Monday, January 22, 2007

Lessons learned...

It’s been a year since I started writing on Blogspot over in Iraq. I owe it all to Major Pain over at One Marines View for all of his help and time while I struggled to learn the code. Now I owe my Uncle Bruce who is the mastermind behind a new project. Thanks to Momma Taco for all the hours spent editing my post. I also wanted to thank all of you readers out there, your positive feedback makes writing fun!
You know, through the years, I have kept a little green “Lieutenant’s” book (a small hardbound book all Lt's carry) ever since I was at The Basic School in Quantico. Whenever I heard a great joke, quote or word that I liked, I would whip out my book and write it down. I have many of these books and there are some wonderful little pieces of wisdom there. For you, today, I am going to publish some of these gems of wisdom. Some of these may not make sense but they sure did for me at the time. Hope you get something out of the Taco’s lesson’s of life from his little Green Book.
Semper Fi,
Taco

Sayings:
“Time is a man made imposition upon the universe, it doesn’t exist, we are trying to control something we can’t control, the universe is timeless” Capt Jim Adams

“Some men see things as they are and say “Why?” I dream of things that never were and say, “Why Not?” George Bernard Shaw

“There is no chance, no destiny, no fate that can circumvent or hinder or control the firm resolve of a determined soul” Captain Walt Fisher

“A mistake is evidence that somebody has tried to accomplish something” John Babcock


“Better to be thought a fool, then to open your mouth and remove all doubt” Old Chinese fortune cookie

“Better to try and fail, then to never to attempt at all” Captain Jones

Quotes:

“He was hand picked, like a booger” Major Beck

“Watching him work is like watching a Monkey F**K a football” Maj John Wissler

“Don’t tell me how to build a watch you idiot, just tell me what time it is!”
Major to a Captain about a question on the up status of a plane.

“A life lived in Fear is but a half life lived” Old Spanish saying

“Fear is a mind stricture that prevents you from doing things, but when thrust in the midst of it, the fear dissipates, leaving an edge of awareness, but not the paralysis” Sailor rescued off the coast of Japan

“She must have had a rough paper route as a kid” Major Pat Redmon

“Lie, Deny, make counter accusations…” C.I.A. motto

“Hey, hand me a pair of those needle nose, vice girpping, monkey Mother F**kers”
Wrench turner I overheard in the hanger bay

“Hey, keep your motivation out here on recruiting duty. Don’t let them see you sitting at your desk with a .45 in your mouth and the Marine Corps flag draped around you!!”
District Col to his Commanding Officers during a brief

“An organization does well only those things that the boss checks” Major John Wissler

“Nothing concentrates the military mind so much as the discovery that you have walked into an Ambush” Thomas Packerman

“Minds are like Parachutes, they only function when they’re open.” My flight instructor

“Prefer a loss to a dishonest gain the one brings pain at the moment, the other for all time.” Chilon

and then of course how can we forget…”The average pilot, despite the sometimes swaggering exterior is very much capable of such feelings such as love, affection, intimacy and caring. These feelings just don’t involve anybody else.” Trader Johns’

Now words:
Lackadaisical : Adj without enthusiasm: without much enthusiasm, energy, or effort

Nebulous Adj 1. unclear: not clear, distinct, or definite

Fruition: Noun, 1. completion: a state or point in which something has come to maturity or had a desired outcome
Our plans have come to fruition.

Remiss: Adj negligent: careless or negligent about doing something that is expected

Intramural: Adj 1. within school or institution: occurring within, or involving members of, a single school, college, or institution

Wherewithal: Noun necessary means: the money or resources required for a purpose

Deleterious: del•e•te•ri•ous adj harmful: having a harmful or damaging effect on somebody or something

Trepidation: Noun 1. apprehension: fear or uneasiness about the future or a future event

Reiterate: 1.repeat something: to say or do something again, once or several times, sometimes in a tiresome way

Hubris: Noun 1. pride: excessive pride or arrogance
2. excessive ambition: the excessive pride and ambition that usually leads to the downfall of a hero in classical tragedy

Conundrum: Noun 1. something confusing: something that is puzzling or confusing

Effusive Adj unrestrained in expressing feelings: giving or involving an extravagant and sometimes excessive expression of feelings in speech or writing

Serendipitous: Noun 1. discovery of something fortunate: the accidental discovery of something pleasant, valuable, or useful