Author: The Hinoeuma
Meeting Canadians
Phil suggested that I try to write more so…
I lived in Virginia Beach for a year (July 2001 – July 2002) with my, then, Marine Corps husband. I don’t remember the exact date but, one evening, we happened to be wandering the streets of Norfolk, near Norfolk Harbor. We saw a neon sign in a window of a bar: O’Malley’s. The place was full of what appeared to be sailors but, they weren’t Americans. They were busy drinking and singing Irish drinking songs. The Marine and I did manage to find a couple of empty bar stools, way at the end of the bar, deep into the establishment. The Marine took the very last stool to my left and I tried to position myself into the remaining empty stool. It was a tight squeeze and I began to think to myself… “How in the hell am I going to get my big ass thru that narrow space to get onto that stool?” For the split-second pondering it took, the full-bearded gentleman to my right, turned to me and said “Do you not want to sit next to me for some reason? I know I look rough but…” I immediately jumped in to reassure him that, that was not the case and shared my “OMG, I won’t fit…” fears, out loud, right there in front of God and everybody. He threw his head back and roared. “Have a seat, my dear…and, have drink.” He turned out to be the COTB (Chief of the Boat) of the Canadian Frigate HMCS St. John’s, that was in Norfolk for degaussing. It was a fun evening and that COTB invited us to tour the ship the next day.
We arrived around 4:00pm and I noticed that a Canadian Frigate really stands out next to American Navy vessels. It’s an odd green color, next to the blue of the American ships and I was told that it doesn’t have any right angles on it. We boarded the ship and asked for the Chief. They retrieved him and he rolled out looking like he’d been on a three day drunk. He was clearly hung over. He called for a much younger seaman to give us the tour of the ship and joined us later.
One neat thing aboard a Canadian vessel is…the bar. They had a beautiful, stained wooden bar and, a full stock of beer and wine. They also had a few women on board, which I found odd, even though women were allowed on board American war ships, beginning in 1994. It was still a rare sight back then.
We were invited to stay for dinner. It was a simple meal for sailing men but, I’m pretty sure that, not many people can say that they dined with the entire crew of a Canadian Frigate…and not been a crew member. It was really cool. I wish I could remember the name of that COTB. He offered me a St. John’s sweatshirt and I declined because I didn’t have any money. I intended to return to the ship with money but, we never made it back. That would have been a cool souvenir.
HMCS St. John’s (Facebook)
HMCS St. John’s (FFH-340) (Military History Fandom)
HMCS St. John’s (Wikipedia)
VOTD: Goose Bodyguard
This is a companion video to this post (scroll down some). Sadly, I haven’t seen any of them in a few years. ~Vic
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VOTD: Bodyguard
This is a companion video to this post (scroll down some). Sadly, I haven’t seen any of them in a few years. ~Vic
Video of the Day
Funny Friday: Rona Humor
POTD: Wolf Moon 2022
I just realized that I have never done Wolf Moon post. There is something about January where I keep missing the full moon. Full illumination occurred at 6:48p EST on January 17. Better late than never, I guess. Howl for me! ~Vic
Click for a larger view.
Picture of the Day
Movie Monday: The Dying Swan 1917
One hundred, five years ago, today, the 1917 short, silent film The Dying Swan (Russian: Umirayushchiy Lebed) was released in Russia (Moscow). Starring Vera Karalli (Gizella), Aleksandr Kheruvimov (Gizella’s Father), Vitold Polonksy (Viktor Krasovsky), Andrej Gromov (Valeriy Glinskiy) and Ivane Perestiani (Glinskiy’s Friend), it was directed by Yevgeni Bauer and written by Zoya Barantsevich.
A grief-stricken ballerina becomes the obsession of an increasingly unhinged artist.
Gizella, who is a dancer and mute, falls in love with Victor, whom she met at the lake. She believes that love is mutual but, […] sees Victor with another girl after he cancels a date with her. She becomes an object of sympathy for the artist Glinsky, who sees Gizella dancing The Dying Swan and uses her as a model for a picture on the theme of death.
When Viktor meets Gizella one day beside the lake, he takes an interest in her and begins to call on her regularly. When Viktor deceives her and she finds him with another woman, she moves away and begins a career as a ballerina.
A brokenhearted dancer and an artist desperate for inspiration form a strange collaboration in Russian director Yevgeni Bauer’s psychological drama. Morbid in the best possible way.
Additional:
The Dying Swan (Century Film Project/12-10-2017)
Full Movie
VOTD: Strange Worm
I posted a picture of this thing in June of 2019. It was taken April 13th. Anybody know what kind of worm this is? ~Vic
Video of the Day
Word Wednesday: Byronic
Image Credit: dictionary.com
The Byronic hero, incapable of love or capable only of an impossible love, suffers endlessly. He is solitary, languid [and] his condition exhausts him. If he wants to feel alive, it must be in the terrible exaltation of a brief and destructive action.
The Byronic Hero is a character notable for being sullen, withdrawn, hard to like and hard to know but, usually possessing a rich inner life and a softer side, accessible only to a special few.
Byronic Hero
TV Tropes
POTD: Goldenrod
I think this is Solidago Canadensis. Pl@ntnet seems to think it is the seedling version. ~Vic
Click for a larger view.
Picture of the Day
VOTD: Lighted Dragon
I’m still on a break and, yes, that is a new heading but, I want to thank Momma Linda, again. for a gift I received, today. In addition to my two previous dragons, I have a third baby to enjoy. More tears… ~Vic
Video of the Day
Cosmic-Observation 