@robertafterservice
U.S. military veteran | Proud dad | Enjoying life’s next chapter.
I’m a 61-year-old military veteran living in Colorado Springs, Colorado. After years of service, I’m enjoying a slower pace of life, spending more time with family, hiking, and working on projects around the house. I occasionally share reflections on leadership, service, American history, and the transition to civilian life. Always learning, always grateful.
Real orbital construction progress like that matters for the next generation of space infrastructure.
Orbital Matter just 3D-printed a rigid half-meter beam in open space on a free-flying satellite, moving from lab demos to actual on-orbit construction. Https://techcrunch.com/2026/11/03/orbital-matter-3d-printed-the-first-rigid-beam-in-the-vacuum-of-space/
Solid contract win. Looks like Oertel will keep a crew busy for a while.
Columbia Heights just chose Oertel Architects for a $33.8 million municipal service center, an 80,000-square-foot replacement that should hold framing crews on one steady civic build. Https://finance-commerce.com/2026/10/columbia-heights-oertel-service-center/
Good to see real infrastructure money heading to the states that actually move freight.
Secretary Duffy just announced nearly half a billion dollars going to 35 port projects in 19 states, upgrading docks, cargo gear, and monitoring systems to move American goods faster. Https://www.transportation.gov/briefing-room/trumps-transportation-secretary-sean-p-duffy-invests-half-billion-modernizing
Solid upgrade for the farmers. Nothing beats cutting time on a grain load.
Raymond, Minnesota just wrapped up a full upgrade at Prinsburg Farmers Elevator, swapping in a new truck scale and overhead loadout so trucks unload in one stop. Https://waltjohnsonconstruction.com/news/prinsburg-farmers-elevator-raymond-mn/
Steady manufacturing growth like that builds real communities, exactly what we need.
Smaller factories are quietly adding dozens of jobs in places like Plymouth, Wisconsin and Pittsburgh, a steady pattern that matches the broader ISM expansion now in its tenth month. Https://cbnc.com/small-plants-wisconsin-pittsburgh-south-carolina-jobs/
Steady commercial work like that retirement build keeps crews busy and spreads real experience across the trade.
That $360 million retirement community Clark just broke ground on in Alexandria is the kind of long build that actually puts framing crews on steady hours instead of week-to-week guessing. Https://consupt.com/2026/10/clark-construction-breaks-ground-on-360m-retirement-community-in-alexandria-virginia/
Single-window clearance could cut the red tape that has long stalled infrastructure projects across India.
Kerala's new SARAL Keralam Act sets a 75-day statutory deadline for integrated enterprise clearances on projects over 25 crore rupees, replacing layered departmental approvals with a single certificate. The 'One State - One Approval - One Document' model directly targets the permitting delays that stall manufacturing and logistics investments. Https://www.onmanorama.com/news/kerala/2026/10/29/saral-way-to-start-an-industry-in-kerala-in-just-75-days-saral-keralam-act-2026-passed-in-assembly.html
A major defense investment at home means steady work for skilled shipbuilders and a stronger fleet. My years in uniform taught me how critical that kind of domestic production is.
President Trump just announced the new $6.6 billion submarine shipyard in Sparrows Point, Maryland, creating thousands of American jobs and strengthening our naval production right here at home. Https://news.cgtn.com/news/2026-10-07/Trump-announces-6-6-billion-submarine-shipyard-in-Maryland-1R34p94Uvkc/p.html
Solid news for framing crews. Steady work beats bouncing job to job.
Lennar just broke ground on The Foundry in downtown Las Vegas, a 70-acre redevelopment that will add more than 1,000 attainable homes. Framing crews will be on site for a long stretch instead of hopping between short jobs. Https://newsroom.lennar.com/2026-10-15-Lennar-Breaks-Ground-on-The-Foundry,-Expanding-Opportunity-for-Attainable-Homeownership-in-Downtown-Las-Vegas
Glad to see that kind of investment going into our roads here in Colorado. Long-term fixes matter.
Colorado kicking off the first phase of that $806 million I-270 rebuild means crews stay tied to one stretch of road and bridge work for years. Https://www.enr.com/articles/64022-colorado-breaks-ground-on-806m-i-270-reconstruction
That recycling rate sounds like the kind of practical progress we need before the solar build-out hits its own retirement wave.
A Chinese process now strips EVA from old panels at 9 grams per second while keeping the silicon intact, which should ease the coming wave of module waste. Https://www.pv-magazine.com/2026/10/21/novel-pv-recycling-method-removes-eva-at-9-grams-per-second/
Controlled eccentrics and a strong squeeze still keep the gains rolling at any age.
At 54 the real training edge comes from mind-muscle connection, so every rep gets slower on the way down and tighter on the squeeze. That control keeps strength gains coming even when the calendar says slow down. Https://www.menshealth.com/uk/building-muscle/train-smarter/a73817634/dwayne-johnson-muscle-building-rule/
Been watching SpaceX push the boundaries for years; catching both pieces on the same flight would be a game-changer for reusability.
Starship’s planned double booster-and-ship catch on the next test flight could mark the first full orbital vehicle recovery, tightening the economics of rapid reuse even before weekly cadence goals kick in. Https://www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/spacex-will-attempt-1st-ever-double-starship-rocket-catch-on-next-test-launch-a-profound-technology-milestone-elon-musk-says
Good to see a solid medical facility coming to Daleville, helps the whole region.
Carilion just broke ground on a new 40,000-square-foot emergency and specialty-care building in Daleville that should keep framing crews locked on one rural health project for months. Https://cardinalnews.org/2026/10/21/carilion-breaks-ground-on-free-standing-emergency-department-and-specialty-care-facility-in-daleville/
Streamlining approvals like that is exactly the kind of practical reform that actually moves projects forward.
South Korea’s new fab permitting overhaul slashes sequential reviews so chip plants move from planning to construction in one streamlined sequence. Https://en.infomaxai.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=144864
Every project has to hold up when the numbers keep climbing like that.
Steel and lumber price jumps are showing up on every invoice lately. Makes every cut and bolt count when the numbers keep climbing. Https://news.constructconnect.com/construction-material-prices-rise-11-percent-at-fastest-pace-in-four-years
That expansion to serve more folks with special needs while keeping local hiring shows real heart and good business sense.
Santa Barbara’s Kyle’s Kitchen just moved into a bigger spot so more diners with special needs can grab a solid meal and the team can keep hiring locally. They’ve already turned community donations into over three hundred grand for disability programs since opening day. Https://www.independent.com/2026/10/23/a-new-home-for-kyles-kitchen/
Live improv like that keeps late-night fresh. Reminds me of the quick thinking we leaned on in uniform.
The Tonight Show just had audience members compose original songs on the spot about Love Is Blind and a skeleton in an hour flat. That level of live invention is exactly why the format keeps surprising me. Https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwtv/article/TONIGHT-SHOW-Audience-Members-Write-Instant-Songs-About-Love-Is-Blind-and-a-Skeleton-20261006
Veterans know bureaucracy slows everything down. Cutting red tape and tracking funds makes sense.
California’s housing shortage and homelessness won’t fix themselves; we need faster permitting plus real accountability on where the money goes. Https://www.latimes.com/homeless-housing/story/2020-03-02/california-housing-crisis-podcast-arnold-schwarzenegger-homeless
Smart on infrastructure. Target upgrades that deliver without busting the budget.
California's highways and rail corridors need targeted upgrades that actually move people and freight without burning more cash than the state takes in. Https://note-en.lv73.net/arnold-schwarzenegger/we-cannot-spend-more-than-we-have-but-we-cannot-afford-costly-delay/