Greg Collins

My heartfelt thanks to all of you for your condolences and comments. It seems that, as the "line to mortality" shortens and those remaining move up a notch (I'm 59 now) we get used to saying goodbye to friends and family more frequently. However, this one was hard for me and I really appreciate the support.

Peter,

Not retired yet, but have sworn to absolutely do it at the first opportunity (when the state decides to shut down a prison, they will often offer to add to years toward retirement so older staff will move aside for a younger officer from the prison that was closed). Hoping that I do not have to wait until 65 (didn't begin this gig until I was 45, and the 8 years in the Navy does not count toward state employment- boo hiss!). I expect money will be somewhat of an issue- due to state austerity measures, we haven't had a raise in 3 years so we're getting used to that; I already know about energy. My bucket list has already been downsized considerably.

Camera is dusted off and at the ready. Hope to do some damage (constructively, of course) to the competition this year!

Greg

Simply the luck of the draw...

Brian,

I will resort to all sorts of underhanded methods and celebrities to further my point... Popeye, the Roadrunner, Daffy Duck, the Freak Brothers and, upon occassion, Cheech Wizard... whatever works ;-)

Friends absolutely! And always with respect for different points of view that are well argued.

Without getting too steeped in politics (this is the wrong place for that), I would simply answer, "I am what I am (thanks to Popeye for that phrase), and we're still here in spite of McCarthy and Reagan- and they aren't". I don't believe the Occupy movement is any one thing (yet), although there is a strong social element to it.

Kev, sorry about the St. Pat's parades. I've not been as active with the IRSP as I had been in the past. We'll work on that...

OK, ok, I'll rephrase... does anyone, other than Nick and me, know what the "PMR" is? By the way, very nice Nick... you wrote it in all 3 languages designated on the State seal- Moldovan, Russian and Ukrainian. For those who are unsure of what the Moldovan language is, it is essentially Romanian written in Cyrillic.

Thanks, Mervyn. I'm happy to be able to contribute and glad you are enjoying the design. I have received more than a couple compliments on the pin from folks not even associated with collecting, which is gratifying.

I think the GMIC has done more for me than I have done for it; the fellowship, information gained and, frankly, the moments I can spend away from this remote and rather uninteresting area and spend time, via the internet, with friends from cities and lands I've either visited or wished to visit and share a common and noble interest. To this end, I'm glad I've been able to help, and will continue to try and be of some service in the future.

Thanks, Hipnos! And a very Happy Birthday (belated) to you! By the way, I was in Madrid at the tender age of 6 (1960).

Best,
Greg

It's a badge celebrating National Firemen's Day. I can read the date as 26 August 1934, but can't quite make out the abbreviation for the location (in Germany).

Thanks, Mervyn!

Thought I'd check out the pin sales before I get too "uppity" about the logo (most here probably already know I designed it)... I've found that kind words are always nice, but the proof of the pudding is when someone is willing to throw their money at it. Remember, the degree was in "Commercial" Art...

Greg

Frank,

Sorry to hear of your wife's mishap and hope she is, at least, comfortable (pain free) during what I hope will be a speedy recovery. My best to both of you.

Greg

Am fortunate in the hair department... our Hiberno-Norse (West Cork) male roots bequeathed this mix of multiple shades going from blond to red to light brown to darker brown. As we age, the grey begins at the chin (prior to the greying, it was red) and goes upwards until it covers just north of the ears. The result is that greying on the sides that everyone seems to think looks "distinguished". This is how we depart the mortal coil- my Grandfather was 83 when he bowed out and that was what his hair looked like, and it is the way mine is now.

With regard to the paycheck thing; like everything else you do in life, a series of decisions, whether good or bad, brought you to where you are. At one point in my life (1999), I saw that the agency (advertising) where I was employed was just not going to last. The owner had made some unthinking and disastrous mistakes and put the business into real trouble. We could no longer trust the solvency of the organization- our paychecks began to bounce. I was talked into a State job which borrowed on a part of my military experience- I went to work in the prison system (womens maximum security, to be exact). I did this only as a "stop-gap" measure- until I could reinsert myself into the creative end of advertising. Well, frankly, I got lazy, did not keep abreast of changes in the field, blah, blah, blah, and 13 years later, here I remain. It is not a job I recommend- we have even surpassed dentists (formally at the top of the list) for suicides. On the other hand, and for some strange reason, I seem to be good at it (?) and it IS a paycheck, just not a very pleasant way of making a living. And I'm surrounded by those who are, basically, functionally illiterate. Frustrating.

Your first at 52!!! Congratulations!

I chose the early route... my granddaughter just graduated high school. I cannot imagine doing what you are doing now at our ages (although, if my granddaughter provides a little one any time soon, I guess I'll probably get the chance). The great thing about being a grandparent, over a parent, is that you can spoil them rotten and then give them back. Sort of a benevolent revenge thing...

Well, Frank, it keeps me off the street... and besides, I'm not a completest, at least not with these.

Frank,

Hate to say it, but I have had to add shipping to the cost of awards for some time now to determine cost vs value. More and more, I try to buy from a seller here in the US because, while his/her price may be a bit on the high end, their shipping is usually a whole lot less, bringing the final cost down below what it would have cost to deal, say, with a seller in the UK or beyond. Of course, this can severely limit your selection but, if you can wait, the item will usually turn up closer or the price will go down from the distant seller making his/her shipping cost (when added to the item) seem more reasonable. Unfortunately, the narrower your search (take for example PMR items), the fewer the sellers and, alas, the higher probability you'll wind up a victim of their shipping method. And now, of course, we're having issues with our postal system :-(

Mervyn,

Already have the diploma- summa cum laude, no less- and worked in the field for nearly 15 years. The reason I do what I now do... well, it's a sordid story with a sad ending. Let's just say that an individual from old money made a drastic mistake that hurt him a little (lots of old money) and hurt those around him a whole lot (no job- out in the street). Some of those people had to find a job fast that would pay the most considering where they were. At least one of those people got lazy with the constant paycheck and did not look for another job associated with his career :-)

Greg

Yes, Mervyn, the certificate did arrive- many thanks!

I won't be bringing back any prisoners as I consider them "tovarischi"- comrades. Would love, however, to bring in the 2% of our population that seems to have well over half the country's wealth and, while we're at it, the entire Bilderburger group as well. Would hope we have a sufficient supply of needles at Greensville for that lot. OK, ok, calm down... breathe... I'm alright now.

Very overcast here all day- got some good photography done, although only for the DDR gallery.

I think of what must go on in peoples' minds when I tell them what I do for a living (not my career- just a paycheck; already had a career in graphic design/photography). If that thought is either pleasant or titillating- forget it. It just ain't so (to put it in the vernacular). Yes, we do have some good looking women, and I see all 11 of them most days. It's the other 1200 that get to you. You would not believe the variations that exist between XX and XY! Astounding!

From what I've heard from those who knew him better than I was that he was having family problems... could mean a whole lot of things, so I'm not going to speculate. Our relationship focused primarily on the job, our shared Navy experiences and politics. We both shared a cynical sense of humour, which bound us closer in this environment.

My current job is as a Sergeant in a Womens' maximum security prison housing 1200+ offenders. I believe that, about 2 years ago, we made it to the top of the potential suicide list. We finally passed the dentists.

OK, Mervin, I'll throw a couple of photos in the mix... remember, "you asked for it" (am I the only one who remembers that t.v. show?). Also sending my address.

Best,
Greg

How did I become interested in faleristics... hmmmmm. Kind of a weird story but, bear with me. As you may know, I recently had the honour of having an example of my art chosen as the GMIC logo. Well, I've been doing this type of thing for awhile (degree in Commercial Art/Photography). You may or may not know that my politics are decidedly "red". Given these facts, I was, several years back, requested to produce a body of art by a political entity that is, shall we say, decidedly "left of center". OK, fine, no problem... but, as I got into the art at hand, I found I needed some examples to study- just images would be fine.

Went to our favorite auction site and began to get ideas akimbo and noticed the prices (for what I was looking at at that moment) weren't prohibitive at all, so I went ahead and bought a few examples; you know, just to have around in case I needed a "muse". Well, one thing lead to another and I got bitten by the "collector bug" and have been one ever since. So, in a nutshell, art lead to my collecting.

Nick,

I don't carry any weapons on the inside :-(... THAT really would be dangerous! Ienvy your living in Moscow- it's on my "bucket list". I want to stand at the base of, and marvel at, the Mukhina statue (The Worker and the Kolkoz Woman). It is, by far, my absolute favorite!!!

Thanks for you kind words and offer.

Greg

Mervyn,

Hawaii? Alas, no, but here in Virginia is where the quake happened- no one, except those of us who are "travelled", knew what was going on (not an everyday event here).

Sorry, but as I was concentrating on the galleries, that is where the photos can be seen. Time to let someone else win something ;-).

Greg

Medals are photographed; documents are scanned. Got tired of using cardboard for a background, so, went to Wally World and, in the kids' craft aisle, found some small, thin foam sheets in just about every imaginable colour. Bought a couple of packs at about $6 per. I try to pick a colour that compliments the colour of the ribbon or enamel. Seems to work out OK, so far. Thanks for the kind words.

Will be up your way (Alexandria) in about a month and a half- what bridge are you talking about?