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Shortly I will shut down my PC for the final time here in Manteca. I'll disconnect the various cords and peripherals so I can pack it away for shipment. It will be a number of weeks before I'll get back to it and reconnect the various items needed to bring it to life. I won't know for some time how often I'll be on line or how much time I can spend chatting and blogging.

The upcoming change is one of the biggest in my life. I was in the military, I moved all over the world, but the adventure I set out on this time is beyond anything I've done before. I'll be working in the military, yet I won't be in the military. My uniforms will change from blue and camoflage to business suits and formal dress. I'll have awesome responsibilities far exceeding what I've done in the past. I'll be responsible for many aspects of a job that in other circumstances would take several people. I'll be adjusting to a new culture as well as environment. It will take time to achieve a comfort level like I had in the Air Force and in civil law enforcement. I'm thrilled, excited and apprehensive all at the same time.

Changes bring regrets. I regret that I wasn't able to share the more than three months of preparation with you. There were frustrating times and humorous times. I regret not discussing these events with you. Trying to get all the international veterinarian clearances for our three cats was one experience that had hours of frustration, moments of humor, and some deep personal fears. Short notice trips to Washington in horrible weather were far from entertaining. Trying to keep my wife calm and informed as we delved through packets of infomation, rules and restrictions, sapped our energy. Trying to comprehend the differences between the active military and the active civil service in the military were mind boggling. I regret not talking about one of the hardest adjustments, the realization that this retired USAF Master Sergeant had accepted a civil service position with the equivilent rank of Lieutenant Colonel. I had accepted the responsibilities of dealing with another military service that comes with it - wow! I would have liked sharing my feelings and my fears, and regret that I didn't.

We have had our moments over the past few years. I tried to be entertaining, fun, and educational. I know I have been offensive, insulting, and obstinate. There are a few here that agreed with me on occassion, many who opposed my positions and often said so, and one individual that was hell bent on running me out of these forums. I leave here knowing that I have learned from all of you something, much of it good and positive, and a little not so much.

Canative62 - The master of the cut and paste. While we shared some of the conservative philosophy, we didn't always share the methodology. I hope you have found your conservative nirvana.

Anthony002 - Always the gentleman with never a harsh word. An expert in logical and fair expression. Circumstances caused you to leave the forums, but you were always here in spirit.

44Magnum - My friend and fellow conservative supporter. We shared much more off line than we have on line. You were my confidant in things we had shared - the military, travel, and the like. I suppose you'll never forgive me for getting you involved here.

Rozemist - The classiest, most humble, softest anchor on reality one could ever hope to have. I'll never be able to thank you for keeping me sane when I was confronted by the insane. Like a wise teacher or coach, you always saw when I was exceeding proper limits and helped me to find my way back.

KarenPearsall - One of the most rational and reasoned people I've known. We often disagreed on substance and occassionally on behavior. I'd be offensive, and you'd point it out. You set the example for us, and I was most often unable to emulate it. You and rozemist were the constants in my constantly changing blog discussions.

TheSovereign - The enigma I never could figure out. You certainly were a fighter for your beliefs, but I was never able to quite understand what they were. At times it seemed we understood one another even while disagreeing, then our relationship would deteriorate into hate filled, horribly worded confrontations that dragged us from being reasonable to being irrational. I'll always remember that for you, conservative is a four letter word.

LarryBaca - You really were much like Larry of the stooges. You tried to be funny with slapstick and ridiculous assertions, often bringing me to tears as I fought to get you to understand my point of view. You steadfastly refused to cooperate.

Capitalists_Nightmare - The forum's resident communist. We rarely agreed, but I did learn a lot from you. You taught me that Karl Marx was NOT a famous toy maker nor Groucho Marx' other brother.

Midwestgirl, just_my_two_cents, redeyedrider, Friendo, and those others whose names escape me. We often sparred just over one point and went months without interaction. I never took any of you for granted, and whether we agreed or disagreed, we shared with each other. That was what the forums were supposed to be about.

And finally, Hoffman. Whether Thad56, Central Valley Monitor, try_thinking, stop_plagairizing, biased, abides, or crimeriddendump, a Hoffman by any other name is still a Hoffman. You were the one who brought out my worst offensiveness and the best of my worst behavior. I'm doggedly determed to be a better person now, so all I can say is... "Good boy, Fido!"

* Photo "Fido Annoints CrimeRidden's Dump" courtesy MSN/Bing free public domain images. ;-o

- Ron
ICRD - no longer... ;-0

“The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.” - Saint Augustine

“Discussion is an exchange of knowledge; argument is an exchange of ignorance” - Robert Quillen