teach a Person to use the

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-33318602482673814502007-08-28T15:42:00.000-04:002007-08-28T16:26:26.984-04:00

Howdy, folks! I'm back from the lovely state of Maine and here to dazzle you with the wit and charm of my poetic prose . . .Well, I'm back, anyways. :-)Vacation was amazing!Sat on the shores of a huge, crystal blue, deserted lake and watched the sun go down while the coyotes serenaded me in the distance. Stood on the point that first sees daylight each day in the continental US and picked fresh

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-44796093323899981572007-08-16T14:06:00.000-04:002007-08-16T14:21:17.289-04:00

This week can't end quickly enough!Tomorrow, I'm leaving the crazy behind and headed for the remote wilderness with my family. just a lake, a quiet cabin, and no computers to be found anywhere!!!! Peace and quiet at last . . .This week of course has been nuts trying to close everything out at work before I split. Home has been fairly stressful as well. The Wife and I are . . . well, not arguing

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-59928028955225725862007-08-13T14:22:00.000-04:002007-08-13T14:23:38.244-04:00

This video speaks for itself . . .http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBflQLa75C8Later.

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-29455746978084250102007-08-01T13:18:00.000-04:002007-08-01T13:45:45.460-04:00

Hey!Still here and still kickin'! Been too busy to post. Took a few days off last week to go camping so the other days were jammed full trying to get ready for the trip and then trying to dig out of the backlog once I got back. Today's the first day I can breathe again!The trip was cool, I got to do two full days with the Scouts (Sadly, The Boy couldn't make this trip - other responsibilities)

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-2521568331122815892007-07-19T13:50:00.000-04:002007-07-19T14:02:43.153-04:00

Well, I managed to completely surprise myself this week.I opened up my notebook for "Slayer", expecting to pick up the redlines at about 1/2 way through the book. Damn me if it wasn't already done! I had finished it at some point and completely forgotten about it. Well, that was a nice surprise, so I figured I'd start the type-in. I open up the file on my computer and it turns out that's damn

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-40773815099171356262007-07-13T12:42:00.000-04:002007-07-13T13:03:39.020-04:00

So, in comments on my last post, Lynn blasted me for not writing. (Just kidding, she was actually very helpful and supportive!) She went back through this blog and clipped a lot of my own posts about why I need to write. (As if you poor bastards didn’t get enough of my blathering the first time around!) I have to say, it made me stop and think. I’m going to try and make sense of those thoughts on

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-53620535243950031702007-07-11T14:49:00.000-04:002007-07-11T16:47:20.923-04:00

I've StoodI've been disenchanted in the face of dreamsTaken the brutal paths of misunderstandingGazed across the frozen lakes of aloneSpiraled through the swirling storms of emptySeen the burnt remnants of wishes wash into the gutterLaughed madly at the hollow jokes of faithStood small amongst giants and towered above the smallI've gazed in the eyes of a stranger inside a mirrorDrank bitter teas

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-47343006936450386892007-07-09T14:29:00.000-04:002007-07-09T14:45:26.673-04:00

I don't have it in me to be entertaining today. Well, not just today actually. I don't know that I have it in me anymore at all. One of the things I've discovered recently is that I've spent a good portion of my life "entertaining" other folks. Being the jovial, smiling, wit who can make folks laugh on cue. Nothing wrong with that I suppose, but for some reason it's one thing I've grown tired of.

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-30821700385656167912007-07-02T15:05:00.000-04:002007-07-02T15:35:27.733-04:00

Do you think it's possible being a vegetarian helps you heal faster?I went to the rock gym again on Friday (with The Boy, my nephew and Bro-In-Law. Was much fun!) and I damaged my left hand. I was really pushing it and I slid off a grip, tearing all the skin off the pads of the center two fingers of my hand. Think about the hole left by a large blister just below the knuckle, and you've got the

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-18083698275641063462007-06-26T08:18:00.000-04:002007-06-26T08:35:29.563-04:00

So, just for shits and giggles, I figured I'd take off my shirt and frighten the neighbors when I was working on the yard this weekend. Knowing that my pale Irish ass is subject to burning, I took the precaution of using sun screen so I wouldn't fry too bad. I even made sure it was the "sports" kind that doesn't run off when you sweat (It being a balmy 93 deg. here in central Jersey!) and I

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-48831043199958075002007-06-20T08:57:00.000-04:002007-06-20T09:26:43.584-04:00

The allegory continues . . .On Thursday night, I hit the bouldering wall again. Was having a blast, but I got stupid. I climbed one rock without bothering to put a crash pad (big, fluffy mat) below me. I figured that the floor was covered in 2" thick mats and that would be enough. I got to the top, slipped and fell off of a particularly rough transition and twisted about to make sure I landed on

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-6840268406308842402007-06-15T13:37:00.000-04:002007-06-15T14:32:51.703-04:00

Sometimes, life can get all kinda allegorical and shit.Told you I was going to the rock-climbing gym, right? Well, I went along because it was something I needed to do for Scouts and the original class was kinda fun. We get there, do the certification check (no probs!) and take turns climbing up and down the wall a few times whilst we belay each other. It was fun, but no biggie. Then, I decide to

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-25854244757493302212007-06-12T08:40:00.000-04:002007-06-12T09:22:01.187-04:00

I'm trying to leave my comfort zones. I'm trying to do things that I normally wouldn't. Here's the thing: I've always been fairly insecure when it come to doing physical stuff. Some of it was because of my weight, I'm sure, but a lot of it was just my belief that I wasn't as good at such things as other folks. I restricted myself to the realms of imagination and intellect because I always felt

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-81459653351944091962007-06-07T12:43:00.000-04:002007-06-07T13:08:18.838-04:00

Here's something I've discovered about myself with the new found "inner peace" (does that sound lame, or what?) Anyway, I figured out that I read far too much. Oh, don't get me wrong: reading is a wonderful thing but I discovered that for me, it was a way to escape real life. I could hide from myself behind the written word. It was not uncommon for me to chew through two or three large novels a

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-11528275400679655132007-06-05T13:12:00.000-04:002007-06-05T13:52:58.675-04:00

21 comments?????Damn, folks!I'm really sorry if I worried anyone with my abscence. Quite frankly, I didn't think anybody would really notice so I haven't even looked at my blog over the last month. It wasn't until Lynn hunted me down and chastised me (she didn't really, but I felt really bad about worrying her.) that I even stopped in to see what was up. I appreciate all the concern and I'm sorry

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-44500736899994452732007-04-10T08:38:00.000-04:002007-04-10T09:03:04.249-04:00

The Wife is a giant Coodie who has infected me with microscopic death-mites that are devouring the inners of my nasal passasge even as I type this. They have begun the process of liquifying my brain, the end results of which are leaking from my nose. My lungs and throat have also been invaded. I can tell by the burning pain of the sulfuric acid they use as a power source. Traces of it are left

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-50912527802949050362007-04-05T09:50:00.000-04:002007-04-05T09:57:45.410-04:00

Thursday again. Time for another installment from our favorite All-Powerful Divinity . . .Greetings, all.First off today, Jim wants me to apologize for my snootiness towards my questioners last week. He tells me I was a bit harsh (and won’t let me keep blogging here if I don’t say “sorry”!) so . . . Sorry.What can I tell you? Supreme Beings don’t have a lot of social interaction, ya know? I spend

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-71631985117110823482007-04-04T15:58:00.000-04:002007-04-04T16:04:32.451-04:00

Okay, I am officially tired now.Driving all over the Tri-state area for the past two days, rolling out and training on a software package that everyone hates. It boggles the mind - the package is a legal requirement by the State, yet everyone feels the need to tell me (at great length!) why it's stupid, pointless, and they shouldn't have to use it. i point out that's a discussion they need to

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-22940180897330829532007-04-02T12:45:00.000-04:002007-04-02T13:10:34.896-04:00

Monday has returned and the world bites donkey pizzle once more! (Sorry, bad day at work!)The good news is I finished all the changes to "Slayer" this weekend. (Yay, Me!) Well, the edits anyway. I still have type in to do but that should go pretty quickly. I have some free nights this week (The Boy is on spring break & staying with the grandparents) so I'm hoping to get most of it done by the end

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-13732737866409457642007-03-29T08:51:00.000-04:002007-03-29T09:03:51.394-04:00

Well, kiddies, it’s Thursday and here –as promised- is the latest post from He Who Resides On High. (Thanks to Lynn and Shoes for their questions!)Alrighy then, let’s get on with the important stuff shall we? I promised to answer your questions and so I shall. I am, after all, a Deity of My Word! (If I wasn’t, I’d drown you all out again, heh heh! But I promised Noah, so you’re all safe.) Our

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-11674656901108764842007-03-28T10:57:00.000-04:002007-03-28T12:04:41.840-04:00

Anybody else have leech stories?What's that you ask? Well, I shall tell! I have two stories that have been in my head for years. They're both novel lenght (or more) pieces I just never feel that I can do justice to. They sit and gestate in my brain and they never quite go away. They're always there, just at the edge of my conscious mind, tickling at the edge of my awareness. I call them "leeches"

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-84556801659972590682007-03-26T15:51:00.000-04:002007-03-26T16:11:24.028-04:00

Yay. Monday.Mondays particularly suck after a good weekend. The Boy and I went camping with the Scout Troop this weekend. We did a seven mile hike along the Appalachian Trail on Saturday. Man, what a great friggin' day! Weather was perfect: low 50's and sunny for most of the day. We took a trail that was almost all ridgeline (about 1400+/- ft.) and the view of Northern Jersey was stunning. We

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-55696325768235110342007-03-22T09:50:00.000-04:002007-03-22T10:06:34.118-04:00

Well folks, I’ve decided to make a change here at A Novel Approach. I thought you all might be a little tired of my inane ramblings, so I figured it would be nice to have a guest blogger one day a week. With that it mind, I’m going to turn Thursdays over to someone who’s made a few appearances on this blog in the past. I felt I needed someone who was familiar with the general tone of this place

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-73285662641134551092007-03-19T14:04:00.000-04:002007-03-19T14:42:55.019-04:00

Howdy all,Hope your weekend went as well as mine did! We hit the city via train, in a sleet storm, and made our way up to the hotel. We caught an early dinner at Rosie O'Grady's (great food!) before heading to the theater. I actually ate meat at dinner (And paid for it later! Trust me, you don't want details!) they had an Irish Beef Stew that I couldn't resist. It was the best I've ever had but I

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-64776993454558622122007-03-16T09:43:00.000-04:002007-03-16T09:53:05.532-04:00

Ok, I got the below in an e-mail from a friend this morning and it struck me as damn funny, so I'm going to post it here. I don't know where it came from, or who wrote it originally, so I apologize for lifting someone's work without giving proper credit. I'm out for the weekend!Later!The Guys' Rules­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­At last a guy has taken the time to write this all down. Finally, the

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11056119.post-8956817284261661542007-03-14T09:13:00.000-04:002007-03-14T09:37:39.785-04:00

Man, what a nutty week!Saturday: We were at a Boy Scout function ALL day long. Fundraiser: much cooking of pasta!Sunday: Had my Mom over, went to a play (Camelot) and dinner. Good time.Monday: Took The Boy to the dentist after an insane day at work. The Wife also did the dentist and got a lovely drill & fill for her troubles. (No, not from me you perverts!)Tuesday: Boy Scout Court of Honor. Our

J.A. Coppingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02434751306868916957noreply@blogger.com3