Charest Family on the Web Posts

Published May 14, 2023 by

On Making Other People Look Bad

Loss and Prayer, 2023
Loss And Prayer

Estimated reading time: 8 minutes

I’ve been doing a lot of reflection on my career these past months. Most of this reflection is on the many different people I’ve dealt with over my professional life. And how I’ve learned something from every person I’ve worked with.

Some of the lessons I learned were positive experiences, and I count those people as mentors and role models. Other lessons- not so much. One constantly recurring lesson I remember is how so many people I’ve worked with put effort into making other people look bad.

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Career Management Family Stories

Consulting Retaliation

Published April 24, 2023 by

Hunting the Wild Bamboo

A strand of bamboo
Wild Bamboo

Estimated reading time: 9 minutes

Winnie is an excellent gardener. Over the years we’ve lived in Northern Virginia, her annual vegetable gardens have become larger and more ambitious. By “ambitious,” I mean she’s been more adventurous with the variety of vegetables she’s tried growing. Sometimes, her experiments don’t do so well. Most of the time they do. So I have frequent opportunities to learn, and taste, another new veggie.

One vegetable Winnie hasn’t tried growing is bamboo shoots. But, no matter, because she’s learned where she can get bamboo shoots in the wild. So hunting wild bamboo has become another annual adventure in fine dining.

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Family Stories

Asian Delicacy Bamboo Shoots Harvesting

Published April 22, 2023 by

The Difference Between Submarine and Surface Crews

comparing service on navy submarines to service on surface ships.
Composite of submarine USS Scamp and cruiser USS Port Royal

Estimated reading time: 6 minutes

My Navy career was rather unusual as I served on both submarines and surface ships. These were considered “different navies,” with different traditions and duty requirements. In that era, very few sailors ever made a switch between surface and subs. For the most part, the only sub sailors who typically went to the surface fleet were those kicked off subs for disciplinary issues, and who also lost their “Qualified in Submarines” status.

I qualified submarines on USS Scamp, SSN 588. I maintained my submarine qualification status when, years later, I joined the Aegis Cruiser USS Port Royal , CG 73. This dual service gave me an interesting perspective on the different communities that make up our U.S. Navy.

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In the Navy Quora Re-Posts

quora submarines Surface Ships

Published April 10, 2023 by

Springtime Doldrums

Springtime Snail, Photo by Pixabay: https://www.pexels.com/photo/white-black-and-brown-snail-on-green-leaf-209074/
Springtime Moving As Slow As A Snail

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

Spring has sprung, and the world is waking up after a long winter’s nap. Leaves are budding on bare tree branches. Brown remnants of last year’s grass is turning green. Bird are happily chirping while temps are climbing back into the no-jackets-needed range.

Meanwhile, I’m here in a doldrum of Springtime lethargy. Seemingly moving with the exuberance of a lowly snail. When the rest of the world is coming alive, why do my feet feel like they’re embedded in concrete-filled buckets?

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Family Stories

change of seasons Springtime Doldrums

Published March 13, 2023 by

The Libertarian House Cat

Libertarian House Cats. Photo by NastyaSensei: https://www.pexels.com/photo/black-and-white-bicolor-cat-3318214/
Libertarian House Cats

Estimated reading time: 6 minutes

I’ve never previously posted about my political awakening and journey to Radical Left Wing Liberal in this humble blog.

My political journey started as first uninterested, then a registered Libertarian, to Democrat, and on to my present Radical Liberalism. But, I started remembering my brief foray into the world of Libertarianism with the fallout over Silicon Valley Bank’s sudden collapse this past Friday.

Which brings me to the best comparison I’ve heard yet about Libertarians as house cats.

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Opinions & Commentary

Deregulation Government Libertarianism

Published March 11, 2023 by

This and That, Not-Spring Edition

This and That Mad Hatter Cartoon
This and That News Messenger

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

So here we are in almost mid-March. Trees are showing leaf buds and blooms, flowers are popping out of the ground. Night time temps are still in the mid-thirties, but daytime temps are up in the fifties and sixties. Tonight we change the clocks ahead one hour in anticipation of Spring, which this year is already happening.

I don’t much care for winter cold, but I’m wondering if trees budding in the beginning of March is such a good thing?

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Family Stories

This and That

Published March 8, 2023 by

Woke is the New Black

Huxley, Julian. At the Zoo (Woking: Unwin, 1936) (hardcover books)
The Bible of Woke

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

It’s always refreshing to hear politicians telling me what I’m thinking, and what I want. As in “the American People have spoken, and they want [ fill in the blank ].” At least, when I’m hearing Democratic politicians talk about what the “American People” want, it’s probably something a sizable group of Americans actually do want. Like, getting in to see a doctor without first taking out a loan.

But, with Republican politicians, it’s increasingly more likely that their view of what “American People” want is skewed with their latest talking points. Their latest talking point of “woke” seems to be the new black – highly fashionable without anyone really being able to explain why.

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Opinions & Commentary

Catch Phrase Humor Woke

Published February 8, 2023 by

Putting Themselves Out of Business

Auto mechanic as a business
Auto Mechanics At Work

Estimated reading time: 6 minutes

The term “Sticker Shock” typically means the shock at seeing just how much something new, usually an automobile, costs as determined by the price tag or sticker. After my recent experience with an auto dealership service department, I’m now extending the term “Sticker Shock” to auto maintenance. Honestly, with pricing that can only be described as obscene, auto dealers are putting themselves out of business.

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Family Stories

auto repair business

Published February 5, 2023 by

Home Improvement: Kitchen Countertops

Almost finished Kitchen Countertops
Almost Finished Kitchen Countertops

Estimated reading time: 16 minutes

When we moved to our present house, I really expected to not be doing any more home improvement projects. After our pre-move-in and clean-up I thought the house looked pretty good. Then, Winnie built a massive brick and stone patio over the summer. Once again, I thought that would be the extent of home improvement here.

It was not to be. Right after Thanksgiving, Winnie announced she wanted to redo our kitchen countertops. Of course, the project needed to be completed before Christmas, as we had already planned a Christmas dinner with guests.

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Family Stories

Countertops home improvement kitchen sink

Published January 24, 2023 by

You’ve Been Hacked!

Don't Take Any Wooden Nickels
Don’t Take Any Wooden Nickels

Estimated reading time: 6 minutes

It seems like the Internet scams are coming thick and fast now-a-days. I rarely go more than a couple of days without some asshole trying to scam me. People are continually trying to sell me Medicare plans, performance-enhancing drugs, or buy my house. Self-described hot young women send me their pictures offering to marry me or sell me even more awesome sexy pictures.

But then there’s the really offensive people who out-and-out try to defraud me. Like the latest email from some asshole pulling an online exhortion attempt with an email announcing, “You’ve Been Hacked.”

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Family Stories Tech Talk

hacking Internet Scam