The Boat Building

Some of you probably don't know that I have two identities. In the blog world I am known as "Cool Breeze", keeper of all that was ever cool and will ever be cool. In the real world, I am known as "The Surveyor", at least that is what BHE calls me anyway.

I wanted to share a little bit of what I do with the world and I couldn't think of a project to share with you until this one came to mind. This particular job lasted a good while for us and is probably one of the bigger ones we have worked on in our business tenure of the last 13 years.

The picture really doesn't do it justice. From the air, this building is shaped like a football. Both sides are curved and it is six stories high. There is also a building adjacent to this that was much too big to include in the picture. The James River is located behind the new building.



Below is a portion of an article that I found online describing the new building:

by Peter Galuszka

Rising just behind the World War I-era Victory Arch on the historic waterfront of Newport News, the building has a dramatic presence. Its curved, glass-enclosed angles mimic the lines of a very large ship. When the $58 million Virginia Advanced Shipbuilding and Carrier Integration Center (VASCIC) opens in July, nautical themes will truly come into play.


Advanced nautical themes, that is. Navy personnel, engineers from nearby Newport News Shipbuilding and researchers from 11 Virginia universities will get to work developing a complex system of radars and other electronics for the (CVN-X), the next generation of nuclear aircraft carrier whose construction is expected within a few years. The system will guide carrier strike aircraft to target, coordinate with other ships and identify airborne, surface and underwater threats. “The warfare system will be the future of all warfare systems for the next class of carrier,” says Irwin F. Edenzon, vice president for Technology Development & Carrier Fleet Support at Newport News Shipbuilding.


What did I do on the job you ask? We provide all the layout for building construction: Wall locations along with steel support columns and all foundation locations, all new site improvements, curbs and parking areas and storm water management facilities.The site covered approximately 6 acres with a tolerance level of 1/4 inch.

The Ride Home

Ok, so we went to church Sunday morning as usual. It's a nice time to be with our church family during this Advent Season. Our little country church is decorated with wreaths and bows and it is the one place that is beginning to get me into the spirit of the holiday. We enjoy going each and every week and always feel more at peace just for being there that short time on Sunday morning.

We had to hang out a bit longer than usual in order to help move everything out of the pulpit area to decorate for the Chistmas show. It's one of the things I have to do. Remember it's a small church where everyone pitches in to get things done. It doesn't bother me. I like to help where I can.

Snow White drove separately this particular morning so she could go to the big city that afternoon for a vocal performance concert. So it was just me and BHE.

We only live less than ten minutes from church so it's typically a nice, relaxing ride home. We'll talk about the service, or the choir, or usually what's for lunch. This day was a bit different.

I'm driving about 58 in a 55 which should not be a problem for anyone on Sunday at 12:30, but I had this car ride right up on my bumper. I mean close Jack. She had to be less than 10 feet from me. I could hardly see her hood in the rear view mirror and she was close enough that I could clearly see that she was a woman and that there was a man in the passenger seat. I think he was wearing some oversized coat and a knit stocking cap. (I know this doesn't have anything to do with the story other than I told you they were close).

It bothered me a bit, but I knew I would be turning in about a mile or so. But she kept pressing it, so I finally blurted out, "I've got some a**hole riding my tail". To which BHE says "Oh, just like you do?"

What do think happened to Cool Breeze's blood pressure upon hearing this comment? But, I kept my cool. I said "Well not as close as her!"

BHE responds with "Yea right", (in that way that says "You dumb ass. Don't you know how many years I've been riding with you?").

I remained calm. I mean I kept my cool without saying anything in response to her comment that made my blood boil, but in the back of my mind, I knew was correct.

So I finally make the turn, hoping harmony on the ride home will return without this prick riding my tail anymore. But NO!! She turns too!!

I can't take it anymore.

To quote Clark Griswold, "I'm gonna burn a little dust here! Eat my rubber!". I punch it, quickly leaving the pursuer, flying around the next two tight turns on this little country road, tires squalling, testosterone flowing!!!

Then I hear, "COOL BREEZE!!! WHY DO YOU DO THAT?!?!?" At this point I am so pumped up, all I could get out was, "WHY DO YOU ... DO ... ANYTHING ... THAT ... YOU ... EVER ...?" It was all that I could muster without acting or looking like even more of a jerk.

The remaining mile home was silent and at the speed limit.

Why do I act like that?

Big Weekend?

I hope everyone has a big weekend. If you decide to drink, don't let this happen to you.

It's Friday. Do you know what the kids are doing tonight?

Ahh, the memories.

Short Stuff

If you didn't know, I only blog at work. Is that bad? Whatever. I am the boss and I can do anything I want right? Well, at least that is what others seem to think anyway. The truth is that with the down turn in the economy, I seem to have extra time on my hands these days. My tasks now focus on making sure that the employees have chargeable hours and can get their forty.

Since I can now do whatever I want, I am leaving early today to go home and clean some deer meat and practice my songs before choir practice tonight.

Hence, the short post.

Good stuff coming tomorrow.

Til then ...

Christmas Time is Here

In case you didn't already know this, I am a huge fan of Charlie Brown. I should also say that I am therefore also a huge fan of Vince Guaraldi. He is the musician who wrote the songs for Charlie Brown. The "theme" song is called "Linus and Lucy".

In "Merry Christmas Charlie Brown", the show starts with a song called "Christmas Time is Here", which is sung by the kids in the show. For some reason, this song has always been the epitome of Christmas for me. When I hear it, all of my childhood Christmas memories come back to me.

I sing, along with my daughter Snow White, in our choir in our little country church in rural Virginia. We have been doing so for the last several years and it is great for some daddy/daughter time since we both have a passion for music; though she is the much better singer of the two of us.

Our church Christmas program has developed into more of a show and concert the last two years rather than a traditional cantata or play. Last year I sang "The Christmas Song" (you know, 'Chestnuts roasting on an open fire ...'). I was able (somehow with a miracle from God) to make it through to the end without falling on may face.

This year I have volunteered to sing "Christmas Time is Here". Man I hope I can pull it off.

Here is a clip from the show. I hope you enjoy it.

The Coonass - Part 1

Coonass, or Coon-ass, is an epithet used in reference to a person of Cajun ethnicity.

Although some Cajuns use the word in regard to themselves, other Cajuns view the term as an ethnic slur against the Cajun people, especially when used by non-Cajuns. Socioeconomic factors appear to influence how Cajuns are likely to view the term: working-class Cajuns tend to regard the word "coonass" as a badge of ethnic pride; whereas middle- and upper-class Cajuns are more likely to regard the term as insulting or degrading, even when used by fellow Cajuns in reference to themselves.[1] (In Sociolinguistics, this type of behavior is termed covert prestige.)

Despite an effort by Cajun activists to stamp out the term, it can be found on T-shirts, hats, and bumper stickers throughout Acadiana, the 22-parish Cajun homeland in south Louisiana.[1]



Way back in 1984, I was attending NC State while BHE was at JMU, a mere 5 hours away in my Cutlass with no heat other than the bottle of Jack Daniels laying in the seat next to me. My cousin also attended JMU that year and it was nice to be able to see her when I got to visit. My brother had attended the University several years earlier and I had another cousin there before, so I was familiar with the campus.

During spring break that year my cousin opted for Va Beach where she met some dude in the navy who was stationed in Norfolk at the time. We couldn't believe that she would ever fall for some guy in the Navy, who had a motorcycle and whom no one had ever seen before. But she did anyway. BHE said he was a good guy and that we would get along great. I was skeptical about this guy. Apparently, he had spend quite a bit of time in the brig while in the service. What kind of loser was he going to be?

I met him some weeks later on one of my treks to Harrisonburg. He looked normal. Then I heard him say something. "WTF?" Then he said something to me. I must have looked like a deer in the headlights because I had no idea what he said. I think I came out with something clever like "Huh?"

That's when I found out this illiterate sounding freak was from Louisiana. He said he was a Coonass. "What the hell does that mean?", I said.

We've been friends ever since.

He and my cousin ended up getting married a few years later and I had to film the wedding. It was a time in my life when I was always asked to film weddings for some reason. I'm not sure why and I think I did like 8 one year, but I digress.

We've done a lot together through the years from concerts to vacations to hunting and to racing. In Part 2, I'll hit on some highlights about different times and some different people and the trip I finally took to Cajun country this past spring.

Til then ...

??????????

Have you ever had one of those days when there were so many things that you wanted to write about and just can't seem to get them down? This is that day for me. I'm new to this whole blogger thing and now that I am starting to write down some of my thoughts, they are starting to pile up in my brain. Maybe it's good to let some thoughts out, maybe it will make room for new material. Who knows?

Our weekend was great and I would love to write about it, but how do you condense 4 days into a few words? Well, maybe I can: food, family, food, football, hunting, nap.
That's close enough.

The phone is ringing at work today, and that is a good thing this time of year (not to mention having it ring at all these days is a good thing). Hopefully, we can weather this storm as long as it may last. We are thankful for the year we have had because I know many who have not had such a great one.

I look forward to putting down some real thoughts and memories pretty soon. I've got some people in my life and some old stories that really need to described and archived for posterity. Here are some things that I will writing about in the future:

The Coon Ass

Painting the water tower

The Camaro

My BHE

Dodger

College Days (if I can remember those foggy days)

Oh, and how could I forget about Christmas. (More Charlie Brown memories and Rudolph of course)

Til then ...