Slinky Unclassified

Part I: Background

My older brother is a West Point graduate and during his walk on the long gray line, our family got to know his classmates very well. They'd come and visit us when they were stationed at Ft. Campbell or they'd go out to dinner with us when we'd come to New York-through varied interactions there was lots of bonding. It is pretty fantastic to have thirty older brother figures.

His shirt definitely reads: "it's all fun and games until someone loses a nut''-with a bunch of squirrels pictured.

One of my favorite West Point guys is Michael Campbell-known to my sister and I as Mikey. Such a cool dude. Strong heart for Jesus, laid back, crazy smart about things no one should be that smart about, adventurous, great sense of humour, etc. Uber blessed to have him as part of our West Point family thing. He just got engaged to a fellow nurse (whoop!) and we hope God pours blessing upon blessing onto their family.

My younger sister (Jenny) and I went to visit Mikey in Hawaii last year-that trip was a blast-including the part where we were all evacuated for a tsunami. Well, sort of a tsunami. The only thing that makes Hawaii better is watching lots of 'Arrested Development' and quoting the second 'Ace Ventura' every second of the day. Being in a natural paradise and laughing with good people are two of my favorite things.



"It's gonna be some kind of record!"

 One of our afternoons was spent hiking this old railroad track up the side of a mountain. For those of you who have seen the second Ace Ventura, I'm sure you understand the temptation to quote the slinky scene over and over again. Which we did. "How selfish of me, let's do all the things that yoouuu want to do.''

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltwxC19s5u8

Part II: Actual Point of Post

A few days ago I ran across an online comic about how the slinky is never really as much fun as advertised. I sent it to Mikey with the subject line of 'Slinky'. When he replied, it came back as Slinky UNCLASSIFIED. I guess since it came from a military email account it has to say that? I honestly have no idea. Either way, the term Slinky Unclassified gave me the mental picture of a special agent Slinky gone off the grid-a renegade Slinky with something to prove and nothing to lose. A Rambo Slinky.

Obviously a thirty second mental blip in my mind turned into an hour and a half on Microsoft Paint to bring us all this little work of magic:

Slinky Unclassified: This time he's no push over...

Happy early weekend, y'all. Go buy a Slinky.

Blessings,

KB

P.S. Mavis Staples' album "You Are Not Alone" is fantastic. Good job, Mavis Staples and Jeff Tweedy. And thanks to sister mentioned above for giving it to me for my birthday.