Make Target Practice, Not War

     Hold on for Halloween. I still intend to get to that topic soon. 
     Today we have what to do after firing.  Though some blogs are forums for rants and raves, I don't want to be guilty of  incendiary provocations. I don't want to be just shooting off my mouth or shooting from the hip. This ain't no cowboy blog pardner. I mean, I like cowboys and westerns and such, but I'm not intending for a gunfight at the OK Corral or anything like that. I just want to sit around the campfire and jaw a bit. I enjoy a good debate and I will follow through with that when the situation calls for it, but hopefully always in good clean fun. I ain't got nothin' against nobody in particular.  There might be some ideas, lifestyles, movements, or the like that I don't particularly like or agree with, but I'm usually happy to chat about any of it. So civil debate, yes-war no.
      In other words, using the metaphor of words or the blog as a gun, I'm just doing target practice.  I'm not out to attack anyone or hurt anybody.  Not to say I might not get careless at times, but hopefully if I do hit anyone it will only be a flesh wound.  What to do after firing?  When it's just casual target practice, after firing I would want to take a look and see if I hit my target and see  how I could improve in the future. I've never been a gun guy and have only fired a gun a few times, but I'm not against guns by any means.  One of my friends who does own guns and is pretty knowledgeable about them once told me about how he once stood a bayonet upright in the ground, fired at it to where the blade split the bullet in half to where the bullet halves broke two glass bottles standing behind the bayonet. He experimented with the shot a number of times before actually successfully breaking two bottles with one bullet, but when he finally did it I guess it was pretty impressive.  Oh, and two other friends of mine were there to witness the feat and they corroborated the story.  I have no real reason to doubt it.
        The point of all this is if you're doing target practice, after firing you fire again trying to correct any aiming errors you had the first time.  Then you keep firing to perfect your shooting skill.  When you're done you put the weapon away in a safe place.  Sometimes you will need to clean the gun again. Care and maintenance will keep the weapon in good working order.  And whenever you're ready to use it, your gun's ready.  Bang!
       I think I prefer the juggling metaphor better.  It conjures a more peaceful image.  Clowns and costumed performers or people just having fun in the park tossing their props into the air. Skill and dexterity all honed by hours of practice. And it's good exercise.  So are you ready?  Okay I'm going to toss it to you. Ready? Here it comes.  You got it?  Toss it back.