...Marines.

Technically, Memorial Day is reserved for remembering those who have served in America's military and made the ultimate sacrifice for their fellow countrymen.

However, I will break with tradition and instead remember two extraordinary men who served their country with distinction and survived their experiences; My father, Francis Feeney and my brother, Michael. My Dad joined the Navy during World War II and served aboard the USS Hornet as a Torpedoman's Mate. My brother joined the Navy because, well...because he was in trouble a lot and, at the time, it beat going to jail. Mike served in Vietnam, then got posted in Guam and later Scotland among other places.

Neither my Dad or my brother much talked about their times in the military. My father wasn't one to dwell on the past because there was a lot he wanted to forget. He grew up during the Great Depression, with an abusive father who literally drank himself to death. He got married young and it was a disaster. They fought constantly and raised three kids in a miserable household. When the marriage finally ended, his two daughters sided with their mom, while Mike stuck by his father.

My brother was in Military Intelligence for most of his career, so he didn't talk about his time because, well, if he did he'd have to kill me. I always appreciated his discretion in that area...

I was never pressured by my Dad to enlist, and for that I was always grateful. I don't know if it was because he was concerned for my well-being or if he realized that, as a soldier, I'd be worse than Pauly Shore in IN THE ARMY NOW.

It's been almost twenty years since my Dad passed away and only a few months since Mike left us. I miss them both terribly. every day I remember them for the great men they were and what they both meant to me.

Today, I remember them for what they meant to my country.

Thanks, guys.

...Mise en scène.

Well, it looks like this blogging thing isn't quite the transient fad I once believed. Once again, I am proven wrong about a pop culture movement (damn you, Rap music!). So I am dipping my toes into the frozen waters of cyberspace and hoping I don't get a nasty case of frostbyte (see what I did there? HA!).

Why now? Why not a decade ago when somebody might have cared? I'm not sure, really. Perhaps I feel the need to vent, now that I am quickly approaching 'bitter old man' territory. Maybe I feel I have something to contribute to the teeming masses (not bloody likely, but it's a nice thought). Or it could be that I just want to write again. For somebody. For anybody. For me.

Anyway, before I embark on this ill-advised journey, allow me to explain something;

I completely subscribe to the Worlds Collide Theory. This theory was first postulated by George Costanza in the SEINFELD episode "The Pool Guy." Basically, a person's 'worlds' must never collide, or there will be chaos. Most of us tend to behave a bit differently when we are around different peer groups. We may act one way around our families and another when we hang out with our buddies. Maybe you censor yourself a bit more around your co-workers or cut loose with your old college friends.

Different WORLDS. "Family Tom" is slightly different than "Husband Tom" is slightly different than "Co-Worker Tom" is really different than "Hears Voices That Tell Him To Hurt Kittens Tom." You get the picture. (this will also help me get out of trouble later, when I blame my offensive comments on "Jerky Insensitive Tom.")


Like matter and anti-matter, these 'worlds' should never collide. Yet here I am, playing cosmic marbles and naively believing that no ill shall come of it. So sue me. (no don't, really)

The postings will be sporadic and may cover a wide range of topics. Some will be serious. Some will be snarky. Some will be incomprehensible(especially if it's an Ambien-induced hallucinatory post). My hope is they will be entertaining on some level.

You'll let me know if I succeed, right?