Gun Shopping

The Gun Exchange is just down the street from my place. I have passed by it many times in the last several years with both curiosity and apprehension. I have thought about the Gun Exchange and other gun shops in much the same way that I have thought about XXX stores where they sell sex toys and videos; it's not a place for me to be; going there is not my thing. I have other off-limits locations too; I don't frequent bars. If I had to sum up my feelings about these places in one word, it would be that they are 'taboo.'

Today, I blew away my taboo regarding gun shops. I parked my car and went inside the Gun Exchange. Dennis was behind the counter and immediately asked if he could assist me. I told him I wanted information about buying a gun and what it would take to do it. He answered that it would take about 20 years experience, and we moved forward from there. I received a good but brief education about guns, requirements to own one in California, and training locations.

I was given a written list of pre-purchase instructions and  I found something interesting. I am not qualified to purchase a handgun because Federal requirements to show proof of residency do not allow the address to be a PO Box. My mailing address is a PO Box and it is on my Driver's License. The following are the other optional government documents which fulfill the Federal residence requirement:

• Vehicle Registration -The DMV has my PO Box on my Vehicle Registration, not my physical address.
• Voter Registration - I Vote by Mail - and they list my PO Box on the voting materials
• Tax Bill - I rent, so I don't have a Property Tax Bill
• Military housing agreement - I'm not in the Military
• Permanent Military orders - I'm not in the Military

California accepts a Rental Agreement as Proof of Residence. The Federal government wants a government document and a Rental Agreement doesn't qualify.

I have to request that the DMV update my Vehicle Registration to show my physical address before I can move forward with buying a gun.

I'm going to sign up for a shooting clinic for women, sponsored by the NRA. This will get me started. I was also provided with three target shooting locations around the county. While I was talking with Dennis, he showed me several handguns and discussed with me the advantages and disadvantages of each. He recommended the revolver Smith &Wesson Model 10 38 Special or Model 686 357 Magnum for a first time buyer.

Here's the thing. I fired a 357 Magnum when I was younger and I recall that it had a serious recoil. I am not a fan of  revolvers - they seem too big for me.  I also looked at the Smith & Wesson M&P 9 mm. I like the look and the feel of it. I also like the Springfield Armory XD 9 mm.

Why am I doing this? For my protection.

Where I Live

 
I live in San Diego, California and I love being here.

The local weather channel reports that San Diego County has four different regions; coast, inland, mountain, desert. I live and work and spend most of my time in the coast and inland areas. The mountains and desert areas, I save for local vacations and recreation.

I grew up here and have lived all around the county from Ramona to Spring Valley. I have family here; my father, my sons, my stepbrother and his family, my cousins, my ex-husband's sister and her family.

La Jolla Cove

I don't travel much. I do like Yosemite National Park, though. I used to fly there with friends once or twice a year to take pictures. The tab at the top of this page will provide you with links to my photo logs from trips that I've taken to Yosemite.

My last trip to Yosemite was unsettling. The travel itself was unnerving; the plane's front wheel gear lost hydraulic pressure during take-off and we had to abort the takeoff. We were all pretty shook up. It was late at night and the airline got us out on the last flight to Fresno. I had a rental car reserved in Fresno and anyone who has been to that airport knows that they basically close up shop at 11:00pm. I called my rental car company and spoke directly with the agent in Fresno explaining what happened to us; to our flight. She told me she would wait for me. I still had an hour's drive ahead of me after reaching Fresno and it meant the world to me to hear her say that.

I wrote the company a Thank You letter to the agent and they responded by including it in an advertising campaign focused on employee appreciation and customer service acknowledgement. They took my letter and created a television commercial which still airs today on the golf channel. It's also on You Tube and is called, "The Long Wait".

My Yosemite