Author: <span>Ron Charest</span>

Published February 5, 2024 by

The Mail Buoy Run

Green Buoy in the ocean. Photo by Atypeek Dgn: https://www.pexels.com/photo/photograph-of-a-green-buoy-12264234/
Not A Mail Buoy

Estimated reading time: 10 minutes

Going down to the sea in ships can best be described as weeks of mind-numbing boredom interspersed with moments of sheer terror. Based on my Navy career with about twelve years actual sea time, I can attest this is true.

So, sailors come up with very creative ways of filling in those weeks of mind-numbing boredom. One way is to play pranks with new crew members just starting their seagoing careers. On my very first submarine sea voyage I became the star attraction in a mail buoy run.

Continue…The Mail Buoy Run

In the Navy

Mail Buoy submarines

Published January 28, 2024 by

Why Navy Chiefs Are Different: A Quora Question

United States Navy Chief Insignia
U.S. Navy Chief’s Insignia

Estimated reading time: 2 minutes

I’ve been on a roll lately in answering Quora questions. Either I’ve accidentally worked out the format for writing attention-catching answers, or just gotten lucky. Because most of my answers seem to be getting lots of views, upvotes, and comments.

My latest best-read answer was comparing Navy Chiefs to the comparable senior non-commissioned officers of the Army and Air Force.

Continue…Why Navy Chiefs Are Different: A Quora Question

In the Navy Quora Re-Posts

Navy Chief

Published January 1, 2024 by

Happy New Year 2024

Happy New Year 2024 Photo by Jill Wellington: https://www.pexels.com/photo/happy-new-year-text-3334355/
Happy New Year 2024

Estimated reading time: 2 minutes

For the first post of 2024 on this humble blog; I want to wish all my many friends, family, readers, and other supporters a very happy new year of 2024!

Follow me below the fold for some uplifting and entirely appropriate music for this brave new year. Along with the obligatory commentary and musings on the year that was.

Continue…Happy New Year 2024

Just For Fun

Music Video New Year 2024

Published December 31, 2023 by

The Monsters Living Among Us

Dealing with monsters among us. Photo by Luis Quintero: https://www.pexels.com/photo/silhouette-of-a-person-1799904/
Dealing With Monsters Among Us

Estimated reading time: 19 minutes

Between my former Navy career and present consulting career I’ve met, worked with, even lived with, a lot of different people. New people constantly cycle into my world, then cycle back out due to forces and decisions not under my control.

On the positive, I’ve had the great pleasure of meeting people whom I never would have known through social activities. On the negative, I’ve been forced to deal with some truly horrible people.

More than horrible, I’ve been thrown into dealing with actual monsters living among us. People who from the outside seemed like normally decent human beings, but scratching their skin revealed a creature totally devoid of soul. One of these monsters was a seemingly decent family-man with a wife and three lovely daughters. Dealing with him threw me into one of the ugliest situations I’ve ever been involved in.

Continue…The Monsters Living Among Us

In the Navy Ron Charest

Family Navy Story

Published December 15, 2023 by

A Bit Of Christmas Canon Rock

Cover art from the album "The Christmas Attic" by Trans-Siberian Orchestra. The cover art can be obtained from Lava Records., Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3953751
The Christmas Attic, Trans_Siberian Orchestra

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

So, it’s coming up on that time of year again. The time of year when people are supposed to be just a little bit nicer to each other. A time when magic is in the air and miracles happen. Yes, it’s coming up on Christmas time, again.

And I’m struggling to feel the magic. Again.

Continue…A Bit Of Christmas Canon Rock

Just For Fun

Christmas Music Video Trans-Siberian Orchestra

Published November 11, 2023 by

Thoughts on Veterans Day 2023

Remembering Veterans Day 2023
Remembering Veterans Day 2023

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

Today is the one day each year America nominally gives thanks to military veterans, past and present. On this day lots of important people make a point of taking a few minutes out of their self-professed busy schedules to say something nice about veterans. Some important people will even go to a nearby military cemetery and lay a wreath on someone’s gravesite.

Meanwhile, restaurants across this great nation offer “special” free meals as their special thank you. For this one important day of remembrance. I guess it’s something.

I have some more thoughts on Veterans Day 2023.

Continue…Thoughts on Veterans Day 2023

Opinions & Commentary

Republicans Veterans Day

Published November 11, 2023 by

Cruising Back From Vacation

Ron and Winnie Charest on a Cruise Ship at night
Ron and Winnie Cruising

Estimated reading time: 8 minutes

I’ve been catching back up on my daily grind this past week after returning from a vacation. For our latest adventure, Winnie and I did something entirely new – for us. After months of planning and anticipation, Winnie and I took our first vacation cruise a couple of weeks ago.

Continue…Cruising Back From Vacation

Family Stories

Cruising Traveling vacation

Published September 20, 2023 by

A Heavily-Armed Fishing Boat

USS Port Royal (CG 73)

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

My last Navy sea tour, on the Aegis Cruiser USS Port Royal (CG 73), from February 1994 to April 1996, homeported in Hawaii, was a bittersweet time. On one hand, I was winding down my Navy career so things like evaluations and career development didn’t mean anything. On the other hand, I ran a division of eighteen people, each of whom were smart and creative. Each in their own way.

So, one of my challenges as the division Senior Chief was to encourage my people’s creativity while simultaneously preventing them from doing anything seriously stupid. At times, this proved to be very challenging.

Continue…A Heavily-Armed Fishing Boat

In the Navy Quora Re-Posts

Aegis Cruiser Fishing Boat Port Royal

Published September 18, 2023 by

A Modest Proposal…On Guns

Contemplating Open-Carry Dildo. Photo by cottonbro studio: https://www.pexels.com/photo/white-candles-and-grapes-on-the-table-6764430/
Contemplating Open-Carry

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

Over the past months I’ve started to hang out on the social media network “Nextdoor.” I like this media as it keeps me hooked into local events, news, and neighborhood issues. But yesterday I discovered that this media, too, is not immune from the gun-toting crazies I colloquially term “ammosexuals.”

This discovery resulted from a post-turned “discussion thread” on the pros and cons of people packing loaded guns in our county parks. My piece of the discussion did not go well. Since working through that discussion, I’ve thought of a modest proposal on guns. A proposal that might actually satisfy gun-crazy ammosexuals and still keep us non-gun-crazy people safe from them.

Continue…A Modest Proposal…On Guns

Opinions & Commentary

Dildos Guns Open-Carry

Published August 28, 2023 by

Boating Hacks: A Kayak Work Stand

A Homebuilt Portable Kayak Work Stand
A Homebuilt Portable Kayak Work Stand

Estimated reading time: 13 minutes

If you own one or more kayaks, eventually you’ll need to do some amount of cleaning and maintenance. I’ve found it’s a lot easier to work on my kayaks if they’re at chest height. So, a work stand becomes a useful kayak accessory.

I needed a work stand specifically suited for inflatable kayaks. Most commercial stands are two-piece units which are ideal for hard shells. Inflatables, not so much, as the kayak sags in the middle without proper support. I decided to design and build my own work stand.

Continue…Boating Hacks: A Kayak Work Stand

How-To On The Water

Boating Hacks kayak