Back to Business

The Reunion was great, thanks to everybody for giving me a great four-day respite from my increasingly annoying daily grind, but now it's back to business. That being said here, after a slight delay, is the latest batch of Demotivators...bon apetite.

I wonder how he does on Road Rash.

After Dave becomes a Doctor, I wonder if he'll get a case like this.

Uprising stuff

1. Dr. Christopher Flizak (US Army CPT retired): He was the youngest enlisted soldier in GEN Anders' 2nd Polish Corps during WWII at 10 years old. On September 1st, 1939, he was happy because it was announced that school was canceled in their small Polish town on the eastern border with Russia. The Nazis had invaded and the whole town started digging antitank trenches. On September 17th, the town was captured by the invading Soviet army and his father, an officer in the border army unit, was captured. Somehow, his father got word to the family that they should flee to southeaster Poland, what is now Ukraine, to stay with an aunt an uncle. Not long after Dr. Flizak's mother, sister and he got to this town, the NKVD (KGB) deported them to Siberia. His mother and sister ended up in an African refugee camp for most of the war. Dr. Flizak went looking for his father. While starving in Siberia, he was enlisted at the age of 10 by the Polish 2nd Corps and traveled with them through Iraq, Palestine, Italy until the unit was decommissioned in Britain after the war. After that, he emigrated to the US where he enlisted in the Army, fought in the Korean War with the Rakkasahns where he earned the Silver Star, Bronze Star, and Purple heart. We ran into each other on August 1st, just after W hour (1700) in Powazki Cemetery where Underground veterans gather every year to commemorate the beginning of the Warsaw Uprising.
2. Brian and Juliette: Brian (Bronek) is one of two surviving members of his platoon from the Warsaw Uprising in 1944. After the Uprising, he was captured by the Nazis and stuck in the Gestapo prison in Krakow. He escaped a few days before mass executions. Juliette survived Sept 11, 2001, where she was working in the north tower on the 82nd floor when it was hit on the 87th floor. She descended on her own to the 20th floor where she collapsed and was dragged out by two men the rest of the way. When the south tower collapsed, she nearly suffocated on the debris. They are both Americans who immigrated from Poland.
3. CPT Jerzy Bartnik "Magik": This man is the youngest recipient of Poland's Virtuti Militari, our equivalent of the Medal of Honor. He was 14 years old. He was a member of the "Parasol" Special Operations and Diversions Unit of the Underground Army during the Uprising. He was blonde, blue-eyed and spoke excellent German and conducted many missions behind enemy lines. His pseudonym "Magik" means Magician in Polish. He got it for surviving so many suicide missions. He made it through enemy lines to the Allies in Italy, for example, to bring intelligence. The Allies wanted to send him to London. He refused and returned back through Nazi territory to Warsaw to rejoin his unit. After the war, he emigrated to the US since he was wanted/unwelcome by governing Polish Communisits as a potential insurrectionary. He gave a speech in May at the US Ambassador's house about how thankful he was for America because she gave him the opportunity to have a family.
4. GEN Stefan Baluk (2nd from right): This man was an officer in Poland's famed unit, "Cichociemni" which means "Dark and Silent." These guys parachuted one by one into occupied Poland to help organize and reinforce Underground units. He made his way to Warsaw in order to help fight and lead in the Uprising. This is a picture of him cutting the ribbon of the new "Cichociemni" exhibit at Warsaw's Uprising Museum. With him is Poland's "GROM" commander, COL Jerzy Gut (3rd from right). GROM is Poland's current elite Special Ops unit that claims its heritage from the Cichociemni. Both he and the officer on the left are in their 90's now and fought in the Uprising in '44.

Demotivators

You know the drill, here's the latest lineup, hope you enjoy.

I believe this group was started in the wake of the Disco Age, to ensure such a travesty never happened again.

Katie, I don't if this will help with your difficulties in the field, but I thought I'd give it a shot.

Seasick Steve

This guy is the best thing to come out in a while.

Oakley Fae Shaha

Hey guys!

Here are some pictures of little Oakley. She was born at 0050 hrs on Wednesday July 27. She weighed 7 lbs 10 oz and was 19 and 3/4 inches long. She's so much fun. She has been really calm and not too fussy so far. We're so thrilled to have her around!

This is right after she was born. As you can tell, she looks a little stunned.

Here's the fam. She was a little overwhelmed by everything and unable to smile for the picture.

Mom and Dad came to visit today and really thought Oakley was awesome. Mom had this picture of Emily as a newborn that looks just like Oakley. Pretty cool.

This is Lisa, Wendy's Mom. She's been out here the past few weeks. We were all glad she finally got to see the baby (Oakley was 10 days late!). Oakley was a little frustrated she had to go.

This is my favorite so far.


Love you guys.

Dave and Wendy

Oakley's Arrival!!

Once again the old man demonstrates his digital immigrance--why won't these photos stay ROTATED!! But you'll get the idea. Mom and I prepared to visit Dave and Wendy and their new baby, Oakley. Guess which burger was Mom's!

And of course the obligatory visit to the baby outlets. The manager here salivates every time they see Mom approach the door.

Well, the photos from here on out got all jumbled--again I loaded stuff in the wrong order (sometimes it's hard to be an immigrant). But AIN'T SHE CUTE!

Check out her hair--could get a haircut already at 3 days old.

And very alert--notice her selection of the pink elephant jammies for her first stroller ride in public.

Being the center of attention is pretty exhausting.

This photo should have come at the beginning of our visit--Oakley's first bath at home. She did very well--not a squawk. And Wendy looks so good you wouldn't believe she had a 34 hour labor and delivery just 2 days before this photo. What a woman!

Thanks Dave and Wendy for a great visit and for being such a wonderful family already.

More Demotivators

Don't let Oakley get to looking like this.

Lame, I know

Well, I know it's kinda lame that I'm posting pictures right before the family reunion. Sorry.

Lucy loved the starfish. Can't you tell?
Don't believe her face for a minute.

Hailey and her uncle Jesse loading up with sunblock.

Lucy Goosey

Lucy will be the next lead singer for Hurl

Joe says that if you look up the definition of bedhead you may see this

what a happy kid. . . most of the time

Lucy & Hailey