Sat. 14JUN25 - The Daily Poop - Who's in Charge Here?

I started my Navy career traveling the West Coast with a Navy show band, packing clothing, personal belongings and musical equipment for weeks at a time. I finished my career leading a Nay band around Asia by ship, airplane and bus. I've packed seabags, suitcases, and equipment; I've been responsible for the packing of seabags, suitcases and equipment by sixteen sailors. 

So why, I ask myself, is it so damn hard to pack the car for the trip to Kansas City? We're leaving tomorrow morning and are nowhere ready.

In part, it's a leadership problem. We're not lacking leadership; to the contrary, there's too much leadership. I am not the only person who believes he is in charge of loading the car. Another person also considers his- or her-self in charge of the operation. I've had my stuff organized and ready to go since yesterday afternoon. The other person still has open, half-full suitcases sprawling across the bed. 

I have prepared a packing list so each item may be stowed according to three criteria: Does it need to be removed from the car at the hotel we're staying at tonight? Can it remain in the hold until we reach our destination? Must it be accessible to driver and passengers during the journey? 

 The other person is still standing in front of mirrors deciding which top goes with which bottom.

Sorry, I just had to get this off my chest. I will now revert to my usual jolly self and ask this other person how I might assist him or her in his or her preparations. 

Vote Frank Mullen for Human of the Year.

  

 

 

    

Fri., 13JUN25 - The Daily Poop - Packing

THUR 12JUN25 -- The Daily Poop with The New Frank Mullen.

SUN 15JUN25 AM -- Dep. Aledo, IL

SUN 15JUN25 PM -- Arr. Osceola, IA

MON 16JUN25 AM -- Dep. Osceola, IA

MON 16JUN25 PM -- Arr. Kansas City, MO

TUE 17JUN25 -- Prep for reunion.

WED 18JUN25 AM thru SAT, 21JUN25 PM -- NMA Reunion

SUN 22JUN25 AM -- Dep. Kansas City, MO

SUN 22JUN25 PM -- Arr. Ottumwa, IA

MON 23JUN25 AM -- Dep. Ottumwa, IA

MON 23JUN25 PM -- Arr. Aledo, IL

For God's sake, you'd think this was a three-month cruise involving 120 performances in seven countries, hot-racking with the bosuns and eating on the fly. Fact is, my wife and I are just driving 360 miles to a comfortable hotel where my shipmates and I will shoot the breeze, sit in on jam sessions, rehearse for a few days and put on a few concerts.

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This year's Frank Mullen at the reunion will be the New Frank Mullen. The difference between the New Frank Mullen and the Old Frank Mullen, is that the New Frank Mullen's clothes fit. 

The New Frank Mullen doesn't weigh in at the same low poundage the Old Frank Mullen brought to his first reunion in 2006. The weight gain has not been outlandish, but that steady accumulation, ounce by ounce, year after year, has added up to the undeniable fact that the New Frank Mullen does not fit in the Old Frank Mullen's wardrobe. The New Frank Mullen wishes he'd realized this a few years ago and apologizes to all those upon whom he has inflicted his unfortunate visage.

Out with the old and in with the new. The New Frank Mullen has outfitted himself for 2025. Yes, the New Frank Mullen is still a fashion-free slob, but he's a fashion-free slob whose clothes fit.

It's amazing what 45 minutes in Walmart can do.

 

WED 11JUN25 - The Daily Poop - First Edition

After every NMA reunion, it always seems like an eternity will pass before we meet again. But eternity always passes quickly. Now, to my shock, I find myself packing and prepping for the 2025 NMA reunion, which begins a week from today.

Every year since 2008, I've published The Daily Poop during the run-up to the reunion. It provides a way to stay in touch with shipmates, to promote the NMA, and—frankly speaking—to drum up a bit of anticipation at a time when we already have more than enough anticipation to go around. The Daily Poop is published here at my blog, NavyLyres, and is also crossposted to Facebook. 

I'll keep up The Daily Poop until early next week, when I'll switch to the traditional NMA Reunion Live-blog coverage. This is our 30th anniversary, so I expect a lively party awaits us in Kansas City. 

So, if you can't come to the reunion this year, a quick check here or at Facebook will provide a taste of our reunion goings-on. 

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I wish I looked as good
as the AI version of me.

My journey to Kansas City will be the first road trip in my new car—well, it was new in December, but I still haven't figured out all the bells, whistles, and electronic shenanigans that come with cars nowadays.

The only gadgetry I truly understand is Siriusly Sinatra. The car came with a few free months of SiriusXM, which streams Sinatra into my soul every time I press the car's start button. Frank is often joined by other crooners and jazz singers, but the Main Attraction is the Voice. Naturally, I've continued the subscription. Let's face it—everything goes better with Sinatra.

SiriusXM provides other channels, and one afternoon, I sampled them. There's a sixties channel, a jazz channel, a comedy channel, and probably a channel for everything you could possibly want.

But if you have any sense of taste, you don’t want them. You want Sinatra.

I'm a lucky guy—but not as lucky as my wife. Jo gets to ride to Kansas City with two Franks.

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