Caffeinated Pax

Wow - that was a quick week. Seemed to fly by, what with the 10 hour working days and then home to go "Flub" in front of the computer.  Very few interesting things on the free-to-air channels either so I have finally organised to get Cable TV installed as of tomorrow.  I am justifying the expense on wanting to watch the Olympics in all it's 8-channel glory. I have even taken some leave from work end of July into August so I can happily watch hours upon hours of really fit people do amazing things.

And then a few weeks after that I will very happily watch the Para Olympics and cheer on all the Aussies and USAian teams. Oh and *this* amazing Japanese sprinter - if she manages to fund her way to attend [Maya Nakanishi - she has released a tastefully done partial-nekked calender to help raise travel costs. ***WARNING - PROBABLY NOT SAFE TO VIEW AT WORK - SOME PARTIAL NUDITY***  The Calender seems to be available only via Amazon.JA (Japan) - HERE]

I had wondered how many of the USA team may be wounded warriors and did a bit of a Google search.  Lovely to see that the U.S. Paralympics website has a whole area dedicated to the Military

And in Caffienation... :D -  I like to send off "Cup of Joe" donations via the Green Bean Coffee group.  With every donation I send (be it $30 for 15 vouchers or $60 for 30) I get to write a short letter - usually thanking the unknown recipient for their service and telling them a little about myself and my country (..."It is Winter here in Australia - which means that up here in Queensland we are all wrapping up in our woolens and moaning how cold it is (which means it is less than 20 degrees Celsius with a wind chill:D - we're a bit thin skinned up here in the sub-tropics [you would probably love it!....")  It isn't the wittiest of writing but sometimes I get the nicest of replies back from those that get my coffee donations. 

If you are looking for something to do for your deployed service people, but aren't sure about how to contact them or what to send - *this* is a wonderful way to start.

And sometimes you make a connection with the Trooper* on the other end.  I have made some of the Best of Friends from ticking the "Yes I am happy to be a penfriend" box whenever I donate more coffee vouchers.

In other troop treating news - Soldiers' Angel store has packs of Girl Scout COOKIES for sale! 9 packets of biscuits (cookies) per parcel.  I have ordered a parcel each for my three adoptees and I hope they will really enjoy them when received.

Later this month I need to arrange a water balloon launcher for Cpl TT (ooh the inner Pax-Joy of sending a watery ballistic "toy" to a Marine to play with - Bwhahahaha!) and possibly more snack or hygiene packs to the other two adoptees.  I try to vary the items so it's always a surprise and occasionally useful :)

Oh and you recall I was Medievally Dreaming last weekend?  Sadly that trip failed to occur.  We had really heavy rain throughout last Saturday night and by Sunday morning things were super soggy and not optimum for travelling.  So next year for sure....  Actually I may even be there as one of the re-en actors by then [need to get a tent first - oh and a bed that is off the ground since my very awful knee problems mean that the less strain on them the better. (yes yes... one day I may bore you with the Ice Skating accident I had when I was 20.... or not... maybe just take it as "Pax was a klutz and caused life long damage to herself) :D]


*I tend to use the word "TROOPER" as a generic military tag since calling Marines Soldiers or Soldiers Marines or Air Force/Navy anything else gets confusing. Plus some of them get a wee bit upset if I get it wrong

US Navy Drill team

Very Impressive!

Caption This for Pax and Prizes

Some of you may remember my scientific experiments with the colourful Australian sweet (aka candy) MUSK STICK.

If you're new here - or need a refresher - check back on the reactions of one of Test Subject Groups at America's First Sergeant's website; or Navyone's recounting of his exposure.

Go ahead... I'll wait...

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Back?  Now aren't they all a Happy Happy Bunch! (snickers)

So how about I lift one of those photos (with permission of course - let's not have any grumpy A1S's about) and we can do a Caption Contest. 

Caption Me!!!

*Competition Rules - entries can come in from anywhere in the world.

*Winner will be required to supply a valid postal address (I will hold that address secure & private)

*You may make more than one entry but try to keep them relatively polite

*Competition closes on the 30th of October. Winner will be mentioned on the Meepings and has one week in which to contact me or a redraw will occur.

***edited to add - If you find that blogger won't let you leave a comment to enter the competition please email me your interest @ paxford AT gmail DOT com and I will manually enter your name and Witty Caption  into the draw***
Oh and the prize?

How about an Australian Army cap?

Rising Sun symbol in Gold and in relief on the brim and buckle
Available from HERE.

And in case you are wondering how it looks in person - here is the delightful Coffeypot modelling one that I sent him as a gift

See! Even the Navy guys like them :)

 and........ GO!

Pink Stuff - Naval Gazing

You might recall from this post that I had enlisted the willing aid of a Naval person of my acquaintance - to assist in the acquisition of scientific knowledge on:- "The Candy Eating Habits of the Greater American Service Person" (aka G.A.S.P)

He's just updated his blog with his data and it seems that he's begun channeling Herman Melville - perhaps he's been sniffing the pinkness a little too much?

http://themellowjihadi.com/2011/08/31/the-dreaded-australian-curse/

I should point out that although he writes - "Yet, I was powerless. She insisted. I did not say no. She insisted again. I did not fight" - that's not quite accurate.  I mean... that much work to someone uniform clad over candy?**  So not my style (*gives sweet innocent look at the universe* *ruins it by laughing wickedly*) But he's a nice guy so lets not destroy his viewpoint of the encounter.

However I am glad that he took the Musk Sticks off to his work and shared with his fellow Navy bods.

My data is now almost complete - missing only the input from the (how *did* Navyone put it... oh yes... "The Marine Corps is the Men’s Dept of the Department of the Navy")  So once I've heard back from A1S on *his* encounter with the pinkness I'll be able to formulate just why some people are affected, and others enfeebled by the wondrous Pinkness of Musk Sticks

Oh and Navyone - Digs said to expect that AusCam clad teddy bear in the post shortly... It should be bear-ing (heh.. bear pun!) an "extra special gift" just for you

**having just received a rather odd email I feel I should clarify.  My interest in any male requires him to be 36 or older - witty, intelligent and genuinely funny.  His liking Australian sweets is not a requirement.