Here’s a super easy Christmas cocktial I enjoyed last week: I poured an ounce of bourbon: Then added some apple cider and ice: Then my wife prettied the drink up with her fingers (and some cranberries and rosemary): And a final festive picture:

Two quick thoughts today (both related to Dan Crenshaw*): One In a widely-denounced skit on SNL, SNL actor Pete Davidson recently made fun of Congressman-elect Dan Crenshaw for the patch he wears over his eye from an IED explosion in Afghanistan. Crenshaw, age 34, got blown up in 2012—the summer following my last summer in Afghanistan. In this piece, Crenshaw writes that, while he agrees with the criticism levied at Davidson: “I also could not help but note that this was another chapter in a phenomenon that has taken complete control of the national discourse: outrage culture. It seems like every not-so-carefully-worded public misstep must be punished to the fullest extent, replete with soapbox lectures and demands for apologies. Anyone who doesn’t show the expected level of outrage will be labeled a coward or an apologist for bad behavior. I get the feeling that regular, hard-working, generally unoffended Americans sigh with exhaustion — daily. Was I really outraged by SNL? Really offended? Or did I just think the comment about losing my eye was offensive? There is a difference, after all. I have been literally shot at before, and I wasn’t outraged. Why start now?” More: “So I didn’t demand…Continue reading When you can be the victim . . . don’t!

One hundred years ago yesterday, “on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month,” World War I ended. Like most history-lovers, I grew up deeply entrenched in World War II and Civil War history. The American War of Independence would be the next most likely war I studied, followed by Vietnam. Forgotten? World War I. probably spent less time learning about this war because of the small scale of U.S. involvement compared to the European nations. I also think the war’s nature—trench warfare with very little maneuver—captures the burgeoning platoon commander’s attention far less than the maneuver warfare and gallantry of the American Civil War and World War II. In the last few years I have been trying to beef-up my historical study of topics I don’t know much about—Napoleon, MacArthur, and, sadly for a former Marine Corps officer, the Pacific Theater of World War II. World War I was brutal. Orders to the front line were a near-death sentence. It’s a day after the anniversary, and I hope you took a moment to remember the millions of men who died or were injured in the “war to end all wars.” If you find yourself without a…Continue reading One hundred years later: World War One

Heard about this on the Pints With Aquinas podcast episode 125. The poet priest Father Paul Murray offered a new translation St. Thomas Aquinas’ daily prayer for ordering his life wisely: Grant me, O merciful God, to desire eagerly, to investigate prudently, to acknowledge sincerely, and to fulfill perfectly those things that are pleasing to Thee, for the praise and glory of Thy holy Name. O my God, order my life, and grant that I may know what Thou wilt have me to do; and grant that I may fulfill it as is fitting and profitable to my soul. Grant me, O Lord my God, the grace that I may not falter either in prosperity or adversity. May I not be unduly lifted up by the one, nor unduly cast down by the other. Let me neither rejoice nor grieve at anything, save what either leads to Thee or leads away from Thee. Let me not desire to please anyone nor fear to displease anyone save only Thee. Let all things transitory seem vile in my eyes, and all things eternal be dear to me. Let me tire of that joy which is without Thee and to desire nothing that…Continue reading Prayer for ordering your life wisely

Today is the 30th anniversary of Rush Limbaugh’s syndication on the radio. Many voices are chiming in with their take on Rush as a person, his professional perseverance in his early days, and his politics. Beginning 17 years ago while driving a truck around delivering erosion control materials to job sites, Rush Limbaugh has been a mainstay in my life. I don’t listen as much as I used to, but Rush’s voice was always ringing in my most formative years. I’ve carried his lessons on success, stick-to-itiveness, and fighting for what you believe in. So, today I decided to publically share my Rush Limbaugh story for the first time. Before a particularly tough week of training in the field during the notoriously tough Marine Corps Infantry Officers Course, my friend Danny approached me and asked if I wanted to go to the Redskins game with him the following weekend. I thanked him and said yes. It’ll give us something to look forward to this next week, I thought. “How’d you like to watch the game from the owner’s suite?” he asked. Apparently Danny’s parents were friends with Dan Snyder. “Awesome, thanks man!” Danny paused, smirked, and continued. “Hey Rob, the…Continue reading A Rushed Anecdote

Filled up three big garbage cans with garbage too. Getting rid of my possessions is awesome. Eleven bags’ worth of stuff is gone, and I get a tax write-off to boot. We vote with our pocketbooks. Who and what are you supporting? Note that my truck and the husky in the picture are not donations.

One Lent during college, my dad suggested I give up alcohol. Forty days without beer at Marquette University in Milwaukee? Not happening. Now ten years after graduating, I just yesterday completed the formerly Herculean task with ease. When Lent came up, I wanted to give up something meaningful and hard. I’d been defaulting to drinking a bit too much with work stress and felt unhealthy. And Lent seemed like a good time to put a potentially-forming habit to bed before it grew to anything more than that. I spent a total of five minutes considering giving it up for Lent, and then suddenly it was Ash Wednesday. Last minute I decided to take the plunge and not drink until Good Friday. And it went well! I found it very worthwhile. At first it was sort of difficult because of a few situations where I actually felt odd not drinking. For example, my wife and I hosted our parish priest for diner and, I admit, I did miss having a pre-dinner whiskey and wine during the meal with him. I ran into a few similar situations as Lent began where I felt lame or out-of-touch by not drinking. I realized this…Continue reading Thoughts on an alcohol-free Lent

No, it’s not that I hate parking on city streets ( I do). No, it’s not even that someone broke my side mirror. That happens. But what may cause me to leave the city is stuff like what’s not there under my windshield wiper. Do you see it? No? Well, me neither. That’s right. Someone smashed my mirror (probably by accident) and left no note. This is another reason I hope to move out of the city. Maybe I am naive, but I want to believe towns exist where I’d get a call or note if someone smashed my mirror.

After the wonderful feeling from donating tons of old clothes in December, we decided to repeat in February. Believe it or not, we found enough (more!) clothes to fit five normal-sized garbage bags. And while this was not the eight “giant” garbage bags we donated in December, we still got rid of a lot of stuff we don’t need. We use a foundation that comes to our house and picks up the bags. I repeat: we don’t have to drive anywhere; we put the bags out and they are gone by the end of the day. There’s probably a foundation in your area that will take your stuff away. Try it! I tend to be a sentimental pack rat. My wife is not. I am learning that it’s nice to purge. Our happiness should not come through the things we own unless they enable an activity that makes us happy. Reading, writing, lifting weights, hiking, being outside, and spending time with those I care about make me happy. A pair of cheap, ugly $20 slacks I bought in college that might fit if I lost 20 pounds? No happiness there. “Dress shoes” I bought for $40 and look like a worn jock…Continue reading February donation