Aurora, in Latin, means Dawn. Tonight, Monday October 25th, 2010, marks the dawn of a new chapter in our lives. It is 1335 currently and around 2100 I will say goodbye to my wife, sister and our roommate. The last three people to say goodbye to. I was again, trying to think of what this feels like. I told my wife I feel like this whole experience has been like when one decides to be adventurous and go on the big scary ride at the theme park. You see it from a distance and are all pumped up and you march across the park with your chest puffed out, people get in your way and you just blast through because you have business to take care of. Then you get to the queue and suddenly things get real. You want to save face as friends are asking if this was a good idea, but deep down you're like, "Oh Crap I am doing this.". But now you're committed. With us it's a water slide. And now we're both sitting in the rushing water looking down the dark tubes of our slides waiting. Each of the slides twist and turn in different directions and different drops. But, we can't see each other until we come out in the pool at the end.
I guess maybe you had to be one of those kids who gets psyched out from the "Big" rides with scary names like "HELLS HILL" or "BLACK MAMBA'S REVENGE" or "FLESH RIPPER". But once you take the plunge and get through it the Adrenaline rush is awesome.
So here I sit, trying to just relax. My wife is emotional, to be expected. But, for me to see her like that I can't help but feel like I am abandoning her, or hangin her out to dry. I know it's not really like that, but those feelings emerge.
Well, I may or may not have her update this with all the news as she gets my letters or just wait and go through the letters and update all at once. Guess you'll just have to wait and see.
Thank you to all who are and have been reading this. I hope it helps those who are thinking of enlisting or have enlisted and those who have wondered what it's like to enlist or whoever is just plain curious.
Next you actually hear from me and I will be a US Sailor.
Monday, October 25, 2010
Monday, October 18, 2010
Memororis
This past weekend was the closing of a chapter. I had my last day of work on Friday, October 15th. Then on Saturday I drove down to a good friend's place. Two of my other good friends are room-mates with him so it was *bonus*. We had a mini-LAN party playing Command and Conquer 3: Kane's Wrath. Then we went to see the movie "RED", came back to his place and cooked two Tombstone pizzas, always a staple for impromptu LAN parties. After we ate, we played more CNC3: KW until 3am.
The thing about my friends is we're all so weird in our own ways. Sean is loud and obnoxious and can't keep his hands to himself. He's always grabbin someone's butt or twisting their nipples... You see he isn't Gay. We have our way of interacting and as odd as it is to outsiders, it's how it rolls. Below all that is true friend though. We both like to enjoy a good cigar with my other good friend, his room-mate and brother, Sam. It's at that time that the calming scent of cigar smoke bends conversation into something more serious and we just relax. Sam is a Psychology major, and has OCD tendencies. However sometimes his room says otherwise. Sean is scatterbrained and one would think his room would look that way. Oh well, maybe he just had a lazy week??? nahhhh... Sam likes zombies, which was one of the things that allowed our friendship to take root. He also likes, as well as I, playing Ultimate Frisbee. Sean, is always molesting him(not in a sick, bad way. But in a figurative way). Sean will come up and try and lick his cheek and Sam, who used to have the look of horror, now just holds him just far enough away and makes noises. But it's all in good fun. Those two, even though they are not true brothers by blood, are "blood" brothers. They are close.
I put this post on hold for a week. Now I am up in Duluth visiting my parents. And am watching this show on Child Beauty Pageants... Those parents are the most selfish and ignorant people... Children are not meant to hold such rigorous schedules and are not meant to be exposed to attention they can't comprehend. They are teaching their kids that beauty is something you can use to get what you want.
I am sure there is some parent out there that will read this and be outraged that I have such strong feelings against this, but I have a solid reasoning behind it. But this blog is about my military career, so why would I write and gripe about what I am watching on TV? Well, this the eve before my last three days before I leave. And I am enjoying just chillin out with my Wife, Mom and Wife's Cousin before I don't see them and sitting here in utter shock at the life that these little girls have to endure just to make their parents happy is nice because I am thankful that my Mom and Dad didn't put my sister through that.
Going into the military knowing that I have a good solid family behind me makes things much easier. I can't imagine going in to the military with no family support. A documentary I watched highlighted a few sailors that had parents that were drug addicts, prostitutes, etc. and I wonder how they deal. I suppose they are so tired of the life their family is living and they figure they just want to start over... I dunno, it will be interesting to meet those sailors and ask.
In keeping with the title of this post, I will close with this. The memories I will get to bring along with me to Boot Camp, at School and on Ship will be what gets me through. In addition creating new ones to share with my wife and future kids.
The thing about my friends is we're all so weird in our own ways. Sean is loud and obnoxious and can't keep his hands to himself. He's always grabbin someone's butt or twisting their nipples... You see he isn't Gay. We have our way of interacting and as odd as it is to outsiders, it's how it rolls. Below all that is true friend though. We both like to enjoy a good cigar with my other good friend, his room-mate and brother, Sam. It's at that time that the calming scent of cigar smoke bends conversation into something more serious and we just relax. Sam is a Psychology major, and has OCD tendencies. However sometimes his room says otherwise. Sean is scatterbrained and one would think his room would look that way. Oh well, maybe he just had a lazy week??? nahhhh... Sam likes zombies, which was one of the things that allowed our friendship to take root. He also likes, as well as I, playing Ultimate Frisbee. Sean, is always molesting him(not in a sick, bad way. But in a figurative way). Sean will come up and try and lick his cheek and Sam, who used to have the look of horror, now just holds him just far enough away and makes noises. But it's all in good fun. Those two, even though they are not true brothers by blood, are "blood" brothers. They are close.
I put this post on hold for a week. Now I am up in Duluth visiting my parents. And am watching this show on Child Beauty Pageants... Those parents are the most selfish and ignorant people... Children are not meant to hold such rigorous schedules and are not meant to be exposed to attention they can't comprehend. They are teaching their kids that beauty is something you can use to get what you want.
I am sure there is some parent out there that will read this and be outraged that I have such strong feelings against this, but I have a solid reasoning behind it. But this blog is about my military career, so why would I write and gripe about what I am watching on TV? Well, this the eve before my last three days before I leave. And I am enjoying just chillin out with my Wife, Mom and Wife's Cousin before I don't see them and sitting here in utter shock at the life that these little girls have to endure just to make their parents happy is nice because I am thankful that my Mom and Dad didn't put my sister through that.
Going into the military knowing that I have a good solid family behind me makes things much easier. I can't imagine going in to the military with no family support. A documentary I watched highlighted a few sailors that had parents that were drug addicts, prostitutes, etc. and I wonder how they deal. I suppose they are so tired of the life their family is living and they figure they just want to start over... I dunno, it will be interesting to meet those sailors and ask.
In keeping with the title of this post, I will close with this. The memories I will get to bring along with me to Boot Camp, at School and on Ship will be what gets me through. In addition creating new ones to share with my wife and future kids.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Advento
Time is quickly drawing near. October 26th, 2010. The date I ship out. On the 25th is the day I officially say goodbye to home, to my Wife and my Family. The clock is ever ticking with a near audible effect. And there are times when I am excited. Other times I am terrified of the change. It's hard to fathom that my life is really going this direction. I mean I have had a pretty stable daily/weekly schedule. Five consecutive eight hour days of work followed by a two day weekend. I could pretty much do things how I wanted. Now I have volunteered to put myself in a position where I have no control.
I know that I have not posted much lately but I have been out-of-sorts trying to prepare for this.
My wife will be Head-of-Household meaning she will be responsible for paying the bills and taking care of everything here at home. Plus, work near full-time and have no time to herself to take care of the emotional adjustment... Let's just say, she's my favorite. I am so proud of her.
There is so much we have to try and prepare for and yet we have no idea what is really going to happen. We're just riding the military wave. It's probably like when an astronaut first feels weightlessness. Losing control over the anchor of gravity and having nothing to grasp on to regain some sort of control.
Well I suppose I will update right before I leave.
I know that I have not posted much lately but I have been out-of-sorts trying to prepare for this.
My wife will be Head-of-Household meaning she will be responsible for paying the bills and taking care of everything here at home. Plus, work near full-time and have no time to herself to take care of the emotional adjustment... Let's just say, she's my favorite. I am so proud of her.
There is so much we have to try and prepare for and yet we have no idea what is really going to happen. We're just riding the military wave. It's probably like when an astronaut first feels weightlessness. Losing control over the anchor of gravity and having nothing to grasp on to regain some sort of control.
Well I suppose I will update right before I leave.
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