One-handed battle axe

This is not a bad melee weapon, thought it's never been a favorite. The main problem I've had with it is that it feels too light in my hands. It could deliver a decent blow or two, I'm sure, but I don't quite trust it for combat. However, I do think it would make an excellent parrying weapon for the off hand (that's left hand, for me). It's just light enough to be able to knock aside blows from one's opponent, and then you could bring it back for more blocking or a decent slash. Because of it's lightness, I don't feel this would be a strong weapon for attacking an armored figure, but it could do good slashing damage against leather or unarmored opponents. The spike on the back of the blade is supposed to be for punching holes in plate armor, but again, there's just not enough heft to this weapon to make it feel safe in such pursuits.

Still, this axe is easily swingable and would make a decent secondary weapon. Has a fairly decent reach for a light axe at 27 and a half inches. Unfortunately, the handle on this thing is wrapped in pretty slick leather, which makes it a bit too smooth for the hands.

No. 15 - Devil May Care

by Sebastian Faulks

Started: May 30
Finished: June 7

Notes: This is the latest James Bond book. I haven't read a Bond book in a long while, and I've never read one not by original Bond author Ian Fleming, so this should be interesting.

Mini review: Not a bad read, especially if you're in the mood for some slightly goofy Cold-War-era Bond fiction. The only thing that struck me as not great about this novel was that it seemed very stereotypical of the Bond movie franchise, and though it's been a long time since I read any of Fleming's Bond novels, I seem to remember Fleming's plots and his characters as being more realistic. Still, this was fun in its own way.

Lots to walk about

As I’ve said elsewhere on this blog, I’ve been walking a lot this year. Initially this was to improve my health, then I walked simply because I enjoy it, and now I walk even more because of the current prices of gasoline (heck, I even took a city bus to Wal-Mart today because it only cost me a dollar … it would’ve cost more than that for me to drive my SUV there and back).

I’m now averaging about three miles a day. That includes walks to my part-time newspaper job, the grocery, our local deli and other odds and ends places. I can even walk to pay most of our bills since we live downtown.

A lot, of course, can be said for walking. In general it improves the health, stamina and muscles being the most noticeable.

But, walking is also good for the mental processes (and perhaps, the spiritual aspects).
I think a lot when I walk. Sometimes it’s just silly stuff, like about a song.

But when walking I also do a lot of thinking about writing, about plot ideas or characters or the three stories or some chapters I’m supposed to be working on right now but just haven’t had the time (that’s a whole other blog post, but in the main I’m having to spend a LOT of time job hunting right now).

So, even when I’m not writing, I am writing. At least in my mind.

Ruger 10-22 rifle

This is a fine weapon from Ruger. It is one of the best-made rifles I've had the pleasure to own, and in my hands it was so accurate I felt like I could shoot off the legs of a gnat at 500 yards.

Yes, with no kick, I could hit just about anything with this rifle. And I especially liked this gun because I often am critical of .22s. Many .22s seem kind of cheap, but this one was well-made and felt like it. It didn't feel like an oversized toy, like some .22 rifles or pistols feel in your hands; nope, it felt like a rifle.

Nice weight. Nice size. Accurate. Cheap ammo. Nothing could go wrong here.

And this thing never, ever jammed on me even after I put thousands and thousands of rounds through it. Which is more than I can say for most .22s I've owned and/or shot.

Throw in a bannana clip that holds 25 or 50 rounds, and the trigger action was so quick and smooth it was almost like firing on full auto.

Here in my car

Nope, I'm not literally in my car. The title above is a reference to a song. If you don't know it, then you're probably not old enough. Or I'm just a lousy title maker.

But I am writing about cars today, or more specifically, driving.

I've had to do a ton of driving this week, on the road traveling to a couple of different places along the East Coast of the U.S.

This is the first time in a long time I've driven this much in such a short period of time, about four days.

This is also the first time in months I've really driven at all. For health reasons, and because of the convenience of where I live downtown, for the last four or five months I've been walking everywhere I go for the most part. I've only been driving about once a week when I have to go pick up a big load of groceries or have to go across town to buys something specific I can't get near I live. Otherwise, I walk to work and to the grocery store and to restaurants and plenty of other places. I'm averaging about three miles a day now.

I'm not complaining about walking that much. I rather enjoy it, and have been thinking about blogging about walking and a lot of the benefits it brings.

But today I'm writing about driving.

Why? Because I rediscovered something while driving this week.

Driving can be fun!

I'm not talking about your drive to work or school or whatnot. I'm talking about cruising along the highway at two in the morning with your windows down (or top off) and a great song comes on the radio. Maybe it's "Gimme Shelter" by the Rolling Stones, or "Money" by Pink Floyd, or whatever you think is a great song.

It dawned on me there is something authentically American, even downright youthful, about such a drive. It's almost like being back in high school or college again, even if you're on your own while driving and listening to a great tune. It's almost like you're transported back to the past, and even if alone you can feel the spirit of old friends and good times. And it's just good to feel alive!

I missed that feeling. Don't get enough of it.

No, I'm not going to stop walking. Nor am I really going to start driving more, unless I have to go on another trip.

But maybe next time I'll be looking forward to such a trip.

My only fear is that the days of cruising along and listening to great tunes might be coming to an end, what with the price of oil and the state of the world.

But maybe not. Maybe not.

Maybe we can keep riding along together for a good while yet. Maybe oil prices will come down. Maybe technology will come up with something as good as or better than the internal comustion engine.

Maybe.

Taurus .22 6-shot revolver

Honestly, this has been the least-favorite weapon I've had the experience to own, and I sold it after having it for about six months or so. It's even put me off from buying any other Taurus firearms, which I'll admit might be a shame because Taurus is a fairly well known gun manufacturer and I suppose they must put out some decent weapons to stay in business.

The biggest problem with this revolver was it's misfiring, which means that it was pretty common for the bullets not to fire once the hammer had fallen and struck them. Out of each six shots, I'd guess at least one shell wouldn't fire, and sometimes even more. And it wasn't a problem with the ammunition, because I tried lots of different .22 ammo in this gun.

Also, unusual for me and revolvers, this one just didn't have a good fit to my hand. And, it felt kind of cheap. It did have a decent weight to it in my hands, but it just felt sort of shoddy. Again, maybe it was just this one bad gun I got. Taurus might make plenty of great firearms.

As with most .22s, this one was really only a plinking gun, for target shooting and practice and such. I originally bought it because I wanted a revolver to practice with. Ammo for .22s is extremely cheap, so it makes sense financially to use a .22 for lots of practice shooting.

No. 14 - The Founders' Second Amendment: The Origins of the Right to Bear Arms

by Stephen P. Halbrook

Started: May 19
Finished: May 29

Notes: I don't consider myself a gun nut, but I have owned a fair number of firearms and other weapons, and I enjoy target shooting. Plus, from time to time I like to read more political-oriented works. This is one of them, the first in a while really. And it's about the U.S. founding fathers, and I enjoy history.

Mini review: This is an excellent book for showing just how hardcore the founding fathers really were when it came to gun rights. I'm surprised they didn't include mandatory military service in the Bill of Rights, though there was the Militia Act of 1793 that made it law for all able-bodied men to have to have a firearm at home (the law wasn't repealed until 1903, but it had never been truly enforced). Whatever the arguments for stricter gun laws might be, they can't be based upon any ideas that the founding fathers weren't truly in touch with gun rights. Personally, I'll admit to being a complete hypocrite on the subject; I think I should be able to have whatever guns and ammo I want, but the rest of you goobers I don't trust with rocks and string.