What Is Sum1 Up To Today?

Road Trip!

Locale: Virginia

Week  of: August 30, 2021

         Well, first things first.  I did work this week, though it seems I didn't get much done.  I was to cross-train a fellow instructor on two courses that I'm the only officially qualified instructor of.  Problem is, things didn't go quite as planned. 

         Monday was fine, then came Tuesday.  For some reason, the shot this week really hit me. Hit me hard.  I was starting to feel unwell Monday night, and by Tuesday morning it was far worse.  I just ached all over, no appetite, at least I didn't have a fever, nor was I vomiting.  It was mostly a feeling of just 'being unwell'.  By Wednesday morning, I was almost 100%.  So we did the cross training Monday and Wednesday.  I don't feel I was properly prepared, and could have done a much better job in cross-training him.  Thursday.  <Sigh>  He changed his password Wednesday night, and could do nothing on Thursday.  He spent the day (as far as I know) working with IT to correct his problem.  So only two days of cross-training.  Friday we were all (all employess) given the day off.  It's called 'Feel good Friday', they do this once in a while. 

         Knowing this day off was coming on a three day weekend, and feeling I needed a road trip, I decided I would drive to Newport News Virginia.  The reason?  To purchase a bottle of Bourbon.  'That's a pretty expensive bottle of Bourbon Jim', is what most of you are thinking, or saying.  And you are right.  But there's a reason.  (Isn't there always a reason?).  This Bourbon is distilled by the Ironclad Distillery in Newport News.  I know you're wondering why I didn't have them ship me a bottle or two.  They aren't licensed to ship out of state.  I found out tonight that Virginia has some pretty odd laws about alcohol, and that's fine.  So what's so special about this Bourbon?

         Well, it's called the Hyman Rickover Bourbon.  And who was Hyman Rickover?  He is the Naval Admiral who is considered the 'father of the US Nuclear Navy'.  Without him, I wouldn't be where I am today.  I just wanted a bottle of it, okay?    I couldn't have it shipped to me, I couldn't have any one buy it and ship to me (that's illegal), I could not find a website that could ship it to, so the only option seemed to be coming here to get it myself.  Besides, I needed a road trip!

         I left yesterday to head here, and spent the night in Cincinnati.  This morning, the phone GPS (we won't talk about the GPS in my van, and how impossible it is to add an destination to it), showed the fastest route to head due east, then south at Jackson Ohio.  I didn't look at it closely, I just started driving.  It turns out, the route took me through Point Pleasant, West Virginia, so I had to stop and see 'him'

         You may know of this creature from the movie, this is a sculptors representation of 'The Mothman'.  The movie "The Mothman Prophecies made this creature almost a household name.

         There's no way I could come to Virginia to purchase Bourbon and not pick up Robert Waltz , so tonight I'm staying in Charlottesville, Virginia.  We had dinner together, and will head to Newport News tomorrow morning.  I am counting on Bob to tell me if this is a good Bourbon or not.  He can tell me it's rot-gut stuff, I'm still getting a bottle.  We'll return here tomorrow night, I will head home Sunday, and should arrive sometime before midnight.  So, a whirlwind road trip, but a fun one just the same.

In Closing

         I am still delivering classes from home only, and don't see that changing the rest of this year.  Tjhat's fine, I've really started enjoying teaching from home, but I also miss traveling.  That's about it for now, til next time, be good to yourselves and those you love, and WRITE!




Jim Dorrell