My buddy Tim and I met for the first time back in 1978. He was the President of his fraternity and they were rushing me as an 18 year old. He remembers it. I remember the party but not him. In 2002 I moved from Virginia to the same town in Oklahoma where he lived and by 2004 we were in the band together and have been two old band mates that argue like an old married couple ever since. Today is the third day I’ve been up to see him in the hospital and he just woke from a biopsy. He and I are like a Felix and Oscar of the Odd couple if you are old enough to remember the tv show. I remember original movie Tim if not in a half tucked graphic T with non matching yellow socks with sandles is in an outfit for court (he is the county public defender) that resembles a tacky Christmas party year round. Me- well. Oerhaps a little different. Nevertheless we are best of friends and we kind of have a Laurel and Hardy reputation when we get to the pub together. To go to the hospital I needed to dress comfortably. The fourth pair of pants I tried on finally found some that weren’t falling off. I grabbed my RL linen pants with my green polo and Native American belt, Pendleton socks, Clark’s black woven shoes and Borealis watch. Worried about my buddy but not letting him know that I am.

I started the week preparing to give a 20 minute demonstration on how AI can be used to augment Army Individual Task development. (I am an Instructional Designer/Training Developer) Three months of work in a group (each of us tasked to demonstrate a different aspect of how AI can be used in course development, lesson plans, evaluation, testing and so on.) Numerous changes in how we were going to present to senior leaders. Twenty minutes to present, demonstrate, and allow for questions. People ahead of me went long and I was second from the end. I had five minutes. FIVE minutes. 300 seconds. I adjusted fire very well I will add. But... I was dressed exceptionally well. Brown loafers, grey slacks, white Collars and Co polo, blue blazer. Blue Boston Scally cap to top it off.