Zen and the Art of /.*/

I am the licensed charitable gambling manager for the Osseo Fire Department Relief Association.

I write to you today to express my bitter disappointment and profound concern over the state of charitable gambling in Minnesota.

The event that precipitated my correspondence to you today is the fact that myself and two of my fellow paid-on-call / volunteer firefighters spent seven hours this past New Year’s Day holiday performing the newly-required Annual Physical Inventory and Cash Count, instead of enjoying the much-needed holiday with family and friends.

There is a well-known prayer in the fire service known as the Fireman’s Prayer:

When I am called to duty, God
Whenever flames may rage,
Give me strength to save some life
Whatever be its age.

Published in the May 6th edition of the Osseo / Maple Grove Press:

There may have been a few turned heads and raised eyebrows on First Ave NE this past week. Where once I had frequently flown the Stars and Stripes, I have instead been flying a bright yellow flag with a coiled rattlesnake and the words “DONT TREAD ON ME” [sic].

Here is the previous post, as updated and submitted to the Osseo / Maple Grove Press for publication:

In my water bill from the City of Osseo, I found an insert containing the following text, accompanied by the city’s logo:

In my water bill from the City of Osseo, I found an insert containing the following text, accompanied by the city’s logo:

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