Quirky Fridays

by Kimberly A. Cook           (Twitter@ WarriorTales)

The final Quirky Friday of 2011. The pressure is extreme to come up with something fun and inspiring to launch us all into the New Year. Happily, with the help of You Tube, I have it. This great nation has had some tough knocks the past several years and folks are struggling. But one of the things I love the most about us all is we are nuts and creative. Those are the skills which will pull us out of any mess.

We are very good at being creative and working together when times are tough. We have the drive, commitment and gumption to do the impossible. So in the great steps of our forefathers and foremothers, I give you Guinea Pig Agility Training! If Americans in South Dakota can train guinea pigs to perform, we can do anything! (They’re also training fish!) Happy Quirky Friday!

by Kimberly A. Cook                         (Twitter@ WarriorTales)

Heading into the holiday weekend I wanted to put my favorite Claymation Christmas video up today. While the Prep & Landing Elves are making final preparations to deploy Santa for Christmas eve, the California Raisins are also going to be out there, courtesy of The Temptations.

With all this air activity going on around the world, the men and women of the U.S. and Canadian militaries staff the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD). They have a busy job managing the air space, keeping it clear, coordinated and safe. If you want to follow their expert tracking of Santa, check out http://www.noradsanta.org/en/index.html They started their countdown on Dec. 2 to make sure all tracking systems are operational.

I took a tour of NORAD while stationed at Fort Carson, Colorado with the Army. One of things I remember is how thorough their military police were in scanning my entire body with the metal detector. Twice. Guess they were just being very careful. Right.

Happy Holidays and a very happy quirky Friday!

by Kimberly A. Cook                       (Twitter@ WarriorTales)

What do you get the woman who has everything? A gift certificate to drive a tank! I’ve always wanted to go through the Army’s M1A1 tank driving course where they swim in mud, but this would be a great option until I can make that happen. So in my holiday shopping public service announcement mode, go check out how you can drive a tank.

While I served in the Fourth Infantry Division MECHANIZED (capitalized because it means tanks!), I once rode in an APC (Armored Personnel Carrier) coming back in from downrange and got to ride in a big tank being delivered at Fort Carson, Colorado, but I never got to drive. Add a big red bow and we are good to go! Happy Quirky Friday!   

by Kimberly A. Cook                      (Twitter@ WarriorTales)

The holiday season is here and folks are in the mood to drink spirits and celebrate the seasons, whichever season people choose to celebrate. These lighting engineers must have had great fun working on this project. But, geez Mabel, the lighting bill! These are the kind of displays I like to watch and then retreat to my low-key Christmas of shooting off artillery. Enjoy the show! Happy Quirky Friday! 

by Kimberly A. Cook                       (Twitter@ WarriorTales)

One of my favorite holiday television shows called Prep & Landing debuted in 2009. I loved it! With military precision this special group of elves go in and prepare the landing sites for Santa and his reindeer in order to complete the Christmas Mission Op. The Disney special on the ABC Channel was the highest watched debut for a new holiday program. 

The DVD went on sale Nov. 22 and I snapped it up. You can watch the launch sequence for Santa’s sleigh here and it looks a lot like an aircraft carrier launch. Hmmm.  

Then I found out there is a sequel which will air on Monday, Dec. 5, at 8:30 p.m. on ABC. That is so tinsel! (You will understand that remark after you watch the show) One of my favorite parts of the new trailer for the Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice is Thrasher. 

http://www.matttrailer.com/prep_landing_naughty_vs_nice_2011

Everybody knows about Navy SEALs, well the great guys who get them in and out are called SWCC = Special Warfare Combatant-Craft Crewman.  Their web site is www.sealsswcc.com  AND? In Prep & Landing – both versions – Thrasher is so SWCC! Can’t wait to see what happens given how the coal elf calls him out in a scene in the video trailer. Check it out! Happy Quirky Friday.