Bryan Strawser

You are here: Home / Archives for Bryan Strawser

Bryan Strawser

Suddenly, my rough day doesn’t look so bad

by ·

Mrs. P’s husband was killed in action in Afghanistan last week:

Sad isn’t even the word to describe it, but honestly at this point I can’t find the words to describe it. Angry, empty, crushed, confused, shocked, alone, unglued, hateful, depressed, beaten down… none of these words can do justice to my feelings.

I am being forced to do something that no 23 year old woman should ever have to do. I am being forced to do something that no one should ever have to do, not at this early in life, especially. I am being forced to lay the love of my life, my saving grace, my entire world to rest.

…

On Sunday 14 March, Cpl Jonathan Daniel Porto, my one and only soul mate, died while on operations in Helmand Province, Afghanistan when the vehicle he was in flipped over.

On Monday 15 March, a CACO came to my house to notify me of the terrible news. I’m not even going to begin to describe my reaction at that.

On Tuesday 16 March I went to Dover AFB to welcome my beloved husband home.

RIP, Corporal Porto

Steyn: Our Own Greek Tragedy

by ·

Last month, Mark Steyn writes:

We hard-hearted, small-government guys are often damned as selfish types who care nothing for the general welfare. But, as the Greek protests make plain, nothing makes an individual more selfish than the socially equitable communitarianism of big government. Once a chap’s enjoying the fruits of government health care, government-paid vacation, government-funded early retirement, and all the rest, he couldn’t give a hoot about the general societal interest. He’s got his, and to hell with everyone else. People’s sense of entitlement endures long after the entitlement has ceased to make sense.

I’ve been told I’m dead inside because I’m for small government.

You Rock

by ·

Seth Godin rocks it out as usual:

Five minutes a day you might do exceptional work, remarkable work, work that matters. Five minutes a day you might defeat the lizard brain long enough to stand up and make a difference.

And five minutes of rocking would be enough, because it would be five minutes more than just about anyone else.

One Year

by ·

It’s been almost an entire year, almost to the hour as I write this, since Galadriel passed away.

Six months ago, I tried to write about how I felt at that point, and utterly failed.

But in many ways, that posting wasn’t an utter failure, because everything that I wrote in it was true.

I still look for her.. In fact, this very morning, before the fogginess had lifted from my brain, I was wondering where she was when I woke up.

I still mourn her.

A few days ago, I downloaded the video for I will follow you into the Dark by Death Cab for Cutie. I could only watch about thirty seconds of the video, featuring a pair of rabbits who grow old and then pass away together, before I broke down.

One year later, I still cry.

John Galt Speaking

by ·

The world you desired can be won, it exists, it is real, it is possible, it’s yours. But to win it requires total dedication and a total break with the world of your past, with the doctrine that man is sacrificial animal who exists for the pleasure of others. Fight for the value of your person. Fight for the virtue of your pride. Fight for the essence, which is man, for his sovereign rational mind. Fight with the radiant certainty and the absolute rectitude of knowing that yours is the morality of life and yours is the battle for any achievement, any value, any grandeur, any goodness, any joy that has ever existed on this earth.

– Ayn Rand, Atlas Shrugged

Happy Anniversary Mr. President

by ·

I’m still somewhat surprised that this actually happened. In Massachusetts of all places.

I only wish that I was still able to vote there – so that I could finally cast a vote for a Republican worth his name in my old home state.

How big of a deal is this? Huge.

What happens next depends on the democrats — Barney Frank was a true class act tonight with this statement – which I think indicates the direction that things are going to go:

I have two reactions to the election in Massachusetts. One, I am disappointed. Two, I feel strongly that the Democratic majority in Congress must respect the process and make no effort to bypass the electoral results. If Martha Coakley had won, I believe we could have worked out a reasonable compromise between the House and Senate health care bills. But since Scott Brown has won and the Republicans now have 41 votes in the Senate, that approach is no longer appropriate. I am hopeful that some Republican Senators will be willing to discuss a revised version of health care reform because I do not think that the country would be well-served by the health care status quo. But our respect for democratic procedures must rule out any effort to pass a health care bill as if the Massachusetts election had not happened. Going forward, I hope there will be a serious effort to change the Senate rule which means that 59 votes are not enough to pass major legislation, but those are the rules by which the health care bill was considered, and it would be wrong to change them in the middle of the process.

For once, Representative Frank and I may actually agree on something.

More: Jules Crittenden.