14:42 Chasing a Philadelphia Tour Bus / Marine Corps Birthday

I really didn't feel like going running today. After a week off during the move, I just had a hard time accepting the idea of going out in the cold and running. But as I told my boss on the way out the door, I could easily turn a week long hiatus into a two year hiatus. So I went running.

Nothing special about the run. I chased a tour bus for a while, which is fun. Once the carbon monoxide kills off the first thousand brain cells or so, you really don't mind anymore.

I forgot my MP3 player at home, so no music. I saw a flag at half-mast and remembered that yesterday was the Marine Corps birthday. So I thought about that for a while.

I was in my unit's honor guard for the Marine Corps birthday twice. The second time I did it I had already applied to and been accepted into the Peace Corps, which was just plain weird. I mean, both organizations have virtually the same purpose (extending policy via other means) but very different ways of carrying it out (killing the locals to get their leaders to change *their* policies vs. teaching the locals how to do better with technology so maybe the next generations' leaders will be friendlier to the US).

So here's health to you and to our Corps. What can I say, even though I'm a pinko tree-hugging pacifist, I'm proud I was a Marine. We did things other people just dream about. As Rocky Horror said, "Don't Dream It. Be it."