I think most people have heard of Richardson’s Law, probably not by name but surely by sentiment as there are other ways of stating the same idea. The problem is that the law is easy to break, intentionally or not. In need of a continuing reminder, I had it printed on a small plastic sign that I attached to the sun visor of my daily driver. When I’m traveling and the driving gets stressful, I glance at it for some relief.
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Category Archives: Friends & Family
Richardson’s Law
Posted in Cars, Friends & Family, Travel
An Updated Fortune Cookie
The fortune cookie came from the Safeway deli, a place where you can order takeout Chinese cuisine. Inside the folded golden cookie shell was a modern fortune, printed on a slip of white paper:
It’s time to write a letter or email to one who is distant.
The fortune, my fortune, was on the money in two respects. First, when I write letters, I almost always use email, with a ratio of electronic to paper messages of at least 20 to 1 and probably higher than that. Second, earlier that day, I shared a photo and some news with a cousin I communicate with only every year or so. You guessed it: I used email for the job.
Apparently the humans who write these fortunes recognize that times have changed. However, I still look forward to the end-of-meal pleasure of reading, on paper, what they have in mind for me. Even if I get a smart phone someday and pay for my order that way, I hope the fortune doesn’t arrive after dinner by text message.
Posted in Friends & Family
One of My Dad’s Biggest Days
January 21, 1954, was an historic day for the United States Navy. On that cold January day 60 years ago, the Navy launched the USS Nautilus, the world’s first nuclear-powered submarine, at Electric Boat in Groton, Connecticut. It was a big day for my dad too. He was the ship’s first commanding officer.
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Launching of the R-10 Submarine
In several posts I have noted that my dad had a long career as a submarine officer (the most recent was titled Submarine First Day Covers). So when my Texas brother sent me a link earlier this week to a short video showing the launching of the R-10 submarine, I watched it with interest. Dad was assigned to the R-10 right after graduating from submarine school in 1942.
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Just One Dragon
2012 is the Year of the Dragon.
The 2012 Year of the Dragon coins (see photo), produced by Australia’s Perth Mint, are gorgeous. Available in both gold and silver and in several denominations, they are part of the Australian Lunar Series, which issues a coin each year for one of the 12 animal symbols in the Chinese astrology chart.
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Posted in Friends & Family
Submarine First Day Covers
The fast attack submarine Archerfish was launched in 1971.
When it came to correspondence, Dad saved everything. Well, perhaps the credit should actually go to the various Chief Yeomen who maintained his office files when he was in the Navy. Without them I wouldn’t have his wonderful collection of submarine first day covers.
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A Cute Halloween Card
Just a friendly little greeting to wish you happy trick or treating
The card that K sent me this year arrived well before Halloween night. I’m just late in posting a scan of it. Yesterday when I was putting away my Halloween decorations, I took another look at Casper’s bewitching smile. I think it is one of the best cards she has ever made and well worth mentioning in the Mud Bay Blog.
K and her friends Cindy and Sheila get together at Treasure Island whenever they can to make cards for holidays and special occasions like graduations. They have hundreds of rubber stamps and a wide variety of paper, ink, glue, and cutting tools. Their hobby is called stamping, but to me they have gotten so good at it that I consider them to be card artists. I have saved every card K has ever sent me. Whenever I get one I feel lucky and privileged.
A Cell Phone Story
Ever lose a cell phone? People leave them everywhere, including in rental vehicles. This cell phone story has a happy ending.
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Posted in Friends & Family
USS Long Beach (1959–2012)
USS Long Beach—hiding in plain sight
The USS Long Beach, the Navy’s first nuclear-powered surface ship, had been quietly moored in Bremerton, Washington, since being deactivated in 1994. Not any more. This week the big cruiser was towed away from its berth at the Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility (see photo), ending any chance for an easy photo op.
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Posted in Friends & Family, Government, Other Local Places
Tagged Bremerton, USS Long Beach
A Clean Roomy Trunk
1955 Chevrolet rear view
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Posted in Cars, Friends & Family
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