Hi guys

At around 4am this morning I was asleep in my bed when a rather loud crash brought me awake alot faster than I would have liked. Running quickly through the possabilities in head I came up empty.
My roommate was asleep in her room, and the only other living creature in the house is a 9 year old mutt who was still soundly snoring at the base of my bed.
Fearing the worst I withdrew a handgun from the locker, and went to take a look. What I found was that for unknown reasons my middle shelf of a five shelf book case had given way. spilling not only a large number of books all over the floor, but years of files,drawings and maps.
Luckly I was off today and was able to spend most of the day cleaning up. What I can't seem to figure out is why that shelf gave out. It was no more overloaded than any of the others. I've checked the other shelves, and they appear find. Looking at the bottom of the broken shelf does not show any stress cracks, or ware marks, or anything else that would show it was getting readty to give out.
It will take me awhile to organize all the files, e.t.c. again. I'm, just more than a bit confussed what caused that shelf to give out. Sorry just needed a place to vent. Oh ya my roommate is now positive the house is hunted. [ To much late night T.V.}

Harry

Does the term Murphy's Law mean anything? If it can go wrong, it will. I'm NOT superstitious, but with Friday being Friday the 13th I'm beginning to wonder. So far this week I've had to get my car fixed, $189, tried, and failed, to fix a simple water fixture, so the plumber is coming tomorrow, and the heating element went out on the dryer, about $90 when it's fixed. I'm afraid to even leave the house Friday.

Probably haunted by Maurice Clarett's football career...

Sorry, couldn't help it when I noticed you where from Ohio.

Shaun

Stupid gravity!

The carpet monster?

May want to reinforce the other shelves just to be on the safe side.

Hi all

Thanks for the replys. After spending my only day off picking up books, papers, e.t.c I needed a place to vent. after all that mess I almost wish it had been an intruder.
Hey Shaun Maurice Clarett never had a football career. He had chances alot more than he should had. I think he's in jail now waiting on a armed robbery charge. Last I heard he was facing that and a few weapons charges unrelated to the first case. Man, what a waste of god given talent. Get this, He told police that the Israeli mob was after him, and thats why him was carrying all those guns. { an AK47 and two handguns}
Rodger- So far the shelf is the only weird or unexplained thing to happen this week. Watch now that I said that all hell is going to break lose.
To everybody else who responed - thanks guys for giving me somewhere to explode without spilling blood, or costing money.
Harry

Its Been hot in Ohio the last week or so. Creep?

Hi Jonny

I'm sorry I don't follow, whats "creep" ? It has been hot, but nothing out of the norm. Plus it only lasted for a few days. The bookcase was in the den against an inside wall. Plus it gave out around 4am when outside temps were around 50s or 60s. I don't know, the bookcase now looks pretty stupid with the missing shelf. Not to mention I now have two boxes of books and nowhere to put them. I may be shopping for a new bookcase this weekend.
Harry

Harry...off topic....what do you carry?

Could be one of those "Go BLUE baby, GO BLUE!!!"

Mike

Mike I'm not sure by what you mean by what I carry. If you mean my weapon. When I was working I carried a Sig 9mm, as a service weapon. I've been disabled since 95 so I can't say what they use now. If you mean what I went for when the shelf gave out, it was a Rugar P-90
As far as an everyday weapon, Wheel chair or no wheel chair I don't believe in leaving my house unarmed. Depending on the season anything from a Bersa 380, {summer] or Rugar P-90. {Fall, winter}
If I'm wrong then please let me know.
Harry

Harry,

You got my meaning right on the spot. My day-to-day conceal is a Colt Commander .45 ACP....that's with me most of the time. My other is a Ruger New Model BH .45 LC....but chambered with a super hot load. Not something any "bad guy" would want to be tagged with.

My Volunteer side-arm was also the P-90. What an awsome handgun. Smooth, clean, easy firing....I miss it. But...I like the Commander and my "wheel-gun." IMHO, one can't ask for a better caliber than a .45 for "home defense." Heavy....probably won't exit the house if I miss (not likely) unlike the -89 9mm, lots of ammo options. My favored HD round is the Federal Hydrashok (sp?)....when it hits, it'll leave it's mark.

Regardless....I'm glad it was merely a "ghost." Nothing like something like that to get the juices flowing!

Realizing this is going way Do you have a "Make My Day Law" in Ohio?

Mike

p.s. Feel free to drop me a PM if you wanna go that route.

Hey Mike

I've had the misfortune to have my jucies flow. I'd rather not repeat it. The nightmares from the first time are still around. The law in Ohio that allows a civilian to use deadly force is in strict defense of your own or another's life. Thats a cut down version of it and I'm sure there are lawyers around who could spell it out much better than I ever could.
Do me this one favor and keep a few things in mind, and please don't think I'm insulting you, or anything like that. I speak from some very hard earned experience. First, firing a weapon on a range, and firing a weapon on a streat at a real live person is as different as night and day. I know of a number of people, some of then police officers who can punch out x rings on paper all day long, but can't pull the trigger on a human no matter what. They freeze up like a engine without oil. Looking down the barrel at a living person is a life changer.
Thanks to T.V. and Movies our culture thinks killing is easy. Well the actual act of taking a life is not hard. Its the living with it afterwards that is a lady. A weapon is nothing but a tool. If you or anyone else is in a job where its needed then may God bless and keep you.
It does not make a person stonger, bigger, or right or wrong . It just makes one part of your belt heavier than the other. Don't get me wrong, I own a number of weapons. At one time I was a trained tactical officer. Its not something I brag about, hell its not even somthing I talk alot about. I'm not a gun enthusiast. I'm sorry if it sounds like I'm coming down on you. thats not my intent. I carry a weapon now because there are people who see the disabled as easy targets or easy victims. It would be my last option, but a option if I was forced to I would use.
Guys I'm very sorry for going off on a tagent like this Maybe I should have used the PM system. I never claimed to be smart. Mike, please believe me, I'm not trying to mess with you or cut you down,nothing like that. It just scares me somtimes when I hear mostly younger guys talk about weapons. like they are more than they are. Just be careful. Keep in mind once that bullet leaves the barrel it owes you nothing. It will hit the first thing in its path. No matter what it is.

Harry

Harry, no offense taken or even assumed to be implied. We all have our "break point" to use that term loosly. I've been there, done that, so to speak.

I've ALWAYS told my son that, regardless of the hour, if he brings someone into the house, let me know. Karin and I go to sleep between 9 and 11 pm. IF something doesn't sound right, "I'm up and awake."

Only one time have I had to draw (and after the fact, didn't do other than "break leather"). In this case, it was someone in the house that was kosher....I didn't know it at the time, but....they were okay. Scared the HEl1 outta me and him! But, it was one of those after the noise....search, seek, see kinda things. Other than the first Gulf War, I've NEVER drew on some one and fired....don't want to again....it is really an uncomfortable feeling inside. Yea, the "he or me" crap IS there...but it's different when you're in your own house...big time!

I'd add a side comment to this...age has little to do with it. I'm 43....I'd like to think I have a "solid head" on my shoulders when it comes to weapons...Others have been much further into this than us....I can only imagine...but. Training and "smarts" make a huge difference as to the outcome. Most intruders, when they hear the loud chamber of a round, regardless of weapon (shotguns are a different story), will think twice. It's a psychological (sp?) thing...but, I digress.

Harry, as you said: "once that bullet leaves the barrel it owes you nothing. It will hit the first thing in its path. No matter what it is." THAT IS SO TRUE. So damn true. Too many people do not realize that SIMPLE fact. One can only hope that the person firing knows WHERE they are firing. Simple bit of life (literally) there.

Last thing Harry: "scares me somtimes when I hear mostly younger guys talk about weapons." I grew up with them...Squirrel hunting, bird hunting, deer hunting....My brothers and Dad taught me right. Yea...I like my .45's a lot. They'll hit and knock down hard. But, I KNOW WHAT THEY'LL DO and respect that. More law abiding citizens need to realize that...the after affects of their actions. A lot do....a lot DON'T.

Anyhow.....I think this thread has turned out to be an enlightening one. You and I are here in the States where weapons, for the most part are okay...think about the places where they are NOT okay....yea, yea...."blood thirsty" Americans.....BS. Weapons are "banned" in a lot of places....does THAT banning keep things from happening? No. It does not. But, sorry, that's an entirely DIFFERENT subject.

Off the box.

Mike