Entry #3- So Fresh

 I'm at my desk. It's where I always eat lunch at work. As I finish off my leftover meatloaf and mashed potatoes from last night's dinner, I push them away. I overate, and I feel miserable. How will I have the energy to finish the next six hours of my twelve-hour shift? As I ponder this, I painfully reach down to my black backpack on the floor in the corner of my desk. I unzip the front pocket and find my usual fix to hide whatever atrocious lunch smell is on my breath.

I feel the familiar round plastic container. Pulling it out, I feel the clear plastic wrap around the edge, remembering that I had just purchased a new container. My thumbnail slides under the dotted, perforated area, and I feel each section pop to release the protective plastic. Now it's time to decide. Do I want one or many? Both sides are always more challenging than they should be to open. So I choose the "many" side. It's slightly easier to open since the whole side of the container lifts vs. with the "one" side; it's a small tab I have to open.

I reach into the "many" side of the container to retrieve my relief. If I had chosen the "one" side, I would have had to shake the container into my hand to get what I needed. I place the oval-shaped object in my mouth. The red, strawberry-flavored side is always the side I put touching my tongue. It has these little raised circles that give my tongue a brush as I move it back and forth on top of my tongue. Conversely, the other side is dull and only provides a mild freshening flavor. I chew up the rest when the little round circles have been worn down. The main problem with this type of after-lunch mouth maintenance is that I need to eat more than one. I will continue this ritual at least three or four more times before I snap the lid closed for the final time and place it back into the front pocket of my backpack and zip it up.

I can now confidently carry on conversations with coworkers without them being fully immersed in my lunch choice.

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Entry #2- They All Float

This has been a crazy week in our skies, hasn't it? What are we to think? Situations like this tend to bring out all sorts of opinions and conspiracy theories. Let's be honest, when it involves foreign countries, spying, and our military, any viewpoint can be seen as irrational.

I am not generally a subscriber to fringe ideas, but when following some rabbit holes about these incidents with balloons, I came across an interesting theory that even some well-respected figures have mentioned. This theory is that these incidents may be a test to see how surveillance can be accomplished in an EMP environment.

What is EMP you ask? EMP, electromagnetic pulse, is thought to be able to knock out our electrical grid if a nuclear bomb were to ever detonate in the atmosphere vs a weighted ground bomb, like Hiroshima. When I have attended nuclear training courses, this is always a hot topic. There are many theories on how far, how long, and the extent to which an EMP would affect a region. The balloons would then float across a country, taking pictures of the region, and return to an estimated area based upon wind currents. We try to take steps to mitigate estimated damage from this type of attack. The military designs and updates its equipment to protect against EMP. There are even civilian faraday cages available for sale to try to protect personal items.

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So, what if we lose electricity or the power grid? If this pulse covered most of the United States for an extended amount of time our whole way of life could collapse. Think about when Covid first broke out and people couldn't get toilet tissue and other necessities. Now imagine that with all products, goods, and services, no way to store perishables, no way to get cash because the whole banking system is electronic, and hospital life-sustaining equipment would not function for very long. It would as close to Armageddon as a place could get.

What doesn't help me sleep well at night when I think about this subject is the book One Second After by William Forstchen. Forstchen wrote a book based on this exact scenario. This book is a page turner and makes me want to become a prepper. Sadly, my funds are too limited to be able to adequately prepare for this situation.

As you can see, I've read it several times!

We may never know all the details pertaining to the balloons floating across our skies. However, it should give everyone pause for concern. Electricity is so intertwined into every aspect of our lives, it’s impossible to really comprehend the consequences of losing it, especially electronic communication. So, get this book and comment what you thought on your sleepless nights! 

 

 

 Entry #1. Different Altitude, Different Attitude

Hello down there! It's me, Curtis, here to tell you about my favorite pastime, hiking. I have not always been a hiker. It is a hobby I have taken up in the past six or so years. Most of my life has been spent in southern Louisiana, where it's difficult to even find a hill. I have learned Arizona is a fantastic place to get into this great hobby from the beginner levels to advanced, from the youngest of ages to the oldest.

This is me at the top of Picacho Peak, 

posing in deep thought while looking down at I-10.

I recommend bringing a ballcap, sunglasses, Camelbak filled with water, light snacks, sunscreen, broken in hiking shoes, and a phone that will not have signal most of the hike, but will be able to capture all the sights you will miss once returning home. After these essentials are ready, it's time to go on an adventure! Most of my hikes have primarily been in the general Phoenix area. Others have been as far south as Sierra Vista and north to Sedona.

Today, let's talk about my three favorite hikes based on difficulty level. The first is the Waterfall Trail in the White Tank Mountains over in the West Valley. It is paved and an easy one to bring even your youngest. It does get quite crowded on weekends, so its best to try to find a weekday. There are lots of places to stop and get cute pictures of your kids exploring and climbing rocks. The waterfall at the end will more than likely be underwhelming, because its more of a trickle. Rumor has it that after a hard rain it is much better. You will get reminded of the Native American history here in Arizona when you spot the hieroglyphics on some of the rocks.

Abel, age 2, on the Waterfall Trail

The second trail is Flatiron in the Superstition Mountains over by Apache Junction. This is a hard hike. For a large part, you feel like you're rock scrambling, vs hiking. There's a tricky wall that I could not get up unassisted the first time, but was able to maneuver myself up two subsequent times. This is also a popular hike, so expect to be telling passerby's hello on a regular basis. Scenery is beautiful especially from the top! Be well-prepared when undertaking hikes such as these, you don't want to end up in a spinning basket under a helicopter!

Lastly, is Picacho Peak. This mountain is located right of I-10 in between Phoenix and Tucson. Hands down my favorite so far. There is something so fun about using the cables to climb up precarious rocks. The view at the top is beautiful, but not as great as Flatiron. Mainly because of the highway below. I would say a person with moderate experience can handle this one. It does take a little time, but that's due to cable climbing. Bring gloves and never forget plenty of water!

Picacho Peak climbing!

There are so many great places to explore here in Arizona. I also hope to get to Utah and Colorado to see heights from different states. If I ever have to move away, I hope it's to an area equally fun to explore!